Jacob Have I Loved, Esau Have I Hated- Life of Purpose
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The book of Romans 9 is a very fearful book to read. It explains how God does as He Wills and who are we to question Him?
It grieved apostle Paul to watch his Jewish counterparts denied of the Grace he was privileged to be saved into.
His grief is so relatable.
It grieved him, just as it would grieve anyone who has found salvation in Christ, yet his friends and family were still practising religion.

Truly, the Jews were like Esau, the First born of Isaac and by natural order, entitled to the Promise attached to his birth right.
Yet he did not value it. He took it for granted. He traded his birth right for ordinary porridge to quench his temporal hunger, his immediate need.
But Jacob knew the import of the birth right and he conversely valued and coveted it. This, apparently, has earned him the infamous title of a deceiver.
Jacob, seizing his opportunity presented his brother porridge in exchange for the birthright. And Esau foolishly took the bait and carelessly sold his Divine inheritance and Promise of God to Abraham.
Who does that, right?

We're quick to judge Esau yet, we are constantly, everyday guilty of the same thing Esau did.
How many of us have traded our spiritual prosperity in exchange for earthly prosperity (wealth)?
How many of us have denied our faith when God needed us to stand for Him?
How many of us have sacrificed God's work to chase our own dreams and ambitions?

Some of us are even aware of God's calling on our lives, yet because we do not value it, we have been running away from it and choosing to chase vanities, our own ambitions instead. Oh, that we would see our future and save ourselves the wasted years and pains.
We all ought to pursue God's work with zeal as our Priority, as our Purpose in life first before our other dreams and visions that God has given us.

Some of us on the otherhand may even be less judged that we have not received any indication or calling to serve God. But truly, it is our God-created purpose on earth. We were all created to continue God's work (as offsprings of Adam) and Greater works (as followers of Christ).

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12

May God help us all to live a life of Fulfilment and Purpose.

As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

What a scary statement. That God could decide to hate a person just for hating sake even when he is yet unborn, having committed no evil at all. Yet there's an explanation for this. God is not wicked, He is a just God.

This statement is residually engrained in the mind of every believer who has come across it, and it makes us question God and even feel we could never please God.
Yet other scriptures point to a God who is just, not wicked and a loving Father whose thoughts for us are good and towards an expected end (His own best plan and Will for our individual and collective lives).

So in our minds, we find it hard to marry the two- a God we can't please who does as He wills, and a just loving Father).
Why would God hate Esau and love Jacob? Even worse still, they were twins!

The answer is simple as all things of God, only man complicates things. It is in the revelation of their names. God doesn't see names the way we do. He sees names as a person's identity and destiny. Which is why He often changes the names of our Fathers of Faith upon encounter.

Esau means Doer.
Jacob means Follower.

Upon translation, these names have other meanings but these two are significant in this context.
When we choose to do things our own way like Esau, to do our will and pursue our ambitions, to hustle, leaning on our own understanding, we cannot please God. It shows we do not truly value nor trust God. We would end up working contrary to God's will and plan as the Jews ended up crucifying, Christ, their own Messiah.

But when we value God's way like Jacob, and closely Follow Him, holding firmly unto His heel (as Jacob grabbed the heel of Esau) then we will be in God's Will, not doing our will but doing God's Will. Only then can we please God.
I pray this ministers to you to know that we certainly have a greater purpose in life beyond our businesses, jobs, education and marriage.
We were not saved to be bench warmers or kingdom financiers only. We're saved to serve God and win souls and disciple nations by destroying the works of sin and Satan.

Corruption is all over the world not because of the other person (please, don't blame others), but because you are either also corrupt or enabling corruption.
Corruption is simply the political translation of sin. If we are living in righteousness and committed to establishing God's righteousness (justice, mercy and faith- Matthew 23:23), we would together eventually sanitise our systems, families, businesses, countries and eventually and ultimately the world as our Lord's Prayer and Christ's Mandate on us to disciple nations in His name. We will experience True Riches and Prosperity- A Land (World) Flowing with Milk and Honey).
I have a little glimpse of this kingdom and truly it is too glorious to explain- a world of common wealth.
Trust me, common wealth is not so common! It has Peace, Joy, Diligence, Excellence, Integrity, Trust, Perfect Health, Abundance. Like the Air that we don't have to pay for!
God help us all.

