₦airaland Forum

The Haves And The Have Nots season 5 .... Very interesting and addictive show... Though it has average ratings on IMBD, but don't mind the ratings there. The show is super interesting, watch it for yourself.

THIS SERMON WAS PREACHED IN JANUARY 2017



Jesus said that Israel would be under the foot of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled.

God meant to rule the earth through Israel, but they sinned against God, especially in the sin of idolatry.
Although Israel sinned, the sacrifices offered at the temple covered their sins year by year.

1917 was a year of Jubilee - General Allenby marched into Jerusalem and the Turks surrendered and not a bullet was fired.
The call was made for all the Jews to return to Israel in 1917. The call was not heeded well.

We are the '11th hour generation'. This generation is the most blessed of all generations.

1967 was also a year of Jubilee - After the Six Day War, Israel got back more land, including Jerusalem. This is fulfilling Bible prophecy after 2000 years.

2017 - The latest year of Jubilee. It's going to be a great year!

Leviticus 25:9-10 - Exactly at 3pm, the trumpet at the Temple was sounded when Jesus died on the cross.
Pastor Prince's prophetic words: 2017 may begin with troubles, but you should expect the free favors of God to abound this year.

“Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.” ‭‭(Leviticus‬ ‭25:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

As we look forward to the Lord Jesus coming back for us, the Rapture will come very soon.
We are the generation that has seen Israel come back as a nation.
However we do not know the day or the hour where Jesus is coming back, but we can know the times and seasons.
The Greek word for the Rapture is "harpazo" which means "a snatching away".
In Israel, they practice "snatching the bride". The bride doesn't know the day or hour that the groom will come to get her.
The groom in the meantime will be preparing a home for them.
But she knows the season, and when to start dressing up.
The Rapture is nothing more than believers receiving the final possession that Jesus died to give us - a new spiritual body.
We will not be like Casper the Ghost floating around, but we will be forever young, forever healthy, and never tired.
We will be able to travel at the speed of light - how fast will you go when you know you cannot die?

Hebrews 2:14-16 - The fear of death is the mother of all fears. A lot of fears can be traced back to the fear of death.
For example: Someone afraid of flying is actually afraid that the plane would crash and that they would die.
Someone afraid of operations is afraid that the operation would fail and that they would die.
The very first area that God wants to declare Jubilee in our lives is freedom from the fear of death.
Who is the "seed of Abraham" - Those who believe in Jesus and in God.

People instinctively know that there is life after death, but not everyone knows that the sin debt issue has been settled by Jesus' death on the cross.
When believers hearts are not established on the word of God, they can be subject to the fear of death throughout their lives.
Believers don't die, they fall asleep. When they step out of their body, they feel even more alive than before.
The Son of God became the Son of Man Who has a body so that He could die for us.
Jesus was not born by Mary, He already existed with God since the beginning.
He took off His royal robes and stepped into the virgin's womb.
God stepped into time and became a real Man so that He could die.
The devil is jealous of man because God gives aid to man, but not to the fallen angels.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.” ‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Isaiah 14:12-15 - We are caught in the battle of the ages. Long before God created man, He created angels.
Angels have hierarchies. Evil spirits have hierarchies too, from low level evil spirits all the way to the devil himself.
Originally the devil was Lucifer, the highest of all angels.
The highest-ranking angels are called cherubs. They are powerful angels, not cute flying babies in diapers holding harps.
​God does not cause death. He considers death as an enemy. Tsunamis, earthquakes and disasters are not caused by God. They are caused by the devil.
"Stars of God" in the verse below refers to the angels. Lucifer wanted to usurp the throne of God.

““How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭14:12-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)
​
We are caught in the battle of the ages. Long before God created man, He created angels. Angels have hierarchies. Evil spirits have hierarchies too, from low level evil spirits all the way to the devil himself. Originally the devil was Lucifer, the highest of all angels.

