@wilfred i pity ur life cuz u just used ur mouth to place curse on ur generation, Touch not my annoited and do my prophet no harm, what if its God that ordered him to do so

only God is Holy and only God gives Righteousness

i curse all of you insult the man of God , you are all playing with fire , God Of Elijah send Bear to Kill them , Amen

No am not invading to anyone privacy, you have your right to do anything u wanna do but don't let ur meat affect others , there are you kids in Nairaland(under age) who might be affected and at this ,its a Child Abuse act and a Sin

let the holy-spirit be your guide thats all

@poster please can u remove the picture and post it at sexuality please,
@moderator pleasse delete this post or forward it to sexuality , no Nude pictures here please

Here is the problem of the flesh

ROMANS 7VS
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.


Here is the solution

Romans 12 vs2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

and u will be Alright

Thats BIG , but thats sweet cuz he Reaping what he has sowed cuz he has done what jesus said "Seek Ye the Kingdom Of God and Its Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you, so the things have been added unto him now so stop hating ,

@posters WHy date a girl or Woman you can't marry thats waste of time and mere bad, but poster if u are underage wait for the right time and stop dating ,God is preparing your true wife for you

go for her but hope you ask God first if she's ur wife to be ?

According to Ephesians 4 vs
2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all

SO u know see the Importance of Togetherness fellowship, even in Genesis chapter 1 ,the first word God spoke was Lets US, so as to strengthing ur faith u need other Christian Brothers

My view on Pork meat is in my Constitution simple revelation given to my chief in command some years ago
ACTS 11 vs
4 Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. 5 “I was in the town of Joppa,” he said, “and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. 6 When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of small animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds. 7 And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’

8 “‘No, Lord,’ I replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean.[d]’

9 “But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’ 10 This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.

Dear Nairalanders, Would appreciate your knowledge in helping me figuring out these seven questions about business,

1. Can i register a company with different Manufacturing Products( e.g dangote milk,dangote rice,dangote bread) or can i make it under one umbrella

2. Please though have been thought in school but guess i need more Highlight on Plc,Ltd and Network(johnson tomas network).

3. Is it possible for me to get a personal Lawyer and a Lawyer for my Company or is it one for all.

4. What if someone is using my copyright logo, Products without my permission how do i sue him/her.

5. What are the Various Documents , e.t.c That am gona need for my quest(starting up a firm/company/organisation).

6. Is it possible for an individual to buy off a company that is not her/his in the begining.

7. In writing an MOU/MOA in a company/firm, does it involves legal counsel or can it be done without legal counsel.


Please nairaland please just answer anyone you have an idea on ,will be watching the thread ,please i need to know these.thanks

Dear Nairalanders, Would appreciate your knowledge in helping me figuring out these seven questions about business,

1. Can i register a company with different Manufacturing Products( e.g dangote milk,dangote rice,dangote bread) or can i make it under one umbrella

2. Please though have been thought in school but guess i need more Highlight on Plc,Ltd and Network(johnson tomas network).

3. Is it possible for me to get a personal Lawyer and a Lawyer for my Company or is it one for all.

4. What if someone is using my copyright logo, Products without my permission how do i sue him/her.

5. What are the Various Documents , e.t.c That am gona need for my quest(starting up a firm/company/organisation).

6. Is it possible for an individual to buy off a company that is not her/his in the begining.

7. In writing an MOU/MOA in a company/firm, does it involves legal counsel or can it be done without legal counsel.


Please nairaland please just answer anyone you have an idea on ,will be watching the thread ,please i need to know these.thanks

Dear Nairalanders, Would appreciate your knowledge in helping me figuring out these seven questions about business,

1. Can i register a company with different Manufacturing Products( e.g dangote milk,dangote rice,dangote bread) or can i make it under one umbrella

2. Please though have been thought in school but guess i need more Highlight on Plc,Ltd and Network(johnson tomas network).

3. Is it possible for me to get a personal Lawyer and a Lawyer for my Company or is it one for all.

4. What if someone is using my copyright logo, Products without my permission how do i sue him/her.

5. What are the Various Documents , e.t.c That am gona need for my quest(starting up a firm/company/organisation).

6. Is it possible for an individual to buy off a company that is not her/his in the begining.

7. In writing an MOU/MOA in a company/firm, does it involves legal counsel or can it be done without legal counsel.


Please nairaland please just answer anyone you have an idea on ,will be watching the thread ,please i need to know these.thanks

Dear Nairalanders, Would appreciate your knowledge in helping me figuring out these seven questions about business,

1. Can i register a company with different Manufacturing Products( e.g dangote milk,dangote rice,dangote bread) or can i make it under one umbrella

2. Please though have been thought in school but guess i need more Highlight on Plc,Ltd and Network(johnson tomas network).

