God's Faithfulness

God's Faithfulness

 Dear reader, let me share to you a couple of verses that has touched my heart. This message is for some very specific people today. To you who are hurting, to you who are feeling as though you've been too crooked, wicked and beyond help or are far from ever changing, if you're a backslidden Christian, full of hurt and doubt - this message is for you.

I sumbit to you dear reader, you're not from change, the truth is, changing one's mind/deciding to change and  walk down the narrow path/ receiving forgiveness is not far from reach. It's not only within the reach of your hands but it's also from within you. Let what you feel with your heart, reflect from the words that come out of your mouth to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter if you do not believe Him, He knows you by name and if you do it, He will release you from your bondage, He is ever faithful. 

Luk 15:11-32  And Jesus said, 'There was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to his father, 'Father, let me have the part of the family riches that will be coming to me.' Then the father divided all that he owned between his two sons. Soon after that the younger son took all that had been given to him and went to another country far away. There he spent all he had on wild and foolish living. When all his money was spent, he was hungry. There was no food in the land. He went to work for a man in this far away country. His work was to feed pigs. He was so hungry he was ready to eat the outside part of the ears of the corn the pigs ate because no one gave him anything. 'He began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, 'My father pays many men who work for him. They have all the food they want and more than enough. I am about dead because I am so hungry. I will get up and go to my father. I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough to be called your son. But may I be as one of the workmen you pay to work?'' The son got up and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father saw him. The father was full of loving for him. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough to be called your son.' But the father said to the workmen he owned, 'Hurry! Get the best coat and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Bring the calf that is fat and kill it. Let us eat and be glad. For my son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Let us eat and have a good time.' The older son was out in the field. As he was coming near the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what was happening. The servant answered, 'Your brother has come back and your father has killed the fat calf. Your brother is in the house and is well.' The older brother was angry and would not go into the house. His father went outside and asked him to come in. The older son said to his father, 'All these many years I have served you. I have always obeyed what you said. But you never gave me a young goat so I could have a supper and a good time with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came back, you killed the fat calf. And yet he wasted your money with bad women.' The father said to him, 'My son, you are with me all the time. All that I have is yours. It is right and good that we should have a good time and be glad. Your brother was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.''

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

He's waiting for you. He's calling out to you. What you feel in your heart this moment, if these words resonate far more than what is seen, friend you know you need the Lord, you know that your heart is yearning to know Him. He has a calling for you, He has a purpose for you. He loves you and believes in you. To you who have backslidden, He tells you that He's restoring you for His name's sake should you call out to Him. He leads you to the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. God is fathful with this word friend, believe in Him in Jesus' name.


If you wish to pray right now but are not sure what to say:
Please say this from your heart...

Father, I come to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
Forgive me for my sins (name them)
I choose to turn away from them Lord, and I choose to follow You
I believe that you came, died and on the third day, and rose again from the dead.
Today Lord, I come to the cross, my old self nailed and buried. 
And I thank you Father for this Life you give, the Life shared with You together with Your Son, Jesus. Risen not by my power but completely Yours Father, by Your mercy that I live in Him.
I plead your precious blood Lord Jesus over me, my family and this walk all through out my life.
Preserve me, keep me in your path of righteousness for your name's sake.
Amen.

The Lord I See

Who is the Lord I See

Raised in a family

In the admonition of the Lord

I saw joy

togetherness, unity and hope

Until that fateful day of testing

When the pangs of death

And the attack of the enemy drew blood

To destroy our lives and raise doubts for our soul

But God be praised forevermore

When victory was sounded yet again

A call, like a cry from one in the wilderness

Oh how He had given life to my death and the truth in my doubt

His eyes are as fire

His voice as the sound of many waters

The countenance of His face shone brighter than the sun

And his touch covers me beneath the shadow of His wings

His testament in blood

Written as though the tablets were my heart and my mind

Through His life with Him I was raised

And by His power my soul saw liberty

The Lord is the God of all grace

The God of gods and the Lord of lords

Immortal, invisible, whose name is Wisdom and Almighty

He is love and by His grace through faith I abide in Him and He with me

The Son of Man

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6

The Lord Jesus Christ often gave himself that title in the gospels; He called himself the son of man much like Ezekiel. And that's just a precious thought to have, why so?

Because Jesus who was God left glory and dwelt among men in the flesh. He came in the form of a servant and humbled himself even unto death. Jesus could have chosen to be born in a wealthy family, he could have chosen to live gloriously even while on earth but Jesus wouldn't have any of that. He chose to dwell among men as a carpenter and as a carpenter's son: to the lowly, to the working and to the poor. 

In His very own hometown, usually a place where we could call our home and our own... He was rejected. He even ended up being betrayed by His own friend. And the most startling thought of all is that He came knowing He would die, that He would suffer exceedingly but even more than that, was that He would taste death unlike any other man could: wounded for our sins, bruised for our iniquities and bearing upon himself our curses. A man of sorrows was one of Jesus' descriptions in scripture, and yet He did all that so that He could relate with us and be able to share in our struggles.

