“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Phil 3:17-21).

There are only two realms or two destinations: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. Therefore, there are two types of people: the citizens of heaven (who belong to the Kingdom of God) and the enemies of the Cross of Christ (the unrepentant unbelievers who go to hell). The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of the Kingdom of God. The devil, also called ‘the god of the belly’ is the king of this world. His followers go with him to hell. Salvation is by Grace, thru faith in Christ crucified and resurrected. Once the sinner truly repents and surrenders his life to Christ, the miracle of conversion happens. He becomes a child of God, born again by the Holy Spirit. He immediately becomes a citizen of heaven!!!

For example, naturally, if you want to become a citizen of a great country like America, you must fulfill some conditions before you apply. They may approve your application or not. Most people get residency first, before getting citizenship. A resident is someone who has established a residence in a country. Residence is usually for a limited time, to work or to study in that country. A resident is no longer a tourist, but a legal alien. A resident can freely travel in and out of that country, but he can be denied re-entry if he has not fulfilled some conditions, like living a certain amount of time there, working and having an accommodation in that country. A citizen is different. He belongs to that state. Unlike residents, the citizens have full rights, privileges and responsibilities defined by that country’s laws. For example, the citizens have the right to vote, to participate in politics, receive education, health, legal assistance and protection. The citizens can pass their citizenship to their children. They can receive a passport. Citizenship is a for lifetime. The citizens do not have to fulfill any conditions to retain their citizenship like living or working in that country.

But the citizenship of heaven is different. It’s a birth-right gift, given to all those who are saved. Once their eyes open to the new reality of eternal life, they immediately recognize they now have a new King and totally submit to Him. Rebellion against the King is punished. This citizenship is right now, at this present moment: “our citizenship IS in heaven”. It is not ‘it will be in heaven’. Spiritually, we are now sited as kings in the heavenly places. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:4-6). We are right now raised and seated together with Christ in the heavenly places. When King Jesus comes again, He will change our humble weak bodies with spiritual bodies, like His own. He has the power to change everything to be the way He wants it to be. Even now, King Jesus has the power ‘to subdue all things to Himself’. To subdue it means to totally defeat an enemy, to bring him under His control by the power of His will. By faith, we believe that our bodies must submit to the will of Christ. Lessons: All sickness must leave, at the name of Jesus! As a citizen of heaven, you have the right to claim all God’s Promises in Christ. No more anxiety about your standing before God in prayer. You have the assurance of salvation manifesting as confidence in prayer! Amen!

This is a glimpse of what is and what is not in heaven: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away… 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev 21:4,8). We must live to please Jesus Christ, our God and King. We must worship God in Spirit and in Truth. As citizens we have rights and privileges. The greatest privilege is having direct access to His presence, before the Throne of Mercy and Grace. In His name, we exercise authority in prayer. We are His ambassadors and Key-Holders in His Kingdom. When we were sinners, we lived under the Law. Now, we live under a greater Law. It is the Law of Love and Liberty manifested under King Grace. Praise the Lord!

FIRST LOVE (Revelation 2:1-7)

“I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]… But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love Me or each other as you did at first!” (Rev 2:4; AMP; NLT).

The Resurrected Christ tells John that the Church in Ephesus has abandoned her first love she had for Him. Jesus speaks intimately, as a Bridegroom speaks to His future Bride. This letter was written about 95AD. Just a generation after the Cross, the Church behaves like an adulterous wife!!! The believers were still attending church, but they also serve idols. It is the same old story of unfaithfulness that we see in the Old Testament. “Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown… 12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord. 13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jer 2:2;12, 13). Have you ever felt the pain of Christ?

Jesus sees three commendable things about the church at Ephesus. First, they were committed workers. They witnessed; they labored; they ministered to human needs. Second, their doctrine was right, and their faith was well defined and defended. They did not run after every theological wind of doctrine. Third, they persevered in their work despite much discouragement. They refused to quit. They were determined disciples, faithfully working and not deviating from the truth. They got a grade of A+ in religious studies. But despite all these good things, there is something seriously wrong with them. Jesus warns them that if they don’t repent, He will remove their lampstand (their light). What is the meaning of that? It doesn’t mean that the individuals in the church will go to hell. But it means that the church at Ephesus would lose its ability to shine the light of truth. They would become a church with no spiritual influence on the community around them. Love shines like the stars in the night. Without Love, the light of truth will quench. Agape Love is the only power that can sustain Truth! Sadly, many churches are in this situation. The Christians still meet every Sunday, doing religious things, but they have no spiritual impact. They don’t see any change in people’s lives. This warning does not apply to the Church at large. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Living Church. But the light of truth can quench in a local assembly because they don’t walk in the revelation of agape love!!!

What causes this condition? Our Lord puts it in one brief phrase: “You have left the love you had for Me at first…” First Love is the love you felt for Jesus when you became born again. It is that wonderful sense of discovery that He loves you and has freed you from your sins. Your heart worshiped Him with thanksgiving. Watch a couple who are in love. They have eyes and ears only for each other. Talk to them, and they do not even listen to you. It is the same with a Christian when he first comes to Christ. The baby Christian is filled with gratitude. He is amazed that God forgave all his sins. He can hardly believe it. The love of Christ seems almost too much to him. He is drunk with love…

But there is a danger… The devil will tempt you! Apostle Paul warned the believers against the devil’s corruption of the first Love: “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent” (2Cor 11:3; NLT). With time, that sweet Love can be left behind, can be forsaken. To forsake it means to abandon someone who is helpless and in need, having no desire to go back to him. To forsake Love is to betray Love. The Lover becomes the enemy. After being in love with Jesus, gradually, there comes a shift of focus. Your vision changes. You get busy with other things. What you do for Christ alone begins to be less important. You become selfish. Gradually, your position in the church, your social status, the longing for man’s approval, and the lust for fame and wealth, begin to take priority. You go on doing the same things in the church but not with the same motive. Little by little, you drift away from the pure passion of your first love for Jesus. Every institution can drift and change for the worse! Selah!

We live in what the Bible calls ‘the last days.’ Christians forsake their Love for God and for one another. They grieve the Holy Spirit. They choose religious entertainment (2Tim 3:1-5). The comedians replace the worshippers in the churches. This ungodly attitude is like a virus that spreads its poison, corrupting churches and families. We are commanded to go forsake those who forsake Jesus, the First Love. These are some symptoms of backsliding: you lose your joy and your zeal for God! The Christian life becomes a boring routine. You begin to feel that you know everything. Church activities become mechanical. When you lose the wonder of Jesus’ love, you also find your love for others fading. You become bitter, critical, complaining, rude. You become proud in your thinking. You only think about yourself now. Losing your first Love is the beginning of your downfall. It leads to spiritual blindness, to the loss of vision and spiritual impact. People do not listen to you anymore. You now waste your life. The solution? Remember, Repent and Recover all! Go back to Jesus! Humble yourself! Ask for mercy! Pay the price for spiritual intimacy with Jesus!

These are facts from the history of the church: Ephesus was once a great city. God invested much in the church at Ephesus. Apostle Paul was a pastor in Ephesus and introduced the brethren to the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Ac 19:1-7). The letter to the Ephesians was written to them. Apostle John was once the Bishop of that Church. It is interesting to know that the church in Ephesus is now dead. It means that the brethren ignored the warning of Jesus. They refused to repent. The light of that church went off. Ephesus is in present-day Turkey which is 99% Muslim now. It is an archeological site. People go to see the ruins of a once great Christian center in the Early church. Selah!

Facts about Agape First Love:

*Love is patient (1 Cor 13:4). Trials and hardship do not quench Love. “So, Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her” (Gen 29:20). Lesson: Be patient when waiting for God to lovingly answer your prayer!

*Agape Love sees God everywhere. David worshipped God always. He saw God in all things. For David, the sun is like a bridegroom happily going to his wedding day. “He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices like a strong man to run its race” (Ps 19:4, 5). Lesson: Humble yourself! Guard your love for Jesus and for others!

*Love is grateful to God. The sinful woman who was forgiven by King Grace showed her gratitude by worshipping Jesus at His feet. Jesus said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Lk 7:44-47). Lesson: Love forgives!

*Agape Love is generous. Mary of Bethany gave God the most expensive gift she had. “A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table” (Matt 26:7). Lesson: be generous towards God and man!

*Agape Love obeys God’s Word. Love makes us to sit at the feet of Jesus, to listen to His Word. This is how Mary of Bethany showed her love to Jesus. “And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word” (Lk 10:39). Lesson: Love God’s Word!

*Agape Love is faithful beyond death! David and Jonathan; Ruth and Naomi’s relationships, are covenant relationships before God! Worship the Lord!!!

(1Sam 18:1-9; 19:1-5; 20:14-17, 41, 42; 23:14-18; 23,25, 26; 2Sam 9:1-3,11)

Today, we shall study a very special love story. The relationship between David and Jonathan is a beautiful picture of agape love. Rubies are rare to find; so true friends manifesting agape love are not common. We are commanded to seek perfection, to desire spiritual maturity. Listen to the great Apostle Paul: “Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you” (2Cor 13:11; NLT). The relationship between David and Jonathan is a wonderful case study of mature spiritual love between two sinners saved by grace. It is a platonic and covenantal relationship of Agape Love.

PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP

A platonic relationship is one in which two people share a close bond of love and friendship but do not have a sexual relationship. This concept originates in the ideas of the ancient philosopher Plato, from whose name the term is derived. This term applies to both opposite-sex and same-sex friendships. Both Platonic love and Romantic love are deep friendships. The difference is that platonic love does not have physical or sexual intimacy. In a platonic relationship two people are close friends, honest with one another, accept, encourage, respect and understand each other. They sincerely care for one another. They help in good times and bad times. They do not manipulate one another. They generally have the same interests. This type of friendship is rare but very special. The relationship is purely spiritual and not physical. A mentorship bond can be a profound platonic relationship. The mentor provides guidance, advice, and support, while the mentee learns and grows. This relationship is rooted in mutual respect, trust, and shared goals without romantic undertones. Activities are not the only area you can connect with someone. Having deep spiritual discussions is an excellent way to build a platonic relationship.  

COVENANTAL RELATIONSHIP

The word ‘covenant’ comes from the Latin word ‘con venire’ meaning ‘coming together’. It is defined as a formal, solemn, binding promise and agreement between countries or people. It is a pledge to remain lifelong friends. Marriage is a covenantal relationship for life. For example, Abimelech and Isaac, Joshua and the Gibeonites, made covenants to live in peace with each other (Gen 26:28-31; Josh 9:15). God is the Witness of the covenant. The covenant could not be broken. If broken, there shall be consequences. God Himself is the Covenant Maker and Keeper. If God has said it, He will do it! Period!!! “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Nu 23:19). Covenants between people are bilateral. The covenant God makes with men is unilateral. God initiated, determined the elements, and confirmed His covenant with humanity. People are recipients, not contributors; they are called to accept it as offered, keep it as demanded, and receive the results that God, by oath, assures will not be withheld. Lesson: For Christ’ sake, we must keep our promises and pledges!

Jonathan, son of King Saul, and David, a shepherd who would become king, formed a deep bond of friendship unto death. They pledged to help each other’s descendants. Despite his father’s hatred for David, Jonathan stood by his friend, even risking his own life to save him. Their friendship was marked by mutual respect, loyalty, understanding, sacrifice and selflessness, all key aspects of true love. Jonathan’s willingness to give up his right to the throne for David shows a selfless love that puts the other person’s needs above one’s own. In the covenant agreement between these two men, Jonathan will be second in command in David’s future reign, and David will protect Jonathan’s family when he will be king. This story reminds us that true love is not limited to romantic relationships. A Christian marriage is a covenant relationship unto death, for Christ’ sake. Lesson: Ideally, the husband and wife should be not only lovers, but true friends to one another. May God help us!

Some said that the relationship between David and Jonathan was homosexual. This interpretation is wrong for at least three reasons:

1-The word ‘love’ here is not connected with romance or sexual attraction. It is the same word that is used to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. ”The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1Sam 18:1).

2-When Jonathan died, David lamented and said: “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me; Your love to me was wonderful, Surpassing the love of women” (2Sam 1:26). It seems that David was talking about Jonathan’s sisters. King Saul promised to give David his daughter in marriage if he killed Goliath. But he deceived David. He promised his daughter Merab, but he suddenly gave her to another man. David married Saul’s younger daughter, Michal, but she was not a spiritual woman. But David’s relationship with Jonathan was true, pure, and unconditional from beginning to the end.

3-The Bible clearly denounces homosexuality as sin. “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them” (Lev 20:13). David was a man after God’s heart. He could not have lived in a homosexual relationship for so many years and God will keep silent!

A friend is one you love, trust, who knows you well, who helps you, guides you, prays for you, but is not a member of your family. David and Jonathan were good friends to the end of their lives. This is an example of true Biblical friendship. It involves spirituality, sacrifice, submission, loyalty, respect, and emotional attachment. Jonathan was spiritually sensitive. He saw that David shall be the next king. He was not jealous like his father. He submitted to God’s will. Jonathan gave David his robe, sword and armor as a gift. This is a sign of submission to the anointing he recognized on David. We do not know if at that time Jonathan knew that David was anointed as the new king of Israel. But we assume that he knew that God has rejected his father as king. Here we see that jealousy and selfishness have no place in a true friendship. By giving David his robe Jonathan gave David his position. By giving David his sword, he gave up his protection. He recognizes David as his protector, his king. In other words, he said: ‘If David did not come to save me, Goliath could have killed me. I owe my very life to David. He is my savior…’ David and Jonathan wept together when they had to part ways. They were honest with their emotions. They were real men, real friends. Do you have such a friend?

LESSONS:

*True agape love is greater than the natural limitations. Jonathan was older than David in age. David was a shepherd; Jonathan was a prince. Jonathan had his own armor; David had a harp and a slingshot. Jonathan grew up in the palace and was trained in the art of war; David grew up in the “little town of Bethlehem” and was trained to tend sheep. Jonathan was the oldest son and in line to inherit the throne; David was the youngest of eight boys and anointed the next king in place of Jonathan. Jonathan was of the tribe of Benjamin, David of the tribe of Judah. Despite their differences, Jonathan and David were the best friends the world has ever known.

*True agape love blooms when people have common interests. Both David and Jonathan were men of faith, and brave soldiers protecting God’s people. David killed Goliath. But Jonathan was a war hero too. Before this famous battle with Goliath, Jonathan, alone and his armor bearer, killed 20 Philistines causing confusion and panic in the enemy camp, allowing Saul’s soldiers to defeat them (1 Sam 14:1-23). 

*Agape love friendship is a gift from God. As God helps a man to find a wife, so also God helps us to find good spiritual friends. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (PV 17:17). “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24). Apostle Paul was a friend to Timothy and others. He invested his life in them. “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1Thess 2:7,8). Jonathan stayed faithful to David until he died. David stayed faithful to Jonathan even after Joathan died. He took care of his son. Mephibosheth was like his son.

*A true friend helps you to find strength in God. “Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that” (1 Sam 23:16, 17). Look for that spiritual quality in friends. “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray” (PV12:26). Choose friends who help you find strength in God. The value of a friend is beyond rubies. ‘Be slow in choosing a friend. Be slower in changing a friend’ (Benjamin Franklin). A true friend will tell you the truth in times of prosperity and help you with his heart and hand when you face difficulties. True friends will push you closer to God!

