All Christians Must Preach The Gospel So It Can Get To All Corners Of The World
Passage: Psalm 71
Christians have been given the mandate to proclaim the faithfulness of God to the ends of the earth.
Jesus told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to all creations, to make disciples of all nations.
He wants the good news of the kingdom to be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations.
We must acknowledge the supreme power of God as one of the psalmists committed to doing in the Bible. He stated,
“I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of your righteousness, of yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare your wondrous works…
…Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come” (Psalm 71:16-18).
Gospel Evangelization Step By Step Process
Every Christian has the primary assignment to proclaim and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people.
Believers must spread the good news of Jesus Christ with the use of any medium available.
We must effectively preach Christ’s gospel to the extent that unbelievers will be convinced to change their minds and serve God.
Proclaiming faith in Christ is not a difficult task to perform.
Each Christian is to share his or her faith in any straightforward manner he could.
A believer can start with his or her family, before proceeding to extend the effort to other people.
A Christian who faithfully serves God will be honored in the presence of God in heaven.
Understand The Difference Between Right & Wrong Doctrines
Passage: 1 Kings 13
A human being is born with a conscience and an innate sense of right and wrong. As Christians, we must be able to discern between good and bad doctrine.
Children of God must know when to flee so that we don’t fall into temptation.
Children of God must not believe every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God or not.
Many false doctrines are out there in the world; Christians must be watchful of them!
During the Bible time, the Land of Israel that once operated as one nation during Solomon’s rule disintegrated into two nations of sinners.
They chose not to give God his deserved attention.
The people of Israel and Judah (the two new nations) operated wickedly. They turned to idol worships – a practice that God forbade.
The scripture reported,
“Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again, he made priests from every class of people in the high places; whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places” (1 Kings 13:33)…
…Also, “Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, more than all that their fathers had done” (1 Kings 14:22).
People Who Promote Wrong Doctrine Will Be The Consequence
God will punish a leader who distracts the attention of God’s people (from their commitment to serving the true God).
A leader of any capacity is expected to have the fear of God and be considerate. He or she ought to promote the doctrine that honors God.
Leaders should neither be obsessed nor self-serving; rather, they should utilize their influence to benefit people. They should also encourage the people they lead to be godly in their practices.
It is the responsibility of the followers to evaluate any instruction they receive and ensure it complies with the laws of God.
Both the leaders and followers of any country and/or establishment are mandated to satisfy God in whatever they do.
God will not entertain an excuse that anyone uses to justify an act of wickedness.
God’s Blessing Are Upon Those Who Are Devoted To Him
Passage: Job 1
Job (in the bible) was a rich man that could be referred to as a billionaire of his time. The man disallowed riches to blindfold him. He was devoted in his service to God. Even in the face of adversity, he was fervent in serving God.
The Bible described Job as a faithful man who loved God wholeheartedly and served him with the best of his ability.
The Bible made the following declaration about Job:
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
…Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
…And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all.
…For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly” (Job 1:1-5).
It Takes Humility To Serve God In Wealth
Children of God can be rich and still serve God devotedly. We can follow the story of Job, as an example (Job 1:1-5) who served God faithfully with his riches.
Moreover, it takes humility for someone to faithfully serve God with riches. The person must place God above his own personal interests.
In other words, a Christian who desires riches ought to first question himself or herself on the subject of trust.
He ought to be able to ask, “Can God, trust me if I am rich?” God will surely bless anyone who is determined to serve him with a devoted heart.
…Help me to serve you with a pure heart so that I can have the opportunity to enjoy your riches for a long time. For in the name of Jesus Christ, I make my requests. Amen.
Jehovah is a God of possibility. He can do all things, and he will make dry bones come to life for his children.
Yes, dry bones shall rise again for God’s children.
God spoke to Prophet Ezekiel and said that the Israelites (who have lost their godly virtues and were dead in their spiritual lives) shall be restored to have a good standing with him.
