LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (18)/ MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1)

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Romans 14:1-13; Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:35-41.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! “When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me” (Ps 94:18; NIV). Romance says: ‘I love you because you are beautiful!’ Agape Love says: I love you even with your wrinkles! Selah!

MATTERS OF LOVING INDIFFERENCE (1) (Romans 14:1-13)

The Book of Romans is a masterpiece. It is considered the best Book in the Bible and the greatest piece of literature in the world. It is written by the great Apostle Paul. Many great men of God became born again by studying this Book. It contains the major doctrines of the Gospel. In the first 11 chapters, the Apostle writes about the doctrines of salvation. From chapter 12 to the end, he writes the application of these doctrines. The first two verses in chapter 12 are the basic scriptures on the application of doctrine. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:1,2).  The Christian life is a life of sacrifice for the sake of Christ. By faith in the Word of God, our mind is renewed and transformed. From starting as babies in Christ, we become strong in the faith. Becoming spiritually mature is the aim for every believer. Agape Love is the engine of this transformation. The New Law of Love takes over obedience of the Law as found in the Old Testament. “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10). Amen!

In chapters 14 and 15 we find the practical application of the Gospel especially in the relationships between the Christians. Theologians call these principles ‘matters of indifference’ or ‘grey areas’. These are important teachings, but they are not foundational to our faith in Christ. These teachings apply to the type of food Christians eat, the mode of dressing, the way of entertainment, the types of baptism, the type of prophecies, the importance of days and how we celebrate our faith. The major doctrines of the Bible cannot be argued about.  As Christians, we all must agree on the major doctrines in the Bible, but we can lovingly disagree on these matters of indifference. It is a pity that these matters are major reasons why Christians tends to judge and gossip one another. It should not be so. We shall study them to understand how to behave better, how to love without quarreling and causing division in the Body. Selah!

Before we study the details, we should remember some important Biblical principles.

*The Church is One Body of Christ! It is not a human institution. The visible local church is a mixed multitude; some are believers, and others are not. All believers are born again by Grace, and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are former sinners who are now saints. They come from different cultures and backgrounds. They are of different ages, social standing, and levels of education. What keeps them together is the Holy Spirit. Jesus shed His Blood not only to save us individually, but to give birth to this special holy unique institution called ‘the Church’. Selah!

*Each believer is different. He starts as ‘a baby’ and by God’s grace, he becomes spiritually mature. This gradual growth is called sanctification. It is not the same with all. It depends on the commitment of each believer to study and apply the Word of God, to pray, and to serve God in a local assembly. All do not have the same commitment. Some are more intelligent and dedicated than others. To become born again is the same for all. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. But from the moment you become saved, each Christian must cooperate with the Holy Spirit and pay the price for spiritual growth. Christianity is like a marathon race. Some runners are faster than others. In the Bible we see that there are baby Christians, spiritual men, strong men, and carnal Christians. Lesson: The Church is One Body, and it is made from different members! Selah!

Why is there difference between believers? You become born again by trusting Christ, for salvation. After that, it is possible to make mistakes in applying God’s Word to practical things. This is a common error: you are justified by faith but later, you depend on your works to grow as a Christian. “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal 3:1-3). There are many things that can affect spiritual growth. Some believers attend churches where God’s Word is not properly thought. Because they are ignorant of the true doctrines, they are slow to grow in the faith. Another factor is the environment. Different cultures have different ideas on how a Christian should behave. Most Christians make the mistake of going too far into extremes. Many Christians battle between legalism and license. Legalism is defined as strict adherence to the law, to rules and regulations, obeying the letter of the law more than the spirit, ignoring the particular circumstances of each case. Spiritually, legalism means trying to be justified with God or sanctified by doing good works. License is defined as ignoring all laws, leading to excessive and undisciplined freedom. It is hard to stay in the middle, but that is where truth and love are to be found. Selah!

‘Matters of indifference’ refer to our attitude to things that are not prohibited in the Bible. If something is forbidden, it is sin. There is no need to discuss it. For example, the Bible says that adultery is sin. We cannot debate that. We are here studying things that are not clearly forbidden in God’s Word and our attitude to them. These things are important but not essential to salvation. We study these things because over the years they have bought much confusion, pain, and division in the Body. This is the truth: the church is made of believers who are spiritually strong, and others who are spiritually weak in the faith. The first lesson we learn is that the Body is One. The strong ones are commanded not despise the weak ones. There is a tendency for the strong to gather in a group and look down on the weak ones. The weak ones are commanded not to judge the strong ones. Any form of division and segregation based on your Bible knowledge is discouraged. Never forget that the Body is One!

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things…As for the one whose faith is weak, accept him [into your fellowship], but not for [the purpose of] quarreling over his opinions” (Rom 14:1 NKJ; AMP). This is God’s command: Receive a believer who is weak in the faith! He is a true Christian brother. To receive means to accommodate, to tolerate. We are not to reject the weak believers who still struggle with applying doctrine to their behavior. We are also commanded ‘not to dispute over doubtful things.’ What does it mean? The weak brother’s faith is not yet established. He still struggles with doubts. He is still emotionally shaken. He listens to different voices and is confused. The strong Christian is to be careful that by his counsel he should not increase the weak believer’s doubt and confusion. The strong one is not to argue too forcefully with the weak one about his fears, his doubts; he should not raise the issue of doubts any time he meets the weak believer. Knowing his weakness, the strong one should not mock the weak one because he becomes more restless and more confused. The strong one should not oppress the weak one, should not bully him by insisting that his own opinions are better. By doing that, the strong one proves that he lacks love. Ignorantly, he will hurt the weak believer making him worse. Apostle Paul does not say that we should never discuss these issues just to avoid conflicts. He is concerned about the manner in which we bring them up. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies… But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church” (1 Cor 8:1,b; NKJ, NLT). Love is always the greatest way in all relationships. Selah!

THE CHRISTIANS AND DRINKING ALCOHOL

The Bible says much about drinking alcohol. It does not totally forbid it. But there are many warnings against drinking alcohol especially for the leaders. For example, Nadab and Abihu were priests. They were Aaron’s sons, the high priest in Israel. One day, they entered the Holy place with un-authorized fire. They both died before the Lord. God commanded Aaron that no priest should drink wine when entering His presence. “Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying: 9 “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, 10 that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses” (Lev 10:8-11). We deduce that Nadab and Abihu were drunk when doing their priestly duties. We see that a drunkard cannot distinguish between things that are holy and unholy and he not able to teach the Bible. Lesson: church leaders should abstain from alcohol! Period!

God said: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 3 he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin” (Nu 6:2-4).

God commands that all who desire to live holy, separated unto God and His work, should totally abstain from alcohol. God commanded the parents of Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist to tell their sons not to drink wine. They should behave as Nazirites. In Hebrew, the word ‘nazir’ means dedicated to God. There was a group of people called the Rechabites. Jonadab, their founding father, ordered his descendants never to drink alcohol. His descendants obeyed his law. When prophet Jeremiah tested them and gave them wine to drink, they refused. God blessed their obedience and faithfulness by promising that they will always have priests to serve God coming from this tribe (Jer 35). The Rechabites behave as typical Muslims. In the Quaran, alcohol is completely prohibited because it hinders prayers, it is bad to health, it causes violence and crime. (I have to admit that this is a very good advice found in the Quaran).  

These are some ‘benefits’ from drinking wine: “wine makes glad the heart of man” (Ps 104:15). “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more” (PV 31:4-7). The following are dangers connected with drinking alcohol: “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (PV 20:1). A drunkard laughs at what is holy and rejects correction from the wise. A drunkard loses self-control, habitually engages in quarrels and arguments, becoming noisy and foolish.  ‘More are drowned in the wine cup than in the ocean. Alcohol spoils ‘the breaks’ of your car’ (German Proverbs).  Getting drunk often leads to sensuality and disgrace. These are some examples in the Bible:

*Noah got drunk and naked himself (Gen 9:21).

*Lot’s daughters made their father drunk so that they can have sex with him and became pregnant (Gen 19:33-35).

*King Xerxes got drunk and commanded his eunuchs to bring his wife, queen Vashti. She refused and lost her crown. The king was deceived by wicked Haman to sign the decree to kill all the Jews as both of them ‘sat down to drink’ (Est 1:10, 11; 3:15).

*King Belshazzar used the gold vessels taken from the Temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem to drink wine with them. He and his drunk guests praised the gods of gold and silver when God’s hand wrote the judgment against them on the wall. They all died that night (Dan 5:1-6).

Since the beginning of the Church, the Christians had a love/hate relationship with alcohol. Jesus turned water in wine (John 2). Paul advised Timothy to drink a little wine as a form of medication for his stomach illness (1Tim 5:23). It is part of the church history that some monks in the monasteries have invented the technique of how to make wine and beer. Until about 200 years ago, the Christians felt free to drink a limited quantity of alcohol. Most churches used alcoholic wine for Holy Communion. They used wine to treat depression. They saw alcohol as God’s gift to men. Note that at that time the percentage of alcohol in wine was lower than in the drinks available today. From the 19^th century things radically changed. The Christians, the Methodists in particular, fought to stop the production of alcohol, to make it illegal in America. They preached that drinking alcohol is a sin. Since then, many protestant churches have stopped using wine for their Holy Communion and changed it with grape juice or nonalcoholic wine. In 1933, America voted on a law allowing the production of beer and wine with a low percentage of alcohol. Even now, there are so many laws against manufacturing drinks with high alcohol that it is not practical to produce those in the US. The Roman Catholic Church, The Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church etc. allow a moderate consumption of alcohol even up till now.

Fifty percent of Evangelical Christians around the world say drinking alcohol is incompatible with being a good Christian and especially a leader in the church. A Bishop or a pastor should not drink wine (Titus 1:7).

The danger with drinking a little alcohol is that it changes the character and behavior of man. It causes violence and uncontrolled behavior. It is hard to stop once you start to drink. Poverty, domestic violence, and lawlessness is connected with drinking alcohol. Alcohol is addictive. You feel like drinking more and more. Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, vision, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs, resulting in a higher likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes. Long-term heavy drinking causes alterations in the neurons, such as reductions in their size. Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease.

The cure is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). Dissipation means to waste away, to scatter your strength, gradually becoming worse. It is the same word used for the prodigal son. Lesson: alcohol makes you less than a man. The Holy Spirit makes you a complete man. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:9-11). Getting drunk destroys your testimony as a Christan. “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak” (Rom 14:21).

Alcohol has been used since the 4^th century as an antiseptic. It is still used to clean the skin before injections or surgery. Alcohol reduces the level of pain. “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?” (PV 23:35). After getting drunk, most people experience hangovers. These are unpleasant symptoms the next day after being drunk. You may feel weakness, headache, body pains, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, dizziness, or anxiety. Some experience serious symptoms like mental confusion, convulsions, becoming unconscious and not able to wake up. Going to work is difficult. You may fall asleep at your working place. You may quarrel with your colleagues. Your memory and ability to focus is damaged. Some people die during alcohol intoxication.

WHO CAN THIS BE? (Matt 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41)

This is a beautiful story that reveals Jesus as 100% Man and 100% God. It appears in Matthew 8, Mark 4, and Luke 8. Each one adds a little extra detail to this story. Jesus has been preaching and teaching the whole day. In the evening, He called His disciples and told them to enter the boat and to ‘go to the other side’ of the Sea Of Galilee. ‘His disciples followed Him’. It is clear that Jesus is the Leader. He went to the stern (the rear of the boat) and fell asleep on a pillow. Here you see that Jesus was tired, as any man could be. We see here the humanity of Jesus. He was sleeping so deep that even the storm did not wake Him. Clearly, Jesus trusts God the Father for His protection, for life and death! Selah!

‘Suddenly, a great tempest arose on the sea’. The waves were so rough that water entered the boat. The disciples were experienced fishermen. They have encountered storms on that Sea many times. They tried to solve the crisis, but they failed. Then, they remembered Jesus, who was asleep even now. They woke Him crying: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!… Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?… Master, Master, we are perishing”. They called Him Lord, Teacher, and Master. But they also rebuked Him asking if He did not care that they are perishing. In Greek, the word ‘care’ means anxiety, interest, or concern. It is the same word Martha used asking Jesus if He does not care that Mary has left her alone to do all the work in the kitchen (Lk 10:40). Jesus said that the hireling ‘does not care about the sheep. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the flock and runs away’ (Jn 10:13). But the true shepherd loves and cares for his sheep. The disciples are indirectly asking Jesus if He is a hireling or a true shepherd. Peter clearly states that God cares for His children. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:5, 6). We should humble and submit ourselves ‘under the mighty hand of God’. God gives grace to the humble and exalts them in His time. We are commanded to cast down all our cares upon Him because He cares for us. Our cares, our anxieties and questions should not stay in our hearts. They produce storms and will sink us down. We should ‘cast them’ on Jesus. Why? Because He alone is strong, and He cares for us. If you are still anxious, it means that you want to care for yourself. You do not believe that Jesus cares for you. You will be like these disciples in the storm, worried that they will drown.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Ps 55:22). This is the same command in the Old Testament. The disciples were Jews. They were supposed to know this word. God promises to sustain the righteous who cast his burden of life unto Him. To sustain means to take care, to support, to defend, to provide all you need to keep you alive. The righteous shall not be moved, shall not shake, waver, fail, or fall. This mighty promise is given only to the children of God who habitually cast the burdens of their lives on Jesus.

Jesus arose from sleep and rebuked the winds and the sea, saying: ‘Peace, be still’. Immediately, the wind stops blowing and ‘there was a great calm’. When addressing the wind, the method Jesus used is ‘rebuking’. To rebuke means to forbid, to speak in anger at someone because you disapprove of what he does or says. Rebuking the demonic forces was our Lord’s formula in working miracles. When Peter’s mother-in-law was sick, Jesus rebuked the fever. Immediately she became well (Luke 4:38, 39). Jesus rebuked the deaf and dumb spirit and immediately the boy became well (Mark 9:25-27). Jesus treated the storm as the work of demons that needed to be restrained. In all these examples, the effect was instant. Jesus said to the sea: “Peace, be still!” In Greek the word ‘peace’ means to shut up your mouth, to become dumb, to be silent! The words ‘be still’ means to ‘muzzle an animal’. To muzzle means to apply a wire device on the mouth and nose of a dangerous dog, so that it cannot bite. The same word is used when the wedding guest without wedding garment was rebuked, and he became ‘speechless’ (Matt 22:12).   

Jesus said to the disciples: “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Fear of death damages faith in Jesus. Faith becomes ‘little’. Jesus already rebuked them for worrying to much about food and clothes. “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matt 6:30). What is that ‘little faith’? It is an immature faith!

The disciples became afraid and amazed saying: “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mk 4:41; KJ). They were not too much surprised at the power of Jesus. They were clearly amazed at ‘His manner’ of doing things and the authority in His Word. They have never met a man like Jesus. The truth is that there is no man like Jesus! The disciples were afraid that they will die. They knew Jesus as Master and Teacher. They now saw Him as Lord of all. “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Rom 14:9). “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:25). “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Rev 1:17,18)

Jesus is the Lord of the dead. What does He mean by that? The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. They tried to prove that resurrection is a joke, so they invented a story of a woman who was married to seven brothers. Jesus did not laugh at their joke. He said: “But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken” (Mk 12:26, 27). He rebuked them by saying that they are greatly mistaken because they do not know God’s Word and God’s power. He said that when Moses met God at the burning bush, God introduced Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Jesus also said: that God is not the God of the dead, but of the Living. What does that mean? When God says that He is the God of Abraham, even though Abraham is in the grave, Abraham is alive. Why? Because Abraham is a child of God. Lesson: if you are a child of God, Jesus is your God, when you live on earth, and when your body lies down in the grave. To God, you are alive forever! The Lordship of Jesus over you is eternal. Death cannot stop it. If God is your God, then there is so much power working for you that you can never be robbed of life.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham” (Heb 2:14-16). By His death, Jesus released and freed the believers who all their lives, thru fear of death, were in bondage to the devil, who because of sin, had the power of death over men. Note: The devil ‘had’, not ‘has’, the power of death. The word is in the past. It is Jesus who is now the present and eternal Lord overall, dead, or alive. The fear of death is the greatest fear man has to conquer. A sinner becomes saved by Grace and thru faith in Jesus. The seed of faith in planted in his heart. Thru faith in God’s Word and prayer, that seed must grow. But for as long as the believer still fears poverty (no food, no clothes) and death, his faith is still little. For that baby Christian, Jesus is His Savior but not His Provider of His Lord in life and in death. A mature believer sees Jesus as His Savior, His Provider for all things, spiritual and material, and sees Him as His Lord forever, in life or in death. A mature believer is free from the fear of poverty and the fear of death. He truly believes that nothing is able to separate him from the agape of Love of God in Christ Jesus!  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:35-39). Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Matt 13:44-46.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

LOVE’S TREASURE

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt 13:44-46).

These are twin parables. They resemble but each has its own individuality. What is common to both? In each one, a man found something very expensive. Each man sold all he had to buy what he has found. Each man rejoices in its complete purchase.  The two parables show two attributes of the Kingdom of God: It is extremely valuable, and it is always victorious. The secrets of the Kingdom are deep, hidden bellow the surface of this world. Only Christ can open your eyes to see, to find, and to appreciate them. Christ is the man who finds the treasure and the pearl. He sells everything He has to buy them. The Church (the believers chosen by grace) are the treasure and the pearl. The treasure is made of many gold coins. The pearl is only one, to be placed on the crown of the King of kings. Both parables show the effort and reward of love.

The parable of the treasure hidden in the field

The field is the world. It is the system of men who live like there is no God. In the world, there is corruption, sadness, and failure. In the midst of this desert, a man finds the oasis of a treasure. The treasure is the Church made from many coins, or many believers. The man hides the treasure back into the field. He does not buy only the treasure. He sells all He has to buy the whole world. The value of the world is the treasure it contains. Both the believers and the world are bought by Christ. He is the Man who found the treasure. Christ is the creator of the world and the redeemer of the believers. He sold all He had in heaven to buy His Bride. He is the owner of the world, but His special interest is in the Church, the chosen believers. “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Pet1:18,19). We were bought at the Cross. The price paid was the Blood of Jesus! We are “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). This joy Jesus saw ahead was the Church, the believers, His siblings, His Bride.

The most expensive treasure was found in the UK. A daily worker called Terry Herbert, bought a metal detector for 2,5 English Pounds. He was hired to work as a daily farmer. He used his metal detector and discovered a box filled with gold coins. It contained a total of 5,1 Kg of gold, 1,4 Kg of silver coins and 3500 pieces of jewelry. It was estimated that it has been buried since the 7th century. It is estimated at 7 million $. The royal family took possession of the treasure, and it is now displayed in a museum in the UK. Mr. Terry was given 3 million $.     

The Parable of the Pearl

This parable is similar with the one above but with a difference. In the Parable of the Treasure, the man stumbles upon a treasure. In this Parable, the man is ‘a merchant’ who is actively looking for beautiful expensive pearls. He is ready to sell everything he has to buy the most beautiful Pearl he can find. He knows the difference between a genuine pearl and a fake one. He appreciates the true pearls. 

Many interpret this parable that Christ is the Pearl of Great price. This cannot be true. Because sinners do not seek for God. “There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God” (Rom 3:11). Sinners are not ready to sell all they have to ‘buy’ Jesus. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, He wanted to know what ‘he still lacks’ to gain eternal life. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matt 19:21-22). This is the truth; sinners are not ready to sell their possessions to find Jesus.

The true interpretation is that Christ is the Merchant Man who is seeking for His Church, for us, the true believers. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk 19:10). It is the shepherd who seeks for the lost sheep, not the other way. Lastly, Christ cannot be purchased by anything man has. He is God’s Gift to men, sent to die to save them from eternal death. Eternal Life is not bought with money. Salvation is by Grace alone, thru faith alone, to the glory of God alone!

The most expense pearl in the world is called La Pelegrina (The Pilgrim). It was found by a slave. Because of this, his master gave him his freedom. It was sold in 2011 for 11,8$.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph 5:25). Remember this: Christ Loved the Church. The Pearl is only one. That is the Church. The Treasure is made of many coins. These are the individual believers. We shall never know how much it costs our Lord to buy the Church. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Christ brought the Pearl so that He can be glorified in it. There are many precious stones in the earth: diamonds, rubies, etc. But none of this is the product of a living organism. The oyster is injured by a grain of sand. The oyster covers the foreign body with a substance she produces. This is how she makes a beautiful pearl. The pearl is made in the secret place. Only Christ sees you as you were made in your mothers’ womb. The Pearl is made gradually. It takes pain and patience to produce beauty. A pearl symbolizes pain that produces praise. The Church is formed from the injury of Christ at the Cross. When Christ died, He went deep into the ocean of hell to find the Pearl. He has drawn us out of many waters. “He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me” (Ps 18:16, 17). Worship the Lord!     

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of Jude 1:1-25.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

THE NOMINAL CHRISTIANS

There is an increase of nominal Christianity in many churches. It is dangerous to be a nominal Christian. True Christians are also in danger by being ignorant of this infiltration. The presence of false Christians is a serious concern to any pastor who is truly born again. The increase of nominalism reduces the power of the church to lift up Jesus, to change the world and to usher true revival. Generally, nominalism is described as empty formalities and ceremonies with no influence on people. It means having a title, but no authority connected with that title. For example, a nominal king is a king that has no power; he is just a figurehead. His title is useless.

A nominal Christian is a religious person who claims to be a Christian and attends church, but he (she) is not saved. The nominal Christian is a Christian in name only.  There is very little about his life that reflects the truths of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Nominal Christians are church goers. They seem faithful to church attendance, especially on Sundays. They are also called ‘Sunday-Sunday Christians’. They proudly belong to a church or a denomination. They quote scriptures, they want their families to come to church, they owe a Bible, they give offerings to church, but they are not saved. To them, Christianity means going to church on Sunday. They view religion as a social benefit and not as a spiritual transformation. Faith in God is not part of their daily life, in making decisions. There is a radical difference between the nominal Christian and the baby Christian. The first one is spiritually dead and the second one is spiritually alive. They may look the same for some time but eventually, the baby Christian starts making spiritual progress that will be evident to all. The nominal Christian attends church for years but his life does not change at all. He is still the same. Selah!

What is the cause of nominal Christianity? The first reason is superficiality, laziness. To become a nominal Christian is much easier than to repent and surrender your life to Christ, desiring true salvation. The second cause is legalism. This starts from believing a false Gospel. People imagine that just by doing good works in the church, or by changing some few sinful habits, they go to heaven. They are ignorant of God’s Grace, and they lack a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A third reason is the environment. If you live in a country or an area where it is fashionable or beneficial to be called a Christian, then you become one. These are countries in the world where Christianity is the official religion: England, Norway, Denmark, Costa Rica, Georgia, Greece, Malta, Monaco, Serbia, and the Vatican city. These are some African countries where Christianity is the official religion: Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Rwanda, and Namibia. Most of the countries in the world are secular, having no particular religion. Others are Islamic countries.  Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious state. The constitution states that Nigeria is a secular state, and that no government or state can adopt any religion. The two main religions in Nigeria are Christianity (mostly in the south) and Islam (mostly in the north). Based on research, the number of nominal Christians is by far higher in the south than in the north.

The resurrected Christ addressed the Nominal Christians in His letter to the church at Sardis. He said: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1). The nominal Christian walks on a dangerous path. He has a false hope of ‘making heaven’. He resists the true Gospel. He refuses to repent and truly convert. The genuine Christian surrenders unconditionally to Christ and receives the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in his heart is the major sign of a true believer. The nominal Christian may pray in tongues, but he knows nothing about the Holy Spirit. He lacks this power working in him ‘both to will and to do’ God’s pleasure (Phil 2:13). He is spiritually weak. The baby Christian starts to hate sin and he repents from it. But the nominal Christian does not hate sin. He can only hide it from others. The true Christian sees the world with different eyes. The world is the system of men who live like God does not exist. The world is the enemy of the Kingdom of God. Once the true believer becomes saved, he sees the world thru the eyes of Christ. He used to love the world, with its wealth and fame, but now, he is dead to its attraction. The nominal Christian still loves the world. There are many politicians who say that they are Christians, but they love the world, with its lusts and sinful entertainment. To be a friend of the world means to be an enemy of God (Jam 4:4).

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (1 Jn 2:18, 19). Apostle John connects the nominal Christians with the Spirit of the Antichrist. This is a religious spirit that brings people to church, but they are not saved. They can only feel comfortable in a church where the true Gospel is not preached. Once the pastor preaches the Cross, they leave that church, and they criticize it. May the Wind and Fire of Pentecost in our church do the work no man can do! Jesus is Lord!

SPOTS IN THE LOVE FEASTS (Jude 1:1-25)

Brother Jude introduces himself as ‘a bondservant of Jesus Christ and a brother to James’. He was half-brother to Jesus Christ and full brother to James, a leader in the early church. He was not an official leader in the church. He did not introduce himself as the brother, but as bondservant of Jesus. This is genuine humility. He greets the believers wishing them multiplication of mercy, peace, and Love! Jude is concerned with the state of the church. He warns the believers against the false teachers, the nominal Christians, who have infiltrated the church. He calls us to spiritual warfare, ‘to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.’ This ‘faith’ is the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. There is a false gospel preached by false teachers. As a Christian, you must be sure that you know what the Gospel is. It is not just a general idea about Jesus. The Gospel is made from clear doctrines and can be defined and thought accordingly.

Jude describes the false teachers (preachers, pastors, prophets) and God’s judgment on them.

*They are wicked men. They are religious unbelievers. They came in the church secretly, like illegal immigrants who have no visa. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). They say that God’s grace gives us freedom to live in the flesh, to commit sexual sins. They reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They do not submit to God or to the delegated authority in the church.

*God “destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 1:5). They are religious but do not have a genuine faith in God the Father and God the Son.

*These dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries” (Jude 1:8). Their authority is not from the Bible, but from their dreams and prophecies. They ‘defile’ (pollute, stain) their bodies. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are to keep them clean and holy. But these people don’t care about their bodies. They proudly commit sexual immorality. They do not submit to any authority in the church. They speak ‘evil’ of leaders in the church. They are rude. Love is never rude! Selah! 

*They “speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves” (Jude 1:10). They are ignorant of God and of His Word. They are bold enough to insult things they are ignorant of. They cover up their ignorance with loud extravagant sentences. They insult the true teachers. They are like dangerous wild animals, without self-control in speech or behavior. 

*They are cursed, and not blessed by God. “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah” (Jude 1:11). They are haters like Cain, ready to kill anyone. They love money and fame like the false prophet Balaam, who deceived the Israelites to commit sexual immorality so that God will punish them. They are like Korah who led the rebellion against Moses, the God approved and instituted leader for the Israelites. Balaam died by the sword and Korah died by God’s judgment.

