Looking for God in the New Year

Entering into God’s Presence Introductory Remarks.

How many times in life have we started a new year wi
thout realizing the goals we had set before us or even taken the time to evaluate why those goals weren’t made? We cannot live on yesterday’s blessings nor should we dwell on yesterday’s failures and disappointments. This is a time to forget the past and move forward into the present and the future.

The Christian life is a life of faith, meaning we must have the ability to see and perceive those things that are in the Heart of God that He desires to release into our lives. When we are walking in an acute sense of His presence we are able to face problems, undertake tasks, meet emergencies and to dedicate ourselves to the opportunities that come our way with a greater degree of fervency and zeal.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek
Him.

God desires to be with us in all that we do. He is there for us no matter what it may be. Whether you are facing problems that seem insurmountable, undertaking various tasks, meeting emergencies or taking advantage of opportunities that come your way, God wants you to know He is with you in all that you do.

Isaiah 42:16 (NIV) I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

With this in mind I would like to share with you some directions you need to be looking in to sense God’s awesome hand at work in your life.

II. Directions to Look for God.

1. Look Back.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.

Take the time to look back over the past year and identify those times in which you had evidence of faith in overcoming doubt, sin, unbelief or anything else. Identify those times you saw yourself go from despair to courage in the midst of suffering or situations that seemed insurmountable. As you look back and see how the Hand of God was at work in your deliverance; take the time to give Him thanks for all that He did.

Psalm 105:1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His Deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 140:13 surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence.

As you take the time to meditate on these things and give God thanks for His many blessings in your life, you will experience a fresh sense of His presence preparing you for what’s yet ahead in this coming new year.

2. Look Inward.

Psalm 51:6-8 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. {7} Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. {8} Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.

Take stock of yourself – look at your relationship with God and with others and your stewardship over all that God has given to you. Hold each area of your life alongside God’s standards and pray to grow in faithfulness and holiness.

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; {24} And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 26:2-3 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. {3} For Your loving kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.

As you take the time to look inward you will be blessed and encouraged when you see the many areas where you did well and you will sense great hope when you sense God’s help, encouragement and leading in overcoming those areas that you failed in. Be honest with God and yourself and you shall experience a great refreshing from Him that will give you the enthusiasm you need to change.

Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…”

2 Cor 7:10-11 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. {11} For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal,
what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

3. Look To Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, {2} looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Since Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, this means He is also at work right now with our lives. As long as we keep looking to Him we will find the sufficiency to move forward in the many areas we are daily being challenged in.

In the midst of temptations, problems, difficulties, sorrows, various tasks and opportunities that will surely come your way during this coming year, stay focused on Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of your faith. He is there to hope you through any circumstance you may encounter.

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.

As you endeavor to stay focused on Jesus, you will encounter His presence, which will give you that extra added dimension to your faith that will encourage you to boldly move forward in every area of your life.

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” {6} So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Remember He is your sufficiency and you can do all things through Christ, who strengthens you daily.

4. Look To The World.

Look at the world through the eyes of Jesus and serve them with love and compassion. Getting involved in the Lord’s harvest of souls keeps you in the presence of God.

John 4:35 “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

Matthew 9:36-38 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38} “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

5. Look Forward.

Philippians 1:6 …being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Because God will be with us, we can look to each new day with keen anticipation.

Faith calls us to move into this new year – to face problems, undertake tasks, meet emergencies, and dedicate ourselves to the opportunities the year will present. We can go forth with confidence knowing that God is at work in us we are His children who will be led by Him in our journey from day to day.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.

III. Concluding Remarks.

You can enter this new year with a sense of God’s presence if you look to Him in each of these directions. He is there to help you through every trial, temptation and task no matter what it is. He is all-sufficient for you for the coming year. So let each of us resolve to “run with patience the race that is set before us,” looking to Jesus to find the way. He’s there to meet you each and every step of the way.

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The Foolish Message that Saves Lives!

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE HEADING FOR DESTRUCTION.
By Pr Atukwatse Onesmus 11th July, 2010.

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18 – “The Foolishness of the Cross”

Introduction

A disciple of Jesus, congregation, has to accept the cross of Jesus. We can’t sanitize the cross and make it into something clean and sterile. We can’t whitewash it and take off the blood and the suffering. We can’t pad it and make it into something comfortable and non-threatening. As Paul put it, “I preach Christ crucified.”

The twentieth century has forgotten how cruel and hideous crucifixion really was. We have perhaps unwisely and sometimes unconsciously glamorized the cross. Jewelry and steeple alike are often ornamental and attractive but carry nothing of the real story of the crucifixion. It was the most painful method of public death in the first century.

The victim was placed on a wooden cross. Nails, undoubtedly wooden, were driven into the wrists and ankles of the victim, and then the crosspiece was lifted and jarred into the upright, tearing the flesh of the crucified and racking his body with excruciating pain. Historians remind us that even the soldiers could not get used to the horrible sight, and often took strong drink to numb their senses.

Jesus endured 6 hours of such anguish, just for us so that we might be forgiven of all our sin! That’s the message of the cross. “I preach Christ crucified.”