Grace, Mercy, Wisdom, Understanding and Direction to us all.

Easter means different things to different people.

To some, it is a Public Holiday, a time to finally rest from work.
To some, it is a time to travel to a resort, a new place or spend with family.
To some, it is a time to attack Christians online and offline.
To some, it is a time to watch Passion of Christ.
To some, it is a time to go to the cinemas.
To some, it is a day to finally hook up with that guy/lady.
To some, it a day to capitalise on sales/purchase with Easter promo.
To some, it is the day their church remembers everyone should go for evangelism and share tracts.
To some, it just like any other day on the calendar.

But what does Easter mean to you?

Truly, it is just like any other day. And can be spent to do some of the aforelisted activities. But above all, it is an oxymoronic remembrance of the Saddest Happiest 3 Days of our human existence.
It is the time our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the innocent, sinless Son of God submitted himself to be gruesomely shamed, beaten and battered to a pulp, crucified on the cross and murdered. For our sake.

It is the time our Lord spent 3 Days in hell conquering sin, grave and death.
So that on the 3rd day, when he rose again from death, we became Free.
Free from our powerlessness over sin, sickness and death.
He gave us the Power to become sons of God again.
He broke every veil between us and God.
He gave us Salvation!
We obtained Grace to live Righteousnessly, suffer persecution with Christ and also enjoy every Promise of God.

I used to read this as an interesting history in the Bible.
Today, it is my experience.
I was so helplessly, restlessly and uselessly powerless over sin, but Today I am a Conqueror.
I am Victorious. I am the Righteousness of God.
Hallelujah!
I believe you have your testimony too.
For others, this and much more can be your testimony.
It is our Reason for the Season.
The joy of our salvation could only be complete when we heard that our Christ is Risen!

However, if He has conquered Sin and Death, why are we still committing sin? Why are we still dying?
That is the question you should ask yourself. Because God is not man that he should lie.
The condition is to receive and not resist Him. To submit to His Salvation and Lordship.
Then you will receive the Holy Spirit and Power will be yours to live the Victorious life.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13

Happy Easter Friends.

iruoghene7:
Hod bless you bro.
All that Christ did was out of love for us.

Typo?

ARISE! AWAKE!

Everything about the Story of Jesus Christ is a Lesson of Everything we need in Life!
The name of His Mother, Mary by translation means Sorrow or Bitterness or Wished For.
Odd right?

But it is only Godly Sorrow that can make you birth Christ at the point of Repentance to Receive and Fulfill what has been Prayed (Wished) For- Your Salvation.
Just pay more attention to the little things, everything, every part of Christ's Ministry is a Secret to Success in Life and Ministry.

Jesus Christ is God in Flesh. You wonder why he had to Wait Dligently till he was 30 years before he began His ministry and after 3½ years undistracted and Focused, He fulfilled His Purpose.

He learnt Patience and Obedience and took time to take Root. Divinity learning Humanity, that He may be in touch with our feelings.
At 30, He was ready, He received Baptism, overcame the Devil's temptations- Lust of the Eyes, Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life, through the Abundance of the Word of God in Him and in 3½ years, He fulfilled Divine Purpose.
He Brought Heaven to Earth.
And He empowered You and I to do Greater Works!
Hallelujah!

We are so underachieving our purpose- Divine and Human!
May God forgive us and help increase our Faith.

I pray this Ministers to You.
Receive a Quickening. Receive a Hunger. Receive Godly Sorrow, Receive Faith to Fulfill your Purpose for God and man in the All Mighty Name Of Jesus Christ Our LORD.

budaatum:

Your new spirit will make you have faith in your neighbours so you can love them and not think they are jeering. You must give you time.

My Lord is my Lord as you are press, or play, or 411. Which, I am yet to decide.

