₦airaland Forum

plappville:
If a pastor give whats the use?afterall the money return back to him/her.
Is it true that most churches do pay church workers? i dont want to believe that but from a person that got paid doing a secretary post in church

That's the mistake many people make. Church money doesn't belong to the pastor. Besides most pastors have their own jobs. Pastoring is a responsibility. Some who are not working and are devoted to the ministry full time . May be on salary . And they ougth to do their own giving in tithes and offerings like every other person. The church ,money doesn't belong to them. They are only stewards.

nlMediator:
Oh no,  giving-as-a-way- of- escaping- from- poverty is not tested empirically simply by the pastor’s giving. If I come up with a brand of pain-killer today and test it on myself and family, claiming it cured our headache, will NAFDAC approve the drug on that basis? If you truly believe that giving is THE way out of poverty, test it empirically by looking at the rate of giving by each member and see if it corresponds to their current (improved) financial position. Then control for – or discount – such factors as whether the person got richer because his brother became a governor or poorer because he has a gambling problem, etc. What you see will PROVE if the message is working or not.

What are you saying . Is every pastor rich? Does every pastor recieve? .  Every christian ought to practice the law of Giving and RECIEVING .  These are biblical principles. If a pastor is not a giver he will be in lack .

toba:
why do pple prefer to give themselves cardiac arrest over another person's matter?

What else can he do with his sorry life.

JeSoul:
Joagbaje, question. Do/Can you personally speak in tongues whenever you want?

Of course you can speak in tongues at will and stop at will

Do you sometimes have the interpretation of those tongues? thanks.

I don't need to interpret my prayer to God. He knows the mind of the spirt.

Romans 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

there is so much for us to learn about this tongue thing. This is beyond the pentecost day . Here are deeper experiences

It is wiser to Ask questions instead of spewing ignorance.

It is better to Rather ask questions instead of spurring ignorance.

I thank you my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all (1 Corinthians 14:18).

There’re those who believe you can only speak in tongues when you’ve attained a certain “spiritual high” or ecstasy. They believe if you pray for a long time in your known dialect – in your understanding – you’d eventually get to that spiritual moment of ecstasy, where the Holy Spirit makes you lose your mind and then you start speaking in tongues. But that’s not the way it works.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15:

“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

Observe the Apostle Paul’s words; he said,

“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful…”

In other words, I don’t understand what I’m saying because the words aren’t coming from my mind, but directly form my spirit. So what do I do?

“…I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

Paul is telling us here that we can decide to pray either with our spirits or with our understanding. Thus, we don’t have to wait for any “spiritual high” or for the Spirit to take over our lips before we start praying in the spirit. The Spirit’s part is to give us utterance or the ability to speak in other tongues (Acts 2:4), which He has already done. Without that ability, we would be trying to form and force those words out of our mouths, which will fail.

The Bible says in Acts 2:4 that the Apostles were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. They didn’t create words; they spoke as the Holy Ghost gave them utterance. All they needed to do was open their mouths and speak. So you can speak in tongues anytime; even now! You don’t have to try and force the utterance. The Holy Spirit is you inspires those heavenly words in your spirit, which you’re to speak forth in other tongues. So it’s up to you to open your mouth in faith and speak in tongues whenever you choose!

Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for the indwelling presence of your Spirit in my life. He’s the one who gives me the ability to speak in tongues: that heavenly language given to us to commune directly with you. I take advantage of this unique ability today and always, in Jesus’ Name Amen.

Further Study

Joel 2:28
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Jude 1:20
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another (Galatians 5:13).

I am often excited about the power and efficacy of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; how it liberates men from bondage into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Anyone who embraces the Gospel is brought into a life of absolute liberty – a life of the miraculous – far removed from religion. Hence as a Christian, you must watch out and refuse to be ensnared by those who being in bondage already, try to put others who are at liberty into bondage.

People with this type of attitude were there in Paul’s day and are still around today. Their aim is to put others in the same bondage they are in. The Apostle Paul, referring to them in Galatians 2:4 said:

“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.”

It’s not surprising that they would try to do this. A man who isn’t free won’t see any reason for another person’s liberty. At every opportunity, he’ll try to rob others of their liberty. Even when they preach Christ, they do it in a way that condemns, subdues and brings their hearers into bondage.

Galatians 5:1 lets us know that Christ has made us free to live the glorious and exciting life of the Spirit; therefore refuse to be hampered with any yoke of slavery. John 8:32 says

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The truth is the Word of God; your knowledge of the Word will keep you in perpetual victory, cleanse your heart and purge your conscience to serve God. It will foil every strategy of the enemy to put you in bondage, and build you up till you become a stalwart in the faith:

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14).

Confession
I rejoice O Lord because I’m at liberty to serve you and glorify you with my life! With my whole heart I do only those things which are pleasing in your sight, for my life is for your glory and sacred use! Thank you for bringing me into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; now I’m free to sing, shout and dance unto you in praise! Hallelujah!

