Works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit

 The Works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit 

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:19-24, NKJV)

The works of the flesh are the manifestation of the sinful nature whereas the fruit of the Spirit is evidence of the character of Jesus. The works of the flesh are opposed to the fruit of the Spirit. It is impossible to walk in the flesh and in the Spirit at the same time. The two paths are diametrically opposed to each other. 

Jesus displayed the fruit of the Spirit throughout His ministry on earth. Anyone who is not totally surrendered to God cannot manifest the fruit of the Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not fully in control, the fruit of the Spirit cannot be evident. The fruit of the Spirit does not belong to anyone but the Holy Spirit who testifies of Jesus here on earth. To bear fruit, the believer must abide in Jesus. In John 15:1-5, the Bible says, “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." (NKJV)

No one can bear fruit without abiding in Jesus. The attributes of the fruit of the Spirit cannot be experienced by wishful thinking or by might. They will manifest only when the believer loses himself or herself in Jesus. Jesus is the Vine, believers are the branches and just as the branches must be completely rooted in the vine, so believers must be totally rooted in Jesus to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. The one who demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit has crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The Bible says that in Romans 8:6-8, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (NKJV)

Wow. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The Amplified Version of the Bible renders Romans 8:7-8 this way:

"the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God."

Hostility to God is a fulltime activity of the mind of the flesh ~ the carnal mind. No wonder the mind of the flesh (the carnal mind) cannot please God. It is just impossible. Works of the flesh tell a story of carnality whereas the fruit of the Spirit indicates true spirituality rooted in Jesus, manifestewd by the power of the Holy Spirit and glorifying God 24/7.

So the question to be asked is simply this: Are you glorifying God? Is  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control evident in your life. I watched someone on YouTube say something very profound. He asked what juice would come out of an orange when pressed, when presseure is applied to it? Noone in his or her right mind would expect coconut water from a sqeezed orange. Even without notice, the result of applying pressure to an orange or any other fruit would be the juice associated with it. Nothing more or less. 

The question we have to answer is what will come out of us when we are squeezed? when we face pressure? when things are not going well? when our expectations are not realized? You know Jesus said in Matthew 15:11

"It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him." (AMP)

So what comes out of you? What do people see or feel when they contact you? ~ the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit. A thriving relationship with Jesus will put you on the right side - God's side and you will no longer be at enmity with God. I want to end this message by stating that the one who is at enmity with God cannot win. God can never be defeated. 

May the Word of God dwell in you richly and bring forth His blessings into your life as you heed His Word. God bless you. 

The Great Commission

 The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV)

Commission is defined as "an instruction, command, or role given to a person or group." (Oxford Languages Dictionary). Jesus gave an instruction/command to His disciples before His ascension into Heaven. That instruction/command is called The Great Commission which focuses on making disciples in all the nations.

Considerations from The Great Commission:

1. All authority has been given to Jesus.
2. The Command is to GO for all disciples irrespective of position or status within Christendom. The disciple maker must of necessity be a disciple.
3. The tasks given are
• Making disciples
• Baptizing the disciples
• Teaching them all that Jesus taught
4. The continuous presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit is with those who are obedient to The Great Commission.

Believers have a guarantee for fruitfulness in Jesus - “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." (John 15:1-4, NKJV)

To be fruitful in what we have been commissioned to do, we must abide in Jesus. 

In John 8:31, the Bible says "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed"  (NKJV). Abiding in Jesus means abiding in God's Word. It follows that one who makes disciples must be a student of God's Word ~ reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God. This is a loose aspect of the life of the one commissioned to make disciples; it is of utmost importance and of topmost priority. 

What does it take to make a disciple of Jesus? It is important to remember that we cannot give what we do not have. In other words, it is only a disciple who can make another disciple. Jesus stipulated some conditions for discipleship that are as relevant today as they were 2000 years ago.