Lol No wahala.

budaatum:

It wasn't necessary for me to talk to my Lord the way I want? Or it isn't necessary to ask you to please explain the "Letter Kills, Without The Holy Spirit", to my Lord so my Lord will see the Light and stop wasting?

Which is it please, Pressplay411?

My mistake. I thought you were jeering at him.
What do you mean by he's your Lord?

budaatum:

Serves you right for believing, my Lord, instead of understanding. A Lewis too?! Double serves you right in fact!

Pressplay411, please explain the "Letter Kills, Without The Holy Spirit", to my Lord and perhaps my Lord will see the Light and stop wasting.

This really wasn't necessary sir.

LordReed:


When I was born my mother was Catholic and my father was a Rosicrucian. Several years later I became born again, then my mum and my dad a few years later.

I don't miss being a believer and I wish I could take back all the years I believed. IMO those years were wasted.

I apologise for the distractions. Seems you have made quite some enemies on here. Hopefully, we'll get to talk better via another platform.

LordReed:


I became an atheist because I woke up to the fact that there was no good reason to believe or think that any of the things we attribute to a god or to spirits are indeed so. Just like you are describing here, all of it is subjective experiences we have decided that since we can't explain it, it must be the god or spirits.

However when you look at human history, you find that as knowledge grows, gods and spirits retreat. There was a time when mami water and Sango were the kings of our imaginations, now they are mere fairytales. The god of Christianity and the one of Islam are no different, there is no water to wine transmutations, no multiplying of bread and fish, no horse rides to space; all of that jazz remains solely in the books, just like any old fairytale.

What now is are the very things that happen to humans all the time, some of it still not explained so those are what people call miracles and the acts of god. A tornado goes and devastates a town and even though we know how tornadoes form, we have no reason so people give agency and say it is a punishment from the god for homosexuality, conveniently forgetting that the tornado did not only destroy the homosexual's house, it also destroyed the faithful believer's house as well. Or is it when there is a remission of an illness or disease with or without any medical aid and people give agency to the god, forgetting the very same thing happens to people who do not believe in a god.

Many of these things have no rhyme or reason, just the cold hard universe spinning away without a single regard for the thinking ape-like creature on a tiny blue ball. Very daunting to think about so we seek comfort in a watching great spirit that is looking out for us even when there is no evidence such a thing exists much less cares about us.

I want to embrace the reality that is the uncaring universe in which I live in and learn to live in it without resorting to fantasy to aid my passagage through it. I think life, love and fun can be had without such fantasy and still be worthwhile.

Interesting. You woke up to the consciousness of self without God. To an extent, I think I know what you mean.

Were you born into a Christian home? If Yes, do you sometimes, miss being a believer?

LordReed:


What does "intangibility of faith in god" mean?

Means, it can't be explained by sensual empirical evidence. it can only be experienced. Although you could Perceive it but still attribute it to anything else.

It is difficult and nearly impossible to prove to an atheist that there's God or try to explain what Faith in God is
Why?

An atheist simply wants to prove that there's no God, so all he will See is why there can't be God and he'll have reasons why there's no God. You can only see what you're looking for, especially when that's really all you want to see.
It's like telling someone who is blindly in love that his or her partner doesn't love them.
You will be shocked that all the reasons you're giving to prove that the love doesnt exist are the same reasons they believe they are loved.

It is both ways. The person blindly in love can be either the atheist or the theist. In fact, it is anyone who is blinded by any idea/concept.

It is like when you're searching for a person on a red shirt, everyone on red becomes obvious to you.

It is like when you wear black, you're not really bothered about where you sit or who you hug. But when you're on white, you pay careful attention. Everything and everyone is a potential threat to your cloth. You have a heightened sense of everyone and everything around you.
Perception is a very tricky phenomenon.
I hope this helps.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you become an atheist?

LordReed:


What did you have as proof?

Lol. Same things atheists hold as proofs. Basically the Intangibility of Faith in God.

LordReed:
At which point did you consider atheism?

When it seemed God had failed me. It seemingly dawned on me that religion was a hoax. I thought I had my proofs too.