Further Study

Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Psalms 119:45
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

Their end is lake of fire. Hell itself and its occupants will be cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

italo:
1 Cor. 15:29-30 - Paul mentions people being baptized on behalf of the dead, in the context of atoning for their sins (people are baptized on the dead’s behalf so the dead can be raised). These people cannot be in heaven because they are still with sin, but they also cannot be in hell because their sins can no longer be atoned for. They are in purgatory.

Paul was dealing with a people who don't believe in resurrection . He was exposing their contradiction. But we can't build on it as a christian practice. Because nobody taught such. The verse has contoversy though.

2 Tim. 1:16-18 - Onesiphorus is dead but Paul asks for mercy on him “on that day.” Paul’s use of “that day” demonstrates its eschatological usage (see, for example, Rom. 2.5,16; 1 Cor. 1.8; 3.13; 5.5; 2 Cor. 1.14; Phil. 1.6,10; 2.16; 1 Thess. 5.2,4,5,8; 2 Thess. 2.2,3; 2 Tim. 4.. Of course, there is no need for mercy in heaven, and there is no mercy given in hell. Where is Onesiphorus? He is in purgatory.

The mercy is a kind of reward at the judgement seat if christ or every believer. We are not all going to have thesame reward. Some christians will not recieve any reward .there will be categories in heaven. Onesiphorus was a christian already . He didn't deny being identified with paul. He shunned the risk of arrest .

2 Timothy 1:16-17
. . . for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.


That's the greatest commitment. Peter denied christ. But this guy identified with paul And there was no indication that he was dead.

We may not have a say in a divorce case until we hear from both parties. There are grounds on which God allow divorce.

Still waiting. . Thanks

Hell is a temporary abode of the wicked till the final judgement.But not a place for second chance for those who had turned down the gospel

There's a purpose for life. You can only consider leaving the earth either by the choice of death or rapture if your purpose is fulfilled .

2 Timothy 4:7-8
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Acts 13:36
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep. . . .

So the concern is not how to get to heaven but how to fulfil your course .

. . . And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.Colossians 4:17

nlMediator:
And like I said earlier, if pastors really believe in their "give yourself out of poverty" message, they should test it empirically and see how well it has worked.

That's the point. A pastor has to put the word of God to work by being a giver. A pastor who does not give will lack. so naturaly he must first be a giver because he is a christian .

lakelake:
HOW DO MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE PRAISE GOD
, now the question is ; can anybody please explain how these set of people would be judged in front of the almighty God

Praising God is not the issue for them,but their mental well being. So they just like a Perron in comma can not praise God. Because you can only praise God with ooh understanding .

Psalms 47:7
. . sing ye praises with understanding.

Am only curious to know what it is to be a free thinker, someone that believes GOD in truth and spirit but not following any religion or spiritual organization

You are not yet worshipping God in truth and in spirit as you claim . This is not about religion , a mn has to be born again in christ before he can worship God in the spirit .

Philippians 3:3
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The gospel of christ is the power of God to salvation. The curse can't be broken if you've not given your heart to christ. The real power for deliverance is salvation. I not think any minister has any business breaking curses over a people without their personal commitment to christ. If any devil was cast out at all ,it will come back. And the condition will be worse.

Matthew 12:43-45
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

^^^

Is it from apple store ?

I didn't see such 3G application in apple market. Is it by jail breaking? Can you be more specific pls.

I've been hearing about making calls with an iPad without Skype . I just saw and made phone with a 3G. IPad right now without Internet just like and iPhone. Please can anybody enlighten me on how I can love-vendor my iPad2 for such function? .

. . . .For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Now, we’ve been declared righteous through Christ. So when God looks at us, all He sees is His righteousness; He doesn’t see any sin. What great news this is! No wonder the Bible says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

This is the reason as a child of God, it’s wrong for you to welter and wallow in the rot of condemnation, because all your sins were laid on Jesus. So never find yourself struggling to be righteous or trying to please God by your good works. The Bible says, to God,

“…all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6).

He’s not impressed by man’s ideas or definitions of righteousness. What He wants is for us to submit to His righteousness:

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:30).
 
The scripture above didn’t say anything about us gaining the righteousness of God. Rather, we’re to submit or give ourselves to it. This is what God requires of us; to submit ourselves to His righteousness. To submit yourself to the righteousness of God means to believe, accept and endorse that what Christ did on the Cross for you was enough. It was a perfect sacrifice, and you can’t improve on perfect. Therefore, you don’t need to try to be anymore righteous than what God has declared you to be.