George MacLeod wrote a poem that helps put the cross into perspective:

I simply argue that the cross be raised again
at the center of the market place
as well as on the steeple of the church,
I am recovering the claim that
Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral
between two candles:
But on a cross between two thieves;
on a town garbage heap;
At a crossroad of politics so cosmopolitan
that they had to write His title
in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek…
At the kind of place where cynics talk smut,
and thieves curse and soldiers gamble.
Because that is where He died,
and that is what He died about.
And that is where Christ’s men ought to be,
and what church people ought to shout.

On this Lord’s Supper Sunday we want to spend some time looking at the cross of Christ. Paul tells us this morning that the message of the cross means either salvation, strength and wisdom or damnation, weakness and foolishness to those who hear it.

I.  Salvation or Damnation

A.  “I preach Christ crucified.”

First, this message of the cross means salvation “to us who are being saved.” That’s the message that is found throughout the New Testament. Think of the Philippian jailer. After an earthquake the prison doors flew open and he was scared his prisoners had escaped. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself. After Paul stopped him he asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)  They preached “Christ crucified” to the jailer.

For those who believe, the message of the cross means salvation. These people are on the way to glory (2:7). They can look forward to being clothed with the imperishable and with immortality (15:53). In fact, what awaits us who believe the message of the cross is so glorious, so awesome, so wonderful, that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor 2:9)

Paul tells us about the time he was caught up to paradise, what he also calls the third heaven. At that time “he heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.” (2 Cor 12:4).

B. Second, the message of the cross also means damnation. It means damnation “to those who are perishing.”

This message too is found throughout the Bible.  Paul reminds us that those who reject the message of the cross “are coming to nothing.” (2:6) They will not “inherit the kingdom of God.” (6:10)  Hebrews says that those who reject the message of the cross have “only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (Heb 10:26)  Anyone “who has trampled the Son of God under foot … deserves to be punished.” (Heb 10:29) We are reminded that “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb 10:31)

Perhaps the best description of what happens to the unbelieving is found in a famous sermon preached by Jonathan Edwards. In very vivid terms he spoke of hell and hell’s misery and how awful it is:

That world of misery, that cake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.

II.  Strength or Weakness

A. “I preach Christ crucified.”

This message of the cross also means either strength or weakness to those who hear it. Paul says that “to us who are being saved … the message of the cross … is the power of God. “And, Paul can speak of “Christ the power of God.” (vs 24)

Why does the message of the cross mean power? Because it is able to do what nothing else is able to do: it is able to save and cleanse and redeem; it makes holy; it makes righteous; it makes eternally blessed.

Think of the time Peter and John were called before the Sanhedrin. In his defense Peter preached about Christ and said,  “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Only the power of the cross, of “Christ crucified,” can save souls.

B. For those who don’t believe, the message of the cross shouts weakness.

What can look weaker and more helpless than someone hanging upon a cross? How can such a One be our Savior? “Impossible!” says the world.

We are reminded that God often uses what is weak to accomplish His purposes and to carry out His decrees. As Paul puts it in the verses following our Scripture reading:

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Cor 1:27-29)

The Old and New Testaments are filled with instances of this sort of thing. God used sick, weakly, scheming Jacob rather than strong, healthy Esau to carry on the covenant. God used Tamar the adulteress, Rahab the prostitute, Ruth the Moabitess, and Bathsheba another adulteress in the family tree of Jesus. God used Gideon and 300 men rather than Gideon and 30,000 men to defeat the Midianites. And, God used a virgin from Nazareth in the conception and birth of His only Son.

God does this deliberately so it is obvious to all that salvation is not by human might, human reason, or human effort but only by the power of God, by “Christ crucified.” That way no one may boast about themselves but only about the Lord and what He has done (vs 29,31).

III. Wisdom or Foolishness

A. “I preach Christ crucified.”

Finally, this message of the cross also means either wisdom or foolishness to those who hear it. In our text Paul says “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.” Paul mentions both Jews and Gentiles. To the Jews the message of the cross was a contradiction: upon the Messiah could rest only divine blessing, whereas on a crucified man could rest only divine curse; so how could the Messiah be crucified? To the Gentiles the message of the cross was also folly: how could anyone accept as Lord and Savior a man who could not save himself from as ghastly a death as crucifixion?

But to those who are being saved the message of the cross is the “wisdom of God” (vs 24). For God in His wisdom is able to accomplish what is now being done – the saving of many souls (Gen 50:20). Again, it isn’t human wisdom, human philosophy, or human scholarship that is able to do this. Rather, souls are saved only by the cross of Jesus, by “Christ crucified.”

B. In the eyes of the world it isn’t only the message of the cross, but also the message from the Savior of the cross that is foolishness.

The city of Corinth was a center for the worship of Aphrodite. Her temple was staffed by 1,000 female prostitutes. Everyone in Corinth enjoyed this kind of worship. Was it foolishness or wisdom that warned the Christians not to indulge (1 Cor 6:18f)?