When we are in pain, Jesus can say He's been there. In rejection, He can share to you that He experienced it. In sorrows, in storms, in hunger or thirst, in blame and unfair trial, in suffering, in shame, in torture and imprisonment, He could relate with you through it all. From the highest position down to the lowest, Jesus has been there... and as the son of man, He can in truth, relate with us. He wants you to know that... He wants you to know that you're never alone nor have you ever been and that He loves you. How the Son of God came as the son of man is one thought that could reflect God's infinite wisdom and God's unchanging character of compassion and humility. 

There is no other God like Him, there's no god besides Him. He is the image of the invisible Godhead; He's what the Father is like and what the Holy Spirit is like. He is Wonderful. He is the only mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. He died a sinless death, He was buried and He rose again the third day. Much like Ezekiel, the words were lament and curses before God had asked him to eat them and yet, Ezekiel found them sweet (Ezekiel 1-3). Jesus not only spoke but acted upon what He said so that you might believe Him; and He lovingly called us all out of sin else death and judgement be our end unless we repent (reject sin and turning to God through Jesus Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ is saying to you He does not condemn you. He will not turn us away if we ask God the Father for forgiveness for all the wrongs we have done and  believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins and that God raised Him from the dead the third day. If you do friend, the Son of man who is the Son of God who is God says in His word, you will be saved. 

In Light of His Will

It's amazing that the Lord is not far off but near; that the gap between the heavens and the earth was crossed and filled when Christ Jesus hanged on the tree and gave His life for many. It pleased the LORD to bruise Him in that terrible moment because by His death many would have life. By God's righteousness, man might have peace, and by His Peace, man's joy might be full- for there is no joy without peace, and there is no peace without righteousness. 

Where then is God's righteousness? Where then is His peace? What is the purpose and object of our joy? I came to ask the Lord this sincerely, the latter question, these past few days because of an encounter I had with a close family friend. 

The story goes like this, she was invited to our home for dinner and at one point, our conversation turned godly: she opened up very seriously about how she wanted to be closer to God but feels as though there's a wide gap. This close family friend of ours comes from a very prestigious family and is very wealthy and she shares that at times she asks herself randomly, "Is there really a God?" and she answers herself in time..."There is a God". But she goes on sharing that she can't find Him, that she goes to churches but there's no satisfaction, she's hopped to the Catholics but cannot find peace and then on to the Born-Again churches but only heard bad comments about the pastors from her friends from the high echelons of the business community. She became very distressed and asked if I could pray for her in front of my family and her sister and niece.

For before this I boasted that God had never failed in converting any of the people I prayed for, not one. How the Lord humbles us (laugh). I shared about Jesus' finish work on the cross, about grace and not of works, about the prize of eternal life- it was an open heartfelt dialogue, she honestly shared that she didn't believe in Jesus being raised from the dead, but the one that startled me most was when she asked what was that prize I was going after for?

That question really startled me because I never really had a solid answer in me about my purpose for aiming for that prize, but looked at her with a poker face and safely answered her that the prize was eternal life, being with God and His Christ. I had to wrap it up since it was getting late, a quarter till midnight and asked her if she wanted to surrender her life to the Lord Jesus Christ, and asked her if she would like Jesus to come into her heart. She lovingly said, "Yes." We prayed but after, she said she felt nothing. I nodded knowing that that was okay. With her going home, I encouraged her to openly tell her husband that she received Jesus that night and that she ask the Lord when she starts reading her bible again to teach her and that she goes to a full-gospel church. Praise the Lord she received Jesus that night, but then that question still really bothered me...

I asked the Lord Jesus about it and was hinted about heaven (please click the link). And I again I asked the Father unto whom be all glory and honor be due forever, for an answer. I was shown a wonderful vision, it was a wonderful vision. It was refreshing hearing about heaven and being blessed to see what the Lord had mightily done. 

Let me share something to you which I saw and inaudibly heard as I was impressed to share this with you: 

John 3:14-15  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 

Numbers 21:7-9  The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. 

I saw that Satan, the serpent was above man who was on the earth. I felt uneasy when I saw it, but as the serpent was raised I saw heaven and the righteous God who rules, far above him and the people of the earth. I then saw the feet of the Lord Jesus in bronze, matching it, crushing the bronze serpent's head. I saw the serpent break and that comforted me.

Revelations 1:15  His (Jesus') feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 

The sin and death (both its venom) which came along with the serpent was met with the Father's justice, a countdown for his dominion over man was finished. Jesus Christ, who came from heaven bore the sins, transgression and iniquity of men that the devil had them bound with... in Himself. Sin was punished with the penalty due for it, death. With Jesus' death, our penalty was paid for, Christ had redeemed us, our debts were paid and we can have our peace with God by His righteousness and mercy. For God's (Jesus') life was poured out unto men by God the Father's righteous act of Sin's punishment and by Jesus' righteous act of meekness, humility and obedience to God the Father. And so, God the Father exalted Jesus (Philippians 2) and had made the Father's enemies Jesus' footstool ( Acts 7:49, Romans 6-8, Ephesians 1-6, 1 Peter 4). 

