THE HEARTFELT DESIRE OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER

lyrics from grace extravagant (by Women of Faith)

come and make my heart your home
come and be everything i have and all i know
search me through and through
till my heart becomes a home 4 you

a home 4 you, oh oh oh OH
a home 4 you, ha HA oh oh

let everything i do open up the door 4 you to come through
then my heart will be a place where you wanna be
come and make my heart your home,


the heavenly father is homeless seeking 4 a home to rest. he's looking 4 a RESTING PLACE.
He had been going 4rm ages to ages looking 4 a place to live and rest.
he's not looking for a duplex, not a bungalow with tiles, never! not even a cozy environment.
he's searching 4 place -a home where he can live and dine with the owner of the home.

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 (Rev 3:20)

He's been standing at the door of your HEART for ages. many kept Him there giving Him no attention.some heard HIS voice when He said Hello can I come-in, but declines and said NO. few heard HIM knocking and answered hi  but when they saw HIM they despise HIM and REJECT HIM (Isaiah 53:1-11).
but to them that heard Him knocking, and open the door of their heart for Him to come in; He said He will sit with him, discus with him, sleep with him, eat and drink with him,share things with him-his sorrow ,pains, grieves n afflictions (for we do not have a high priest who did not sympathizes with the feeling of our weakness or infirmities Hebrew 4:15).  

what a great privilege is 4 a man to sup with his creator! mine mine mine!

come lord and make my heart your HOME.

FifiO:

Share a Thot

The Rich Young Man
Matt 19:17-30

Hi y'all. I was reading the above passage and something caught my attention. Let me share it with you guys.
Its the story of the rich young man who caught up with Jesus one day and asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life. He said that he had kept the commandment from his youth and wanted to know what was missing. So, Jesus tells him:

v21, if thou will be perfect, go & sell that thou hast, & give to the poor, thou shall have treasure in heaven: & come and follow me.

Do you notice what Jesus' reply actually is? Come follow me. The rest is really the how- He is saying in essence that keeping all the laws alone, or religiousness( goodness) will not save. But to follow, you need togive up certain strapping; matthew, peter gave up their careers,others walked away from family & family obligations. Notice also that Jesus takes the time to assure the RYM that what he would sell would not make him poor, he would not loose a thing.

v.22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

What happens next is that the RYM goes away and refuses to follow Jesus because he wouldnt part with his "great possessions"

v.23 Then Jesus said unto his disciles, verilu I say unto you: that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Then Jesus comments that it would be hard or dificult, not impossible, for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Why, following Jesus is that way into the kingdom of God.

v.27 Then peter said unto him, behold , we have forsaken all, & followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

Now, peter asks a smart question at this point; though not having "great possessions" in the magnitue of the RYM's estate, each one of us has givenup some important thing to follow you. Tell us, what's the spiritual value of these things, are they too convertible into spiritual currency(heavenly treasures)?

Again Jesus assures them that none of them would loose what ever they gave up to follow him.
Finally, he sums up thus:

v.30 But many that are first shall be last; & the last shall be first.

In other words, though it may appear that one has much( by withholding) now, time will tell who is truely rich.

I have come to the conclusion therefore,that it is not what you have but what you are willing to give up to be a true disciple. The problem is not that one has riches, the problem is withholding or clinging to those things we consider so dear.
Please, add your comments.[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]

  I agree with that.
I've always felt that God gives and blesses us with things that we might use them to glorify His name, not satisfy the selfish desires of our flesh. God gives so freely to us, that we might learn to let go just as "freely" of those things, knowing that we are gaining so much more than we are giving up and not clinging to them selfishly, elevating them to a status of idolatry where it then becomes more important than God in your life.
 
  The problem with that rich young man was that he loved his money more than God - the same bible says - "you cannot serve two masters"

Friends,

Love to everyone who has been a blessing here, for all who have been blessed and those who will yet be blessed. May the Lord add to our lives daily out of His inexhaustible depths of riches.

Ruddyface:

Analytical,

You have earned my respect. Please continue with this mature, level-headed and balanced Christian views. May God bless you.

God bless you Ruddyface. I am really humbled. Let's keep up doing His will and see Him working in our favour.