Everyone knows that in disputes you go to court and sue. Was it foolishness or wisdom that warned Christians to settle disputes among themselves (1 Cor 6:1f)?

It is normal to divide into camps, to have divisions and tensions, to form parties of like-minded brethren. Was it foolishness or wisdom that urged love and unity (1 Cor 1:10f; 3:1f)?

In Corinth you could marry anyone you set your heart upon and could divorce when you find someone better. Was it foolishness or wisdom that urged Christians to marry only believers (2 Cor 6:14f) and to stay married to that person (1 Cor 7:10f)?

Many in Corinth were stingy and miserly and gave only begrudgingly to the less fortunate. Was it foolishness or wisdom that urged Christians to be generous (2 Cor 8:1f)?

It is a rough world out there, a dog eat dog society; you have to look after yourself; and, if necessary, you have to trample over the weak. Was it foolishness or wisdom that urged Christians to do what is best for weaker brothers and sisters (1 Cor 8:1f)?

In all of these things the wisdom of the world is directly opposed to the wisdom from the cross. What is wisdom to one is foolishness to the other.

Conclusion

“I preach Christ crucified.” On this Lord’s Supper Sunday, what do you think, how do you think, of this message of the cross?

In the final analysis it depends upon the grace of God. If God has called you, chosen you, elected you as one of His children (vs 26-31), you recognize the cross for what it is: salvation, strength, and wisdom. If so, then you as a believing member of the church, are welcome to take the Lord’s Supper.

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Here are 3 simple ways you can support this ministry and keep Pastor Onesmus online:

1. Share this message with at least 5 friends (and even 5 enemies?).
2. Make a one-time DONATION. May God shower His blessings on you!
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Praising in the Prison!

THE POWER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP  –  By Pr Atukwatse Onesmus.

Acts 16:23-26 –  “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
“Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
“And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

This Bible story begins the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas.  Because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell. Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation.

The atmosphere there was depressing. According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind.

Yet, in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God! What a strange sound this must have been to the other prisoners, who were used to only hearing the groans or cursings of those who had been beaten.

Then suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison! The doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every other prisoner were released! What caused this mighty discharge of power?

Praise Elevates us into God’s Presence and Power

Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their circumstances.

The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3).  In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence – Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalms 100:4).

This corresponds with Jesus’ teaching, that His presence will inhabit the gathering of believers who congregate in His name: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). A “gathering in His name” means that Jesus must be the focus, the center of the assemblage. He must be the one preached about, sung about — the one praised and worshiped. “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:12). Consequently, Christ’s presence, along with His virtue and anointing, is manifested in this type of gathering.

Have you ever noticed when “gifts of the Spirit” operate in a church service? The power and anointing of the Holy Spirit usually becomes evident, subsequent to a time of worship and praise. Some think that worship is a response after the Holy Spirit moves upon them. However, it’s the other way around. God’s presence responds when we move upon Him with worship! Lifting up Jesus Christ through praise and worship invokes the Lord’s presence and power to flow in our midst.

What is Praise?

Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God — it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15).

There are many actions involved with praise to God — verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within.

Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst. “…the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).

Praise to God is a Lifestyle

All too often, praise to God is something that many people leave at church, an event that happens only when they come together with other Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers lifestyle, inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. “…I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1).

Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to please Him. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Praise Sends the Enemy Running

Since praise manifests God’s presence, we also realize that praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. An atmosphere which is filled with sincere worship and praise to God by humble and contrite hearts is disgusting to the Devil. He fears the power in the name of Jesus, and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God” (Psalms 50:23).

When the children of Judah found themselves outnumbered by the hostile armies of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, King Jehoshophat and all the people sought the Lord for His help. The Lord assured the people that this would be His battle. He told them to go out against them, and He would do the fighting for them. So what did the children of Judah do? Being the people of “praise” (Judah actually means Praise), and knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their army against their enemies, led by the praisers!

So on they went, ahead of the army declaring, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever!” And the scripture says, “…when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running! I challenge you to become a person of praise, and you will experience the release of the power of God!

Some Biblical Expressions of Praise

Declaring of thanks (Heb. 13:15)
Clapping hands and shouting (Psalms 47:1)
Musical instruments and dancing (Psm. 150:4)
Singing praise songs (Psalms 9:11)
Psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19-20)
Making a joyful noise (Psalms 98:4)
By lifting our hands (Psalms 134:2)
By being still (Psalms 4:3-5, 46:10)
By being loud (Psalms 33:3, 95:1-6)

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Here are 3 simple ways you can support this ministry and keep Pastor Onesmus online:

1. Share this message with at least 5 friends (and even 5 enemies?).
2. Make a one-time DONATION. May God shower His blessings on you!
3. Become a MINISTRY PARTNER.

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Israel is Occupying NO Arab Land!

ISRAEL & THE MIDDLE EAST (PART 1), by Pastor Atukwatse Onesmus

The Holy Bible upholds the nation of Israel dearly. Out of Abraham this nation emerged through Isaac and Jacob. Jacob’s second name was given to him and first mentioned by God himself, and became the name of the whole nation – Israel. (See Gen 35:10)

God commanded believers to always remember Israel in their prayers and that all who love Jerusalem will be blessed by God.

