₦airaland Forum

During the revivals and awakenings God has brought to this country, the impact in many geographic areas has been unusual. Often, God brought a special sense of His presence to a region. As a person approached a city, he could literally feel the presence of God there. Imagine then, whole areas of America so saturated with God, that you could literally sense God’s presence. During The Second Great Awakening (1794-1830), a divine influence seemed to pervade Utica and Rome, New York, during a season of revival. People would feel compelled to get right with God the moment they entered the city limits. [/b]So strong was this presence of God, that the term "zone of holiness" was coined to describe what was transpiring there.

During [b]The Prayer Revival of 1857-1859, the Holy Spirit seemed to hang like a cloud over much of the East Coast. At times, the cloud seemed to extend out into the ocean. The following was reported by such a large and diverse number of people that the accounts cannot be doubted.

" Those on ships approaching the East Coast at times felt a solemn, holy influence even hundreds of miles from land. Revival began on one ship before it reached the coast. People on board began to feel the presence of God and a sense of their own sinfulness. The Holy Spirit convicted them and they began to pray. As the ship neared the harbor, the captain signaled, ‘Send a minister.’ Another commercial ship arrived in port with the captain, and every member of the crew converted in the last 150 miles of the journey. Ship after ship arrived in the ports of the East Coast with the same story: Passengers and crew were suddenly convicted of their sin and turned to Christ before they reached the American coast" (Wesley Duewel, Revival Fire, pp. 133-134).

Charles Finney said, "Many times great numbers of persons in a community will be clothed with this power, when the very atmosphere of the whole place seems to be charged with the life of God. Strangers coming into it and passing through the place will be instantly smitten with conviction of sin and in many instances converted to Christ" (Arthur Wallis, In The Day Of Thy Power).

These stories about the "zones of holiness" are given in order to cast a vision for your prayer life. Wouldn’t it be something if the "hell holes" of our inner cities and suburbs could become "zones of holiness"? Wouldn’t it be something if America became a clean, vibrant, holy place? We cannot make it happen, but our God can! He has done it before! Would you join with me in asking…begging…imploring…pleading with our heavenly Father to bring a revival and awakening to our church and then to our land?

If a revival and awakening is to come, you and I must be changed. Nancy Leigh DeMoss has said, "Revival is not just another emphasis to add to our already overcrowded agendas. It’s not an option. It’s not just a nice idea. A meeting with God in genuine revival is our only hope; our church’s only hope; our nation’s only hope." I couldn’t agree more. If a genuine revival and awakening doesn’t come very soon, then we will move from the remedial judgments of God that we have been experiencing to a more severe judgment.

Someone once asked the British evangelist, Gypsy Smith, "How do you start a revival?" Smith replied, "If you want to start a revival, go home and get a piece of chalk. Go into your closet and draw a circle on the floor. Kneel down in the middle of the circle and ask God to start a revival inside the chalk mark. When He has answered your prayer, the revival has begun" (Tom Phillips, Revival Signs).

Dale Schlafer
Herald of His Coming, April 2004

Fellow soldiers, let's not fold our hands, passing commentaries that, "these are the last days"! Of course they are but those same last days are to be characterised by God pouring out His Spirit (Acts 2:17)! Let's get to the trenches then!

Faith and Boldness in Prayer

How marvelous and important is the salvation of a single soul! Do we believe this? If so we will demonstrate it, and do everything in our power to win eternity bound souls to Jesus. But the enemy does not easily relinquish his hold upon men, and oftimes a strenuous policy must be adopted.

[b] One mother had three daughters who were unsaved, and utterly indifferent to every entreaty to yield themselves to Christ. In sheer desperation the mother said to her worldly minded girls: "I am going to shut myself in my room and pray and fast until you give yourselves to the Lord."

They laughed, saying: "Mother, it will do no good." But she began, and when the hours wore away to almost a day, a knock came to her door, and one of the girls said: "Mother, I am ready to give my heart to Jesus," and she was saved. The other girls thought they would be brave, and not give in, but at the end of the second day of prayer and fasting one of them could hold out no longer, and going to her mother’s room she wept her way through to God.

