God’s power has given us
everything
we need for life and godliness,
through our knowing
the One who called us
to his own glory and goodness.
2 Peter 1:3
Here is the message on my (extended) family's chat this morning:
"I posted it here because of the challenge.
The idea is the challenge
Challenged to finish things.
That's one of the most difficult things in life. Dogged decisive determination to stick to something till it's finished.
I don't fail in anything. I don't shut down anything I only improve on things.
I moved from office to office in *** till I settled at the current office where I am now.
I already paid additional rent for the *** store yesterday. It will work.
I am challenged to finish successfully."
....
I'm grateful for a sister that thinks like this! 🙏.
Sometimes we look everywhere for what is already given to us. As the Nigeria proverb goes... "What you are looking for in 'Sokoto' (a state in Nigeria) is already in your 'sokoto' (trousers). 😂. Really, I have some 100% bible-believing growing and power-packed Christians in my life!
.
The information that comes to you, especially first thing in the morning, will set your day (and eventually your life) up for failure or success. I am evidence of this in every way. I had always been an independent learner and was always very discerning about the quality of information, company and communication that I allowed access to my spirit.
That is how I grew.
You have to be careful what you expose your heart to. Some things can be difficult to reverse. It is not humility or wisdom to be so 'open minded' as to open your heart to words that deplete or degrade your spirit. You become what you hear consistently. We can easily allow ourselves to be shamed or manipulated into hearing or submitting to unwholesome messages, pressures or suggestions - including those from well-meaning Christians.
Faith and fear come from the same source: what we hear.
Hear compromise, negativity and criticism long enough, and it will contaminate your heart, hear God's uplifting truth continuously and you radiate his light.
Likewise, hearing a mixture of the two (faith and fear) only creates confusion in your soul.
A confused mind leads to a chaotic life.
Either make a tree good and its fruits good, or evil and its fruits evil. Be either hot for the Lord or cold (belonging to the world) but lukewarm is a no-no... The world can never be changed for Christ by compromising the truth of Christ's words.
Half-truths are the worst. They give an illusion of godliness but deny the scriptures its full power. The only truth that saves is not the 'comfortable' or so-called 'loving' truth. Yet, though we should speak the truth with kindness (aiming to persuade not destroy), nothing but that in accordance with ALL of the Truth of God, saves.
His Truth - verbatim, undiluted and undefiled is what saves. Tainting it with human philosophy or politics sucks the transformational eternal life out of it.
Truth is a person: ALL of Jesus Christ - who is the very expression of ALL of the God-Head.
Only burning hot fires ignite revival. The lukewarm are spewed out of his mouth.
We become what we are exposed to.
What are you exposed to? What are you exposing others to?
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17.
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Prophecy is not just about speaking 'hope', it is about speaking God's words. A prophet is meant to speak as God's oracle. And that means whenever God's words do not sound hopeful or even helpful, we should still patiently consider them because they will always cause growth if accepted.
''If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;'' 1 Peter 4:11a
''But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them].'' 1 Corinthians 14:3 AMP
A prophet only fails if he does not speak the words the Lord puts in his mouth. It's not his job to make the people believe or imbibe it. Ezekiel 33: 1 -9
In our Christian life or walk, as a leader or otherwise, we will at some point have to decide if ALL of God and his word is for us or WE want to CHOOSE which part of God we want and discard the rest. However, know this: the Word of God is God, and none of it is without significance. It has supremacy (in the context of Christ) and rules over this world and the one to come, whether we like it or not. The moment you start to decide which part is ok for you or not is the time YOU become God. This is a major problem with the bible teachings in western (orthodox AND charismatic) churches: power is sucked out of the messages to make it palatable to the sensibilities of the prevalent societal ideology and political climate. We preach a compromised message just to be accepted.
Love must tell the Truth - kindly but wholly - because the power only lies in the purity of the message.
''As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.'' Galatians 1:9 -10
There can be no revival till Jesus - the Word of God - becomes LORD in His Church.
Now, if my Christian life routines produced Life, why fix it? If it coped just fine in the midst of life's challenges, why fix it? The answer is this: If Christ is the centre of your life, don't change for anything! Christ is our strength, glory and dignity - the lifter up of our heads. He is our victory and ultimate blessing. To substitute him with human philosophy is to deny his word the power to heal, convert and transform. The only change any human needs is that change that leads them to be like ALL of Christ! Yes, the gentle but also the 'uncompromising' bits of him. Tell no lies. A lie is anything inconsistent with Christ's word.
Be a lifter of people and let Christ by his word and spirit lead your life absolutely. Let us do away with Christianity that is a mere formality, devoid of honest Love, Truth and power. Love is a person - Jesus Christ. He was caring but he was not a lukewarm people-pleaser or mere accessory in the world's scheme of things. He saved us - his Church- to RULE and REIGN in this life by his word and holy spirit! Our Jesus is enough. Christ is our Life! Let us edify with ALL of his words and ways.
And if all you have that gives you safe access to the His word is just a 'paper' bible, that will do just fine!
.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
''See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
Colossians 2:8-10
''treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,'' 2 Timothy 3:4-6
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.'' Revelation 3:14-16
For if by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:17
''Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.'' Psalm 119:89
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