*Friendship and agape love must be jealously protected. It is possible to forsake your first love (Rev 2:4). That is a danger you must be aware of. The devil will try to damage your friendship or your marriage. The only sad spot in this beautiful story is when Jonathan chooses to leave David in the wilderness, and goes back to the palace, to his father, King Saul. When you read about David’s mighty men of valor, you read of Eleazer, Shammah, Benaiah… but you do not read of Jonathan, the son of Saul. He should have stayed with David. But Jonathan went back to the palace. He joined his father in the battle against the Philistines. He was in the wrong battle, following the wrong king. He died there… he is the prince who never became king. David wept and said: “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!” (2Sam 1:19). And David took the fallen crown and became the new king, according to God’s will. Selah!

*In the Bible, a friend is one who knows your soul! A friend is not just a person who you share hobbies with. A friend is someone who knows the real you, who understands what goes on inside you. The Hebrew word for Friend (‘sod’) is similar with the word translated ‘secrets’. A friend is someone who knows your secrets. Lesson: You need to learn how to open your heart to God, to your spouse and to godly friends. “I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!” (2Cor 6:13). That means to be vulnerable, honest, transparent. This lifestyle is not easy. But you cannot become successful as a Christian without being a friend to God, to Jesus, and to others. Even in a marriage, sex is not what makes husband and wife best friends. Revelation of God’s Word is!!!

*The greatest Lover and Friend is Jesus! A true friend loves his neighbor as himself. Jonathan and David loved one another. Their story is inspiring. But the greatest Love of all is the Love of Jesus. Jesus is that faithful Friend not only unto death, but unto eternity. Agape Love is a command. Love manifests as obedience to God’s commands. Before He went to the Cross, Jesus said to His disciples: “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another” (Jn 15:9-17). Jesus died to make us friends with God! Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me!

Today, most people do not know what true friendship is. They are friends only on social media. They talk to one another on Facebook, but they do not know each other personally. Also, most people tend to put all their hopes only in romantic relationships, like marriage. The story of David and Jonathan expands our vision of what agape love can be. David loved Jonathan so much that he openly wept when Jonathan died. It was more than a relationship of convenience. Love was involved. This is strange for us today but in that culture, it was common. May we desire to love more, to love better! Great friendship requires commitment and involves risk. Commitment will be tested. As a friend you need to make sacrifices. Can you go out of your comfort zone and help your friend when he is in need? In all great friendships you need God. Great friendships reflect the great agape love of God! Worship the Lord!

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Phil 2:12-16).

This is an excellent description of a child of God. A saint is one who is not complaining or disputing. He is blameless, harmless, and without moral fault. Immediately after declaring the majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ, His death on behalf of sinners and His exaltation above all as King of kings, Apostle Paul presents to us the application of the doctrine. He calls the Christians “my beloved”. He is talking to the believers, whom he loves in Christ. He commands them to start “working out their salvation with fear and trembling”. This is the doctrine: salvation is by Grace alone, thru faith alone, by God’s Word alone, in Christ alone and to the glory of God alone. We don’t do religious works to go to heaven. Good deeds can’t save our souls. We don’t ‘WORK FOR’ eternal life, but we ‘WORK OUT’ this spiritual invisible reality of salvation. In other words, we must produce visible fruits of the Holy Spirit. We must behave as Christians. To be a child of God is the greatest privilege known to man. But privilege has responsibility. As Christians, we must behave responsibly. Agape Love demands that from us!

Another word for “working out our salvation” is “sanctification”. Salvation itself, the act of Justification is free. It is invisible. Jesus paid for it with His Blood. But immediately the sinner is justified by faith, he starts the process of sanctification. This process is done by obeying the truth and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Christian must humble himself and cooperate with the God’s Word and with the Holy Spirit. Some Christians are faster than others. That is why some manifests fruits of the Holy Spirit earlier than others. This process is done with ‘fear and trembling’. What is the meaning of that? First, we must fear God. It is true that this fear is not the fear of a slave. But even as a believer, we must fear and tremble before the majesty of the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. This fear of God manifests as wisdom, which is defined as practical application of the knowledge of God’s Word. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (PV 9:10). The second meaning is that we must fear sin, the world and the devil. This fear is not the fear of a coward. But we must be realistic and keep in mind that our present enemy is our former master. He has succeeded in making our perfect ancestor, Adam, fall into sin. He is a champion of seduction, deception, manipulation, intimidation, and flattery. As doctors fear viruses and take precautions not to be infected when treating their patients, we need to have a healthy respect and fear of falling into sin. We reject pride, the point of entry of many sins that make the Christians fall.             

God works inside our souls, ‘to will and to do’ for His good pleasure. The Holy Spirit energizes the mind, the emotions and the will so that we cooperate with God’s greater Will in the process of sanctification. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification… “(1Thess 4:3). The Bible reveals that the first two sins that manifest in a Christian are complaining and disputing. Complaining is also translated as grumbling or murmuring. To complain means to be angry and tell someone that something is wrong, that you are not satisfied with it. It is a sin against Agape Love. When you complain, you query God’s Love to you, you grieve the Holy Spirit, and you start backsliding. If you love God and your neighbor, you will never complain about anything. The second sin is ‘disputing’. To dispute it also means to be angry. You disagree with others; you argue, you quarrel with yourself or with others. This is a sin against faith. It produces a double-minded attitude which is called doubt. In the history of God’s people, they never stopped complaining and arguing. Both these sins are the beginning of rebellion against God, which is wickedness, or witchcraft. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1Sam 15:23). God’s people complained about many things: hunger, thirst, Manna (food given by God), God’s ways and strategy as He led them thru the desert. God punished them for the sin of complaining. Many died in the desert because of their stubbornness and rebellion.

Even today, the story repeats itself. There is a strong tendency to complain against God’s ways and His leading in our lives. We forget that God’s primary motive to save us is to be like Jesus, to build in us strong spiritual character. God is not directly interested to make us happy or wealthy on earth. God wants us to become like Jesus. We do not know the way to the eternal Promised Land, which is heaven itself. Jesus is the Way. We must love Him and trust Him even when we do not understand the process. Love makes us ‘blameless and harmless’, children of light in this dark and wicked world. The word blameless means to be innocent of wrongdoing. It means that none can criticize you in your speech or actions. To be harmless means to be pure in your secret heart, to be innocent in your motives. Jesus said that sinful thoughts are equal with sinful actions. For example, if a man looks with sexual lust towards a woman, he has committed adultery with her in his heart. A covetous man is a thief. A child of God is pure, clean, innocent not only in his actions but in his very soul.

As light is totally different from darkness, and stars are completely different from the night sky, so Christians are different from the worldly people. The world is defined as the humanity that lives like there is no God. All worldly people are crooked and perverse. To be crooked it means to be bent, not straight; dishonest and deceptive.  A crooked politician or businessman takes bribes and cheats his naïve clients. But child of God is loving, loving, faithful, blameless, free from bitterness, wickedness and deception. This is our pattern and lifestyle! Amen!

Finally, to be a believer ‘without fault’ means to combine all these attributes into one. A mature Christian is free from complaining and disputing spirits, and he is blameless and harmless, in all he does. This is the ideal testimony based on fruitful Love and mature Faith. It means to be like Jesus! Love produces a blameless character. Faith produces a harmless attitude. This is how the believer becomes a light to the world. The light of God shining thru the words and deeds of believers exposes and convicts the world of sin. “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be Glory and Majesty, Dominion and Power, both now and forever. Amen!” (Jude1:24,25). Praise the Lord!

“Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Standstill and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” 15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea” (Exo 14:13-16)

Lessons at the Red Sea: God’s people did not doubt God’s existence or His power, but they doubted God’s goodness!!! Often, they said: “God will not help me today”. They also doubted Moses. They rebelled against God’s appointed leader. At the Red Sea, the truth is that Israel had good reasons to fear the Egyptians. They were former slaves, not trained as soldiers and without weapons to fight. The Egyptians were soldiers. They were now very angry because many had lost their first-born sons, and they blamed the God of Moses. They wanted to kill Moses and the leaders of the Israelites and bring back the rest of the slaves. The Israelites were not mature believers. They were all trembling with fear wishing to go back to Egypt. Question: Have you believed the lie that God will abandon you when you are in trouble?

Moses was the leader because he knew God better. His faith was stronger. He did not know how they would cross over the sea, but he that God would make a way where there seems to be no way. Why was Moses so confident? He knew God’s character. God is a good Father. God will not abandon His child. Think of your father when you were a child. If you are lost, you said: My Father will not abandon me here. Moses knew God’s promises and His faithfulness over the years. He knew that God fights for those He loves!!! We often allow fear to trample our faith! We think that God loves us more when things are good. When we pass thru trials, we think that God loves us less. That is not true! God’s Love is perfect and does not change! Often, God allows darkness to come before He wants to do something great! We say… If Pharoah stayed at home… if Goliath was not so tall… if Daniel was not thrown into the lions’ den… our lives would be better. But without trials, we could not have witnessed the great victories and testimonies from God. To make you afraid, Satan will show you the Red Sea, the mighty Goliath, or the Lions in the den! But God will show you His Son, Jesus Christ, the Author of our faith! According to the Bible, Moses, his faith and his rod are greater than any army! He split the Red Sea, making a way to Freedom! Trust God!

What are the lessons we learn from the Red Sea story?

The people are afraid. They want to go back to slavery in Egypt. They don’t want to pay the price for freedom. Fear leads to murmuring against God and Moses, and it blinds the eyes to the breakthrough. Moses ignores their murmuring and gives three commands:

*Don’t be afraid! When you look around, you will be afraid. When you look to God, you will not be afraid.

*Stand Still (Stand strong) and expect to see the Salvation of God!

*Go forward! God gives power and miracles only when we trust and obey. You need to stand still before you can go forward.

Worship the Lord!

“The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Ps 110:1).

This is a prophetic Messianic Psalm, written by David. In it we find the revelation of Christ, God the Son, King and Priest in His Kingdom. God opened the ears of David to hear words spoken in heaven. God the Father (Jehovah) tells God the Son (Adonai): Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies Your footstool. Adonai is one of God’s names in Hebrew. It means Sovereign Lord, Master of slaves and Controller of the Universe. Jehovah is God’s main name. It means “I am that I am”. Adonai reveals God as the Leader and Master of all. He demands total submission. Think of the high privilege for a mortal man to hear a conversation between the members of the Trinity. Jesus was called ‘The Son of David’ but here David calls Him ‘Adonai, Lord’. Apostle Paul too heard ‘inexpressible’ things spoken in heaven (2Cor 12:4).

Jesus has suffered rejection on earth. He died on the Cross that we might live. On the third day Jesus resurrected from the grave. After 40 days He ascended to heaven. Here, we have a glimpse of The Lord Jesus Christ in His glory in heaven. The wickedness of men cannot touch Him now. God the Father tells Jesus to sit on His throne. That is the position of a King in well-deserved rest and total victory. God tells Jesus not only to sit, but to sit at His right hand. That position is the greatest honor. God tells Jesus to sit while Himself will punish all the sinners on earth. God the Father vows to totally defeat all the rebellious sinners who rejected His Son as King. On earth, they shamed Jesus, killing Him naked on the Cross. Now, the story has changed. They are defeated and disgraced, under the feet of the King of kings. By divine decree, Jesus is seated in a position of glory, power and dominion, while the Father fights all the nations to bring honor to His Son. As for now, all His enemies are not yet under the feet of Jesus, but the victory is sure. All enemies of Jesus will bow or will be broken. The Battle is the Lord’s. No matter how loud the nations rage, God can never lose! The victory is sure! Lesson: In Christ, our victory over sin and enemies is sure! We do spiritual warfare from a position of royal rest, and not from fear! Amen!

“The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!” (Ps 110:2)

The rod of strength of King Jesus goes out of Zion towards all His enemies. Zion is a symbol of the Kingdom of God and the Living Church. King Jesus stretches out His rod or His royal scepter towards the Church. His rod works in two ways: it gathers the elect to the Church so that they worship Him. The same rod goes out of the Church to defeat all its enemies. No matter how high these enemies are, they shall go low and become His footstool. The gates of hell cannot prevail against His Church! Moses used his Shepherd rod to punish and defeat the Egyptians. With his rod, Moses divided the Red Sea. God’s people passed to safety while their enemies drowned in it. Moses used his rod to bring water out of a rock. This is a picture of grace out of hard places. Aaron’s rod bloomed by the power of resurrection (Nu 17:11). Even as the Father fights and defeats the enemies of His Son, the Son Himself is not passive. He fights with the rod of power in the mouth of His servants who preach His Gospel. Lesson: We preach the Gospel of Christ Crucified with courage, authority, freedom, and joy! Amen!

“Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth” (Ps 110:3). We have here a vision of the believers in the Church, the citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. As the rod of preaching of the Gospel goes forth from their mouth, grace is released. The elect gather in the church. These believers are servants and ambassadors of Christ. Like sparkling diamantes, like dew comes on the ground every morning, holiness is mysterious, fresh and beautiful. The preaching of God’s Word has miraculous power, romantic holiness and beauty. The womb of the morning is the resurrection power of the Gospel. Sinners come to Jesus like flies come to the light. This flood of conversions is like a river making glad the city of God. The church is forever young, strong, and eternally beautiful. Resurrection power releases the grace of willingness to volunteer for King Jesus! Many know the doctrine of resurrection. Few apply that power in daily life. Lesson: as servants of God, we walk in victory and supernatural strength.

“The Lord has sworn and will not relent: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps 110:4).

This is the most important verse in this Psalm. It reveals Our Lord Jesus Christ as King and Priest. In the Old Testament, there was no King who could be Priest at the same time. King David officiated sometimes as a priest, but he feared God too much to take over that holy office. He was anointed King and not as Priest. Some kings became proud and claimed the priesthood. King Saul tried to offer sacrifices as a priest. He was rebuked by Samuel. This sin was one of the reasons why he lost his crown (1Sam 13). King Uzziah started well. But when he became strong and wealthy, he also became proud. That led to his downfall. He wanted to take over the office of the priest. Azariah the priest led eighty priests to rebuke the king. The King became angry and wanted to punish the priests. Suddenly, God sent leprosy on his forehead. He lived isolated as a leprous until he died (2 Chr 26). The reason why God punished these kings for trying to combine the royal position with the priesthood it is because only Christ is ordained to be King and Priest!

Zechariah had a vision about a man called Joshua who will be king, priest and peacemaker at the same time. This prophetic picture clearly applies to the Lord Jesus Christ, our King and Great High Priest. “Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule on His throne; So, He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zech 6:13).

The King and the Priest have different functions. The King rules over people in the fear of God. The Priest offers sacrifices, and he is an intercessor between God and men. David heard God the Father declaring that God the Son is ‘A Priest Forever, according to the order of Melchizedek’. This divine oath is final. God “will not relent”. God will not change His mind and will not break His Promise. This prophetic declaration does not apply to King David. He was from the tribe of Judah. All the priests in Israel were descendants of Aaron, who was from the tribe of Levi. The words King David heard were prophetic and they clearly apply to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our eternal King, Priest, and Prince of Peace! On earth, priests died and were replaced. But the resurrected Christ can never die. He is our High Priest, Mediator and Intercessor forever. “So also, Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” 6 As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:5,6).