1. Denying Oneself: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24). This implies giving up things that are  legitimately yours for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. It goes without saying that it will involve sacrifice.
2. Hating One's Life and Bearing One's Cross: “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). This means loving Jesus more than anything or anyone to the extent of laying down one's life for Him. It is not possible to bear one's cross without surrendering one's life to Jesus. Finally there is a cross to bear because the Christian race is not a walk in the park. There are challenges and tests of faith that the disciple of Jesus will have to face.
3. Forsaking All:  "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:33). The disciple of Jesus cannot afford to be tied down by anything. Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-20). In other words, nothing on this earth has the power to distract the disciple. It is impossible to lay treasures in Heaven if one's heart is on earth.

Discipleship requires a heart that is genuinely prepared to give up everything in a literal sense if Christ so requires. Stewardship not ownership is the underlying principle. This, my friends, is the challenge of the Great Commission. Many people talk about it but they are unable to obey the Great Commision because their hearts are not in the right place. Many are so earthly bound that they are unable to be functional in the Kingdom of God even though they know a lot of Christaneze. It is impossible to be a disciple of Jesus if sacrifice is not embraced. 

The Great Commission is not about saying, "Do as I say, don't do as I do". The disciplemaker must of necessity be a disciple of Jesus. So the Great Commission speaks to us individually in the first instance and invariably asks the question ~ Are you a disciple of Jesus?

It can be said without a shadow of doubt and/or fear of contradiction that the reason many are not making disciples is that they are not disciples of Jesus. It is impossible to be a disciple-maker if you are not a disciple. This is something to think about. 

What we need to do is to examine ourselves to check whether we are disciples. From all indications, the disciples of Jesus as well as other members of early church made disciples. They did not expect people to flock to the assembly of believers without going out to minister to them. That is why discipleship and evangelism are connected; they go hand in glove. Evangelism is the first part in the process of discipleship. Discipleship is a lifelong process. To make a disciple, become one yourself.

May God minister to you as you ponder over this.

Leaving All To Follow Jesus

Leaving All To Follow Jesus

"So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him." (Luke 5:1-11, NKJV)

Simon lent Jesus his boat so that He could teach the people. We are not told how long Jesus spent teaching the multitude. We are told that they "pressed about Him to hear the word of God,". When Jesus stopped speaking, He instructed the fishermen including Simon to launch into the deep and cast their nets down for a catch. Remember Jesus was a carpenter by profession. These seasoned fishermen must have wondered what Jesus was really saying but Peter responded humbly recognising the Person and authority of Jesus, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” The command of Jesus was a seemingly senseless command but with God nothing is impossible. In other words, when God commands, no matter how odd it sounds, we should obey. The fishermen obeyed and they caught so much fish that they signaled to other fishermen for help to load the boats with the fish they had caught after a night of fruitless labour. Really amazing!

They caught so much fish that the boats began to sink. What a haul of fish; enough to compensate their disappointing and fruitless outing and more than sufficient to boost their depleting money accounts. Interestingly, the amount of fish they caught moved Peter to fall down on his knees before Jesus and acknowledge his sin. "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”, he said. 

Have you acknowledged your sin and repented of it before Jesus? Have you received Jesus as Lord and Saviour? The Bible says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:" (John 1:12, NKJV). Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) and He can set you free from sin today. Only Jesus can deliver you from the bondage of sin and the lies and deception of Satan. Come to Jesus today!

One would have thought that Peter and his colleagues would have rejoiced after catching so much fish and that they would have sold them to make a lot of money. Instead, the Bible says that they forsook all and followed Jesus. Jesus was more important to them than all the fish and money in the world. Fish and money will come to an end but the Word of God will never pass away. Remember that Jesus is the Living Word of God. Peter and his partners were astonished at the amount of fish they caught; that brought Peter to his knees and consequently led to him following Jesus wholeheartedly. A close encounter with Jesus produces a radical transformation in an individual. 

Fulfilment does not come from material things. The very thing that Peter had toiled for all night unsuccesfully was presented to him miraculously but in the end he forsook all to follow Jesus. Jesus is worth more than all of us and our possessions put together. At the end of the day, the question to answer is ~ Whose side are you on? Jesus' or Satan's? Jesus will never lead you astray and that is why it is worthwhile following Him unreservedly just as Peter did. 