Accept that you’re the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When you do, you’ll live everyday without a sense of condemnation; knowing that your righteousness is the righteousness of Christ. If you do something wrong, all the Lord expects from you is to confess that wrong and receive His forgiveness:

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

Prayer
Blessed Father, what joy floods my soul to know that I’m the offspring of your righteousness! What delight to know that I am as righteous as Jesus is righteous because the righteousness I have is your very righteousness. I yield to your wisdom and righteousness today, knowing that I’ve been sanctified, spirit, soul and body, to worship you and bring glory to your Name. Amen.

Further Study
Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Romans 4:3-6
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

italo:
However, I must ask you, what do you seek? The truth or victory in this argument. Because the only way we can reason logically is if we both seek the truth.

of course we all seek truth. If we win argument at the expense f truth we haven't really won anything

.

italo:
Before I can show you how purgatory is in the Bible, you have to know what we mean by purgatory. Do you?
I can't prove to you that an orange tree is in the bush if you don't even know what an orange tree is, can I?

What I understand by purgatory is the idea that souls don't go to heaven or hell when they die. They are in a limbo Sleeping and they still have a chance of redeeming themselves if they've done damnable thing on earth

It is south africa, both whites and blacks are there. Well the man is finally died during rescue. Case closed .

italo:
Oga, purgatory's in d Bible wether you can find it or not.

There is no purgatory in the bible. If you feel there is, just simply show everybody . Maybe we can learn from you.

And like I said I'd love to discuss these things but not with someone who sees "work out your salvation" and says works have no effect on salvation. You are telling me that it is not 'work for'. So if I show you a place that says 'work for your salvation', you can as well tell me that its not the same thing as 'work towards your salvation'.

Well the only work is the work of faith, actions which accompanies our faith. It's a fruit of the inward experience.

Whatever you're praying for had been given in christ, how strong is your faith in christ to revive it. There are things we can't recieve until our faith matures to lay hold on them. The question is about our RECIEVING .

italo:
@Joagbaje, yes Jesus was spiritually poor(if you know what that means), hence, he said "blessed are the poor in spirit".
I hope that addresses your position squarely now.

No it does not. Jesus was not spiritually poor , poor in spirit is different from poor spiritually. Poor spiritually mean he lacked in piritusll things ,thst doesnt mske sense because he seemed to be richer in piritusl things thsn any person in his days . The poor in spirit refers to attitude . Like humility kind of.

So when the bible says he was made poor it has to do with material things in contrast to his vast heavenly wealth.

Sweetnecta:
@Joagbaje: Ask your pastor if he can tell you the name of the holy spirit. I have asked Seyibrown. I have asked Aletheia. I have asked Nuclearboy. If I ask you now, your condition will be the same as that of the persons listed; failure.
Just maybe the eminent pastor can be better. I doubt it though.

I don't need to ask Pastorvchris. The bible is clear. There is no other special name for the holy spirit . He is described by his works . But if you want a name he answers to . It I'd the NAME JESUS

italo:
And pls 1Cor 5:1-5 is saying we should excommunicate the sinner that he might come to repentace and be saved. It doesn't mean in spite of his atrocities, he'll be saved o. Pls compare the punishment to the one in 2Cor 2: 5-11

What has this got to do with communion.

Deep sight, welcome back , I've been trying to reach you. I don't know how I misplaced your email and phone number.

italo:
@Joagbaje
I still expect your response. What is Holy Communion to you?
Thanks.

Holy communion is the partaking of bread and wine in commemoration of the blood and body of christ. By this we invoke the power of the blood and the redirection power against every workings of Satan . Sin,poverty,death etc.

eghosaobas:
I have been pondering over this for a long time now,a lady i was cutting to marry jilted me
3 months ago and got hooked to a pastor just last month here,now she is now known as Rev Mrs,this is a lady that i know too well that doesnt go to church.Why are peoplle be littling the christain religion?

The story sound too funny and strange to be true. Well, reverend is not a biblical office to start with, it's adopted for respect, I think i should do a study on it.

wordtalk:
Being poor is not necessarily an indicator of something evil,

Agree, I said in some other thread , there are several reasons for poverty, some are based on ignorance of the word, laziness, indiscipline ,etc. However there are still some Christians that may experienc poverty by the virtue of their callings in God. They know of their wealth in christ but they know the cross of denial they have to carry too

wordtalk:
That verse (2 Corinthians 8:9) is not all about material riches.

What was is about then? Was Jesus spiritually poor? The "poverty" of Jesus was materially. The wealth of the believer is both spiritually and materially.

In fact, the believers Paul was writing about were materially poor and he was commending their GENEROSITY inspite of their DEEP POVERTY - please read the chapter from verse 1 and see the big picture:

They had deep poverty for a little season  not because it was Gods will for Christians. Remember they had economic crisis which was prophesied about by agabus .

Acts 11:28-30
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:.

So , poverty was not their way of life , it was only for that period.That's why paul made them contribute money, and the sure way out of poverty is giving. He made them practice the law of sowing and reaping.

2 Corinthians 9:6
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.


When they give , they prosper.