*These “are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 1:12, 13). These false teachers are ‘spots in your love feasts’. In Greek, the word ‘spots’ means hidden rocks in the sea. The captain of the ship is warned to avoid such rocks that can damage and sink the ship. They pretend to love the Christians, but they are very dangerous. By their words and actions, they wound and betray the brethren. They ‘feast without fear’. They are shameless in their wickedness. Their conscience is dead. They ‘serve only themselves’. The word ‘serve’ is the same as the word ‘feeding’. A true shepherd feeds his sheep with fresh green grass, which is the Word of God. These false teachers do not preach the Word of God. These false pastors leave their congregation hungry. They only care about themselves. Love is never selfish, but these people are completely selfish. Jesus commanded Peter, and all the pastors: ‘Feed My Sheep… take care of My lambs’ (Jn 21:15-17). These people are totally ignorant of the commands of Jesus! They use their positions to ask for money and favors from others. They are ‘clouds without water carried about by the winds.’ Clouds without rain are almost useless to the earth. They are driven by any wind of doctrines. They are not stable in their preaching. They are ‘late autumn trees without fruits, twice dead’. A baren tree, without fruits and no roots is twice dead and useless to men. They increase the expectations of men, by telling them that during the autumn season there will be a great harvest. But these are lies. There are no fruits. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (PV 13:12). They are ‘wondering stars’ that have gone astray into the deepest darkness of the sky. Like the waves of the sea, they are restless and dangerous.

*These people “are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage… 18 There would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 1:16, 18). These are all sins of the tongue: 1. They are grumblers. 2. They follow after their own lusts and speak arrogantly. 3. They flatter people for their own gain. Flattery is very common in the church. These false teachers mock the true believers. They are not led by their flesh, their ungodly lusts. Many church leaders have been caught in sexual immorality and financial scandals, dishonoring the name of Jesus.

*These “are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 1:19). The root of the problem concerning these false teachers is spiritual. They are of the world. They are ‘sensual’, of the flesh. The ‘flesh’ is what man has inherited from Adam, the totality of man that is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit. These people are like animals, ruled by their natural instincts. They do not have the Holy Spirit. Jesus said about the Holy Spirit: “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (Jn 14:17). Paul also said: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, love, and unity among the brethren. Any other religious spirit brings division in the church. God will surely judge these false teachers. Their place is in hell.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20, 21). We are commanded to do three things: 1. ‘to keep ourselves in God’s Love’; 2. ‘to build ourselves up in the most holy faith’; 3. To look for the mercy of Jesus!

“Keep yourselves in the Love of God” (Jude 1:21). How does God love? The way a mother (father) loves her baby. It is unconditional, sacrificial love. The baby does not love the mother. It is the mother who loves her baby. She takes care of the baby day and night. The mother is not rich, but she will never sell her baby for any amount. She spends money for her baby. The baby does not spend any money to buy something for his mother. When the baby is sick, the mother does not sleep. She takes care of her baby. As you can see, God loves us first.

What does it mean to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’? It means to live in that reality. All plans and decisions are done in that consciousness. This creates an atmosphere of love. Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you” (Jn 5:42). They love religion, money, fame, the praise of men, but not God. “He who hates Me hates My Father also” (Jn 15:23). Because of our knowledge of the Love of God, there is a limitation on our lives. We cannot commit sin because we know that God loves us. We don’t want to hurt God or to grieve His Spirit. Ex. My husband likes some things. I don’t care about the same things. But because he likes these things, I do them. Why? Because I love my husband! When you love somebody, you desire to please him. That means to keep myself in the love of my husband! It is the same with God. You do everything to please God. You do not grieve God’s Spirit. “The love of Christ compels us…” (2 Cor 5:14). The unbelievers care nothing about the love of God! They are careless with their thoughts, decisions, and actions. Not so with us!

We are commanded to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’. The word ‘keep’ means to guard against enemies, against the deception of these false brethren (‘yahoo boys’ type of lovers). We are commanded ‘to keep ourselves in the love of God’. This is a command to be obeyed, not just a suggestion. This command is given to us, the believers. This command does not mean that we should behave well so that God will love us more. In Christ, we are already loved by God. God’s Love, like His Grace, is unmerited favor. What then does it mean? It means to acknowledge and abide in His Love. Practically, it means to reject every form of sin that can grieve the Holy Spirit. Jude gave us three men as negative examples: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. These were religious men. Each one did something good, but the evil they did was greater. Cain offered God a sacrifice, he worshipped God just minutes before he got angry and killed his brother Abel. He was a man of hatred. Balaam prophesied some of the most beautiful verses about Jesus, as the King of kings. But because of greed, he deceived the men of God to commit adultery with the Moabite women, and to worship their idols. He was later killed in the war with Israel. Korah was a cousin of Moses. He was a leader in the camp of Israel. Many trusted and followed him. But he became jealous on Moses and rebelled against him. God killed him and his followers. These three men committed sins against love and grieved the Holy Spirit. They went away from the spiritual territory where the Love of God covers sin. They grieved the Holy Spirit of Love. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:30-32). Lesson: God loves us unconditionally. But it is our responsibility to stay within the boundaries of His manifested love. Responsibility means to be accountable to someone for things that are under your power to control or manage. God has given us His Love, His Spirit, and His Word. We must live a life that honors Him. Like a branch connected to the vine, abiding in Christ we are totally protected from false brethren. This is the only place where the mercy of God is revealed and released, morning by morning. We must abide in His Word, Love and Spirit. This is our duty and responsibility. Being careless with our gifts and blessings, ends in punishment. May God help us all!   

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 1:22, 23). It is a public duty to warn others against false and fake people!!! We are commanded to help the doubters and the victims of false brethren. But we are also warned not to submit of cooperate with the false brethren. We should ‘make a distinction’.

This is the recommended strategy:

1-Have mercy on some who are doubting- the doubters (these are the nominal Christians)

2-Save others by snatching them from fire- the contaminated (these are the Backsliders, the true believers who have become hurt and bitter)  

3-Save hating their clothes polluted by flesh- the contaminators (these are false Christians, wicked, tools of the devil, trying to ‘spoil’ as many believers as they can). These are the men who have secretly crept in the church to spy the liberty we have in Christ and to bring many in bondage (Gal 2:4, 5).   

We are told to intercede and save the backsliders. This is extremely dangerous work. Love alone is bold and strong enough to go close to the fire of hell and pull those going towards it. We are to show compassion (mercy), and love. We are to be wise and ‘make a distinction’. To save a backslider from the devil’s grip is hard work. We are to love the sinner and hate his sin, even the garment stained and defiled by sin.

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jam 5:19, 20). Love is a champion. Love is a Savior. Love is not easily provoked by foolishness and error. It covers many sins. It is the champion of all emotions. “Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]” (1 Pet 4:8; AMP).

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1, 2). The word ‘gentleness’ is also translated as ‘humility.’ Intercession, restoration of a backslider, is done only by those who are spiritual, genuinely humble, filled with the Holy Spirit, and acting from pure motives of love. Proud people cannot love and cannot help others in need. The danger here is to try to intercede from fleshly motives. The devil will attack and injure you. This work is as difficult and delicate as brain surgery. Any little mistake can end in bigger problems.

REEFS, WAVES, CLOUDS, TREES, AND STARS

These deceivers who crept in the church are compared with things found in nature: reefs and sea waves, clouds, trees, and stars in the sky.

“These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless; wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 1:12, 13; AMP). These men are like ‘spots in your love feasts’ (Jude 1:12, NKJ). The real translation is this: ‘These men are hidden reefs in the sea’. A reef is a rocky structure built by corals and many other organisms in the flat bottom of the sea. Many organisms and fishes live and feed among the reefs. The greatest reef is The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It covers a surface of almost 350,000 kilometers square. Meso-American reef is the second coral reef in size, almost 1,000 kilometers long, from Mexico to Honduras. Ships that sunk become a home for many organisms in the sea and turn to reefs too. A reef can damage and sink a ship, which adds to the reef!!!  

When a ship hits the reefs, it is hard to control it and it can get stuck. It is also hard to save the people because other ships cannot get close. The ship can be damaged and get sunk. Because of their beauty and help to marine life, the reefs are protected by international law. The owner of the ship that damages the reefs may have legal problems as the fuel can spill and damage the marine life.

The false brethren who sneak in the churches are compared to these reefs. They look beautiful. They help many others. But they can hurt the true believers who ignorantly go close to them. They are fault finders. These reefs are not visible rocks. If you get close to them, they may drag you into their world and you become a reef like them. They use deception as the hunters or fishers. They trap foolish birds and over-curious fishes. They are hidden rocks. You try to get close to them, but they can hurt you badly. They are not kind. They have no mercy. You are not safe being close friends with them. True believers are filled with love. They protect others. Pray before you open your heart to other ‘Christians’. The great Titanic ship was sunk because of an iceberg! Selah!

These are waterless Clouds carried by the wind. They give false hopes, but they disappoint. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (PV 13:12). The word ‘deferred’ means something that takes a long time. The word ‘sick’ means ‘weakness.’ False hope is the main reason for spiritual ‘heart failure’. Be careful whom do you trust! Elijah was a true prophet. He did not disappoint the people. After Elijah prayed and the fire fell from heaven, he warned king Ahab that rain is coming. He sent his servant 6 times to see if there is any cloud. On the 7^th time there was a cloud that brought the long-awaited rain (1Kg 18:44). True believers are clouds filled with rain. They receive refreshments from heaven. They water others and they too are watered. They bring true hope and prosperity to others. People are thirsty. They need the water of life, the rain from the cloud. They are people who bring revival. But these fake people promise many things that they cannot perform. They are dry clouds. They quench the zeal of others. They are like dry breasts to a hungry baby. There is a curse upon such people (Hosea 9:14).

These men are like trees without roots and without fruits, twice dead. They promise men fruit, but they are barren. Jesus cursed the barren fig tree that only had leaves (Mk 11:12-25). All nominal Christians disappoint others. Selah!

These men are not gentle waves of the sea. They are wild dangerous waves that can sink a ship or swallow people walking on the beach. During the storm Jesus stopped the wind and the waves with His Word (Mk 4:35:41). Only special ships can fight and conquer these wild waves. “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” (Is 57:20, 21). The word ‘troubled’ means to be driven away from your possession or to divorce. Mire is thick and deep mud, wet swampy sticky land. It is like quicksand. Figuratively, it means to be trapped into a difficult situation where you can lose your reputation. In Hebrew, the word ‘peace’ is Shalom. It means peace, prosperity, health, wealth, favor, and friends. Wicked are restless! They lack shalom. Spiritually, only a mature Christian can conquer these false brethren to save a victim from their spell.

These men are like moving stars. God placed the stars in the sky in specific spots. They are supposed to stay there and shine. The seamen are able to read the stars to guide themselves. The wise men followed the star to the place where Mary and the baby Jesus was. When the people see a true Christian, they are directed to Jesus. But these false brethren are not stable. They are falling stars. They do not have a fixed address. You cannot trust them. They do not direct others to Jesus. They direct people to themselves. They cause confusion. They are wandering, restless people, useless and dangerous to others. They cannot help any lost soul to find its way to God. Trust God and the true believers only!

Do spiritual warfare, expose, and resist evil. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” (Edmund Burke, 1729-1797).

Let’s end in praise! “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” (Jd 1:24,25). Some people say that backsliding is unavoidable. But that is a lie. By God’s grace you can start and finish your race filled with the Holy Spirit. God is able to keep us from stumbling into sin. Jesus washes His Bride with His Word to present her to Himself, in glory, free of any faults. Our going to heaven is filled with exceeding joy. To God be all the glory! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of 1 Cor 13:4. AMP; Matthew (Matt 5:7), and Luke (Lk 10-25-37)

We are living in what the Bible calls ‘the last days’. The powers of darkness will increase in their attacks against the believers of God. There shall be more religion but less real Christianity. Deception and wickedness will increase. Love will decrease. It will manifest especially as the preaching of the Gospel in spite of persecution. This is what the Lord Jesus said: “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 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 24:10-14). In Greek, the word ‘lawlessness’ means sin, breaking of God’s Law, and all forms of illegality. The Love of many (not all) will grow cold. Love towards God, true worship, and love towards others, will become less and less. Pride, greed, selfishness, rudeness will become fashionable. But he who stands in the faith and continues to love God and man, will be saved.      

LOVE IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him… The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him]” (Jn 14:21; NKJ, AMP).

In Greek, the word ‘manifest’ means to become visible, to appear before you, to disclose His heart in a special way. It is the deepest form of spiritual intimacy given to the true lovers and friends of Jesus, who have totally and unconditionally surrendered their lives to Him. Jesus here makes it clear that Love means obeying His Commandments. To Love Jesus does not mean to sing or dance in the church. That is only one of the manifestations of love you have in your heart for Jesus. Agape love is proven by obedience to God’s Word. Some people try to look humble in church. That is not loving God. Others try to work hard for God. They do many things in church. That is still not loving God. Jesus sets Love and Obedience in an intimate relationship. A lawless person (unrepentant sinner) does not love God!!! A man who does not study God’s Word does not love God. It is that simple! Loving Jesus is not some great heroic, act you do once in a while. No! It is everyday obedience to God’s Word, as led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If Jesus says ‘go’, you go! If Jesus says ‘sit’ you sit. If He says ‘pray’ you pray! That is Love! Many people sing and dance in church to cover up their disobedience to Jesus. Often, religion is a cover up for true love. Selah!

The commands of Jesus are hard. No flesh can obey them. Only Love has the power and the motivation to obey Jesus. For example, Jesus describes the way of the Cross like this: “A man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt 10:36-39). You must love Jesus, more than you love your family. Because of Jesus, you must ‘hate’ your family. It means that if your family tells you to disobey God’s Word, you have to refuse them and obey Jesus. In this process, you ‘lose your life’. You lose your childhood dreams; your family’s plans and ambitions for you. Because you chose to obey and follow Jesus, you will disappoint family and friends. This is called dying to self, taking your cross and following Jesus. What is the gain in this dying? Like Jesus died and rose again, you too will experience the power of resurrection. You will discover your true self, God’s plan, and destiny for you. You will find fulfilment in this life on earth and eternal rewards in heaven. Love accepts you as you are, a sinner coming to Jesus. But love will never leave you as you are. Love is like a surgeon, very harsh against ‘the cancer’ of the flesh. To Love Jesus means to trust Him as the surgeon who will kill your flesh to liberate your spirit. No other man or god can change you so radically. Love alone does it. Jesus will manifest to you as your Surgeon and as your Bridegroom. In Christ you will taste pain and joy like never before. The intimacy of sharing in His sufferings and in His glory is unique. It changes you forever. This is the power of Love!        

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy…  Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matt 5:7 NKJ; AMP;).

The scripture above is taken from the Sermon on the Mount preached by our Lord. Each sentence describes the born-again believer. The natural man cannot obey these commands. No one can be merciful except he is saved. The Lord is interested in the heart more than in the outward deeds. He is interested in the attitude more than in our actions. In Greek, the word ‘blessed’ means to be happy, someone to be envied, one who is to be congratulated. The word ‘merciful’ means compassionate, or full of pity.

“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant” (1 Cor 13:4; AMP). Love is kind and merciful. In Greek, the word kind means to serve others, to be useful doing good deeds.  

What is mercy? Mercy is defined as kindness towards your enemy, especially when he is in your power. Mercy is the twin sister to agape love. Love is the Queen! Grace is the King! Mercy is the Mother! To understand it better, we must compare mercy with grace. Both are ‘unmerited favors’ from God. Grace is unmerited favor shown to a sinner. Grace sees the sinner and his many sins. Grace saves the sinner, so that he will not go to hell. Mercy is concerned with the consequences of sins, with the deep misery and trouble that the sinner finds himself in. Mercy is sorry for the sinner who suffers and does something to help him. Mercy is not just a feeling of compassion. Mercy has feelings and mercy has strong arms to help. In other words, mercy=pity+help! Without doing something in action, to help the troubled man, you have not exercised mercy. Grace intervenes to save the sinner and mercy intervenes to help the sinner who is in trouble because of his sin. God is the source of both Grace and Mercy. God may choose to show mercy and help or heal a sinner in trouble. But without the work of Grace at the beginning, the sinner who was helped by mercy will still go to hell. To love your enemies or to show mercy to those in need (that you may not like) is impossible to the natural man. It is only a child of God that loves and is merciful. But even in a believer, his flesh will fight against the Spirit and find reasons why he should not show mercy. Question: are you merciful?

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22, 23). Just like agape love, God’s mercies and compassions never fail. In Hebrew, the word ‘fail’ means to come to an end, to be finished. The word ‘compassion’ means the mother’s womb where the baby is implanted and grows. Therefore, God’s tender mercies surround us, protect us, heal us to become whole. We recognize that our suffering could have been greater, if not for God’s mercy! “His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation” (Lk 1:50).

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Lk 10:25-37)

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, you see mercy displayed. A man was beaten and left to die along the road. Two religious Jewish men, a priest, and a Levi, pass by. They may have felt pity in their hearts for the victim. The Levi even went to ‘look’ at him. But they did nothing to help him. Their behavior simply means that they had no mercy. Then a Samaritan came. He not only felt pity towards the victim, but he did something to help him. He poured wine and oil on his wounds. He carried him on his donkey. He paid for his treatment. He alone is the one who showed Love and Mercy to a needy neighbor. According to God’s word, he alone will receive mercy from men and from God. Selah!

THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:7-10). The Law of sowing and reaping is one of the fixed laws of nature. It works both spiritually and naturally. If you plant corn, you will reap corn. You cannot reap apples. If you plant a few seeds of corn, your harvest will be small. If you plant a lot of corn, you will reap a great harvest. Nobody can change this law. It is God’s law in the universe. Spiritually, the law works through our actions and words.

God said: “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease” (Gen 8:22).

“My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same” (Job 4:8, NLT). There are two men who sow: one godly and the other wicked. There are two types of seed that each one sows: The good seed is the Word of God. We speak or the good deeds we do for the glory of God. The bad seed are evil words and evil deeds. There are two types of grounds where the seeds are planted. The bad ground is the flesh (the totality of man inherited from Adam that is not under the influence of the Holy Spirit). The good ground is the Spirit. The believers alone can plant in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Peace, etc. Cultivating this fruit pleases the Holy Spirit who has the power to give eternal life. For example, a young Christian man and woman plan to marry. Having sex before the wedding day is surely planting sinful seeds into the flesh. They experience some pleasure. But the harvest will be an emotionally damaged relationship. But if another Christian couple decide to abstain before the wedding day, they will experience spiritual and emotional bonding and intimacy in their relationship. The difference is clear. Another example: a husband and wife keep grudges. Their marriage relationship will slowly become weak. Little by little, they emotionally separate from one another. They reap am harvest of loneliness, bitterness, and anxiety.   

The word ‘deceive’ means to go astray, to wander away from the path of truth. We can deceive others and even ourselves quite easily by thinking that what we do or say does not matter. But this is the truth: Words and actions are seeds for good or for evil. Each word and each action have consequences. Speaking in the flesh means sowing sin and it will surely lead to a harvest of ‘corruption’. If you are merciful, kind and loving, you will receive the same from men and God. In Greek, the word ‘corruption’ means ruin, rottenness, decay. Speaking as led by the Holy Spirit leads to eternal life. This life is the life or God. It is not just a life without end, it is a special quality of life. It is holy and glorious. It is the life of those who live in heaven. The center of eternal life is knowing God. Jesus said: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3). Living a godly life is not easy. There is a price to pay. The flesh complains. But we are commanded not to become weak, grow weary, or faint in the process of sanctification. We should continue to listen to God’s Word, build up the faith in the heart, and speak words of faith and life, no matter the contrary circumstances. We should continue to love, be kind and do good to all people, especially to the believers. Eventually, the good harvest will come. This is God’s Law! God measures our words and deeds. The harvest will be paid in the same measure, both in quantity and quality. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Lk 6:38). “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor 9:6).

Sometimes, the harvest is delayed. But it will surely come. You need to speak the same word of truth many times, until you build enough faith to believe it. The opposite is also true. If you speak negative things often, one day, the ‘negative’ harvest will come. The Law of sowing and reaping was given by God to be a blessing to us. After sin entered, the same law worked against us as we speak lies and unbelief. For example, if you say: ‘you make me sick’ often enough, one day you will get sick. If you say ‘one day I will divorce you’ one day you will. It is a spiritual law. Believing is not a feeling! You speak God’s Word because it is in the Bible. Most of the time faith does not come immediately. It takes a long time until God’s Word settles in your heart and becomes faith and conviction. Faith is a choice to believe God’s Word. If you separate believing from confessing, there is no manifestation of your faith. The word believed in your heart, without confession, will not work for you. For example: I say that God’s Word is health to my body! “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (PV 4:20-22). I must quote this scripture to myself every day for a long time. I may still feel sick. But little by little, by the confession and hearing of God’s Word, I will be healed!

“He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit. 18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (PV 12:17-19). The tongue of the believer speaks truth, declares righteousness, speaks wisdom, promotes health, and is established forever. The tongue of the liar speaks deceit, hurts others like a sword, and will soon be forgotten. If you complain, the words of your mouth will come to pass. For example, if you say: “I am getting worse… I am getting worse…” you will indeed get worse. Many people say: ‘but I can’t lie about it. I am really getting worse…’ That is when you need to pray for your mind to be renewed. “We have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16). And Christ was never sick.

The circumstances that you see are temporal. They do not last forever. They will change. But God’s Word and reality never changes. “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Cor 4:18). Be careful: Fear, doubt, may look like faith, but it is not! What God says in the Bible, even if you can’t see it now, is the truth. God cannot lie! Faith 100%! Fear 0%! Doubt 0%!

When the miracle does not manifest, many people get discouraged along the way. This is the sequence: you hear the Word of God- you believe it – you confess it (many times, noy just once)- and you pray like a woman in labor, until the word becomes part of you. It may take a long time, but one day, you shall receive your heart’s desire. Borrowed faith works only for baby Christians. Until you take responsibility for your sins, you truly repent, and you pay the price for greater faith, your miracle will not manifest. Many people start with faith. They believe a promise of God and they confess it. After some time, when the results do not appear, they change their minds. They stop believing and stop confessing it. Faith has been weakened and damaged. Faith becomes doubt. God will not answer their prayer anymore (Jam 1:7). They start complaining. They get angry and bitter at God. It is not God’s Word that stopped working. It is the people who have stopped believing and confessing the Word. Faith must be combined with perseverance. This holy perseverance is sustained by fasting and prayer. Eventually, faith wins the battle. Your confession gives birth to manifestation when you have worked it out by yourself in your prayer closet. God grants your request. Faith mixed with confession leads to miracles. The Holy Spirit must seal your faith and confession with the sign of peace. Peace will help you believe with all your heart. Then a miracle will happen! If the miracle has not come there are some reasons for that: maybe it is not God’s will. it is a fleshly desire; it is not the right time; or your faith is not a conviction yet. God. Pray for wisdom for all things. The truth remains: God rewards true faith!

Apostle Paul said this: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim 1:12). You see that he speaks like a man who suffers pain to believe and know Jesus. He is free from fear, doubt, and shame. He not only believes in Jesus but he also ‘knows’ Jesus. That is ‘eternal life’ speaking here. He has come to a place of assurance in His identity and relationship with Christ. He trusts Jesus to keep his soul. He trusts Jesus to fulfill His destiny. This assurance is a great work of God done in his heart. We should desire the same. Just complaining to God is not prayer of faith. You need to tell God about His promise, then tell Him your need, and ask Him to help. We are children of God. We must speak, think, and behave like God, our Father. “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Rom 4:17). Like Jesus, we can call out the Lazarus of our circumstances and he must come forth, in His name. We need to have total faith in God, and we need to pray and prophecy the miracle. Many Christians do not take their words seriously. But God takes our words seriously. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matt 12:36). Idle words are useless, non-working words. Idle words are dangerous too. God rejects them. God cannot use them to produce miracles. Idle words produce death.

Jesus is the High Priest of every confession, of every word from our mouth. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Heb 3:1). Jesus says that faith (believing) and speaking (confession) must be mixed together for God to remove the ‘mountain’ from your path. “So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mk 11:22-24). Faith in God comes first. Then ‘you say’ what you believe. That is ‘the confession’ part. The internal faith and the audible words must be in harmony. You take authority in the name of Jesus, and you command with your mouth that the mountain be removed. We often complain to God, even in prayer, saying: “This mountain is getting bigger every day… My pain is getting worse… I am broke…” And the words come to pass. We do not even see that there is a problem. God’s promises are true but not automatic. It is our responsibility to store God’s Word in our hearts. There is a promise in the Bible for every legitimate need of men.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words” (PV 18:21; AMP). Actions and words have consequences. God commands that we ‘mortify’ the flesh. It means to kill its desires. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13). Pleasing the flesh, sowing to the flesh, ends in ‘corruption’. This word suggests the gradual decaying of a corpse. Spiritually, pleasing the flesh will end in weakness, in a ‘bad odor’ that will drive all people away from you. God cannot be mocked. Men think that they are free to do what they want. But they forget this law. No matter how wealthy or famous, no selfish, greedy, ungodly man, can be truly happy in life. Men like Pharoah, Herod, or Goliath have tried to mock God. They lived to regret it. Pharoah drowned. Herod was eating by worms and died. Goliath was killed by a teenager with just a stone. Fear God!

Sowing in the Spirit means to live every moment to please God, to the glory of God! The harvest is a sure eternal life. Anytime we think, we speak, or we do something having the glory of God in mind, we sow to the Spirit. Jesus said that if you help the needy for His sake, you do it for Him and He will reward you. What help can we give: food, water, clothes, hospitality and visiting the prisoners (Matt 25:31-46). We are to love and help all people but especially the brethren. A Christian who is wicked to another Christian is not only wrong, but he is a monster. One day you will meet the Christian you hated in heaven. Love seeds are planted on earth and the eternal harvest is in heaven. We are to love and do good ‘as we have opportunity’. In Greek, the word means ‘seasons.’ We see that the opportunity to plant good seeds is limited. Learn to take advantage of any little open door to do good for Christ’ sake. Don’t miss it! Worship the Lord!!!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of Ruth (Ru 1:1-22; 4:13-17)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda]” (PV 27:6; AMP). There is something called ‘tough love’. Love is not always sweet words. Trust a friend to correct you in love! Do not trust a man (woman) who always flatters you, even when you make mistakes. Speak the truth in love even if it hurts.

Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8). Failure is defined as lack of success or inability to meet an expectation. Failure is setting a goal and not achieving it. Something stopped working or is not working as it should (ex. Heart failure, kidney failure…). In other words, Agape Love is a champion. It is always successful, never disappointed, it perseveres and never stops working until it achieves its desires. Glory to God!

LONELINESS

“A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads the prisoners into prosperity, Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land” (Ps 68:5, 6; AMP). “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother… The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24; NKJ; AMP). “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (PV 17:17).