3. Is it possible for me to get a personal Lawyer and a Lawyer for my Company or is it one for all.

4. What if someone is using my copyright logo, Products without my permission how do i sue him/her.

5. What are the Various Documents , e.t.c That am gona need for my quest(starting up a firm/company/organisation).

6. Is it possible for an individual to buy off a company that is not her/his in the begining.

7. In writing an MOU/MOA in a company/firm, does it involves legal counsel or can it be done without legal counsel.


Please nairaland please just answer anyone you have an idea on ,will be watching the thread ,please i need to know these.thanks

poster how dare you insult a man of God , anyway Judge Not People

Isaiah 53vs 12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great , and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he hath poured out his soul unto death and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many, and {made intercession for the transgressors}----> here is the main topic of the day, sinners
hear the word of the lord today, you have an intercessor who is ready to pay the price for your sins,who wakes early in the
morning before you to make intercession on your behalf, and Note the word intercession there is just an hebrew word (Paga(pronounced
pawga that means "IMPORTUNITY" not really Intercession)Back to business if you check your dictionary the word Importunity means:
"persistent demand: a demand made repeatedly or insistently" That means christ Demand for your Sins to be pardon daily, No matter who you are
Today maybe you are a christian who is in the state of Apostasy or you are scared you have been rejected due to your mistake while serving the
master ,His word says "My GRACE IS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR YOU",So marvel not brother & Sister cuz you have an Advocate who knows
hears and Heals, he knows your Mistakes, He has make Intercession on your Behalf yesterday over those sins and he is making it on your behalf
today and even tommorow, All You Need Do is "Come Boldly To the Throne Of Grace",He Will heal Your Life, Sing This Song Now [" You Are the
Lord My healer,You sent your word and healed My disease,disgrace,shame,pain,inquities,affliction,Reproach, Thank You Lord Jesus], and after
sing this " Do something New In My Life, Something Wonderful In my life, Something Marvelous In my life OOOOO lord, Make this confession
Devil your Accusation over my life is Over Cuz i have an Advocate Who Maketh Intercession for me henceforth I belive and I know am A child Of
God destined to excel, I will Not die but live to Fulfill God's Plan for my life ,am A child Of Destiny, I am Pregnant with Vision(John 7:38) In jesus Name
Amen, Now, the most courageous step anyone can take is to repent from a sinful self-centred life and recieve the
Lord jesus as Lord and personal Saviour. This all-necessary act, done with simple but sincere faith, literally
results in your spiritual translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light in Christ.
To take this Noble step Today,pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that you are Lord. I believe you died and
rose from the dead for my sake. Forgive my sins, be my saviour and make me a child of God from this day forward. Fill
me with your spirit, IN JESUS NAME, If you have just recieved christ as your Lord and Saviour Find a BIble believeing
Church Around You and Start a relationship WIth God today,

thumsup poster

will continue next time with Tips to salvation, Nairalanders who has any question can add it here

The Living word of GOD,
Text: John 1vs 1-3

According to the book of john there was a big explanation of how the
Beginning was, because the bible says the beginning was the word and the word
Was God and the word was God and all thing where made by him and in him
Was nothing that was made in him was life and the life was the light
Of men, Lets take a big look at the 14th verse and it says
Thus (And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
Glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full off grace and truth.

So let’s now come to the tabular form of things, the first Is who the WORD is?
My bible explain that the word was with the father from the beginning of creation
And without him there is no completeness of the trinity because the bible says in him
Dwelleth the Godhead Bodily and there was no way There could be a pronouncement without
Him cuz in him was the life and the life was the light of men, that is to say he guides
us with is words, cuz he says this always that I AM THE WAY,THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Let
Take for instance according to the book of Genesis 3 it says "And they heard the voice of
The LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden”. Is that a metaphor or simile?
Never may we not see it it’s just a simple word of reality. Before Jesus was ever know on earth or
In heaven he was already known as the word of God or rather the voice of God as in the sense of the commanding communicator.