Ezekiel 28:14-15 - Halfway through the chapter, God is speaking to the king of Tyre who is the evil spirit behind the kingdom of Tyre, who is the devil himself.
Prostitution is the work of low-level demons. The work of the devil is in making false preachers behind the pulpit who glorify human morality, human works, and not even once is the name Jesus mentioned.
Lucifer was created with the anointing to protect and enforce God's righteousness.
Lucifer walked back and forth enforcing God's righteousness and pride entered his heart.
In a perverted way, the devil still enforces God's righteousness today - he comes using the Law to accuse you, to tell you where you have fallen short.
The devil is prideful. Jesus is the opposite: He humbled Himself as a Servant. If you humble yourself, God will definitely lift you up.

““You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.” (‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭28:14-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

God does things in threes. God introduced Himself as The God "who was, who is, and who is to come".
The Holy Trinity is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We are created in three parts: the spirit, the soul, and the body.
Angels have a tripartite too: Archangel Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer (in the past, now fallen).
These three archangels were created to be the guardians of God's throne.
Mary saw two angels in Jesus' tomb after He was resurrected - such a glorious occasion, it cannot be just any two angels - it must be the two archangels, Michael and Gabriel.
Angels are real - In Psalm 91, God says that He will send angels to bear you up and to keep you in all your ways.

Lucifer slandered God and convinced one-third of the angels to join his cause to rebel against God.
David's son Absalom was the most beautiful man in Israel, and there was not a flaw from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.
He charmed the populace and caused rebellion against King David. Absalom was energized and powered by the devil himself.
Thank God that two thirds of the angels are with us, on our side.

Job 1:7-8 - Whenever God asks a question, He already knows the answer.
He asks it for the benefit of the one that he is asking.
Satan refuses to admit that he is fallen. He still thinks he's enforcing God's righteousness and that he is still a guardian of God's holiness.
He is still walking back and forth, checking who has been unrighteous to enforce the sentence of death upon them.
Satan still thinks he can take God's throne and be God.

“And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?””‭‭(Job‬ ‭1:7-8‬ ‭NKJV‬)

There was a flood on the earth before the flood during Noah's time.
The devil operated from this place called earth. Right smack where the devil operates, God made man.
God made man from the dust of the earth, perhaps to keep us humble. God made man a little lower than angels.

Psalm 89:14 - When God created man and planted the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the devil tempted man to eat from the tree, not so much to attack man, but to attack God.
The devil wanted to make God do something unrighteous in His love for man (perhaps by preventing man from dying or to stop man from eating from the tree), to compromise His justice.
The devil believes that if that happens, the throne would go to him.
The devil believed that he got God caught in a dilemma: God cannot compromise on His righteousness by saving Adam without a righteous basis, and because God couldn't perform His heart's desire, He wasn't like a king.
God loves mercy and truth.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭89:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Daniel 6:7-16 - King Darius loved Daniel the most out of all the governors.
When the satrap said "all" the governors, King Darius thought that Daniel was part of the plan as well, and that's why he approved it.
In this story, King Darius represents God, Daniel represents us, and the satraps represent the devil and his cohorts.
Here in this part of the story, the love of the king was powerless against the law.

“All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.”” ‭‭(Daniel‬ ‭6:7-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Micah 6:8 - God is saying to leadership: always exact justice, but have your heart loving mercy.
Don't love justice and do justice.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” ‭‭(Micah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

John 8:3-12 - The Pharisees were not so much interested in upholding God's Law, if not they would have stoned the woman where she was caught. There were many stones in Israel.
Their purpose was to catch Jesus doing something that compromised God's Law.
Similarly, the devil is not so much interested in attacking us as compared to attack God's throne.
The devil's purpose is to put God in a dilemma, to see how He can be righteous and yet be merciful.
Jesus was not pressured by the Pharisees' repeated questioning. The devil likes to drive and push people. The Holy Spirit leads us.

Don't make decisions based on time. Don't be hasty in making decisions. If you're being forced to decide now, just say you're not going to make a decision right now.
The devil's name "Satan" means "The Accuser".
In the incident of King Darius and Daniel, we see love powerless against the law.
Here in this incident we see the Law powerless against love.
By calling Himself "the light of the world", Jesus is saying that the light that He brings is not to reveal all your imperfections to condemn you, but it is to show the glorious work of perfecting you in your life.

“Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”” (‭‭John‬ ‭8:3-12 ‭NKJV‬‬)

Romans 3:24-26 - The cross is the righteous basis for God to pass over the sins of Israel that were covered year after year, for Jesus to pass over the sin of the woman caught in the act of adultery, and for Jesus to open the blind man's eyes, etc -
Jesus was going to pay for all their sins by dying at the cross.
The 'crowning achievement' of the devil's accusations is that they are based on truth and facts -
he accuses you when you sin, saying that the rooster will come back to roost and that your sin will find you out.
However not everyone knows that Jesus has already paid the price for all their sins.

“being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” ‭‭(Romans‬ ‭3:24-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Hebrew 2:14-16 - Before Jesus died, the devil had the power of death because he had the power of the Law behind him.
The word "destroy" here is "Katargeo" which means to nullify.
We are not afraid of the devil anymore because we have already died, but it is by Someone dying in our place (Jesus).
The power of the Law can only follow one until death, but beyond death it has no power.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.” ‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Isaiah 54:17 - The most Christ-exalting thing you can say today is "I am the righteousness of God in Christ".
If you say "I'm so sinful and I deserve death" as a believer, you are dishonoring the work of Jesus on the cross. You are saying that Jesus' work is not finished.

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

The devil's mouth is now shut. He never believed that God would love us so much that He would send His Son to die for us.
The devil cannot deny that Jesus' blood was shed on the cross.

https://www.miltongoh.net/miltons-blog/theyearofjubilee-nofearofdeath

tboy2k4:
Please can you also send to adewaletayo@gmail.com. Thanks

Done... I have sent it. You didn't mention my handle. I'm just seeing this now.

WorldklazzBae:
[color=#006600][/color]

Plz Jiggaz I'm very much interested in all the ebooks abt heaven, hell & the supernatural you have. Can you plz send to me too @abosisarahchinenye@gmail.com. Thanks and God bless

Done.. I have sent them. You welcome.

Evening

sonmvayina:
I was making my contribution based on the topic......

Ok

OtemAtum:
I still go to church almost every Sunday to catch fun. At least let me enjoy the last amusements Christianity has to offer before it folds up.

Ok

Lord Jesus Christ

Yes

Morning

Lord Jesus

Yes

Evening

Lord Jesus

Thank you Lord Jesus

sonmvayina:
It is a fucccking waste of time.. Religion especially Christianity was created to deceive and control a few people now almost everyone holds on to the delusion..

For God sake we are Gods on a human journey, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.... Spirituality is the way to go..

Nawa oo... Sonmvayina did you read the post?

OtemAtum:
Youths are tired because it's time for the new age. Science is going to take over the minds of humanity because all gods of religion are now put in the spiritual cage.

Aferk 10:18
18. Behold, Yahweh and Alla have been cast into the cage which is spiritual. And they shall be judged by the mouths of the homos of the world for a thousand years.

Otem you dey go church before?

Lord Jesus

iykekelvins:
[color=#099999] I feel so sorry for Andre. [/color]

I am telling you...

A BIBLE STUDY BY OLAMIDE OBIRE


Being the disciple of a Jewish rabbi in Israel is an exclusively Jewish affair. Jesus was addressing Jews who wanted to be His disciples in Luke 14:25-33, even though His sermon is still crucial for all believers (both Jew and Gentile) today in terms of separating Law and Grace. See Luke 14:25-33-

25 “Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “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. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

The lives of religious Jews at the time revolved around their synagogues, keeping Jewish laws, Temple worship, etc. To be put out of the synagogue was tantamount to losing your identity as a Jew - worse than being cut off like a leper. Jewish youths (disciples) would have a teacher (rabbi) that they followed. Remember that being the disciple of a Jewish rabbi in Israel is an exclusively Jewish affair. Christ was no different in this regard. His disciples and those who aspired to join Him were all Jewish. But Jesus was a Rabbi with a difference. In John 9, He made mud and opened the eyes of a blind man on the Sabbath.