Hi All,
I was reading this passage and it really got my attention and i decided to share it with you all, God bless u all as you read it.
Luke chapter 8 vs 4-15

4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
      When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
   " 'though seeing, they may not see;
      though hearing, they may not understand.'[a]

11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

bezco:

Hi All,
I was reading this passage and it really got my attention and i decided to share it with you all, God bless u all as you read it.
Luke chapter 8 vs 4-15

4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
      When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
   " 'though seeing, they may not see;
      though hearing, they may not understand.'[a]

11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

  Bezco thanks for sharing. There is one small nugget that I got from this parable a while back.
In the version in Mk 4 verse 20 says "Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

  The seeds that fell on good soil, why did some yield 30-fold? others 60-fold? and others 100-fold? why the different levels of fruitfulness? It's becos even within the good soil (us) some still have rocky stones, and some still have thorns & weeds within their good soil, and depending on how much of these stones and weeds we're able to remove and purify from our lives, that will affect whether it'll be 30, 60 or a 100 fold we produce.

  We all still have sins, shortcomings (rocks n stones = troubles, persecution, worries of life, fleshly desires) that hold us back from fully living the life God intends for us. We must follow the teaching of Paul in throwing off these things, purifying our 'soil' or lives with the word of God and slowly and surely, we will live increasingly fruitful lives - aiming to reach that 100-fold level.

Godbless you all!

@JeSoul:« #292 on: Yesterday at 03:37:09 PM »
[Quote ]
We all still have sins, shortcomings (rocks n stones = troubles, persecution, worries of life, fleshly desires) that hold us back from fully living the life God intends for us. We must follow the teaching of Paul in throwing off these things, purifying our 'soil' or lives with the word of God and slowly and surely, we will live increasingly fruitful lives - aiming to reach that 100-fold level.

Godbless you all!
[quote][/quote]

And ignore the teaching of the other guy, Jesus, the prophet of God, while it is different from the teaching of Paul. Where will be Christianity, if there was no paul? We know what would have become the true followers of the teaching of Jesus, if that teaching had survived, uncorrupted, up to the time that Muhammd (AS), the succeeding prophet of God, arrived on the stage of prophethood. Today, there could never have been anything known as Christianity, wihout being lseen from the same Prizm as Hinduism, Taoism, Buhdduism, etc. It simply proves that Paul is important to the Christians, far more than Jesus is to them!

Hi everyone,

It's been quite an age - and a refreshing moment to visit the Forum again and be blessed with this thread. So far so good - keep it up y'all.

Could I just make a comment on the following misconception:

olabowale:

And ignore the teaching of the other guy, Jesus, the prophet of God, while it is different from the teaching of Paul.

Two things here:

(a) it's not a question of the "other guy" - referring to the Lord Jesus Christ as such only demonstrates the condition of the commentator's heart.

(b) the teachings of the apostle Paul are not different from what the Lord Jesus taught - and certainly not on this subject of the condition of the heart. As is clear in the context of JeSoul's contribution, the apostle exposes the problem with the heart of man when dealing with spiritual things, especially here in the question of fruitfulness.

It is clear from JeSoul's comments that there are no "differences" as assumed by Olabowale, if the latter had read contextually: "We must follow the teaching of Paul in throwing off these things". I'm sure that Jesus Christ did not teach the direct opposite of that.

All the same, well done guys - and many blessings.

Good day. By the grace of God, I am happy to be a member of Nairaland and the Nairaland e-Christian fellowship. I have made some internet friends already in this forum.

I am using this fellowship to ask almighty God to forgive me for the bad things I have done in Nairaland (posting an erotic channel link) which in unrighteous in the sight of God.

Psalm 51:11 says Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. That is what I am also asking from u my Lord and God. In Jesus name. AMEN.

God bless everyone.

Hi All.


Why Do Christians Fight So Much?

JOHN 13:34-35 NKJ
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another."

Instead of being known for love, Christians are more likely to
be known for disagreements and fighting with other Christians.

Why?

Those who fight are displaying their immaturity. Children can
be expected to squabble over insignificant things, but adults
should not.

Yet even Christian leaders often fight with other Christian
leaders.

It is the devil's strategy to get believers in strife because
it opens the door to him. Do you really want to open the door
to the devil?

JAMES 3:16 KJV
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and
every evil work.

God allows us to face the temptation of strife so we can
overcome and learn to walk in love. We are continually given
the opportunity to walk in love.