Loneliness is an unpleasant emotion, unhappiness felt by someone because he (she) does not have any friends or does not have anyone to talk to. It is described as a social pain, an intense feeling of isolation, because of lack of close connection with people. There is a difference between being alone and feeling lonely. A man can feel lonely even in the midst of a crowd. Even people who are happily married or have successful careers can feel lonely sometimes. The causes of loneliness are varied: genetic, the loss of a spouse or close friend, spending too much time on the internet, or building a selfish mindset. All people experience loneliness in this life. It can be for a short or a longer time. Transient loneliness can be good. It helps you to appreciate and improve your relationships with friends. Chronic loneliness has negative effects: depression, obesity, drug abuse, High blood pressure, and suicidal thoughts. Medical treatment for loneliness includes taking antidepressants. Social therapy includes putting more effort to connect with people in your community or attending a place of worship. Some use pets to combat loneliness.

Some groups of people experience loneliness more than others. The poor, the unemployed, foreign students, or the immigrants feel more lonely. Western culture places too much importance on the individual, and too little on the community. That is why immigrants from Asia, Africa, feel lonely in the western countries, especially if their families are not with them.

Loneliness is like a virus, like a demon. It spreads through social groups like a epidemic. For example, if a man loses his friend, for whatever reason, because of emotional pain he shuts his heart from others. He becomes afraid of more pain. He becomes suspicious on others. He will withdraw emotionally from his remaining friends. His friends will also withdraw from their own friends. It is ‘a ripple effect’. This is how the group breaks down and loneliness increases. The COVID lockdown has destroyed many relationships and increased loneliness. Studies in the US see loneliness as an emotional plague. Studies proved that attending a place of worship reduces the risk of loneliness, especially for the elderly.

Social anxiety is timidity, a form of fear that manifests when interacting with others. Those having this anxiety tend to avoid people, talk less when in public, talk even less when among strangers, lower their eyes when talking, and they feel shy. Generally, Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the US. It manifests as trembling, panic attacks, stammering, palpitations, dizziness, or nausea. Some people take drugs or alcohol to fight this social anxiety. That may lead to alcoholism and drug addiction. Social anxiety starts during the teenage years and may last for a lifetime. It affects people. It leads to loneliness. Social anxiety is the main reason why people find it hard to marry or have close friends. These people are oversensitive to the negative signals they see in others. For example, they feel that others look fake, or dangerous. That is why they avoid them. To avoid possible rejection, they tend to focus on themselves and their little circle around them where they feel safe. They do not take the risk of having more friends. Loneliness is seen as a positive thing, an acceptable price to pay to stay happy in this difficult world.

For Christians, prayer, and attending church regularly (that includes the weekly activities) is the best way to defeat the demon of loneliness. Also, pray! Make a greater effort to become friendly to others. Like attracts like. Making friends among the brethren in the local church is risky work. But it has a great reward. So many people tell me that they tried to make friends with the pastors or with other brethren, but they have been disappointed. The greatest fear is rejection. In my experience, you have to accept the risk of rejection, the possibility of betrayal and pain, and still move on to make friends. Rejection leads to defeat, isolation, and bitterness. God’s Word says: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21). “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]” (2Tim 1:7;AMP).

What is the solution? Be like Jesus! Jesus welcomed all people. He talked to them. He prayed for them. He helped them. He balanced His social life with a necessary solitude. He often went on His own to pray to God the Father. This balance of spirituality and community life is true health. Jesus was proactive in selecting His disciples (His friends). He was the One who called them. They had a holy and healthy fellowship. For example, when they were all hungry, though Jesus could have done a miracle to provide bread for them, He did not. The disciples went to buy food. During this time, Jesus rested at the well of Jacob. He had a wonderful conversation with a Samaritan woman (John 4). Martha. Mary and Lazarus were true friends to Jesus. Before the Cross, Jesus told His disciples: “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” (Jn 15:15). Jesus is the ‘Friend who sticks closer than a brother’. Pray that He may send His friends to you! They will become your friends too!!!

IMPOSTOR SYNDROME

Imposter syndrome, also called perceived fraudulence, involves feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that persist despite your education, experience, and accomplishments. Imposter feelings represent a conflict between your own self-perception and the way others perceive you. Even as others praise your talents, you always think that it is just good luck. You don’t believe you earned them on your own merits, and you fear others will eventually realize that you are a fake person.

Initially, it was believed that successful career women (especially the black women) are affected more by this mental state. But now, research has proven that men and women are equally affected by it. Generally, those who tend to be affected by this syndrome are very intelligent and ambitious people, perfectionists, superheroes, and leaders. To prove that they are not failures or fake, these people work even harder to become successful. This anxious work without rest leads to disconnect from other people, to depression, and to chronic loneliness. These people have difficulty in getting married or staying married.

These are some causes: growing up in a home where love was not manifested. The atmosphere in the home was one of competition and desiring success. The parents were over-protective and demanding. They sharply criticize the mistakes of their children. They expect too much from their children or compare the siblings in achievements. The children may do well in primary and secondary school. But when they go to university, far away from the pressure of home, living among strangers, they start to doubt their worth and identity. They feel fake.

What is the cure? Pray! Study God’s Word! Then, confess your problem to your pastor, a friend or counselor. It takes humility to acknowledge your need for help. Do spiritual warfare! Challenge your self-doubts! Reject them! Fight them until you have the victory! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Believe God’s Word: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Ps 139:13, 14). Learn to give God all the glory for all your success in life! Serve God! I declare that it is well with you! In Jesus’ name, amen!

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!

“You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you” (Jn 15:14; AMP). Because of the internet, more and more people become isolated. Friendships are rare these days. Men are affected more than the women. Only 10% of men have real friends. God declared from the beginning of time: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). God invented marriage. That is a wonderful blessing. God also created us to live among brethren and to have quality relationships called friendships. That is why God invented the local church. Jesus died so that His Bride, the Church, can exist. In the local assembly we hear God’s Word and learn to put it into practice. We learn to love God and people. Godly friendships are God’s gift to all believers. None should be lonely! Selah!

Who is a friend? A friend is someone who is close to you, who knows you well, with whom you have a bond of mutual affection and respect. This person is not a family member. The relationship is not sexual. Other words for ‘friend’ are confidant, classmate, associate, or advocate. The opposite of ‘friend’ is ‘foe or enemy’. A friend is faithful to you. You trust him. He gives good advice, help and support when you are in need.

A relationship is called ‘friendship’ if it has three qualities: 1- It is a long-lasting, stable emotional bond; 2-It is positive, encouraging, 3-It brings the best in each other; it is helpful to both. All true friendships bring glory to God! A true friendship is free from sexual manipulation. That includes marriages too. Sex is God’s gift to the married couples only. But even sex in marriage should not be used as a weapon. If you give access to the devil, he will use money and sex to destroy marriages and friendships. Let the Holy Spirit purify your hearts and trust Him for all your relationships. No relationship can survive without deep mutual respect and true love that desires the best in others. You can have a close by neighbor as a friend, or one who is far away. Your friend can in person or online. True friendship stands the test of time and of distance.

An acquaintance is someone you like, and you meet at a party. The relationship is not deep. When you are in trouble and need help, you do not call an acquaintance. You call your friend, trusting that he will help you. A good friend is not a hireling. He does not avoid you when you are in trouble. You can be open and vulnerable with your friend. You can tell him the truth and not be afraid of betrayal. You are not afraid that he will judge you. He gives you space to express your feelings. He has sympathy for you. He cares for you. He listens to you and gives you good advice. Good friends are ready to apologize and forgive when there is a mistake, then move on with the friendship. 

Bad friends, or ‘fair-weather friends’ are like hirelings. They run away and avoid you when you are in trouble. They speak negatively about people. They tend to gossip about you to others. Good friends know that we are all different and accept you as you are. Bad friends judge you and force you to be like them. Bad friends are manipulative and pushy. Bad friends are not stable. They disappoint often. A good friendship grows with time and becomes a blessing to many. Good friends are comfortable. A good friend is a child of God who prays for you!

Experience has proven that any friendship that has Christ at the center is blessed. It has a higher quality than even the best secular friendships. It is the most stable of all relationships. Christ is indeed the best ‘glue’ that keeps relationships. It applies to the marriage bond and to other friendships. A good friendship is basically a spiritual partnership. These high-quality agape love relationships are quite rare these days. Because people hear of so many sexual (homosexual) stories, it is hard to find good, spiritual, Christ honoring friendships among brethren. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20). These last days sin increases. But grace does not only ‘increase’. It overflows in its increase. Grace is always much more powerful and effective than all sin combined. It is true that many marriages and friendships are breaking down because of sin. But all the sin the world cannot nullify the sovereign reign of King Grace, our Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ is the foundation and the pillar of your marriage or friendships with others, the gates of hell cannot destroy them. Grace always leads to glory!

RUTH – FRIEND FOR LIFE

For the ancient people of Israel, friendships were very deep. They were like a covenant of marriage. Betrayal was considered the greatest crime. Faithfulness and commitment to a covenant friend was highly appreciated and rewarded. The story of Ruth is a beautiful romantic story that started as a family tragedy. The meaning of the name Ruth is ‘Friend’. Like Ittai the Gittite, who was a faithful friend unto death to King David, so Ruth proved to be a true friend for life to Naomi. Naomi means ‘sweetness’. Ruth was “one of the women of Moab” (Ru 1:4) who got converted to Jehovah. Two times she got married to Jewish farmers from Bethlehem. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David and the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Ruth is one of the four Gentile women chosen by God to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:5). Ruth’s position as a Gentile in the ancestry of David (and of Christ) signifies that all nations will be represented in the Kingdom of God.

Ruth was a Moabite. The Moabites were distant relatives to the Jews. They descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Lot was the father of Moab and Amnon, both sons of incest (Gen 19:30-38). These two tribes were enemies to Israel. Ruth got married to Mahlon, the son of an Israelite family while they were living in Moab. Later, her father-in-law, husband, and husband’s only brother all died in Moab. Naomi is now a widow, and both her sons are dead. She has no grandchildren. She hears that God has been good to Judah, her home country. They now have food. Having no reason to stay in Moab anymore, she decides to go back home.  Her two daughters in law, Ruth and Orpah decided to follow her to Judah, to a place they have neve been. Three widows go slowly on the road to Bethlehem. At one point, Naomi speaks to her daughters in law to go back to their parents. She tells them that she and them have no hope in Judah. She left Judah some years ago because there was no food there. She herself did not love Judah too much. She tells the young women that they cannot marry in Judah. They should go back and marry in Moab. Orpah weeps, kisses Naomi, and goes back. She took ‘the safest’ road. She did not see what she had lost. She will never know Jehovah, the God of Israel. We do not hear anything about Orpah again. But Ruth…

Ruth adored her mother-in-law and had great compassion for her, witnessing her pain when she lost her husband and both of her sons. Ruth could not endure to separate from Naomi or from Naomi’s God that she had come to know. Ruth and Naomi make the voyage back to Judah to the city of Bethlehem. Ruth’s testimony of faithfulness to Naomi and Jehovah God spreads all around. Boaz hears of her faith and speaks kindly to her. Like the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28, Ruth acknowledges that she does not deserve Boaz’s kindness because she is a stranger. Like Christ, Boaz blesses her with his favor, provision, and protection. Ruth is rewarded for her dedication by an invitation to eat with Boaz. Later, she marries Boaz. Here you see the manifestation of God’s grace, His unmerited favor given to all who believe, be them Jew, or Gentile.

The greatest theme in the Book of Ruth is that of Redemption. The word ‘redemption, redeemer’ occurs 23 times in the book of Ruth. Ruth believed that God is her Redeemer. A redeemer is one who is willing and able to pay a ransom, restoring the rights of another and avenging his wrongs. In the Old Testament, redemption was a moral law. If one of your relatives becomes poor, if you are willing and able, you are to help the poor relative and buy the land he sold to a stranger. “If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold” (Lev 25:25). This law was given so that the land and the people remain in the family under the protection of Jehovah God. Coming back, Naomi decided to sell the land that belonged to her late husband, Elimelech. Any of Elimelech’s family members can buy the land. Attached to the land was the condition that the buyer marries Ruth. Her first son will be counted as the son of her late husband, Mahlon, and the grandson of Naomi. The closest relative did not want to buy the land because he did not want to marry a Moabite woman. He gave his right to Boaz (Ruth 4:6). Boaz bought the land of Elimelech and married Ruth at the same time. Their first son Obed was now known as the son of Mahlon (Ruth’s first husband) and of Elimelech (Naomi’s husband). In Hebrew, the name Obed means ‘worshipper or servant of God’. He is the true grandson of Naomi. Because of Ruth’s faith in Jehovah God, the Redemer of Israel, the power of resurrection is manifested. Naomi’s dead dreams to be a mother and a grandmother have come to life. In this way, the family lineage of Elimelech did not die with his death. This is the power of redemption, of resurrection, and of Grace. Selah!

Boaz is called a “kinsman-redeemer”. Boaz means ‘strength’. The closest kinsman redeemer who refused to marry Ruth represents the Law. Boaz represents Grace.  Boaz is symbolic of the mediating work of Christ. In Moab, Ruth worshipped Chemosh, the supreme deity of Moab. His name means ‘destroyer’. He was a god of war without any mercy. When Moab defeated another country, all the prisoners of war were sacrificed to Chemosh. The Bible calls Chemosh ‘the abomination of Moab’ (1Kings 11:7). King Solomon married Moabite wives and worshipped Chemosh alongside Jehovah. That made God angry. King Josiah destroyed the false religion of Baal and Chemosh in Israel. Ruth comes to discover that Jehovah God is not like Chemosh. Jehovah is a God of truth, justice, and also of mercy. He has compassion on the poor, widows, orphans, and the foreigners. He is the Redeemer of Israel. Her faith in Jehovah made her to sacrifice her natural family and a life in Moab. Like Abraham, her faith gave her the courage to follow Naomi to a land where she did not know. Ruth believed God’s Word. “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Is 44:6). No other deity or god saves or redeems. Like Job, Ruth can confidently say: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25-27). Christ is our Redeemer who “has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13, 14). Redemption is found in Christ alone who paid with His blood for our freedom from sin. Salvation means translating from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of light and love. Faith in The Redeemer of Israel gave Ruth the courage to be a true friend to Naomi. She believed that her future is better than her past, that she will be a mother of children, that her children will be thought by God Himself and will experience great peace on earth. Her faith in God helped her to believe that no weapon formed or fashioned by Chemosh, or any other idol can kill her or her descendants (Isaiah 54). Selah!

Ruth has excellent qualities as a servant of God and a true friend to Naomi: Love, faith, and perseverance! Ruth has great faith in God and true love for Naomi. She believed that Jehovah God is who He says He is. She believed that for God, nothing is impossible. She believed that there is always hope with God. It was her faith in God that carried Naomi on, especially when Naomi was backsliding. Because of the loss of her husband and sons, without any grandchildren, Naomi becomes bitter. She calls herself ‘Mara’ meaning ‘bitter’. Ruth was a young believer. Naomi was an old believer. Here we see the power of love in Ruth’s heart, that gave her the courage to follow the bitter Naomi, and to help her even when she lost all hope for a brighter future. Ruth interceded for Naomi and loved her during the time she needed help the most. This is Love! This is true friendship!

Ruth was not forced to love and follow Naomi. It was Love that made her do that. “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Rom 7:1-4). Apostle Paul says that ‘the law has dominion over a man only as long as he lives’. Once a man dies, he is free from God’s law. God gave His law to tell us who He is, what He likes and what He hates. He also gave us His Law so that we know what sin is and how terrible sin is. God did not give us the Law to save us from sin. For no natural man can be saved by obeying the Law. The only way to be saved is by Grace and through faith. Justification is always by faith in Jesus Christ. We need to go a step further. Sanctification is also by faith, and not by obeying the Law. Many Christians are saved by faith but later, they try to be sanctified by obeying God’s Law. That is wrong. God must take His glory for both justification and sanctification. The Holy Spirit uses the Law to give the believer the power to obey it, one step at a time. The believer cannot obey the Law himself, but the Holy Spirit gives him the power to do so.

Like the wife submits to her husband, all the unbelievers are ‘under the Law’. The Law has dominion over a man for as long as his lives. The only thing that stops this ‘dominion’ is death. For example, once a man dies, you cannot take him to court for breaking the traffic law. He is free from the law. Death has set him free. As the husband dies, the wife is free from the law that bound her to him. She is free to remarry. Once the sinner repents, he dies to the Law, and to sin. He is now free to marry another husband, who is Christ. What is the purpose? To bear fruit to God. The Law cannot produce fruit acceptable to God. But as the Bride of Christ, we produce fruit pleasing to God. Both justification and sanctification are by Grace and through faith. This is a practical example: you need God’s grace and faith in Him to find a wife and to get married. After the wedding day, you also need God’s Grace and faith in Him to make your marriage happy and successful. Thru Christ, our Redeemer, we have forgiveness of sins and the hope of glory. Your old dead dreams will be bought by Christ, the Redeemer, and they will live again. 

For Ruth, by Law she had no right to be in Israel. She was a Moabite, an enemy to Israel. It is possible that the people in Bethlehem saw her as a dangerous woman, an opportunist, or a fake person. If Naomi had wealth, they could have said that. But Naomi had nothing. She lost her family and the little wealth she had in the land of Moab. Naomi did not even have hope for the future. Ruth had no material gain from following Naomi except Naomi’s God. By faith, Ruth changes position from being a sinner under the Law, to being a child of God, under King Grace. Because Ruth’s husband died, technically she is free from any legal commitment to Mahlon and submitting to Naomi. The only way the bond between them can continue is for Ruth to become her friend. A friend is not a family member. To change from the position of a daughter in law to a friend for life is a great spiritual achievement for Ruth. This is indeed a beautiful story of redemption, grace, faith, hope, love, and Life! 

After Orpah went back to Moab, Ruth pledges to be a friend for life to Naomi. In a way, the only helper and friend Naomi has right now is Ruth. This is Ruth’s wonderful pledge to Naomi: “But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!” (Ru 1:16, 17; TM). After this wonderful touching pledge of love and friendship, what does Naomi say? You expect she will say: ‘Praise the Lord! God bless you, my daughter! I love you too…’. She does not say that. She says… nothing. Read this: “When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her” (Ru 1:18). Both of them walked in silence until they reached Bethlehem. Initially, Ruth did not receive any encouragement from Naomi or the people. Even when they arrived at Bethlehem, the women only greeted Naomi. They totally ignored Ruth. The first word of encouragement came from Boaz, who is a symbol of Christ. Lesson: may we be satisfied at all times with God’s encouragement alone!

Ruth had faith. Another quality was an attitude of perseverance, of not giving up on her dreams. Perseverance is defined as a continued effort to achieve something despite difficulties, failures, opposition, discouragement, or the passing of time. Ministry requires perseverance. Learning to drive a car, to speak a new language, or to become an Olympic champion requires perseverance.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (Jam 1:2-4; NIV). Faith starts the race. Perseverance leads to spiritual maturity and visible success! Perseverance is needed to pass the test of Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, to come to a place where you ‘do not lack anything. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jam 1:12; NIV). Perseverance in the faith is rewarded with a crown of life. Perseverance is a royal badge. Perseverance in faith is the mark of a true friend.  Selah! “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:3-5). Perseverance produces mature character in the believer. It leads to the hope of glory in heaven.

Lesson: If you see a believer who perseveres despite the difficulties in life, you can trust him. He can be your friend. No one who becomes easily discouraged can be your friend. True believers persevere in their race and surely go to heaven. In that culture, when a young woman’s husband dies, she was to leave her in laws and go back to her parents or relatives. This is what Orpah did. But Ruth ‘clung’ to Naomi. She proclaimed that Naomi’s people and God will be her people and her God. This is contrary to tradition but in line with the realm of grace.

Naomi blamed Jehovah for her tragedy. Her bitterness made her blind to God’s gift of grace to her in the person of Ruth, the only friend she had.  Naomi became bitter and selfish. She looked at her life and saw only problems. The famine in Bethlehem led her to go to ‘the greener pastures’ of Moab. It was there that she lost her husband and her two sons. She saw God as her enemy. Naomi stayed in Moab for 10 years. It is easy to go out of the will of God but not so easy to come back from backsliding. But in the midst of this famine and pain, God was doing something new. It was in Moab that she met Ruth. It was in Moab, that Ruth’s journey of faith started. By law, no Moabite should enter the temple of God to worship Him. God’s Law was against the Moabites. The Jews were commanded not to make friends with the Moabites (Deut 23:3-6). The only open door for Ruth was not the Law, but God’s Grace. She had no right to claim in Bethlehem. But Grace welcomed her with open arms. Ruth recognized the power of Grace and fully embraced it. Remember that Ruth too was in pain. Her husband died. She was a young widow. But she did not allow her pain to blind her and make her selfish. Her love for Naomi and Naomi’s God, survived her painful loss. Deciding to become Naomi’s friend was the best decision Ruth made. Though Naomi was needy, and had no hope for her, following Naomi she went to Bethlehem where she met Boaz who became her husband and the father of her children. Boaz was impressed by Ruth who was humble and hardworking. Her faith in Jehovah and genuine love to Naomi who was not even her biological mother touched him.

Naomi ‘arose’ and started going back to Bethlehem. Her two daughters-in-law followed her. But she had no hope for them. They were liabilities for her. She imagined that in Bethlehem, each time people will see her with them, they are a reminder of her past in Moab. Like a rebellious young woman who leaves her parents house to live alone and who has a child out of wedlock. To give that child for adoption is hard. But is even harder to come home with a child who has no father. Naomi was a Jew but, in her backsliding, she was not spiritually helpful to her daughters in law. The Bible says that ‘she clung’ to Naomi. This is the same word (to cleave) found in Genesis that applies to marriage. “Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24; KJ). Ruth pledged friendship to Naomi as a bride does to her bridegroom. This is a covenant friendship unto death. Ruth is committing her life to Naomi, to Naomi’s God. She entered the pages on the Bible like a star shining in the darkest night. 

Lesson: Be friendly to all but do not be yoked (intimately connected as friends) to unbelievers. Boaz ‘adopted’ and married a stranger. Selah! Couples desiring children should prayerfully consider adopting children. Also, we never know what God is doing thru our pains and losses. Trust your Redeemer! Jesus shed His Blood on the Cross of Calvary, to take your sin on Himself, to set you free. Jesus died to buy the pieces of your broken heart and faded dreams to give you a hope and a future. Trust Him especially when trials come, and things go wrong! If God seems silent to you right now, remember that the teacher keeps silent during exams. We don’t have to understand God to trust and to love Him! God never fails! God never makes mistakes! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of 2 Sam 15:1-22; 1 Jn 3:8-18.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

TRUE LOVE MANIFESTS IN WORDS AND IN DEEDS (1Jn 3:8-18)

“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deeds and in truth” (1 Jn 3:8-18).

Here we see that there are only two types of people in this world: the children of the devil (who have his seed in them) and the children of God (who have God’s seed in them). We are all born sinners. At the beginning, we do not know if we are among God’s children. But time will tell. At the right time, the sinner who is chosen by God will encounter His saving grace. He will repent of sin and surrender to Christ, becoming a new creature, born again unto eternal life. Salvation is a miracle. Nobody can save himself. Salvation is God’s Gift thru Jesus Christ! From the moment you become born again, you start to grow spiritually, by the power of the Holy Spirit. You start to hate sin. You love righteousness. You want to be like Jesus. Little by little, thru the study of God’s Word and prayer, you mature spiritually. Spiritual fruit, especially love, will surely manifest. Jesus died to destroy the works of the devil. One by one, all bondages will be destroyed. The power ‘engine’ now is Love. Loving God and people is the sure sign that you are saved. This is a simple definition of a Christian: someone who ‘has passed from death to life’ (1 Jn 3:14).

Many believers are worried about not being able to ‘like’ some people. There is a big difference between Loving and Liking. We are never commanded to ‘like’ others. We are commanded to love them! Love is not a continuation, or an improvement of liking. It is something totally different. Love is always connected with God, it is spiritual, penetrating deep, and changing everyone for the better. Another word for ‘liking’ is ‘infatuation’. This is defined as strong but not usually lasting feelings of love or attraction. Infatuation is falling in love or becoming extremely interested in someone or something for a short time. Some get infatuated with actors, singers, football stars, or fashion brands. Infatuation is very strong emotionally, but it makes you foolish. The strong emotions do not last. You will be disappointed by them. This type of ‘love’ will soon be forgotten. Infatuation is connected with the devil; it is worldly, fleshly, superficial, natural, instinctive, and leaves you worse than you were. It is part of ‘the animal’ part of man. Liking is not patient, intelligent, or wise like true love. You may like that woman (man) because of her physical appearance, color, behavior, or mode of dressing. Unbelievers like or dislike others based on superficial things. An unbeliever moves from ‘like to dislike’ very easy and very fast. If he dislikes somebody, he will just reject or abandon that one, without feeling guilty. Almost all cases of ‘love at first sight’ are in fact a manifestation of infatuation. If ever the initial ‘like’ becomes love, it is a miracle, just the way Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding of Cana (Jn 2:1-12). If not, with time, ‘the like’ becomes the bitter ‘dislike’. Selah!

There are many books written about Love, mostly about the romantic love between a man and his wife. But people still find it hard to love. This is because they do not understand it. Love is still a mystery to many. Agape Love can be experienced only by a born-again child of God. First of all, true Love is spiritual. Love always connects with God. “God is Love” (1 John 4:16). You cannot love your spouse or neighbor without being filled with the Holy Spirit, without God helping you. Love may not ‘like’ the person, but Love wants to help. How Love does that? Love is wise! Therefore, Love ignores superficial things and goes deep into the eternal soul of that person. “He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, But he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends” (PV 17:9; AMP). Gossip is fleshly, an enemy of Love. Lesson: Avoid people who talk too much and habitually criticize others. Selah!

God loves the sinner in spite of his sin. The believer must do the same. That is why we are commanded to be and love like Jesus. Love sees the sinner thru the eyes of Christ. It sees the hope in the sinner’s heart even before the sinner knows anything about love or hope. Love is bold and practical. Love always seeks the best others. Love takes risks to help others. Love is a leader and a champion. Love always achieves what she wants. Love is patient and perseveres to the end. Love overcomes all hindrances and excuses until it accomplishes its goal. Love is a bridge between impossible and possible. Love is a miracle and makes dreams come true. “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults]” (PV10:12; AMP). “Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment]” (PV19:11; AMP).  “Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]” (Col3:14; AMP). “Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]” (1Pet 4:8; AMP).  

How do you love people you do not like? By the power of the Holy Spirit, you treat them exactly as those you naturally like. You forgive them, encourage them, and help them, the best way you can. You do not expect a return of appreciation. You do it purely for Christ’ sake. You love others because God loves you. That is why Love feeds and grows on prayer and the Word of God. This Love is the strongest tool in evangelism. Nothing compares with it. In the early church, the Romans who killed the Christians were amazed how they loved God and one another. The world never loves like this!!! This agape love is unique, and it is purely the work of God in the soul of His children. Selah!