But man who knew not God could not come to Him till he asks the Son whom He had sent, who sent Him? So it is by His righteousness, by His blood that we are drawn close to God the Father and by His righteousness we've been set at peace, and by His Spirit we can call God, our Father. It is only then can we know Him.

To us who were slaves to sin were children of the devil, and of disobedience but God by His righteousness and mercy had redeemed us and had called us to be His sons. And herein is our joy: that God's kingdom will come - no more hunger, no more suffering, no more quarreling, no more lies, no more pain and death, no more wickedness, darkness, sorrow and fear, no more seas, moon and sun- that God is in control even to the end and we're on His side! 

Heaven is glorious, but God's physically kingdom is going to come to earth! He will reign not just in heaven but on the earth! God with us. And as every kingdom, nation, tribe and tongue of the earth and all who were in the grave would stand before Almighty God and all the saints of all the ages and would be judged righteously as all the kingdoms of the earth be handed over to God by His Son? They who have washed themselves in the His blood, who have held on to Jesus Christ, the Lord our righteousness, be found worthy for eternal life and those who had not... are condemned even to the second death.

Why is my joy full because of that? Because I know where I came from, I know where I stand and I know where I'm going. For them who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, who repents of their sins and believe on Him and follow Him not only have the kingdom of God at the reach of their hands, but Jesus said it's within them. Christ in you the hope of glory! To be able to share His joy, His suffering, His love, His peace and His cross is great joy. Not my will be done but His.

The bible tells us this as our response to all of God's grace and mercy: "Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." And part of that was that I saw a man go on to the altar, his body not being his own. The altar is where sacrifices are made, but where blood was shed on the latter for righteousness and mercy, life was given by grace. No longer as dead sacrifices, but as living. Jesus is alive, and this life is for Him to live for and for Him to take away. Father, Thy will be done and Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. And as I saw His work from start to the climax was good, I'm believing His end for me would be the same. He's never changed, God is good.

The Lover of Our Soul's Portion

February 14 

Taken from Charles Surgeon's "Morning and Evening"

This morning's verse: 
And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life." -2 Kings 25:30

Jehoiachin was not sent away from the king's palace with a store to last him for months, but his provision was given him as a daily pension. Herein he well pictures the happy position of all the Lord's people. A daily portion is all that a man really wants. We do not need tomorrow's supplies; that day has not yet dawned, and its wants are as yet unborn. The thirst which we may suffer in the month of June does not need to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet; if we have enough for each day as the days arrive we shall never know want. 

Sufficient for the day is all that we can enjoy. We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the day's supply of food and raiment; the surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief. One staff aids a traveller, but a bundle of staves is a heavy burden. Enough is not only as good as a feast, but is all that the veriest glutton can truly enjoy. 

This is all that we should expect; a craving for more than this is ungrateful. When our Father does not give us more, we should be content with his daily allowance. Jehoiachin's case is ours, we have a sure portion, a portion given us of the king, a gracious portion, and a perpetual portion. Here is surely ground for thankfulness. Beloved Christian reader, in matters of grace you need a daily supply. You have no store of strength. Day by day must you seek help from above. It is a very sweet assurance that a daily portion is provided for you. In the word, through the ministry, by meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God you shall receive renewed strength. In Jesus all needful things are laid up for you. Then enjoy your continual allowance. Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy. 

This evening's verse: 
She was healed immediately. - Luke 8:47 

One of the most touching and teaching of the Saviour's miracles is before us to-night. The woman was very ignorant. She imagined that virtue came out of Christ by a law of necessity, without His knowledge or direct will. Moreover, she was a stranger to the generosity of Jesus' character, or she would not have gone behind to steal the cure which He was so ready to bestow. Misery should always place itself right in the face of mercy. Had she known the love of Jesus' heart, she would have said, "I have but to put myself where He can see me — His omniscience will teach Him my case, and His love at once will work my cure." We admire her faith, but we marvel at her ignorance. After she had obtained the cure, she rejoiced with trembling: glad was she that the divine virtue had wrought a marvel in her; but she feared lest Christ should retract the blessing, and put a negative upon the grant of His grace: little did she comprehend the fulness of His love! We have not so clear a view of Him as we could wish; we know not the heights and depths of His love; but we know of a surety that He is too good to withdraw from a trembling soul the gift which it has been able to obtain. But here is the marvel of it: little as was her knowledge, her faith, because it was real faith, saved her, and saved her at once. There was no tedious delay — faith's miracle was instantaneous. If we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, salvation is our present and eternal possession. If in the list of the Lord's children we are written as the feeblest of the family, yet, being heirs through faith, no power, human or devilish, can eject us from salvation. If we dare not lean our heads upon His bosom with John, yet if we can venture in the press behind Him, and touch the hem of his garment, we are made whole. Courage, timid one! thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God."