The best pattern of combined offices as King and Priest was revealed in a Man called Melchizedek. His name means King of Righteousness. His reign was unique. His office was exceptional and spiritual. This combined office as King and Priest is the simplest, the most glorious, free from pompous religious rituals and ceremonies. Melchizedek sat on the throne, holding both the scepter and the holy censer in his hands. He was a King and a Father to his people. He ruled them and thought them. Abraham and his army defeated the enemies of the King of Sodom to free his nephew, Lot. God granted him a mighty victory. Coming home, a mysterious figure met him. It was Melchizedek, the King of Salem (Peace), the future city of Jerusalem. He was a priest of Jehovah God, living among pagans. Abraham recognized Him as the Lord Jesus. As a sign of total submission and honor, Abraham gave Him a tithe of all his possessions. Melchizedek accepted the tithe and blessed Abraham in the name of Elyon, the God Most High. The King of Sodom met Abraham first. But King Melchizedek intercepted Abraham. He brought bread and wine to Abraham. This is a type of sharing Holy Communion, being one in the Spirit. But Abraham did not have a spiritual relationship with the King of Sodom. He refused to take money from him saying that he has vowed to God not to take any goods that may be considered a bribe, so that God takes all the glory for all his victories (Gen 14:18-24). Lesson: In Christ it is our greatest privilege to be a royal priesthood! We pay tithes and offerings as a sign of submission and honor to Jesus, our King and Priest. Amen!

“The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. 7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore, He shall lift up the head” (Ps 110:5-7). The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal King and Priest, shall, eventually enter the fight and finish it. He will destroy what He has defeated. At this stage, the battle against the rebellious is without mercy. Presidents, rulers and kings shall die. They have rejected Christ as Savior. Therefore, He cannot intercede for them. He is now the Judge of all. All the kingdoms on this earth shall be defeated. “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev 11:15). All nations, democratic, secular, or Islamic shall feel His sovereign power. Pope and priest must fall. “The LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh…” (Gen 6:3).

The death of proud King Herod is just a sample of how King Jesus will judge sinners. His royal robe, the golden throne, the worship of the people and all the pompous ceremony in the open air could not save Herod from the punishment of heaven. The angel did not have to strike twice. One blow was enough. Nobody could stop the worms who ate Herod while he was still breathing, At the same time, the Word of God’s Kingdom grew in power and influence (Ac 12:21-24). Lesson: Give your life to Christ while there is time! You either bow or break!

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:11-16).

By the decree of God the Father, Christ is the eternal King and Priest. He is greater than all. He deserves and demands total submission. His title as King and Priest is eternal. It is uninterrupted. It is not transferable to others. Jesus has no associate, and no rival. All God’s children respect His Person and worship Him. At the end of it all, the victory is clear! For now, King Jesus has no time to go to His palace in heaven to entertain His guests. As a soldier in the field, He will drink from a brook by the wayside. This water of life will refresh Him. His head shall be lifted in glory. This is a picture of total victory over his enemies that should encourage every believer. The battle is the Lord’s. The victory is also the Lord’s! Lesson: In Christ, we are more than overcomers. Amen!  

To love others, to help them carry their burdens is to be like Jesus, who was never sick and yet, He carried our sins and sicknesses on His Body on the Cross. “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses” (Matt 8:16,17). It is never easy to love or pray for others. The price for Love is greater than you think.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps 103:1-5).

This is a Psalm of David. It is a command to bless God, to praise the Lord Jesus, for our salvation (forgives sins and iniquities) and for the other benefits: healing of the body, acts of loving kindness and mercy to you, good things, and supernatural strength like a young man. For any sinner, salvation is the primary miracle. To have your sins forgiven is the greatest need of all. This is the Gospel: Jesus died and rose again for me. Salvation is by grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone, by God’s Word alone, and to the glory of God alone. By faith, you are saved and have eternal life. Here we are commanded ‘not to forget all God’s benefits’ that accompany salvation. Trusting God only for your salvation and not trusting God for your daily bread, healing and wellbeing, is called ‘little faith’. You must repent of your ‘little faith’ before you can be granted ‘great faith’. To have great faith it means that you trust God for salvation, healing, and provision.

Read Mark 2:1-12. Here we see Jesus granting a double miracle to a young man who was paralyzed. His four friends carried him on a bed (stretcher) to see Jesus. Because of the crowd, they could not enter the house through the door. They went to the roof and made a space to lower their friend in front of Jesus. They had faith that if Jesus sees the sick man, He will heal him. Jesus “saw their faith”. He first spoke the word of forgiveness of sins. This is the invisible miracle of salvation. Sin was the root of his sickness. Therefore, the man’s soul must be healed before the body can be healed. The Pharisees who were there, spying on everything Jesus was doing, complained openly. They said that only God has the right to forgive sins. They totally rejected the claim of Jesus that He is God’s Son and the King of kings. Despite the opposition of the religious rulers, Jesus confirms His authority as God and King by declaring that the sick man’s sins are forgiven. Then to prove even more that He is God, Jesus heals the man with just a word. The paralyzed man stood on his feet, carried the mat he has been lying on, and in the presence of all people, he walks out thru the door. The door was blocked when he came to this house. The miracle has opened the door for him to have a new life. It seems that the sick man did not have faith to be healed. It was his four friends who had faith in his behalf. But once he was forgiven and healed, his faith in Jesus manifested. To prove his faith, he obeyed the Master’s Word and walked away.

This man received more than he expected. Jesus granted him a double miracle. He forgave his sins, healed his soul and healed his body. The miracle was instant and free of charge. It was done for the glory of God and for the good of man. This miracle of healing shows the Love and the Power of King Jesus towards sinners. Sin paralyzes and kills. Jesus died to give life to the lifeless soul. “While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6; AMP). Glory!

The religious rulers were angry and disappointed. The evil religious spirit active in many churches opposes the supernatural. Reject the religious spirits to make space for the Holy Spirit to take control. Always please God and not men! God rewards faith! Study God’s Word concerning salvation and healing. You need to know God’s promises to have faith to be healed. When a man says: ‘I have faith to be healed’, but he does not know the Word about healing, he is deceiving himself. He is like a farmer who says he trusts God for harvest, but he has not planted any seed in the ground. The Word of God is a seed (Lk 8:11). It must be planted in the heart to produce faith.

The four friends who brought the sick man to Jesus had great faith. King Jesus rewards faith in Him. When the door was blocked by the people, they did not give up. They went to the roof and found an original way to enter. Jesus was pleased by their bold creative faith. They displayed Agape Love towards their sick friend. They carried the burdens of another and fulfilled the Law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

These are some lessons: Jesus Christ is God, the Lord of all and King of kings. Jesus forgives and heals. He rewards faith and obedience. Spiritually, the four friends stand for Love, Faith, Holy Boldness and Intercession. This dynamite combination never fails to produce results. “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb 13:8). The faith that approaches Jesus: determined and desperate faith! The four men are determined to have a miracle of healing. You must know that there is no hope outside Jesus. We are helpless to forgive and heal others. Sin is the cause of all pains and sicknesses. Faith is also corporate. The Bible knows nothing about individualistic Christians. People help people in the Church. Do you have people who can carry you to Jesus? Please note that Jesus surprises us! He always goes deeper than the circumstances. He healed this man’s soul before He healed his body. For Jesus to heal the body and not heal the soul, that is hatred and not love! It is easier to say “your sins are forgiven” because there is no text or Xray to prove that. Jesus heals the body to prove that He has healed the soul. Get that man to Jesus! Parents, pray for your children! Things happen when God’s people truly care! Here we see the Mercy and Power of King Jesus! Forgiveness of sins and miracles always lead people to praise God! “All were amazed and glorified God, saying: We never saw anything like this!” (Mk 2:12). God does miracles even today. He forgives our sins and heals our bodies. Faith 100%! Doubt 0%! Worship the Lord!!!

“The love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake” (2Cor5:14,15; AMP).

Christ’s love “compels” us. In Greek the word ‘compel’ means: to hold together, to press down (by a crowd), to arrest a prisoner, to afflict, or to stop an action. It means to forcibly compress the energy of the soul into one channel. We are controlled, ruled by Christ’s love for us. Jesus is King Grace and King Agape Love at the same time. His love guides us, presses us down, overmasters us, keeps us focused on only one object, on His will. His Love simplifies and concentrates us. Paul says that the Love of Christ limits his freedom, restraining him from every selfish purpose, directing every act to the good of others. If we die to self, we’ll not desire to ‘live for ourselves’. We’ll be free to share our love and our life. Christ’s Love can’t be manipulated or misused. It is a spiritual fence, directing us to Him who loved us first! 

Christ’s Love is holy and jealous of any rival. “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2Cor 11:2). The jealousy of Love keeps it focused on her Beloved. The fleshly love ‘eros’ is always polygamous. Agape Love has only one aim: to please King Jesus! It has constraining power, directing every act to God’s glory and to the good of others. It keeps us in our place of duty, as soldiers are held together under God’s holy covering. “His banner over me is love” (SS 2:4). In life or in death, we are one, together, in Love with Christ and with one another. Love is extremely bold. It is the only force in the universe that looks at the devil face to face and fearlessly rejects his temptations. Glory to God!

Christ’s love ‘compels’ us. Jesus uses a similar word (distressed), when talking about the Cross He was to suffer upon: “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!” (Lk 12:49, 50). Other translations say: “what constraint I am under until it is completed… how it consumes Me until it is finished… I will suffer until it is over… I have a heavy burden until it is accomplished” (Lk 12:50). Love is bitter and sweet, painful and fruitful at the same time. Our Lord says: “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments” (Jn 14:15; AMP). If Christ’s love compels me, then my eyes and ears are for Him alone. No other face or voice will be sweet to me. Love leads to precious obedience. Love has no Plan B. Love is the Kingdom’s royal badge of honor! Love never betrays. Love never fails to please God! Selah!

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM 

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people”… “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 4:23; 24:14).

Many see the Gospel as a limited blessing, only salvation for their souls. The Gospel is the Good News of God. His Son, Jesus Christ, became a Man, lived on earth, and died on behalf of sinners. By God’s grace, and thru faith in Christ crucified and resurrected we become saved. This is all true. But the Gospel is greater than even our personal salvation. It is called The Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus, the King of kings came to establish His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule and reign of God. It is the atmosphere of heaven where God’s authority is accepted by all. This reminds us of the Greatness of the Gospel we preach. The Gospel is more than healing of the body, peace of mind or feeling good in the church. It affects the whole universe.  “In the dispensation of the fullness of the times He (God) might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth—in Him” (Eph1:10). The Gospel tells us that all things in the universe shall be brought together in Jesus Christ, the King of God’s Kingdom. Rebellion against the King shall be punished. The Gospel is not only for ‘sinners’, like drunkards, prostitutes, or thieves. It is for all people! God commands all men to repent and surrender to King Jesus! “God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives]” (Ac17;30; AMP). “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 4:17). Selah!

The ultimate purpose of the Gospel is not to make us happy, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make us holy, and obedient to God’s Word. Christ came into this world to establish the realm, rule and reign of God. “When He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Lk17:20,21). The Pharisees were the religious leaders in Israel at that time. They heard Jesus preaching about the Kingdom of God and they knew that He claims to be the Messiah King. They rejected His claim to be the King of kings. They came to ask Him about the Kingdom of God, not in a humble manner, but deceitfully, to see what He will say. They were teaching the people that the Kingdom of God belongs to Israel, and it will come as a military religious kingdom with visible pompous display. Even John the Baptist and the disciples initially believed the teaching of the Pharisees (Matt 11:3; Acts 1:6). But Jesus said that for now, His Kingdom does not come ‘with observation’. It is not visible. It is in the hearts of men who totally surrender to Him, who have faith in Him, their Savior and King. Until Jesus comes again, the Kingdom is invisible, growing mysteriously, like a mustard seed, in the hearts of the believers. Once deeply planted, it cannot be uprooted. The miracle of becoming born again is the foundation of the Kingdom in the hearts of men. The believers produce fruits of repentance, by the Holy Spirit in them, among which, Agape Love is the first. The Kingdom of God is not “eating and drinking”, which are visible actions. It is Agape Love working in the hearts of men, changing them, and changing their circumstances. Because Jesus gave them food to eat, they wanted to make Him King by force. Men are ready ‘to vote’ for Jesus when they want physical food. But Jesus rejected ‘democracy’ in His Kingdom and withdrew from them (Jn 6:15). Jesus told Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world [nor does it have its origin in this world]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting [hard] to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36; AMP). The devil is the ruler or the prince of this world. Jesus conquered Him by His death on the Cross! Hallelujah!

Even after His resurrection, Jesus was telling them about His Kingdom. The devil fights the revelation. The Kingdom spreads by the preaching of God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are witnesses of our King. One day, Jesus will come back to earth visibly, just the way He ascended (Ac1:1-3;10,11). When He comes again, all eyes will see His majesty. The whole creation shall be delivered from its bondage to corruption. Everything in this universe will be restored to its original glory! “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (1Cor 15:24-28). Glory!

Christ has authority over all men, not only over the Christians. While on earth, He commanded: “Follow Me”, and men followed. He has total authority over nature and the invisible realm. The winds and the sea obeyed Him! Before He died Jesus said: “Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out” (Jn 12:31; AMP). By His death, Jesus defeated and disgraced Satan. “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross” (Col2:15; AMP). He made an “open show” of the devil and his demons, who are now disgraced before the whole universe. By His death, Jesus destroyed the power of the devil to accuse us because of sin and his power to intimidate us thru death. Glory!

“How of the Cross He made a throne

On which He reigns, a glorious King” (Ancient Hymn)

Finally, this is a question of life or death: Are you in this Kingdom? Are you born again? The easiest way to know if you are saved or not is by studying your attitude not to God’s promises, but to God’s commandments. If God’s commandments are burdensome to you, it means you are not born again. If they are your delight, then you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Welcome in! Praise the Lord!

KINGDOM’S POWER AND LOVE IN THE EARLY CHURCH

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:34,35). “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1Jn 3:11).

Most believers know that Love is a command. They know the theory of Love. Few know how to practice Love in the church. Most of the time they manifest agape Love in little groups, in house fellowships, or as friends, they visit one another. Often, they mix agape love with philia love. But they do not know how to manifest the pure agape love to those they do not ‘like’ as friends. Even the church leaders are not able to display agape love daily, to all. The result is that the church is more religious than spiritually real. The early church relied upon a twofold witness as the means of reaching and impressing a cynical and unbelieving world: kerygma (preaching) and koinonia (fellowship). In other words, it was the combination of preaching the Word and Loving with agape love. These two actions made the church’s witness extremely powerful and effective. Pagans could easily ignore the preaching as simply another teaching among many, but they found it much more difficult to reject the evidence of koinonia, agape Love among the brethren. The concern of Christians for each other, and the way they shared their lives, left the pagan world craving this new experience called koinonia. This is what a pagan writer said: ‘How these Christians love one another!’ The present-day church has abandoned the true koinonia (agape Love) almost completely, reducing the witness of the church to preaching (kerygma) alone. The lack of agape love has weakened the body from within. It has also weakened the Church’s influence over the unbelievers. That is why the world sees the church as irrelevant these days. May we go back to our first Love, Jesus Christ and love one another as we are commanded. The result will be power to serve God, power to influence the world around us. That is the glory of the Church! May revival come!

“Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Eph 3:20,21; AMP).

Power is the ability to control or influence people and events. The early Christians knew the secret of living by resurrection power, and nothing else will account for the amazing effect they had upon the world of their day. They did not try to borrow power from the world, for they found they had all they could possibly need, available continuously from a risen, triumphant Lord. Resurrection power is available to every true Christian by faith.

“Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]” (Gal 6:2; AMP). The Apostle Paul says that bearing one another’s burdens is the way to fulfill the Law of Christ, or the Law of Agape Love. In other words, a Christian will live a fulfilled life only when he helps others carry their burdens. For that, you need to be close enough to people and to see their struggles, to feel their pains. You are willing to help others not to prove that you are stronger or better, but to be like Jesus. It means people trust you with their secret pains. That is a great privilege. Most people who attend Church are afraid to tell others of their struggles. Many believers fear rejection and suffer in silence. But we are commanded to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. We are to rebuke in love and encourage others. The burdens of life are spiritual or natural, addiction to sins, marriage issues, chronic sicknesses, or financial troubles. Burdens are normal to all. Don’t pretend that all is well. Humble yourself! But only Agape Love is strong enough to help others without asking nothing in return. It builds the Body and gives glory to God in the Church.

To help others with the burdens of life can be done in private counselling. For that, you need to be committed to listen well, to be willing to enter another’s pain, to spend time, energy and money to help the one in need. Some say that only the welfare department should do that. It is not true. This command applies to all Christians. “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil 2:4). Practical Agape Love is felt not only in private conversations, but even in the big assembly. As you greet, shake hands, or hug others, Love is displayed and spread. May God help us!

DAVID AND GOLIATH – STANDING ALONE FOR GOD (1 Samuel 17)

*The battle between David and Goliath is a classic story. It never gets old. This is the first battle King Saul must fight since the anointing of the Holy Spirit left him. Saul knew that God has left him, but he does not even try to repent and seek God. The men of Israel chose Saul to be their king because they wanted him to fight their battles (1Sam 8:19-22). For men, stature and physical strength is important. Saul was taller than the rest. But now, Goliath was taller than Saul. King Saul was not really a coward. Together with his son, Jonathan, he led the armies of Israel in many battles. As a king, he was not interested in administration or worshipping God. Being a soldier is what he loved the most. But without God, Saul became a coward. His rise to fame and his tragic fall is a warning to all men. Lesson: Fear God!

*Goliath was a Philistine ‘champion’. This is a particular type of soldier who fights alone, one to one. He was a giant. His height was about 3 meters and 400 pounds in weight. His heavy armor of 120 pounds was covered with scales looking like a snake. He is a type of Satan. He fights with intimidation and fear. Goliath insulted the army of Israel saying something like this: ‘I am a pagan. I hate your God. You are supposed to trust in your God and come to kill me. Why do you run away? Is your God not able to help you?’ Saul and the people of Israel, saw Goliath as a giant in the battlefield. David saw an enemy of God and of God’s people. He knew God’s Word: “Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death” (Lev 24:16). Based on God’s Word, Goliath will die.

*This is also the first battle that young David fights since the Holy Spirit came on him as the next king of Israel. His victory confirms the fact that God is not impressed by the outward appearance. God rewards faith and godly character. It also shows that the secret of all David’s success in life was the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon him. David loved God and the righteousness of God. Therefore, David became bold in battle. “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (PV 28:1). In Israel, the minimum age to join the army was 20 years. David’s three older brothers joined the army under King Saul. David was too young to be a soldier. He had no army uniform and no official training as a soldier. But he had faith in God. His brothers mocked him. King Saul mocked him. Goliath mocked him. But God was with David and David was with God. Lesson: in all situations of life, have faith in God! if God is with you, you will win every battle. Learn to mature as a believer. Draw closer to God and God will draw closer to you! (James 4:8).

*King Saul gave his armor to young David. But David refused it. For David, this temptation was greater than fighting Goliath. It is not easy to reject the gift of your king, to refuse to step into the shoes of a disgraced king. If David used Saul’s armor, Saul would share in the glory of the victory. Lesson: the man of faith does not use carnal methods. By removing the armor David presented himself as a living sacrifice to God. He will fight Goliath without man’s protection. Like Queen Esther, David said: If I perish, I perish! (Esther 4:16). This is the voice of faith and courage! David fought Goliath with the simple weapons of a shepherd: a sling and a stone taken from the riverbed. He won the battle not with sword and spear, but with faith in the name of Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of the armies of heaven. That is why, all the glory goes to God. Lesson: Saul’s armor is the power of the flesh. If the pastor does not preach God’s Word but offers religious entertainment, political speeches or secular stories, he is using Saul’s armor. He cannot kill any Goliath. He cannot defeat the devil. The true armor for any believer is the armor of God: The helmet of salvation- the breastplate of righteousness- the belt of truth- the shoes of the Gospel of peace- the shied of faith – and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God spoken in the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:14-17). The battle between David and Goliath is a spiritual battle. David stands for Christ and for all the believers in Christ. Goliath stands for the devil who intimidates all men thru the fear of death. When Jesus died, the last enemy of man, the fear of death, died at the Cross. In Christ we are now free. We can now sing the victory song. We can join Apostle Paul and boldly confront death saying: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Cor 15:54-56). Praise the Lord!

*Both King Saul and Goliath have many things in common. They are both proud, tall, and physically strong. They both despised David. They saw him only as ‘a youth’, without wisdom, strength or experience on the battlefield. They saw David as a loser. Both were wrong. This is a reminder that at the Cross, Jesus proved that the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1Cor 1:25). The world rejects the Gospel of the Kingdom, Christ crucified and resurrected. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for those who believe. Faith is the gift and the mystery of God.

*When David was brought before King Saul, we are not sure if Saul remembered him as the former singer in the palace or his armor bearer. Confidently, David tells Saul that as a shepherd, he has the experience to kill ferocious animals. This is not the foolish boasting of a teenager. It was the truth. Because there was no other man who could do it, Saul agrees to let David go and fight the giant. Saul told David: The Lord be with you! This was prophetic. God’s anointing has left Saul and is now on David. Unknowingly, Saul admires the royal mantle on David, the future king. Lesson: faith developed in the past will help you fight the present battles. Enemies change. But Faith never changes. Why? “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb 13:8).

*When going to war, be sure that your motives are right. David was prepared as a fighter, but he also had the right motives for fighting Goliath. God looks at the heart. The state of your heart is more important to God than your words or actions. David did not fight Goliath to gain fame or fortune. David’s main reason to fight Goliath was his holy desire to defend the name and glory of God. David heard Goliath insulting God and God’s people. That was enough for David to volunteer to fight him. David said to the Philistine: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands” (1 Sam 17:45-47). “So, the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth Your glory” (Ps 102:15). The second reason why David fought Goliath is to help God’s people. Like a shepherd helps his wounded sheep, David stepped forth as the true leader of Israel and defeated their enemy. Lesson: Victory is on the side of him who has God on his side!

*David was willing to stand all alone for God, even when all others draw back. On that battlefield, David was the only one who saw the reality behind the visible. David stood before Goliath. In no man’s land. That is the loneliest place in the world. No man to help you! But David did not worry about himself, whether he would live or die. All he wanted is that God’s name should be honored. To stand alone you must be sure that God is with you. Also, you must be sure of is that the Battle is the Lord’s. David knew that he was God’s servant and anything that happens to David, concerns God. People like Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel all believed that God watches over them. If you know that God is with you, you will not be easily discouraged. Question: Do you fight your problems alone? You stand for God when you study God’s Word, and you go to church even if nobody in your family does it. David killed Goliath and became the hero to inspire many generations! With all his failures, God said David is a man after His heart. David loved to be identified with God. He is a great example to us all, pointing to Jesus Christ, our Savior and King! Worship the Lord!

THE LORD REIGNS FOREVER (Psalm 2:1-12)

This is a Psalm of David (Acts 4:25). It reveals the settled sovereign purpose of God to establish His Kingdom on earth and to have His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be King over all. Despite opposition from men and devils, it reveals the eternal reign of Jesus Christ as King in God’s Kingdom. David wrote this Psalm because he experienced something similar in his own life. He too was anointed as king despite the opposition of men. He was rejected by his brothers, by King Saul and by his own son, Absalom. David was about 15 years when he was anointed as king by prophet Samuel. King Saul persecuted him for about 15 years. Eventually, at the age of 30, he became king. David remains the greatest king Israel ever had, a man after God’s heart. God sets kings and God removes kings! “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Dan 2:20, 21). Psalm 2 is prophetic revealing the coming of Jesus Christ, who is of the lineage of David. The world rejected Jesus. Men killed Him on the Cross. The rulers of this world did not know God’s plan. By His death, Jesus destroyed the power of death, that belonged to the devil. Jesus will come again in power and glory to destroy what He has defeated. At that time, God’s Kingdom will be visible to all! In Psalm 2 we see the empty rage of men against God and His anointed, Jesus Christ; we see God’s reaction to this opposition; we hear the declaration of God’s Son, the King of kings; and we read the final warning of God against all rebellious men on earth!

1-THE EMPTY RAGE OF MEN

The nations ‘rage’ against God and His Kingdom. All men are born sinners. In this fight against God all the people and their kings are in it together. They ‘rage’ against God the Father and God the Son! The word ‘rage’ means a loud confusing noise of a great crowd. God’s Kingdom brings peace, prosperity, healing and freedom. You expect men to happily welcome these blessings. Why do men hate God and His Kingdom? They do not have a good reason. The only explanation is that unbelievers are ruled by the devil, who is the god of this world. Men love the blessings but hate God, the Giver of the blessings. This is a spiritual battle between heaven and hell and is manifested on earth. It is a cosmic conspiracy to break God’s bands of agape Love towards men.

God says of Israel: “I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them” (Hos11:4). But they did not appreciate God’s Love for them. The devil uses men to fight God and all that is good. They rejected Jesus as their Savior, Lord and King. “But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us” (Lk 19:14). The men of this world, religious and political, have rejected and killed ‘this Man’ called Jesus. Despite the opposition, God declares that the unbelievers’ fight against Him and His Kingdom is ‘a vain thing’; an empty, worthless thing. It has no value and no victory. Lesson: Religion cannot help. Jesus died to reconcile us to God. Separate yourself from the unbelievers’ losing battle against God, Jesus Christ and His church! To fight God is foolish and dangerous because God always wins!

2-GOD’S REACTION TO THE EMPTY RAGE OF MEN

Totally separate from the noise of men on earth, God sits enthroned in heaven. No man and no devil can remove God from His throne. Watch the quiet royal dignity of God on His throne. This is the truth: either willingly or un-willingly, man must bow to God. Sited on His throne, God initially laughs and mocks the men who in vain fight His choice. He has declared that His Son Jesus Christ is eternally the King of glory! God can never lose. God does not need to stand from His throne to fight the opposition. His breath is enough to quench any battle against Him. By His Word God created all things. By the same Word God can kill any man. Suddenly, God changes from laughing to holy anger. None can withstand His wrath. God shakes the things on earth and burns the chaff. The purpose is to prove that His Kingdom is unshakable. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:28,29).  In His anger, God speaks: “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion” (Ps 2:6). Oh, the powerful word ‘yet!’ What God says is final! God’s choice, King David, must be king in Jerusalem, on the holy hill of Zion. Against all odds, as God wished it, King Saul is removed, and David became King in Zion. God has already done what the enemies were planning to prevent. God cannot be taken by surprise. His plans are sovereign and eternal! Amen!

Prophetically, this psalm says that Jesus Christ is God’s choice to be the King in His Kingdom. Jesus did not make King by Himself. Men did not choose Him. God the Father declared His Beloved Son to be King. Spiritually, Zion is a symbol of the Living Church. Christ is the King in His Church. He is the King of God’s Kingdom in the hearts of the believers who come together to worship the Living God. Since the Day of Pentecost when the Church was born, millions have come to worship God and to listen to God’s Word in Zion. “Many people shall come and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law” (Isa 2:3). Jesus “shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied” (Isa 53:11).

Lesson: Jesus, the Lamb upon His throne, is seated in power and glory and reigns forever in the hearts of all the believers in the Church!

3-GOD’S SON DECLARES HIS STAND

Jesus Christ, God’s Beloved Son, stands to declare His relationship with God the Father. Jesus is not an adopted Son like us. He is the only begotten Son of God. Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man. Therefore, Jesus is perfectly entitled and qualified to be King in God’s Kingdom. The fullness of God the Father dwells in Christ, who is the Fountain of all wisdom, power, and authority. Christ died to create the Church. His Blood is stronger than any opposition. “The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against His Church where He is King” (Matt 16:18). By His Grace, Christ makes the believers to be kings, priests and co-heirs with Him. We sit on the throne with Him. We are His Ambassadors and Key-holders in His domain. All worship to God must pass thru God the Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord! The Son of God declares that God told Him: “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps 2:8).  Jesus is asking God the Father to give Him as a royal gift the very people who are fighting against Him. By His grace and through His Agape love, His enemies will become His servants and worshippers. Those who will not bend, must be broken. Christ is King not just by name. He has the power to subdue all opposition. Christ said: “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matt 28:18; AMP).

4-FINAL WARNING TO THE UNBELIEVERS

This is a grace warning to all who oppose Christ. They are commanded to ‘be wise’! Wisdom means to stop fighting and surrender to Christ. If not, they will surely perish. They will go to hell! All must come to the throne of mercy and grace and kiss the hand of the Son of God. They must accept the truth that their fight can never succeed. The ruler of this world, the devil, is a liar. He gives sinners false hopes. They must forsake the devil’s camp and cross-over to Jesus. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (PV9:10). As for you, child of God, rejoice with trembling in the mercy received. Fear without joy is torment. Joy without holy fear is presumption and foolishness. Both need to be together. Those who resist the Holy Spirit and continue to rebel against Christ shall perish. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ, shall find mercy and they shall live. Choose life!!! Worship the Lord!

The Parable of the wheat and the tares is one of the parables of Jesus. A parable is a simple short story that illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Human beings respond better when they hear simple stories than when they listen to theories, arguments or principles. In the previous Parable of the Sower, we have one Sower, one type of seed (God’s Word), one field and four different types of soils. Here we have one Man who owns a good field. He sows good seed (wheat) in His field. In the night, when his servants are sleeping, another man called ‘his enemy’ came and planted bad seed (tares) in the same good field. Both types of seed germinate at the same time, and they grow together. The servants observed that there are two types of plants. They asked their Master three questions: “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?… Do you want us then to go and gather them up?”. The Master said that an enemy has done that. He also said that they should leave the mixed plants to grow together until the harvest. Judgment shall happen during the harvest. Then the separation shall be total. The tares will be gathered and burnt. The wheat will be deposited in the Owner’s storehouse.

Jesus explains that Kingdom of God, and the church in its visible form is a mixed multitude. This is the mystery of evil in the world. Immediately God planted the good seed called Adam and Eve, the devil came to deposit his lies in their hearts. We have many questions about evil and sin: why did God allowed the devil to enter the Garden of Eden? Why is the devil still permitted to ‘to kill, steal and destroy’? From this parable we see that God allows the devil to tempt and attack even the Christians. But evil does not last forever. There is a final judgment when God, sited on the Great White Throne in heaven, will judge and punish the devil and all who followed him. God is the good man who plants the good seed, the believers. Never forget the great picture of God’s plan and purpose in His creation.