It was on the third day that the last one broke down and surrendered all, accepting Jesus as her personal Savior. This mother doubtless thought she was believing God for the salvation of her girls, but when faith was directed through the channels of prayer and fasting, quick results were achieved.

[/b] Now what is true individually, is also true collectively. If, individually speaking, to get results it is necessary to offer intercessory prayer again and again, then how much more necessary does it become when the local church, or community, is in view!

It is our right to "come boldly" – not timidly – "unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). We may storm the throne of God, and by violent seizure, take the kingdom of the Heavens both for ourselves and others. (Matt. 11:12, Weymouth translation).

With the promises of God before the saints, the whole congregation may cry out: "Do as Thou hast said" (2 Sam. 7:25), until the flood gates of salvation are lifted and many precious souls are watered with the life-giving stream!

God’s standard is unceasing prayer. No matter how much we pray, the text to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thes. 5:17) is always just ahead of us. The situation demands that we never lower the colors. To rescue men from a burning building, or a watery grave, or any calamity which has overtaken them, is our bounden duty.

How much more our duty to rescue men from hell! To this end Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). This is the Savior’s platform for the entire church age. To what extent is His purpose ours?

"If we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:14-15).

Our prayers offered in faith do not fail, they "avail!" John Knox bore all Scotland up on the wings of his faith. He cried: "Give me Scotland or I die," and Kirkton says: "the whole nation was converted by lump."

Sarah Foulkes Moore
Herald of His Coming,May 2011

mustymatic:
Christianity na play play

This conclusion is misplaced; the 'pastor' did not claim to be acting on any command in Scripture. Neither can anyone on NL quote any part of the Bible that lends the faintest credence to the 'pastor's action.

Demmzy15:
It doesn't matter whether it was divinely commanded to Hagar, Hagar did it and God asked Muslims to do it as a commemoration of sacrifice by Hagar. Not that she was bowing to some idol, but running between two mountains looking for water.

Just like in Christian pilgrimage, many activities are done in which have no divinely proves. Safa and Marwah was legislated to the Muslims.

It's alright.

Demmzy15:
The running between safa and marwah is also a divine ordinance from God in memory for the sacrifice of Hagar to her son:

Verily! As-Safa and Al-Marwah (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who perform Hajj or 'Umrah (pilgrimage) of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them (As-Safa and Al-Marwah). And whoever does good voluntarily, then verily, Allah is All-Recogniser, All-Knower. Qur’an 2:158

As you see the Quran said it's to be performed, so I don't need the bible to confirm it for me.


Safar and Marwah were observed by early Muslims with the Quran and hadith with proves just as how you'll present the bible has a prove for me. So why the criticism?

No criticism! Like you agreed before now, the practise started with Hagar who was not Divinely commanded to do what she did like Abraham and Moses were commanded as regards circumcision and passover respectively. That is what I am trying to clarify. Moreover, the quote states that:

And down the line, generations practised the ritual, but the[size=14pt] value of the origin and referring it to the true GOD was lost[/size], hence they replaced the same and other fabrications in dedication to their idols. If you ask the then arab pagans about how they came about their worship, they will tell you they met it from their fathers. Allah as they knew from Ibrahim (as) is referring to GOD, but because the generation had relegated to idol worship and they heard the name from their fathers, they made a statue.
This practice was first observed by a pious person,Hajar the mother of Ismael(AS) and wife of Ibrahim(AS).
Suggesting that it was an observance by a pious person not just a mother's action. In fact, this part greatly suggests that Hagar acted on a command which we both agree is not correct. The highlighted part further accentuates my perception especially as it clearly shows Abraham had no part in the practise. Can you clarify? (I realise that you didnt write/ quote this but I believe you or any other muslim on NL may be able to shed more light).

Demmzy15:
Yes, then this perseverance and sacrifice by Hagar became a ritual for pilgrims so as to look back upon this. It's just like when some Christians practiced self flagellation just to experience the sample of pains Jesus experienced when he was about to be crucified.