No Greater Love Than This

Judges 21

Psalms 119 

Ephesians 1-3

Ruth 1-4

Samuel 1-2

Just as Boaz who was from the 'Tribe of Judah' from Bethlehem redeemed Ruth who was a Moabite, a Gentile far from the covenant of God and His promises, so has Christ come in the same way. Jesus Christ redeemed us who were far from the covenant, He saved us from sin and death. He paid the penalty of sin and had given us pardon; and as many as believe on Him to them He gave them power to become sons of God.

A tradition of the Jews in olden days was for the closest kinsman to marry the widow of his dead relative/brother. 

Jesus Christ being the second Adam is our closest kinsman redeemer, from the first Adam who had died. All man equal under God, He received us unto Himself, to them that believe on Him whom He had sent, Jesus Christ our Lord who was also God in the beginning. And we who were afar off from His covenant and promises, from the commonwealth of Israel, as a people have now been made close by His blood. God the Father having created all things for the Son had also loved us, created us in His image and likeness - as man, a full man who knows who He is, a child of the Father and not an orphan. 

Mercy and Justice met on the cross. Jesus Christ bore the enmity caused by the law, caused by our disobedience which brought alongside it all its curses. Sin was punished and its penalty met, death.  God had saved us and had given us great news, that He wants us home and He's shown us the way, Jesus Christ. To prove the Father's testimony shared by His Son, He raised Him from the dead. God in His faithfulness had not forsaken us, but had given us His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. We are all guilty of sin- we've all at one point in our lives have lied, maybe stolen, bore false witness or have been guilty of grave fault ;but He wasn't. He was innocent, and yet He had done this because He had loved you and wants to set you free from the sins that are currently mastering you (lust, lying, stealing, fornication, etc.).

If you want to know who God is, we can know Him through His Son - no one knew Him better than Jesus for He came from heaven, He's the only One. The bible (God's word) tells us, Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given...

Oh how God has given. If you want to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, if you want to know Him, if you would like a new life in Him, to have Him as your Master and accept Him as your Savior and Lord then I'd like you to talk to Him now, you too will also know that He lives and He will be with you for the rest of your life should you continue to abide in Him- I'd like you to say:

Father God I thank you for your mercy, for sending your Son to die the death I deserved. I thank you Jesus that you redeemed me from sin and death, I want to know You and the power of your resurrection. I do believe Lord that you died on the cross and that You rose again, so please come into my heart Lord, I receive you today as my Lord and my Savior. Today, I turn away from my sins and give them up, please fill me with your Holy Spirit and enable me to follow you and do what is pleasing to You. Amen.

If you have made this decision today, please write me a message. I'd like to encourage you to read the Bible and pray daily. God bless you and keep you.

Jesus Can Set You Free

Friend, do you have Jesus in your heart? The bible tells us that those who don't are the children of the devil and that those who have not yet received Jesus in their hearts as their Lord and their Savior are under his control - they are given to lie, steal, murder, fornicate and are given to various forms of lusts, pride and distinct acts of evil.

But the Lord Jesus Christ can set you free! How? You hate your sin, war with it, be born again and humble yourselves, go to a Christian believer who has been delivered and does deliverance to cast out the spirit that is mastering you.

If you're tired of lying, if you're tired of fornicating, if you're tired of stealing, if you're tired of pride, if you're repentant of murder or whatever it is that Holy Spirit is convicting you of- friend, the kingdom of God is at the reach of your hands, I urge you to repent and believe the gospel: that 

Jesus Christ who was God, became man 
He lived among us 
He humbled and emptied Himself from Glory 
He bore unto Himself our sins
He shed His blood on the cross and paid the price for sin
He died and He rose again the third day

He suffered all the beatings, all the curses, humiliation and He ultimately died for you. He loved you then and He loves you now. He rose from the dead so that you would know that His testimonies were real, so that your Hope can be grounded knowing that He will do what He promised - to save us, to set us free and to receive us unto Himself. But He tells you that you can only be free if you are His and not the devil's, would you want to be His? If yes, I'd like to believe with you as you say this prayer:

Father, I thank you that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ to save me,
I thank you for Your love and for this gift of eternal life through Him,
I thank you Jesus that You shed your blood on the cross for me,
Lord Jesus, I believe that You died and that you rose again,
I ask you now Lord to come into my heart, 
Wash me clean by Your Holy precious blood,
And fill me with Your Holy Spirit, 
Let me love what you love and let me hate what you hate
And enable me to walk a life that would be pleasing to You
Amen

If you've made this decision and prayed this prayer sincerely, friend I'd like you to go now to a bible-believing, Spirit-filled, full-gospel church and ask them that you'd like to be set free now, tell them about the decision you've made today and tell them that you'd like to go through deliverance. The devil has lost his grip over you now, may the Lord richly bless you more.