Jesus calls the devil ‘an enemy’. The devil is a liar, the enemy of truth, of righteousness, of peace, of joy and of all good things in life. Here we see that part of the strategy of spiritual warfare is to endure side by side with the wicked people, for a time. The deliverance from oppressors and difficult people is not always instant. This closeness is difficult, but God uses it to shine the light from the true believers on the false believers, who have grace opportunities to repent of sin and give their lives to Christ. The unbelievers are our ‘neighbors’. We must love the unlovely. Agape Love is busy in such a field. This is evangelism one to one. This is a reminder that the devil is wicked. He waited for the Owner to plant the good seeds before he planted his wicked seeds. If the devil planted his evil seed where other evil plants grow, then we can understand that. But, no! He planted his evil seed on the good man’s land and among the good man’s seed. This is a reminder that God is the owner of this earth. The devil plants in God’s field.

The devil planted his seed during the night when the good man’s servants were sleeping. This parable tells us that the devil is a coward. He did not attack the man’s children in the daytime, but in the night, where all good men sleep. This is not a careless sleep but the normal sleep of hardworking men. This parable also tells us that this is a time of grace, when men may still repent. All organizations, companies, families, even the visible Church and the Kingdom of God are all a mixed multitude. Wicked people are our neighbors and colleagues in the offices. They are the people we call brethren and pastors in the church. Finally, we are reminded that there is judgment ahead. Evil does not last forever. Wicked, unrepentant people will surely regret their foolish pride! They will be punished in the Lake of Fire forever! But the righteous in Christ have eternal life. Lessons: Fear God! Repent of Sins! Surrender unconditionally to the Lord Jesus Christ! Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ! Be patient! Be watchful! Pray! Study God’s Word! Worship God! Serve God! Amen!

“Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons” (1Sam 16:1:1). In Hebrew, the word ‘provide’ is ‘rai’. It means to see, to make it appear, to prophesy. It is part of the compound name of God: Jehovah Jireh. Abraham told Isaac: “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen 22:8). In the same way, Jehovah Jireh provides a king for Himself. We shall study God’s provision, King David, who is a symbol of King Jesus. Lesson: in God’s Kingdom, men’s choice as their leader or king is rejected by God. Only God chooses the King that can give Him the glory and help humanity! In the Church, all the true leaders are all called by God!

King Saul had great potential. He was tall and handsome. He looked like a king. That is why the people ‘voted’ for him. God agreed with their ‘democratic’ desires. But King Saul’s heart was not good. He openly disobeyed God. Internally, he was not fit to be a king before God and man. Samuel told King Saul: “you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel” (1Sam 15:26). Lesson: obedience to God’s Word is the way to success and greatness!  Surprisingly, God’s choice as king is a teenager, a shepherd, called David, the son of Jesse, from Bethlehem. God says: “I have provided Myself a king”. Samuel, now an old man, so bold in the past, is weeping for Saul, who was one of his disciples in the school of life. But Saul failed both God and Samuel. When God tells Samuel to go to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons, the prophet becomes afraid, that Saul might kill him. Lesson: Mourning for lost opportunities is natural, but it should only be for a short time. When mourning for man combines with fear of the same man, that leads to depression and cowardice and backsliding. It is worldly sorrow. It is sin. It blocks the anointing to ministry! Repent of it! Selah!

Samuel goes to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse, to find and anoint the new king of Israel. Jesse has eight sons. He presents the first seven. They are all tall and good looking. Samuel was tempted to choose one of them. They reminded him of young king Saul. But God restrains him saying: “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1Sam 16:7). Like Samuel, we all tend to approve men based on their outward gifts. We tend to lean towards physical beauty, eloquent speakers, academic degrees, or social status. We choose charisma over character. This tendency to choose the visible gifts over the invisible spirituality is idolatry. It is rejecting God’s will. Lesson: in choosing our pastors, marriage partners or friends, we must seek God’s face and never be led by the lust of the eyes! Selah!  

God rejected all the seven sons of Jesse. Samuel asked if there was any other son. Slowly, Jesse admits that there is still the youngest, David, who is taking care of the sheep. He was not even informed about this ‘interview’. That is when Samuel told everyone: “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here” (1Sam 16:11). Spiritually, many people sit down! They have lost the vision of King Jesus in His Kingdom. They are depressed. Lesson: We are to stand to honor and expect the King to come! We are like the wise virgins! We cannot relax or sleep until we see the King of glory! “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed, so that he will not go naked and let his shame be exposed” (Rev 16:15). Selah!

David came into the room. Behold the King of Israel!!! David came straight from tending the flock; sweating, dressed in dirty clothes, smelling like sheep. He was excited as any teenager can be. “He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the LORD said, “This is the one; anoint him” (1Sam16:12;NLT). God’s command to Samuel was clear: ‘This is the One!’ David looked healthy and physically fit. His beauty came from within, from a kind and humble spirit. David was the 8th son. Number 8 is the number of a new beginning. God’s choice as king for His people has entered the pages of history. Later, the same David said: “Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter” (Ps 24:9; NLT). Lesson: God allows the flesh to manifest and fail before He brings His choice. That is why Ishmael is born before Isaac; Esau is born before Jacob; Herod is born before Jesus! God’s ways are not our ways! Be patient!

King Saul was the first king. He was chosen by people. God approved their choice. Samuel anointed him with oil from a flask. King Saul was a tall handsome man, looking like a king. At the beginning he looked humble and zealous for God. But King Saul disobeyed God’s commands. God removed His Spirit and anointing from him. Lesson: in God’s Kingdom unrepentant rebellion is punished. Samuel anointed David with oil from an animal horn. This ceremony was held in the presence of his father and his brothers. Lesson: Both Saul and David were anointed with the same olive oil and by the same prophet Samuel. The difference was in the containers of oil. In the case of Saul, the oil was poured from a man-made flask (1 Sam10:1). But Samuel poured the oil on David from an animal’s horn (1Sam16:13). That speaks of sacrifice. The bull must be killed to remove the horn. Blood must shed for the oil to flow. This is a symbol of the Cross, strength coming out of death. We are called to be royal priesthood in God’s Kingdom by the power of the Cross! Oh, the Blood of Jesus!!!

Immediately the new king is anointed, the Holy Spirit leaves Saul and goes to David (1Sam16:13). “The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him” (1Sam16:14). Without God’s covering, an evil spirit appointed by God Himself, comes to trouble Saul’s mind. The word ‘distressing’ is also translated as evil, wicked, wild, depressive, ugly, or hurtful spirit. This demon ‘troubled’ Saul. The word means to attack, overwhelm, or terrorize with fear. This demon gave Saul panic attacks that drove him to become mad. His mental decline has started. He is still the king on the throne for some years, but he becomes erratic, paranoic and violent. He suspects everybody around him.

There is a mental health situation called ‘panic attack’. It is a sudden feeling of anxiety or fear when there is no danger around. It lasts about 10 minutes. It manifests as a sudden fear or death; the heartbeat increases; he sweats; feels hot or cold; feels nausea, like sick at the stomach; he feels chest pains. He feels dizzy, fainting, like he has a heart attack, or is going to die. The effect of this attack is that the patient starts to avoid crowded places and people. He becomes lonely. Medically, the patient is given psychotherapy and medication.  

His servants advised a cure: Music! A skillful musician who can play the harp to help Saul have some peace of mind. One of the servants recommends young David, who has just been anointed to be the new king in Israel.

David did not seek visibility. He did not really like fame. He was truly a humble man. Study him! After David was anointed as king, what did he do? He went back to take care of the sheep. He did not make noise about it. The anointing with oil as a king did not change his character. David’s ‘contract’ to be the King’s entertainer did not make him proud. When David did ministry in song Saul became refreshed and well. But David still did not become proud. Even after he killed Goliath, he remained humble. Lesson: God uses and blesses humble servants who give Him all the glory! David “served his own generation by the will of God” (Ac 13:36). May this be our portion too!

Listen to what Hannah, Samuel’s mother said: “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them. 9 He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. “For by strength no man shall prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king and exalt the horn of His anointed” (1 Sam 2:6-10). Lesson: God is not impressed by man’s outward appearance, titles or fashion sense. God is seeking for true worshippers with a servant’s attitude. God looks for men who want to love Him more than His gifts. Once God finds someone like that, He will anoint that one. David is not ugly. It is not wrong to be handsome, skillful, or talented. But for God, the top of His list in choosing His servants is a desire to know His heart and obey His voice. Lesson: the key to success in ministry and greatness in life is to be humble, faithful, to seek God’s Heart, God’s Kingdom and to be like Jesus!

It is interesting to note that no one in the Bible has the name of David except the greater Son of David, our Lord Jesus Christ. David was a visible example of God to others. People noticed that the Lord was with him. Godliness cannot be hidden. Light shines in the darkness!

King Saul is now rejected by God. He is still on the throne but without God’s covering and anointing. As the Holy Spirit left Saul, He went on young David. King Saul became king in his middle age. God did not train him to be king. But with David, God calls and anoints him as a young man. For many years, before David sits on the throne, God trains him in the wilderness. Lesson: if God calls you to serve Him, He will train you in the school of life! “Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor” (PV 18:12). King Saul is now attacked by a tormenting spirit. He needed someone who could play the harp well. Music helps him to have some peace. See how a servant introduces young David to King Saul: “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him” (1Sam16:18). David is a good example of a citizen, an ambassador, and a peacemaker in the Kingdom of God. Let us look at each of young David’s qualities:

*He was skillful in playing (the harp). As a shepherd, David lived a lonely life. His harp was his ‘friend’. He learned to play it very well. In some of his Psalms he wrote ‘To the Chief Musician’. It means that the psalms should be played by the master musician, by the music director, and not by the beginners in the art of making beautiful sounds. David’s fingers were sensitive to the touch of the strings. He was a poet and musician at heart. Lesson: we should improve the skill of making music as we worship God.

*He was a mighty man of valor. He had a good character. As a shepherd, he learned how to take care of his sheep. He was a responsible and courageous leader. He took the sheep to green pastures and still water. He treated their sicknesses. He looked for the lost sheep. The shepherd type of leader is the opposite of a proud tyrant. David has a servant’s heart. With humility and patience, he displays agape love towards the weak.

*He was a man of war. David learned how to fight and kill the enemies. He killed the bear and the lion that attacked his flock. It is strange to see that the same sensitive fingers that could play the harp were the ones that can kill the animals. Not long after this, he proved to be a true champion, and a man of faith, by killing the giant called Goliath who insulted Jehovah God!

*He was prudent in speech. This word means to be a good communicator especially when speaking in public. A godly eloquent person speaks clearly, passionately, directly, and moves his listeners. God’s Spirit gave David the gift of speech. He spoke wisely. He did not insult the people. He was respectful. When people heard Jesus speak, they said: “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (Jn 7:46).

*He was handsome. His beauty came mostly from within. It was the beauty of holiness.

*The Lord was with Him. This is the greatest quality in any man. God’s presence is the secret of all godly success in life. People observed that God guides David in his decisions and prospers him. David “was successful in all he did, because the LORD was with him” (1Sam 18:14; Good News Translation). The knowledge on how to host the Holy Spirit thru personal anointing, is the secret of all success in life and ministry. It was the same with Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Esther, the old prophets, Apostles Paul and John. Selah!

“And when He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king: of him He testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART [conforming to My will and purposes], who will do all My will” (Ac 13:22; AMP). King David was the opposite of King Saul who was proud and rebellious. A man after God’s heart is humble and obedient to God’s Word. In words and deeds, he honors and fears God. As a King and Priest, the believer chooses to die to his own will and does God’s Will. He hates idolatry. In his heart, he is a worshipper of God. David prepared to build the temple of God. As believers we love attending the local church and serve God there. When we sin, we quicky repent. God took pleasure in blessing David. Out of his lineage, the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth as a man. This is the greatest honor given to man on earth. May we be like David, people after God’s Heart! Amen!

FINALLY…

Studying the life of King Saul and the lack of fruits of repentance, we can safely say that he was not saved. God gave him a chance in life. He became the first king of Israel. He was handsome. People liked him and followed him. Though initially he looked humble, he was proud and stubborn in his heart. Two times he openly disobeyed God’s Word that came to him thru the man of God. He could not wait patiently for Prophet Samuel to offer the sacrifices. He was not ordained as a priest but took it upon himself to offer the sacrifices. He also disobeyed God’s command and refused to kill the Amalekites, according to God’s Word. God then removed His anointing from Saul. That is how he lost his mental health and peace. God sent an evil spirit to torment him. This evil spirit was God’s judgment because of his stubbornness, pride and disobedience. In His mercy, God sent His servant and ambassador, young man David. The sound of David’s harp would calm Saul’s mind, for a time. David’s music ministry was God’s gift of Kindness to Saul. He was to receive it with thanksgiving and repent of his sins. But Saul refused to repent.  “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds” (Rom 2:4-6). To the end of his life Saul rejected David and his music ministry. His daughter, Michal, David’s wife, also rejected David’s music ministry. King Saul died a miserable death and David took over his throne. Lesson: Fear God!

What are then the main qualities of a man (a woman) who is after God’s heart? Being inspired by David we say that such a person must first of all be born again and Spirit-filled. The election of David as King was by grace. God provided Himself with the king of His choice. This man must have total faith in God. He must Love God’s Word. He is grateful to God. He must be in harmony with God’s will. He must be a humble man, deeply sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Like David, when he sins, he truly repents, he gets up and stands again to follow God. He must be a God seeker and a God pleaser. May God help us to pay the price to please Him alone! Amen!

God says: I need someone who will serve Me in any place, no matter how humble. Even though he was anointed to be king, David takes care of his flock and plays the harp to a rejected king. David learned many things in the palace and in the wilderness. Lesson: Learn what you can, when you can, and where you can. God usually uses a man who is already serving Him in a little way. God rewards a man who is willing to wait in humility until God calls him to visibility. When Goliath was insulting the armies of the Living God, it means that he was insulting God! All the men of Israel, including King Saul were drawing back and shaking with fear. But David was angry because someone insults his God. This is a holy anger that produces faith, and boldness. God loves this kind of man. Fear of man is a snare to anointing and promotion. David defended God’s name, reputation and glory!!! David’s brothers mocked him too, but David was too angry to care about that. Even King Saul said ‘you are too young. You are not able to kill Goliath’. But David declared his total trust in God. He refused Saul’s armor and with a stone taken from the river, he killed the giant. He trusted in God alone. He defended God’s glory. He trusted in God’s power and faithfulness to defend him. Goliath had no chance against a man who trusts God! There are so many lessons to learn. Do you trust God to help you defend His glory? To defeat His enemies? To give God all the glory? Don’t you want to be like David, to feel like a young man again? Don’t you want to be a dreamer, a worshipper and a warrior? To sing to Jesus? To dance to Jesus? King Jesus, the greater Son of David, killed death and defeated the devil. May we never lose our wonder… Worship the Lord!

Please read Isaiah 22:20-23 and 9:6,7. Isaiah says that Shebna, the chief steward to David’s house will be violently removed from his office. Shebna is called ‘a shame to his master’s house’. Jewish history says that he betrayed his king. In his place, God installs Eliakim. His name means ‘God will rise you up’ or ‘the Resurrection of God’. The fulfilment of his name applies to Jesus Christ. God gives Eliakim the substantial authority and responsibility that Shebna had. He “shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.” This is the same promotion as with Joseph who said: God “has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt” (Gen 45:8). For both Eliakim and Joseph, their authority as ‘fathers’ was exceeded by only their kings.