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3)

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure.’” (Psalm 122:6)

Why is Israel so special to us?

Because the Holy bible, APOSTLES, prophets, and Jesus came from Israel!  Therefore without Israel we would have no prophets, no apostles, no bible, and no savior.

The Muslim empire hates Israel as a nation and the Jews in particular, always regarding Israel as the great Satan.  This is because the Quran orders all Muslims in Surah Maid 5, verses 51, not to take Jews and Christian as their friends.

The Holy Scriptures teach that you should love your enemy; pray for him and reach out to him with good news.  On the other hand, Islamic teachings translated this fundamental nature into hate.

Chapter 9:30 teaches that, Allah curses Jews and Christians.  Surely, Islam lacks tolerance and every non-Muslim is regarded as a target of war.  Muslims will not settle for just another religious faith, for every essence of Islam demands world dominance. (Quran 2:193)  The Islamic world empire is the primary goal of this religious society.

I therefore wish to reveal that the spirit of Islam is what is behind all Muslim world hatred against Israel.  I would also like to bring out what seems to have been ignored and yet it is important for a balanced analysis of the middle East conflict.

Israel is the only non-muslim nation in the Middle East.

The unfolding events in the Middle East in regard to Muslim Arabs hatred against Israel are more sparked by religious differences rather than politics.  Whereas, on the surface, it is the terrorist groups, Hamas or Hezbollah fighting the only Jewish nation, Israel, it is in fact a continuation of the war that Muslim Arabs have waged against the Jews since the dawn of Islam.  This is an Islamic intention to destroy the nation of Israel id possible, erase Jewish and Christian history in order to promote Islamic history and Islamize the world.

It is disgusting to see how countries, including the world ruling body, to some extent have for long been deceived, and have acted based on the deception in regard to solving the middle East conflict.  By dividing the territory of Israel in favor of another state, it is simply an act of convicting the victim.

We shouldn’t wonder why under Mr Obama administration, a quiet parallel is being drawn between Jewish settlements and Palestinian terror.

To Obama administration, the settlements are an obstacle to peace and Palestinians have a right to resist.  But this theory conveniently ignores the historical facts.

Israel dismantled all 21 Gaza settlements in 2000, but instead of the promised peace, the Palestinians fired thousands of rockets across the border.  Mr Obama and the European Union see the settlements as the cause for the Arab hostility towards Israel. But if that were true, why did Arab armies launch wars of annihilation in 1948 and 1973, before a single Jewish community was built in Judea and Samaria?

In line with the above facts therefore, the settlements are just another excuse for the Arabs to deny Israel’s right to exist.  The Goal of the Arabs is simple: to wipe out completely the state of Israel from the world map and create another Arab state.

If anyone doubts me, just remember what Yesser Arafat, the late Palestinian leader (PLO) told a news reporter Arianna Palazzi in 1970.  Arafat was quoted as saying,

“The question of boarders doesn’t interest us… From the Arab standpoint, we mustn’t talk about borders.  Our nation is the Arabic nation that stretches from the Atlantic ocean to the red sea and beyond it…..”

Now, by making the above utterances anybody can realize that the Palestine Liberation Organization is simply fighting Israel in the name of pan-Arabism.  A quick look at general history will easily justify my submissions.

The geographic area called Palestine was governed by the British after it took it from the Turks at the end of the first world war.  The LON (precursor of UN), according to the Balfour declaration of 1917, mandated Britain to create a Jewish state in all “Palestine” due to historical right.

Tragically, Britain did not fulfill its mandate and instead created a formerly non-existent state called Trans-Jordan (now Jordan).  In 1922, even when the UNO decided the partition plan on November 29 1947, Britain voted against it and all the Arab states boycotted the vote. Never mind that the plan that gave the Jews only 23% of its original land was not legally binding since the UN security council did not ratify it.

In 1948, Britain abandoned Palestine without fulfilling her primary responsibility. Israel declared independence on May 14th 1948, but was attacked by six Arab states the next day.  Ironically, Jordan was led, armed, and trained by Britain. It invaded, occupied, and annexed Samaria and Judea (now called the West bank), as well as Jerusalem.   On the other hand, Egypt invaded and occupied Gaza.

These are the so-called “occupied” territories after Israel re-captured them in 1967. Any understanding that refers to the Middle East and conflict basing on the so-called “occupied land” theory, is shallow in understanding of the whole subject, lacking dissertation and basis of history.

Israel subject doesn’t begin on 1967, but rather goes far back over 3000 years.

Incidentally, when Egypt and Jordan were in charge of these territories, nobody cared or even mentioned about creating a Palestinian state. Instead Jordan destroyed 58 synagogues in East Jerusalem and desecrated 38,000 of the 50,000 ancient and modern Jewish graves in the cemetery on Mount Olives.  They used the stones for latrines and walkways.