According to the book of proverb, it states clearly that the word of God is wisdom, wisdom that it to say
He is the wonderful counsellor. His counsel is superb, ooooh what a life, the son of God made flesh and he love
YOU AND ME. If only we could love him then we will never miss the way cuz in him is the way to fruitfulness and
Nothing can stop him from getting us to our destination if only we will just believe in him as the only begotten
of the father and the word of God. Now lets stand apart from the world because the bible says "ye are not of this world" also
Another says be ye not confound by things of this world instead be ye transformed by the renewal of thine mind and follow the
One which without him was nothing that was made been made. So with the few words we know that Christ is alive and
He is the word of God.
Brethren Lets follow the light of God, the word of God, the Truth, The Way, The End, The Beginning, The Alpha and The Omega.
The redeemer of our lost hope. Thank you GOD for Jesus, May your name be glorified Lord thank you Lord.

Now, the most courageous step anyone can take is to repent from a sinful self-centred life and recieve the
Lord jesus as Lord and personal Saviour. This all-necessary act, done with simple but sincere faith, literally
results in your spiritual translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light in Christ.
To take this Noble step Today,pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that you are Lord. I believe you died and
rose from the dead for my sake. Forgive my sins, be my saviour and make me a child of God from this day forward. Fill
me with your spirit, IN JESUS NAME, If you have just recieved christ as your Lord and Saviour Find a BIble believeing
Church Around You and Start a relationship WIth God today,

text : 2. John 3:16; John 6:27; John 6:35; John 6:54; John 7:38; [John 6:40]

I was led in my spirit to write about this topic but as you can see am a learner ,still new to evangelism
but i believe God use the weakest things of the world ((2Cor 13:9 [KJV}
For we are glad , when we are weak , and ye are strong and this also we wish, [even] your perfection), but all am writing this is
for the edification of the Body of Christ, Now brethren i want you to lift up your heart and view this words in your spirit, the bible
says in john 7:38 " He that believeth on me , as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water". have
had to search the scripture and it took the counsel of the holy-spirit for me to understand this words (i begin to understand this words,i mean the
word living water was the Holy-Spirit),then i begin to realise the importance of the holy-spirit in the life of a christian, that means if i have
the holy-spirit in me then am gonna bring forth life (No wonder i noticed christ words in the book of john 4:14),he point that if you drink the
living water once,your life would be transformed, so like i said earlier am not going to be long with you, But the bottom line of my words towards
you is that you drink of the living water today,Let the Holy Spirit be your Front Man,so that Your Stomach Can flow with living waters and when
you speak words ,your words might be spirit and life, Now, the most courageous step anyone can take is to repent from a sinful self-centred life and recieve the
Lord jesus as Lord and personal Saviour. This all-necessary act, done with simple but sincere faith, literally
results in your spiritual translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light in Christ.
To take this Noble step Today,pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that you are Lord. I believe you died and
rose from the dead for my sake. Forgive my sins, be my saviour and make me a child of God from this day forward. Fill
me with your spirit, IN JESUS NAME, If you have just recieved christ as your Lord and Saviour Find a BIble believeing
Church Around You and Start a relationship WIth God today,

why is it that most Nigerian graduate are not in the line of their profession, e.g A man studies physics in school instead of seating down at the research centre maybe he can use his/her IQ to get something out, instead he rush to a bank and start working as an accountant e.t.c that the reason why Nigeria might not go forwad (Mark the word might:- that is if we continue like this )please people fight for a change ), JobSeekers Go to the Line Of Ur calling Not AnyJob Will Do, Thank You , God will Bless If You desire A change. and i will ask you Mr / Mrs Reader are you In the Line of Your Calling (What You studied In school)

1Corinthians 14:26-40
I would love to step into a time machine and visit the church in Antioch or Ephesus. Not to imitate or copy the format because they were in a very different culture. Some things would be so strange and incomprehensible to us that they would not be conducive to worship. Three weeks ago the message was on why we worship corporately. We found that we needed the encouragement of our Family in the Lord, a place to minister and be ministered to. We are here to build each other up in the faith. We are those embers that need each other to keep the fire and not grow cold.

But walking into that early church I might be able to see some of what we have lost through time. I would look for principles that the Spirit applied that I would need to bring and apply to our fellowship. So lets go and dial back two thousand years. Set it at around 50AD. Aim for Ephesus. Seat belts on? GO!

Oh no, we landed across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus at Corinth. This thriving city is on a peninsula. A good part of the population are slaves that drag ships on logs across the peninsula. There several different cultures here. There are temples to Greek and Roman gods everywhere. One temple boasts 1000 prostitutes. Beautiful stone buildings and lots of opulence. This is a wild city! Kind of reminds me of an ancient Lagos. But look, there is a group of people going in that stone building, smiles on their faces, greeting each other with a kiss. I think we found it. This must be a synagogue that Christians are using. The men are sitting on one side and the women on the other.

