Do You Believe That Jesus Is The Son Of God
June 25, 2021

Do You Believe That Jesus Is The Son Of God?

“Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” …Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” …It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. …From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”(John 6:53-58,60,63-64,66-69, NKJV) [Emphasis, mine]

How the disciples must have felt when they heard Jesus say that unless they ate His flesh and drank His blood, they would have no life. What exactly was Jesus saying? Was He promoting cannibalism? And how were the disciples to get hold of His flesh and blood? Were they to kill Him and drain His blood? The fact is that Jesus was not advocating for cannibalism, neither was He encouraging them to kill Him although He knew He would be crucified for our sins. Who can fathom the ways of God? In verse 58 of John 6, Jesus said He was the Bread from Heaven. 
 
It is obvious that Jesus was not looking for popularity otherwise He would not have talked about flesh and blood. He knew those who pretended to believe in Him and what would constitute the straw that would break the camel’s back. You see, God is not interested in the approval of men or cheap popularity. It cost Jesus His life to redeem mankind and He was simply stating that there is a cost to follow Him. The question is: Are you prepared to pay the price for following Jesus? Many disciples felt that what Jesus said was a hard saying and consequently left Him and went back to their previous occupations or engagements, never again to return to Him. They forsook Jesus because what He said was just too much for them to take in. They were not prepared to eat the flesh of Jesus and drink His blood. Are you prepared to eat the flesh of Jesus and drink His blood? When they departed, Jesus turned to the twelve disciples and asked them whether they wanted to go away too? The response of Peter is instructive and an eye opener – “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
 
As far as Peter was concerned, He had nowhere else to go. He had given up everything to follow Jesus because he knew Jesus had the words of eternal life. In other words, no one else could give him life except Jesus. Do you believe that? If you do, you would look up to Jesus only and not have a divided heart. Peter believed that Jesus was (and still is) the Son of God. It was not mental accent or a passive belief; it was a belief that demanded action – let go and let God. Have you let go?; have you surrendered completely to God? The authenticity of a proclamation of belief in Jesus is only as true or genuine as the degree of surrender one demonstrates. To say one believes that Jesus is the Son of God and to live a compromised, carnal, unbelieving, ungodly or unholy life is a stark contradiction in terms. It is, with all due respect, falsehood and deception personified.
 
Peter’s belief in Jesus led him to say unequivocally, “See, we have left all and followed You.” (Luke 18:28)
Have you left all? God may not have asked you to leave your location and go elsewhere; He may not have asked you yet to give up your house, your car, your academic qualifications, your job, your money, and the list goes on and on. However, the question is: Have you left them, in your heart? You may ask, how is that possible? Hear what Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21)
 
A simple test will reveal the condition of one’s heart. This simple test will examine one’s claim of believing in Jesus and loving Him. This test will expose hypocrisy, lukewarmness, carnality, self-centredness, and spiritual death. You see, if one is not spiritually alive, he or she is spiritually dead. And make no mistake about it, it is possible to become spiritually dead after having received Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour. In Revelation 3, Jesus gave a scalding rebuke of the Church in Sardis, “…I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.” (Revelation 3:1-2). This church had been thriving spiritually but then became complacent and spiritually dead. The members were physically alive but spiritually dead. So, the question arises: Where is your heart? The condition of your heart and its location will reveal whether you have left all or not. Your heart is where your treasure is and if your treasure is on earth, that’s where your heart is. The location of your heart (Heaven or hell) gives an indication of the condition of your heart. An earthly heart reveals worldliness whereas a heavenly heart reveals faith, obedience and perseverance.
 