The English say, "You cannot eat your cake and have it". Seeking fulfulment in life and staying in your comfort zone is a contradiction in terms. Something has to give. Peter discovered that sustenance is derived from the Source (Jesus); the catch of fish was a miracle and rather than settle for the miracle, he went after the miracle-maker, Jesus Christ. It made a lot of sense. It is often said "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man To fish, and you feed him for a lifetime". The encounter Peter had with Jesus opened his eyes to God's high calling for his life ~ catching of men. It would be fair to say that Peter reasoned that if at the command of Jesus, fish could be caught in such abundance, then the higher calling would be a great possibility. Don't allow the devil to rob you of your destiny. Respond to the calling of God upon your life to the ministry of reconciliation. This is what the Bible says about that.

" Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:18-19, NKJV)

You have been given the ministry of reconciliation and the word of reconciliation. Go and preach the Gospel to all creatures (Mark 16:15) and go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). As you forsake all to follow Jesus (just as His disciples did), the blessings of God will be your portion in Jesus' Name. May God richly bless you today and always in Jesus' Name.

The Reality of Hell (Luke 16:19-31; Mark 9:42-28)

The Reality of Hell (Luke 16:19-31; Mark 9:42-28)

 19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." (Luke 16:19-23)

42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 44 where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ " (Mark 9:42-44)

The subject of hell is a controversial one but the existense of hell cannot be ignored or disregarded. One does that at one's peril. It is not a comfortable subject but it is a subject that demands great attention. It is not a subject that many people want to talk about but it is one that impacts everyone's life. Some people will avoid hell because of their positive response to the hope of salvation and redemption yet others will languish in hell because of their obstinate, prideful, irrational rejection of the hope of salvation and redemption. Let me state without any fear or favour, without any hesistation that Jesus is the Hope of salvation and redemption (John 14:6). He is the only Way to God the Father. 

 In fact He alone is the One who died for mankind on the cross of Calvary; He bore our sins, was crucified not because He committed sin but because He loved us so much to die for us. Oh, what love demonstrated, what courage displayed, what sacrifice given for unworthy individuals like you and I. The crucifixion of Jesus is not only recorded in the Bible (Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) but in the writings of secular historians like Tacitus, a Roman historian and Josephus,  a Jewish historian.  Hear what the Bible says:

21 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 became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God not by compulsion but by our freewill. In other words, no-one is cajoled into becoming a believer, it is the individual's choice whether or not to accept Jesus. You would agree that there are consequences for the choices we make.

Before I go any further, I would like to state that the words in the biblical passages quoted above were spoken by Jesus. Would Jesus lie? No way. Furthermore, if Jesus said it, it was and still is very important. Someone once said, "if you miss Heaven, you cannot miss hell". This means that there is no middle ground; there is no purgatory; there is no straddling of the fence. 

Every decision we make leads to a final outcome - where we spend eternity. It's either hell or Heaven. The question that arises is not really about the existence of hell but why it exists in the first place. Hell was prepared for satan and his demons. However, when an individual decides to pitch his or her tent in the devil's coutyard, what is the right reward for such an individual? And by the way, hell can be avoided. No one needs to go to hell but unfortunately many have made up their minds to go there. Once in hell, there is no escape from it. 

The Bible says,

“Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." (Hebrews 13:5)

Come to Jesus not just for the avoidance of hell but come so that you will have peace that surpasses all understanding; come so that you will be delivered from the bondage of sin and the devil; come so that your life will be a fruitful one ~ meaningful, productive and in line with the plan and purpose of your creation; come as you are for God loves you. God, who created you has a purpose for your life. Will you allow Him to guide you into that wonderful plan for your life?

Instead of us wasting time debating on hell which is a reality, let us come to the throne of grace, where love abounds, where mercy flows, where divine purpose is enshrined and pursued. Jesus died for us on the cross of Calvary so that we would be saved from the plight of the devil and his demons - eternal damnation. 

The rich man was in torment in Hades, a terrible holding place pending the final casting away into hell. The irony is that while he was on earth, he had numerous opportunities to turn away from his sinful, self-absorbed way to God but he refused. What a sad story! Opportunities wasted; deception embraced; pride enthroned; temporary comfort magnified; eternal consequences disregarded and finally a life lost forever in eternal damnation. All that could have been avoided.