“Quiet, quiet” a man says. One of the men sitting in front facing us gets up and goes to what looks like a cabinet and opens it very reverently and brings out a parchment. He hands it to the speaker who says, “Now we read last week the letter from the elder and Apostle Paul. He has shared with us how we have been too disorderly in our services. Let us read again how we are to conduct ourselves in an orderly way as we worship our Lord Jesus together”

Wow! What a great time to have shown up here. This is just what we were interested in since we’ve been learning about elders and the early church.

It’s 1Cor 14:26 so we can read along in our English Bibles. Don’t mind their stares, they’ve never seen Levis or tennis shoes before. Levites yes, Levis no.
VERSE 26-Sounds like everyone likes to participate. The elder says, “Notice he says everyone has … if you remember earlier in this letter he reminds us that we all have a certain gift. He didn’t say we all have the same gift. And so it was with our Fathers. The metal crafters did not try to be priests, those who carried the ark of covenant did not carry the tent covering, the musicians did not trade places with the High Priest. You don’t all have all the gifts but you are acting like you do. No wonder we spend the entire day here. We have come to honor the Lord not your versatility.

There are five ways he mentions that we participate. A hymn or song. We all have a song in our hearts because of what our Lord has done but is his Spirit calling you all to share the song?” (I guess they just suggested a song and everyone sang along. Probably one of the Psalms. No wonder they quote the Psalms so often. Now how could we do that? We don’t all have the same songs memorized, but you could suggest to me a song on your heart during the week so I could print it up. Or if we all know it you can just start singing and we’ll join you. These people like to sing and considering the smiles on their faces it looks like they have something to sing about.)

Oh, he’s moving on, “A word of instruction, you are not all gifted to teach the Word of the Lord” (a teaching, more than likely on a Scripture passage. If they followed the synagogue style many different people would share, one or two each gathering, there was not necessarily a main speaker. Certainly we have more than one person with the gift of teaching. Notice we seem to be at the other end of the spectrum. They all wanted to do everything. I hope this encourages you to discover and use your gift in the worship.)

“A revelation, something new God has revealed to you that we have not seen or recognized before. Some of your revelations are for you personally and need not be shared, I think some of you look all week to find a new truth to share. Let the Spirit lead you to them don’t insist on coming up with one in your carnal wisdom.” ( Again it sounds as if they must have all wanted respect for finding something “new” in God’s word” How different! Are we the other extreme? )

“A tongue or an interpretation, which he speaks more on in the following”
(Woe we never have anything like that) “All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. I want us all to understand it is not to display your gifts, call attention to you, but to strengthen each other, that God has given us these gifts. We need to check our motivation, our source. Is this that I wish to share a direction of the Holy Spirit or of my ego.” (Wow that is good advice, I’m glad I have this pocket recorder on. )

Verse 27 – (Why do so many churches ignore this?)
Verse 28 – (I wonder how they knew there was an interpreter? Was one or more persons known for having that gift?)
Verse 29 – “Now I want you to notice the Apostle is not limiting fore telling, or forth telling of God’s word to only two at most three as he did with tongues and interpretation but he’s saying at least two. As it is written: “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” Prov 1:5 But pay careful heed that you discern if the words are from the Lord or from the mind of the speaker. The elders will comment if it is necessary for clarity or correction. (I wish he would have elaborated here a bit more. There is so much controversy today as to what that means. But notice in verse 26 prophecy was not listed unless it is under revelation or teaching. He did tell us in the beginning of the chapter this is one gift we should desire and that is good for the church. And in Thessalonians he tells us not to despise prophecy.)

Verse 30 – “Let us be attentive to each one especially as God moves to clarify something in our hearts so that we all may be encouraged. No speaker is above his brothers and should listen and learn what truths the Word has revealed in another’s heart.” ( Sounds to me like people would be inspired by what someone was saying and have something to add. We do that too! Maybe not as much as they did but this can remind us to be open to that. In most churches you wouldn’t dare stand up and interrupt the preacher. Would you?)

Verse 31 – “We should not all be talking at once but one at a time so we can all hear and contemplate for our instruction and encouragement.”