In 1967, when Egypt and Syria announced on national media their intention to attack Israel, Jordan joined and attacked.  However, Israel defeated them all and took back Gaza and the “west bank”, including capturing the Golan Heights from where Syria was shelling Israel territory for sometime.

Due to international pressure, Israel under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, a few years ago uprooted Jewish settlements from Gaza thinking that they could buy peace by Arabs land.  But this has been proved wrong.  What transpired shows that Arabs don’t need land, because, instead of developing Gaza, they turned it into a launching ground for Hamas terrorists to fire rockets at Israel.  In a period of only one week, Hamas fired about 500 rockets.

To those calling for peace talks, how can you talk peace with a person who doesn’t recognize your existence and seeks to destroy you?

I beg your pardon, it should be illustrated clearly that the hatred against Israel is mostly basing on religion rather than politics. Quran 8:60 instructs that strike terror (into the enemies of Islam).

And Galatians 4:22-29 reports that a chronicle hatred between Ishmael (grandfather of Muslims) and Isaac (grand father of the Jews and Christians).  It goes on to affirm that the bad blood which happened with them then is happening to their offspring!  That as Ishmael persecuted Isaac then, so is it even today. The seed of Ishmael is persecuting the seed of Isaac!

The dream and struggle of the Muslim radicals are ardent and lofty.  They would like to have Islam rule the whole world. We should understand that Islam is a mission minded propaganda, meant to subjugate, killing and persecuting others in order to swallow all nonconformists.

For Islam, peace (salaam) is not achieved until Islam has swallowed a land. Peace in Islam means total eradication of all non-muslims. Therefore, an Islamic world empire remains the unwavering goal of this religious society. When seduction and money fail to convert a non-Muslim to Islam, then the Islamic sword is raised high and war chants fill the air.

At the international Islamic conference in 1976, it was said that “if we can win London for Islam, it wouldn’t be hard to win the whole Western world.” In 1945 there was only one mosque in England. but now there are over 1000 mosques and Muslims form the second largest religion.

It’s our land…. By Benjamin Netanyahu

Apparently, Benjamin Netanyahu gave an interview and was asked about Israel’s occupation of Arab lands.  His response was “it’s our land….”  It is important information since we don’t get fair and accurate reporting from the media houses, and facts tend to get lost in jumble of daily events.

“Crash course on Arab Israel conflict”

Here are overlooked facts in the current middle East situation.  These were compiled by a university professor.

Facts on the Israel conflict today…

• Nationhood and Jerusalem. Israel became a nation in 1312BCE, 2000yrs before the rise of Islam.
• Arab refugees began to identify themselves as part of Palestinian people in 1967, two decades after the establishment of the modern state of Israel.
• Since the Jewish conquest in 1272BCE, the Jews have had dominion over the land for 1000yrs with a continuous presence in the land of the past 3300 years.
• The only Arab dominion since the conquest in 635CE lasted not more than 22 years.
• For over 3300 years, Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital and has never been a capital of any Arab country. even when the Jordanians occupied Jerusalem, they never sought to make it their capital, and Arab leaders didn’t come to visit.
• Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in Jewish holy scriptures and is never mentioned anywhere, even once, in a Koran.
• King David founded the city of Jerusalem. Mohammad never came to Jerusalem.
• Jews pray facing Jerusalem. Muslims pray with their backs towards Jerusalem.
• In 1948 the Arab refugees were encouraged to leave Israel by the Arab leaders promising to purge the land of the Jews. 68% left without ever seeing an Israel soldier.
• The Jewish refugees were forced to flee from Arab lands due to brutality and persecution.
• The number of the Arab refugees who left Israel in 1948 is estimated to be around 630,000.
• The number of the Jewish refugees from Arab lands is estimated to be the same.
• Arab refugees were intentionally not integrated or absorbed into the vast Arab lands to which they fled.
• Out of the 100,000,000 refugees since the world war two, theirs is the only refugee group in the world that has never been absorbed or integrated into their own people’s lands. Jewish refugees on the other hand were completely absorbed into Israel, a country not largest than the state of New Jersey.
• The Arabs are represented by eight separate nations, not including Palestinians. there is only one Jewish nation. the Arab nations initiated all five wars and lost, Israel defended its self each time and won.
• The PLO charter still calls for the destruction of the state of Israel. Israel has given the Palestinians most of the West Bank land, autonomy under Palestinian authority, and has supplied them.
• Under the Jordan rule, Jewish holy sights were desecrated and the Jews were denied access to places of worship. Under Israel rule, all Muslim and Christian sites have been preserved and made accessible to people of all faiths.
• The UNO record on Israel and the Arabs: of the 175 security council resolutions, before 1990, 97 were directed against Israel of the 690 general assembly resolutions voted on before 1990, 429 were directed against Israel.
• The UN was silent while Jerusalem Synagogues were destroyed by the Jordanians.
• The UN was silent while the Jordanians systematically desecrated the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mountain of Olives.
• The UN was silent while the Jordanians enforced an apartheid-like policy of preventing Jews from visiting the Temple Mount and the western wall.