Well said.
The testimony of Christ is the Spirit of Prophecy.
However, it encourages unbelievers and strengthens the faith of other believers hearing and seeing our personal transformations before and after we encountered Christ.
More Grace to us all.

The Great Commission- Mandate and Mantle for Evangelism and Discipleship

Anchor Verse: Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

What is a Commission?
Simply defined, it is our task and responsibility. It is our work. What has been committed into our hands to do.

What happens when your parents commit a responsibility into your hands and you fail? They might forgive you, right? But they'll be disappointed. And might not trust you with another responsibility if you keep failing.

What happens when you're employed and your boss gives you a set target which you continuously fail. He could initially encourage you, if you have a good boss. But for the progress of the company, he would have to replace and fire you or demote you.
This will not be our portion in Jesus name.

Our Salvation came at the highest possible price. We were hopelessly and helplessly condemned to sin and death. Until Christ, the Son of God, in His Excellent Mercy, gave his life and shed his Pure Blood as Atonenement and Propitiation for our sins.
He took our place- the guiltless and sinless sacrificed in exchange for the condemned, guilty and sinful. He died that we may have hope again, that we may have life again, that we may have love again and enjoy the abundant Grace of God- Redemption, Justification, Sanctification, Transformation and Restoration- from shame to the Glory of God. Romans 3:23-24

We were not saved just to be choristers, teachers, prophets, pastors, multi-millionaires, etc.
We were saved primarily to win souls and continue the great works of our Creator. To establish the kingdom of heaven on earth as it is in heaven. This is the primary purpose of our salvation. Every other success God will make out of us is anchored on the success of us continuing in His work. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

It is unfortunate, we, individually and the entire Body of Christ have been complacent with this our Great commission and no longer take it seriously. Let us sincerely evaluate and appraise ourselves. I ask my self and I hope you will ask yourself these questions too.

-How many of us know how to evangelise?
-When was the last time you evangelised?
-Are you waiting for your pastor to call a general evangelism?
-Why do we always have excuses not to evangelise?

Surely, the enemy will always give us a million reasons not to preach the gospel. But all we need is just one reason to evangelise- it is the only way others are saved, just as we were saved.
I pray we repent.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in him whom they have not heard?
And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

Our LORD, Jesus Christ has sent us all.
Going through the last chapter of Matthew, Mark and Luke, we can observe this in the parting and final words of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Why? It is all that matters and touches God's heart.
We don't need a degree in theology to evangelise. Just start in your little capacity and watch what God can do. He has promised us that All authority has been given to Him, and He is with us. Just start and leave the Holy Spirit to do wonders in you and through you.
Evangelism can be done both physically and virtually. Try both and prayerfully commit your self and the souls into God's hands. Both believers and unbelievers to be preached to. Also ensure you grow by learning more about Evangelism through your foundation class and committed evangelists around you.
The reason, it seems we're not fulfilled is because we are not fulfilling our God-ordained purpose.
It is ours to plant and water. It is God who gives increase. Don't be discouraged if you do not see immediate repentance. Salvation is the Lord's.

Closing Verse: Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who wins souls is wise.

May God perfect all He has committed into our hands in the All Mighty name of Jesus.

hopefulLandlord:


kindly share your story bro

Do go through my most recent thread.
Good morning.

Agrogbeide:
The kind of testimony I love to hear.
The Lord God Almighty that has called you to salvation will keep you blameless by the help and comfort of the Holy Spirit even unto the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God bless you.

Amen and Amen.
Thank you sir.
More Grace and Mercy to us all.

jesusjnr:
Lovely!

No wonder!

This is so amazing!

Thanks for sharing your remarkable story with us, God bless you greatly.

Whatever we call what we're doing in the name of God, we really need to add some Spirit to it, otherwise we would be chasing shadows.

Yes sir.
More Grace and Mercy to us all.
I look forward to you sharing your testimony with us some day soon.

My Testimony: Letter Kills, Without The Holy Spirit
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God is a God of 360°.
I am humbled to know that everything I now preach and strongly believe today, was everything that drove me away from this same Christianity, but as a Religion.