Verse 32 – “You are not out of control are you? I would hope you are mature enough to control your spirit and wait and listen as another speaks.” (Things must have been kind of rowdy a few weeks back)

Verse 33a. – “We have been guilty of disorder. We should repent and ask our Lord to be Lord of our worship that we might have a time ordered by the Holy Spirit that lives in us and ministers through us.” (Sounds like great advice for any church, but I think most churches are guilty of man’s order and not enough Spirit order, don’t you?)
Verse 33b-35 “We have to many of you women talking across to your husbands or fathers in the other side of the synagogue. Wait till you are at home to ask questions or make plans for lunch. You disturb everyone’s worship when you do this. You disgrace your husband when you disturb the time of worship.” (11:5, 14:26, Titus 2:3-5 Shows that you women can pray and prophecy and teach the women. 1Tim 2:12, Acts 21:9)
Verse 36-40 “Let us be mindful and sensitive to the order of the Holy Spirit who directs our praise to the Lord Jesus in our midst. Let us not be silent when He directs us to speak but let us be cautious not to speak unless He directs. Let us no longer be guilty of disorder” (Wait a minute – he forgot the Senior Pastor and the sermon… hmmm?)
(Now they are beginning to quote prayers. Some are spontaneous. I notice each one is waiting on the other in an orderly way. There are some with tears in their prayers of repentance. What an opportunity to happen in on this service! I hope we all learned something. I have! Let’s get back before they break up and ask who we are. ) Did you receive revelation while we looked at that church?
From Barcley’s Commentary (a conservative)
There was obviously a flexibility about the order of service in the early Church. Everything was informal enough to allow any man who felt that he had a message to give to give it. It may well be that we set far too much store on dignity and order nowadays, and have become the slaves of orders of service. The really notable thing about an early Church service must have been that almost everyone came feeling that he had both the privilege and the obligation of contributing something to it. A man did not come with the sole intention of being a passive listener; he came not only to receive but to give. Obviously this had its dangers, for it is clear that in Corinth there were those who were to fond of their own voices; but nonetheless the Church must have been in those days much more the real possession of the ordinary Christian. It may well be that the Church lost something when she delegated so much to the professional ministry and left so little to the ordinary Church member…so brethren on who's side are you,the normal church services you attend or The early church,

ooooh
bro jayon give ur life to christ and change,

let talk about ,events and things all about love world ministry and Jesus

Islam and Christianity

As we approach the anniversary of September 11th we are constantly reminded about Islam and the Islamic community in our nation. There are somewhere between 5 to 7 million Muslims in the United States. The News Media always tells us that Jews and Christians and Muslims share the same God. In the church office there is a map of Israel on which is printed, ‘3 Religions - One God’.

Some time ago I shared a sermon called, Same God?. I caught some criticism for quoting the Koran when I was not familiar with it. After all, people could misquote the Bible and often do and we take offense to that. That is a valid criticism. In today and next week’s sermons most of what I will be sharing comes from R. C. Sproul ministries and an interview with a former Muslim who was raised in a Muslim country. Unlike myself, he is very familiar with the generally accepted interpretations and scholarly comments on the Koran. Abdul Saleeb co-authored Answering Islam with Dr. Norman Geisler.

In our desire to find common ground and to be tolerant, we can’t put our brain on hold. We need to think clearly about the fundamental differences between these two faiths. There are several areas in our faiths that are comparable but there are also fundamental issues that are not compatible. If we are to encourage and help Muslim people, we need to understand the differences in our beliefs. Understanding the differences also helps us appreciate the foundations of our faith.

Islam has a rich intellectual and cultural tradition. It is a coherent and systematic faith. Within that system of beliefs you will find four areas that are irreconcilable with Christianity. 1. View of the Godhead 2. View of Man 3. View of Christ 4. Nature and authority of the Bible. You will often hear the erroneous statement that, “All religions teach the same thing.” These areas in dispute are the very foundation of what we believe. If there is not an agreement here on who God is and His relationship with us, then the statement that we serve the same God is not justifiable. We may agree on peripheral points but if the foundations are different then the reason for the points we do agree on is different. Any religion must answer the first two points, who is God and who is man. If true religion is about man’s relationship with God then the philosophy to which we adhere will be profoundly affected by what we believe about that relationship.