In conclusion…

These are incredible times. we have to ask what our role should be. what will we tell our grand children about what we did when there was a turning point in Jewish destiny, which is an opportunity to make a difference.

Those are facts I have put together about the Middle East conflict.

My prayer is that God shall awaken His people that they may know their role as regards to Israel and her enemy neighbors.  I still maintain that there are two things we as children of Abraham by faith are mandated to do:

1. to always remember Israel in our prayers and pray and bless her;
2. to love Israel unconditionally.

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What Does It Mean to Pray in the Spirit?

THE ARMOR OF GOD (PART 15), by Pastor Atukwatse Onesmus

“You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” Joshua 7:13

Now that you have the full armor of God in place, you’re ready to pray!

Since prayer is warfare, it should not surprise us that the admonition to put on all of God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-17) precedes this exhortation to pray in verse 18:

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”

Now I know that some dear brothers and sisters in the Lord will disagree with me on this one, and the following words are my opinions only (Rich Miller), but I don’t happen to think that the apostle Paul is talking primarily about praying in tongues here.

He is speaking about praying “all kinds of prayers and requests”, not just one kind of prayer (tongues). However, based on Paul’s extensive teaching on speaking and praying with the Spirit (tongues) in 1 Corinthians 14, I do not think he is excluding praying in tongues either.

Now I know some people will really disagree with me on that one! And that’s okay. Never let it be said that we are afraid to face tough issues head on in these devotionals!

So what does it mean to pray in the Spirit?

In essence, it is praying with the Holy Spirit guiding and empowering your prayer life. It is allowing Him to prompt you in whether to pray for a request at all. And if so, it is permitting Him to show you how to pray for a person or a situation, rather than assuming you know already.

How many times do we get a prayer request from another person via the phone or email or mail? Constantly! We are inundated with prayer requests these days (and unfortunately, those who are often so eager to request prayer are not always quite so quick to tell us how God answered our prayers!).

The Holy Spirit will first of all show you which requests to pray for and which to leave for another prayer warrior. One person simply cannot pray for every request that comes their way!

Secondly, the Spirit will show you whether you are to respond to this request with “asking”, “seeking” or “knocking” prayer.

“Asking” prayer is a one-shot lifting up of that request to God and thanking Him that it is in His hands. Then you move on to the next thing He calls you to do.

I often do this with people who call on the phone for prayer. I pray right there with them over the phone and they are encouraged. Usually I do not sense an assignment from the Lord to continue in prayer for that request, unless it happens to be from a close friend or relative.

“Seeking” prayer involves a lot of question-asking of God, seeking His face and searching the word of God in order to understand exactly how to pray for a situation.

For example, a request may come in to pray for a rebellious teen. As you seek God’s face, He might move your focus to pray for specific issues in the parents’ lives instead. This type of praying requires waiting on the Lord, rather than knee-jerk praying for what may only be surface symptoms.

“Knocking” prayer is the hardest. It is the bulldog determined prayer that involves the breaking down of strongholds so that the truth of the gospel can go forth.

When God gives an assignment to keep on knocking, it is with the understanding that you continue on until the answer comes, even if it takes years of prayer.

But all true prayer is initiated by the Spirit of God, led and guided by Him, and empowered by Him in accordance with His word. Whether your praying takes ten minutes or ten years, He will be there every minute to lead you.

Praying in the Spirit will never contradict the word of God, for the Spirit is the One who inspired the writers of Scripture in the first place.

So, brothers and sisters, let the Holy Spirit fill you as you put on the full armor of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions… and watch what God does!

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Sharpen That Sword!!

THE ARMOR OF GOD (PART 14), by Pastor Atukwatse Onesmus

“You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” Joshua 7:13

What good is a soldier without a weapon?

A soldier’s purpose is to engage the enemy and defeat him in battle, not just survive. So many Christians seem to be just hanging on against the enemy, with their noses barely above water. Have we forgotten the terrible power of “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”?

Jesus, as a little boy and young man was thoroughly grounded in the Old Testament Scriptures. Even at age 12 he amazed the religious leaders with His profound insights into the word of God.  Jesus’ childhood training in the Scriptures, coupled with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in His life, would serve invaluable later on.

Shortly after Jesus’ baptism by John, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to do battle with the devil. After fasting for 40 days and nights He became hungry and it was at the time that the tempter tried to hit Jesus with his best shots.

Three times the gospels record the devil’s temptations. Three times Jesus countered with the spoken word of God. “It is written…” “It is written…” “It is written…” The devil fled until a more opportune time. He had no choice.  He was soundly defeated and knew there was no way he could defeat the Lord Jesus one on one.

Three times Jesus quoted from the book of Deuteronomy in resisting the devil.  His answers were immediate.  He employed no stall tactics in order to buy time.  He did not request permission to go back into town and find some scrolls to look up a Bible verse or two. He did not “umm and ahh”, saying something like, “I know that there’s a Scripture that talks about that, but I just can’t seem to put my finger on it…”

Unfortunately, in my observation, far too many believers in Christ are biblical illiterates or at best swinging a rather dull sword. Is it any wonder that the devil runs rampant over our lives?