Okay. But then, you will agree with me that most ordinances eg Circumcision (Abraham), Passover (Israelites and Moses) etc commenced by an explicit Divine command. Why is this different?


Digression
self flagellation, Israel pilgrimage, birth and death of Christ celebrations are not acclaimed as acts/rituals of worship but embellishments by man which Bible christians (eg the early church) did not observe. Observance of these practices does not increase piousness or spirituality neither does non-observance.

Demmzy15:
Yes, then this perseverance and sacrifice by Hagar became a ritual for pilgrims so as to look back upon this. It's just like when some Christians practiced self flagellation just to experience the sample of pains Jesus experienced when he was about to be crucified.

Okay. But then, you will agree with me that most ordinances eg Circumcision (Abraham) Passover (Israelites and Moses) etc commenced by an explicit Divine command. Why is this different?


Digression
self flagellation, Israel pilgrimage, birth and death of Christ celebrations are not acclaimed as acts/rituals of worship but embellishments by man which Bible christians (eg the early church) did not observe. Observance of these practices does not increase piousness or spirituality neither does non-observance.

Demmzy15:
Arab race started with the children of Ishmael with Hagar being his mother. There is nothing Egyptian about running between two mountains looking for water, Ishmael was thirsty and she was looking for water. This what every mother would do rather than "Egyptians"

This implies that she was neither carrying out any ritual of worship nor instituting one; neither was she acting in obedience to any Divine or angelic command nor was she conscious of the mountains having any special significance. Is that correct?

Rilwayne001:
This was the reply brother lanrex lan gave him:




Can we still after the underlined say this practise was copied from the pagans? NO. This reply has been brought to his face times without number. But due to the fact that they are not ready for the truth but silly back and forte arguement, he turned blind eye on it.

The quote stated that Hagar (not Abraham) was the first to observe the practise but remember that Hagar was not an Arab, she was an Egyptian hence she might have been up to a practise peculiar to Egyptians.

NumberOne2:
You are RIGHT. Here is why.

[size=14pt]According to the same organization (American Psychiatric Association) APA until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. So where did the GAY mental illness go?
Could it be that the APA guys have contracted the GAY sickness and now think Religious folks are the sick ones? Hmmm, interesting stuff though.[/size]

Just what came to mind when I read the op! Indeed, we live in days when evil is called good vice versa!

Thanks a lot ,op, for sharing.

Let me add that after seeking the assistance of a leader etc, you still have the responsibility of personal study to confirm if the explanations are according to what is written. The following refs are notable:

Galatians 1:8,9

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!
9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

(The highlighted shows NO MAN is given the ability to add to, change, or deduct from what is written; not even the apostle that was inspired)


and

Isaiah 8:20
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.


Ultimately, we do well to cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit because:
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinth 2:10

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;
John 16:13a

sonmvayina:
try reading proverbs 17:15, and relating that to jesus and barrabas...

The quilty one, on the basis of Proverbs 17:15, is neither Jesus nor Barrabas but the Elders and Pharisees, and the crowd influenced by them.

The valley of dry bones will become a strong army once again;(but Ezekiels are needed to prophesy to HE that came as a Rushing, Mighty Wind,as God leads)

aminusanti:
Even the Angels asked for the same question, below is the reply
Quran 2:30 And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know.

kindly explain the term successive authority.
Also, the statement credited to the angels suggests that man was to be created as a sinner (since angels are not omni-scient). Is this correct?

johnydon22:
If by horus you are in anyway referring to the egyptian God then you are dead wrong. . .Horus is an ancient egyptian concept and in no way a product of christianity rather one can discern the christian conept borrowed from it because it predates the christian concept with a huge margin.

Exactly! Just like the extant gnostic teachings, this (horus/osiris/isis/semiramis) also existed (Nimrod started it all; his death gave rise to the drama by Semiramis his wife and Tammuz ) but the semblances to Christ were later incorporations (the pre-christian gnostics did it afterall). The questions engendered by their action ( see this thread: Horus is not Jesus Christ And can Never Be)still solicits for answers.