“By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jn 3:16). At the Cross, God’s Love and Glory is revealed. There is double glory: The Son glorified His Father, and the Father glorified His Son. First, Christ glorified God the Father. He obeyed God’s Law that says, ‘sin is to be punished by death’. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). The devil lied to Adam when he said, ‘you can disobey God and you will not die’. By dying for our sins, The Son honored and glorified His Father. Secondly, God the Father glorified Christ by resurrecting Him from the grave. God the Father raised His Son from the dead and gave Him ‘all things’. God’s Love exalted Jesus and made Him Lord of all. “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand (Jn 3:35). The resurrected Christ told His disciples: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:18-20). The Great Commission is rooted in Love. We preach and teach God’s Word so that sinners become saved, and believers will grow spiritually. We teach believers to obey God’s Commandments. Obedience is Love. We are making disciples and lovers of Jesus!  As children of God, we are invited to partake from this Holy Family’s glory. Lesson: if you give God all the glory, God will raise you up from the miry clay. Jesus said: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (Jn 12:26). Lesson: worship Jesus and God will honor you!   

“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deeds and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18). One of the greatest dangers for those of us who try to love others is to use loving words without backing our words by loving deeds. Hypocrisy is always a damaged, fake, poisonous love. It has caused much harm in the churches. John warns us about this. It is possible to go to church and experience high emotions about the love of God. It is possible for you to sing about the love of Jesus, how He died on the Cross for you. After the church service, at the parking lot, somebody provokes you a little and you immediately insult the person. That same Sunday! There is a disconnect between the feelings of love you just sang about with the temptation outside the sanctuary. And you don’t even feel guilty. You have failed the test of love!!! Love means action. Words alone, without deeds, are deceiving and dangerous. They wound the hearts of others. Our Lord warns us of false brethren who are very religious, speak about love, but lack love in their hearts. They talk well, but they do not love others. They preach well but they break God’s laws. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matt 7:15-20). People have been deceived by sweet tongues covering their bitter hearts. To avoid deception, pray for the revelation of the person’s heart before you can trust his tongue. As you see, it is not easy to love! Love is always a sacrifice. Lovers are disciples and friends of Jesus! You can trust their hearts and their words!

Love is a mysterious combination of spirit (feelings) and action (doing good deeds). Many people think of love only as a spiritual quality and others think that love is just helping others. The truth is that love is both spirit and work. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor 13:1-3). Sweet loving speech, and religious knowledge describe ‘the spirit’ of love. A sacrificial life on behalf of the poor describes the works of love. All this is good, but Love may be missing from either one. Love needs both, spirit, and good deeds, done for the sake of Christ and to the glory of God!

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!

“You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you” (Jn 15:14; AMP). “The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24; AMP).

Because of the internet, more and more people become isolated. Friendships are rare these days. Men are affected more than the women. Only 10% of men have real friends. God declared from the beginning of time: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). God invented marriage. That is a wonderful blessing. God also created us to live among brethren and to have quality relationships called friendships. That is why God invented the local church. Jesus died so that His Bride, the Church, can exist. In the local assembly we hear God’s Word and learn to put it into practice. We learn to love God and people. Godly friendships are God’s gift to all believers. None should be lonely! Selah!

Who is a friend? A friend is someone who is close to you, who knows you well, with whom you have a bond of mutual affection and respect. This person is not a family member. The relationship is not sexual. Other words for ‘friend’ are confidant, classmate, associate, or advocate. The opposite of ‘friend’ is ‘foe or enemy’. A friend is faithful to you. You trust him. He gives good advice, help and support when you are in need.

A relationship is called ‘friendship’ if it has three qualities: 1- It is a long-lasting, stable emotional bond; 2-It is positive, encouraging, 3-It brings the best in each other; it is helpful to both. All true friendships bring glory to God! A true friendship is free from sexual manipulation. That includes marriages too. Sex is God’s gift to the married couples only. But even sex in marriage should not be used as a weapon. If you give access to the devil, he will use money and sex to destroy marriages and friendships. Let the Holy Spirit purify your hearts and trust Him for all your relationships. No relationship can survive without deep mutual respect and true love that desires the best in others. You can have a close by neighbor as a friend, or one who is far away. Your friend can in person or online. True friendship stands the test of time and of distance. An acquaintance is someone you like, and you meet at a party. The relationship is not deep. When you are in trouble and need help, you do not call an acquaintance. You call your friend, trusting that he will help you. A good friend is not a hireling. He does not avoid you when you are in trouble. You can be open and vulnerable with your friend. You can tell him the truth and not be afraid of betrayal. You are not afraid that he will judge you. He gives you space to express your feelings. He has sympathy for you. He cares for you. He listens to you and gives you good advice. Good friends are ready to apologize and forgive when there is a mistake, then move on with the friendship.  

Bad friends, or ‘fair-weather friends’ are like hirelings. They run away and avoid you when you are in trouble. They speak negatively about people. They tend to gossip about you to others. Good friends know that we are all different and accept you as you are. Bad friends judge you and force you to be like them. Bad friends are manipulative and pushy. Bad friends are not stable. They disappoint often. A good friendship grows with time and becomes a blessing to many. Good friends are comfortable. A good friend is a child of God who prays for you!

Experience has proven that any friendship that has Christ at the center is blessed. It has a higher quality than even the best secular friendships. It is the most stable of all relationships. Christ is indeed the best ‘glue’ that keeps relationships. It applies to the marriage bond and to other friendships. A good friendship is basically a spiritual partnership. These high-quality agape love relationships are quite rare these days. Because people hear of so many sexual (homosexual) stories, it is hard to find good, spiritual, Christ honoring friendships among brethren. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20). These last days sin increases. But grace does not only ‘increase’. It overflows in its increase. Grace is always much more powerful and effective than all sin combined. It is true that many marriages and friendships are breaking down because of sin. But all the sin the world cannot nullify the sovereign reign of King Grace, our Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ is the foundation and the pillar of your marriage or friendships with others, the gates of hell cannot destroy them. Grace always leads to glory!

For the ancient people of Israel, friendships were very deep. They were like a covenant of marriage. That is why betrayal was considered the greatest crime. For example, David had many good friends, especially with King Saul’s son, Jonathan. “Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul… Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul… Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul)” (1 Sam 18:1,3; 20:17). David and Jonathan made a covenant that if any one of them dies, the survivor will take care of the other’s descendants. Jonathan died in battle. David became the new King of Israel. David kept his promise to his friend Jonathan. When he became king David asked: “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Sam 9:1). He had been told him that Jonathan’s only surviving son is a man called Mephibosheth, who was lame at both his feet. David said to him: “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” 8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” (2 Sam 9:7, 8). Selah!

ITTAI THE GITTITE – A TRUE FRIEND FOR LIFE (2 Sam 15:17-22)

I have never preached on Ittai the Gittite before. But he has recently won my heart. He was a Philistine from the city of Gath. Just for your information, Goliath was a Gittite (2Sam 21:19). Obed-Edom, who kept the ark of God in his house for 3 months, was also a Gittite (2Sam 6:10, 11). The most serious trouble David encountered was when his son Absalom rebelled against him and took over the throne. Thru flattery and manipulation, Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel (2 Sam 15:6). David decided to abandon the palace and run away so that people would not die in Jerusalem. David personal servants followed him. “And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands” (2 Sam 15:15). This faithfulness in time of need is love! 

David was going up the mount of Olives, weeping, barefoot, with his head covered. David is a type of Christ. Jesus too crossed the Kidron brook to the Mount of Olives (Jn 18:1). Like Absalom betrayed David, Judas betrayed Jesus. David’s enemies took advantage of his trouble and quickly manifested. David was told that his friend and counsellor, Ahithophel, had betrayed him and he is now working for Absalom. This caused David deep anxiety. Ahithophel knew him well. David prayed: “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” (2 Sam 15:31). God answered his prayer. Then, a man from the house of Saul, called Shimei, came to throw stones and curse David. David allowed him to curse him saying: “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day” (2 Sam 16:11). You see here the humility and the wisdom of David. He chooses not to kill this wicked man who slanders him in the day of his pain. After Absalom dies, the same Shimei came to beg, and David granted him forgiveness (2Sam19:16-23). These are men of darkness, servants of the devil who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But as the darkness envelops the land, the true light starts to shine.

At this time of pain and great need, David’s true friends also came to help and support him. The first one was Ittai the Gittite. His name means ‘The Lord is with me’. He stands out as a shining star in the night. He is a faithful friend to David. A Gittite was an inhabitant of Gath, one of the five Philistine cities. So Ittai was not an Israelite. He was a Philistine soldier who changed camps and came to Israel. He had pledged his loyalty to David along with 600 others, of whom he was their leader. He had followed David from the time David was in Gath years before, when running away from king Saul. Ittai is a type of a sinner saved by grace, and thru faith. He is a ray of hope in the darkest time. He is a great encouragement for any evangelist. Ittai has renounced Dagon and the idols of the Philistines. He follows David willingly, early, publicly, and physically.

Think about the position David was in as he left Jerusalem. Think how hard it must have been for those who loved him and followed him. David had lost his home and his throne. He was pushed out of the work God had called him to do. He had lost the affection of his son and the support of his people. He had to flee from his own city to save his own life. Yet Ittai and the others remained faithful to David and stood by their word.

Ittai was a true friend. This is love! Ittai told David that he is his servant. Initially, David told him to go back to his house, to submit to ‘king Absalom’. He did not say this because he did not trust him or that he did not need his help. There were few men with David. He needed all the help he could get. But David is a true leader. He did not want to force anyone to share in his trials. He is a type of Christ. Jesus does not force anyone to follow Him. He said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt 16:24). There is always an ‘if’. Like Ruth followed Naomi who gave her no hope, Ittai willingly followed David when he was in need. This is Love!

Ittai not only gave himself willingly, but he gave himself early, when few men helped David. Ittai was a true leader. He did not wait for others to tell him what to do. A leader knows the timing of actions. David told Ittai that he is a ‘new convert’ to the God of Israel. But Ittai was ready to follow David as a true believer follows Jesus. When Saul, who became Apostle Paul, fell from his horse blinded by the glory of the risen Christ, immediately he said: “What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do” (Ac 22:10). There are many Christians who are converted but not totally committed to Christ. Selah!

Ittai gave himself as a servant to David in the presence of others. It was a public surrender and commitment. He was not a secret disciple. Jesus said: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt 10:32). Lesson: It is not good enough to believe Jesus only in your heart. The Lord is looking for a public witness. Apostle Paul said: “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). Do you know where you will lose the fear and the shyness of testifying about Jesus in public? It is at the Cross of Christ!!! Jesus was forsaken by all except few women, his mother Mary, and John the apostle. The rest of the disciples became afraid and ran away. Ittai was like these women at the foot of the Cross. That is where you find the true friends of Jesus. If you love Jesus, you will not be ashamed of afraid to openly proclaim that He is your Savior and your Lord!

Ittai gave himself to David physically. He did not send a messenger with some food. He came himself. There is honor, promotion, and blessing in serving Christ. It may not be in this life, but it will surely be in eternity. David rewarded Ittai for his loyalty. When it was time to organize his few men to fight the army of Absalom, David divided his soldiers into three divisions. He placed a commander over each: Joab, Abishai and Ittai the Gittite. The first two were his family members. They were not his friends. But Ittai was a foreigner. He was a true friend. He proved to be more loyal to David than many Jews. He led a third of the army to battle and victory. “And David numbered the people who were with him and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.” 3 But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city” (2 Sam 18:1-3). Ittai is a type of a Gentile believer and soldier for Christ. When Jesus comes in glory, He will reward all who left everything to follow Him! The honor of this life is temporary. But the honor of Christ is forever! Jesus told His disciples: “You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Lk 22:28-30). Selah!

There is a saying: ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’. “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (PV 17:17). It is good to invest in quality friendships. Jesus said that we should use our money, not only to buy things, but to make good friends who will pray for us and help us in time of need. He said that good spiritual friends are better than money. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home” (Lk 16:9). Lesson: Cultivate spiritual friendships! Spiritual friends involve their families in church activities! Selah!

After the war with Absalom, we do not hear any more about Ittai. Possibly, he died in battle. This is a friend forever, faithful unto death! Selah!

JESUS – THE FRIEND OF SINNERS

“John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.” (Lk7:33-35)

Jesus told the Pharisees that they hate the truth and the wisdom of God. They found excuses to reject both John the Baptist and Jesus Himself. They mocked Jesus calling Him ‘a friend of sinners.’ They did not see that Jesus came from heaven to live and die as a man, so that sinners can be saved. Jesus is indeed the only true Friend and Savior the sinners have. He is waiting for the sinners to acknowledge Him and come to Him for salvation, for help in time of need. Jesus did not condone sin. He went to the sinners to tell them about the good news of salvation. It was His kindness that led them to repentance (Rom 2:4). Many sinners were convicted of sin and repented. Zacchaeus, a tax collector, became a true believer (Lk 19:1-10). The sinful woman who wept at the feet of Jesus, also became saved (Lk 7:36:50). When Jesus’ enemies called Him a “friend of sinners,” they meant it as an insult. To His glory and our eternal benefit, Jesus endured such slights and became “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24).  Worship the Lord!

LOVE NEVER FAILS

How can we deal with this problem of selfishness? Love is the solution. The Agape love of Jesus is the cure against all pride, immaturity, and self- centeredness. If you have a problem with selfishness, the way to solve it is to be absorbed by someone else, to think how to help and care for another. By doing this, by investing in another, without you knowing it, you will forget about yourself, you become humble, and you start worshipping God. People who ‘fall in love’ will tell you how love made them forget about themselves. Multiply this ‘falling in love’ by infinity, gaze long at the face of Jesus, and catch something of His glory. It will reflect on you. It will change you. You shall discover that salvation is not just forgiveness of sins, not just getting free from the wrath of God. We are free but not only to enjoy material prosperity; to build houses, buy cars, and enjoy ‘good life’. Salvation goes far beyond these temporal benefits. Jesus lived and died to reveal the Father’s love to us, to manifest the glory of God on earth. Jesus died on the Cross so that we live a new life, to be changed into His image. This selfishness relates to ‘slave or poverty mentality’. The selfish lifestyle hates to give glory to God.

For example, prisoners are released from prison. Some go out of the prison’ gates and have nobody to help them. They are free but they are alone. Like we say in Nigeria, ‘you are on your own’. But others, after they are released, are taken by a limousine car to the palace of the King. These are the children of God. You are free from prison and now you become servants to the King Jesus. Once you enter the palace, all your needs are met. In the palace, the glory of the King overwhelms you, it will change you. You are not only free, but you are also made whole. You have a new vision of life. You have a glimpse of a new hope and glory in the future. You learn to love as you are loved. As you can see, the greatness of our salvation is derived from the greatness of our Savior and His glory. The effect of the glory of God on me is that I forget my petty problems and now, I can worship the King of glory getting lost in the ocean of His love.           

(From my husband’s notes, Pastor Richmond Sisan Leigh)

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!”

(Joseph Scriven)

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Genesis 22:1-19; John 13:31-35; 15:9-17.  

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

PRAYER FOR DEEPER LOVE

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 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 1:3-11).

Every religion has its own god and its own pattern of prayers. The followers offer sacrifices and pray to their god, hoping that they will be heard. But there is no love between the gods and those who trust in them. Also, there is no particular love between the followers. Christianity is the only ‘religion’ that has a God who loves His children. No other religion says that its ‘god is love’! Love is the major peculiarity of Christianity. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1Jn 4:16). Prayer connects us with the greatest Love in the universe. Apostle Paul writes this letter to the believers in Philippi. He remembers them with love and joy from ‘the first day until now’. It was in Philippi that he met Lydia, whose heart God opened to believe the Gospel. Love started working immediately in her. She invited Paul and the brethren into her house. It was in Philippi that he delivered the slave girl possessed with a python seducing spirit. Because of that, he and Silas were sent to prison where a miracle happened. God saved the jailer and his household. It was the jailer that chained Paul and Silas. Once he was saved, love manifested. He washed their wounds in his house. These new believers gathered and started the church in Philippi. Paul remembers them with gladness. He is now in chains, in a prison in Rome, because of the Gospel, but he continues to pray for the church over there. He writes as a pastor and as father to his children. He describes the love between them as ‘fellowship in the Gospel’, as a good work that God has begun in them, and God will perfect it. This love makes them all to be ‘partakers of God’s grace’. You can feel his love. He says: “I have you in my heart… I greatly long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ”. Glory to God!

This is an apostolic prayer that applies to all believers. The first thing we observe is that Paul prays for spiritual things. He prays that they may grow spiritually and become fruitful. The reason is to become ready to meet the Lord ‘in the day of Christ’. The believers have received God’s Love as a seed. It has now become ‘your love’. The Holy Spirit gives them the power, but it is their responsibility to make the seed of love grow. Paul shows here that there is a greater and higher level of Christianity ahead. The center of action is the seed of Love growing inside. As Love grows, they will become ‘pure and blameless’ (Philip 1:10; NIV), ready to meet Jesus. Love both purifies and makes us blameless. Purity refers to the heart, to the motives of actions. To be blameless refers to the choices we make. Having a blameless character, we do not hurt others and are not a stumbling block to them. Other religions tell you to become what you can never be. But In Christ, we become ‘a new creation’. The Holy Spirit gives us all that we need to grow. But we need to cooperate with God. His work inside our heart must be manifested in godly character and kind deeds. Justification by faith is one event. Sanctification is a lifetime process. Paul said: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). This is a spiritual law: you sow seeds before harvest. Like a woman in labor, there is pain before progress in life. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps 126:5, 6). Paul prays that this love will increase to be a spiritual harvest to the glory of God.

Paul prays that their love ‘will abound still more and more in knowledge and discernment’. In Greek, the word ‘abound’ means to be excellent in quality and to overflow in quantity. Paul says that Love has knowledge. The word ‘knowledge’ always refers to knowing God and His Word. Love has knowledge and experience to go deep to the root of the matter. People sometimes say that ‘love is blind’. This is because when people ‘fall in love’ they don’t care about anybody, they only ‘love’ themselves. They do not listen to advice. But that describes sexual lust, not agape love. For Love is not stupid, stubborn, or ignorant. Love’s knowledge comes from intimacy with God and that gives love its experience. The word ‘discernment’ means profound insight, wisdom, and spiritual sensitivity. Love’s knowledge tells you who to love and its discernment tells you how to love. Like an oak tree, love starts with a seed and becomes mature, mighty in exploits. There is a danger to be quickly satisfied with the seed love we receive as baby Christians. For this seed to grow, we must pay the price to love the unlovely expecting nothing in return from men but trusting God alone to reward you. Love’s knowledge and discernment gets deeper thru the practical application of God’s Word and prayer.

Love is interested in quality service. Like Daniel, love has an excellent spirit (Dan 5:12). Love does not waste its time and effort on foolish pursuits. Love tests and approves of things that are noble and excellent. That is why love is a leader and a mentor. Love purifies the heart like fire. Love is fruitful. The fruits of love are righteousness, which is the tested and approved Christan character. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. The success of a branch is in fruit bearing. Jesus said that producing fruits gives glory to God. Fruitfulness means spiritual maturity which is always associated with the joy of Jesus. Fruitfulness means to be the friend of Jesus. A mature believer knows and loves God. He also knows and loves people. Jesus knew all about the weaknesses and sins of His disciples and still went to the Cross for them. He chose Judas who will betray him, but His love for people never failed. We love people as Jesus loves people. Even when people disappoint us, we continue to love them. This agape unfailing love is the engine of Christianity. Lack of love, lack of spiritual fruits, is a dangerous ground. Examine yourself!

Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, help us to grow deeper in Love with you and love people. Help us to love with Your love. Help us to abide in Christ, to abide in His love. Help us to pay the price to love excellent and noble things, to reject foolishness and gossip. Help our love to grow in wisdom and discernment. Help us to take risks in loving people. Help us to be spiritually fruitful to manifest Your glory on earth. Help us to learn daily how to love better, deeper, even to learn from mistakes. To Your glory alone! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!

THE NEW COMMANDMENT – LOVE AS JESUS LOVES

“When he (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 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 13:31-35)

“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).

Our Lord is a few hours away from the Cross. He desires to have one more meal together with His disciples. Judas has just left to betray Him. For the first time since they were called by Jesus, Judas is missing. They are now eleven disciples. They do not know yet, but for the first time they are free from ‘this virus of destruction’. Jesus then says: “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately”. What does He mean? He identifies the Cross with God’s glory. For us, the Cross is the most painful and shameful deed ever committed by men on earth. The horrors of the Cross cannot be described by mere words. Many see the Cross as a complete tragedy and failure. But according to Jesus, The Cross reveals His glory and the glory of God the Father. The Cross is the highest revelation of God’s Love and Glory. As Jesus died for sinners, the tragedy that happened in the Garden of Eden, was now reversed. Adam fell, and with Him, all humanity fell. This was the devil’s greatest victory. He became the god of this world. Nobody could change the hopeless story of men. After 4000 years of sin being king on earth, on that Cross, God the Son, who became man, died on behalf of men. He set them free from the guilt and power of sin. For the first time since Genesis, the devil is defeated, and the power of death is destroyed. For the first time, the prisoners of sin and death are free to leave their eternal prison. No more condemnation! No more guilt! No more shame! Glory!

*At the Cross we see God’s perfect justice. God is holy. God hates sin. His Law demands death for every sin. God could not make an exception, even for His own Son. Jesus did not die for His own sins. Once He drank from the cup of our sin, He became sin. He had to die. At the Cross, the greatest eternal exchange was made. “For He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Jesus took our sin upon Himself and died for us. He gave us His righteousness that we may live before God. It is Christ’s gift of Love to us. Covered with His ‘imputed righteousness’ we now become children of God!

*At the Cross we see God’s perfect faithfulness. God sent His Law thru Moses. But none could obey it. Since Adam fell, God has promised to send someone called the Savior, who will change the story, and turn the curse into a blessing. Over the years, there were many prophetic words and promises. The Jews expected the Messiah to come as a great royal soldier who will free them from the oppression of the Romans. When Jesus came, they rejected Him because He was different than what they had in mind. That is why they killed Him. They did not know that the first coming of the Messiah was to be like a lamb led to the slaughter. The second coming will be different. Jesus will come again as The King of kings to finally judge all evil and to complete the salvation of His people. This is God’s plan and purpose. None can defeat it! Jesus fulfilled it!

*At the Cross, we see God’s greatest Love. The Cross is the central point of history. The word ‘glorified’ means to display openly, and publicly. The Cross is like the theater stage of the universe. The Light of God eternally shines on it, and none can quench it. We see how God the Father loved the world and that He sent His only begotten Son to die for men’s salvation. We see God the Son agreeing with God the Father to pay the greatest price for men to be free. The Cross is the greatest picture of God’s love displayed! At the Cross we see weakness becoming power. But the greatest display is that of God’s Love. God’s Love is always connected with the death of His Son at the Cross. If you don’t understand the Cross, you don’t understand God’s Love.

Jesus commands His disciples: ‘Abide in My Love!’ “I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love (and do not doubt My love for you). If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love” (Jn 15:9, 10). In Greek the word ‘abide’ means to remain, to stay, and wait in the same spot and without interruptions.

Jesus is preparing His disciples for the pain they will experience at the Cross. He is also telling them about the glories that will follow the pain. Up until now, each of the disciples have learned to love Jesus. But they did not love one another. Soon Jesus will die. Jesus does not want that their love for Him will be buried in the ground. He tells them that from now on, the love they have for Him, must be turned to love one another. Their Love indeed did not die. Love became the greatest force in the universe. Love is the glue that keeps the Body of Christ alive and strong! In the Old Testament, God spoke about loving others. “You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Lev 19:17, 18). “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev 19:33, 34). What the Jews understood by these scriptures was mainly to love their fellow Jews. They had serious issues with loving ‘the strangers.’ But now, Jesus brings Love for Almighty God and Love for all men at the center stage. He commands all who are in Christ to love all men, no matter their color, gender, social status, or nationality. From now on, Grace is King and Love is King! This is the New Commandment that fulfills the Ten Commandments! Praise the Lord!

JEHOVAH JIREH PROVIDES LOVE (Gen 22:1-19)

Abraham is the father of the faithful. God promised that he will have a son. He waited for many years before God gave him Isaac. Abraham had to pass many difficult tests of obedience. First, God told him to leave his country and family to go to a land that he has never been (Gen 12:1-3). Abraham obeyed. That is Love! Abraham went to battle to free his nephew Lot. Abraham refused to take the wealth from the king of Sodom (Gen 14:21-24). That is Love! Later, God told him to circumcise all the males in his household including himself and Ishamel. Abraham was 99 and Ishmael was 13 when they got circumcised in obedience to God’s command. This is Love! “Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him” (Gen 21:4). Abraham was told to send Hagar, the bondwoman, and her son, Ishmael away (Gen 21:9-14). That was painful for Abraham, but he obeyed. God. This is Love!

Few years later, God tests Abraham again. This was the greatest test of obedience. By obeying God now, Abraham passed the test to become ‘a friend of God’ (Jam 2:23). This is a wonderful story of Agape Love. Abraham stands for God the Father. Isaac stands for God the Son. This story is a prelude to the Cross of Calvary. God tells Abraham to offer his only son Isaac, the son he loves, as a sacrifice. At that time, his first son Ishamel was gone to Egypt with his mother. Isaac was the only son he had. Isaac’s name means ‘laughter’. He brought joy to his old parents. Ishmeal was born in the natural way. But Isaac was the son of promise. God gave them Isaac. Now, God wants Isaac back. It was a test of obedience for Abraham. Because obedience means love, this was the test of Love. Abraham obeyed God. He died to his pain of losing Isaac. He went to Mount Moriah where God wanted the sacrifice. Abraham called this obedience ‘worship’. This is the first place in the Bible where the word ‘worship’ appears. It is connected with Jehovah Jireh, God will Provide. God provides the power to love God, and to obey God. Jehovah Jireh is another name for God is Love.

Abraham had faith that God will raise Isaac from the dead. He tells his servants: “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you”. He uses the word ‘we’ will come back to you. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (Heb 11:17-19). Abraham knew God’s promise that in Isaac, his descendants shall be like the stars in the sky. At that time, Isaac was not married and had no children. Abraham believed that even if Isaac dies, to be offered to God as a burnt offering, the same Isaac must rise from the dead to fulfill the promise of many descendants. Isaac too believed the same promise because he did not resist becoming ‘the lamb to be slaughtered’. Abraham was ready to slay his son in obedience to God’s command when God’s angel stopped him. Jehovah Jireh provided a ram to be offered. That ram is another symbol of Christ crucified. Abraham passed the test of faith and love. God blessed Abraham because he did not ‘withhold’ his beloved son Isaac. The word ‘withhold’ means to refuse, to keep for himself, or to spare his son. Because Abraham gave his greatest Love to God, God blessed him forever.  God confirmed that Abraham will be the father of many nations, that all people will be blessed thru him, and that God will protect and defend them forever. In Christ, God gives us all things. “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). Provision for our needs comes from Jehovah Jireh, God’s Love.