Much of the argument of Islam toward Christianity is the same as modern liberal scholars’ arguments. To answer Islam will also help us answer some of the trends in the world today. We need to know why we believe what we believe. The first area of contention is the Fatherhood of God. Both Muslims and Christians see God as sovereign, holy, all-powerful, forgiving and One who sends prophets to warn us. But Islam would never consider God as a Father. Jesus often referred to God as His Father and taught that we should address Him as Father. The Lord’s Prayer sounds like blasphemy to Muslims, but to the Christian it is one of the most wonderful things about our relationship with God. As a Father nurtures and cares for his child, correcting and disciplining, guiding and directing, instructing with love, so we see our God caring for us. The picture of a Father-child relationship runs throughout the New Testament. The Muslim objection goes something like this: If God was a father then he would have a consort. That is unthinkable. There is some debate as to whether Mohammed thought that Mary was literally considered the bride of God. That would have been a complete misunderstanding of the Christian belief on Mohammed’s part.

Sura 1:12 Say He is God, the one and only God the Eternal, the absolute. He begetteth not nor is He begotten. There is no one like Him.

We agree on everything but “He begetteth not…” That strikes right at the favorite verse of all, John 3:16. “God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” Interestingly enough John 1:12 says, But as many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believe on His name. The process of birth is a problem to Muslims, but also the very idea that we could have a Father child relationship. Islam paints a picture of God that is much too distant and austere to consider Him as even a spiritual father.

Sura 19:35 It is not befitting to the majesty of God that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him. When He determines a matter He says to it “Be” and it is.” Again we see the thought that producing sons implies a physical relation, which is a hold over from pagan religions of ancient past. Some Islamic scholars even add footnotes that imply Christians believe in the blasphemous idea that God has physical relations to bring about His son. (also see Sura 2:116)

God is much more intimate in Judeo-Christian thought than in Muslim philosophy. In the Bible God is referred to as a shepherd, a wounded lover, and a bridegroom. The Koran only refers to God as Master – and those who worship Him are His servants. The New Testament does call us servants but also refers to us as sons, heirs, the bride, His chosen ones, and dearly loved. Even if the view of how Christ became a Son and how we become sons was corrected, there is still the fundamental difference of how the two religions perceive God. This is vital to our whole understanding of redemption. Consider 1John 3:1a (NIV) 1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! How wonderful those words are in our ears and yet they sound like the height of arrogance to a Muslim. In an interview with 600 converts from Islam to Christianity, one of the most appealing factors for them was this intimacy of relationship with God as Father.

The story of Mephibosheth reminds me so much of the Bible’s portrayal of our relationship with God. When David took over the throne of Israel he looked for a son of Saul to show kindness to. Saul had pursued and tried to kill David again and again. That is how we are in our flesh. That is our life before we were born anew. We hated the things of God and fought to see them extinguished. But here comes David, like Christ, full of forgiveness and remembering his promises. He finds this crippled son of Jonathan and adopts him. He eats at his table and is cared for. Even in the future when there is a question as to Jonathan’s loyalty after all the favor shown him, David stands up for him. How like our Father who has adopted us as his own in spite of our family being in rebellion against Him, our crippled condition, and accusations against us. (See 2 Samuel 9 and 19)

The second major difference is how we see ourselves. The accepted historical Christian view is that Adam’s sin infected the human race. Like begets like. As a sinner, Adam’s children were born sinners. David said he was born in sin. (Psalm 51:5) The Apostle Paul wrote that through the first man Adam death reigned and many died by his trespass. (Romans 5:12-15) We see what happened in the garden as a severance of relationship that was irreconcilable through anything man could do. What we call “The Fall of Man” and see as the root of man’s problem, the Koran describes as an error that was soon forgiven without any affect upon mankind in general. The Koran has God forgiving Adam for eating the hidden fruit. (Sura 2:35) It had no consequence on Adam or mankind. God just chose to forgive. In Islam man is not sinful by nature. There is no original sin. Here the world and liberal scholars agree, much to the delight of Islamic teachers. They say, “Be strong! Rise up! You can do it if you will just discipline yourself.” Christianity says you are helpless and need a Savior. It goes on to say the only way you can live righteously is to let His life empower you. You can’t save yourself or live a righteous life without Him.

Jonathan Edwards, a famous Bible preacher, taught that reason leads to universal sin. All are evil as the Bible teaches. If all were born innocent you would think some would stay that way, he argues. The counter argument is that society corrupts us, but the fact remains that society is merely made up of people. If those people are born innocent what happened to turn them all toward evil. The only answer is sin is inherent. Sin has affected the very nature of mankind.

Though the Koran teaches that God is holy, it only mentions the description twice. Islam says it teaches God’s will and commands. The Bible teaches God’s character, and then says that His character is the standard. Since the Koran lists the commands as the standard instead of the very nature of God, we have the source of the idea that man is not so bad, and pleasing God is within his ability. When the holiness of God is diminished then we can become demigods able to earn heaven on our own. That is the teaching of Islam.