God's primary concern now is preparing us to inhabit eternity
with Him. His plan is to make us like Jesus (Romans 8:29). To
become like Jesus, we must learn to resist the temptation to
not walk in love.

obinna5000:

Good day. By the grace of God, I am happy to be a member of Nairaland and the Nairaland e-Christian fellowship. I have made some internet friends already in this forum.

I am using this fellowship to ask almighty God to forgive me for the bad things I have done in Nairaland (posting an erotic channel link) which in unrighteous in the sight of God.

Psalm 51:11 says Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. That is what I am also asking from u my Lord and God. In Jesus name. AMEN.

God bless everyone.

God has forgiven you already.

Meditate on this
2nd Tim 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:


And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

I just wanno shout!
Yes indeed,it ought also to shake.The prayer of a righteous man avails much, it maketh tremendous power available.

I got this in my e-mail from my sister this morning,and felt the leading to share it with the fellowship.I don`t know if it`s been posted before or not.

IT IS NOT IN ANYWHERE MEANT TO WHIP UP RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS,IT IS STRICTLY FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE CHRISTIAN!!!

A Muslim man in Egypt killed his wife because she was reading the Bible and then buried her with their infant baby and an 8-year old daughter. The girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police that an uncle killed the kids. Fifteen (15) days later, another family member died. When they went to bury him, they found the 2 little girls under the sand - ALIVE!

The country is outraged over the incident, and the man will be executed. The older girl was asked how she had survived and she said, 'A man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his hands, came every day to feed us. He woke up my mom so she could nurse my sister,'. She was interviewed on Egyptian national TV, by availed Muslim woman news anchor. The woman news anchor then said on public TV, 'This was none other than Jesus, because nobody else does things like this!'

Muslims believe Isa (Jesus) would do this, but the wounds mean He really was crucified, and it's clear also that He is alive! But, it's also clear that the child could not make up a story like this, and there is no way these children could have survived without a true miracle. Muslim leaders are going to have a hard time to figure out what to do with this, and the popularity of the Passion movie doesn't help! With Egypt at the center of the media and education in the Middle East , you can be sure this story will spread (hehehehe)


Christ is still turning the world upside down! Please let this story be shared. The Lord says, 'I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. 'Jeremiah 17. Please forward to all on your list!!
Mark 8:38 which says, 'Therefore whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and my Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels'.


Jesus loves you, !

God who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

Wow.

What a Testimony.

pilgrim.1:

Hi everyone,

It's been quite an age - and a refreshing moment to visit the Forum again and be blessed with this thread. So far so good - keep it up y'all.

   Hey[b] Pilgrim[/b], if no one else has expressed it, you have been missed in this forum . I hope all has been well with you and your soul. Welcome back 
  and as always you have set Alhaji straight . . . its a small wonder why he keeps on being attracted to the christian threads

Gamine:

Wow.

What a Testimony.

  Gamine you gave me the shock of a lifetime! . . . https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-118553.0.html
I still can't believe it . . .

oh my JESOUL!!!!!!

ooooooooooooh MY DAYS!!!!!!!

send me a mail sharp! sharp!!

i put my email on the thread.


WOW

WHAT A TESTIMONY!!!!!

Gamine:

oh my JESOUL!!!!!!

ooooooooooooh MY DAYS!!!!!!!

send me a mail sharp! sharp!!

i put my email on the thread.


WOW

WHAT A TESTIMONY!!!!!

  Indeed it is!!!    I have sent you an email my dear 
You shoulda seen me screaming "NO WAY!" when I first saw your thread lol        what are the chances of this happening?!    Praise God for real!  Abeg make we catch up on the good ol' days

Sent Sent!!!

Atleast i can now say THANK GOD FOR NL!!!

(b) the teachings of the apostle Paul are not different from what the Lord Jesus taught - and certainly not on this subject of the condition of the heart. As is clear in the context of JeSoul's contribution, the apostle exposes the problem with the heart of man when dealing with spiritual things, especially here in the question of fruitfulness.

It is clear from JeSoul's comments that there are no "differences" as assumed by Olabowale, if the latter had read contextually: "We must follow the teaching of Paul in throwing off these things". I'm sure that Jesus Christ did not teach the direct opposite of that.

My comment: What was the explanation given by Jesus, concerning his statements as recorded by thos who witnessed his ministry?

1). Why call me good, was his statement of caution to the woman who adulated him so highly! Jesus said further that the Only One who is Good is God, alone! This statement of Jesus is plain and direct enough that there should not be a need for intepretation or contextual reading! Where is the ambiquity in that speech of jesus that we would need more than human mind and understanding to get it?