Turn to God

He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; Selah God sends his love and his faithfulness - Psalms 57:3. 

Friends, know that the LORD is coming for a holy people. What does that mean? A people who surrendered themselves and given themselves to God; having committed themselves to the LORD and believed on the gospel unto salvation. Who have humbled themselves and trusted Christ, turning away from their sins and their self-righteousness and doing what is righteous as what's written in God's word. Accepting God's gift of mercy and justice, having imputed His righteousness unto us who repents and believes that Jesus Christ, the son of David is the Savior of the world, the Christ, the Son of the living God as written by the gospels who was crucified on Calvary, died a sinner's death even though He was innocent, buried and rose from the dead the third day. He then ascended into heaven after having been witnessed to be on this earth after He had risen from the dead for 40 days as prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel, who saw the glory of the LORD leave the temple and transferred unto the mount of olives to be received up into heaven. See this King of glory, the LORD who is strong and mighty, the LORD who is merciful and just, the LORD who is coming back for His people, receiving them unto Himself - who would execute justice having given all a chance to turn away from their sins. Only when we can see His righteousness can we see His love, only can we see His goodness can we see our sins, only when we repent and turn to God can we see God's mercy and grace, and only when we decide and live for Him daily can we see the power of His resurrection. The Lord is good! Praise His name.

Turn to God neighbor if you haven't yet, talk to Jesus and you will know that He lives, know that the word of God carries with it the good news that no other religion or "holy" book in the entire world have ever penned... and that is the offer of forgiveness, knowing that we can be right with God; that GOD who is in heaven, unreachable and unknowable sent His only begotten Son so that we can know what God is like, so that we can relate to who God is, that we can know of His righteousness and His hate for Sin. That sin is so grave that it had to be dealt with so that we can have peace with God, and much like what is written in the scriptures of the scapegoat and the one year old lamb(ram), innocent blood had to be spilled as a substitute and it had to be costly, unblemished, the best of what they could offer. But it was a covenant between God and His people, He sent the best He could offer, Himself. The Lamb of God came to atone for the sins of the world, God's justice met and paid in full at the cross, raised for all to see that Jesus Christ who was faultless, blameless and innocent was cursed, bruised for our iniquity and He bore unto Himself the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ our Passover Lamb, much like how the the angel of death passed through all of Egypt, passing through the Egyptians and Jews alike, to whomever was it found by that angel of death the blood of the ram, not on the lintel and door posts, death would enter their household.  See and know that penalty of sin is death and that penalty is all that we deserve; and Jesus paid for it, He paid for sin in full, by His blood we are justified and redeemed(purchased) . Now our destiny is not to sin unto death but be given unto Jesus Christ unto eternal life should we decide to follow. His mercy immeasurable, God is good. The kingdom of God is at the reach of your hands dear reader, be born again and that is to turn away from your sins and turn to God, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, be baptized and receive His Holy Spirit and then live for Him, for this is your whole duty as is written by Micah, God's desire for you is simply to do justice, to show mercy and to live humbly with Him. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, confess with your mouth that He is indeed LORD (Read Daniel 4) and you will be saved.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:20  

God bless you and keep you,

Kevin

__________________________________________

1) How to be born again? Dear reader click here

2) Listen to these sermons by a man of God I deeply respect, Leonard Ravenhill if you have time dear reader :

• "What is your life?"
• "The Judgement Seat of Christ"

Why does God allow suffering?

Why does God allow Suffering?

Let's open our bibles to the book and Job, and please listen along, as the complete message is on the audio recording and not on transcript.