The standard of the Biblical God is His own holiness. “Be holy because I am holy.” Purity in thought, word and deed is too high a standard to be attainable by fallen man. It requires a Savior. The media constantly is teaching a relative standard that is not based on anything but your particular upbringing. “Then we can all be gods and don’t have need of a Savior. All gods of all religions are equal and all ways to God are ultimately the same. Jesus died as good moral lesson to us all,” the claim. This heresy has been around since the first century church and is called Palagianism. It is quite similar to Muslim belief. Do more good than evil and you should be allowed into heaven. Makes sense if you don’t see yourself as having a sin nature that is in rebellion toward God. But if you see man as a fallen creature needing a Savior you will cling to the cross of Jesus, knowing that the love of the Father sent His only begotten Son to pay a debt you could never pay.

This idea of being good enough for God reminds me of outcome-based education. If the student can’t handle it, lower the standard so he feels good about himself. Islam sets a standard low enough to be attainable by man – obedience to a limited set of rules. It is very similar to Phariseeism. Just keep these rules and you will make it. If you can’t keep the rules, try harder. In contrast, Titus 3:5 tells us that it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He has saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Ghost.”

The real standard has never changed. “I am the LORD, I change not!” It has always been the righteousness of God. No man can attain to it for we are born with a deprived nature that is rebellious toward all the goodness that God is. We need a Savior. No man can do that because he has his own sins to account for. We need God to become a man and take the predetermined and just punishment in our place. That requires a God that is in a loving relationship with His children. All of these truths are anathema to Islam and to modern humanistic thinking.

Next week we will look at the other two issues, who is Christ and of what value is the Bible. Classic Christianity and Islam are worlds apart in their answers to these questions as well.

I want to remind you that I’m not sharing these issues to drive a wedge between Christians and Muslims. We do need to be honest about the points we disagree on. As Christians, we need to understand the foundations of our faith, appreciate our relationship with our Father and recognize how God deals with our fallen condition. When we have a clear understanding of our differences we can share without feeling threatened, knowing we have something to offer Muslims. Those Muslims who seek to know what the Bible really teaches will find the Bible’s answers and perhaps seek that Father and child relationship that we so value.

One of the best witnessing tools I have heard of was when Christian women donned burquas to walk with Muslim women to their mosque so that they would not feel threatened after 9-11. What a powerful testimony in that act of love! We have something every Muslim needs – the truth that God the Father loves them and has sent His only begotten Son to save them from sin. Don’t take the relationship of Father and child for granted. Relish it. Come to Him as you would to a loving Father, knowing He wants to give good gifts to His children. Thank Him for providing the one way to be right with Him – a way that you could never have handled on your own. We serve a good, holy, and loving Father. Let His life in you show the difference in our faith through love.

The Church of the New Testament was an extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit. But then every thing the Spirit does is extra ordinary. It grew and spread at an exponential rate. We can excuse the lack of work in our own time and place by saying that the kind of things that were done were special to start the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. But in our heart I believe we know that the lack is the dilution of believer’s love for God, faith and expectation, and obedience to the Word. If we find the New Testament church established by the work of the Holy Spirit was structured in a certain way, do we have the option of changing it? In what ways? Is the form He established a part of the substance?

Certainly we can not change fundamental beliefs in the person and work of Christ. We have creeds that sum up the basics of our faith. In these creeds government is not mentioned. We must understand by that we are studying something that is not central to our faith and should not be a divisive issue. Yet, if the Holy Spirit led the Apostles to establish a form of government can we assume that there is a reason for that form? Should we endeavor to stay with that pattern that the Spirit revealed to the Apostles as much as is possible in our culture and situation? If it is irrelevant then we should change the topic for next week and continue with a short history lesson. If it is significant and was revealed to help us avoid error then we should carefully search the Scriptures to find what we can about it.

In exploring the Church of Jesus Christ after Pentecost we must try to take off the glasses of experience through which we are use to seeing so that we can examine it without bias. So as we start, set aside preconceived ideas and prepare to look at something quite different from most of the Church government today.