2). If we examine Mark 12 verse 29, we will see that Jesus was making plain to everyone who wa in his eudience that they and he Jesus have the same Lord and God, who in this case One Lord! For all natural intents and purposes, Jesus personally declared tht he is not that Lord and god! Why should anyone need to consult a ghost or spirit to understand this verse?

I can give my christian pundits many more verses to chew on. Each one of them will be point to the same theme; Jesus is no God Almighty Creator Lord!

There is a saying in Boston, that goes this way, "Tell me something I don't know?!" Can anyone?

olabowale:

My comment: What was the explanation given by Jesus, concerning his statements as recorded by thos who witnessed his ministry?

1). Why call me good, was his statement of caution to the woman who adulated him so highly! Jesus said further that the Only One who is Good is God, alone! This statement of Jesus is plain and direct enough that there should not be a need for intepretation or contextual reading! Where is the ambiquity in that speech of jesus that we would need more than human mind and understanding to get it?

2). If we examine Mark 12 verse 29, we will see that Jesus was making plain to everyone who wa in his eudience that they and he Jesus have the same Lord and God, who in this case One Lord! For all natural intents and purposes, Jesus personally declared that he is not that Lord and god! Why should anyone need to consult a ghost or spirit to understand this verse?

I can give my christian pundits many more verses to chew on. Each one of them will be point to the same theme; Jesus is no God Almighty Creator Lord!

There is a saying in Boston, that goes this way, "Tell me something I don't know?!" Can anyone?

Alhaji, common now, don't you know you're not fooling anyone on this thread with the above lies?  Pilgrim has said it simply, it is the same bible, words of Paul = words of Jesus, end of story. 

@Olabowale,

This is a Christian fellowship thread, and all are welcome - even you - in Jesus' wonderful Name! It is our joy to see you vroom away from your Muslim motherboard and constantly visit us, so that you can partake of the refreshing that the children of God enjoy!

The Bible states that there is fulness of joy in the presence of God, and that He will show us the path of life (Psa. 16:11). Although you often manifest a restlessness when you visit the Christian motherboard, I now understand why it was great to have left Islam and now become a child of God. Praise the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

As you continue to visit, God will touch you by His mercy. He is doing wonderful things in the lives of many restless souls - and they are embracing the salvation which is found in no one else but in the Name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). May your time come soonest to experience that joy. Bless you.

@Jesoul,

JeSoul:

Hey[b] Pilgrim[/b], if no one else has expressed it, you have been missed in this forum . I hope all has been well with you and your soul. Welcome back

Thank you for all your prayers - they were well answered and God has kept me strong through tough times. I missed you as well and many others who make this part of the Forum such a wonderful and interesting place to spend time.

JeSoul:
and as always you have set Alhaji straight . . .

In love and patience I'll continue to do so - and soon, one day soon, the WORD will touch him just as God touched my life!

JeSoul:

its a small wonder why he keeps on being attracted to the christian threads

It's my prayer that he will continue to be ever so attracted to Christians! The warm love and powerful Name of Jesus Christ in us cannot be ignored - it is so irrestible that Olabowale will continue to be attracted to the children of God. Amen O!

@olabowale,
Meditate on these scriptures and answer the question below

Matthew 16:16
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Mark 14:61
But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Luke 4:41
And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

Luke 22:67
Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

John 6:69
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 11:27
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John 11:26-28 (in Context) John 11 (Whole Chapter)

Galatians 4:7
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.


Hebrews 5:5
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
Hebrews 5:4-6 (in Context) Hebrews 5 (Whole Chapter)

What is the meaning of the word 'CHRIST'and the significance?

Thank you my fellow brothers and sisters in the faith! the response to olabowale as being very helpful, this is a challenge to our faith!!!

@olabowale,
i am taking you back to Mark 12, you quoted, Sir for you to understand (using your mind) the WORD OF GOD there is need for you to read up the whole passage. You only picked verse 29 not considering the remaining part of that passage,
From Mark 12:35-37,it was titled:Christ the Son and yet the Lord of David.

Mar 12:35 As Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he asked the question, "How can the teachers of the Law say that the Messiah will be the descendant of David?
Mar 12:36 The Holy Spirit inspired David to say: 'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit here at my right side until I put your enemies under your feet.'
Mar 12:37 David himself called him 'Lord'; so how can the Messiah be David's descendant?" A large crowd was listening to Jesus gladly.