I can't thank God enough, for Only He is worthy to be praised. That I could be saved gives me hope that Salvation is for everyone. All one needs is Humility, Repentance and the Pursuit of Truth and Righteousness.
And you will find Christ.

I wrote this article about 3 years ago, pardon the sarcastic tone of the article, I had drifted and become an unbeliever- a Free-thinker, shuffling between Apostasy and Atheism.
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Christianity; The Most Self Contradicting Religion

Every religion is shrouded in mysteries and sacred doctrines but Christianity has to be the most controversial and self contradicting religion. Wait, let me finish, I will highlight my points carefully.

1. To begin with, Christians will tell you it's not a religion but a way of life. (Really?) What then is the definition of religion?

Religion:
(Roman Catholic Church) chiefly RC Church- THE WAY OF LIFE determined by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience entered upon by monks, friars, and nuns:

2. Only Christians believe in Trinity. God, the Creator sacrificing Himself in his Human form to be tortured and murdered by his own Creation in order to save them. (No, you didn't read that wrong, it's as absurd as it sounds.)

3. Christianity emanated when the Jews failed to accept Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the glorious Messiah they had been promised.
Odd then that Christians have failed to accept any of all the other religious movements that have sprouted even though Christians are also anticipating the Second Coming of the Messiah. (The wait is over 2000 years now and still counting, but that's another argument all together)

4. Only in Christianity do we have a Virgin defying all Science and Biology and giving Birth without any form of insemination, even though she was very much engaged and betrothed. (Yea right)

5. The most absurd of all these isn't any of the several miracles that have yet to be replicated in our present times (maybe cos our generation is just too immoral that God has decided to stop performing miracles all together) such as turning water to wine, feeding a multitude with few loaves and fish, or walking on water or raising the dead, etc.

6. The most absurd and completely condescending and self righteous atrocity committed by Christians is their emphasis of John 14.6
How can you preach religious tolerance when you expect to annihilate every other religion except yours? Is that not Monopolizing the religious industry?

Ask any devout Christian, and they'll tell you ever so confidently that as long as you're not a Christian, woe betides you, cos you're going to Hell. (Really?)

So no matter how pious and humanitarian and perfect you are at whatever religion you've adopted, as long as you're not a christian, what a weist!

I am no atheist I believe in God, a Super Creator, Super Power, The Source.
What I do not believe however is Religion. I don't believe there is a particular religion ordained and endorsed by God.
But the efficacy of Religion cannot be denied. Without it, there would have been chaos all over the world.

However back to the matter, Christian Patriarchs either need to address these issues and redress them accordingly or risk losing their grip on enlightened youths of our day. I know some will still say you can't use human intelligence to interpret or discern things of the spirit, trust me I've heard it all.
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For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:6c
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:6

Today, I know better. I thought I had heard it all but without the Holy Spirit, I was dead. My knowledge made me proud, made me blasphemous, made me comfortable in sin and made me run away from my Salvation.

Christianity can be practised as a Religion or as The Way Of Faith. Your Choice.
If you find Christianity burdensome, please be humble to know that you just might be practising religion. Seek to follow Christ and learn at His feet. Seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all will be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29

Olatunjifixed guess money is your true love.

To what can one liken Grace and the Laws of Righteousness?
It is like a marriage.

A woman marries the love of her life. She loves him dearly, passionately and unconditionally. Nothing he does could ever make her stop loving him or consider divorcing him. This is Grace.
But he takes her love for granted. After all she has vowed to love him and live with him till death does them part. Since he does not have to do anything to earn her love, he decides to live recklessly.
He stops calling her and stops picking her calls. Their communications becomes stifled marked by awkward silences and strained conversations. He is not caring or romantic any more and doesn't even make love to her. But when her family, friends and neigbours try to intervene, she makes excuses for him hoping he'll change.
Then he starts keeping late nights with friends, of course, what's a night-out without ladies of the night. He starts hiding his phone and picking strange calls, acting aggressive whenever she probes him.
But still, she blames herself for adding to his stress after a stressful day at work. She chooses to see the man she loves and married.
Then finally she walks in on him with a side chic on her matrimonial bed. He gets on the defensive and in fact batters her, smacking her up for challenging him under his own roof. Her bruises can't be concealed any longer by foundation, so her neighbours, family and friends once again call for an intervention. But no, she still won't give up on him. She loves him and nothing else matters.
I assure you, eventually he would get his come-uppance.
End Of Story.