A Rabbi working on the Sabbath? What a great sinner! Sacrilege!

Here's what happened after Jesus healed the blind man - emphasis on the guarded response of the parents of newly-sighted man to the Jewish leaders' question:

14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

These smart parents didn't want to become outcasts. They quickly distanced themselves from Jesus to avoid losing the life that defined who they were as Jews. That was what happened to anyone who followed Jesus - they got put out of the synagogue for following this “ungodly" Man who routinely “flouted” the Jewish leaders' precious law of the Sabbath by healing the sick on this sacred day. Anyone who wanted to follow Jesus had to be prepared to lose his life as he knew it hence Christ's words in Luke 14:25-33.

But there's more to Luke 14:25-33. Remember its crucial for Christians today as well.
Luke's account of the gospel is one of divine order. The account is not chronological; many events were divinely placed side by side for comparative purposes. Take Luke 18-19 as an example - right after the rich young ruler went away sorrowful (obedience to the Law cannot save,) we see our Lord Jesus predicting His own death and resurrection (Christ died for us, fulfilling every demand of the Law.) Right after this, we see the blind man at the gate of Jericho, a place cursed by Joshua, receiving his sight through faith (with Christ's death and ressurrection, our eyes our opened to His salvation and we are redeemed from the curse of the Law.)

The very next event is that of Christ's meeting with Zacchaeus where we see Salvation by Grace (Christ Himself) in action. Grace caused Zacchaeus to repent and transformed Him into a cheerful giver, something that the Law could not do for the rich young ruler who could not part with his great possessions.

Three back-to-back events recorded in Luke 14-15 show us how three groups of people - “the Pharisees," “the Multitude" and “the Tax Collectors and Sinners" - saw our Lord Jesus Christ. These three groups can be compared to different kinds of Christians today. Jesus loves and came to save all.

GROUP 1 - The Pharisees who saw Jesus as competition for their high positions.

In Chapter 14, the Pharisees invited Jesus to dine with them on the Sabbath day. They watched Him closely as He went in, trying to find fault with Him (Grace-personified) as usual. As Jesus went in, He saw a man afflicted with dropsy. Jesus knew that the Pharisees were going to accuse Him of healing on a Sabbath day when working is prohibited. So He asked them: "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" But they kept silent. Jesus healed the man (freely, didn't ask him to go and keep the Law, fast or sow seed first!) and He let him go - he didn't try to control his life afterwards either. The Pharisees' thoughts were that Jesus had broken the Law by healing on the Sabbath. Jesus answered them saying:

“Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

And they could not answer Him regarding these things. Why? They realised that the reason why they were not committing particular sins is because God did not allow them to be tempted beyond what they could bear! They would break the Law of the Sabbath in a heartbeat if they were the ones sick with dropsy - the same way that churchgoers today who tout themselves as being "good" because they do not steal/fornicate/lie will sin copiously if a big enough temptation came their way, just like Peter who boasted that he would never deny Christ.

The Pharisees here represent Christians (mostly leaders) that tell you, like their counterparts of old, that there are terms and conditions that need to be met by you before you can receive from our Lord God - they are preachers of that horrid, false doctrine that that Paul called "doctrines of demons." Such teach that you have to keep the Law or fulfil certain terms and conditions before Jesus can save/heal/deliver/provide for you. They try to drive the wedge of your ability to keep the Law between you and Christ's salvation. If you lose your job, they tell you that you have to 'sow a mighty seed' before our heavenly Father blesses you with another. When you are sick, they tell you that unless you confess some sin that you or your ancestors committed, God will not heal you, or worse, that God is punishing you for your sins or those of your forefathers.