The keys of the house of David were placed on Eliakim’s shoulder. Keys are signs of authority and power. Note that Eliakim is not an ordinary door keeper. He is the chief steward over the royal house of King David. The keys in his hand represent all authority to invite or to drive away any person from the palace. The king trusts him with his life! God promised to David that his descendants will be kings. “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel” (Jer 33:17). This is a prophesy that is fulfilled in Christ, who as a Man, came from the lineage of David. In Christ we are all priests and kings and carry the keys of His Kingdom.

In his position as second-in-command, Eliakim served as the ultimate gatekeeper, granting or denying access to the throne room using his discretion. He could open the door, and no one could shut it. Having the door opened meant access to the king’s presence, and thus to the God-given authority, favor and royal blessings, as well as to all the resources of the treasury and storehouse. But if Eliakim shut the door, he blocked all that access, and no one (except the king) could overrule his decision. It was a highly privileged position. As you see, God doesn’t tolerate men like Shebna, who was more interested in personal fame than fulfilling his office with humility and faithfulness.

Our Lord confirms the authority of Eliakim to open and shut doors at his discretion. “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you” (Rev 3:7-9). The false believers, men like Shebna, members of the synagogue of Satan, are liars and losers. Jesus gives the keys to the believers in the church in Philadelphia because though they have little strength, they are faithful in their works to serve Him. They keep God’s Word and do not deny the name of Jesus. Lesson: the revelation of the power of the keys in God’s Kingdom is given when we honor God’s name and obey His Word. Amen!

“Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt 16:15-19).  Jesus is laying the foundation of His church, which is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph 2:20). The disciples will be the leaders of this new institution. Jesus is giving them the authority to open the doors of heaven and invite the world to enter. It is important to understand how, biblically speaking, one enters the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said that, unless one is born again, he will not see the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3). One is born again as the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to bring about new life in a dead sinner. The sinner must repent and believe in Christ crucified and resurrected.

Salvation is by grace and thru faith in Jesus who died on behalf of sinners. Faith in the heart must be openly proclaimed to prove salvation. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom 10:9,10). So, the faithful preaching of the gospel is the key to the kingdom. An open door means an opportunity to preach the Gospel, to make progress in life and ministry, without using force.  In both the Old and New Testaments, keys symbolize power and authority. You use the key to open or to shut a door. The delivery of the keys of a city, or to a person, symbolizes the handing over of the authority to that person.

The Church is ‘the headquarter’ of the Kingdom of God. Jesus personally promises Peter a certain authority. This is a personal reward for his good confession. This promise was fulfilled after the Day of Pentecost. At this time, it was only promised, not actually activated upon Peter. The actual gift of the power of the keys given to him, and to the other apostles, took place after Resurrection (Jn 20:22, 23).  The Apostles received the authority from Jesus, to operate in His name. They will use the keys to open or to shut, to approve or not, who is entering and who is rejected from entering the kingdom of heaven. In particular, it concerns acts of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Believers use the keys of the Kingdom like ambassadors give visa to people to enter their country or reject their applications for visa. This authority is always in total agreement with the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, who is in heaven. The Kingdom keys have the power to open and shut doors without using physical force. That power belongs to God the Father. “Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand” (Deut 32:39). The “power of the keys,” has two branches – legislative (authority to make laws) and absolving (authority to release from guilt, to forgive).

1=Peter exercised the legislative authority of the Kingdom keys as he opens the door to three groups of people: the Jews, the Samaritans and the Gentiles. Jesus commanded the disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). The Gospel spreads by the preaching of God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. The first group was the Jews in Jerusalem. Peter preached his first sermon to them on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2:37-39). By preaching the Gospel, Peter opens the door to all the Jews who repented of the sin of rejecting and killing Jesus. Peter promised them that if they repent, they will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Three thousand Jews entered the Kingdom that day. The Holy Spirit came and baptized them, proof that they are now saved. Peter leaves the door open for all will do the same in the future. Later, Peter goes to Samaria and preaches the Gospel. The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other for centuries. But Peter, the Peacemaker, opens the door to the Samaritans to also enter the Kingdom (Acts 8).

It was also Peter’s action that admitted the Gentiles to the privileges of the gospel. Peter preaches the Gospel to the centurion and his family. They believed and got baptized with the Holy Spirit and in water (Acts 10). Later, at the Jerusalem council, Peter convinced everyone that there is no need for the Gentiles to be circumcised (like the Jews), saying that they too are saved by Grace and thru faith in Christ, just like the Jews. With one word Peter waved away the need for the Gentiles to obey the ceremonial Jewish Law to become saved. This is the legislative authority of the Kingdom’ keys (Ac 15:7-11). Peter opens salvation door to the Gentiles. This dramatic event is part of the history of the church, and this new law now stands forever.

An example of Peter shutting the door of the kingdom in the face of a false believer is his rebuke to Simon the Sorcerer. “Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God” (Ac 8:20, 21). Peter rejected his application for visa to enter heaven!

2=The absolving power of the Keys is related to forgiveness of sins and church discipline. It manifests in acts of binding and loosing in prayer. “To bind” is to forbid, to pronounce unlawful, to arrest, to constrain, to prevent the person from escaping. “To loose” is to let go, to declare lawful; to let go from a cage, to fly away, or to be free. Simply said, to bind means to arrest, to loosen means to set the victim free.  

Jesus said: “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt 18:18). Specifically, it relates to the authority to forgive or not. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:23). The “power of the keys” has also been understood as the authority to exercise discipline using the act of excommunication in cases of rebellious unrepentant members of the church (Matt 18:15-17).

So, the keys of the kingdom are God’s gift to His people to declare heaven’s verdict on who will and will not enter the kingdom based on their response to the gospel. All who faithfully preach and teach the gospel can exercise the keys under the authority of Jesus Christ Himself. The Keys are the teachings of Jesus! When you preach the Gospel, you use the Keys to open heaven or to shut it down. Knowledge withheld or ignorance of the Gospel shuts the door to men to enter. “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered” (Lk 11:52).  God’s will is that sinners be granted access to heaven through the righteousness of Christ. Consider Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees: If the gospel message is distorted or ignored, or if unrepentant sin is not adequately disciplined, the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven are being shut in people’s faces. The apostles were not to usurp Christ’s authority over individual believers and their eternal destiny, but they were to exercise authority to discipline erring believers and, if necessary, excommunicate disobedient church members. Based on God’s Word, believers today can declare an unrepentant sinner to be unsaved (“bound”) and a repentant believer in Jesus Christ to be saved (“loosed”). The binding or the loosing, based on one’s rejection or acceptance of the gospel, reflects heaven’s perspective on the matter. In heaven, Christ ratifies what is done in His name and in obedience to His Word on earth.

There was a school of prophets at Bethel. Elijah, followed later by Elisha, were mentors there (2Kings 6:1-7). The students needed a bigger hostel. They were ready to build the house, to do the manual labor. But they wanted their Master, Elisha, to go with them. They appreciated the presence of the old Prophet. Elisha could sit in the shadow of a tree by River Jordan and teach them God’s Word of pray for them. You see that at that time, the prophets were not wealthy. They had to borrow their tools. Elisha rejected the money offered by Naaman. It is a great blessing when younger Christians desire the presence of elderly servants of God. They knew that Elisha had more wisdom and experience than them. ‘An old man sited on the ground sees farther away than a young man who climbs an iroko tree’ (Naija proverb). Elisha agreed and went with them. It is beautiful when pastor and congregation serve God together in the unity of the Spirit! Suddenly, one of the young men, as he was cutting down a tree, lost the iron head of his ax in the water. Jordan river is muddy, and the ax could not be seen again. He panicked because it was a borrowed head. The young man did two things that saved him from this crisis. First, he immediately ‘cried out’. He did not hide his mistake. He could have pretended that all is well and continued to work with only the wooden stick. Many Christians are too proud to confess their sins, that they need help or prayer. If this young man used the wooden stick to work, he could have greatly slowed down his work. Also, when the metal ax head is later found, the wooden stick will be too damaged to fit in. The second good thing this young man did was to go to the old prophet. He knew that Elisha has more wisdom, more experience. Selah!

Elisha asked him: where is the exact place where it fell? Lesson: When you commit sin, there is a moment in time when you chose to rebel. There is a moment in time when you chose to resist the voice of the Holy Spirit. You must visit that painful and shameful moment. Many refuse to do so. They hinder the recovery miracle. Lesson: humble yourself; tell God and your pastor where I started to go astray. It is a place and moment in time. It is important to visit the beginning of your sin. Go to the Cross. Christ crucified for your sins. That is the place where the lost shall be found. The heavy iron head is a symbol of our sins. The story here is a symbol of baptism in water. You die in the mud of sin, and you rise by God’s power. The ax is a symbol of power for the ministry. “As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]” (PV 27:17; AMP). This power can be lost through disobedience, love for the world, and lack of prayer. “If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength; but wisdom [to sharpen the axe] helps him succeed (with less effort)” (Ecc10:10; AMP).  Selah!

Just the way Moses cut a tree and threw it into the bitter water to make it sweet (Exo 15), Elisha also cut a stick and threw it into the river. Suddenly, the iron ax head floated to the surface. Elisha told the young man: Pick it up for yourself. There was no need for the man to swim into the muddy waters and get injured. All he had to do was to stretch his hand and take back his lost blessing. Christ is the Head of the Church. If you disconnect from the Head, you will sink into the mud of sin. You can’t work for God with only a stick in your hand. That stick represents the power of the flesh. Jesus said: “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (Jn15:5). But once you reconnect with Christ, you can do all things thru Him who continually strengthens you (Phil 4:13). Lesson: God is the God of miracles. He has the keys to every closed door. He helps us even with the little things. In Christ, the lost shall be found. The prodigals will come back home. The power of resurrection can locate and retrieve your lost blessings. The same power is the key to pay off any debt, to bring you out from poverty and shame, to build a house for you. Just believe! The work of God never stops! The worship of God continues forever! Worship the Lord!

“Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God… “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God” (Matt 5:9; NKJ; AMP).

A peacemaker is a person who helps others solve a conflict and reach a peaceful solution. If two countries are engaged in a long war, peacemakers might help negotiate a ceasefire. Ambassadors and mediators are peacemakers. Some people don’t care about peace. They are troublemakers. But all believers are commanded to live in peace with others. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom 12:18). Jesus blesses the peacemakers.To make peace in a time of war is much more difficult than to maintain the peace achieved. There are differences between peacekeepers and peacemakers. For example: peacekeepers operate under the authority of the Law. They punish anyone who is seen as a threat to peace. They sacrifice righteousness, even kill men to keep peace. They want peace by force. They can even compromise their conscience and spiritual values to maintain peace in the land. But Biblical peacemakers do not keep peace at all costs. They operate under the greater Law of Agape Love and Divine Wisdom. Purity of heart and motives is never compromised in the process of making peace. Purity is first, peace is second. “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (Jam 3:17,18). Peacemakers produce a harvest of righteousness in the land. Peacemakers are all humble. They love people. They do not withdraw from their communities. They are active in society and wise in their relationship with people. They are not easily discouraged by problems. They are always hopeful that peace can be made. There is a difference between unity and coexistence. Peacekeepers use threats of violence, or the presence of physical power, to maintain peace. But peacemakers, thru prayer, and by God’s Grace, aim at the root of the problem: the hearts of people, starting with themselves. Glory!

Peace is defined as a state of calmness and quietness; freedom from worries, fear, anger, obsession, and oppressive thoughts; mutual harmony between people and nations; no fighting and no war. When you are at peace with yourself, you are content with the way God created you, even with your weaknesses and flaws. In a state of peace people live and work together happily, without disagreements. In both Hebrew and Greek, the word ‘peace’ also means prosperity, health, favor with God and men. Christ is our King and our Peace. He shed His Blood on the Cross to reconcile Jew and Gentile, to make them one Body, in Him, before God the Father. “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation” (Eph2:14).

Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). In both Hebrew and Greek, the word ‘peace’ also means property, health, and favor with God and men. To be troubled means to be agitated, disturbed, angry. The word ‘afraid’ means to be a coward, to be timid, and to shrink back. Like Agape Love, peace is bold like a lion. Jesus was clarifying the difference between worldly peace and godly peace. Many people do not have peace of mind. “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked” (Isa 57:20,21). The world has external peace connected with beauty, wealth and social status. The worldly man believes that he creates his peace. When money and youthful strength go away, that peace is scattered. But for the believers, peace starts with a right relationship with God, thru Christ. This peace is God’s gift to His children. It is deep spiritual calmness

free from the changing circumstances. Peace is freedom from worries and protection of mind and emotions (Phil 4:6, 7).

“Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God” (Matt 5:9).

The scripture is taken from the Sermon on the Mount, preached by our Lord Jesus Christ. The word ‘Blessed’ means to be truly happy, to be congratulated and honored by all. In this world, it is common to hear of wars or rumors of war. The root of these tragic events is sin in man’s heart. Man is born a sinner. In his heart, there is wickedness, selfishness, jealousy, greed, pride, sexual immorality and many other sins. The natural man loves to quarrel and cannot make or maintain peace. Jesus said that natural men love darkness and hate the light (Jn 3:19). Sinners love trouble. They see it as entertainment. They hate peace. They see it as boring.

To be a peacemaker you must be a child of God, a citizen of the Kingdom of God. A new heart, a new perspective of life must guide you to appreciate peace with God and peace with men. The Jews imagined that the Kingdom of God is a military kingdom, and the Messiah King is an army commander. They rejected Jesus because He looked too peaceful and gentle for them. Jesus came from heaven to reinstate God’s Kingdom. When the people saw that Jesus could feed thousands, they decided to make Him King ‘by force’. But Jesus withdrew from them. They did not know Him, and they did not know the type of Kingdom He came to establish. He said tom Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (Jn 18:36). To see and enter the Kingdom of God you need the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Selah!

No matter how educated, having good moral character, or being very religious, no unbeliever can be a peacemaker. According to the Bible, the only person who can be a peacemaker is the born-again, Spirit filled. He is not just a nice person who hides from trouble. He is a spiritually mature believer. He hates division and quarrels. He loves peace with God and peace with men. He knows the price paid for peace on earth. He knows that Jesus died to set men free from the punishment on sin. He actively looks for opportunities to make peace when there are divisions. His heart is free from selfishness, envy, jealousy and greed. He is fearless, dead to self, and totally free from self-interest. This is a high level of sanctification. If a man is not dead to the flesh, he will be too self-conscious. He will try to protect his reputation. He will be defensive during arguments. That is why a carnal Christian cannot be a peacemaker. A peacemaker is not always looking to gain fame for himself. He is morally neutral. He is not on the side of any man. He is on the side of Jesus. He behaves like Jesus. He knows that he was a sinner. Therefore, he has nothing to lose or to protect. You insult him and he keeps quiet. His desire is not to defend himself, but to give glory to God in everything he says or does.

Peacemakers actively involved in ministry are quite rare to find. A peacemaker is a special person, a blessing to humanity. He knows when and how to talk. He is sensitive, discreet, and wise. He never speaks wicked words that directly or indirectly hurt others. He does not intimidate or manipulate. He speaks words of grace that build others up. He is emotionally intelligent. The peacemaker knows his Bible. He uses God’s Word to guide his thinking and his decisions. If he sees an opportunity to make peace between two people, he is ready to suffer so that peace is achieved!!! He loves bringing people together, “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:2, 3). The Holy Spirit helps him and gives him favor with men. He is like Jesus. If Jesus was trying to defend His rights as God, He would not have died on the Cross for sinners. But Jesus humbled Himself, becoming a servant, to save men from sin. Jesus died to make peace between God and man, and between men themselves. The sacrifice of death to self is necessary to become like Jesus, our Prince of Peace.