The final question is, "What is your decision?"

May God bless you abundantly as you do what is right in Jesus' Name.

God Revealed

"Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands." (Acts 17:22-24, NKJV)

Paul was responding to questions asked by some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers about his faith and doctrinal beliefs. From all indications, he was ready for the moment. In fact he had been preparing for this moment. How do we know that? Well, the Bible says:

"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there." (Acts 17:16-17). 

Paul was provoked in the spirit by the idolatry he found in Athens. What do you see where you are residing? Are you aware of the idolatrous tendencies of those living around you? And if so, what are you doing about it? Many Christians want to live an easy life but that is not an option provided by God. The Christian life is not an easy life; it is a difficult life (Matthew 7:13-14). Paul chose the difficult option of reasoning with the Jews and Gentile worshippers in the synagogue and in the marketplace. He went out to where the people were. His stance was in conformity with Scripture

"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:2)

Paul was polite, gentle and respectful. He referred to the inscription, 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD' he had seen earlier on, stating that he had come to proclaim the unknown God to them. In the synagogue and marketplace, Paul had preached to the people, Jesus and His resurrection. What do you preach? - The Real Gospel or the Prosperity Gospel?

Manyy preachers today knowingly say things that are not biblical in an attempt to draw crowds into their churches. May our messages be founded on and rooted in Scripture. Interestingly, the Bible points us to a simple fact about the existence of God ~ "His invisible attributes are clearly seen, understood through things that are made..."

"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" (Romans 1:20-21). The issue very often, it seems, is not a lack of evidence for the existence of God but a blunt refusal and rejection of such evidence - His invisible attributes. We don't have to see God face to face to know Him; the Holy Spirit is quite capable of giving us the assurance that God is alive and well and that He is the Creator of the universe. In fact, Jesus the Son of God and God the Son makes it possible for one to have a thriving relationship with God - "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 1:12-13)

Paul used his acute observation skills to his advantage in reasoning with the philosophers. He boldly proclaimed that God is not in need of anything manufactured by man, neither does He dwell in temples made by hands. God dwells in the hearts of believers because believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit. "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? " (1 Corinthians 6:19). In the Areopagus (literally, 'Hill of Ares' - it was the name of a location as well as the name of a governmental council) , Paul stated:

"And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ " (Acts 17:26-28)

What a profound statement! The God Almighty which the people in Athens did not know and were trying to communicate with has already revealed Himself to mankind. Do you know Him or is He unknown to you? Bearing in mind that God is the Creator of the universe and without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5), it makes a lot of sense to get acquainted with Him. Oh yes, there are those who would say they do not believe in God. With all due respect, disbelief in God does not negate His existence or prove He does not exist. Disbelief is a personal choice which one is entitled to but which does not in anyway disprove God's existence. We are alive because God exists and He is the Creator of mankind.

Apostle Paul knew the God he was talking about. He had been a persecutor of believers and on his way to Damascus to arrest them, he had a life-changing encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:1-19). Many of the Pharisees recognised Paul and wanted him dead but he was a changed man who had surrenderd totally to Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son. Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? If not, why not? What is keeping you from surrendering your life to Jesus? Time is short; His second coming is at hand. 

The Bible states in Daniel 11:32, "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits."  King Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a Seleucid king who persecuted Jews in 167 BC in Jerusalem. Jewish compromisers were flattered by him but the true believers resisted him and a few years later recaptured the temple which he had desecrated. The implication here is that those who know God intimately, have a thriving relationship with Him through Jesus will carry out great exploits to the glory of God. Do you want to be one of them? Then surrender your life to Jesus unreservedly. You can know God to the extent that everyday of your life will be a powerful testimony of God's grace, holiness, righteousness and power. Hallelujah!

Apostle Paul yearned to know God more intimately. In Philippians 3: 7-11, we read, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Knowing God results in a desire to know Him more. God is limitless meaning that our knowledge of Him can increase indefinitely. What a powerful prospect! What is the extent of your knowledge of God? Do you yearn like Apostle Paul to know Him more? Remember ~ those who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits. 