Most The gospels regarded gnostics are in no way all materials of gnostic writings, most of them have background from second generation christians just like the other gospels you have in the bible e.g The gospel of Thomas.

But you said they incorporated some Christian teachings to Ancient eastern beliefs which I guess was attributable to those that Merriam-webster pointed out were of the pre-christian era.

The exclusion of these gospels in the canonical christian book collection is what relegates them to being referred to as Gnostic write ups .

There are mostly regarded as the new testament deutrocanonical books. . . Gnostic movements became imminent in 2century AD.
Orthodox and Gnostic Christianity still remains paralell lines and all partakes wholesomely from the same fable [/i][/b]

Parallel lines with no interception in substance no matter how many inscriptions of the form they incorporate!

johnydon22:
I think i would go with scholarly consensus that Gnostic movement emerged as a reaction to Christian movement incorporating many ancient eastern religious teachings to Christianity. That is why they are called Gnostic christians.

Since this is so, then it further reinforces the fact that the Gnostic 'gospels' was syncretic and deceptive! {I perceive this action of 'stealing from Christianity' is what gave rise to horus and other personalities who, being Jacob (in the sense of being usurpers) , try to cover themselves with the wool of the Lamb (Jesus Christ)! Meaning they already existed before but later incorporated features of the Truth in order to retain adherents! In fact, Paul's epistle to the Colossians was a rebuttal to the lies of gnosticism being offered, by its exponents, to the believers in Colosse. }

johnydon22:
McSterlin very correct, there are in fact up 50 of these gospels written. . . The ones that made it in the bible are called Synoptic gospels while the ones left out are called Gnostic gospels of which Gnostic christians and churches still make use of some of these texts too. . Many catholic Oral tradition developed from the Gnostic gospels like Mary being born without sin, The parent of Mary being Joachin and Anna and so on

If I consider the definition of Gnosticism from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnosticism as:


: the thought and practice especially of[b] various cults of late pre-Christian[/b] and early Christian centuries distinguished by the conviction that matter is evil and that emancipation comes through gnosis;

then I wont be wrong to say that the gnostic movement existed before the Church and ,like other false groups have done and are doing, tried to squeeze in the true Gospel, into their teachings! This therefore means we can dispense with their writings (aka 'gospels') as a deceptive, syncretic piece of literary work. Unlike the synoptics and John, the gnostics appear to make claims of which there is no OT declaration or prophesy.

McSterling:
Fair enough, but I still think Luke would have clarified better as he was wont to do, if he did mean what you imply.

The bolded is the very reason I expect that Luke would have clarified better. It is hard for anybody to simply wring out the explanation of Heli being Mary's father from what Luke wrote. It appears Luke wanted to quickly brush through this very significant item in Christian theology. Or do the chronicles say Heli was Mary's father? The idea that Heli was Mary's father seems more like a conjecture borne out of the contradiction in Matthew and Luke. It's also interesting to note that some Church fathers didn't accept this explication.

Luke's scope of study as stated in the introduction suggests his focus was to be more on what Theophilus had already believed- the life and teachings of Jesus - hence quickly brushing through such prefatory aspects might be pardonable.

Luke 1:3,4

3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

I am persuaded that the highlighted may not concern as much issues as Mary's father or how old she was or how they had to go to Egypt etc

Where did the disciples see the risen Christ? Galilee or Jerusalem. It's either one or other, or maybe neither, but never both. How do they complement each other?

Jesus appeared more than once to the disciples.

Barnabaseloka:
Bro. calm down. I will quote you for the last time. I believe in the work of grace. The questions are: 1. Does grace permit believers in Christ to continue living in sin? Rom.6:1-2
2. What exactly has grace come to do in the life of christians? Titus 2 11. For the GRACE of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12. teaching us that, denying UNGODLINESS and WORDLY LUSTS, we should live SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, and GODLY in the present age,
13. looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Everyone will be judged according to his/her works on earth. Those who live righteously will get into heaven, while those who continue living in sin and die in its practice will be lost forever in hellfire.
The truth is a bitter pill to swallow!