In this story Abraham is over 100 years old. God is asking for the greatest treasure Abraham has. God wants Abraham to break ‘his alabaster box’. Can he, do it? Immediately God calls him, Abraham responds: “here I am” (Gen 22:1). This is a proof that Abraham lives in the presence of God. He is ready to answer God’s call any time, day, or night. Lesson: It is hard to surrender your spouse, or children to God. But you must do it. Jesus said that we must love Him above all other loves (Matt 10:37). If not, we are not worthy of Him. Abraham, Isaac, and some servants went towards the place God told him about. Mount Moriah is located in the center of the Old city of Jerusalem. In it there are the ruins of Solomon’s temple and the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim shrine, and a mosque. This place was bought by King David from a man named Araunah. God’s angel directed David to buy this piece of land and build an altar to the Lord there (2 Sam 24:18-21). This was because of David’s sin when he numbered the people and a plague killed many. Abraham and Isaac trekked for two days. We do not know what was in Abraham’s mind as he was going to sacrifice Isaac. He could have changed his mind. He could have doubted God’s love towards him. After waiting for Isaac for all these years, the sacrifice of his son made no sense. Lesson: God leads us thru common sense but sometimes, nothing makes sense. What was the secret of Abraham’s obedience? It was worship! Abraham worshipped God above all else.

Isaac carries the wood on his back. This is a picture of Jesus who carried His Cross on His back. Isaac asked his father: “Look, the fire, and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So, the two of them went together” (Gen 22:7, 8). The fire represents God’s judgment on sin. On the Cross, The fire of God consumed Christ who became a sin on behalf of men. The knife is to kill the lamb. Jesus was puncture in His heart by the spear of a Roman soldier. Blood and water poured on the ground. When Isaac asked his father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering, the first word Abraham said was ‘my son’. Indirectly, he was telling Isaac that he is the lamb. Isaac submitted to the vision of the Cross. Jehovah Jireh provided a ram. This is a picture of the substitution that happened on the Cross. The ram is a picture of Christ on the Cross. The ram was ‘caught in a thicket by its horns’. The thicket is a low bush made of thorns. It is a symbol of God’s curse upon sin (Gen 3:18). The sinful men placed a crown of thorns upon the head of Jesus. The ram was caught by its horns. The horns are a symbol of strength. On the Cross, the strength of Christ became weakness so that He can die on behalf of sinners. After Abraham offered the ram, we read that only Abraham came down from the mountain. We assumed that Isaac was with him. But Isaac’s name is not mentioned (Gen 22:19). This is a picture that Isaac died as a burnt offering on that mountain. The next time Isaac’s name is mentioned is when he meets Rebecah, his bride, and He gets married. This is a picture of the pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost or the second coming of Christ. The question Isaac asked: where is the Lamb?… is answered two thousand years later. John the Baptist answered the question. He saw Jesus coming to the River Jordan to be baptized. He said: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29). Hallelujah!

Abraham called the place on the mountain “Jehovah Jireh”. It was where God provided the ram instead of Isaac. The word Jireh means ‘to see’. The meaning is this: ‘In the mount of the Lord, things will become clear, and you shall see His provision’. Lesson: Before we surrender our all to God, before we truly worship God, things are not clear. We are confused. Once we break our alabaster box, the veil from our eyes and minds is removed and we see everything the way God sees it. That is when God will provide the breakthrough. God longs that we come to a place where we trust Him totally with our lives and the best gifts, He has given us. To have 100 % faith in God is to love God unconditionally. This is true worship. This is the price and the victory of Love! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of 2 Samuel 6:1-23, Revelation 2:1-7.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice.

THE TIME OF LOVE – LOVE REJECTED AND RESTORED (Ezekiel 16:1-30)

This is a love story, a parable. It is the story of betrayal, pain, judgment, and mercy. God is the husband of a woman called ‘Jerusalem’ in Israel. She cheats God who has been so good to her. You feel God’s pain. Jerusalem is seen here as an abandoned newborn baby girl. Let us call her Miss. Jerusalem. Her parents were pagans, Canaanites, idol worshippers. God (Jehovah Adonai) comes and with love and compassion rescues the baby. God cuts the umbilical cord. If that cord is not cut, as the placenta decomposes, the baby will be infected and die. God washes, feeds. dresses, and gives gifts to this girl who now has become a beautiful young woman. It is now her ‘time to love’. her Savior, now becomes her husband. Her name is now Mrs. Jerusalem Adonai. But this wife does not appreciate all the love and care from God. She uses her beauty, fame, and gifts she received from God to seduce men. She becomes a prostitute. An ordinary prostitute ‘loves’ for money. But this woman does not need money because God has blessed her beyond her dreams. She uses God’s gifts to bribe men to sleep with her. She sacrifices the children that she bore for God to idols. She is ‘degenerate in her heart; a weak-willed wife’ (Ezekiel 16:30, NKJ, NIV). She has betrayed her first love. In Hebrew, the word ‘degenerate heart’ also means a feverish, never satisfied heart, weakened by longing, and inflamed with lust. This is a viral deadly ‘infection’. God, the rejected husband, is angry with His wife. This is His Word: “You shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Ex 34:14). God is the Judge of the Universe. He judges and punishes his wife for breaking the marriage vows. He makes her poor and reduces her territory of influence. Her lovers hate and fight her now. This is a tragedy, from Grace to grass!

Her sister Sodom joined her in her sin. “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore, I took them away as I saw fit” (Ezek 16:49, 50). This is a description of sin and lack of love. The people of Sodom were proud, well fed, idle, and lack compassion for the poor and needy. Sodom’s people do not love. God punished them with destruction. The cities and Sodom and Gomorrah have never been rebuilt. But now, Mrs. Jerusalem Adonai is behaving even worse than Miss. Sodom. God punishes her and finally, He has peace. But thru her sufferings, Mrs. Jerusalem Adonai, has been humbled. She comes back to God and repents. There is a restoration of marriage love. But that love is now manifested in the Church. Jesus is the Head of the Body of Christ. He is the Bridegroom of His Bride, the Church. This is the story: God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment for sinners. He died on our behalf. He shed His Blood for sinners, rebellious people like me and you. Jesus was the Propitiation for our sins. The word Propitiation means to appease an angry God. On the Cross, thru His death, Jesus made peace between God and man. Jerusalem was a wife to God. The Church is now the Bride to Christ. The wedding will be in the future. For now, the romance of love between Christ and Church goes on. “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God” (Rev 19:6-9). Glory!

YOUR FIRST LOVE AND FIRST WORKS  

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” (Rev 2:1-7).

This is the first of seven letters given by the resurrected Christ to Apostle John to write and send to the seven churches. Each letter is addressed to ‘the angel’ of the church. The word ‘angel’ here is interpreted as bishop, pastor of leader. At this time John was on exile, on the island of Patmos. It is possible that the pastor in charge at the church in Ephesus was Timothy. Christ introduces Himself as One who holds the seven stars in His right hand: a star for each church. He walks freely among the golden lampstands; one for each church. The lampstands give light from heaven. This is the revelation of God’s Word to the churches. The light represents the presence and influence of Christ in the Church!

“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). To Love God with the first love is an acknowledgment and reminder that God loved us first. We love Him with the overflow coming from His Love. God is the eternal fountain of Love. We are the river that flows from that fountain. God’s Love is Free. Our love is an obligation. Selah!  

Ephesus was the second biggest city in the Roman Empire, next to Rome. It was a center of commerce and culture. It was in Ephesus that you could find one of the seventh Wonders of the ancient world, the temple of Diana (or Artemis). It was a great structure of the size of ten stories building. It was covered with gold and many works of art. Around the temple were thousands of male and female temple prostitutes. The area around the temple was declared free. Any evil person could hide there. Many thieves and robbers took shelter around it. That is why the city had a high rate of crime. Ephesus was like Las Vegas today. If you go there today, you will see a signboard that reads: ‘Las Vegas, welcome to sin city’! In the midst of this terrible environment, Jesus planted a church. Apostle Paul stayed there three years to preach and teach. Timothy was left behind as the senior pastor. Apostle John was also a bishop there. Mary, the mother of Jesus, left Jerusalem and stayed with John until she died in Ephesus. She probably attended this church. It was the biggest church in ancient times, of about three thousand people. Today, the Christians in Turkey are about 200,000. That means 0,3% of the population. Most of the Churches in Turkey are in ruins, museums for tourists, or converted into mosques. Most of the believers have left Turkey. The spiritual light is very dim now.  

The church at Ephesus was described as:

*Filled with the Holy Spirit. People came to the church not because of men. It was the presence of God attracted people there (Ac 19:5, 6).

*They were many miracles of healing and deliverance done by Paul (Ac 19:11)

*The fear of God fell on the people and the name of Jesus was magnified (Ac 19:17).

*People were truly repenting of idolatry and practicing witchcraft (Ac 19:18, 19).

*The Word of God was preached and believed. It ‘grew mightily and prevailed’ (Ac 19:20).

What did the church in Ephesus do to prevent being polluted by worldliness and sin? The brethren kept the church spiritually pure and strong!

*They had faith and love. “Therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints” (Eph 1:15).

*They kept the unity of the Spirit in the church and in their homes (Eph 4:1-6).

*They received and manifested the gifts of the Resurrected Christ (‘the five-fold’ ministry gifts) (Eph 4:7-16)

*They repented of lying, deceiving others, stealing, bitterness, unholy anger, gossip, and malice. They worked hard to have something to share with others. They spoke encouraging words ‘to impart grace’ to the hearers. They were kind, gentle, loving, and forgiving others. They blocked the way for the devil to enter the church. They learned how to host the Holy Spirit, not grieve Him through unconfessed sin (Eph 4:25-31).

*They walked in love, in light and with wisdom (Eph 5:2, 8, 15). Love, honesty, and wisdom were a lifestyle for them.

*They were not close friends with unbelievers. “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Eph 5:11). 

*They were prayerful. They wanted to know God’s plan and will for them. “Understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17).

*They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They praised God, spoke the Word of God to one another and gave thanks to God! (Eph 5:18-20).

*They were humble and submitted to one another in the fear of God (Eph 5:21).

*They had strong marriages. The wives submitted to their husbands and the husbands loved their wives, all for the sake of Christ (Eph 5:22-33).

*They had godly homes. The father was the pastor of the home. He had authority. Children and servants submitted to him (Eph 6:1-9)

*They fasted and prayed. They did spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-18)

*They prayed for their pastors to preach the Gospel with boldness, authority, and freedom (Eph 6:19, 20).

In each letter to the churches Christ says: ‘I know’. In Greek, the word means ‘I remember, I appreciate’. Lesson: The eyes of Christ are like fire. He knows and rewards our labor of love, work done in difficult conditions, a sacrificial painful work done for God. Jesus says: “And whoever gives to one of these little ones [these who are humble in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward” (Matt 10:42; AMP). About Mary of Bethany, He said: “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever this gospel [of salvation] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her [for her act of love and devotion]” (Matt 26:13; AMP). Jesus appreciates those who patiently wait for Him, who persevere during trials of faith. Selah!

There were false apostles in the church. The word ‘apostle’ means ‘a sent one’. The resurrected Christ sent apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists as gifts to the Church. “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph 4:11-16).  A true Apostle is a believer who receives a special commission from Christ Himself, to do a special work for Him. Apostles are like fathers to the children. They lay the foundation of churches. They do original work for Christ, witnessing for Him in particular places where the powers of darkness have a stronghold. They have the highest authority among the church leaders. Together with others, they ‘edify’ the church and establish the unity of the Spirit. A true apostle speaks the truth of the Gospel in Love. The brethren in the congregation mature spiritually, in love and unity. Love unites! Love builds! Each believer matures, aiming to the perfection in Christ. True apostles identify, expose, and confront the false brethren, the agents of the devil, sent by him to divide the church thru lies and false doctrines.

With all the good work done in the church at Ephesus, Christ has a complaint. The believers there have ‘left their first love’. “But 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]” (Rev 2:4; AMP). In Greek, the word ‘left’ means to send away, to let go, to forsake, to abandon, to dismiss, or to neglect. The word ‘first’ is the most important, the principal, the greatest love of all. This is the root of the matter. This letter is written about 30 years after Jesus died. So soon, the people’s love for Jesus has become lukewarm. Here is the Bridegroom crying in pain that His Bride is neglecting Him. It is the same cry we find in the book of Jeremiah. “Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “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. 3 Israel was holiness to the Lord, The firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them,” says the Lord.’ ” 4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord: “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, and have become idolaters?” (Jer 2:1-5). Betrayal is a sin against love and the greatest pain!

If Love gets cold, every work and sacrifice become meaningless. Love alone gives value to our deeds. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor 13:1-3). The husband is not satisfied with a wife who is just cooking and cleaning the house but does not love him. It is the same with God. Many people ‘work for God’ in the church but they do not worship God. Jesus is always and forever our first Love. Many Christians have replaced their first love with secondary loves called idols. This letter is written to Christians, not to unbelievers. “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jam 4:4).

This spiritual coldness is a sign of the end times. “Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold” (Matt 24:12; AMP). It is known that during times of war, famine, and persecution, people are afraid of becoming poor. They become selfish, neglecting to practice acts of kindness to others. The word ‘lawlessness’ means breaking of the law. People don’t care about God’s law or government laws anymore. Each person becomes his own law. This manifests itself as wickedness. Love is suffocated by sin. People marry, do business, and attend to religion, but without love. Not going to church is a proof that your first love for Jesus is dying. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:24, 25). Encouraging one another to continue the race, is a manifestation of Love.  

Jesus does not say that the brethren in Ephesus do not love Him at all. He says that they have lost their initial passion and zeal for love. He tells His Bride, that she used to love Him more in the past. This loss of passion is a form of falling. The brethren are commanded to repent and be revived. They should go back to the first zeal, tenderness, and sensitivity of love they had when they first knew Jesus. Lesson: We must fight against the enemy of God, the devil himself. We watch for every form of backsliding. Jesus is in heaven but clearly, He monitors everything that happens in the Church. He is grieved when we are careless with the study of His Word, prayer and fail to gather together in the assembly of the saints. He is grieved when the husband does not have the water of the Word to wash his wife. He is grieved when the husband is not ready to lay down his life for his wife and family, but as a hireling, he runs away from the challenges of life. He is grieved when the husband thinks more about providing money than spiritual leadership to his family. Materialism and busyness and cooling your first love for Jesus!  

The Nicolaitans were a sect of people who tried to combine Christianity with pagan idolatry. The Romans forced people to worship Ceasar or their own gods. When the Christians refused to worship idols, they were tortured and even killed. The Nicolaitans said that you can worship idols and still be a Christian. For them, this compromise was a way to survive. This sect disappeared long ago but their ‘doctrine’ remains. These days, there are many Christians who go to church and still attend traditional feasts. If they don’t go in person, they send money to buy sacrifices offered to idols. Also, there are many Christians who try to worship two gods, God, and Money. But our Lord said that it is impossible to do that. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]” (Matt 6:24; AMP). Jesus says that He hates this unholy compromise. It is like spiritual adultery. Jesus warns the Christians in Ephesus to repent of this sin that slowly kills their first love for Him. If they refuse to repent, He will take away the light from their church. In other words, Love always comes with light. Un-repented sin quenches both. Light is the revelation of God’s Word and the influence the church has around it. Lesson: backsliding comes slowly. There is ‘a drifting’ that is not quickly observed. A Christian start to backslide when he ‘neglects so great a salvation’. It is dangerous when as a believer, you stop praying, praising God, and stop coming to church. God’s light of life in you, His wisdom and guidance given by His Spirit and thru His Word, can be removed. The Holy Spirit can be quenched. You end in darkness, when the things of this world seem pleasant to you and God is far away from your thoughts. You stop being an influencer for Jesus. “Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Heb 2:1-4). Historically, the church in Ephesus died. The seven churches are all now in Turkey, where Islam is the main religion. Lesson: Repent! Come back to the Cross! Fast and pray! Seek God! Study God’s Word. Attend church services. Remember you have a soul that needs food as your body needs food. Remember God!  Repentance leads back to Love. It manifests as eating fruits ‘from the tree of life’. This is a picture of the Garden of Eden before sin corrupted the paradise. Love leads to happiness, fulfilment, and perfect peace in the heart and in the home. You must live in love! We have ears; therefore, you must hear the warning of Love! Amen!

BETRAYAL PAIN

Betrayal is defined as not being loyal or faithful to your friend. It is the act of disappointing a person’s trust, hope, and expectations. It means to deliver to your enemy something that belongs to you. Betrayal is one of the worst pains experienced by people. It is so painful because it is done by someone you love and trust. For example, parents can betray their children who love and trust them. Romantic betrayals are quite common. After the betrayal, the victim decides if to continue the relationship or not. Some cannot separate from those who betray them. For example, the children have to stay in the home with the parents who abuse them verbally or sexually. They are too young to leave the home and stay alone. In marriage, because of children and financial dependence, the victim chooses to stay in the relationship. In these cases, the victims choose to bury their painful memories. This affects them later in life. These are some of the effects of buried painful memories: It affects your capacity to love and trust people and your self-esteem. There are feelings of anxiety, anger, and bitterness that can erupt any time. There is fear of commitment towards people, making it hard to marry, or to be happily married. These feelings may produce sickness, especially high blood pressure and stomach ulcer.  King David knew the pain of betrayal. He said: “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. 13 But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the throng” (Ps 55:12-14).

What can you do to heal from past wounds? Pray! You need to acknowledge your pain. Confess your pain. Meet with a mature Christian or your pastor. Confessing to unbelievers will end in gossip and that will increase your pain. Forgive the one who betrayed you. Forgive yourself! Trust God for the healing. Then move on! Learn to love and trust again! Remember that Jesus was betrayed. He knows your pain more than any other. He told Judas: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Lk 22:48). In His first sermon Jesus said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me. To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Lk 4:18). Trust Jesus to heal you! He suffered and died to give you salvation, healing, and a new beginning!               

EXAMPLES OF FIRST LOVE

The first Love is the purest and most passionate Love you had for Jesus when He first entered your heart. This is before sin polluted and weakened it. These are some examples of First Love described in the Bible:

*Jacob loved beautiful Racheal. To marry her, he served her father as a shepherd for seven years. He was patient because of his love for her.  “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).

*The sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears, she dried them with her hair, and anointed them with expensive fragrant oil from her alabaster flask (Lk 7:36-50). She ignored the religious men’s rejection, just to worship Jesus. She was humble and bold at the same time. She had heart only for Jesus. The woman’s hair is her glory (1 Cor 11:15). This woman used her glory to dry the feet of Jesus! She gave all the glory to God for her salvation! Lesson: fear of men, or the desire to please men, these both will weaken your love for Jesus! Selah!

*Mary of Bethany loved Jesus. Each time Jesus and His disciples visited her house, she will sit at His feet to listen to His words. Her older sister Martha was working in the kitchen and complained that Mary had left her alone. Jesus rebuked Martha saying that Mary chose ‘the good part’ and that grace cannot be taken from her (Lk 10:38-42). Days before the Cross, Martha served the guests. This time she is not complaining. She took the rebuke of Jesus in all humility. Mary broke her alabaster flask with expensive fragrant oil on the feel of Jesus, by faith, preparing Him for burial (Matt 26:6-13). Lesson: First love means sitting at the feet of Jesus to listen to His Word and breaking your alabaster box for Him. One of the ways you know how that you truly love Jesus is during temptations, when the world calls you to its side. Do you turn away your eyes from sites that defile your spirit? Do you leave the crowd that gossips? Like Mary, can you worship Jesus in the presence of Judas? Worship is difficult and expensive. It is a sacrifice. Worshiping God is a great form of evangelism. Jesus said that Mary did ‘a good work’ for Him. She had no army to fight for Jesus. She had no political influence to change the course of events. ‘She did what she could’. And that was enough! Jesus is satisfied!!!

*King David loved God with all his heart. He wanted to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. The ark of God represents the presence of God. It was captured by the Philistines but later returned by them. It stayed in the house of Abinadab for 20 years. Nobody worships God at that time. King David wanted to worship God and to bring the ark to Jerusalem. He made a tent for it called ‘the tabernacle of David’. The first time David tried to bring the ark, they carried it on a cart drawn with a pair of oxen. The Lord stroke Uzzah dead trying to hold the ark with his hands. David became afraid of God. David took the ark to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. It stayed there for 3 months. Obed-Edom was a humble servant of God. He honored the ark and worshipped God. As a result, God blessed Obed-Edom and his household. King David asks the priests for the correct protocol on carrying the ark. He was told that the Ark is to be caried on the shoulders of priests and not drawn by animals. Lesson: The presence of God is carried by men, in their hearts, and not by animals, like the way pagans do. The second time, David did the right thing. The two priests, Zadok and Abiathar carry the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam 15:29). David is extremely happy. He humbles himself and dances before the ark worshipping Jehovah God. In God’s presence David does not care about his reputation as a king. Read 2 Samuel 6:1-23.

David’s wife, Michal, who was Saul’s daughter, did not participate in the open praises to God. She watched everything from the palace’ window. She was ashamed of her husband’s behavior. She rebuked him for disgracing himself before the common people. But David rejected the rebuke. Michal despised David in her heart. She was the queen. She cared about her reputation. If the king lowers himself, she will not look queenly enough. Pride despises worship. Like Judas hated Mary’s worship so Michal hated David’s worship. Be careful! Lesson: Do not criticize another’s worship to God! The reason why you do not love the brethren may be because you don’t worship God enough! For despising her husband’s love for God, for praising God, Michal remained barren until the end of her life. Lesson: Beware of a critical spirit like Michal’s! Fault finders end up barren! Tell her… ‘It is not about you, Michal! Worship is about God!’

Finally, what does it mean to break your alabaster box? David did it. What about you? Your first love means to be like a child. Jesus said: and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3; AMP). You must repent for forsaking your first love! Like Abraham offered Isaac on the later, offer your pet sin to God! People may criticize you! They may discriminate against you! But look unto Jesus! He alone is worthy of all worship! Forgive others. Forgiveness is a form of worship. Pray until you feel His kiss on your mouth. Then your mouth will speak God’s oracles! Bow at His feet… saying: ‘Lord, I don’t want me anymore! I want only You, now and forever!’ David did not dance to show off his skills. He did not dance to the beat of the music, but the beat of his heart. It was not to entertain people, but for the pleasure of One, His God! The dance was to the sound of the trumpet of heaven! Like David, can you dance alone for Jesus? May we never lose our wonder… Jesus, You are beautiful in all Your ways… Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Mattew 26:1-16, and John 12:1-8.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners, to save them. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. Selah!

THE DANGER OF HYPOCRISY

One of Love’s greatest enemies is the religious spirit of hypocrisy. Jesus warned His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Lk 12:1). This is the warning of love! Hypocrisy is defined as the practice of pretending to believe something that you don’t really believe. It is a ‘double standard’ behavior that contradicts what you claim to believe or to feel. Hypocrisy is acting. It is a cover up. For example, you hate The Bible, but you come to church and sing praises to God. Or you hate somebody, but you greet him with a forced smile. Hypocrisy is dangerous because it is powered by seducing spirits, who kill, steal, and destroy. Nothing destroys your testimony as a Christian more than hypocrisy. Once people discover that you are ‘pretending’, they will never listen to you. For love is always faithful and true. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (PV 27:6). Hypocrisy leads to betrayal. The greatest traitor among men is Judas Iscariot. He sold Jesus for 30 silver coins, the price of a slave. In the Garden, he led soldiers to arrest His Master whom he identified with a kiss. “Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him” (Matt 26:48-50). Even at this tragic moment, Jesus still loved Judas and called him ‘friend’. Amazing love!

Living the Christian life is not easy. There is always a danger of becoming a hypocrite. For example, you know God’s Word, but you are slow in applying it practically in your life. Truth must be obeyed, totally, instantly, and joyfully. Truth obeyed produces roots and fruits in your heart. It starts to grow. It establishes your heart in the faith. Truth ignored will fade away from your memory and will judge you before God. Many people like to come to church. They love the music, the general peaceful and joyful atmosphere. They are emotionally attracted to the Gospel. But they have not welcomed the Gospel. The Word has not produced roots in their hearts. There are no visible fruits expressed in a changed holy character. This is hypocrisy. Listen to God: “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. 32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. 33 And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezekiel 33:30-33). You can deceive men, but not God.

How do we defeat hypocrisy? First, recognize it and confess it. Then pray that God helps you to repent. Repentance is God’s gift. It is a work of grace. Go to the Cross. Gaze long on Christ Crucified. Jesus did not act on the Cross. He really died there. In the wilderness, when the rebellious people died from poisonous snakes, God told Moses to make a copper snake on a pole. God said that anyone who is bitten by a snake should look at that metal snake lifted high, and he shall live (Nu 21:8, 9). Jesus said that in the same way, He will be lifted from the earth on a Cross. He will take the sins of men upon Himself and die on that cross. He will become a curse that people may live. Love manifests in the Old and the New Testament. Love is as Old as eternity and as new as time. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:14-16). As Moses… so the Son of Man! The Ten Commandments have become the New Commandment of Love! To see love, go to the Cross. Jesus says: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Is 45:22). This is the look that brings eternal life and healing. This is not a casual look. It is a long gaze that triggers spiritual understanding and faith in Jesus. This look ignites God’s fire in your heart. This look will kill your flesh, purify your soul, and will make you worship God alone! Come, let us go and see Jesus! Look- Love- Life! Halleluiah!

RELIGION BYPASSES LOVE

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Lk 11:42). Our Lord condemned the Pharisees, the religious rulers. He said that because they love praise from men, everything they do is for men to see them as religious. They pay their tithes even from the herbs in the garden. But ‘they pass by justice and the love of God’. The word ‘pass by’ is also translated to ignore, to neglect, to bypass or to disregard. They ignore the justice of God. They do not hate and punish sin. They do not encourage the oppressed. Also, they do not practice the Love of God. They are greedy haters, oppressors, and proud people. Our Lord did not condemn the ‘sinners’, but He cursed these religious people. This is the warning of Love!

LOVE’S SONG IN DISAPPOINTMENT

“Now, let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; So, He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. 3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 4 What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? 5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.” 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help” (Isaiah 5:1-7).

People who know God are both in awe of Him and in love with Him. Isaiah was that type of man. He has an intimate relationship with God. He speaks about His Beloved, who is God. Then God speaks by Himself. Isaiah feels what God feels. God hates evil. Isaiah hates evil too. If you love God, you must be passionately in love with Him. You will understand God’s anger and sadness coming from rejection. Our mistakes come from our low view of God. In the Old Testament, God’s love was bestowed on a country, Israel. God made a covenant with Israel to be together. But Israel broke God’s Commandments and heart. Since Christ died on the Cross and the Holy Spirit was poured down, the Church is now the object of God’s special love to men. Israel was called the wife of Jehovah. The Church is called the Bride of Christ. The wedding will be in the future when all things will reach their fulfilment. For now, we experience the romance of being in a mystical unity with Christ, the Head of the Church.

How does God love us?