But how can the righteous God punish you for the same sins that He already punished in the body of His Son? In Christ, our heavenly Father who loves us disciplines and corrects us, but never with things like poverty, sickness, depression or any of the other symptoms of death and death itself that Christ died to save us from. According to Hebrews 12, His correction is for our profit, that we might live, that we might be partakers of His holiness and that we might yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

Hebrews 10:12 says Christ "offered for all time one sacrifice for sins." With Christ as our righteousness, God doesn't remember our sins anymore (Heb 8:7-12)!
But just as the Pharisees did with the law of the Sabbath, today, pastors and churchgoers in Group 1 above put up the Law as a barrier to receiving from God when our Heavenly Father gives us all things FREELY with Christ. Romans 8:32 - "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

Most times, this group of churchgoers, like the priests of the Old Testament, are the ones dispensing the actions that you must take in order to "overcome" your problems that Christ gave His life to freely save you from; they make it seem like you need a particular set of skills to be able to commune with your own Father in heaven! But with their methods you never fully overcome; you keep going back in fear because their to-do lists for you never ends. They never point you to our Saviour Jesus Christ for salvation. They point you to what YOU have to do when our Saviour said we can do nothing without Him. Of course you have to go back to them next week for more some "deliverance" because only two out of the twenty-five padlocks of bondage were broken in this curse deliverance session! Like the Pharisees, they see God's Grace - Christ himself - as competition for the tithes and offerings and cannot see that under Grace is where the flock get to freely give because we freely receive.

Such reject Galatians 3:13 - "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law..." and insist that believers are still under the same generational and other curses which Christ hung on the cross to redeem us from. They always point you to things to do to "maintain your salvation" when all you need to do is believe. Christ does it all. Believers, your pastor is not your high priest. Jesus Christ is our High Priest!

But we see our Saviour's heart towards us in His healing of the sick man. He can't stand to see us sick or in pain. He loves us more than we could ever love our kids - just think what you would do if your beloved but nasty child was sick or had a bad habit that was destroying him! The man with dropsy got a "no questions asked" healing, free of terms and conditions; no questions about what he did or didn't do, as will you in Christ! Believe Right and you will Live Right.

GROUP 2 - The Multitude who saw Jesus only as an example to follow.

The multitude that Jesus addressed in Luke 14:25 - 33 represent the second group of Christians who see Jesus as a Teacher that only tells them what to do or as an example to follow (by their own strength), and not as their Saviour. What Jesus told this multitude in 28-30 shows us that they thought they could begin and finish the good work of their salvation on their own:

"And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’"

From Christ's words to the multitude above, we see that the multitude expected that the cost of construction of their building and its completion was theirs to bear, not Christ's. This is not Christianity. In Philippians 1:6 is the way of we who believe in Jesus:
"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

The multitude thought they could begin and finish the good work on their own so Jesus told them they should be prepared to carry their own cross! Their foundation is not Christ. It is their human effort. But the arm of flesh will fail.

Like the multitude, this second group of Christians are many today. They think their salvation or receiving from God rests on their ability to do the work of keeping the Ten Commandments and emulating the life of Christ which no man can do; a “part-Judaism (law-keeping) and part-Christian” doctrine that is neither Law nor Grace. This is the “neither cold nor hot" that Christ speaks of in Revelation 3. Such do not see Jesus as the Author and Finisher of faith even though they profess to “have faith" and to follow Him. They still depend on the keeping the Law for some righteousness. Remember, the Law is not of Faith.
The Law rejects this group too as seen in the Jewish leaders’ decision to put anyone that followed Christ out of the synagogue in John 9.

Such do not believe that it is God who begins and finishes the good work as it is written in Philippians 1:6 above. See the New Living Translation:

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

The multitude believe that they can live the life of Christ by their own effort. Because of the Pharisees doctrine that they receive from churchgoers and leaders in Group 1 above, they labour under the burden of their own cross! Jesus said of these false doctrine teachers that lead many astray in Luke 11:46 -

"And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers."

Many of these teachers tell you to sow your whole salary as a seed and such in order to get God - whom Romans 8:32 says gives us all things freely with Christ - to bless you and you feel guilty when you can't; but they cannot do what they tell you to do! Believers, its not by our power that we have salvation from earthly ills and death in hell. Only by God's Grace do we overcome and do God's will! With Christ, we don't GIVE TO GET, we GET TO GIVE. Abide in Him and you will bear "much fruit." John 15:5.

