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evening

One of the benefits of believing the gospel of grace is that it completely changes the way you read the Bible. You realize that God is not in the bait and switch business of drawing you in with love only to hammer you with law – He is love all the way through. When you see this you will no longer get frightened when you read a passage like Hebrews 10:26 or this one four chapters earlier:

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (Heb 6:4-6)

If you wear the lenses of performance-based Christianity, this could be a scary scripture, for it sounds like your salvation hinges on your behavior. Do good, get good, but fall away and you’re lost forever. If that’s how this scripture appears to you, change your glasses! What you look through determines what you see. So read this scripture through the lens of Jesus and His finished work.

So who and what is this passage describing?

Some say that this scripture is referring to Christians – those who have become sharers or partakers in the Holy Spirit. If so, then the argument being made is deliberately nonsensical. If they fall away it is impossible for them to get saved again because Jesus would have to come and die again. Since Jesus isn’t going to die again, then it’s impossible for them to fall away. Instead of being a threat to your eternal salvation, this verse actually supports it. But I know not everyone will agree.

How many times can you be born again?

I have heard one reputable teacher say that if you are saved through an act of your free will, then you can get unsaved through an act of your free will. I guess the conclusion follows the premise but how true is the premise? Were you born into this world through an act of your free will? No, you had absolutely no say in the matter. So what about your spiritual birth?

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (Joh 1:12-13).

To be born again literally means to be born “from above” or, as John puts it, “born of God.” It is 100% a work of the Spirit. You may think that you came to God of your own free will, but reflect for a moment on what actually happened. Who was it that planted and watered the seed of the gospel? (Not you.) Who was it that made the seed grow? (Not you.) Who was it that lifted the veil so that you could see things as they really are? (Not you.) Do you see? You would never have called on the name of the Lord if He had not first called on you.

I don’t mean to get all zen on you, but here’s my point: When you were dead in the trespasses and uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Christ (Col 2:13). You were dead; now you are alive – all this is because of Him.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, (2 Cor 5:17-18a)

The important thing is not how you got saved, but that you
are saved. When you received the gift of salvation, you became a new creation. If you were to fall away, it would be impossible for you to be born again because you have already been born again . It would be like an adult trying to return to the womb and re-enter the world through the birth canal. Just as it can’t happen in the natural, it can’t happen in the spiritual. Once you’re born you’re born! To claim that you can lose your salvation – that you can undo what God has done – is like saying that God makes mistakes. And He doesn’t.

You may act like an old creation just as a butterfly may act like a caterpillar. But when you do, you are acting contrary to you true identity. We used to say that Christians who fell into sin were back-sliders. But a more accurate description is that they are hypocrites. They are acting contrary to their true identity in Christ.

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Heb 12:14)

“Be holy” is not an instruction for improving performance; it’s an admonition to be who you truly are. Be holy, because you are, in fact, holy. “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all ” (Heb 10:10).

Eat the bread of life, don’t just taste it

Others say that this scripture (Heb 6:4-6 remember?) is referring to unbelievers. It is describing those who have tasted but not eaten the heavenly gift. They have seen the light but preferred the darkness. They may have received the gospel with joy but the seed never took root and grew. When trouble came they fell away. To my mind this is a perfect description of Judas.

Along with the other disciples Judas was involved in a supernatural ministry that saw him casting out demons and healing the sick (Mk 6:13). He may have even prophesied in Jesus’ name. Judas tasted the goodness of the word of God but ultimately he rejected it. When he walked out of the first communion he walked out on Jesus. He was basically saying, “No, your blood and your body are not good enough for me.” Judas preferred a DIY religion to the grace of God.

Hebrews 6:4-6 says that it is impossible for people like Judas to be brought back to the place of repentance. Why? Because they have heard the truth and rejected it. They have followed the way of Cain, held to the teaching of Balaam, and are in danger of ending up like Korah. Those who have never heard the good news of God’s grace may yet receive it. But those who have heard and hardened their hearts toward it, are well and truly lost.

A hard heart is a deadly thing. It will keep you from repenting, it will keep you restless and in bondage to works:
So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert.” (Heb 3:7-

Judas heard the voice of the Living Word but hardened his heart. He became restless to the point of suicide. He never came to the place of repentance. He never entered that rest which comes only through faith in Christ.