*God’s love is total! The farmer tries his best for his vineyard. He chooses the best place, prepares the soil, surrounds the place, and builds a watchtower to protect his vineyard from enemies. He could do no more than this. Lesson: God the Father has given us everything. He has given us His Son, His Love, His Word, His Spirit, and all that we need for life and godliness. Love now waits for her harvest. But there is none… 

*God’s disappointment is total! Love is totally disappointed. With all the labor and care, there are no good fruits. The covenant curses between God and man shall manifest as drought, defeat, and wasted opportunities (read the curses of disobedience in Deuteronomy 28). The Lover (God) punishes Israel for the breaking of the covenant. He is totally justified to do that. Then, Isaiah surprises the people by saying that the vineyard is the house of Israel, the Temple, and the religious leaders in particular. God said that He will stop the worship and destroy His house. God said that one of the sweet fruits He was looking for was Justice. Justice is the state where people are treated fairly. The good people are rewarded, and the lawless ones are punished. God was expecting justice in the land, especially from the religious leaders. But He only found oppression and corruption. God was also looking for the sweet fruit called righteousness (godly character and behavior) but all He found was oppression. He heard the weak cry of help from the fainting victims. This is the cry of domestic violence victims, and others. Their hurt, their pain happened mostly in the church. But the cry of the oppressed was not heard by the leaders. Lesson: God hears your cry long before men hear it. Heaven listens to you! God will close a church just because of the cry of the oppressed in its midst.

Jesus uses this song for His parable of the Tenants in Matthew 21:33-46. But He focuses mostly on the wicked vinedressers. At harvest time, the Master sent to collect his share. But the wicked tenants beat and kill their master’s servants. Finally, they kill the Master’s Beloved Son. Jesus said that Isaiah ‘saw His glory’ in advance and spoke about the Beloved’s rejection in this song (Jn 12:41). Lesson: When we receive the Word of God, and we refuse to apply it, we are like the wicked tenants. When we disobey God’s Word, we crucify the Son of God all over again. Jesus said: ‘I am the true vine’ (Jn 15:1). In other words, He said: ‘I am the true Israel’. Jesus obeyed God’s Law. Jesus is fruitful. We too are fruitful because we are in Him. The key to success as a branch is in fruit bearing. God chose Israel to do good works. Israel refused to obey God. Now, the Church is to produce expected fruits, or good works for the glory of God. Lesson: even with all the labor of love, nobody knows the future of a plantation. Let me say this respectfully, not even God knows the future of His investments in us. This is one way to understand God’s disappointment. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life” (PV 13:12). The word deferred means postponed, delayed hope. The word ‘sick’ means ‘weak’ heart. In spite of all His labor of love and high hopes, the vineyard produced only sour grapes, unfit to make sweet wine for the King.

THE GOOD WORK OF LOVE (Matt 26:1-16; Jn 12:1-8)

“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” 6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 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. 8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” 10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” 14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him” (Matt 26:1-16).

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always” (Jn 12:1-8)

This event happened in the last week in the life of Jesus. It was just one week before the nails would be hammered in His hands. From now on, Love and Hatred, faith and unbelief, light and darkness will be divided forever. Jesus divides people. Jesus divides sheep from goats. He did not come to bring peace to the world, but a sword. Some men love and others hate Jesus. In this story there are two people who are symbols of this division between love and hatred. These are Mary and Judas. How can Jesus’ teaching produce a Mary and a Judas? It is the same today. People who listen to the words of Jesus become either saved or religious hypocrites. Here we learn that worship always has priority. In Luke 7, there is a similar story. Jesus was invited to the house of Simon of Leper. Surely this one was an ex-leper because a leper could not stay in the town. He was healed by Jesus. He invited Jesus to honor Him. But the Pharisees became angry when the ‘sinful’ woman worshipped Jesus with her tears. This expensive fragrant oil was used as room perfume or during burials, to cover the smell of the bodies. It was imported from India or China.

These are the five groups of people: Mary, Judas, the crowds, the religious Pharisees, and the true believers. Study them! Mary brought an alabaster flask containing a very costly perfumed oil. He poured it on the head of Jesus. Judas was the first one to complain that this is a waste of money (Jn 12:4-6). The other disciples followed his lead and also complained. They thought that Mary should have sold this perfume and give the money to the poor. Jesus rebukes them saying: “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me” (Matt 26:10). This is only the second time somebody on earth gives Him an expensive gift. The first time it was when He was born. The wise men brought Him gifts fir for a king: gold, myrrh, and frankincense. Now Mary does the same. Jesus appreciates it. He tells the disciples that Mary is sensitive to the Holy Spirit when they are not. With the eyes of the Spirit, she saw His death coming and prepared His Body for burial. Only Love can see the future and act on it. Twelve times Jesus told His disciples that He will soon die, but they rejected the Word. Jesus said that worshipping Him is a greater love than taking care of the poor. This is a deep revelation. It is part of the preaching of the true Gospel. Loving Jesus is always first. Out of the overflow of that love, we then love men and give to the poor. Many churches have reversed the order. They preach what is called ‘the social gospel’ or ‘the prosperity gospel’ where the needs of men take preeminence. This is a serious error, and it grieves the Holy Spirit. Mary reminds us that worshipping Jesus is ‘a good work for Jesus’. It is a work that is highly rewarded by God. It becomes a true memorial to the glory of God even after we go to heaven. Love cannot be bought or sold. “Love cannot be drowned by oceans or floods. It cannot be bought–any offer would be scorned no matter how great” (SS 8:7; CEV).

Because the disciples were focused on money, they too saw Love as waste. But Jesus knows the value of Love. He receives Mary’s worship as ‘a good work’ done for Him alone. The words ‘good work’ is also translated as a beautiful and noble deed. Jesus promised that when the true Gospel is preached, Love will speak too. Love has a voice, and a fragrance no religious speech can quench. Lesson: Let nothing trouble you! It does not matter what men say, it does not matter what you feel, worship God with all your heart! Let the fire burn. Let the incense rise. Even right now… Jesus receives from your heart your love for Him. Your good work for Jesus will be remembered eternally!

Jesus calls Judas ‘a devil’ (Jn 6:70). He was greedy, materialistic, worldly, ambitious, and wicked. The more people loved Jesus, the more he hated Jesus because he was disappointed in Jesus. He was serving Jesus only to make money. The other disciples complained about the ‘waste’ of worship. Judas led them. Judas had leadership qualities. The other disciples trusted him. The fragrant oil was about 300 denarii. At that time, a worker’s day job was paid 1 denary. Mary’s oil is about the payment for a year’s job. Judas asked for 30 pieces of silver, about 4 times less than Mary’s expensive oil. Worship is the most expensive form of love. The closer you are to the truth, the more you shall be judged. If you are a thief, the worst place to be is in the church. By accepting Mary’s anointing Jesus confirmed that He will die and be buried. This act of worship was the last straw for Judas. He knew that Jesus would die and there is no more money for him. So, he chose to betray Jesus! Lesson: people can become proud and fall at the point of their strengths! Selah! A pastor, a worship leader, can become proud because of his success in ministry, and if he does not repent, he can fall. “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12). Selah!

The crowds in the room were superficial seekers. They wanted entertainment, to see the two people connected with the miracle: Jesus and Lazarus. The next day they shouted Hosannah. After that they shouted Crucify Him. Then we see the Pharisees who wanted to kill both Jesus and Lazarus. In the Jewish tradition, the only time women enter is to serve the food, not to interrupt the meal. Mary pours the oil on Jesus’ head or feet. The oil covers His body, head to toes. The extravagance of Mary is judged by men as a waste. They said that the money should be given to the poor. Worship is seen as waste. They criticized her sharply. They were very rude to her. Jesus said, ‘she did what she could’ (Mk 14:8). In other words, Mary does not have an army to defend me; she was not a lawyer to argue My case to the Sanhedrin… but she did what she could… She worshipped Me. This woman anointed Jesus for His burial. The Body was Jesus was not thrown into the common grave with the criminals. The Father did not allow the body of His Son to see corruption (Ps 16:10). He was buried with the rich (Is 53:9). The women came on the Resurrection day to complete the anointing of His body. But He was not there. Mary alone had the privilege to do that even before He died. Jesus said that she has done a good work for Me. Wherever the Gospel is preached, the act of this woman will be remembered. Jesus said I will make sure that her act of love will never be forgotten. In the day when the wicked betrayed Jesus, we see the glimpse of true love. Love shines through the shadows of unbelief and selfishness! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Isaiah 40:3-8; 1 Peter 1:22-25, John 16:5-11.

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – HE JUDGES THE LOVELESS WORLD

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (Jn 16:5-11).

Just before the Cross, Jesus told His disciples that He will send the Holy Spirit, who will come in His name. The Holy Spirit is a Person, is God, and the greatest Helper the believer has. He is the Spirit of Love, Truth, and Freedom. Jesus said: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever” (Jn 8:32-35). The way the Holy Spirit makes a believes free, is by adopting him in Christ. A son is free. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of adoption and freedom. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father” (Rom 8:14,15). Glory!

God the Father has planned salvation. He is in heaven. God the Son became a Man to execute the plan of salvation on earth. He is now also in heaven. The Holy Spirit is the only God on earth now. His main work is the glorify Jesus Christ. He makes salvation real to us through His Word. Without the Holy Spirit no man understands the Bible, no man can believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit has many other functions. He leads believers into Truth and helps them to love. He gives them the power to run the race, to persevere to the end. Jesus said that the world cannot accept the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:17). The world is the system of men who ignore or oppose God and live like God does not exist. The Holy Spirit ‘convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment’. In Greek, the word ‘convict’ means to expose, proving to be guilty, to rebuke, or to discipline.  

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit ‘testifies’ about Him. The Holy Spirit does not attract attention upon Himself. He directs all attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. He glorifies Jesus. “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (Jn 15:26, 27). By testifying of Jesus, of His Words, of His Person and His work of salvation on behalf of sinners, the Holy Spirit will prove wrong all who hate and reject Jesus. Darkness is proved to be evil when the light starts to shine. There are two opposing kingdoms: The world, with its ruler, the devil and the Kingdom of God whose King is Jesus. You cannot see the contrast between these two kingdoms except God’s light starts to shine. The revelation of Jesus Christ rebukes and condemns the world. Love condemns hatred, truth condemns lies, light condemns the darkness of sin.

Historically, the first time the Holy Spirit convicted the sinners was on the Day of Pentecost, when Peter was preaching. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Ac 2:37, 38). This conviction of the Holy Spirit is described as ‘they were cut to the heart’. In Greek, the word ‘cut’ is a violent word. It means to pierce thoroughly, to be stung (like by a serpent), to agitate violently, with anxiety, fear of judgment, and godly sorrow for their sins. Without this deep work of the Holy Spirit, these men will mock and reject Peter. But now, they were speechless. They were paralyzed with the fear of God. See how the Holy Spirit works as the Helper. He helps Peter to preach, to do ministry and see fruits in it. It manifested as salvation of souls. Peter became a fisher of men, as Jesus promised him. Since then, the Holy Spirit has been doing the same work in all sinners who gave their lives to Christ. Nothing and nobody else can do this work, except the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can convict and later, comfort! Glory!

The Holy Spirit convicts the world about three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment.

*Conviction of sin: ‘Because the world does not believe in Jesus’. The Holy Spirit exposes and confronts the world’s unbelief and lack of love. Unbelief in Jesus is the greatest sin. The Holy Spirit does not only tell sinners about their sin. He ‘convicts’ them about their sins, proving that they are going to hell. In the past, sinners were judged by the Law, by the Ten Commandments. For example, if you are a murderer, you go to hell because of murder. If you are an adulterer, you go to hell because of adultery. But now, since Jesus died on the Cross, the judgment is not based on what sinners do or don’t do. The judgment now is given based on your rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unbelief is now the reason why a sinner goes to hell. It is not because he is an adulterer, but because he has rejected the Savior. In the past, Law was the judge. Now, Love is the judge! Sin is found in the rejection of a relationship with the Lover of your soul. “If anyone does not love the Lord [does not obey and respect and believe in Jesus Christ and His message], he is to be accursed. Maranatha (O our Lord, come)!” (1 Cor 16:22). Practically, hating and rejecting Jesus is proved by hating our ‘neighbors’. These were men in need, and we had resources to help them. But we choose not to. This hatred of men is a sin against Judge Love. The Holy Spirit gives us all we need to prove our love for Jesus by helping and loving our neighbors. Even if you do not have money to give, you can at least pray for them who need help. Those who go to heaven, praise, and pray without ceasing. They are blessed! Selah!

*Conviction of righteousness, ‘because I go to My Father, and you see Me no more’. Righteousness means right standing before God. A sinner cannot ‘stand’ before a Holy God. As darkness cannot stand before Light, as sin cannot stand before Holiness, so hatred cannot stand before Love. Jesus became Man. He lived to show us what righteous living is. Practically, righteousness means Christian character, manifested in thoughts, words, and deeds. Only the Holy Spirit can work this type of righteousness, and only in a sinner who is saved by grace. This is called the process of sanctification, by which the believer becomes holy like God. Jesus became sin so that He can give us His Righteousness. This is called ‘imputed’ righteousness. The word ‘imputed’ means to credit something to another’s account. It is an exchange or a transfer (of money, for example). God used the infinite ‘account’ of Christ, to credit grace into our bankrupt account as sinners. This is the basis of our salvation, by grace and through faith. Because of God’ grace, and by faith in Christ crucified and resurrected, we are now freely justified by God. We do not merit it and we did not earn it by our good works. It is the gift of God. From the moment of justification, the believer starts to work out his salvation, by behaving righteously. Therefore, righteousness is always connected with a Person, our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor 1:30).

The world lacks both imputed and imparted (sanctifying) righteousness. The Holy Spirit convicts the religious world. He is like a wind who blows away our self- righteousness. “All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away” (Is 64:6). God’s Righteousness now is through faith in Jesus and His Gospel. For the believer, his righteousness is not by obeying the Law, but by faith in Christ. “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Rom3:21,22).

*Conviction of judgment, because ‘the ruler of this world is judged’. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of God’s judgment on sin. The first person to be judged was the devil. At the Cross, Jesus died on behalf of sinners, to save them from the bondage to the devil. At the Cross, the devil was ‘cast out’. Judge Love has condemned to death the chief Hater, the devil! The sinner who has faith in Jesus, by the grace of God, is free from the bondage of sin, and of Satan. He is also free from the curse of the Law. The Cross draws people to Jesus. “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die” (Jn 12:31-33). By His death, Jesus destroyed the power of the devil over men. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb 2:14, 15). The Holy Spirit exposes the fact that the devil is a defeated foe. He is already judged. There is no redemption for the devil. One day, the devil will be permanently destroyed. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev 20:10). It is only by the Holy Spirit that we can believe this promise that will manifest in the future. By the resurrection of Jesus, the kingdom of the devil among men was totally destroyed. The sinners who reject Christ and insist to stay with the devil, will join him in hell. Religion cannot save you! No man can save you! Give your life to Christ!     

LOVE FREES YOU FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:10-14).

Apostle Paul says that in Christ we become free from sin and from the curse of the Law. God gave man His Law. God said: if you obey all My Commandments, I will bless you. If you break even one of My Commandments, I will curse you. In The Book of Deuteronomy 28 we read the blessings and obedience and the curses that follow the breaking of God’s Law. The curses manifest as sickness, poverty, defeat, loneliness, breaking of marriage, scattering in the world, lack of identity, no peace, no joy, fear of the future and many others. It is a fearful list. It is only in Christ, that we can be free from the curse of the Law. Meditate on the price Christ had to pay to give us this freedom, healing, and deliverance.  

To be free from the curse of the Law means at least two things: First, we are not under the Law. We are free from its (impossible) demands. The Law is not our Master or Judge anymore. Secondly, we shall not be judged on Judgment Day. The Law basically refers to the Ten Commandments. We are born sinners. The Law was our master. No sinner can obey God’s Law. The Law has no mercy. If you break one, you have broken all the Laws. Christ died to redeem us from the curse of the Law. To ‘redeem’ means to pay for the freedom of a slave. As sinners, we were slaves under the Law. In Christ, we do not have to obey the former master, the Law. We are now free from it. The Law does not require faith or love, only obedience. We now live by faith in Jesus. Jesus said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17). Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s Law. That is the meaning that He fulfilled the Law. He is the only Man who obeyed God’s Law. He obeyed the Law actively all His life. He also obeyed the Law passively, when He chose to become sin and die for us. In this way He pleased God and accomplished what God intended when He gave man His Law. Because we are free from the curse of the Law, we shall not face God on His judgment seat. We shall not be judged based on the Law. “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” (1 Cor 15:56, 57). Because we are free from the curse of the Law, we lose the fear of death and judgment. The Law is now in our hearts, and we shall be judged according to the Law of Love. But even though Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, we are not totally free from the Law itself. For example, ‘you shall not murder’ is a law that stands to the end of time, for all people, everywhere. Nine out of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament. Christians are not lawless. They have received the Holy Spirit so that they can now obey God’s Law, like Jesus did! Amen!

FREE TO LOVE AND FREE TO SERVE

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal 5:13-26).

Jesus died so that we are free from the bondage of sin and of the Law. This liberty is God’s gift to us. Liberty has two main enemies: legalism and license. Legalism is responsibility without freedom. License is freedom without responsibility. Both these extremes are wrong.

*Legalism is bondage to the Law. Legalists believe that they can obey the Law to be saved and go to heaven. They believe that they receive God’s approval because of their obedience. They believe that they can earn their salvation by doing good work. They focus more on obeying God’s Law than on a relationship with God. They add to God’s Law other human rules and regulations and count them as divine.

*License is another extreme. License is defined as freedom of action, but with disregard of any law. It is loose behavior and abuse of freedom. For example, some say that having sexual relationships with many people is ‘free love’. But this cannot be love. The reason is because love is always responsible and careful not to hurt others. The danger for Christians is that the freedom we have in Christ becomes ‘an opportunity for the flesh’ to manifest (Gal 5:13). In Greek, the word ‘opportunity’ means ‘a starting point’. It is a military term describing the base for the operation. Do not allow the freedom in Christ to become a foothold from where the devil will attack you. The devil tries to convince the believer to allow him to have a little space in his life. From there, he attacks with greater sins. The result is that believers backslide. They become wild in behavior, totally lacking discipline. They think that grace is given to indulge in sinful activities without any guilt. That is a form of spiritual slavery! Christ died to free us FROM SIN, not free TO SIN. The freedom from the Law is given so that we Love and serve one another in Love (Gal 5:13). The purpose of Freedom in Christ is love and serving others! If you hate men and refuse to serve them, you are taking your freedom for granted. The Holy Spirit is a free Spirit. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor 3:17). The Holy Spirit does not help those who practice legalism or license. God helps only those who use their freedom to love others, and to serve them for Christ’s sake.

The Holy Spirit brings at least two kinds of freedom to the believer:

*Freedom from sin. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). To walk in the Spirit means to listen and obey the Holy Spirit. It means to live in the realm of grace. The promise is clear: if you abide in this realm of grace, ‘you shall not sin’. This describes the process of sanctification by which you become holy, like Christ. This sanctification is not by obeying any Law but by obeying the voice of a Person, God, the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is not mechanical. It is a relationship with God based on His leading. This freedom from sin releases the believer to be able to love and to serve others. Freedom from sin is not only negative. It is not enough to say: ‘I do not commit adultery’. You have to do more than that. You have to use the strength you wasted on past adultery to love others and serve them now. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. This ‘walk’ is total freedom from the guilt of sin and experiencing pure heavenly love!

*Freedom from the curse of the Law so that now, you keep the Law and Love people! The Law could not save sinners. The Law was a Teacher, a Tutor, who drove us to Christ. Once we knew Christ, the Law was not necessary again to be our teacher. “Before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:23-25). The Law did not disappear. In Christ, our liberty is not lawless. The sinner was UNDER THE LAW. Now, the believer is Christ, is ABOVE the Law, but not lawless. The Law is now a street of gold. Step by step, the Christian walks on the Law. The Holy Spirit leads him and empowers him to obey the Law. As a sinner, the Law was a rod to punish him. Now, the Law is a road that leads him to heaven. This walk of obedience is powered by Love. Jesus: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn 14:15). As you can see, the Law cannot save (cannot justify) but the Law helps in sanctification!!! We are therefore free from the bondage of the Law. But now, the Holy Spirit uses the Law to help us exercise our freedom to love, and not go astray into legalism or license. Now, faith in Christ uses the Law to make spiritual progress in sanctification. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:1-4). God’s Law is like a pair of ice skates. If you walk with them on the grass, you will fall. But if you use them on ice, you will glide easily, quickly, and beautifully! Oh, the Wisdom of God!!!

In a believer, there is a war within. The flesh and the Spirit are mortal enemies. The Holy Spirit helps the believer kill sin in the flesh. This is the road to spiritual maturity. The Holy Spirit cannot make peace with the flesh. It does not just arrest the flesh as a prisoner of war. The Spirit arrests and kills its prisoner. Then, finally, there is peace. Against the fruit of the Spirit, including Love, there is no Law (Gal 5:23). This is because the Holy Spirit is never lawless. His fruit is manifested as obedience to the Law of Christ, which is Agape Love!

LOVE IS LIKE A WIND

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever” (Is 40:3-8).

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:22-25).

Love hates sin like no other. Love “thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor 13:5, 6). Love desires a pure heart for her house. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and Love. He does a special and specific work of love and grace, preparing the soul for the new life in Christ. We are all born sinners; therefore, we are all proud. Religious pride is the worst. It manifests as hypocrisy. The Holy Spirit comes like a hot dry wind blowing from the desert. Nothing stops Him and nothing can resist Him. This work of withering is necessary to kill the flesh, the pride of life. The farmers burn the wild grass before they use the ground to plant new seeds. In the same way, the Holy Spirit prepares the ground of the heart to be ready to receive the incorruptible seed of life, which is the Word of God. As a farmer cannot plant on a stony ground, the Holy Spirit will not waste the Word in an unprepared proud heart. John the Baptist was that voice crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. John did not come with seeds. He came with the baptism of water. John told sinners to repent. That word ‘repent’ is the sound of the withering wind of the Holy Spirit. Grace comes as wind and fire before the glory of God shall be revealed to all men. John prepared the ground the best way he could. He also said that another One will come to ‘finish the work’ of withering before plantation. He said that the Messiah, Jesus, will come and baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire (Matt 3:11). To be baptized means to go down, to be submerged, and die, in the river of water, or in the river of fire. Flesh cannot survive the baptism. Then the soul will rise and be free from the bondage of sin and death.

The withering work of the Holy Spirit has some peculiarities. It comes like a wind from God. Both in Hebrew and in Greek, the word for Wind and for Spirit is the same. First, the wind comes suddenly and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. Isaiah, the prophet, is surprised too. He says: ‘What shall I cry?’ It is hard to describe the effect of this Wind. The sinner ‘enjoys his life’ when suddenly, things change. He cannot explain how this change came. Suddenly, the things he used to love he now hates. Things he used to be proud of, his beauty, intelligence, achievements, and all success, seem like dung to him now. This is a form of mourning. Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted’ (Matt 5:4). To the natural man, these are strange words… This is a godly sorrow. The man feels like dying. He sees the world, the flesh, for what it truly is. The beauty of man is transitory. Money does not attract him again. Fleshly success looks fragile and dying. The unbelievers still enjoy the things of the world, but this man, feeling the love wind, has lost interest in them. He thinks of death, of judgment, of God. For the first time he says, ‘vanity upon vanity, all is vanity!’ He now sees that he needs a Savior. He desperately seeks the Savior. He has no peace.

Secondly, the withering work of the Holy Spirit is total. It affects the whole personality. We are told that ‘all flesh’ is affected. Under the blow of the Holy Wind, the sinner’s mind loses its interest in dreaming about the world. The emotional attraction towards sin dies. When trying to choose new ways of sin, the will is weakened. Please note that this ‘attack’ is not done by the devil. It is the wind of the Holy Spirit that dries the flesh. The devil wants the sinner to love the world, not to hate it. No man on his own can stop loving sin or the world. The flesh cannot survive this wind. Eventually, the flesh starts to fade and fall away. Pride is gone. Self-righteousness is dead. No rain can revive the fallen flower. No prayer can revive the fading flesh. This is the time when the man bows down and totally surrenders to Jesus. The battle is over.

Thirdly, this work is extremely painful. The flesh fights back against the Spirit and that increases the pain. But flesh can never win. People who say that they are Christians, and have never experienced such pains, cannot be strong believers. Most of the time, they are only religious and not truly saved. The withering work of the Holy Spirit, though painful, is a work of grace. It is the work of Love. It prepares the soul for the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Jesus said that salvation is a new work done by the Holy Spirit. A sinner cannot be repaired or improved. A sinner must die to sin. Then the Holy Spirit will give him new life, God’s eternal life. The Holy Spirit blows like the wind, sovereign, free and powerful. “7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn 3:7, 8). Once this work is done, it is time to plant. Most of the time, God’s Word comes thru preaching. This is a reminder to truly respect the preaching of God’s Word. Jesus plants His Word in the heart. This Word of life stands and endures forever. Hell has tried many times to uproot it but always failed. Nothing can uproot God’s Word planted in a prepared heart. No one can pluck a true believer from the hand of Jesus! Worship the Lord!

MY TESTIMONY

I was born in Romania, about 70 years ago. My husband, Richmond Sisan Leigh, a Nigerian, came to study medicine in Romania. We were classmates. We fell in love, and we got married. After graduation, we came to Nigeria to settle. We have three children. We founded Lily Clinic (now Lily Hospital). We became as they say, ‘rich and famous’ in Warri, Nigeria. Until I became saved in March 1986, I was an atheist. I did not believe that God, devil, heaven, or hell, exist. I did not see a Bible before I came to Nigeria in 1980. I did not attend church. Many people, mostly my patients, tried to preach to me about God, about Jesus, but I totally rejected their words. I was convinced that ‘religion is the opium of the masses’, as we were thought in Romania. In January 1986, something happened to me. For no good reason, I suddenly became depressed. I am generally an optimistic person. But now, I lost my happiness. I was not happy with my achievements (my good marriage, my children, my profession as a doctor, my money and fame). I felt like dying. For the first time in my life, I started thinking of God, of death, of heaven and hell. The words of the people who preached to me hunted me. I asked myself: ‘What if I am wrong? What if God exists? If I die, what will I tell God?’ The idea of God, of Jesus entered as a nail in my mind and I could not remove it. It was a time of terror, hell on earth. The Holy Spirit arrested me, and I could not get free. That is when, for the first time in my life, I prayed. I was totally broken. I wept like a desperate dying woman. I asked Jesus to forgive my sins. Better said, I begged Him to have mercy on me. I did not know the Bible or doctrines, but I just had a feeling the only Jesus can help me. He did! The Holy Spirit suddenly came into my heart and gave me peace. It was a sudden influx of power, peace, and joy I could not imagine human beings experiencing on this earth. I was never the same again. I started reading the Bible like a mad woman. The first sin that the holy Spirit convicted me of the sin of abortion. As a doctor, I did abortion at request. I did not know that it was a sin. The Holy Spirit changed my heart ‘overnight’. I started to love all the unborn babies. I repented. I have never done abortion on any patient since 1986. This is my first victory as a Christian. I started growing spiritually, in favor with God and man. Later, my husband also got saved. We sold our private hospital and started a church called Father’s House Bible Church, in Warri/ Effurun. We became pastors. God blessed our labor of love. To Him be all the glory! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of 1 John 1:1-10; 2:1-11; Luke 7:36-50;

LOVE IS THE OLD AND THE NEW COMMANDMENT (1Jn 1:1-10; and 1 Jn 2:1-11).