Finally we are admonished in Scripture "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18). We should be growing in our knowledge of God, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Great I AM, the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).

All Scripture references are taken fron the New King James Version (NKJV)

Prerequisite For Growth and Fruitfulness

 Prerequisite For Growth and Fruitfulness

The law of sowing and reaping is both a natural law as well as a spiritual law. In Galatians 6:7-9, the Bible states "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." 

We reap what we sow. There is no reaping if there is no sowing. Diligence in seeking God yields rewards (Hebrews 11:6) and the converse is true. The student who wants to pass an examination must work hard, attending classes and studying adequately. One who desires a thriving relationship with God must draw near to God so that God can draw near to him or her (James 4:8). There is no quick-fix or shortcut as far as spiritual growth is concerned. The Holy Spirit cannot take one to where he or she is not willing to go simply because the Holy Spirit will not impose Himself on anyone. Basically, we all have a part to play and God has a part to play.

We can be certain that God will never disappoint us; He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) if we hold on tight to Him. The question is not whether God will do what He has promised; the question is whether we will be faithful and stop giving excuses for not doing what He has commanded. Many in Christendom talk about the Great Commission but they rarely get involved, basically offering only lip-service. God is not obligated to helping those who disregard His commands and neglect their God-given responsibilities. In Deuteronomy 28, we discover a simple principle for success and blessings. 

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks...“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.(Deuteronomy 28:1-4, 15-16, NKJV)

Moses reminded the children of Israel of the simple commonsense rules they had to follow in order to be blessed. They were to obey all the commands of God Almighty. The same conditions apply today in the 21st century. Obedience brings forth rewards and blessings, disobedience produces disaster. God cannot bless that which is sinful for disobedience is sin. It is utter folly to walk in disobedience and expect God's blessings. 

God wants His children to be fruitful and that is why 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." (John 15:1-5, NKJV)

Fruitfulness is God's desire for His children but there are prerequisites for it. We must abide in Jesus and submit to God's pruning. The pruning is part of the process of dying to self; it is a necessary condition for a life of fruitfulness. Refusal to submit to pruning adversely affects the ability to be fruitful. Let's take a look at a few commands of God. In James 4:7, we read, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (NKJV). From all indications, God wants us to resist the devil. If we do that, the devil will flee from us but only after we submit ourselves to God. Are you totally submissive to God? Have you surrendered 100% to God? Imagine trying to resist the devil without submitting to God. What a disaster that would be! The seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons without having a relationship with Jesus. They ended up beaten so badly by the demon-possessed man (Acts 19:13-16). You cannot give what you don't have and the prerequisites of God cannot be circumvented or avoided. There is no shortcut to fruitfulness; it is either God's way or no way. Period. 

My dear brethren, everyday that God gives us presents an opportunity to live for Christ. There is nothing like a partial commitment to Jesus; it's either full commitment or no commitment because partial obedience and/or delayed obedience are still disobedience. Apostle Paul recognised this and wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV). 

He also stated: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21, NKJV). A life of victory is a life hidden in Christ; a life obedient to God's commands; a life of sacrifice; a life of death to self; a life of diligently seeking God and engrossed in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, worship, fellowship, evangelism and discipleship. Such a life overcomes the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of its testimony. These are the prerequisites for growth and fruitfulness. 

Will you lay down your life for Jesus? The Bible says: "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39, NKJV). The way to experiencing a victorious life in Christ is straight forward. Let go and let God. God bless you as you heed and apply this message.

Following Jesus

 Are You Following Jesus?

“Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬-‭20‬, ‭NKJV‬‬)

Jesus met Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew and asked them to follow Him. Not only that, He said He would make them fishers of men. These hardened professional fisherman left their nets immediately and followed Jesus, becoming His disciples. They knew how to catch fish but becoming fishers of men was a new venture and one that would cost them their lives. They spent three and a half years following Him, watching every move of His and sought to emulate Him. At a particular point, they asked Jesus to reach them how to pray (Luke 11:1-4). 

The more I think about the  encounter between Jesus and Peter and Andrew and what ensued, the more I realize that becoming fishers of men is the ultimate goal for us as believers. It is impossible to become a fisher of men without following Jesus wholeheartedly, unreservedly, uncompromisingly, humbly and in holiness and righteousness. 