Righteous rain

In Hebrews 5 and 6 we learn that Jesus has been designated by God as a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. To a Hebrew reader raised on the covenant of law, this would have been an astonishing announcement: “Jesus, the eternal high priest, will forever mediate a new and superior covenant of grace underwritten by the unshakeable oath of God.” There are only two possible responses to such an announcement:

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. (Heb 6:7-

We can either receive the blessing of God that comes down from heaven like rain and, by so doing, become fruitful and useful, or we can reject what God offers us and be worthless and in danger of being cursed. The righteousness that God gives comes to us is like rain:

You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it. (Isa 45:

God sends His rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. All we can do is respond. We can either put up umbrellas of religious works and say, like Judas, “No thanks, I don’t need it.” Or we can say, “Rain on this filthy sinner and make me clean.” The bad news of the old covenant is that no one will be declared righteous by observing the law (Rom 3:20). The good news of the new is that the righteousness gifted by God comes through faith in Jesus to all who believe (Rom 3:21).

https://escapetoreality.org/2012/02/28/hebrews-6v4-6/

jiggaz:
evening

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evening

ammyluv2002:
I love her voice too

yes dear, her voice is very good.

StormRex added a year to her age yesterday being Sunday 18th of September... but she posted it late at night on her instagram handle and many didn't know.... I guess the reason being difference in time zone, she's in the U.S and Nigeria is ahead by several hours.....

Anyways nothing spoil.... Happy Birthday Ada Ndi Igbo... may God keep blessing you and have lotsa fun dear!!! One of the best voices in Nigeria....

afternoon....

jiggaz:
afternoon.....

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afternoon.

afternoon..

afternoon

jiggaz:
morning

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lol OP nawa oo... what of StormRex? Sexy body, sexy voice & beautiful face.... check her nah..

Nollywood actor, Ernest Asuzu, suffered a stroke sometime last year. But luckily, he is back on his feet right now. However, to start a new life, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, Warri, Delta State, gave the actor a brand new SUV and N1.5m cash. In this interview with RITA OKOYE, Asuzu reminisces about his days of tribulations and also touches on plans for the future. Enjoy.

What really happened to you?
My sister, I had two disappear from Lagos because there were lots of people after my life. I followed the instructions of God and left Lagos for good. But now I am fully back.

When you left Lagos, where did you go?

Prophet Omoto Fufeyin of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry invited me to Warri. They contacted me after reading my interview published in YES International magazine. The prophet heard about my stroke and all the evil things people have been saying about me, so he sent me money to fly down to Warri. All these things happened last year. The period my wife and I spent with the pastor was pleasant; they took good care of us, housed us, fed us, and healed me. Now, he has also blessed me with a brand new jeep and huge cash. My journey to Warri was a huge blessing in so many ways.

How was life like away from Lagos to a totally new place like Warri?

My life has been all round good. During my stay in Warri, I launched three of my albums. I mean, not one, or two, but three. It was a life transformation for me. People had thought I would die. But here I am, back and better after spending one year and three months in Warri.

Are you 100% healed now?

I’m perfectly healed, although I limp a bit. I can go to places now without aid. I talk properly now, unlike the way I was talking last year. The prophet prayed for me every day. He was very patient, loving and understanding. He wasn’t satisfied until I was healed completely.

Why did you jump into music, are you leaving Nollywood?

During my spare time in Warri, I faced my music and did three good albums. I have been in music for a long time. I have always been into music but it was more of rap. But now, I think I want to face it squarely.

How about Nollywood, are you bouncing back, the industry has missed you dearly?

Nollywood? No! I’m aiming at Hollywood. Nigerian music industry is full of evil. I can’t be part of it; I am a child of God. They almost took my life out of greed and jealousy. I’ll be going to America soon. Over there, I can join Hollywood. I think their lives are simpler and less complicated.
However, on a second thought, I think I can give Nollywood a trial. If I am approached my God-fearing producers, I might give it a trial.

What do you mean by ‘Nollywood is evil’? What kind of evil?

God in heaven knows that I didn’t do anybody wrong in Nollywood, yet they planned to kill me. A popular move producer, who I don’t want to mention, looked at me at a movie location in Asaba and told me that, that would be my last acting job ever, and he almost made it happen.