“God is Love” (1 Jn 4:8). God is not just loving in nature. God is Himself Love. We, the believers in Christ, are children of Love. The concept of Love is major in understating Christianity. The whole universe is powered by the engine of Agape Love. The word ‘Love’ appears about 50 times in this short but powerful letter (1 John). Paul was called ‘The Apostle of Grace’. John was called ‘The Apostle of Love’. We shall study this letter and discover the power of Love. Every time the word ‘love’ appears in the New Testament, including in this letter, is always the Greek word ‘agape’. This is the sacrificial love of God, of Jesus. The New Testament never uses the word ‘eros’ (sexual love) or ‘Phileo’ (brotherly friendly feelings). It is always ‘agape’ love. When you look at Christ Crucified, you see Love! May this amazing revelation fill our hearts, in Jesus’ name!

John writes as an apostle of Christ and as a pastor to the church. As an apostle he has the authority to say that He has seen Jesus! He has ‘seen (looked upon) and handled (touched)’ the Living Word of Eternal Life. As a Pastor he writes with great compassion and encourages his flock. He now ‘declares’ the Word of Life to ‘the Brethren’, calling them ‘my little children’. The purpose of this letter, this sermon, or this declaration is twofold: to have fellowship and perfect joy. These blessings are possible only for the true believers in Christ. First, John wants the brethren to experience the intimate fellowship with God the Father, with God the Son, and with one another. Secondly, he wants their joy to be full, fulfilled, complete, and expressed as a powerful overflow. Lesson: knowing God’s Word is not just theory. God’s Word is living and working in our hearts. It changes lives and circumstances. Believing God’s Word is the only way to have intimate joyful loving fellowship with God and with the brethren. The word Gospel means ‘good news’. The Gospel is the story, the testimony of Jesus. Simply said, the Gospel is this: Jesus died and rose again for me! Salvation is always joyful. For a sinner to be saved, that is the most wonderful news he will ever hear. To preach the Gospel with sadness is sin. The Cross is not a tragedy. It is the greatest triumph in the universe. Jesus completely won the victory over sin and death. We share in that victory. We share in His crown. Our faith in Him is our victory. “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]” (1 Jn 5:4; AMP). Our joy comes from believing and knowing that though we are in the world, in Christ, we are more than conquerors on earth and sure of heaven’s glory. Because Jesus lives, we live also!

God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all! This light is another word for truth, holiness, and purity. Apostle Paul reminds us that as sinners we used to be ‘darkness’. But now, the life and light of God has entered into our spirits. He commands us to live in the light. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)” (Eph 5:8, 9). The fruits that grow in the light of God are goodness, righteousness (Christian character) and truth. These fruits can never grow in the darkness of unconfessed sin. God’s Word is Truth. In God there are no lies, no sin, and no deception. John warns us about the deceivers in the church. They claim to have fellowship with God, but they do not practice the truth. They are dangerous rebellious hypocrites. They deceive themselves and others saying that they are saved. But they live in sin and walk in darkness. They are spiritually blind and totally ignorant of God. They lie with confidence to cover their sin. The truth is that we are all born sinners and we also choose to sin. But these false teachers say that they ‘have not sinned’. They claim that they live in the light, but they deny the light, making God a liar. By their hypocrisy they attack God’s character. This is a major sin. God’s Word is not in them. They are not children of God. But because you find them in the church, they can deceive others to follow them in their sin.

Apostle John counsels us ‘not to sin’. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (PV 8:13). To fear God, it means to take His Word seriously. The fear of God is the antidote to prevent and defeat sin. In case ‘we sin’ we have an ‘Advocate’ with God the Father. He is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Righteous. In Greek, the word ‘advocate’ is ‘Paracleton’, the same word used for the Holy Spirit. It is translated as Advocate, Helper, Comforter, Counsellor, or Intercessor. In heaven, Christ pleads our case with God the Father, who is the Judge. Did you know that we have the best defense Lawyer in the whole universe? As the Most Senior Advocate of the Universe, Jesus Christ has never lost any case. He is both our Great High Priest and our sacrifice accepted by God the Father. He is the ‘propitiation’ for our sins. For example, when I sin, Christ tells the Father: ‘yes, Malia has sinned. But I shed My Blood for her. Please forgive her…’ And for Christ’ sake, God forgives me! To ‘propitiate’ it means to appease the wrath of God. Jesus died on our behalf to appease God’s wrath against us because we broke His Law. God hates sin. God is holy. We are saved by grace and through faith in Jesus. Nothing but the Blood of Jesus shed for sinners could atone for sins and give us entrance into this grace by which we now stand. The Love of God is the engine of God’s plan of salvation. This love has been shed into our hearts. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1Jn 4:19). Love is forgiveness! God forgives so that we forgive! Love is an eternal debt to pay to the Lover of our souls!

As God’s children we love God, ourselves, and our neighbors. This love is not just a feeling. It is God’s deep work in our hearts. Love is obedience to God’s Word. The same deceivers say that they know and love God. They praise God with their lips, but they disobey God’s Word. They are liars. Lesson: Love is not just words. It is action and it is fruitful. He who say I love God, will surely obey His Word. God’s love becomes ‘perfected’ in him. It becomes mature, fruitful. This is spiritual maturity. A mature believer walks (behaves) like Jesus. Though we can never be sinless like Jesus, but by habitually obeying God’s Word, and by loving others, we prove that we are Christ’ disciples indeed. Loving others means not to hurt them; it means to actively care for their souls, to help them in any way we can. If any man becomes a mature Christian, this planet will become for him ‘heaven on earth’. This love is the true mark and the proof that Jesus died and rose for sinners on earth. Glory to God!

Love is called both the Old and the New Commandment. It is old because God the Creator is Love. God created and loved Adam and Eve. God warned Cain to repent of his jealousy and hatred. In other words, God commanded Cain to love his brother, Abel. But Cain refused to listen. He did not want to be his ‘brother’s keeper’. So, he killed his brother. The difference between Love and Hate is as much as the distance between heaven and hell. Love is also called a new Commandment because in Christ, it reached the climax of manifestation and fulfilment. Love is always connected with life, truth, wisdom, strength, joy, peace, and freedom. Hatred is always connected with evil, sin, wickedness, failure, spiritual darkness. Love helps others to make progress. Hatred is a stumbling block. Those who hate never make progress in life. They are troublemakers. “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults]” (PV 10:12; AMP). “Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]” (1 Pet 4:8; AMP). Hatred keeps grudges alive and fuels the desire for revenge. Love forgives and forgets all the offences against itself. Hatred is blindness, unbelief, and ignorance. The one who hates has no vision for the future. He moves on without a purpose in life. Hatred is always destructive and ends in regret. The love of the Christians towards one another is the most powerful tool for evangelism. In the early church, it turned the world upside down. The believers exercise love towards God and man. Nothing destroys the power of this agape love.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (Jn 3:18-21). Jesus said that faith in Him saves a man. Justification is by faith alone. Refusal to believe confirms that the man is born a sinner, and ‘condemned already’. The light of God shone in the darkness thru the Person of Jesus Christ. Sinners have no excuse. They refused to come to the light, to receive their sight and be saved. A spiritual blind man is blind by choice. He is rebellious against God’s light. Spiritual darkness manifests as hatred of Jesus, hatred of the Bible, a refusal to surrender to Jesus and refusal to repent of sins. But a believer humbles himself, surrenders and comes to the light. He believes and obeys God’s Word which is truth. Light and life are twins. The believer becomes spiritually fruitful to the glory of God!

LOVE FULFILS THE LAW

“Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:7-10).

The world does not know anything about love. It only knows lust, and it calls lust ‘love’. God’s Law of love is to be obeyed. But sinful man cannot obey it. Thru the Cross, Christ brings a new power of obedience. It is called Love. In Christ, by loving God and man, the believers fulfill God’s Law, and they taste of its sweetness. This obedience makes God happy and gives Him all the glory. Christians alone have the power not only to obey God’s Law, but in Christ, to fulfill it. Fulfilment is the process or the act by which an action comes to its expected end. For example: a promise is made about things in the future. There is a period of time between the promise and the reception of its blessings. Love alone is patient and willing to wait for the fulfilment of the promise. Nothing defeats the power of Love! The adulterer watches to seduce his neighbor’s wife. The thief is looking for doors left unlocked so that he comes in the night to steal from his neighbor. The slanderer is polishing his tongue on how to successfully speak evil against his neighbor. The murderer is happy when his neighbor is sick. He wants him dead so that he can take over his possessions. There is a curse against hating your neighbor. “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to your bottle, even to make him drunk, that you may look on his nakedness!” (Habakuk 2:15). For a long time, sinners seem successful and strong. But this is the truth: No evil man can be truly rich or happy. At death, his wealth remains on earth. His soul goes to hell. This is the greatest loss! Selah!

WHAT IS DEBT?

A debt is an amount of money taken now and to be paid later. Debt is an amount of money owed by the borrower and given to the lender. This money is to be returned to the lender with interest, at a particular time. The approval of the loan is based on the worthiness of the borrower. A debt can be mortgage, credit card debt or a personal loan. A secured debt comes with collaterals. If the borrower refuses to pay his debt, the lender will take the collateral. The advantage of a loan is that you can invest in your future. You can start a business, or you can go to school when you don’t have enough money. The disadvantage of a loan is that you have to pay bigger amounts of money later. Having a debt and not being able to pay has consequences: anxiety, depression, financial hardship, family stress, or social stigma. Unpaid debts lead to greater poverty and slavery. Some people who could not pay their debts committed suicide. Spiritually, debt is a form of slavery. Once you borrow from another, you become his slave. His spirit will torment you. “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (PV 22:7). Now you see why hating someone increases your debt to him and you become his spiritual slave. It is wicked to take a loan planning not to pay it. A Christian pays his loans. “The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives” (Ps 37:21). Unpaid debt leads to greater poverty. We are told to be free from debts. But there is a debt we must continuously pay unto we see Jesus. It’s the debt of love.

“And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]” (Matt 6:12; AMP). ‘Debt’ here means a sin against you, a trespass, something that must be paid. A sin against your neighbor is a sin against God. With time, the debt increases until you cannot pay it again. That is why you ask God to forgive your debts of sin, not ‘because of’ but ‘as’ you forgive others. As you let go of the grudges against other people, you can ask God to forgive your debt to Him, because you too have offended men. Selah!

The command is to love God first, love yourself second, and love your neighbor as yourself. Love should never end with you! There is a romantic love with sexual attraction. That is to be expressed only in the marriage between a man and his wife. But this command of love is greater even than marital love. It is the Love of God poured into the souls of men. In the Parable of the unforgiving servant, the Master forgave him a big debt, just because he confessed his debt and pleaded for mercy (Matt 18:21-35). Later, the same man refused to forgive another who owed him very little. The Master called him back. He rebuked him for his lack of love and compassion because he did not replicate the mercy he had received. He misrepresented his master’s kindness and took his grace for granted. The master threw him in prison where he would be tortured until he paid all his debt.

“Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:7, 8). We are commanded to be free from debts. But there is a debt we must continuously pay unto we see Jesus, face to face. It is the debt of love. What does that mean? We are told to pay all our debts and taxes. As much as possible, as Christians, we avoid taking loans. Do not take a loan and spend the money on yourself. The money belongs to your lender. This command teaches us indirectly to be humble, modest, and satisfied with God’s provision so that we avoid taking loans. It also teaches us to be hard working so that we make a profit also to avoid taking loans. It also teaches us to quickly pay our debts and not increase them. We are to pay our debts towards all men, those who are socially and financially superior, equal, or even inferior to us.

After we pay our taxes to the government, we respect the customs of the nation, and honor those in authority, we are not yet totally free. We must pay the universal debt of love towards all people. Apostle Paul merges here two great principles: Law and Love. Loving others is a sign that we are loved by God. Only a child of God is able to love people. This love towards people is the fulfillment of God’s Law. Once we love people, we don’t need to obey any other law. This is the only law God will use to judge us. No other law is needed beside this law. Christianity is powerful because of this old and new Law of Love. This Law is simple, powerful, and profound. Selah!

*Who is your neighbor? Any person you come into contact with you, day by day; that is your ‘neighbor’. Therefore, you see that love is not a romantic feeling. Love cannot choose its objects. Love is a Law to be obeyed. Love does good to all she encounters, the good, the bad and the ugly. This is how Jesus lived. This is how we are commanded to live. We must pay our debt of love to all we meet. No matter how much money we give somebody, if we do not love that one, we still owe him. If you harm a man, you do not love him. You have increased your debt to that man.

*How do you love your neighbor? To love your neighbor means to put yourself in his position, to understand his situation, and to help him have a better life. Love him as you love yourself. Each man is concerned about his life, family, his health, or his reputation. When you meet a man who has a need, think of him like you are in his position. Do whatever you can to help him. “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake” (PV 3:27-29). Do not ‘withhold’ your love from another if you can do something to help him.   

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is defined as the letting go of sin. In the Bible, forgiveness is an act of worship and love, to God and man. This includes forgiving everyone, every time, of everything, as an act of gratefulness to God. Forgiveness acknowledges the sacrifice God made through His Son Jesus who died on the Cross to restore the relationship between God and man. Forgiveness does not mean excusing sin, forgetting the past, permitting repetition of the sinful act against you, or guaranteeing reconciliation with the perpetrator. God has forgiven us our sins, and we forgive others of theirs. As we forgive, we are moving on instead of dwelling on that sin. Forgiveness is Freedom, is Love and Progress in life!

Forgiveness in the Bible means God’s pardon of our sins for Christ’s sake. God does not count our sins against us. Biblical forgiveness requires faith in Jesus, repentance, and confession of sins from our part. One condition to receive forgiveness from God is that we forgive others who sinned against us. Love is the foundation of forgiveness. At the last supper Jesus said: “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins” (Matt 26:28). Refusing to forgive is a sin against Jesus and His Blood. If we receive forgiveness from God, we must give it to others who hurt us. Forgiveness means letting go of grudges or seeking of revenge, trusting God for justice. Forgiveness means releasing the other from blame, leaving the painful event in God’s hands, and moving on. When you forgive, you set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself. If in the past you had a relationship with the guilty person, you may or you may not continue in that relationship. If you did not have a relationship, there is no need to start one. Forgiveness means that you trust Jesus Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead, to vindicate you. Once you learn how to forgive, you experience true freedom. “He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission (forgiveness) of sins” (Ac 10:42. 43). Forgiveness is the brother of Love. “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:31, 32). Forgiveness and Love must be done as Christ has done.

WORSHIP IS AN ETERNAL DEBT TO BE PAID (Lk 7:36-50).

This is a story that reveals the power of love, the extravagant worship for Jesus. Jesus was invited by Simon, a Pharisee. The Pharisees were religious leaders, always antagonistic to Jesus. They looked for reasons to discredit His words. Just imagine that your enemy invites you to dinner. Will you go? Will you eat at his table? Most people would refuse to go and eat for fear that they will be poisoned. But Jesus went. He sat down with them to eat. It was a room full of men. Suddenly, a woman came in. She was ‘a sinner’, possibly a known prostitute. Nobody invited her. Have you ever been in a room where nobody likes you? No Jew invites a sinner to his table. They believed that her touch alone would defile them for days and they could not go to the temple to pray. Boldy, the woman enters the room, ready to be insulted and driven away by the men. In ancient Israel, it was only the husband that could see his wife’s long hair which was regarded as her naked body. A woman could not be seen with her long hair in public, except she was a prostitute. She came as she was. This nameless woman ignores all men, goes straight to Jesus, and falls at His feet, weeping. The cry was so much that her tears became like a river. She used the tears to wash Jesus’ feet and without a towel, she dries them with her long hair. She kissed His feet and anointed them with expensive fragrant oil she bought in an alabaster box.

The woman lavishes her love on the feet of Jesus. Why His feet? It is because these dusty but precious, beautiful feet brought her mercy, healing, and salvation! “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Is 52:7).

Simon and the other religious men were terribly embarrassed by the emotional show of love especially coming from this ‘sinful’ woman. They criticized Jesus in their hearts for allowing such an open intimate display of love on Him. In their understanding, this woman’s reckless behavior and Jesus’ acceptance of it, was sinful. But what Jesus said, shocked them even more. Not only that Jesus did not rebuke the woman, but He rebukes Simon for his lack of love. Jesus tells him that this woman’s behavior is love in heart and love in action. Simon was the host. He invited Jesus into his house but did not perform the simple duty of a host as it was in ancient Israel. Simon did not give Him water to wash His feet. Simon did not welcome Jesus with a friendly kiss. Simon did not bring oil or cream to anoint His head. This woman’s action is worship coming from the grateful heart of a soul saved by grace.

Simon, by rejecting this woman’s worship, proved that he was not saved. Simon and the rest of the men in the room, were ashamed of Jesus. This shame is sinful and dangerous. In other words, they hated Jesus. Jesus said: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Lk 9:26). The natural man is ashamed of Jesus and His words. This is because man is selfish. Jesus said that if anyone is ashamed of Him in this life, He will pay back with the same ‘coin’ when He comes again, in His heavenly glory. Simon did not know that this woman got saved and forgiven; that she came to pay her great debt of gratitude to Jesus. He did not know that this woman also helped him pay his own debt to Jesus. She did what Simon was supposed to do. He did not understand the greatest Law of Love. How ignorant a religious man can be! Lesson: Religion may invite you to dinner, may give you gifts or money, but religion never loves. Religion is a hater. Jesus said to Simon: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Lk 7:47). Jesus connects love with forgiveness of sins. Love is a debt to be paid. All true believers are forgiven people, and they forgive others. They are so broken by the revelation of grace, that they are willing and able to forgive their enemies. Love and forgiveness always go together. The end of this holy chemistry is ‘peace’ with God, peace with yourself and peace with others. Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Lk 7:50). Love, faith, and peace hold hands and worship Jesus! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of 1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:1-13; 14:1-5; and Judges 4 and 5.  “When leaders lead…” (Jdg. 5:2).

THE WORDS OF JESUS

When He was on earth, our Lord spoke these words: “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Mk 13:31). The words ‘pass away’ mean to disappear, to be passed by or ignored. Our Lord says that the present heaven and earth shall be changed and become new. But His Words remain forever. This proclamation reveals the total authority of Jesus Christ. He alone can speak like this. No man can say such a thing. For the past 2000 years, His Words have stayed with supernatural power. His words have become doctrines to be preached, Laws in many countries and a great source of comfort for millions. To God be all the glory!

PRAYER FOR GREATER REVELATION OF GOD’S LAW   

“Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish” (Jer 33:3; AMP). “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law” (Ps 119:18). ‘Wondrous’ means great, difficult, or wonderful. The word ‘open’ means to uncover, to make naked; revelation, to have a clear vision. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the deep things of God. To see and appreciate the value of God’s love, His kindness and generosity to men in giving His only begotten Son to die for sinners, these are revelation pearls found only in the ocean of God’s Grace. You need the equipment of faith to dive in and find these treasures of the deep. These are hidden from the natural man, from the superficial seeker. These revelations excite our spirits, make us hungry for more of God’s Word and lead us to deeper worship. These revelations are always connected with prayer and come as a response to prayer. No man is able to appreciate the depth and beauty of the Bible except he is born again, Spirit filled and pays the price for spiritual maturity. That man is a true disciple of Jesus. He prays that God will open his eyes to see as God sees. He prays that God will remove the veil of religious ignorance and spiritual blindness. The Apostle Paul prayed for spiritual wisdom saying: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph 1:17). May we desire not only to know religion, but to experience God’s wisdom, His power of resurrection and the glorious riches available to us in Christ alone! Amen!

THE GOSPEL OF LOVE

Jesus said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn 14:15). Love is more than a feeling. Love is intelligent and strong. Love is more than a poet. Love is a soldier, a general in the army. Love does exploits for Jesus. Love leads others to God’s Word! When leaders lead and lovers love, revival will happen! What is Christianity? It is not a human idea, or a philosophy of men. Christianity is Christ. Christianity is the Gospel. What is the Gospel? The word means ‘good news’. The Gospel is the life, death and resurrection of Christ, the Son of God. It is the total victory of Christ over sin and death. The Gospel is the most wonderful news that ever come to planet earth. We are born sinners. We are supposed to die and go to hell. God the Father loved this world. Only Love has the power to create a way and pay the price for salvation. Love leads! God the Father sent His only begotten Son to become Man and die on behalf of sinners. Faith in the Gospel is the only way to be saved and go to heaven. Many people argue about religions, denominations, and creeds. They ask me, how do you know that the Gospel is true? I know because I totally believe the Bible is the Word of God. In the Old Testament, thousands of years before Jesus came, there were many prophecies who said that one day, God will send a Savior. All these prophecies came true in the Person of Jesus Christ. For example, the Bible said that the Messiah will be born in a small city called Bethlehem. He did! The Bible said that He will enter in Jerusalem riding on a donkey. He did! The Bible said that He will be betrayed and sold for 30 silver coins. He did! Look at Jesus! Study His words and His life! He said that He came to bring abundant life. He said that Him and God the Father are one. He is either mad, a liar, or He is truly God. The answer is that Jesus is God! Who is this Man of Galilee? You must receive Him in your heart before you really know Him. Look at His disciples. When He was arrested, they all ran away. They later came and saw Him crucified. They saw Him dead. They took His Body and buried it. On the Third Day He rose from the dead. He sent the Holy Spirit. These depressed and cowardly people suddenly became bold like lions. What is the explanation? They were filled with the Spirit of Christ and became His witnesses preaching His Words. Look at the Apostle Paul. He hated Christ and the Church. He had an encounter with the resurrected Christ, and he was never the same again. He preached the Gospel and died as a martyr. Christianity is the joyful story of Jesus Christ, of eternal life, of God’s Love for men, His resurrection power and amazing grace! If your heart is not bubbling with joy, you are not yet saved.

LOVE IS THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY (1 Cor 12:31; 13:1-13; 14:1-5)

The way of Love is called ‘the more excellent way’. Not everyone has all the gifts. But every believer must passionately desire to know and to walk in the excellent way of love. “But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]” (1 Cor 12:31; AMP). Spiritual gifts are the reason why many Christians have become proud or jealous of others. Love is the cure for all pride and jealousy. The word ‘excellent’ means the best of all, outstanding, highest quality of character of leadership. All lovers are leaders. We are commanded to ‘pursue love’. Finding love is an active exercise and there is a price to pay. In both Old and New Testament, when man is commanded to Love, his whole person must be involved, body, soul, and spirit. Love is the perfect way of life. Many people talk about love, but few experience it in this life on earth. Selah!

In the Book of 1 Corinthians 13 we see the greatest song of love. It is agape love, the love Jesus displayed on the Cross. Love ‘suffers long’. It is patient, waiting for the prodigals to come back; it endures through times of affliction. Many things break down, but love continues to pray and endures to the end. Love is kind. It does good deeds to others. It is generous with its heart, time, energy, and gifts. Love does not envy, and it is not covetous. It does not steal the blessings of another. Love is happy when God blesses others. Love is humble. It is not proud and does not oppress others. Love is not aggressive in speech, it is not rude, but it is gentle and kind. Love is not selfish. Love thinks of the good of others and not only of herself. Love is not over sensitive or easily provoked. Love never loses its temper and insult others. Love does not think evil. Love is a sister to Truth. Love feeds on God’s Word. It rejoices when she sees the truth. Love is an excellent worship leader. Love is stronger than all hindrances. Love finishes the race. Love never gives up. A baby Christian is only able to receive love. He grows by it. But a mature Christian is able to also give love. More than faith, and wider than hope, Love is the greatest of all. Love never fails! Love is the eternal champion! Glory!

We are commanded to study, seek, and receive spiritual gifts. The best of all gifs is the gift of prophecy. The least of gifts is the gift of tongues. Why is this so? Because Love measures our desire to help others. Tongues are good but we can become selfish using them. This is because speaking in tongues only helps the speaker. But prophecy helps the whole congregation. In the New Testament, prophesy is not just foretelling of future events. It is preaching God’s Word under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. A teacher teaches God’s Word systematically. We need good Bible teachers. But a Christian who has the gift of prophesy, teaches, and preaches with a passion greater than the teacher. He speaks directly to the people’s conscience, stirring them to repent and rise to serve God. In this way the whole church is strengthened and encouraged. Love wants to help many people. That is why love works best thru prophetic anointing. Love for God and man is the fuel for revival. Praise the Lord!

POSSESS YOUR POSSESSIONS

“Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses” (Josh 1:3).  “See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them” (Deut 1:8).

The problem many Christians have is that they only have ‘a head knowledge’ of God’s Word. They know the doctrines, but they do not apply the truth practically in their lives. There is a difference between position and possession. You may have a title, a position, and lack the possession of that title. A title gives you an official position in an organization or in society. But you need to enter and possess that title before you can use the power and the privileges available. It is the same with God’s promises. It is the same with Love. Theory without application only gives you ‘head knowledge’. There is no authority in your testimony. There is no power to produce results. Just before entering the Promise Land, God promises Joshua that ‘every place that the sole of your foot tread upon’ shall be his. Joshua sees the Promised Land across the Jordan. But seeing is not possessing. Joshua needs to walk on that Land before he can claim it as his own. Even today, it’s possible to buy a piece of land without possessing it. You can have the document of ownership in your hand and still not possess or enjoy the property. Once the land is yours, you walk on that land until you know every hill and every valley on it. To possess means to enjoy!

DEBORAH – THE BEE (Judges 4 and 5)

During the Book of Judges, it was a difficult time for Israel. “In those days [when the judges governed] there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg. 21:25). Before God gave His people kings, He gave them judges. They are a symbol of Christ. They prepared the way for the monarchy. The word translated ‘judges’ is not exactly what we know about a court judge. Judges means troubleshooters. Troubleshooting is necessary when something has failed. Like a doctor discovers the diagnoses of a sickness, so, thru systematic approach troubleshooters solve the problem. Lesson: God used the judges to save His people from themselves and from their enemies. The judges become national heroes. There were 12 judges: 6 major and 6 minor judges. Deborah is among the 6 major judges. She is the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. Not all the judges had prophetic gifts. Only Deborah and Samuel function as both prophet and judge in Israel.

Deborah is one of the most important and influential people in the Bible. She has an impressive testimony. She was a wife, a mother, a leader, a prophetess, a judge, a poet, a singer, a songwriter, a worshipper, and a warrior. She is unique because she was a woman. Few women stood openly in the position of a national leader. She is the only woman in the Bible who is known for her faith, wisdom, courage, spirituality, and actions, not because of her relationship with any man, but just because God was with her. Her testimony is that God indeed called her, and, against all odds, she fulfilled her call. Lesson: Obedience to God’s Word is the basis to fulfill destiny. God’s grace is enough for us! No excuses!