Please, who prays for a marriage like this?
Certainly, none of us.

Yet, this is how we have continued to grieve the Holy Spirit through our abuse of His Grace, His Unconditional Love.

The marriage would be a love story if only he would act right. If only he would love her right. If only he would call to check her well-being, if he would pick her calls and even seek her counsel on his decisions. If he would spend time with her, coming home on time just to be with her- his bestie.
Her heart would flutter at the thought of seeing him, hearing him, spending time with him. Knowing he loves her just as she loves him.
This is Righteousness.

She wants him to love her for her- unconditionally.
She wants him to be emotional and not robotic.

The Law is the guide to righteousness.
When practised as a robot, it is religious.
But when practised from the heart, with the right attitude, it is Sincere and True. It is Everlasting.

Let The Spirit of Grace Teach You Grace

The call of Paul was a very delicate and sensitive one. God had to find perhaps the most intellectual man of his day to try to communicate the profound and nearly inexplicable message of Grace.
To think you understand by surface value, the epistles of Apostle Paul is to be treading on the serpent's tail.
Paul was too deep.
Here is what Apostle Peter, the Rock, had to say about Apostle Paul.

2 Peter 3:14-18
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Paul's depth often created conflagrations between Him and the other Apostles. Galatians 2, Acts 15.
His job was not an easy one, it wasn't even a difficult one, it was an Herculean task.
Grace was too deep that Christ did not preach it to flesh, He had to send us the Holy Spirit for Him to teach us by reminding us and convicting us by the Spirit.
Yet, most pastors preach Grace to their own destruction and have caused generations to stumble. Oh, the judgment they have brought upon themselves.
Little wonder we have been exhorted, Let not many be teachers. James 3:1, Matthew 5:19,

I personally was not allowed to speak about Grace for a season. As much as I tried to preach it, the Holy Spirit constrained me. I wondered why.
I realised it was because He saw the sincerity of my heart. I simply want to understand it and communicate it appropriately to the Body of Christ.

There's a way you can study Grace and have an erroneous understanding.
There's a way you can understand Grace and erroneously preach it.
There's a way you can understand Grace and preach it appropriately but your audience erroneously receive it.
And there's a way the Holy Spirit can have His way, by giving you understanding, giving you utterance and preparing the hearts of the audience you will preach it to and it will find true interpretation, understanding and empowerment in their hearts.

Grace is too Profound.
The mystery of Grace is just as profound as the mystery of the Trinity of God.
It cannot be done by flesh, not by sense, not by theology, but by the Holy Spirit.

Let us empty ourselves, let us empty our vessels.
Let us Unlearn what we have been taught about Grace and Relearn from the Holy Spirit.
I can assure you that with the sincerity, humility and purity of your heart, You will experience the New Wine of the Truth about Grace.

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God and the Intimate Communion of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and for ever. Amen.

Martinez39:
The narcissist has been so obsessed with you. He sees you as a top atheist. Converting such atheist is something these christards will brag about and masturbate to. It gives them the sense of their religion's superiority to atheism (which they perceive as their greatest opposition because it uses logic).

Should they convert an atheist or floor an atheist in a debate, it becomes the reassurance that christianity is logical superior, true and no match for atheism . A bragging and masturbation avenue for these christards.

Well, there's the temptation to convert the seemingly unconvertable as an assurance of the efficacy of our faith.
While I was likewise an atheist or freethinker, virtually all my colleagues at work turned me to their project. Unfortunately, I was beyond their capacity. I even shook their faith.

Truly, only God himself was able to salvage my soul. Although they had already planted and watered but God gave the increase.
He literally caught me in my own craftiness.

This is why truly, I've resolved and settled to praying for believers and unbelievers. Everyone needs prayers.
If God deems it fit to save their souls, He'll step into their lives and humble them to seek His salvation.