Are you saying he was the cause of your stroke?

Yes, I was still on set, but two days later, I fell ill. I had no money on me, so I called my wife to send me some money, which she did. A friend later came to my rescue. He managed to put me on a bus back to Lagos. As we got to Lagos, I tried to open the door and disembark but I fell off. The driver and passengers all came to my rescue. They carried me back into the bus and took me home to my wife and brother. When my brother saw me in that critical condition, he shook his head and asked, ‘Ernest, who did this to you?’ I could not respond, I was just staring at him. For three days, I was stooling and vomiting; I couldn’t eat. I was taken to the hospital; the doctors diagnosed me and said I was suffering from partial stroke. That was how it all started.



There were reports that you almost ran mad and even resorted to begging at Shoprite, what really happened?

It was really a malicious report against me. That is why I don’t like talking to the press, but you are a friend and very different. Some bad guys wrote that I was broke and begging at Shoprite. Fortunately, it was the first time Prophet Jeremiah heard about my predicament, before he read about me again in YES magazine. I didn’t know him from Adams, but it was through the bad reports that he traced and came to my rescue.

With all the gifts you received from the prophet, what next for you?

I am back to Lagos for good. I am also making plans to travel out with my wife. I really need a break from all these dramas. When we return, then we’ll know how to continue. I hope to start a new life soon.

http://sunnewsonline.com/im-done-with-nollywood-but-ernest-asuzu/


Ernest Asuzu Gets Jeep & N1.5m From Pastor Jeremiah Fufeyin After He Was Healed (Photos, Video) https://www.nairaland.com/3323482/ernest-asuzu-gets-jeep-n1.5m

What happens to Christians who stray, or follow another Jesus, another Spirit, or another gospel?
This is not a hard question to answer because it happened in the Bible. The consequences of going astray are well-documented.

Yet the question is worth asking because many don’t know the answer. Or, rather, they have the wrong answer, which is this:

What happens when Christians stray? Why, they fall from grace prompting a loving God to discipline them with punishment. If they don’t repent they’ll lose their salvation and be eternally condemned.

The bit about falling from grace is true but the rest is a big fat lie. Your heavenly Father’s discipline never takes the form of punishment – that’s old covenant thinking – and those who have been found by Jesus cannot be lost by Jesus (John 6:39).

Joseph Goebbels once said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”
The reason most Christians believe they can lose their salvation if they stray is because they have heard it over and over again. But it’s not actually in the Bible. It is an extra-Biblical fabrication parroted by those who would distract you from Christ and his perfect work of redemption. It is a lie that will cause you to trust yourself and your staying power instead of standing on Jesus and the eternally unshakeable foundation of his love and grace.
I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but it’s not nearly as harsh as telling your brothers and sisters they are in danger of hellfire. And it’s not nearly as harsh as speaking guilt and condemnation over those whom Christ has justified.

As I said in my first post in this series on eternal security,
reading scripture through hellfire-tinted lenses is a hallmark of the insecure believer . Such a person reveals their faith to be in themselves and their performance rather than in God and his unbreakable promises.

“So what will happen to me if I stray from the Lord?” Well, hopefully you won’t stray, but if you do, you won’t lose your salvation. It’s just not possible. But that doesn’t mean you won’t reap awful consequences.

The Bible identifies at least fourteen bad things that may happen to those who are distracted, seduced, deceived, or led astray. Each outcome is a tragedy. Each is something to avoid. I don’t want to rush through these tragic consequences so we’ll look at seven in today’s post and seven in the next.

Seven bad things that happen to Christians who stray

1. We lose sight of God’s love for us (Rev 2:4)

Jesus told the Ephesian Christians, “You have left your protos agape,” or your primary love. What is our protos agape? It is not our love for him; it is a revelation of his love for us:
Love comes from God. (1 John 4:7)
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us… (1 John 4:10)
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Why would Paul pray that we would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (Eph 3:18-19)? Because there is a danger we might not know – that we might forget it or leave it. And that’s the thin edge of a bad wedge. God’s love is like air for us. We can’t live without it. When we fall from the high place of his love…

2. Things become complicated – our minds become corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor 11:3)

The gospel is simple but lose sight of God’s love and everything becomes murky. I know God loves me but…
Suddenly the good news is not so good. It needs qualifying. We feel an unholy need to balance his grace needs with our works. We start thinking there’s more than one side to every scripture, the Bible is full of paradoxes, and God is a mystery.
Next thing you know, you need a divinity degree to be saved and you’re trusting the guy who can recognize Greek words and aorist verbs more than you’re trusting the Holy Spirit. Not good.