Sir who are the 2 LORDS the bible is refering to in that passage, JESUS IS LORD AND THE ONLY SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD,THE MAKER AND CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, ALLELUYAH TO HIS NAME FOREVER AND EVER , AMEN,

Olabowale the scripture is foolishness to them that perish, Sir, there is need for the Holy spirit of the Lord in your life for you to understand the things that partain to life and Godliness,
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

I pray the Lord will reveal himself to you better, the best way to believe God, is a personal encounter with him,

Hi Olabowole,

Let me admonish you in the words of Paul himself:Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col 2:8-9
Jesus is God.
Now to the concerns you raised in yours;

Why call me good, was his statement of caution to the woman who adulated him so highly! Jesus said further that the Only One who is Good is God, alone! This statement of Jesus is plain and direct enough that there should not be a need for intepretation or contextual reading! Where is the ambiquity in that speech of jesus that we would need more than human mind and understanding to get it?

Having the fulness of the Godhead, Jesus had the ability to discern the motives & hearts of men. For instance notice how Jesus avoided the traps of the pharisees and saddusees whenever they questioned him,because he could discern their motives. I would like you to take time to read those scriptures again.Also,when he said concerning Nathaniel " behold,an isrealite in whom there is no guile!" john 1:47, yet again he knows which of his disciples would betray him. These are just few examples that come to my mind now.
Is it any wonder therefore that Jesus should know the heart/motive of this man(By the way,it was the rich young man, not some woman who made the statement above.ie,if we are talking about the same thing,ofcourse)
To be more precise, did you notice that the young man had a "goodness complex"? matt.19:16 He said, good master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?
The way I see it, he was trying to associate with the goodness in Jesus, perhaps he wanted everyone to see & hear Jesus say how good he was, afterall what made him think he was lacking anything when he said in  v.20, (the commandments) all these things I have kept fom my youth up: what lack I yet? v.21 Jesus said to him, if thou wilt be perfect,  come follow me.
I believe strongly that Jesus said to him that only God is good for a reason that is not immediately obvious to us. To show him how that he was very human indeed & not perfect,perhaps?Or that partaking in the divine nature of God is not a function of goodness?.
Maybe this guy wanted Jesus to say, you're a perfect man,We will sit together in glory, eterrnal life confirmed,  I just don't know!! But Jesus knew.

If we examine Mark 12 verse 29, we will see that Jesus was making plain to everyone who wa in his eudience that they and he Jesus have the same Lord and God, who in this case One Lord! For all natural intents and purposes, Jesus personally declared that he is not that Lord and god! Why should anyone need to consult a ghost or spirit to understand this verse?

The full text you have refered to here says something like this " hear O Isreal; The lord our God is one Lord: and thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and all thy mind, and with all thy might"

It seems to me that "one Lord" here is used in the sense  of "one ruler, the only ruler, to whom you must give your undivided allergance, worsip and love."

In any case, did you know that Jesus was quoting an old testament scripture? (Deut.6:4-5).  So, in essence  this cannot be seen as his attestation to his not being God.

Indeed, we christians all know that there is only one God, revealed as God the Father, Son & the Holy spirit, without contradiction.

This statement of Jesus is plain and direct enough that there should not be a need for intepretation or contextual reading! Where is the ambiquity in that speech of jesus that we would need more than human mind and understanding to get it?

Finally,the Bible says
" But the natural man recieveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned." 1Cor 2:14
We do not reason with our human minds, but with our spirit.

I hope I have helped you.

2 Thessalonians 2
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

NIV
And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

@Raimond
Thanks for sharing that.Our God is an awesome God.

@Easyy

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives

Question: Is a miracle glorifying Jesus Christ evil, does it decieve?

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, 1 John 4:3

Simple test, if you ask me.

Hello Fifi,

Peace be unto you from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

My intention is not to attack any pastor in particular but I just felt the need to post what I posted and please do not attack me for it. I appreciate the fact that you have used a scripture to respond. if you actually read what I posted, it says that it is those who are perishing that are decieved, not those who are saved.

Anyway,

Matthew 7 :21 - 23

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

FifiO:

Question: Is a miracle glorifying Jesus Christ evil, does it decieve?

