Preach the Truth God Wants ( Isaiah 58:1)

We need to be preaching much more about sin and repentance; salvation, damnation and hellfire; judgement and the wrath of God. People need to realize that the present world is crumbling.

God will judge this world and the day is coming like a thief in the night.

The popular message now is how to make money and flow with the cares of the perishing world system.

This message has removed the fear of God from many and seems to have forgotten that a Day of Judgement is on the way.

The way many are living their lives is as if this place is the eternal habitation of man.

Those that perished in the judgement of the first world in the Days of Noah perished because they focused too much attention to the lusts of the flesh that is mortal and too little or virtually no attention to the things of the spirit that is eternal.

Ayodele Adegbulugbe.
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com.ng.
Lagos, Nigeria.

The Message in Romans 1:28

'' even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient.''

Why is there so much unrighteousness, corruption, injustice and wickedness in the land despite the array of churches and increase in gospel activities across the world?

It is because many do not retain God in their minds. God is immediately forgotten once they step out of the places of worship. It is when we retain God in our minds that we can have an active fear of God in our lives.

Where people do not retain God in their minds, the tendency is to live their lives anyhow contrary to the ways of God and God gives them over to perverted minds.

We need to practice the presence of God daily wherever we are, outside our place of worship. We can say short prayers, sing hymns and praises, confess the Word etc.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the grace and the empowerment to retain the knowledge of You in my mind every moment in the day.

Ayodele Adegbulugbe.
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com.ng.
Lagos, Nigeria.

Lamentations from Heaven

Text: Genesis 6:5-7; Matthew 21:12-13

God laments over the lives of men whom He created fearfully and wonderfully in His image and there are several ways He expresses His grief:

       I.            Our lives as individuals: Genesis 6:5-6 says, ‘’ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.’’

     II.            Governments of the day being corrupt

  III.            The church of God:

Ø The church has been invaded by the powers of darkness. There are more fake worshipers than true worshipers. There is no genuine love of Christ where many are interested in what God will do for them and are not willing to do anything for Him. The church is divided, lacking in unity and lacking one accord.

Ø In the church, there is no discipline and the power of God is not manifesting in many churches. Many ministers are operating in the flesh. Many evil doctrines are circulating in the church peddled by false teachers that have invaded the church.

Ø The church has lost its dignity. When one should run into the church and come out relieved and rejoicing, the church places heavier yokes on him. The church has become a den of physical and spiritual thieves.

Ø The church is no longer focusing on the salvation of its members but focusing more on church numerical growth by all means without concern for their salvation. Rather than go into the world to seek for lost sheep, many church poach members from other churches.

Ø There are man-made programs for selfish interest. Teachings on holiness and salvation have been cast aside and the main interest in many churches is money.

Ø Many of the worshippers are mere church attendants and miracle seekers, not true worshippers in truth and in spirit.

Ø Many of the programs in the church are not inspired by the Holy Spirit

Ø The majority of the modern day churches have become entertainment centers. Some churches bring comedians to entertain on Sundays.

Ø Some churches focus on teaching their members how to fight witches and witchcraft rather than sin

Ø The church is no longer a safe place as there are many forces of destruction inhabiting it; occultist ministers on the pulpit, destroying the lives  of the people

Ø Many believers are playing with sin secretly and openly. Many are not preaching salvation messages and are not saying the truth.

Ø Many homes are in crisis resulting from wrong marriages and where the homes are not settled, how can the church be settled?

Ø The fire of God has been quenched by careless workers and ministers who are traders and robbers in the church; who have no positive impact in the lives of the members; who are negatively busy in other people’s affairs, and discourage others sincerely interested in serving the Lord

Ø There are too many late comers to church, too many pretenders, and too many rumor mongrels. Many ministers are not interested in the physical and spiritual welfare of the members but interested in their money

Ø Many lack knowledge of the Scriptures, yet are seeking for power and position and are ready to do anything and go to any length to achieve their aim.

Ø Many members hate the Word of God and do not love prayers. They detest hearing the truth and dislike repentance and restitution. Many despise evangelism and do not wish to do away with sin. We are thieves of time if we have no time for the things of God and do not act on the messages we hear.

How can we stop the lamentations of God over our lives?

§  Naked yourself before God

We should allow God’s searching light to show us the condition of our hearts and lives. We should acknowledge our sins and do not deny that they exist.

§  Search yourself

The life of a man is either ruled by God or Satan. We are either slaves to Satan and sin or servants of God and righteousness. If sin rules us, we need to cry out to God to set us free through Jesus Christ who came to the world to deliver us from the bondage to sin and to break the hold of the Devil over our lives. We cannot hide ourselves and sins from God who is Omniscient and sees everything. He sees all our secret thoughts and actions in our lives.

About the Author:

The author, Ayodele Adegbulugbe is a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and an Evangelist. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a Counselor; he writes and is a published author.

The Command in John 15:10

‘’ if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I keep my father’s commandments and abide in His love (John 15:10)

By this command, Christians are expected and are under an obligation to obey the Gospel throughout their lives and not only during one brief act of faith. The command emphasizes the extent to which a Christian is expected to be obedient to God.