I think I need to amplify the highlighted:

Paul's teaching was obedience to/fulfilling of the righteous demands of the law AS THE RESULT OF SALVATION BY GRACE and not keeping the law AS A MEANS OF SALVATION when he wrote
1. Titus 1:16

16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Barnabaseloka:
Thanks Bro. I never read this post before quoting Titus 2:11 that you also quoted. The Spirit of God is indeed one!

Glory to God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Antinomians and neo-Nicolaitans are now on the prowl today! May God deliver us.

jiggaz:
The same Bible dat was written in Greek before being translated to English. So many people quote the Bible out of Context cos they don't understand the circumstances that led to certain Scriptures in the Bible. I don't blame you sha cos most Mainstream Pentecostal Pastors tell their flocks what to believe by mixing the message of Grace with the Law.

Plz if u don't believe in the message of Grace, there's no problem. I am posting these video messages for Christians who want to be liberated from the old doctrine of Guilt & Condemnation. I am free and liberated and i now know my place in Christ Jesus!!! I now have divine PEACE since i discovered these messages, so i want to share it to others too.

But since u are already stock to your Doctrine of Law, Works & Righteousness by might, PLEASE & PLEASE this message is not for YOU!!

@ jiggaz,

1. does your conceptualization of agree with this:

Titus 2:11-12

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

2. Since Christ was talking to His disciples (not just a carefree group of Israelites) what purpose was the climax of the parable being a call to watch?

3. The marriage is indeed between Christ and His Bride but remember that the Bride includes multitude of men and women hence everyone still has a responsibility to watch and be sober. Else what was the intent of the Apostles' several, inspired warnings to the believers? Eg
2 Peter 2:20,21

20 For if[b] after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,[/b] they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
[/b]21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Hebrews 10:38,39

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who[size=14pt][b] draw back unto perdition[/size]; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

and others.

McSterling:
And since Luke (a gentile himself) was writing to another gentile, I see no reason why he had to adhere to the Jewish tradition of naming only males in genealogical trees. If he really meant Heli was Mary's father, why didn't he just say so? Why didn't he simply clarify that Joseph was a "son-in-law" as opposed to "son" of Heli? One would expect him to have made this clarification since he was writing to a gentile who most likely was not familiar with Jewish tradition. Or do you think Luke was deliberately trying to confuse his recipient?

If we would be fair, the highlighted points would be answered accordingly:
1. It would be wrong to dispense with the culture and practice of the people Luke was writing about; besides, the genealogies were not generated by Luke, being an elite himself (a physician), I am persuaded that he had access to the genealogies in Genesis, 1 Chronicles , Inter-testament period (just about 400 years) etc. If Luke had dispensed with the practise and changed the genealogies, there are some today that will claim that to be a contradiction too!

2. Luke wont be attempting to confuse one of such a high position; perhaps if he had written to a group of recently converted savages, this would be hard to prove. In those days, it was the practise of such highly placed people to search through the rolls when informations and claims are made. Examples can be found in Ezra 6:1,2 Matthew 2:4-6, Acts 17:10-11. Writing to such enlightened person / group calls for painstaking carefulness and diligence for the very fact that you know your claims will be cross-examined.

The gospels also contradict one another on the account of Jesus' resurrection. Their different accounts can simply not be reconciled. It's either one is correct and others are wrong or they're all wrong. They can't all be correct. I think the same applies to the different genealogies in Matthew and Luke.

The gospels complement one another. You will readily agree with me that no man is an island of knowledge;I will also add that the Spirit was not sent to make individuals islands of knowledge, independent of others! Else what is the role of teaching and preaching if every believer is to know everything? The principle is this:

Ephesians 4:16
16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

and

1 Corinthians 14:26

26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.


Summary, four gospels was given that one might complement the other.

McSterling:
I've seen other translations. The descent is clearly concerning Joseph not Mary. Where does it say Mary was Heli's daughter? Luke rather says Joseph was Heli's son.