Ezekiel recounted his experience with God,
“And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’
” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:3-10).
God Is An Everlasting Guardian
God is a God of possibility. He makes dry bones come to life for his children that trust him.
People of faith may experience temporal trials, but they will be relieved and have victory.
God’s children will be delivered from their troubles to praise God.
Indeed, Jehovah will rise like a mighty warrior to defend the interest of his people. He will help them overcome their limitations.
Dry bones may represent various kinds of problems that God’s children experience.
They may be spiritual dryness, unfavorable medical report, or any other negative condition.
Those conditions that seem impossible will submit to the God of all possibilities.
The Creator will deliver his children from their terrible situations.
He will give His angels charge to watch over them as the scripture states,
“The angel of the Lord encamp all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).
Proclaim God’s Promises; God of Possibility Is Able
Dear God, I believe in your victory and power to help me overcome my terrible situations. I believe your promises of the scripture that states, “the dry bones shall come to live” for people who reserve their trust in you…
…Please let me start to experience your healing, deliverance, and restoration in every area of my life. Enable me with the power of your Holy Spirit to live in victory every day of my life. For in the name of Jesus Christ, I make my requests. Amen.
God’s word and His wisdom are diffused with righteous. Righteousness brings blessings, peace, joy. It’s a law His kingdom. Being righteous is a huge blessing opportunity. It does not affect just us, but the people around us, the society we live in. It comes with incredible benefits. King David shared the secret of his success with his son Solomon and said,
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever” (1 Chronicles 28:9).
God Rewards Only Those Who Live Righteously
Our secret intentions may be hidden from fellow human beings, but they are definitely not hidden from God. Our creator weighs every human intention, and he awards measurable rewards for our actions.
Therefore, since God cannot be deceived, we Christians should offer our best services to God at all times.
We should avoid being involved in “eye-service” and willingly commit our lives to serving God faithfully. We must always serve God in all righteousness.
Dear God, I understand that I cannot deceive you with pretense and eye-service. I also acknowledge the fact that you will bless me if I faithfully serve you. Therefore, I ask that you give me the grace to commit my total heart to serving you. Please let me qualify for your blessing. For in the name of Jesus Christ, I make my requests. Amen.
The Blood Of Jesus Delivers From Every Tribulation
Passage: Revelation 12
Satan attempted to overthrow God in heaven, but he lost. Angel Michael and his godly angels fought Satan and his troops, and they defeated the evil angels. They were chased out of heaven to face eternal condemnation afterward.
Meanwhile, Michael and his fellow angels wouldn’t have been able to defeat Satan if not for the power comprised in the blood of Jesus Christ.
The scripture stated;
“They overcame by the blood of the Lamb!” It is reported, “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
…So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
…Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
…And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:7-11).
The Name & Blood Of Jesus Are Spiritual Tools To Conquer Satan
There is power in the blood of Jesus Christ to overcome Satan and his cohorts. Satan trembles whenever the name of Jesus Christ is mentioned; he also trembles in the same manner whenever the blood of Jesus Christ is mentioned. Angel Michael defeated the evil angel in heaven with authority contained in the blood of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:7-11).
Christians must use the same medium to defeat the enemy. Both Satan and his demons will tremble before Jesus’ name and blood as they made in heaven. They cannot withstand the authority of Jesus Christ!
Therefore, no Christian should hesitate to use appropriate tools against his (or her) enemies – the Name and Blood of Jesus.
Believers should command Satan to get lost from their lives to live overcomers lives! Those who do so will not regret their actions, but they will live victoriously on earth.
Let somebody who considers himself shout Hallelujah!
In the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke Satan. I command the enemy to get lost from my life! I break his power by the authority in the name of Jesus Christ! I also use the authority of the blood of Jesus Christ to destroy all the enemy’s influences in my life.