If we are to be righteous as Jesus was in the world (John 17:14-16), then complete obedience must be rendered. It is not possible for us to be claiming His pardoning grace without His obedient grace.

''And why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say'' (Luke 6:46)

The command on obedience punctures the doctrine that teaches faith without further obedience, which says that a brief act of faith based on Romans 10:9-10 is adequate to assure an eternity with Christ without obedience to His commands. This doctrine is a false teaching not supported in the Bible.

It also punctures the doctrine of an unconditional eternal security.

‘’…and if thou wilt enter into life, obey the commandments (Matthew 19:17)

On the basis of Matthew 19:17, if there is no obedience, there can be no eternity with Christ.

About the Author

The author, Ayodele Adegbulugbe is a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and an Evangelist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a Counselor, writer and a published author.

The Expected End (Jeremiah 29:11)

Jeremiah 29:11 says, ‘’ for I know the thoughts that I have towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’’

What is the expected end that we are looking forward to as believers in Christ Jesus? Is it an earthly end or an eternal end? Are we focusing our gaze on the world and its perishing values? Is the expected end limited to the riches and pleasures of the world?

Is it not a spiritual shortsightedness when a Christian takes eternity out of his focus and views the things of the world as his main focus? Our expected end should be an eternity with Christ. We should keep eternity in our view so that our lives can be shaped by His righteousness.

‘’ What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

The multitudes that perished in the floods in the days of Noah lacked an eternal focus. They focused their lives on perishable earthly values – eating and drinking; marrying and giving in marriage; building and planting, and buying and selling (Luke 17:26-30).

Jesus says in John 14:2, ‘’ in my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.’’

Christ is in heaven; therefore we should have heaven in view as our focus and not allow the temporal things of the world to distract our heavenly and eternal focus as it did in the days of Noah and Lot. 

Those that perished in the days of Noah and Lot made the things of the world their chief end in life as if life on earth is forever. Eternity with Christ is the expected end that God has for us.

About the Author

The author, Ayodele Adegbulugbe is a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and an Evangelist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a Counselor, writer and a published author.

Self-Exaltation: A Wrong Spirit in the Life of a Christian (Luke 22:24)

Post 112

Why did Jesus Wash the Feet of His Disciples (John 13:1-17)?

Jesus humbled Himself to take the place of a slave to wash feet which in those days in Israel, was considered the duty of the meanest or lowest slave.

Before the feet washing event, the disciples had argued about who would be the greatest among them (Luke 22:24). Jesus had rebuked them by setting a little child in their midst, stated that they had become as little children and were not to seek lording it over each other (Matthew 18:1-10).

By humbling Himself to wash their feet, He sought to rid them of their passion for worldly honor and dignity which would have shaken the foundation of the church after his departure.
Jesus set an example to emphasize the necessity to get rid of self-exaltation in the life of a Christian.

A Christian must rid himself of the spirit of wanting to lord it over others or he will not be saved (Matthew 18:1-10; 23:8-12) (Luke 14:7-11; 18:14). By washing their feet, He rebuked their spirit of strife over leadership.

The feet washing event was to teach Christians to be willing to condescend to render the lowest services to each other and to prefer the least in honor to themselves (Philippians 2:1-7).

It was to also inspire self-denial acts of kindness to those in need; to render service to the needy and those who are the least.

Ayodele Adegbulugbe.
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com.ng
Lagos, Nigeria.

Sectarianism: A Wrong Spirit in the Life of a Christian - Mark 9:38

In Mark 9:38, the disciples of Jesus saw a man casting out demons in the name of Jesus which they frowned at because he did not belong to their group of disciples.

Likewise in Numbers 11:26-29, when the Spirit of God rested upon two men – Eldad and Melad – who prophesied in the Camp, Joshua asked Moses to forbid them.

Eldad and Melad were among the seventy men appointed to assist Moses in judgment and governance and were anointed for the task but the spirit of prophesy came upon them and they prophesied much longer than the others which Joshua frowned at out of jealousy. Moses rebuked Joshua’s act of jealousy rather than rebuke the two men.

Jesus also cautioned his disciples for this wrong spirit in them. He told his disciples that there is no one doing miracles in His name that can speak evil of Him (Mark 9:39) and that anyone who is not against Him is with Him.

If a person does not believe in God and the Holy Spirit as persons, and does not believe in the incarnation of God in human flesh; denies the virgin birth of Christ, His physical death, burial, bodily resurrection and ascension, such a person is not on the side of Jesus but on the side of the Devil.

This is an important lesson for the church today that is divided where many are more concerned about the name of a particular church than for God. They despise and disapprove of any Christian who does not belong to their particular church or group of disciples.

A true Christian will love other Christians from other churches and appreciate them and their work in the Vineyard of God, just as much as if they belonged to his church or group. Jesus prayed for the unity and oneness of all believers just as God and Christ are one (John 17:21).

If Christianity is one Jesus, one Gospel, one Body of Christ, one fold and one Shepherd and if the doctrines and tenets of the faith are the same, believing in the virgin birth of Christ, His physical death, burial, bodily resurrection and ascension into Heaven to the right hand of God the Father as the head of the church, why is there so much division in Christendom today?

Ayodele Adegbulugbe
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com.ng
Lagos, Nigeria.

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