Against this standard, how are you doing? The disciples were later to die for Jesus; only Apostle John died a natural death of old age. *Are you prepared to die for Jesus?* Many would say that is an unfair question but the point is that the quality of our relationship with Jesus is connected to our desire to give Him everything including our lives. 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.” (Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬, NKJV‬‬)

My brethren, these are things that go unmentioned in Christendom most of the time because many Christians have the mindset of receiving whatever they want from God. They are not tuned into God’s agenda and they come to God with their own agenda. Their ‘_relationship_’ with God is built around their preferences not His. They choose when they want to go to church and at what time; they pick and choose what they want to be involved in (evangelism being the least considered); they seek status, material wealth, and influence first before the things of God. Discipleship becomes a no-go area because they are hardly disciples of Jesus. It is impossible for anyone to make a disciple for Jesus if he or she is not a disciple first of all. 

There is a tendency these days to tolerate ungodly behaviour citing the mercy of God. Yet the Bible says that God is a consuming fire (Hebrew 12:29). While God is loving, compassionate and merciful, it would be a serious mistake to  take Him for granted. We have an obligation to follow Jesus passionately and in total surrender.

Are you following Jesus or yourself? One who follows Jesus in the true sense of the word cannot miss the true essence of life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) and in following Him unreservedly we have abundant life - life that impacts others positively and powerfully and which glorifies God. Make up your mind to follow Jesus today and go for it. The starting point is to surrender your whole life to Him and receive Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. God bless you as you heed the Word of God today.

Mistakes, Sins and Holiness

Mistakes, Sins and Holiness

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:" (Hebrews 12:14)
"because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” " (1 Peter 1:16)

God commands us to be holy and from His Word, we learn that no unholy person shall see Him. The question is: why are we not hearing more about holiness today? Is holiness outdated or has God changed His mind? You can rest asured that neither of the two has happened. The devil has made a lot of progress in deceiving Christians to think that holiness is not that big of an issue and they have swallowed the lie hook, line and sinker. 

It is not unusual to hear many Christians talk about grace in the sense that God's grace and love cover a multitude of sins. Really? In Romans 6:1, we read, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" Thank God for His grace which by faith enables us to experience salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10) but grace is not a licence for sin. If anything, the grace of God is an enabler for holiness and righteousness. 

There is a school of thought that propagates the idea that we are imperfect and therefore cannot attain holiness. This raises some questions and if true would portray God as a confusionist and an advocate of confucionism. Why would God command us to be holy if it is impossible to be holy? The ideology that excuses sin on the basis of our imperfection is from the pit of hell. Period.

I am not perfect because I make mistakes. When I am solving Mathematics problems, I sometimes perform wrong additions or subtractions, although not intentionally. It is not uncommon to write the number 8 for example when I meant to write 9 or some other number. These mistakes do not portray a lack of the knowledge of Mathematics but rather the fact that I am imperfect. However, my imperfection is no excuse for sinning. God hates sin. In Ezekiel 18:4, God said, "Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die." and the Bible says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.".

Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of  Eden because they sinned; the children of Israel suffered numerous defeats and captivities because of sin; Ananias and Sapphira died because they sinned against the Holy Spirit by lying (Acts 5:1-11). God is a consuming fire and He will judge sin (Hebrews 12:29). So it should be very clear that sins are not mistakes. Sins are deliberate actions that contraven God's will and the one who wallows in sin rejecting Jesus will suffer loss and find himself or herself in hell. 

We are called to live holy lives and whether we like it or not we shall be held accountable for the lives we live - whether they align with God's will or are demonstrations of our own will, gross disobedience and sinfulness. It must be said that disobedience is sin and partial obedience or delayed obedience are sins. Period. 

Today, you can come to God in total surrender and repentance if you have been indulging in sin. In 1 John 1:9, the Bible says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.". Repenting of your sin and receiving Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour (if you have not done so) will set you free to live a life that pleases God. Reject the lies of Satan and draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). 

God bless you as you read this message and take heed to God's Word.