…I triumph over Satan and his evil forces from today, and forever! The salvation of Jesus Christ is mine, and his victory is mine also. For “I am more than conquerors by Christ who loves me!” (Romans 8:37).
…For in the name of Jesus Christ, I exercise my authority. Amen.
Our previous post discussed Jesus’ preparation to fulfill his ministry purpose and how Satan tried to derail him from the mission.
Satan tempted Jesus with different tricks with the hope that he might get confused and miss his purpose, but the enemy lost!
In the previous post, we also identified the clues that made Jesus prevail over Satan.
In this post, we are going to discuss the events of how Jesus was able to gather twelve men that he needed for his ministry.
(You can read the full story in the Bible- Mark 1)
The twelve men were also called the apostles. (Apostle – meaning one who is sent away).
It wasn’t news that Jesus is the Messiah, promised by God through the prophets. John the Baptist had proclaimed this fact to everyone who would listen, but few people had listened so far.
Jesus, while going around doing good, preaching the word of God and healing people, he refused to brag about the fact that he is the Son of God. Yes, you can call it humility, but that didn’t stop him from calling out to the people who will tell others – The disciples, which are also called apostles!
Perhaps what was more surprising is not the way Jesus called his disciples, but rather at the odd times he did it.
The Book One of “Who Was Jesus, Really?” in its fourth chapter shows that Jesus was walking one day along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the lake because they were fishermen.
Jesus was excited, and he said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!” Without delay, they left their nets and ran to meet Jesus.
As they went a little farther, they saw the sons of Zebedee in a boat with their father, cleaning their nets and about to go for the next night of fishing.
Jesus quickly called them to follow him, and they happily left their father, Zebedee, with the servants and followed Jesus. He told them they wouldn’t be looking for fish any longer, but that he would teach them how to “fish” people for the kingdom of God.
Imagine that! They were still working when He beckoned unto them.
Imagine someone calling you to come right now regardless of what you are doing, asking that you leave everything you are doing and follow him. Would you answer?
You might object the call, but the sons of Zebedee left their father in the boat in the early mornings (while preparing for their fishery business) to follow Jesus.
Jesus Is Calling!
Jesus called his twelve disciples on different occasions.
The names of the disciples are Simon Peter, Andrew, John, James (sons of Zebedee), Philip, Matthew, Bartholomew, Thomas, James (son of Alpheus), Simon (the patriot), Thaddaeus, and Judas Iscariot.
Of course, there were some other men and women who later became Jesus’ disciples, but those twelve men were different because they were divinely selected. Jesus sent them out to proclaim the good news to others about God’s kingdom.
The action of the sons of Zebedee and others that Jesus called is indeed exemplary! Those people were eager to follow Jesus. They didn’t allow their private business to stop them from following the Master.
What else do we learn?
Jesus showed no discrimination whatsoever in his choices; instead, he let the Holy Spirit guide him about who to call.
Jesus can call anyone at any time.
Matthew, for example, was a tax collector, and yet Jesus called him. This shows us how Jesus can call anyone at any time. But the question is, will you answer him whenever he calls you?
The most important lesson from the process of Jesus’ selection of his disciples is that he is interested in everyone.
Jesus is still calling us now. Anyone who answers his call is another disciple added to the list.
Jesus is calling you!
Join us in the next episode to learn more about how good Jesus is.
People Must Exhibit Trust In God To Recieve Their Blessing
Passage: 2 Chronicles 20
An exhibition of trust can lead to your blessing! This fact can be more established by studying an event that happened in 2 Chronicles 20. Some hostile nations surrounded the land of Judah with a mission to loot and kill its dwellers. The enemies were numerous, and the scene appeared horrific for the people of Judah and their king, Jehoshaphat. However, Jehoshaphat summoned the courage to preserve his trust in God. He trusted God and prayed for victory. The scripture reported how he prayed,
“O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12).
God responded to King Jehoshaphat’s prayer with a promise to deliver him. The king believed the promise and took a rare decision to start praising God immediately.