Chapter 1-3

There lived in the land of Uz a man named Job--a good man who feared God and stayed away from evil.He had a large family of seven sons and three daughters and was immensely wealthy, for he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest cattleman in that entire area.Every year when Job's sons had birthdays, they invited their brothers and sisters to their homes for a celebration. On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment.When these birthday parties ended--and sometimes they lasted several days--Job would summon his children to him and sanctify them, getting up early in the morning and offering a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and turned away from God in their hearts." This was Job's regular practice.One day as the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan, the Accuser, came with them. "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan. And Satan replied, "From earth, where I've been watching everything that's going on."Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth--a good man who fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.""Why shouldn't he when you pay him so well?" Satan scoffed. "You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does--look how rich he is! No wonder he 'worships' you! But just take away his wealth, and you'll see him curse you to your face!" And the Lord replied to Satan, "You may do anything you like with his wealth, but don't harm him physically." So Satan went away; and sure enough, not long afterwards when Job's sons and daughters were dining at the oldest brother's house, tragedy struck. A messenger rushed to Job's home with this news: "Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us, drove away the animals, and killed all the farmhands except me. I am the only one left." While this messenger was still speaking, another arrived with more bad news: "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the herdsmen, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Before this man finished, still another messenger rushed in: "Three bands of Chaldeans have driven off your camels and killed your servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you." As he was still speaking, another arrived to say, "Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother's home, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and engulfed the house so that the roof fell in on them and all are dead; and I alone escaped to tell you." Then Job stood up and tore his robe in grief and fell down upon the ground before God. "I came naked from my mother's womb," he said, "and I shall have nothing when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." In all of this Job did not sin or revile God. Now the angels came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan was with them. "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan. "From earth, where I've been watching everything that's going on," Satan replied. "Well, have you noticed my servant Job?" the Lord asked. "He is the finest man in all the earth--a good man who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in me despite the fact that you persuaded me to let you harm him without any cause." "Skin for skin," Satan replied. "A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness, and he will curse you to your face!" "Do with him as you please," the Lord replied; "only spare his life." So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot. Then Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself and sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to be godly when God has done all this to you? Curse him and die." But he replied, "You talk like some heathen woman. What? Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?" So in all this Job said nothing wrong. When three of Job's friends heard of all the tragedy that had befallen him, they got in touch with each other and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Job was so changed that they could scarcely recognize him. Wailing loudly in despair, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air and put earth on their heads to demonstrate their sorrow. Then they sat upon the ground with him silently for seven days and nights, no one speaking a word; for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. At last Job spoke and cursed the day of his birth. "Let the day of my birth be cursed," he said, "and the night when I was conceived.Let that day be forever forgotten. Let it be lost even to God, shrouded in eternal darkness.Yes, let the darkness claim it for its own, and may a black cloud overshadow it. May it be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the month of that year. Let that night be bleak and joyless.Let those who are experts at cursing curse it. Let the stars of the night disappear. Let it long for light but never see it, never see the morning light. Curse it for its failure to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to come to all this trouble. "Why didn't I die at birth? Why did the midwife let me live? Why did she nurse me at her breasts?  For if only I had died at birth, then I would be quiet now, asleep and at rest, along with prime ministers and kings with all their pomp, and wealthy princes whose castles are full of rich treasures. Oh, to have been stillborn!--to have never breathed or seen the light. For there in death the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. There even prisoners are at ease, with no brutal jailer to curse them. Both rich and poor alike are there, and the slave is free at last from his master. "Oh, why should light and life be given to those in misery and bitterness, who long for death, and it won't come; who search for death as others search for food or money? What blessed relief when at last they die! Why is a man allowed to be born if God is only going to give him a hopeless life of uselessness and frustration? I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. I was not fat and lazy, yet trouble struck me down."

Job's friends told Job you must have been a terrible man, you must have sinned so badly for God to do this to you. And Job replied,

Chapter 31

"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a girl. I know full well that Almighty God above sends calamity on those who do. He sees everything I do and every step I take. "If I have lied and deceived-- but God knows that I am innocent-- or if I have stepped off God's pathway, or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen, or if I am guilty of any other sin, then let someone else reap the crops I have sown and let all that I have planted be rooted out. "Or if I have longed for another man's wife, then may I die, and may my wife be in another man's home and someone else become her husband. For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell and would root out all I have planted. "If I have been unfair to my servants, how could I face God? What could I say when he questioned me about it? For God made me and made my servant too. He created us both. "If I have hurt the poor, or caused widows to weep, or refused food to hungry orphans-- (but we have always cared for orphans in our home, treating them as our own children)-- or if I have seen anyone freezing and not given him clothing or fleece from my sheep to keep him warm, or if I have taken advantage of an orphan because I thought I could get away with it-- if I have done any of these things, then let my arm be torn from its socket! Let my shoulder be wrenched out of place! Rather that than face the judgment sent by God; that I dread more than anything else. For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there? "If I have put my trust in money, if my happiness depends on wealth, or if I have looked at the sun shining in the skies or the moon walking down her silver pathway and my heart has been secretly enticed, and I have worshiped them by kissing my hand to them, this, too, must be punished by the judges. For if I had done such things, it would mean that I denied the God of heaven. "If I have rejoiced at harm to an enemy-- (but actually I have never cursed anyone nor asked for revenge)-- or if any of my servants have ever gone hungry-- (actually I have never turned away even a stranger but have opened my doors to all)-- or if, like Adam, I have tried to hide my sins, fearing the crowd and its contempt so that I refused to acknowledge my sin and do not go out of my way to help others-- (oh, that there were someone who would listen to me and try to see my side of this argument. Look, I will sign my signature to my defense; now let the Almighty show me that I am wrong; let him approve the indictments made against me by my enemies. I would treasure it like a crown. Then I would tell him exactly what I have done and why, presenting my defense as one he listens to). "Or if my land accuses me because I stole the fruit it bears, or if I have murdered its owners to get their land for myself, then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley." Job's words are ended.