My encouragement to you, brother or sister in the Lord, is to get serious about knowing the word of God so that you can take up the sword of the Spirit! What power is there! Look at Hebrews 4:12:

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

In places like Psalm 1 and Psalm 119 we are exhorted over and over again to hunger for, meditate on and grow in wisdom from the word of God.  2 Timothy 2:15 says:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”

Touching stories are nice. Clever arguments have their place. Jokes can be effective tools. But there is only one sword. And when it comes to spiritual warfare, all the human reasoning, eloquence and arguing will prove vain. But if you submit to God and resist the devil with the word of God, he will flee from you.

Do you remember the first piece of armor? The belt of truth – knowing the truth.  God’s word is truth. And you can know this for sure – without the belt, the sword will fall down. You have to know the truth in order to be able to speak the truth.

Don’t be deceived into thinking that God will somehow miraculously zap your mind with Scripture you do not know when you are fighting against the devil. But He will bring to your mind Scripture that you have learned in your hour of need.

Do you want to defeat the enemy in spiritual battle?  The learn the word of God and use it as the sword it is!  John’s first letter says just that:

“I have written to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:14b)

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That Head-Gear Looks Good on You!

THE ARMOR OF GOD (PART 13), by Pastor Atukwatse Onesmus

“You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” Joshua 7:13

“Have I committed the unpardonable sin?”

That was the question foremost on the mind of the frightened man as he walked into my office. And today, that may be the question foremost on your mind, or on the mind of someone you know and love.

Last week we discussed what it meant to put on “the helmet of salvation.”

For those who are battling with the fear that they have somehow blasphemed the Holy Spirit, there is no way they can keep that critical piece of armor in place until they have resolved this issue. Perhaps this short devotional will help you reach that resolution.

Let’s begin by looking at Mark 3:22-30, a key passage on this topic:

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished!

But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house. Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Most certainly Jesus was speaking to people whose hearts were hardened to the nth degree. There standing in front of them was the Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son, and they attributed his ministry of delivering people from demonic bondage to the devil himself!

These were the same scribes who so hated Jesus that they orchestrated His betrayal, arrest, mock trial, scourging, beating and hateful crucifixion. They detested Jesus and cursed him, spat upon him and sneered at him on the cross. They had never been open to the work of the Spirit of God and never would be.

Now, as you look at your life – is that really you?

I doubt it very much. Somehow I can’t imagine those who hate Jesus taking the time to visit a Freedom in Christ web site, let alone even give a hoot about whether they committed the unpardonable sin or not!

THE DEVIL IS AN ACCUSER.

He is like a prosecuting attorney, viciously and brutally seeking to discredit and discourage a witness on the stand.

Perhaps at one time in your life you were skeptical about whether such and such a miracle or manifestation of the Spirit was really from God. But it turned out it was from God. And so, the devil, cruel opportunist that he is, roared in and pointed his gnarled finger at your heart saying, “Aha! You see! You’ve done it now! There’s no hope for you. You’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit!”

Been there, felt that? Are there, feeling that? I have, and it can be sheer torment, thinking that you have lost all hope.

Dear brother or sister in Christ, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). That accusing, condemning voice is not the Lord.  It is one of the devil’s emissaries masquerading as the voice of God.

Here’s what you do:

• For every wrong attitude, word or deed that you have committed, go to God in confession, claiming 1 John 1:9 that you are forgiven.
• Then renounce each lying accusation, declaring that you are a child of God and not guilty of the unpardonable sin.
• Then command the enemy to leave your presence in no uncertain terms.

If he tries to gain entry again by popping a thought in your mind, speak a Scripture out loud that refutes his lie and start worshipping the Lord or praying for others. After a while, the enemy will get the idea that you’re on to his game and he’s been check-mated.

Above all, don’t be discouraged with the battle, especially if you have allowed the accusing, obsessive thoughts to find a home in your mind for a while. As long as you persevere and don’t give up and don’t give in, you will prevail!

So, my friend, put on the helmet of salvation! It looks great on you!!

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Can You Be Sure You Will Go to Heaven?

THE ARMOR OF GOD (PART 12), by Pastor Atukwatse Onesmus

“You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” Joshua 7:13

Do you know for sure today that you are a forgiven, child of God?  Can you say with 100% certainty that if you were to die today, you would go to be with Jesus in heaven?

If you can’t, then the fifth piece of the armor of God is for you!

The apostle Paul urged us to “take the helmet of salvation” in Ephesians 6:17.  What did he mean by that?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:8,9 he wrote:

“But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The “hope of salvation” doesn’t translate into this: “Well, I sure hope I’m saved, but I guess I won’t know until I get there.”

That is so anti-biblical, it’s not funny. God doesn’t want us to piddle around here on earth, hoping that when we die we’ll make it. The biblical concept of hope is not wishful thinking!

It is assurance of something that we cannot see, but which we know will happen!

That word “know” is key when it comes to our salvation!

Read carefully the inspired word of the apostle John:

“And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)

Did you catch it?