3. We start striving to keep the rules (Gal 3:3, Col 2:20)

We never call it legalism, for that would alert us to the danger. Instead, we call it “Christian responsibility” or duty or “doing our part.” God has done his part, now it’s up to me to finish what he started. I have to work out my salvation and prove my repentance.
We worry about cheap grace (there’s no such thing) and invest in a little works-insurance (there’s no such thing). We tell ourselves, I gotta pray more, fast more, attend more. I gotta witness to two people this week. I gotta be a good Christian for Jesus. This sort of thinking appeals to our religious flesh but it’s not long before…

4. We feel unworthy and unqualified (Col 2:18, AMP)

The New International Version says, “Do not let anyone… disqualify you for the prize,” as if anyone could disqualify those whom God qualifies (Col 1:12)!
The point is not that we can disqualify ourselves, but when we get distracted from Christ and his perfect work – when we begin to trust in our own performance, our self-denial, our rule-keeping – we start to feel disqualified. Although Christ makes us worthy, we feel unworthy. And when that happens…

5. Our consciences condemn us and shipwreck our faith (1 Tim 1:18-19)

As I have explained elsewhere, “ shipwrecked faith ” does not equal “Christian burning in hell.” But it’s still a bad idea to thrust aside your good conscience.
Paul repeatedly warns about the need to hold “onto faith and a good conscience” (1 Tim 3:9, Acts 24:16). He’s not saying, “Avoid sin to keep your conscience clear.” He’s saying, “Treasure what Christ has done for you. He has cleansed you 100%” (Heb 10:22). If we don’t value what Christ has done, it won’t be long before…

6. We lose our freedom (Gal 5:1, Col 2:

The Galatian Christians famously lost their liberty by enslaving themselves to law. The Colossian Christians were in danger of enslaving themselves to worldly philosophy. We repeat their mistakes whenever we take on the yokes of performance-based Christianity and manmade expectations. When that happens…

7. We fall from grace and cut ourselves off from Christ (Gal 5:2-4)

Falling from grace does not mean falling out of the kingdom. We fall from the high place of grace and favor when we try to merit what God has freely given us. This can happen when we put ourselves under the old law that says, “do good, get good; do bad, get bad.” If you think you have to work before God will bless you, you have made Christ of no value.
Christ died to set you free. But if you enslave yourself to religious expectations, then what was the point? Christ won’t cut you off – he’s utterly faithful – but you can cut yourself off from his love and grace.

Lessons from church history

Most of the Christians who went astray in the Bible did so with pure motives but misguided zeal. The Ephesians were working hard for the Lord, the Galatians honored the law, and the Colossians were very religious, yet all three groups needed correction. All of them went astray to one degree or another.

Perhaps you have strayed from the faith. If so, how do you get back on track? The best remedy is the one Jesus gave to the Ephesians:

Remember the height from which you’ve fallen! Repent, and do what you did at first. (Rev 2:5).

Remember! What a simple yet powerful solution. What did you do when you first came to Christ? Can you remember? You probably didn’t do much at all other than receive the love and favor of heaven. Jesus is saying, “Repent. Stop what you are doing now and do that ! Keep receiving from me. Stop trying to impress me. Let me impress you!”
You may ask, “But Lord, am I not supposed to work for you as well?” And Jesus replies…

If you need the assurance of dead works then you are operating in unbelief. It’s faith in me from first to last. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Author and Finisher. Fix your eyes on me alone and walk in the sunlight of my love! Rest in me and stop worrying about what you’re doing or not doing. The ‘works’ will take care of themselves. Trust me, when you’re walking in the unforced rhythms of my grace, it won’t even feel like work. It’ll feel like fun.

It’s so simple, yet we can miss it and go astray. In the next post I will look at 7 more things that happen to Christians who stray .


https://escapetoreality.org/2013/04/10/what-happens-to-christians-who-stray/

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jiggaz:
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jiggaz:
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evening.

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jiggaz:
morning...

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morning