GROUP 3 - The Tax Collectors and Sinners who saw Jesus as their Saviour

The Pharisees show us what people thought of this group in Luke 15:1-2 -

"Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that He was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!"

These religious folk who thought they were godly were aghast that Jesus was eating with the scum of the earth tax collectors and sinners! Believer, the same yesterday, today and forever - our Lord Jesus Christ - is still eating with sinners today. He is our Righteousness.

The tax collectors and sinners typify believers who see no good in themselves of themselves. They saw Jesus not as competition or as an example to follow (by their own strength) but as Saviour! They see (by God's grace alone) that their good works are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) in the eyes of our Lord God. God in His wisdom has opened their eyes to see that their good works or lack of it is not what puts them in right-standing with Him but the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, as it is written in Romans 5:9-

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

Jesus is still associating with this group today, changing us from inside out; transforming us to the image of His glory from glory to glory by His Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18) and causing us to bear "much fruit" (John 15:5)

Believers, if our good works (law-keeping) could save us, Jesus would not have needed to come and save us. Why would you need someone to get you out of prison if you could do it yourself? Matthew 1:21 says of Christ-

"And she will have a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Also Titus 2:14 - "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Why would a Saviour who came to save you from your sins use the same sins He came to deliver you from as an excuse for not saving, delivering or blessing you? This is akin to an oncologist dad refusing to treat his own beloved child who has cancer and even punishing his child for exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

This is the Good News: Whatever category you find yourself in, it's not too late to come dine freely at the Lord's table. He compels the undeserving to eat and drink and rest. God loves you so, so much! Jesus died for us all. He wants you to enjoy His benefits in Christ, FREELY! Even those saying that we must obey rules and regulations cannot keep them all. Plus the reason why we are not committing particular sins is because God did not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:12-13.) The potential to commit heinous crimes is in everybody. God sees this potential and how, like Peter who denied Christ profusely, favourable circumstances can make some people think that some sins are beneath them and that they can obey the law in order to be godly.

We can't say of the Law: "I'll do my best, Jesus will understand and do the rest." This horrid mixture that is neither Law nor Grace is the "neither cold nor hot" that Christ spoke of in Revelation 3. With Jesus, it's either He is your Saviour to the uttermost or not your Saviour at all.

According to Galatians 5:4, if you are trying to get right with God by keeping just one law, you have been cut off from Christ-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

If you believe that your law-keeping and fasting is what gives you right-standing with God; if you believe that you deserve heaven because of your hard work, then Christ is become of no effect unto you! As a new creation in Christ, we don't do good things to get saved or maintain our salvation, we do God's will BECAUSE He saved us! We GET TO bear "much fruit." It's so automatic that we don't even realise that we do His will!

Thank God for He is merciful and His desire is for none to perish but that we all have everlasting life and reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ!

Believer, come to Christ as you are with your baggage of filth, sins and addiction. This is why He came - to save us from our sins.The moment you believe Him, He calls you righteous, "even though we are guilty of many sins." And in Him, we never remain the same. Only by receiving God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death:Romans 5:16-17:

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

Right believing always produces right living.

http://rightbelieving101..com/2019/03/understanding-luke-1425-27-25-now-great.html?m=1

Evening

Evening

Think about it:

You have a friend who can tell you so much about a certain Someone who is so in love with you, is ever-ready to defend you no matter how vile you and your crimes are and wants to bless you with all that He has, even when everyone else has rejected you and all look upon you with condemnation and disgust because of your many sins, addictions and how you are different from acceptable standards. Someone who took all the bad that you deserve so that you can keep on getting all the good that He deserves. Someone who died for you and will never condemn you, judge you or wonder why you just don't want to stop sinning. Someone whose only demand of you is for you to take more and more and much more of His undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour (Grace) towards you.