As I am led, I evangelise. I've realised it's not by power nor might, nor eloquence of speech.

I respect your stance as a freethinker having been one myself. Believers who have never been in that phase won't understand that all you seek is the truth, but I do.

All I can say is Keep seeking the Truth, but with an open heart being ready to Learn, Unlearn and Relearn.
Otherwise, when you find the truth, you might end up rejecting it.

God bless you.

Interesting thread.
Nothing gives more rejoicing in heaven than a renewed mind, a repentant soul.
Grace to stand and fulfil purpose to you and us all. budaatum

While you're busy trying to figure faith out, faithfuls are busy applying it successfully and enjoying it's results.

Spiritual realities cannot be explained to instigate belief in a sensual and carnal mind.
It's like trying to explain Mandarin to a non-asian or Organic Chemistry to an art student or Art to a Mathematician.

Offenses will come when you serve God.

-In the church, offenses test your commitment to serve. Some have experienced offense and immediately decided they were quitting their department or even the church because the insult was not worth it.
The question is, how important is knowing and serving God to you? Is He worth it?

-Outside the church, offenses test your shame or joy in serving God. Will you deny Him or represent him among your family, friends, colleagues, clients, superiors or strangers?

Offenses are the way we grow. The things that offend us expose our flaws. Offense is an opportunity to overcome a flaw, a weakness, a bad attitude, a bad habit, disobedience (sin) and ultimately to overcome some elements of pride still in us.
The truth is, if we submit to the process, we would realise that it is God sending people to correct and reshape us, to make us more like Him, humble, diligent and suitable for His workmanship.

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,” and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
1 Peter 2:7-8

See an offense as an opportunity to learn and grow today.
You will both see your weakness and learn more Self-control.
Good morning friends, have a fruit-full day.

asalimpo:


Jesus said paradise not father's house. There's a difference.
Jws dont practice d bible. They are hooked on empty religion. The command of Jesus after resurrection is to go out nd preach the gospel to every creature. Is that what jws do? What is d gospel? Jws knock on ur gate and want to tell you how God's name is Jehovah (who cares? What does that hav to do with anything?). Then they build off that to say you should address God by his name not a title? So G-O-D is a title? First God's name ISNT Jehovah. And God HAS MANY NAMES.Secondly this isnt the gospel!The apostles didnt go about splitting hairs over God's name.They were getting ppl saved and baptized in the Holy Ghost!

I pray for more understanding for us all.
JW know the letter but not with understanding because they quench the Spirit and only the Holy Spirit gives understanding.
I admire their passion and commitment for soul winning, but absent the Holy Spirit, the purpose is defeated.
I pray God raises His True labourers in every church denomination, that we may truly become united in Faith. May every spirit of division, sin, pride, lust and rebellion be cast away from the body of Christ in Jesus name and may the gates of hell never prevail according the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May the Kingdom of God be truly established on earth as it is in heaven in Jesus name.
Amen.

The strategy works all the time.
Keep luring them with attention (Likes, Followers) and some money and they want to do worse to keep the fame.
Only fame you need is to spread hope, goodness and virtues in people's lives. Only Christ can give you that.

theoriginalgood:
Before you can be righteous, God will get rid of the “u” in “you”. U for Uranus. You will be left with YO = You Original.

God will kill off the rotten flesh and leave behind a pure soul. The soul is the source of good human characteristics like love. SOUL = Soul Of Unlimited Love.

The Flesh has “E” in it for “evil”.

True. Thanks.

Let us pray for more understanding as we meditate on this word.
God is ever willing to lead us on the path of Righteousness. He's ever willing to answer our prayers as we pray according to His will.

If we as believers can get it right, the whole world would be a better place through us.
Nations will glorify God through us.
Imagine a peaceful, safe, prosperous and beautiful world.
It's in our own hands.
The LORD's Prayer tells us this is the Will of our Father, let us take it as our responsibility.

Righteousness is not a flesh work lest it becomes dead works.
It must be from the heart first. It must be through the Holy Spirit. It must be by Faith.