When Jesus spoke of His flesh and blood, He was not referring to physical food. The people had been fed physical food and Jesus  was really making a contrast between physical food and spiritual food, metaphorically speaking. Incidentally during the Lord’s Supper, the Bible says, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28). Partaking of the spiritual food meant identifying with the sufferings of Jesus and taking up one’s cross daily to follow Him. No wonder Apostle Paul wrote, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ” (Philippians 3:10) 

 

Believing in Jesus is all-encompassing. There is nothing like a partial belief in Jesus as belief to be true must be 100% implying leaving all to follow Him. Have you left all? Believing in Jesus means having a desire to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. Following Jesus is not easy but it is very possible by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. Ponder on this and let God Almighty give you the grace you need to be the person He wants you to be in Jesus’ Name.
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The Reality Of Persecution
June 23, 2021

The Reality Of Persecution

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12). 

 

I am unashamedly a follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ and I have followed Him for over three decades. I received Him as my personal Lord and Saviour and I believe with all my heart that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). So, I am a Christian and the Bible says that I will suffer persecution. Do I want persecution? No. My flesh cringes at the very thought of it because it is not pleasant; it is ugly, humiliating and sometimes dehumanising in more ways than one. That is just a fact. Any Christian who rejects the idea of persecution needs to  examine the Scriptures because as far as God is concerned, it is not optional. The only way to escape persecution is to live a compromised or carnal life. 

 
Persecution of believers started in the first century and has not stopped since then. “In the 20th century, Christian populations were persecuted, sometimes to the point of genocide, by various states, including the Ottoman Empire and its successor, which committed the Hamidian massacres, the Armenian genocide, the Assyrian genocide, and the Greek genocide, and officially atheist states such as the Soviet Union, Communist Albania, North Korea” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians#:~:text=In%20the%2020th,and%20North%20Korea.). In 2019, the BBC reported that Christian persecution was ‘at near genocide levels’ (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48146305) There are numerous other reports and articles on Christian persecution. Open Doors has reported on extreme Christian persecution worldwide (https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/)
 

No one in his or her right mind would wake up each day praying for persecution. Of the twelve disciples of Jesus (this would include Matthias who replaced Judas Iscariot), eleven of them were martyred. Only John died a natural death due to old age. The point is that as believers we cannot ignore persecution. We do not know when it will come our way and it should be said that God allows it to happen. Right now, millions of Christians are persecuted, tortured, murdered worldwide.  Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

 
Having established the fact of persecution, what should we do? We must ensure that we are not being persecuted for foolish or ungodly behaviour. Let it be that when we are persecuted, it will be because of our faith in Jesus. However, engaging in wishful thinking is not really an option; compromising is unacceptable and ignoring the truth of God’s Word would amount to folly. “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”(Luke 9:62). In the 21st century, it is not unusual to be labelled homophobic for speaking the truth of God’s Word. Religious freedom is being trampled upon, intolerance is the order of the day; certain groups that cry out for tolerance refuse to exercise tolerance. Cancel culture is the order of the day, critical race theory is being propagated and Christians are punished for standing up for what they believe. Persecution of Christians is real and as long as Jesus tarries, it will continue. The Bible says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Peter 5:6-9). By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter wrote the epistle to Christians who were facing severe trials and it would do us good to heed his advice. We must be sober, vigilant, walk by faith and not by sight. We must continue to press on, press in, fix our eyes on Jesus, obey Him, read and study the Word of God and tell people that Jesus saves. We must continue to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15) and make disciples (Mathew 28:18-20). We must resist the devil in the Name of Jesus and remember that our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12-13). We are admonished to, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)
 
Remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you in your hour of trial and persecution. Jesus encouraged His disciples, “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:11-12). 
The Holy Spirit will empower us in the day of trouble for God will never leave us nor forsake (Hebrews 13:5). In the midst of all this, we will love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us. “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.” (Luke 6:27-29). Jesus commanded us to do so. My brothers and sisters in the Lord, the English say, ‘To be forewarned is to be forearmed’. Finally we must pray without ceasing (2 Thessalonians 5:17) for we always have to pray and not faint (Luke 18:1). We will march on in faith, in love, with perseverance and 100% commitment to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 
 
We will not be shaken; we will not relent our efforts to tell people that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, the Truth and the Life. We will preach the Word of God in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). May God bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and may you hear the Holy Spirit telling you where to go, either to the right or to the left or to remain still, in Jesus’ Name. Have a blessed day. 
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March 31, 2021

Who Am I?

“Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord , the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord , is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord , and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.” (1 Chronicles 29:10-14)

If you happen to come across this article, you may read it, take it seriously, disregard it or dump it. That is your choice and you are entitled to it. However, have you bothered to ponder over your life?- the free gift of life, the air you breathe, the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the car you drive, the job you have or the prospects and possibilities of finding one or getting a new one, your spouse if you are married, your children (biological or adopted), the list can go on and on. What is the point?

Simply that each day is a privilege; each day is a gift; each day presents an eternal opportunity (once in the whole of eternity); each day presents opportunities to become a history-maker; each day offers a platform for good works; each day makes it possible for you to ride on the back of your ambassadorial responsibilities; each day gives you the privilege to say, JESUS IS LORD, Hallelujah! Each day presents the golden opportunity for you to demonstrate what it means to be a child of God in a fallen, dark, sinful world. Each day ……

Do you feel the urge to shout ‘Glory be to God’? You see, King David was overwhelmed at the love and mercy God had shown him. Unknown to anyone, God propelled him to the limelight (so to speak) as a shepherd boy to kill Goliath. Oh yes, God can lift you up from the remotest village in the world and place you on the world stage for His purpose not yours. Although God prevented David from building the temple, he was grateful that God had chosen his son Solomon (the son of Bathsheba with whom David had committed adultery) to build the temple. Can you imagine the flood of emotions that rushed through David’s mind and body? He praised God saying ‘Who am I…’?

That question resounds in the 21st century. Who am I, Lord to be given the privilege to write? Who am I to be redeemed from the bondage of sin and Satan? Who am I to be given the wonderful opportunity to serve God as a bi-vocational minister? Who am I to have been born to my parents on my birthday? It could have been someone else. Who am I to be endowed with the gifts and talents that I have? Who am I…?

My brethren, I have always prayed that God will always make me remember where He brought me from. I was lost, drowning in my recklessness, indiscipline and addictions but God … but God… Hallelujah! The devil wanted to obliterate me; he wanted to annihilate me; he wanted to cast me into hell but God … Hallelujah! What about you? Can you say with King David, ‘Who am I? Can you praise God this day with every ounce of breath you have for His love, goodness and mercy? Oh yes, you may face challenges, you may be jobless, you may even be sick, but God is fully in control. He loves you unconditionally and the devil can do nothing about it. Hallelujah! You have a purpose but the devil has a horrible end – the lake of fire. Oh, glory to God. Listen to the Word of God

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39, ESV)

Nothing or nobody can separate you from the love of God. Somebody shout, Amen.

“no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17)

The devil may rant and rave but you are untouchable. Hallelujah!

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord , and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3)

Please pay attention. You are blessed in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. Why? Because God is good and His angels encamp all around you. Even if you are jobless, you are blessed; if you are looking for a wife or husband, you are blessed; if you have pains in your body, you are blessed; Why?, you may ask. BECAUSE your blessings do not depend on circumstances. God will definitely provide your needs but while He is doing it, you are blessed because God is love – He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. His plans for your life will come to fruition if you trust Him. His plans, not your plans and His plans for you are good and perfect – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Finally, in praising God, King David said, “…For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.” Do you realise that? All that you have has been made possible by God. He has given you the life and strength to acquire all that you have. Job said,
“Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb,And naked I will return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21, AMP)

While theologians debate about what Job was really saying, it is abundantly clear that God requires total surrender and He has the right to ask you to lay all on the altar (Luke 14:33). Will you? Remember God’s will for your life is perfect; it is the best. Don’t settle for a mediocre plan (every other plan is mediocre compared to God’s plan).

May the Lord God Almighty enable you to understand that He really care and that He will never lead you astray, no matter what. Have a blessed day.

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