Unlike the world that thinks you love to wallow in your sins, He knows that you really want to be good but cannot by your own will-power. He knows you don't even understand what this “be good" means. He knows how warped, “different" and screwed up you can be and loves you still. He knows that you can't save yourself from your many sins that you struggle to give up everyday so He came to save you from those sins. You'll want to know more about this Someone. This is the Gospel and that Someone is Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:21 says of Him:

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

But in many “churches," Christ isn't portrayed as Advocate or Saviour from sins, if He is given any prominence at all. Rather, the thrust of preaching in many places of worship is wrongly portraying God as a hard Taskmaster who is eager to punish the sinner when he breaks the Law and let the devil have a go at him at the slightest opportunity. Many pulpits are being manned by prosecuting attorneys aka HaSatan, literally Hebrew for "prosecutor at Law" in Israel today.

People who are already doing their best to be obedient but can't (because the arm of flesh will fail) go to church looking for Salvation, including salvation from their sins. But there they are told that God will punish them if they don't obey the law and stop sinning by themselves, as if they had not been doing their best to obey. They are not pointed to Christ as the One who saves from sins. The Lord is presented as Punisher of sins and not Saviour from sins. This situation is akin to an oncologist father refusing to take care of his beloved child who has terminal cancer…. because the child has cancer. He even tells his beloved child “heal yourself of your cancer (of sin) or else I will punish you.”

More law is given to these beloved of God in church, but the very law that they are given makes them go and sin more, “For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace.” Romans 6:14. Under law, sin has dominion.

The spirit of the antichrist is not anti-God. It is very legalistic and preaches very strongly on human striving at keeping the Law in order to attain godliness. Its hallmark is trying to reduce or remove the finished work of Christ who suffered and died to make us godly — Isaiah prophesied of Christ's suffering for us in Isaiah 53. See the result of His decease which He accomplished at Jerusalem in Isaiah 53:11-

"After He has suffered, He will see the light of life. And He will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what He will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins."

Through Christ's decease that He accomplished, we who believe in Him have been made godly/to be like God. But in many churches, people are told to strive for godliness/get right with God by keeping the Law. This is not Christianity. In fact, this is how to get cut off from Christ: Galatians 5:4—

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace.”

Our hearts and minds are naturally averse to sitting under such teachings that tell us what we already know about ourselves but are powerless to change; teachings that condemn us and then increase the burden (of the law) that we are already unable to bear. It is against man and contrary to man; see Colossians 2:14– “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.” The letter (Law) kills. Christ has fulfilled its requirements for us.

The people yearn for the truth that makes free but what is being served in many places of worship is a horrid mixture of part-law and part-grace aka:

"Yes we are saved by Grace through faith but you still have to keep the Ten Commandments, not for justification before God but as a guiding principle for morality/to make yourself right with God/to escape burning in hell."

This horrid mixture that is neither Law nor Grace is the "neither cold nor hot” that Christ spoke of in Revelation 3. It has dire consequences for those who follow it too:

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace.” Galatians 5:4.

Christ never condemns or judges the one who believes in Him, no matter how vile our sins are: John 3:

16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

He died to free us from “every kind of sin": Titus 2:14-

“He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

No sin is too vile for Him to redeem the sinner who believes from. The way to get cut off from His saving power is to try to add our own human striving (arm of flesh that will fail) at keeping the Law to it and this is what many churchgoers are being asked to do- depend on the arm of flesh that will fail for salvation.

The Holy Spirit transforms us to life (see 2 Cor. 3:18.) 1 John 4:19 says “We love because He first loved us.” As He opens our eyes to Christ's love for us more and more through True Grace preaching, not only do we desire to hear more about God's saving Grace, hence our desire to be in places where the true gospel is preached, we get to live right too. In Christ, we get to live in triumph over sin and death. Romans 5:

16 "And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

When and where the true gospel of righteousness by faith and not by works of the law is being preached, the exhortation to us in Hebrews 10:25- "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" becomes our default mode. We desire to be in the assembly of fellow believers.

Believers will swim oceans just to get to places where the true gospel is being preached. Christ does it all.


http://rightbelieving101..com/2019/03/why-young-people-dont-like-going-to.html?m=1

Lord Jesus

GreatestA1:
Great message.

thank u

Amen

Morning

Morning

Yes

Morning

Empire Season 5

KellyCares