The peacemakers are called ‘sons of God’. The word ‘called’ also means ‘owned’. As a peacemaker, God will own you. To owe it means to belong to God, to love and protect, to possess, to control, or to treasure. God will manifest His presence with you. He will cover your mistakes as you try your best to find creative ways to bring peace into this dark world. God highly rewards the peacemakers. Selah!

THIS IS A DAY OF GOOD NEWS (2 Kings 6:24- 33; 7:1-20)

This is a wonderful story of resurrection power and supernatural provision. During a time of great famine, God opened the windows of heaven and saved the people in the city. The King of Syria attacked and surrounded Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom. Food became scarce. The Jews do not eat donkey meat. It was forbidden in the Law of Moses. But now, the people were so hungry that they killed their donkeys. The donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung used as fuel for fire was sold for five pieces of silver. These are exorbitant prices. It was the law of supply and demand in action. If a product has a high demand and low supply, the price will increase. If there is low demand and high supply, the price will decrease. Market balancing occurs when demand and supply intersect to create a stable price. The people were so desperate that they became cannibals. Mothers and fathers lost their feelings of love towards their children. Just to survive, they killed their children and ate them. This is part of the curses send by God against His rebellious people (Deut 28:52-57). The King of Israel (Joram, perhaps) was totally helpless. This is a picture of total disaster, of death reigning in the city. Only God can help now!

There were four lepers who were sitting outside the the city gate. Because of their leprosy, they could not enter the city. They discussed their options: if they enter the city, or stay at the gate, they will die of hunger. The only option is to surrender to the enemy. Is the Syrians pity them, they will live. If not, they will kill them. Between death and death, they decided to surrender to the enemy. hey discovered that all the Syrians ran away and abandoned everything, their tents, food, weapons, horses, gold and silver. Imagine the joy! God fought their battle, and they did not even know it. God prepared for them a table on the midst of their enemies. They ate and drank wine. They hid some of the treasures. Then they felt guilty. They declared that this is the day of good news. Good news must be shared with others. They told the king’s officers about the story. Initially. There was joy in the whole city. Death has been defeated. The only man who did not partake from this celebration was the king’s chief of staff. Elisha prophesied that the next day, the price of food would go down to normal. But he doubted the prophet’s words and God’s power to open the windows of heaven. The next day, as the people found the treasures of the enemy, the price of food items dropped immediately. The chief of staff saw the miracle but could not partake in it. He was trampled to death by the mob who joyously ran to share in the bounty.

Spiritually, this is a story about sharing the Gospel with a dying world. In Greek, the word ‘Gospel’ is ‘euangelion’. It simply means ‘good news’. Once we become saved, we are supposed to do evangelism. Good news is not to be hidden or stored. It is to be shared. If you repent and believe the Gospel, you shall enter the Kingdom of God. If like the chief of staff, you reject the Gospel, you will die and go to hell. May we be willing to accept Jesus Christ and His Gospel and be saved!

Lessons: God is the God of miracles! God is a God of Grace. The king and the people inside Samaria were rebellious against God. That is why the curses of disobedience came upon them. But God still intervened by His Grace. The lepers went to the enemy to find mercy. The Syrians did not invite them, but they went anyway. How much more we should go to God, who invites us to find mercy and grace in time of need. God does not fight with spears. He fights with His Word. The Syrians heard the noise of battle, and they ran away. God can defeat any enemy, spiritual or physical. Trust Him! God cares for the needy! God supplies seed for the Sower and bread for the eater. Not to share in the good news is called the sin of silence! God’s Word in the mouth of His prophet cannot fall to the ground, powerless. Both in mercy and in judgment, God’s Word must be Fulfilled! Help is closer than you imagine! Help was at the gate! By God’s grace the rejected Lepers become saviors and heroes! God can use anyone, anytime! Worship the Lord!

DO NOT WORRY! (Matt 6:25-34)

This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Our Lord addresses the issue of faith, and its enemies, which are worries and doubt. As you can see, our Lord gives these matters serious attention. We should do the same. There is a close connection between the way we regard money and how we worry in this life. ‘Little faith’ is immature faith. The Christian believes that he is saved but he struggles with doubts when he prays about the blessings associated with salvation. We often see money as a god (Mammon). We think that money has the power to give us a better life. The natural man loves money and gathers his treasures on earth. He uses money to buy food, clothes, medicine, so that he will have a longer and happier life. Jesus uses the word ‘therefore’ to connect man’s attitude about money with the worries about his life. In other words, Mamon produces anxiety, but God gives faith and peace! The Kingdom of God is not built on intimidation, oppression, or fear. Earthly kings or rulers enjoy intimidating others. They think that oppressing people is the way to rule. On the contrary, King Jesus rules by God’s Word and delivers you from fear and anxiety. His will is that you too be totally free from doubt, fear and anxiety.  Selah!

In Greek, the word ‘worry’ means being over-anxious about something, distracted, caring too much about something. To worry means to live in a constant state of unhappiness because of the problems you have or because of bad things that might happen in the future. Anxiety is your body’s reaction to stress. It is an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future. Fear and anxiety are related but also different. Fear concerns the present and anxiety is mostly connected with the future, with the danger you see or imagine to be ahead. Anxiety, the fear of the future, are negative emotions that prevent God’s Word and love to mature. “The worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mk 4:19; AMP). The word ‘to choke’ means to crowd upon, to strangle, or to drown. Anxiety feels like drowning in the ocean. It is a terrible feeling that weakens the body and mind.

We are born with a sinful tendency towards anxiety. We worry too much about money and the things we can buy with money. We think too much about things that are temporal. We fall into the trap of thinking that the Kingdom of God is made of earthly things like ‘eating and drinking’. We imagine that we can ‘sponsor’ ourselves to become Kingdom’ citizens. With that mind-set, we miss the powerful revelation of the Kingdom of God. We minimize the revelation of the price paid on the Cross by our Lord, to set sinners free, so that they become kings and priests. We reduce the glory of God the Father and the glory of Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Anxiety is an extremely negative emotion. It can become an addiction, a spiritual stronghold in the mind. It is spiritually poisonous, and it damages your faith in God. It divides the mind. It produces doubt. A double minded man is like a man who has ‘two souls’. He is unstable, confused, and frustrated. God ignores his prayers (Jam 1:6-8). A double minded man lacks the discretion and the true wisdom of God. He loves to argue with himself and others. He does not have settled principles. He moves led by his emotions, easily influenced by public opinion. He cannot be a faithful friend. One day he is good and the next day, he is bad. He is a hypocrite. He is confused. One day he prays to God, then another day he prays to something else. One day he has hope to go to heaven and other day he fears that he may go to hell. He prays, but he does not wait for God to answer. He always changes the topic of his prayers. He punishes and troubles himself. This man needs deliverance. But a mature Christian has only one ‘mind’. In any situation of life, he always goes to God in prayer. He has no other god. He is settled in his mind about his identity in Christ. He has the assurance of his salvation. He is free from anxiety and doubts.

The Lord Jesus commands that we should not worry about life, the body, food, or clothes! The Lord does not say that we should have a passive attitude about the things of this life. He does not say that we should be lazy, and never think or make plans about the future. He points to the birds. God the Father feeds them. But, at the same time, these birds ‘work for food’. They fly everywhere to find worms or seeds to eat. They do not store food for tomorrow. They wake up every morning trusting that God is still alive and will provide food for them for that very day. Jesus says that as God’s Children, we are more valuable than birds. God is our ‘heavenly Father’. For example, if a man takes care of his pets or animals, he will surely not neglect his own children. The birds don’t have faith. They have a survival instinct. That is how they look for their food. They do not know that it is God who gives them food. But as God’s children we live by faith. God appreciates and rewards faith. Faith in God is strong and active. Living by faith does not mean to be lazy. Each morning, we pray for health for our bodies and for the provision of our daily bread. Faith and our works combined are the secret of godly successful living. Selah!

Taking the birds as an example, we also are to work for food, for clothes to wear, and to pay bills. In fact, God’s Word says this: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2Thess 3:10). Our Lord reminds us that Life is a gift. It is God’s gift. No man decides to come to this earth by his own power. God created all people, one by one. The deduction is that if God created you, then He will take care of you. To create something from nothing is harder than to keep that thing who is already created. Jesus says that if God created you, He would not abandon you because He created you for His purpose.

It is strange to see how much of our energy is used in worries about temporal things. Even the Christians think, talk, argue about the price of food and clothes. Jesus says we should look at the birds. This is a simple fact. God feeds them. But man’s way of providing food and clothes is different than that of the birds. Man must work so that he can eat. God told Adam: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Gen 3:19). Here, The Lord compares the birds with men so that we can see the lower and the higher. Jesus says, if God provides for the birds, who are lower in the level of creation, how much more God will provide for men, who are made in the image of God and have faith to believe in God? This is wise thinking: Compare things and conclude. For example, the Bible says: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32). If God gave us His Son to die for our sins (the higher price), He will surely give us food to eat (the lower price). Jesus is saying: Work but don’t Worry! To work is good! To worry, it is sin! The root of worry is doubt, pride, and rebellion. You need to repent of it.

Another reason why you should not worry about your life it is because The Gentiles seek after material things. All unbelievers live in fear, anxiety and doubt. But we must be different! If the Christian worries about food and clothes, he demotes himself to the level of the unbelievers. Jesus said that God the Father knows all your needs. Once you stop your anxiety, God will start being anxious for you! Don’t drag tomorrow’s pain into today. It will become anxiety and depression. God gives us a portion of His mercy, grace, wisdom, strength, and provision only for today. If you worry about tomorrow, the burden for today will be too much for you to bear. When you go to sleep this evening, have faith that God will still be God in the morning, when you wake up. Lesson: Jesus does not want you to worry about your life!!! Re-surrender your life totally and unconditionally to Jesus Christ, the King of kings! Live by that faith!

Anxiety or worry connects with the future. Our Lord uses verbs to describe the future. The Christian who worries is a Christian who doubt God’s sovereign care over his future. He may have faith for things concerning today, but he is not sure that God will help him in the future. He doubts the scriptures reveal God as the Master of the future. Listen to God: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). Only God knows the future. But He really knows it because God gives us the future. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isa 46:10; NIV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Selah!

What is the cure for this anxiety? Doctor Jesus recommends the activity of seeking the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. Practically, it means to enthrone Jesus as King over every circumstance. You cannot stop anxiety by yourself. The only way to defeat it is by using your strength to seek the Kingdom of God. The greater revelation you have about God’s Kingdom, the more you shall live in the Freedom, Provision, Peace and Joy that He provides. Why do people worry about food and clothes? Without food and clothes, you lose the pleasure of eating and the compliments you receive for dressing well. Being naked in cold countries can kill you. Life is not only about experiencing natural pleasures. If we worry about food and clothes, we have forgotten the greater, eternal things. Life is fulfilled by knowing God, being saved and going to heaven. Jesus said that the Lilies are beautiful. But they do not work for food. They drink the water God supplies thru the rain. As you can see, God loves to make beautiful things. That is why the grass is green, the sky is blue, and the flowers have many colors. Learn to enjoy your life on earth every day! Be good and do good. In that way, you will never be worried about tomorrow. Selah!

Jesus says: “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”. He says that Life is more important than food. God will keep you alive until His purpose on earth for you is fulfilled. To worry is useless. If you worry, you cannot prolong your life. Worry may even shorten your life. He uses this figure of speech referring to the length of life. In other words, by worrying you cannot add one hour to your life. It is a fact that medical science and the doctors’ skill cannot prolong life. We think that living in a big city that has good hospitals gives us a better chance to live longer. But this is just an imagination. In any country and in any hospital, it is a fact that people die. Sometimes, the same sickness kills one and the other survives. Life is a gift from God. He determines when life starts and when life ends. Our lives are in the hands of God. If we trust God completely, worry has no place in our hearts. May our life and love give God all the glory! Amen!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:9-11).

This is one of Apostle Paul’s prayers. If you study them, you discover that each prayer is intelligent, passionate, unique, and powerful. He always prays with both his mind and with his heart (his spirit). His prayers are based on deep understanding of doctrine and application to the present need. He always thanks God for the good he sees in the church and encourages the weak believers in the assembly. He is a balanced Christian. Paul’s first request is that God will grant the Christians in Philippi that their “love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment”. He acknowledges that the believers over there know how to love God and others. But their love must grow, become deeper, more mature, abounding in practical insight, and producing fruits of righteousness (of good behavior). In Greek the word ‘abound’ means to overflow, or to excel above all. Mature Love has this unique manifestation of an excellent wise spirit. The word ‘excellent’ means to be the best quality, unsurpassed, lovely, noble, royal, and a wonderful leader. Love chooses God’s will in every matter. Love is the world champion. Love always wins the gold medal. No other gift or skill rivals love in creativity, strength, perseverance, courage, and wisdom. The enemy of the best is not the bad, but the good. Love is the only power that can oppose sin and evil face to face and fight it to finish. Lovers never give up! Love abides forever! Love is even greater than Faith and Hope! Love never fails (1Cor13:8,13).

Mature, fruitful love multiplies in two ways: ‘in knowledge and discernment’. Love changes both the mind and the heart. Knowledge means truth, doctrine, or revelation. We must study God’s Word to understand how God loves. We look at the price Jesus paid for love. Like Jesus, we chose to live a life of sacrifice. We apply the Bible doctrines in our daily lives. Paul prays that we see how intelligent love is. Many Christians are ignorant of God’s Word. They make mistakes and blame it on ‘love’. For example, a Christian man says that he fell in love with an unbelieving girl. He wants to marry her saying that God will ‘understand’. He uses love as an excuse for being disobedient to God’s Word. But Agape Love is not selfish, foolish, wasteful or childish. Love is extremely intelligent and has a ‘PHD’ in human relations!!!

Love must also grow in discernment. This is the second ‘fruit’ of mature Love. Discernment is the skill, the power to see what is hidden, what is not evident to the average mind, and to find the excellency ‘behind the scenes.’ It is the ability to judge circumstances and people well, according to what God shows you. Love’s discernment manifests as excellent sight and pure vision. Only Love sees the best inside the worst of men. Love has the eyes of an eagle. Love sees the difference between what is true and what is false, between what is right and what is wrong. This discernment is extremely powerful. It’s God’s opinion in any matter. Discernment is to have the mind of Christ, to think Biblically. By testing we find the true value of someone. “Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1Thess 5:21,22). “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1Jn 4:1). This ‘testing’ is Love’s discernment to always make the right decisions!

To love is not easy. There are many snares in the path of love. Discernment is valuable in making decisions. Discernment grows only by the study of God’s Word and prayer. For a believer, discernment is not a luxury, but a necessity. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb 5:12-14). The more you apply discernment, the greater your love and your wisdom will be, and the less mistakes you will make in life.

“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right” (Charles Spurgeon). Love fine-tunes our emotions. For a baby Christian, discernment starts with the insight to know the truth about himself. An immature Christian has difficulty in knowing his own soul. He does not see clearly the difference between the works of his flesh and the fruit of the Spirit in him. He is still selfish. His decisions are based more on self-confidence than on agape love. He can be deceived. But the mature Christian sees himself clearly. He is humble and not afraid to take risks to love. Unfortunately, discernment is an area where most Christians stumble. They make legalistic decisions based on fear, doubt, or confusion. Their Love is still immature. Discernment is clearly manifested in those who are pure in heart because they see God (Matt5:8). If you see God, then you will see the truth in all situations. You will live in freedom. You will have peace with your decisions as you practice love.