Chapter 38

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:"Why are you using your ignorance to deny my providence? Now get ready to fight, for I am going to demand some answers from you, and you must reply. "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Do you know how its dimensions were determined, and who did the surveying? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" Who decreed the boundaries of the seas when they gushed from the depths? Who clothed them with clouds and thick darkness and barred them by limiting their shores, and said, 'Thus far and no farther shall you come, and here shall your proud waves stop'? "Have you ever once commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you ever told the daylight to spread to the ends of the earth, to end the night's wickedness? Have you ever robed the dawn in red, and disturbed the haunts of wicked men, and stopped the arm raised to strike? "Have you explored the springs from which the seas come, or walked in the sources of their depths? Has the location of the gates of death been revealed to you? Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know! Where does the light come from, and how do you get there? Or tell me about the darkness. Where does it come from? Can you find its boundaries, or go to its source? But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!

In other words God was Job, Job do you really want the answer to every question? Do you think you're going to be God? Chapter 40 The Lord went on:

Chapter 40

"Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? Or will you yield? Do you--God's critic--have the answers?" Then Job replied to God: "I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers? I lay my hand upon my mouth in silence. I have said too much already." Then the Lord spoke to Job again from the whirlwind: "Stand up like a man and brace yourself for battle. Let me ask you a question, and give me the answer. Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so that you can say you are right? Are you as strong as God, and can you shout as loudly as he? All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor. Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. Humiliate the haughty with a glance; tread down the wicked where they stand. Knock them into the dust, stone-faced in death. If you can do that, then I'll agree with you that your own strength can save you.

Chapter 42

Then Job replied to God: "I know that you can do anything and that no one can stop you. You ask who it is who has so foolishly denied your providence. It is I. I was talking about things I knew nothing about and did not understand, things far too wonderful for me. "You said, 'Listen and I will speak! Let me put the questions to you! See if you can answer them!' "But now I say, 'I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you, and I loathe myself and repent in dust and ashes.' " After the Lord had finished speaking with Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you have said about me, as my servant Job was. Now take seven young bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves; and my servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf, and won't destroy you as I should because of your sin, your failure to speak rightly concerning my servant Job." So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer on their behalf. Then, when Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his wealth and happiness! In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! Then all of his brothers, sisters, and former friends arrived and feasted with him in his home, consoling him for all his sorrow and comforting him because of all the trials the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring. So the Lord blessed Job at the end of his life more than at the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. God also gave him seven more sons and three more daughters. These were the names of his daughters: Jemima, Kezia, Keren. And in all the land there were no other girls as lovely as the daughters of Job; and their father put them into his will along with their brothers.Job lived 140 years after that, living to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren too. Then at last he died, an old, old man, after living a long, good life.

You must go home some time and read that whole story, what a story, how that man in all his natural passion and cried out against God and argued against God. And God, saying to Job, you're just a man, you shouldn't be arguing like this; you're trying to put me in the wrong so that you can be right? Job you must leave the answer with me. And the secret of the whole story is this, Job never knew why God allowed him to suffer...

Living Word Ministries

The Living Word Christian Churches of Cebu International, Incorporated (LWCCCII) is a Corporation organized exclusively for spiritual and religious purposes. Its ministry call is summarized in Matthew 28: 18-20. The Corporation is composed of the Board of Elders and the general membership who have fully complied with all requirements for membership. LWCCII is a member of the Communion of Christian Ministries (CCM) in the Philippines that stand with the same faith and convictions.

Vision

LWCCCII seeks to bring GLORY to God, by enhancing the individual and corporate spiritual lives (passion and devotion in the disciplines of worship, prayer, study, meditation and application of God's word) of its people through the faithful preaching and teaching of God's word. It seeks to uphold the supremacy of Christ in the individual and corporate life of the church, thereby bringing about spiritual maturity and holiness for both. It likewise seeks to build the local church through discipleship to bring about ministry to the church based on loving relationships, having understood the concept of being part of Christ's body and God's household. As part of its commitment to discipleship, it seeks to safeguard the church from false doctrines, churches and teachers. Lastly, it seeks to fulfill the Great Commission in the establishment of churches here and abroad, by the preaching of the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. All of these pursuits are to be sought in dependence and guidance on the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Mission

Our mission is to uphold and cultivate a biblical and lofty view of God in the life and ministry of the church which includes contending for the purity of the gospel and the biblical faith, standing as the body to which ministers and leaders of member-churches, although autonomous, will be held morally and doctrinally accountable, equipping pastors and workers of churches outside our communion, planting churches where the Holy Spirit will direct, and spreading the message of salvation of Christ Jesus to the world at large. All these things shall we do by the grace of God for the glory of His name until the day of His coming for His church

Statement of Faith

We believe:

1. Jesus is truly God as taught by the Bible. 
2. Our faith is in one God, the Holy Trinity; who is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus Christ, though fully God, became fully human. 