It all depends on what is meant by "gloryfying" Jesus Christ.

Perhaps this is the sort of thing that the Lord Jesus warned us against in the endtimes. Remember that:

[list][li]Jesus said many will come in His name (Matt. 24:5, Mark 13:6, Luke 21:8 )[/li][/list]

[list][li]Jesus said many will claim to be working miracles in His name (Matt. 7:22)[/li][/list]

[list][li]. . but Jesus will proclaim that He never knew them! (Matt. 7:23)[/li][/list]

I am not against miracles done in Jesus' Name to glorify God. But more important than that is what the Lord warned us to watch out for: that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

O My God, Because You So Good. I Am Very Sorry That I Have Sinned Against You.

The Power of God is Within Me.

I Thank The Lord Above.

I love this forum. Thank You to the Divine Intervention for leading me here. :-)

Faith Appeals

By Eric Elder
www.theranch.org


Some people think that when Christians are challenged, they should roll over and play dead--to “turn the other cheek” at all times. Oftentimes that’s exactly what we’re supposed to do as a way of submitting to one another and honoring those in authority over us.

But then there are other times when we, as followers of Christ, are called to defend ourselves, to take authority over wrongs that have been done to us, and to appeal to higher authorities. These, too, are biblical teachings.

Throughout the book of Acts, Paul takes care to walk through this maze of when to stand firm and when to run, when to submit to others and when to defend himself against his them. In Acts chapter 25, Paul takes his boldest stand against the false accusations that were made against him: he appeals to Caesar. Paul says this to Governor Festus who was hearing his case:

“I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (Acts 25:10-11).

Appealing to Caesar was no small deal. Caesar was the king, the highest authority in the entire Roman Empire, and his decision would be final--and possibly fatal. The appeal would be costly in terms of time and travel to Rome. In Paul’s case, the trip itself was almost fatal, and Paul was under house arrest in Rome for at least two years waiting for Caesar to hear his case.

But there was nothing ungodly nor disgraceful about Paul’s appeal. He knew he was innocent and he knew God wanted him to continue to testify about Christ in Rome. At the very beginning of Paul’s trials back in Jerusalem, the Lord stood near to Paul one night and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” While it took great courage to appeal to Caesar and be sent to Rome, he was also simply following the clear command of the Lord.

When Paul appealed, Governor Festus conferred with his council and declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” (Acts 25:12).

Here in the U.S., an appeal is simply another step in the legal process. It’s not a sign of defying authority, but a way of following the steps that the authorities have set up, realizing that different people come to different conclusions, even based on the same evidence.

I’m amazed at the number of cases that are decided in the U.S. Supreme Court by a 5 to 4 decision. These are the some of the brightest and most highly trained people in the country regarding the law, yet they still reach completely opposite conclusions. While it could make some people cynical of the process, it makes me thankful for it, that our country has made a way to give us as many chances as possible to prove our innocence, or for someone else to prove our guilt.

There are times when your faith in Christ will compel you to submit to a decision that’s wrong, regardless of whether you simply believe it is wrong or whether it’s in fact wrong. It can be simple prudence and godliness to submit to someone’s decision, whether it’s a judge, a boss, a spouse, a parent or a friend.

But there are other times when your faith in Christ will compel you to appeal a wrongful decision, to respectfully call upon someone else to step in and hear your case.

In the end, God Himself is the One who will ultimately decide your case. So the important thing is to stay as close to Him as possible and follow His wisdom for whether He wants you to pursue or drop any appeal here on earth. Maybe He’ll say to you what He said to Paul: “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (Acts 23:11).

Let’s pray,

Father, help me to hear from You if there’s ever a time You want me to appeal a decision that’s been made. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Dear Bro and Sis, kindly help in praying for my younger sister; Bisi Olofinyo. She was diagnosed to have a blood vessel growth in her spinal chord 4 years ago. She underwent 2 crucial surgery at the UCH ibadan. After the operations, the doctors said she might never walk or use her hands again. But after 6 months she started walking and even wrote a book with her hands. Devil has been rasing its ugly head once in a while but the lord has been prevailing over the devil. two weeks ago she fell while trying to have her bath and it her head against on the ground. She is now at UCH ibadan. The neurology department has requested that a brain surgery be carried out on her as fluid has gushed nto her brain. Bisi Olofinyo needs your prayers now. Please Pray for her. Thank you