The point is Joseph cannot be Heli's biological son and Jacob's biological son at the same time! Heli was a descendant of Nathan while Jacob Matthew 1:16 was a descendant of Solomon; Nathan and Solomon being David's sons.

It was common practice to use only the names of Israelite men in genealogical trees; the women mentioned are usually those from other countries who, through marriage, became Israelites too. The purpose of this genealogies was to preserve inheritance in the tribe. As regards inheritance, this was the practice.

Numbers 36:8
The daughters throughout the tribes of Israel who are in line to inherit property must marry within their tribe, so that all the Israelites will keep their ancestral property

I believe this principle underscored the use of the husband's name in genealogies.


Hence Joseph was actually a son-in-law to Heli, a legal but not biological son.

I believe Luke (who was writing to a gentile, elite believer-Theophilus Luke 1:1-4) anticipated this issue of how Christ could be the son of David when we consider the virgin birth, hence he used the genealogy of Mary.

McSterling:
I think the reference to descent was made concerning Joseph not Mary: Joseph, a descendant of the house of David...But that verse is ambiguous in KJV. Will check another translation.

Okay. Though I believe the explanation on Nathan-Heli, Solomon-Joseph shows indeed that Mary, daughter of Heli, was of the house of David.

johnydon22:
If you believe what you like in your gospels and scriptures and reject the ones you don't like. . . its not the gospels/scriptures you believe but yourself

Precisely!

Op, consider this:

Luke 1:26,27

26 Now in the sixth month [after that], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth,

27 To a girl never having been married and a [v]virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Here Mary's father's house in the tribe of Judah was clearly mentioned.

Heli, her father a descendant of Nathan-David's son, was mentioned in Luke's gospel. Now if you study the genealogy in Matthew and Luke, the father of Joseph is different. Indeed, Joseph descended from Solomon(Matthew 1:6,7) while Mary from Nathan (Luke 3:31); Nathan and Solomon were two of David's sons (1 Chronicles 3:5). Hence the mention of Joseph in Mary's genealogy was a normal practice by recorders and scribes in genealogies. For example, you will agree with me that in Matthew's genealogy, only foreign women who naturalized to become Israelites were mentioned.

aminusanti:
the essential purpose for which humankind was created is the worship of God.  However, the Almighty is not in need of human worship.  He did not create human beings out of a need on His part.  If not a single human worshipped God, it would not diminish His glory in any way, and if all of humankind worshipped Him, it would not increase His glory in any way.  God is perfect.  He alone exists without any needs.  All created beings have needs.  Consequently, it is humankind that needs to worship God.

Indeed our worship, praise etc neither increases God nor does the lack of it diminish Him in any way; but then that brings me to the question again, according to the teachings in the Quran, what was God's original purpose for creating man (Adam) since He did not need man's worship? (And, like I said, the myriads of angels in Heaven (outnumbering man at time of his creation) were already rendering worship and submission to God hence it suggests that there was more to man's creation.)

But before we continue, do you believe man was made in God's Image?

The testimonies of Peter and John (James was killed by Herod Acts 12 hence he wrote no epistles) below further helps us to understand what the reference of Matthew 16:28 was, inter alia, the revelation on the Mount of Transfiguration. The views of others referring to Christ's resurrection, Daniel's prophecy and the book of Revelations are also correct. The Holy Spirit did not come to make us a one-man knowledge dispensing squad; the Church is the Body with each member depending on the other members and gaining therefrom to the degree to which the latter depends on the Holy Spirit. Hence, It will be wrong to expect only one answer to be correct. In fact, this is why we have the four Gospels! Not One.

2 Peter 1:16-18

16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

1 John 1:1-2
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

aminusanti:
Islam means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship so, whether you'r created before or after ADAM PBUH one should give total submission to GOD (ALLAH).

The first thing that you should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (saws) in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

According to Islam, what was God's original purpose for creating man (Adam)?

As regards submission to God's will , there were myriads of angels in heaven yielding that to God already (of course they dont practise religion) hence what was the need for a man?

aminusanti:
Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God's religion Islam was not decided upon by later generations of man.

Was this religion given before the fall of Adam or after?