Discernment is also a great weapon in spiritual warfare. The Bible commands that we should discern the strategy of the devil before we attack with prayers. “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2Cor 2:11). “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1Jn 4:18). Love and fear are opposites. Love brings people together. Fear separates them. The word ‘perfect’ means to be whole, complete, fulfilled, lacking nothing good. It also means to be trained, accomplished, and skilled to successfully bring a matter to an expected end. When Jesus died on the Cross He said: “It is finished!” (Jn19:30). He perfectly brought the work of salvation to an expected end. Fear relates to torment. The word ‘torment’ means punishment, serious pain and suffering in the body and especially in the mind. The victim becomes weak and feels like dying. We are told that Hell is a place of torment (Lk 16:23, 28). Therefore, fear is a sample of hell on earth. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Tim 1:7). Perfect Love is the ideal Love. No one of us can achieve the fulness of this Love while on earth. But we strive towards it. May God help us!

Practically, the best way to show love to another is not to buy a gift, but to pray for him (her). Prayer based on spiritual discernment is the best gift you can give to anyone, if he is poor or rich. To pray that a Christian may know and experience the overflow of agape Love, that he may love another and produce fruits of righteous behavior is an eternal investment paid in your heavenly treasure. Money cannot buy these gifts. This is the practical purpose of the preaching of the Gospel. The Christian must prove his love not only in times of peace, but especially during painful conflict. A mature Christian is extremely sensitive to what is of God and what is evil. This capacity grows with time, as the Christian pays the price for fruitful love. May our eyes be opened to that which pleases God, who is Love Himself! Amen!

WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2Cor 5:20). “(Pray) for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph 6:19, 20).

An ambassador is King’s (President’s) highest-ranking representative to another nation. An ambassador is a strong leader, not easily discouraged, a good manager and communicator, a successful negotiator, and a respected representative of his country. His duty is to influence the country where he is posted with the good will of his King. He studies the people in the country where he is posted. He helps the citizens of his own country who live in the diaspora. He is totally committed to his king. When speaking in public, he never gives his personal opinion in any matter. He only voices the opinion of his king.

An ambassador never becomes a citizen of the country where he works. That means betrayal. He is totally protected by his King. He is well paid. His King pays for all his expenses while he is on duty. He is not voted for by people. He is appointed by his King. None can arrest him. Based on international law, ambassadors have diplomatic immunity. They have the right to resist their random arrest while on official duty. If he is suspected of a crime, the host country will not arrest him, but it can expel him. His King is the only one who can call him back from duty. The ground of the embassy belongs to his country. (For example, when a Nigerian living in France enters the Nigerian embassy in Paris, he is on Nigerian soil. Nigeria has 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates globally).

Ambassadors must navigate complex political and cultural landscapes while representing their country’s interests. This requires a high level of emotional intelligence and the ability to handle difficult conversations and negotiations with wisdom and skill. Ambassadors are special people. They have leadership qualities. They tend to be artistic, intuitive, discreet, sensitive, articulate, original, and expressive. They are enterprising, adventurous, ambitious, extroverted, energetic, confident, and optimistic.

God has always used men to represent Him, to speak in His name. For example, at the burning bush, God called Moses to be His servant, prophet, and His ambassador to Egypt. Moses was well educated in the best universities of Egypt. But now, as an old man of 80, living as a shepherd in the desert for 40 years, Moses has lost his confidence that he could represent Jehovah. He argues with God saying that he is not qualified for such a high position. God encourages him saying that He will be with Moses in and out of Egypt. “Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (Exo 4:10-12). God tells Moses that because Pharoah will reject him, Egypt will be punished and let go of all the Jews living there. Soon, about 2 million Jews who were slaves, left Egypt as free people.  Who is like unto Thee, Oh, Lord! Lesson: God does not call the qualified. God qualifies the called! Selah!

The Greatest Ambassador of God is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God the Father sent God the Son to earth, to become a Man, to teach men His will, and to die for them. He came as the King of God’s Kingdom. He came as the Ambassador of heaven, speaking on behalf of God the Father. Thru the Holy Spirit, Jesus had access to all the resources of heaven. He said that He does not speak His words and He does not do His will. Jesus, the perfect Ambassador of heaven, only speaks His Father’s Word and does His Father’s will. “Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (Jn 8:28, 29). “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (Jn 14:10-12). Jesus is our Example, Mentor, and King!

In Greek, the word ‘ambassador’ means an elderly person, a senior citizen, the King’s representative. As Christians, we are servants and ambassadors of Christ to all the nations. It is the highest privilege. We preach the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. We manifest agape love to all. This work is a mystery. God uses us to advance His Kingdom to the ends of the world. We are totally protected by Christ. He provides us with all that we need. As ambassadors, we do not advertise ourselves. We lift the name of King Jesus, speaking only God’s Word! “We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2Cor 4:5). King Jesus prepared us as His ambassadors saying: “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. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Lk 12:11,12). He gave us full authority in His name, to bind and to loosen. Jesus said: “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:21-22). As ambassadors of the Prince of Peace, we need to be filled with His Spirit, expanding God’s Kingdom. Rejecting us means rejecting our King! To represent King Jesus is the highest privilege given to man! May we always please our King in the work He gave us to do! Amen!

Questions: When people look at you, what impression do you give? By your words and deeds, how do you represent God’s Kingdom to others? Look at yourself, examine yourself. Do you give the impression that all you are interested in are the things of this world? Are you so experienced in cooking, or in the latest fashion style, in the latest news in politics, or the gist of Nollywood? Or do you have the revelation of eternal life, standing as a signpost, faithfully pointing people to the Lord! May we be found faithful! Worship the Lord!

WEALTH IN THE KINGDOM

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:19-25)

Jesus spoke about wealth more than about any other social issue, including marriage, work, sex, politics or power. This is a difficult subject to preach and hard to listen to. But we must give our attention to it, examine ourselves and repent if necessary. Jesus exposes the sin of loving and trusting money. This attitude has no place in God’s Kingdom. All unbelievers are greedy, and selfish. They hoard money and possessions. This is natural for them because they do not believe in a God who cares for men. Christians should be different in attitude and behavior. But even the Christians fall into the sin of greed. These days, wealth is displayed and advertised openly. For example, to sell an expensive car, the advert says: ‘Imagine yourself at the wheel’. Trying to imagine that you may fall into the sin of covetousness. Someone asked a question: ‘What are you willing to do for one million dollars?’ Half of the people said that they are ready to spend time in jail, divorce, or never see their best friend again. May God open our spiritual eyes to see the truth that sets free! Amen!

King Jesus commands us, the believers, the citizens of His Kingdom how to make and handle wealth. First, we are told not to lay (or store) our treasures on earth. The reason is that they will surely be lost, either gradually in this life (thru rust, moth or by thieves) or at death. “As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand” (Ecc 5:15). This is a fact: storing treasures on earth is never safe. To save is wise. King Jesus redirects our desire to save. He said that we should ‘lay up for ourselves’ treasures in heaven, where none has access to destroy or steal. This is a fact: storing our treasures in heaven is safe forever. Jesus does not forbid us to work hard, save money or plan regarding money or property to be used in the future. The Bible commands us to work hard and save. “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children… ” (PV 13:22). We are told to study the ant because she works hard, to store food for the winter (PV 6:6-8). We are commanded to work hard, to take care of our responsibilities, to save money and to be generous. “A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion… He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor” (Ps 112:5, 9). “There is one who scatters yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself” (PV 11:24, 25). “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (PV 22:9). “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad; He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever” (2Cor 9:6-9). God provides wealth and the wisdom to manage it, for our good and for His glory! Selah!

God commands blessings on those who are generous and invest in God’s work on earth. When we give money to God’s work and to God’s people, we show thru our actions that our King is good. Generosity is a proof that we are saved, and we are citizens of God’s Kingdom, where there is no lack. Greed is a sign of unbelief or backsliding. By giving to others, we worship God; we remove the hindrance that stops the river of grace coming from heaven to earth, being a channel of blessings to others. God in return promised to bless us the more.

Jesus said that where we deposit our treasures, there our hearts will go to. If you store your treasures on earth, your heart will be earth bound, and you will be filled with doubts and anxiety. If you lay your treasures in heaven, your heart will be set on heaven. You will be filled with hope, faith, peace and joy, having the assurance of your salvation. You will not fear the devil or hell anymore. How do we store our treasures in heaven? By studying the Bible, prayer, by loving God and our neighbors, by paying tithes and offerings for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom on earth, by helping the poor, the sick, the weak, the elderly and the prisoners. This is a fact: the only safe place to keep our treasures, is heaven, for God’s protects them. This is God’s Word: “Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]” (Col 3:2; AMP). Examine your spiritual focus!

It is true that people love money. But it is also true that wealth alone does not satisfy. “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its gain. This too is vanity (emptiness)” (Ecc 5:10; AMP). Why then men think that money can be a god to compete with Jesus in their hearts? What is the powerful attraction of Mammon? The word ‘Mammon’ means money, or riches, especially when you love, admire, and lust for them. Mamon is a god that demands people to trust in wealth, social status, and fame. Mammon is not like our God. He is like a god among other gods. He is not jealous! He does not mind part-time worship, combined with adultery, selfish ambition, and love for power. Even as a secondary god, Mammon has the power to corrupt the heart and the mind. The point of entrance for Mammon is the eyes. The lodging place is the soul (the mind and the heart). Jesus says that the eyes of the believer must be good. In Greek, the word ‘good’ also means pure, generous, whole or healthy. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be filled with light, truth, and divine health. If your eyes are bad, there is spiritual darkness in your mind. The word ‘bad’ also means evil, wicked, or jealous. What you see affects the health of your body and your mind. For example, Jesus said that adultery starts with the lust of the eyes. Its ‘virus’ enters the mind and makes it restless. The body becomes weak and sick. In the same way, through the eyes, Mammon can negatively affect the soul and the body. If you gaze long at your neighbor’s expensive car, or house, your eyes become evil or jealous. This jealousy leads you to dream of sinful ways to make more money. This is a warning to protect your eyes. Be careful and wise! Do not look too long at seducing adverts for material things that do not belong to you. You can appreciate a nice car but be careful not to covet it. There is a thin line. Learn to keep your eyes on Jesus! Learn to discipline your eyes! Be careful with the videos or pictures on the internet. Pornography has the power to pollute your heart. In the same way, expensive, luxurious things the rich people boast of can temp you. This is a simple sign that you may be under the influence of Mammon: If your little son asks for a bicycle, then you answer: ‘we cannot afford it now…’. The answer is a sign that Mammon influences your mind. Money is your master telling you what you can afford and what not you cannot. The better answer may be: ‘this is not the time to buy a bicycle’. To be protected and free, the power of the Cross must work in you! “So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God]” (Col 3:5; AMP).

As you cannot be greedy and generous at the same time, so you cannot serve Mammon and God together. A slave belongs to only one master. Many people look at Jesus as their boss in the office. They think that they can have three jobs, and three bosses at the same time. But King Jesus is not your boss. He is the King of His domain and demands total allegiance. He provides all that you need according to His riches in glory. A righteous man never needs to beg for food. King Jesus searches your eyes and your heart. The cure for evil eyes and stingy hearts is Loving God and loving your neighbor. Jesus said: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:30, 31). To love God with all your heart, be sure that your heart is in love with Jesus. To love God with all your mind it means to meditate on God’s Word. To love God with all your strength, it means to use your natural and spiritual power to invest in eternal things, in obeying God’s Word to deposit your treasures in heaven. This is the only way you can live a good, clean, peaceful, joyful life in this difficult world. This is the price to pay for the ideal testimony to have favor with God and man. In the absence of this wisdom, you will surely become anxious and troubled, no matter how much money you have stored in the bank.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear now!  

THE EMPTY VESSELS ARE NOW ALL FULL (2Kings 4:1-7)

This is a touching story of how God supplied much needed help thru His prophet Elisha. A woman who was married to a prophet in Israel came to Elisha, desperately asking for help. Her husband died and left her and their two sons poor. He borrowed money and now, the creditor came to take his money or the two sons as slaves. The prophet did not make plans to take care of his family. That was no good. But the good thing, according to his widow, was that ‘he feared the Lord’. The Word of God promises blessings upon a man who fears the Lord (Read Psalm 112). Here we see that a man who fears the Lord is celebrated by heaven and earth. He is a worshipper of God. His family and children are blessed. He is a fruitful man. God’s light of revealed truth comes to him even during spiritual darkness. He is kind, loving, generous, and discreet. He is strong, courageous and fearless, a true spiritual leader of men. His reputation among angels and men is established. His heart is established. Wealth and riches are found in his house. His descendants are mighty on the earth. They are champions and heroes. The enemies of the righteous man are totally disappointed and defeated. These are mighty promises that this widow should have known. But the reality was that she and her sons were poor. She went to the prophet Eisha having just two things: faith in God’s Word in her heart and a little olive oil in her house. This little treasure was more than enough for a miracle. Elisha tells her what to do. She borrows many vessels from her neighbors. Behind the closed door, she pours the little oil and miraculously, she fills all the available vessels. She sells the olive oil. She pays off the debt and uses the rest to live well with her sons. This is a story of miraculous supply which is found in the realm of God’s Kingdom.

Lessons:

*God is alive! God does miracles! God is merciful! Nothing is impossible for God!

*God is our Provider! He answers prayers, especially desperate prayers of faith in His promises.

*When you are in trouble, seek God’s wisdom thru fasting and prayer. Ask a mature Christian that you trust for prophetic word and prayer!

*The Bible commands that we treat widows, orphans and needy with kindness. The creditors are wicked! Only God can save us!

*Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and joy! It was used as fuel for the lamps, to anoint kings and priests, and for the healing of bodies.

*Elijah’s prophetic word to the widow in Zarephath was that the oil in the jar will not run dry (1Kg 17:16). Elisha’s word to the widow was that the oil would pour and fill all the empty vessels. Both prophecies are symbols of God’s fountain or blessings that never runs dry!

*Jesus said that when we pray to God, we should do it in the secret place (Matt 6:6). Shut doors and open hearts are the key to answered prayers and miracles. Publicity, desire to be seen by men, to achieve fame in the religious world, interrupts the flow of the Holy Spirit.

*Have faith in God’s Promises found in the Bible. God’s Word is settled in heaven. It must manifest on earth. Circumstances bow to God!

*Trust and obey God’s commands! Do what He says! Cooperate with God. Do the little you can, and God will do the rest!

*Humble yourself! Ask for help from other Christians, your spiritual neighbors.

*Be ready to give to God the little (oil) you have so that God can use it to bless you and others! Little (oil) is much when God is in it!

*Gd gives you the wisdom and power to make wealth! God also gives you the wisdom to manage your wealth!

*God does not waste His resources. He never gives too little, in such a way that you cannot solve the problem. He never gives too much!

*God does not only save you from poverty, slavery and death. He keeps you alive to testify to His glory!

*God helps you thru miracles of provision to pay your debt. The only debt that cannot be paid in this life is the debt of Love (Rom 13:8). Jesus died to pay our debt to God, for “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:23). Therefore, we too must pay the debt of love to Jesus, by preaching His Gospel (Rom 1:14).

*Remember to testify to God’s mercy, goodness, and power! Give all the glory to God! Worship the Lord!