For every act of unrighteousness, there's a consequence.
Conversely, for every act of Righteousness, there is a reward.

Title: God Of Righteousness

Anchor Verse: Romans 14:16-18
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Definition:
Righteousness: Holiness; conformity of life to the divine law.
Synonyms: rectitude, uprightness, holiness, godliness, equity, justice, rightfulness, integrity, honesty, faithfulness

The Message:
Sin is the problem. Salvation is the Solution.
In the same vein, corruption is the problem, anti-corruption is the solution.
Virus is the problem, Antivirus is the solution.
Disease is the problem, Medication is the solution.
Unrighteousness is the problem, consequently, Righteousness is the Solution.

Man is helplessly and hopelessly incapable of Righteousness. No human could possibly accomplish it.
The Laws of God were given to Moses and it revealed the sinful nature of man and how impossible it is for flesh to ever be right before God. In fact, the best of our righteousness is despicable to God.

But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

But the problem is not Righteousness.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works. Psalm 145:17

God is a God of Righteousness and He created us in His image and according to His Likeness. We were created Righteous.
The problem is our sinful nature. The nature we inherited from the Fallen Adam.
And for this course, Jesus Christ, came to fulfill the promise and provision God made for the redemption and atonement of mankind.

And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15

Hallelujah! We have been Restored. We have Hope again. We have received the Spirit of Righteousness. And we can be Righteous again, even in works. And we don't have to do it by our own power and might!
For this course, Grace was given for our justification. To provide enablement and empowerment over every form of sin and unrighteousness though the Holy Spirit- the Spirit of Christ living inside us.

Romans 3:23-24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Grace is too indescribable, too beautiful, too powerful, too unmerittable. Oh Sweet, Multipurpose, Amazing Grace.
Grace will make God overlook our weaknesses.
Grace will also tell us we can do better next time.
Grace will in fact, tell us We Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Us! Philippians 4:13

Why will anyone want to abuse this special gift of Grace. Why not choose to apply Grace to upgrade into all you can be according to the Will of God.
Let the Holy Spirit teach and empower you to be Righteous.
Let us be intentional to choose to become the Light of the World and Salt of the Earth in our own hearts and in every where we find ourselves. This is our Mandate.
And by so doing, we will be establishing the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness on earth, as it is in Heaven.
So help us God.

May the Grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Sweet Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and for ever.
Amen.

Closing Verse: Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16

Uniting The Body Of Christ

Division in the Body of Christ can be attributed to a lot of things. But one major factor that I think has compounded this is the process of Discipleship.

The place of adequate discipleship is missing. Some of us might not even have heard of discipleship as being integral to Christianity.
Jesus Christ didn't call Christians, He called Disciples and made than to become Christ-like over a period of time.

Another root cause of this division which is some how associated with discipleship is the adequate knowledge of Trinity with regard to the person of the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately most Christians have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit and hence do not have a daily relationship with Him.
Without the Holy Spirit, we can never be One because the Holy Spirit is not an author of confusion, What He says to One, He says to All.
Wherever He seems contradictory, its simply a matter of maturity.

Third part is Vanity. Human beings are naturally Money and Power driven. We tend to want attention and are also self centered.
This does not automatically disappear when we become New Creation. If one doesn't take care He starts to think he's more anointed than his superiors and eventually, will feel caged and want to break out. And the devil knows how to manipulate such by sending people to heap praises and flattery on him or her. This is the major cause of innumerable denominations.

Finally, I believe Christianity was never supposed to be One denomination per se because even Apostles Peter and Paul were called to different missions, although the same purpose.
There were occasions when they argued about doctrinal differences too. Galatians 2.

In essence, the division in the Body of Christ can be attributed to a lot of factors some human factors and some inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The most important thing for us to know is that we are One. Anyone who calls Jesus Christ Lord and Son of God is a Christian.
We should stop seeing ourselves as denominations but one Body of Christ under God and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

All we have to do is Unite in Faith, in Word and in Spirit to operate in Oneness of the Mind of Christ.
I know God is working that out already.
Different Church overseers are beginning to do things together in the interest of the Body of Christ and even submit to one another's authority.