This week I would like to do a background as to why it is important to do things God’s way with an illustration from Acts 1. Just before the Church began, we have what I believe is one last example of man’s way. Not everyone agrees with this opinion but it is held and defended by many. In the beginning of the next chapter the church will be birthed as the Holy Spirit is poured out. Now the 120 are waiting the seven days between the ascension and Pentecost. Vs4 They don’t know how long they are to wait but that is what Jesus had told them to do.
Up through verse 14 they are doing what Jesus told them to do. In verse 20 Peter quotes several verses from the Psalms about Judas. We don’t know if Jesus shared them with him or if he was inspired to recall them from songs sung in worship. Verse 21 and 22 show Peter’s preconceived qualifying conditions. 1. He must have been with them from the beginning of Jesus ministry. 2. He must be a witness of the resurrection. Where did he get those qualifications? Remember the Holy Spirit is not yet poured out. They found two men that met the conditions. Verse 24 They ask God to pick one of these guys. Do we sometimes give God our options when He may have another? Is it possible to see a truth in Scripture and then try to fulfill it ourselves? Verse 26 Lots were cast to determine God’s choice. Prov 16:33 Remember lots were cast by the sailors to determine the storm was caused by Jonah. These sailors were not believers. Two stones are placed in a jar, each with the name of one of the men. The jar is shaken and the first stone out is the one God chose.

What had Jesus told them the Spirit was coming to do? “Lead them into all truth”, so what is Peter trying to do? Do you think he meant well? We never hear of Matthias again but we do hear of the Apostle God selected. Paul declared that he was an Apostle (18 times), born at the wrong time – like a miscarriage. 1Cor 15:7-9, Gal 1:1, 1Cor 4:9 On the foundation of New Jerusalem are the names of the twelve Apostles, a very select group. Rev 21:14 Do you think it includes Matthias or Paul? We are built on the foundation of the teaching of the apostles Gal 2:20. Any doubt now?

So what can we learn from this? Man would like to be the head of structure and organization, make decisions, reason out the best course of action. What is the fruit that remains of all that? Who is the head of the church? Eph 5:23 1Cor 12:27 Christ is the head and we are members of the body. We are suppose to take are orders and instructions from Christ just as He took his from the Father.

One of the greatest discoveries of the Reformation was the priesthood of believers. 1Pt 2:5,9 This concept is important for to understand for our upcoming studies. During the Old Testament era we had priests that represented us to God, and prophets who were the voice of God to us. God had promised through the prophets that the day would come when He would personally live with us. Christ atonement made that possible and the promised Holy Spirit was sent. Now as we read the Word and pray the Spirit speaks to our hearts and teaches us directly. Our High Priest is Jesus. He is the only mediator between us and God. 1Tim 2:5 We each can stand before God because of what Christ has done for us. We need no man to represent us except for the One who bears the marks that paid for our sins.

Hopefully we are ending this lesson understanding 2 points. Man’s way often differs from God’s way. Each believer has access to God without any mediator but Jesus Christ. In much of the Church today we have a corporate structure. The members elect the board. The Pastor is the CEO. This is nowhere to be found in Scripture. Where did this all begin and why? What was the original structure and how did it function? That is what we will examine in the next few weeks. Be prepared for some surprises. so fellow nairalander's this is why you need to reacess urself are u a man follower or God Follower.

Dear reader, am new to this forum and am here for Good,to let you know the truth abt christ, have you received the spirit which is of God, wrought by the Holy Ghost in your soul?
The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart may be clearly seen from this fact,
that all which has been done by God the Father, and by God the Son, must be ineffectual to us,
unless the Spirit shall reveal these things to our souls. What effect does the doctrine of election have
upon any man until the Spirit of God enters into him? Election is a dead letter in my consciousness until
the Spirit of God calls me out of darkness into marvellous light. Then through my calling,
I see my election, and knowing myself to be called of God, I know myself to have been chosen in the eternal purpose.
A covenant was made with the Lord Jesus Christ, by His Father; but what avails that covenant to us until
the Holy Spirit brings us its blessings, and opens our hearts to receive them?
There hang the blessings on the nail--Christ Jesus; but being short of stature,
we cannot reach them; the Spirit of God takes them down and hands them to us,
and thus they become actually ours. Covenant blessings in themselves are like the manna in the skies,
far out of mortal reach, but the spirit of God opens the windows of heaven and scatters the living bread around
the camp of the spiritual Israel. Christ's finished work is like wine stored in the wine-vat;
through unbelief we can neither draw nor drink. The Holy Spirit dips our vessel into this precious wine,
and then we drink; but without the Spirit we are as truly dead in sin as though the Father never had elected,
and though the Son had never bought us with His blood. The Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to our well-being.
Let us walk lovingly towards Him and tremble at the thought of grieving Him.