God has given us eternal life.  Past tense!  A done deal! Something already accomplished.  He has given eternal life to us because He has given us Jesus, His Son.

The question is not, “Has God given?”

The question is, “Have you received what God has given?”

Have you received Jesus Christ? Do you “have” Him?

If you do, you have eternal life already.  If you don’t have Jesus, then you don’t have eternal life… yet.  But as long as you have physical life, you still have the opportunity for eternal life!

The Bible exhorts us that if you hear God’s voice today, don’t harden your heart!  If God is calling you to be saved today, don’t put it off!

There are no guarantees that He will call tomorrow and even if He does, your heart tomorrow will be harder than it is today – if you reject His invitation!

Indeed, as Paul wrote elsewhere:

“Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold now is ‘the day of salvation.'” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Why not open your heart to the Lord Jesus today and receive the free gift of eternal life? If that is the desire of your heart, we encourage you to pray with us:

Dear Lord Jesus, I need You. I have sinned against You and deserve spiritual death.

Instead, Lord, today I choose eternal life. I turn away from my life of sinful self-centeredness and dependence on myself, and I choose to receive You as my Savior to forgive me and my Lord to direct my life.

I thank You, Lord Jesus, for paying for all my sins through Your death and shed blood on the cross. I believe that You rose from the dead and conquered death.

Now I enter into a new relationship with You and receive the free gift of eternal life in Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for saving me today. Amen.

My friend, if you sincerely prayed that prayer today (or if you have done it in the past), the Holy Spirit will bear witness with your spirit that you are God’s child.

And if you are truly a child of God, then put on the helmet of the hope of salvation and praise God today! You have eternal life!

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Now that’s good news!

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When Fiery Arrows Come!

THE ARMOR OF GOD (PART 11), by Pastor Atukwatse Onesmus

“You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” Joshua 7:13

Do you ever feel like you are target practice for the devil? Be encouraged today, my friend, because God has given you an invincible defense!

The apostle Paul describes the fourth piece of armor this way:

“…in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.”  (Ephesians 6:16)

All of us go through trials. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are mild, others are intense. Some are short-lived, others are chronic. But all of them add stress to our lives.

All of them have the capacity to make us better or bitter. We can either grow through them or growl at them. The choice is ours.

Scripture is clear how we are to handle trials and tribulations. Here is a sampling of what the word of God has to say on the matter:

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  (1 John 5:4,5)

God is sovereign. He will not allow anything in your life or mine beyond what we can handle in Him (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).  What He allows in our lives is meant to strengthen our faith and make us more like Jesus (Romans 8:28,29).

The devil, however, lurks in the shadows of every trial and hisses his lies, “You can’t trust God!” … “If God really loved you, He wouldn’t make you go through this”… “This suffering will never end. It’s hopeless”… “You’re feeling miserable, why don’t you numb the pain with alcohol, drugs, porn (or whatever)…” And so on.

How can you stand firm in the midst of the flaming fury of the devil’s incoming missiles?

Lift up the shield of faith!

Through your pain or tears or frustration, give thanks to God (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18), for thanksgiving demonstrates faith.

Say to God,

“Lord, I’m hurting here, but I thank You that You are in control,
that You love me and that You will never leave me nor forsake me.
Though I cannot see or feel You right now, I cling to You,
and I know Your right hand will uphold me (Psalm 63:8).
I trust that this trial will, in the end, make me more like Jesus.
And for that, I say, thank You.

Brother or sister in Christ, know today that no matter what evil may befall you, the shield of faith will snuff out every vicious, cruel attack of the enemy, and will enable you to stand firm through the painful trial.

The Bible promises that!

Count on it today!

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The Difference Easter Makes

EASTER MESSAGE, 2010 (Matthew 28:1-10)
by Pr Atukwatse Onesmus

Around the world today sanctuaries are packed with people celebrating Easter. Unfortunately, many of those worshipers will not return next Sunday. Why?

A recent study gave these reasons:

• 74% – There is no value in attending
• 81% – Churches have too many problems
• 48% – I don’t have the time
• 42% – I’m simply not interested
• 34% – The church is irrelevant to the way I live

[Barna Research Group]

Do you hear what these figures are saying? For the most part people thing the church (and it’s message is irrelevant).

I find that staggering. I can’t think of anything more relevant than the issue of life after death and how to prepare for it. This morning I want to show you SOME of the relevance of Easter. Go with me to Matthew 28 and let’s see how the fact of Easter can change us today.

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
(Matthew 28:1-10, NKJ)

Don’t Be Afraid!

Twice in this simple account (and it is also found in the other gospels), we see the command, “Do not be afraid!”  In verse 5, it is the Angel telling the women not to be afraid. In verse 10, Jesus tells these women the same thing: “Do not be afraid.”

The message of Easter is one that says to all of us, “You no longer need to be afraid.”     READ ON/ DOWLOAD……

Go and Tell . . .

The second command given by both the Angel and the Lord was to “go and tell the disciples”.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven He told His disciples: “Go, and make disciples of all nations.”

Christianity is a “go and tell” faith.   READ ON/ DOWNLOAD……

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