We Confess:

1. The Bible is God's word and teaches about our fall into sin, Jesus Christ, salvation, the church, civil government, and our Lord's return. 
2. We cannot save ourselves because sin has affected every part of our nature. We cannot come to faith by ourselves. God takes the initiative, choosing us in Christ without consideration of any good in us, not even foreseen faith. God's Spirit alone can work in us the miracle of saving faith that gives us new life in Christ. 
3. Our rescue from sin is a free and unearned gift of God through Jesus Christ. Our grateful response is living in faith and obedience to our Lord

 Core Values

1. We value Scriptures and its authority as our rule for faith, life and ministry. 
2. We value the duty of contending for the faith.
3. We value the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. 
4. We value the importance of mutual edification, accountability and submission. 
5. We value biblical unity in the Body of Christ. 
6. We value upholding and cultivating a biblical view of God in the church life and ministry. 
7. We value the mandate of discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ for the preservation and propagation of the pure Gospel in our country and to wherever God will guide us. 
8. We value the biblical standard for leadership. 
9. We value establishing vision and direction for leaders and the local church. 
10. We value the promotion of Christ-honoring family relationships.

http://www.livingwordcm.com/

A Celebration to Marriage, Life and God's goodness

A Celebration to 50 years of marriage, life and God's goodness

Today was my grandparent's golden anniversary. There were a number of things that were very profound about this wonderful celebration but the ones in particular that I feel would be best published would be the things I witnessed to be so evident: a joyful and faithful marriage, an abundant yet content life and an amazing journey of faith and trust in God's sovereign hand.

These grandparents of mine I hardly ever knew, the groom, my grandfather Peng-hong is my immediate grandmother's brother and had humble beginnings before their breakthrough in the early 1970's. They raised their three children in a Christian and family-oriented environment and taught them well. Before the eve of gameboy, video games or PC, they had to study and master their Ping-yin before sleeping; my grandparents never had much then but they taught the value of hard work, perseverance, trust, love and the importance of having the fear of the Lord. Friends, it is true that if you are married, the best gift you can ever give to your children is being together. It was so moving, filled with joy and mixed emotions; wrinkled and unashamed my grandparents showed love and care for each other as they renewed their vows. 

They showed us a life well-lived, a legacy passed on to their children now all grown-up, financially successful and now having a family of their own, and more importantly, a faithful submission to God in their lives. It's a wonderful thing to acknowledge God as the center of our marriages; the word of God tells us that God the Father is the head of Jesus Christ as Christ is the head of man and as man is the head of the woman. While the screen showed a recap of the entire ceremony during the wedding reception and as the celebration neared its end, I remembered these verses: That He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. (2) And that a husband who loves his wife as Christ loves His church. 

Did you know that in the Jewish culture, they who are engaged are as good as married? That's the reason why Joseph was afraid to expose that Mary was pregnant else she would have been stoned falsely for not committing adultery. Allegorically, for the believer, we are engaged to Christ. Friends, a special challenge for you today: if you're married, do something special for your spouse and if you haven't yet, acknowledge the Lord in your union. And if you're single, pray for your partner to be and and do something special for your parents that they'd love.


God bless you and keep you,
Kevin

Glorious King's Cathedral

Glorious King's Cathedral  is a Charismatic-Evangelical church that was founded by Pastor Hann Wishley C. Layawan who received word from the Lord through prophecy that he was to start a hotel ministry. From a band of handful members, the church now grew to 200 members since it opened; many saved and coming to the Lord hearing the good news of salvation and the gospel of the kingdom.

The church service starts 4:00 PM (Philippine time) every Sunday at the Opal Room of Crown Regency, Tower 1, Osmeña Blvd., Cebu, Philippines 6000.

Psa 24:7-10  Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah  

Why Christianity?

Why Christianity?

Why Christianity? Why not other religions? Why not Islam, Confucianism, Shintoism, Existentialism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Paganism and other religions of the world?

Friends, before you listen to the full message, I'd first like to declare to you that there is nothing in the world that could fill that emptiness in your heart except the Lord Jesus Christ. And that there is no other world religion on this earth that shares the great truth of forgiveness, that we can be right with God. That the Righteous God of heaven, who created the heavens and the earth, unknowable and unsearchable came in the person of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ so that we can know who He is, so that we can relate with Him and Him with us and enable us to live a victorious life through His Spirit.

I tell you that it does not matter what religion you are, for a truth, the believers were called Christians at first only by those outside the church- and they were called this whenever they gathered and communed with one another as they shared the Lord Jesus Christ and remembered Him and His coming. They never called themselves Christians at first but rather called themselves "believers or brethren", they believed in God and His Christ. 

God is Righteous, God is Holy. And the simple truth is that we are not, we have all sinned; at one point in our lives, we had either lied, cheated, maybe stolen, coveted or have done something wrong, we have all sinned. That is what separates us from God, sin separates us from God; it is not your religion, it is not your race, it is not the color of your skin or your intellectual capacity, what separates us from God is our sin. And it's only Jesus Christ who lived a blameless and sinless life, only Jesus bore upon Himself our sins and curse, was shamed, and died on the cross so that we may become right with God. Every act of pardon that's ever been done to them that believe was written in His own blood. No one else paid that price, no one else bore our sin, no other religion on this whole earth carries the same message.

May you be blessed with the full message.

By David Pawson.






God bless you and keep you,
Kevin