King Jehoshaphat demonstrated his trust in God by organizing a special worship session to honor God for his victory promise. His trust-action led to a testimony. God was moved with the praises offered by Jehoshaphat and his people during their difficult moment.
God acted in an unprecedented manner to deliver King Jehoshaphat and his people from their enemies.
The bible reported,
“Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another” (2 Chronicles 20:22-23).
God Fights For People Who Exercise Their Faith In Him
God fights for his people, and he will not allow their enemies to rejoice over them. Do not doubt that Jehovah will go any length to defend his people. God’s action against the wicked people may be severe, and perhaps, bring them more destructions than they would have imagined.
Jehovah will fight whosoever allows Satan to use him against his people (God’s people). This should be considered as a great warning for anyone who intends to hurt a child of God. The person should think twice before carrying out his action since God may either defend or revenge any action taken against them.
There are dire consequences for anyone who attacks a child of God!
A believer who reserves his (or her) trust in God during a trial moment should not relent. He should expect to laugh soon and testify to the faithfulness of God.
The fact that God will do whatever necessary to protect his children from any evil should be resonating in our hearts always!
Dear God, I am privileged to be your child! I realized that I am your “choice child” whom you won’t abandon to suffer. You will go to any extent to care and protect me to glorify your name. I firmly believe that you will give me an upper hand over my adversaries and award me a testimony.
Please give me the Grace to keep trusting and remain your true child unto the end. Help me to live in faith so that I can enjoy your victory in every day of my life. For in the name of Jesus Christ, I make my requests. Amen.
In the previous post, we discussed Jesus’s preparation for his ministry (or purpose – as he called it) and how he went to meet John to baptize him. In this episode, we are going to discuss another major event of Jesus’s life as portrayed in the third chapter of the book “Who Was Jesus, Really? – Book One.” It is about his temptation. So how did it happen?
Immediately, Jesus left John at River Jordan, the Holy Spirit that had descended on him in the form of a dove lead him into the wilderness where he was expected to fast and pray to prepare for his journey.
A purpose as big as his would require him to acquire more spiritual power; so there he was in the jungle for forty days and forty nights without food or water (that is, he went on forty days dry fasting).
Imagine living an entire day without food. Hard right? Well, Jesus did it for a good forty days! As anyone would predict, Jesus became extremely tired and hungry after those long forty days. The devil decided to tempt him based on his present condition.
The book one of “Who was Jesus Really?” Described the three temptations that Satan gave Jesus and how He (Jesus) was able to overcome Satan’s tricks through the word of God.
The Temptation
The devil took Jesus to a high mountain and showed him all the glory of the Earth. He said he was willing to give it all to Jesus if only Jesus would worship him. Can you see how smart the devil thinks he is?
Jesus quickly rebuked him and said,
“Get thee behind me, Satan! It is written, thou shall worship the lord your God, and him alone shall you serve.”
The devil still didn’t give up. He took Jesus to Jerusalem and set him on a pinnacle—a very high place—and told Jesus to jump. If he was really the son of God, the angels would not let him fall, but Jesus answered,
“Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God!”
The devil knew he had lost and decided to leave Jesus alone for a while. Then the angels came and gave Jesus food and water. Phew!
Satan’s Intention
The devil tried Jesus’s hunger and thirst and his newly acquired power against him, but Jesus was spiritually smart.
He knew the commandment of God better than Satan. He also knew better than to allow any ego to take over.
Of course, there are many lessons to be taken from this short tale, the majority of which has already been identified in Chapter four of the book.
Perhaps the most important of them all is to understand the word of God as written in the Bible.
An inadequate understanding of the word of God can lead to devastating failure.
Lesson To Learn
If anyone wants to overcome every obstacle and live victoriously in this world of ours, it is necessary to keep God’s word at heart.
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Join us in our next post as we discuss how Jesus handled other life’s issues that came his way and how he fulfilled his ministry.