Deborah was married to Brother Lapidoth. His name means ‘the shining one’. He may have been a handsome man who dressed well. We do not know more details than this. We do not know if he has encouraged or helped his wife to answer God’s call. Lesson: God’s call must be obeyed. God will make a way. In spite of all her titles and offices, Deborah simply called herself ‘a mother in Israel’ (Jdg. 5:7). This reveals great humility and a love for children, natural and spiritual. Her office as a judge was in the open field, under a palm tree. People from all over the country came to her with their complains. She will counsel them, pray for them, and judge their matters. She was clearly a woman of spiritual authority.

Deborah’s name means ‘the Bee’. Her name is prophetic. The bees are very organized as a family. They have one queen, many workers, male bees, and soldiers. The queen alone reproduces. Each male that impregnates her dies immediately after the act. The queen has total authority in the family. Lesson: As all the other bees follow the queen, so the people of God listen and obey their leaders. Like the bees, believers are humble, faithful, and hardworking. When under attack, all fight to preserve their family. A bee’s sting is painful, but her honey is sweet. God’s people speak the truth that both wounds and heals. “How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps 119:103). For 40 years in the wilderness, God fed His people with Manna. It is a symbol of God’s Word that sustains. “And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (Ex 16:31). The bees are wise and prudent. They store the honey for the time of winter. God’s people store His words in their hearts to be used in time of need. Bees make honey not only for themselves but for men to eat. “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (PV 16:24). God’s word blesses the soul with peace and the body with health. The Promised Land is a land ‘of milk and honey’. “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you” (Ps 81:13-16). Honey is a symbol of God’s word that gives strength to defeat the enemies and total satisfaction in life! Praise the Lord!

Because God’s people became rebellious, God handed them over to their enemies. God has commanded the people to destroy and take over the land of Canaan, also called the Promised Land. But God’s people became proud and lazy. They did not destroy the Canaanites. They in fact followed them in worshiping their idols. That is when God handed them over to King Jabin, a Canaanite king. People suffered greatly under the oppressive reign of King Jabin whose army general was called Sisera. God’s people cried for mercy. That is when God called Deborah to stand as their leader. She was a judge already. Now she stands as a prophet and national leader. Deborah called one of the Israelites leaders, Barak. He was from the tribe of Naphtali, not known as a tribe of leaders. Deborah told him what God said to her. It was a prophetic word. “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?” (Jdg 4:6, 7). Apparently, God has called Barak to stand and lead the army against the Canaanites. It seems that he was afraid or doubtful. Deborah confirms God’s call to him. This was God’s call to both Deborah and Barak to wake from slumber of defeat and to lead the armies to victory. Lesson: leaders stand when others are sitting. When leaders lead, people will follow them! God’s call to fight for victory comes with singing praises to God. “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!” (Jdg 5:12). Praise warfare wakes men from slumber and get them ready for battle! Praise the Lord!

God reveals the strategy and the sure victory. Barak was to gather 10,000 troops up Mount Tabor to attack Sisera, Jabin’s commander of troops. Barak responded by saying “If you will go with me, I will go; if not I will not go” (Judges 4:8). Deborah agrees to go to battle with Barak and the troops but share with him: “However, there will be no glory for you in the course you are taking, for then the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman” (Judges 4:9). It happened the way Deborah predicted. The battle against the Canaanites was won. They had supernatural help. Even the angels helped Israel. The Canaanites, who had stronger military equipment were trapped by God in the flooded river. They all died in the battle. It was a mighty victory for Israel! Lesson: obedience to God’s Word leads to breakthrough and victory! Praise the Lord!

Sisera ran on foot to the tent of a woman called Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. He wanted to hide there because of a peace treaty the Kenites had with the Canaanites. Jael welcomes Sisera into her tent. It seems that she was alone. He asked for water, and she gave him milk. Exhausted from the battle, as he was sleeping, she used a hammer and drives a tent peg into his head. He dies on the spot. When Barak comes, he sees Sisera dead. He could not take the glory for the victory. That glory went to God alone who used a weaker vessel to kill the enemy.

Jabin oppressed Israel for 20 years. Jabin and Sisera stand for the devil. Jael stands for the believers. The name Sisera means ‘meditation’. He is a symbol of the devil. Jael drove a tent peg into his head and killed him. This is a picture of spiritual warfare. Like the tent peg, God’s Word penetrates and destroys the meditation and plans of the devil against us. “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?” (Jer 23:29; AMP). God sends angels to help us during spiritual warfare. “The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver. They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera. The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength!” (Jdg 5:19-21). God sent angels to help and strength to His people.

Not everyone trusted Deborah’s leadership. Some people quietly stayed behind and did not come to join the army. Barak was from the tribe of Naphtali. God told him to call 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. People from other tribes may come as volunteers. The men from the tribe of Issachar joined the army. Ruben was the eldest son of Jacob. He was supposed to lead others in battle. God did not call the men from the tribe of Ruben to lead. But they were supposed to humble themselves and join the army. But they did not come. They claimed that they were still praying about it. There was ‘great searching of heart’ in their midst. Lesson: there is a time to pray and there is a time for action. When it is time to move, you don’t stay home to pray. The men from the tribes of Dan and Asher claimed to be busy with their ships. But the worse of them were the men from a village called Meroz. Not only that they refuse to come, but they also despised Deborah and Barak as the military leaders. A bitter curse was placed on them. The same angel of the Lord who helped the Israelites win the war curses the people who drew back, who refused to follow Deborah and Barak. “Curse Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the Lord, To the help of the Lord against the mighty” (Jdg 5:23). The book ends with a prophecy, The lovers of God will be strong like the sun. The ministry of Deborah brought peace to the land for the next 40 years. Amen!

LESSONS FROM DEBORAH’S LIFE AND MINISTRY

Deborah was an uncommon leader because she was a woman. Lesson: God is sovereign in His choice of His servants. Love is creative. Do not limit God. Humble yourself! God decided to call a woman as the spiritual leader of Israel. God can call and use anyone. No matter what men or devils say, God’s call comes with power to perform great deeds. God’s call cannot be stopped or defeated by men. Let go of every inferiority complex. Obey God’s voice. Have 100% faith in God who saved and called you to serve Him. This is a spiritual law: when leaders lead, and lovers love, people will follow. Deborah was not bound by the religious spirit of her day. God spoke to her, and she obeyed. She called Barak and told him what God said. She was not afraid of the enemy. Sisera led an army that had 900 chariots of iron. She was like David facing Goliath. She refused to be intimidated. She trusted God who assured her that the enemy will be defeated. She delivered God’s message to Barak with confidence: ‘Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you?’ (Jdg. 4:6). Deborah did not fight in the battle, but her presence encouraged Barak and the people of God. Lesson: our presence in the church is encouragement to many. She was an ordinary wife and mother when God called her to ministry. God said: “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song!” (Jdg. 5:12). God woke her like from sleep with a fresh zeal to fight for the freedom of her nation. Lesson: God does not call the equipped. God equips the called! Barak was a humble man of faith (Heb 11:32). Deborah told Barak that ‘there will no glory for you’. Knowing that there will be no fame or glory for him, he still obeyed God and led Israel in battle. Lesson: all glory must go to the Lord!

Use every resource you have. Do not despise the day of little things. Jael used the peg tent and hammer she had at home. Deborah used her love as a mother to intercede for Israel. God blessed her by enlarging the area of authority. She became a mother in Israel, a mother to many spiritual children. The love of a mother is like a fire. She purifies and strengthens the heart of her children. Love is fearless. “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” (1 Jn 4:18). Love is strong and courageous. “Love is as strong as death” (SS 8:6). Have you seen a mother hen defending her chicks? When Israel abandoned their God, God fought them as an enemy, as a mother bear robbed of her babies. “I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them” (Hosea 13:8). Fear God!

In Deborah we see God’s grace and strength manifested in our weakness. ‘One with God is majority’ (John Knox). This is a spiritual law: When leaders lead, people follow. Deborah was like Paul, who led by example. “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe” (1 Thess 1:6,7). “Therefore, I urge you, imitate me” (1 Cor 4:16). We are saved from death unto life, not to live comfortably, but to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). God is not asking you to invent some way to serve Him. Pray for His Plan to be revealed in your life. He will put within you an irresistible desire to do those plans He had already purposed for you. If you pay attention, you’ll see God giving you opportunities to do those things. Deborah was faithful in little things. God trusted her with bigger things. From being a wife and mother to her children, God promoted her. Like Queen Esther, she became a national hero. May you hear God’s call and may you act on it! Even the sky is not the limit for those who love God and serve Him in His Kingdom. Her courage inspired a nation and brought peace to her people for the next 40 years. We bring peace to our nation by leading people to Christ. Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. He can never lose! Follow Him and you will be more than a conqueror. Worship the Lord!

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (2) – THE GIFT OF CONSCIENCE

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of Mark 12:28-34; Heb 4:11-16; Rom 1:1-16.

LOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT OF ALL (Mark 12:24-34)

A religious scribe came to ask Jesus a question. This happens at the end of a discussion between Jesus and the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection. They wanted to trap our Lord, but God can never be trapped. Jesus said to them: “Is this not why you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures [that teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [who is able to raise the dead]?” (Mk 12:24; AMP). Our Lord clearly rebukes their ignorance of the Word of God. They did not believe in the power of resurrection. In the midst of all these deceived people, a wise man stands. He says: “Which is the first commandment of all?” The word ‘first’ means ‘the principal, the chief, the greatest, the most important commandment of all’. Jesus answers him saying: “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 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”. This are direct quotes from the Books of Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and Leviticus 19:18. Lesson: our Lord quotes from the Old Testament. This is a reminder that the Bible is one Book!

Moses told the people of Israel that in the Promised Land, they should obey God’s commands. They will fear God and hate sin. Their obedience will be rewarded with a long, fruitful, and prosperous life. “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut 6:1-8). It is the duty of the parents to teach their children God’s laws. Moses says that God’s commands should be written on their hand, forehead, on their doorposts and gates.

First, Jesus says that God is One! All other religions have many idols. Each little god has his own commands to obey. Lesson: it is impossible to be a faithful pagan. Jesus tells them that God is only One and His Word is in the Bible! Christianity is simple! Love is simple! According to our Lord, who is God Himself, LOVE is the most important command of all. “God is Love” (1 Jn 4:8). What God expects is not some religion, but genuine spiritual sacrificial Love, for Him and for other people. The principle of Love as a command is now introduced by our Lord. To be fulfilled, the Ten Commandments direct us to LOVE! What is this particular command? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” God says that they should love Him with all their being, body, soul, and spirit. Then Moses says: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” In other words, the commands are not just some religious activities. They must be obeyed first in the heart. They are spiritual laws. But what happened? Most of Jews obeyed the commands only outwardly. They became very religious, busy with ceremonies in the temple. Most male Jews, even today, when they go for prayers, carry God’s commands in a little black box on their foreheads, called Phylacteries. They write God’s commands on leather strips and wrap them on their arms. They also write God’s commands in a little metal box called Mezuzah and nail it to the doors or their gates. Each time they come home they touch it. They pay the price to teach their children God’s commands. These activities they do habitually, even without thinking about God. They are spiritually detached from God’s Word. This religious behavior leads to pride and hypocrisy. These are the people who resisted Jesus and eventually condemned Him to death.

Jesus then added the second command: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. This is a quote from the Book of Leviticus 19:18. “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. ‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord. ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Lev 19:11-18). God commands His people, that for His sake, they should be kind and generous with one another. God forbids stealing, lying, cheating, slander, grudging, and gossip. In other words, God commands that you should not hurt or exploit anyone. God positively commands that His people should love their neighbors as themselves. Since then, the Jews obeyed even this command, but only partially. What they understand by the word ‘neighbor’ is a fellow Jew. As in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, they did not regard a Gentile Samaritan as ‘neighbor’. They hated the Gentiles. But Jesus says that any human being in need is a neighbor who is to be loved and helped (Lk 10:29-37). Lesson: It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that a man can obey God’s command to love God and to love his neighbor! Selah!

We see that LOVE is now the new commandment that fulfills the Ten Commandants. Jesus quotes two different verses from the Old Testament. He did not add anything new to God’s written Word. What is new is that for the first time in the history of mankind, our Lord combines these two verses together. He commands us to love God first and love men second. This is brilliant. Love applies to God first, because He is our creator and God. The result is that God’s love helps us to love ourselves. From the overflow of that love, we now extend it to other people. This is always the correct order: God-you-neighbor! You cannot love people without loving God first. And you cannot love others if you hate yourself. True worship is not just some religious activity. It manifests especially in loving humanity. Here you see that true religion is deeply personal. It is not just some ceremonies in the church. It touches the heart. It makes men to be better men. Unbelievers cannot love God or man. All children of God love their families and neighbors. Lovers are leaders! They change their environment for better! Love is the mark of a true believer. God’s commands are beyond our ability, but if you are willing to obey, God gives you the ability! No more excuses! Selah!

The religious Pharisees have complicated God’s Law with many of their own smaller laws. I read that they added 613 additional laws to the Ten Commandments. Clearly, no man could obey all of these. The ordinary men became confused. “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33). Lesson: In the church, there must be submission and beautiful order. The word confusion means disorder or disturbance. This happens when people are rebellious, proud. They all want to be leaders. They talk at the same time. The church is not a noisy restless crowd. It is like an army where everyone knows his position, submitting one to another in love. This scribe was not supposed to be confused because he was a Pharisee. But he too felt that their laws were too oppressive to the common men. His conscience worried him. See the power of a good conscience! The religious rulers gave the impression that God is a tyrant, a bully, or an oppressor. And this was a lie. Jesus simplified the Law. He introduced the simple commandment of love. It was easy to understand, remember and practice. Love is the primary motive in our relationship with God with men. The commandment of love destroyed the stronghold of religious oppression. That is one reason why the religious rulers hated Jesus and wanted Him dead. It is because He removed their authority in interpreting the law. Selah!

The scribe answered ‘wisely’. He said that Love is greater than all the outward religious ceremonies. He saw the priority and power of love. Jesus was impressed with his answer. He said: “You and not far from the Kingdom of God”. By these words, Jesus now displays love towards him. He gives him the encouragement and the warning of Love! Clearly, Jesus compliments him. Why? Because the man is honest. He spoke his mind. His conscience bothered him and he wanted help. He was not a hypocrite like the majority of the Pharisees. He had the courage to separate himself from their wickedness against Jesus. Many people are too cowards to be honest before Jesus. But this man spoke the truth. Love loves truth! He did not try to trap Jesus in His words like his colleagues. He wanted to know the truth. He was an intelligent man who clearly studied the Word of God. Lesson: any time you see a truly intelligent and honest man, that man will end knowing the only living God. Jesus told him he is ‘not far from the Kingdom.’ That means some people are closer than others from the narrow gate. Like this man, they need to first seek God’s Kingdom and pay the price to enter. They need to repent of sins and surrender to Christ, who is the King of the kingdom. Jesus’ answer is a compliment. It is also a warning. Because a man can die one step away from the gate of heaven. To be almost saved, is to be unsaved. We don’t know if this man became saved or not. But face to face with Jesus, with the King of God’s kingdom, he heard the truth that alone sets free.

Lesson: Many people go to church, seem very committed to religious activities, but are not born again. Many people have postponed entering eternal life, even to their dying hour. This is a warning for all of us, not to postpone giving our lives to Jesus. Because tomorrow is not promised to any man. I pray that you make peace with God today, until you have the assurance of your salvation. It is possible to waste the grace of God. It is possible to go to church, listen to sermons about the grace of God, sing songs about it, and still, not appropriate it in your spirit. “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:1, 2). There is an acceptable time and a day of salvation. That day is today! It is right now! There is a danger of hearing truth and not acting on it. The heart will become hardened. Unbelief is a stronghold. Postponing becomes a spiritual habit. Truth not acted upon starts to fade away from the memory.

GOD’S WORD IS YOUR SURGEON, JUDGE, PRIEST, AND KING

“Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account. Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Therefore, let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]” (Heb 4:11-16; AMP). We are warned against the sin of disobedience to God’s Word. There is no mercy for the unrepentant rebellious sinner. The punishment is that they cannot enter the rest of God. The punishment manifests as slavery to anxiety. Work on earth is never satisfying. That promised rest is found only in Christ, who is also the Living Word of God. You see here that God’s Word is a Person. Only a Person is alive and active. God’s Word enters into man thru his ears and works inside. He works as a surgeon. He judges your thoughts and motives as a judge in his court room. Nobody can stop God’s Word. There is no shield to block it. It is sharp like a double-edged sword used in battle. The Word does a unique, vital, delicate surgery. It separates the soul and the spirit. Nobody else can do this work! Man is a spirit (like God), has a soul and lives in a body. Man is like an egg: The shell is the body, the white is the soul, and the yellow yoke is the spirit. The spirit has the greatest value because it is made from the same ‘material’ as God. It is in the yoke that the seed is. The soul is the personality of the individual man. Next to the human spirit, the soul has value. Lastly, the cheapest of all is the body, made originally from dust. For your information, how much is your dust worth? The human body is made mostly from oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. The total price for these elements in a corpse is about 5$ (4000 Naira)!!!

The soul is made of three parts: mind (capacity to think rationally), emotions (capacity to feel love, hatred, etc) and the will (capacity to decide, to make choices). At a deeper level than the soul is the human spirit, also divided into three parts: intuition (the spiritual capacity to know something without any evidence or help from the mind), communion (the center that connects with the Holy Spirit and helps us to worship God) and the conscience (the center of knowing what is right and what is wrong). (To remember easier the soul is MEW and the spirit is ICC). “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen 2:7). Man is a combination of dust and God’s Spirit. God made man from cheap material available on earth. He did not use gold or diamonds to make our bodies. He used dust as Potter uses clay to make beautiful pots. The fragile body is a reminder that God created us humble. To live, we must depend on God. At the end of life, the body goes back to dust. The expensive part of man is the spirit and the soul which are formed thru God’s Breath or Spirit. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Cor 4:7-10).

Lesson: The weakness of the body reminds us of death. Jesus died for us. We died with Him. The power we have, the expensive treasure, is located in our spirit. We look fragile but we are strong. The enemy thinks that he can kill us anytime. We suffer painful trials. We not only survive, but we also become stronger in faith, more like Jesus. God’s child is a mystery the world does not understand and cannot defeat! Selah!

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth… Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So, the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Gen 1:26-28, 31). Originally, the spirit of man, which alone connects with God’s Spirit, was leading him. Intuition told Adam and Eve what to know about God, about life in general. It made them spiritually intelligent and wise. The center of communion helped Adam to always worship God, to love His voice, and His Word. Conscience was the leader in making all decisions. Therefore, the spirit led the soul. The mind, emotions and the will were totally under the leadership of the spirit. The will decided only led by intuition and conscience. The body cooperated with the soul and spirit. It was the perfect God’s design for man on earth. God declared that the creation of man was ‘very good’. To this man God gave His blessing. He gave Adam the power to rule and multiply. Adam and Eve had authority over all the animals including the snake in the Garden. The devil used the snake to tempt Eve. She was not supposed to submit to the counsel of the snake. Why? Because she was in charge. The snake was to be her servant, and not her master. The only person she was to submit to, was God and her husband. By taking the advice from a lower created being, she lowered herself too much. This is sinful, slavery, and false humility. In this way, she submitted to the devil. Adam joined her in her deception. This is called ‘the original sin’. It affected all humanity. God judged them. The snake was cursed to forever stay in the dust.

When sin entered, God’s perfect arrangement in man was damaged. Man still carries the image of God, but that image is broken. In his sinful state, man’s spirit is so weak that it cannot control the soul anymore. The conscience works but it is not perfect as before. The soul was to be under the control of the spirit. The spirit was the king of the castle, the soul was to be the personal servant, and the body was the worker. Now, the soul has rebelled. The personal servant locked the king in his chambers and took control over the workers. Sinful man is now ruled by his own mind, emotions and will. The body obeys the soul and commits sin. The spirit’s voice, the royal conscience, is almost silent, but it still whispers within. What is the solution? The Son of God became Man. He died for sinners, to save their souls. He gave sinners life in their dying spirit. The spirit now rules the soul and the body as it was in the beginning. To be born again is not just some religious decision. God’s Spirit activates the human spirit. Man was dead in sin. He is now made alive again. A child of God needs to learn how to walk led by God’s Spirit. This is a walk of faith led by God’s Word. Every step forward strengthens the conscience, helping the will to make godly decisions. Walk like Jesus!

The Word of God is the only power that can separate the soul and the spirit. The soul has lost the power to silence or manipulate the spirit. The spirit-king now rules in his domain. The Word of God judges all thoughts and decisions thru the conscience. In case you disobey God’s commands, the Word and your conscience will judge you. You must repent. Go to the High Priest, Jesus Christ. He will meet with you at the throne of mercy and grace. He will forgive and cleanse you again. Then you move on doing exploits for Jesus, the Living Word! Halleluiah!    

THE GIFT OF CONSCIENCE (Romans 2:1-16)

Apostle Paul writes here about God’s judgment. It is based on God’s Law. Before Christ, the Jews alone knew the Law. But they took it for granted that just by knowing the Law, they will be free from God’s judgment. But Law must be obeyed. They will be judged according to their knowledge. Lesson: We must be doers of God’s Word and not just hearers. The Gentiles (the non-Jews, people like us) do not know the Law. They are ‘a law to themselves’. What does that mean? God will judge us according to our conscience. Our conscience is now our Judge. Selah!

The word conscience in Latin means ‘science (or knowledge) with somebody’. Conscience helps us to know God and ourselves. Conscience is an inbuilt spiritual sense of knowing what is good and what is bad. It affects the soul of man (his mind, emotions and will). Conscience has also been described as an internal court of law. There is a judge, a guilty person, lawyers, witnesses, and the jury. This internal drama is on and helps us to obey God’s moral laws. Even if the voice of the conscience is silenced for years, it cannot be totally stopped. One day, suddenly, the conscience comes out from its prison and shouts even more. Like God, conscience cannot be bribed or manipulated to change her stand. You either make her your friend or it becomes your enemy. If the conscience is obeyed, peace is restored to the mind. If the warnings of conscience are ignored, the pain of guilt manifests as: anxiety, loss/increase in appetite, losing or gaining weight, sleeplessness, stomach pains, indigestion, being moody or oversensitive, inferiority complex, feeling overwhelmed by life, fear of the future and fear of death, suicidal thoughts. Selah!

Conscience is part of a man’s spirit. The soul of man is made of three parts: the Mind, the Emotions, and the Will. With our soul we think, feel, and make decisions. Inside the soul, there is the spirit. Man’s spirit is also made of three parts: The conscience, intuition, and communion. The center of intuition helps me to know the truth deep within, even without thinking about it. For example, I meet a man. I suddenly ‘know’ that he is an evil man. I can’t prove it, I don’t understand it, but I ‘know’ it. The center of communion is the place that connects with God and helps me to worship God in spirit. Conscience is the center that tells me what is right and what is wrong. We are told that God judges the unbelievers according to their conscience. Even for the Christians, the conscience is a great monitor. Inside your heart you have God’s Law, and God’s Love. These two directly connect with your conscience and faith. “The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1Tim 1:5). A good conscience helps you to love God and man. It also increases your faith.

The conscience is a gift from God. It helps man to know the difference between God and the devil, between good and bad and make decisions of moral conduct. Conscience is the greatest protection we have against hypocrisy. Conscience will argue with you when you don’t practice what you know, or what you preach. The conscience warns you when you only study God’s Word theoretically without applying it in daily living. There is no way you can win the battle against your conscience. She will speak and warn you to your grave. This is the greatest lesson: listen and obey your conscience. Never fight your conscience! Obey it! Then you will have peace! Selah!

There are different types of consciences:

*Good, pure conscience, without offence towards God and man.

The believers hold “the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience” (1 Tim 3:9). “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 9:1). “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Ac 23:1). “I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Ac 24:14-16). The words ‘without offence’ mean a clear, blameless conscience, free from any unrepented sin or guilt. Paul says that in the presence of the Holy Spirit, his conscience bears him witness that he is not a liar. His conscience does not condemn or trouble him. He does not feel guilty. He has peace! His conscience is like a cup that is not damaged. In it, he holds faith, hope, and love.  

*Weak, defiled, easily wounded conscience.

“Therefore, concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor 8:4-13). Love is sensitive not to hurt another man’s conscience. The weak Christian is afraid of idols. If you are a mature believer and you are not afraid to eat food dedicated to idols. That is good. But please be careful! A baby Christian may try to imitate you, but his conscience is weak and will worry him. Love thinks of others and not only of itself. Lesson: For the sake of love, I limit my freedom so that a weaker brother will not fall into sin. Love always thinks of others! “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work” (Tit 1:15, 16).

*Seared conscience

“Now, the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Tim 4:1-3). “A bad conscience is a snake in your heart” (Jewish proverb). A seared conscience is the worst type. In the past, doctors used hot metal to burn the flesh to stop bleeding. This process is called cauterization. The blessing stops but the scar destroys the sensation of feeling. In the same way, a seared conscience has no feeling; it is paralyzed and useless. The sinner does not feel guilty when he commits sin. This is a very dangerous situation. If you resist your conscience for a long time, you can damage it beyond repair. Not only that the conscience does not tell you the truth, but it will now advise you to commit sin and you don’t feel repentant. This process happens through deception of lying demons, using false teachers who preach wrong doctrines. Even the Christians can be affected. They ‘depart from faith’ and backslide. It affects the desire to have a happy marriage. It influences the choice of food. Many strict diets are the result of such lies. To make progress in life, there is a need for spiritual warfare. Paul says: “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim 1:18-20). Ignoring the voice of conscience damages your faith and testimony as a Christian. Be careful to live with a clean conscience before God and man! That is power! Amen!

Another function of the conscience is to remind man of the last judgment. The pain of a wounded conscience, of remorse or godly sorrow, is the greatest pain of all. The reason why men fear death it is because they already feel the pain of the conscience convicting them of sin. It is said that the greatest things that makes a man know that God exists is when he sees the stars in the night sky and when he discovers that he has a conscience. When a man obeys God’s Law, his conscience is happy. The man feels the presence of God around him. When man disobeys God’s Law, he not only feels the voice of his conscience convicting him of sin, by he feels God is angry with him. The connection between conscience and God’s voice has been observed for ages. The great crisis in life happens when man has to decide the path to move on. The will stands at the junction. There are two options. One according to God’s will, obeying His Law. The other is to disobey God and His Law. Conscience advice and warns the will to take the path of obedience. Often, to obey God and conscience, is totally different than what man likes in his fleshly nature. It may also be different than the opinion of friends and family. But the will of God must be done. That is the only way to please the conscience and have peace. Many of the martyrs chose to die than to disobey their conscience. The saints of old said that when the Holy Spirit convicts a sinner of his sin, He uses the conscience to bring the fear of death. This leads to repentance, confession or sin and salvation.

In the Old Testament, the word ‘conscience’ does not appear. But the actions of the conscience working are there. For example, when Adam and Eve sinned, they hear God’s voice. Their guilty conscience makes them afraid of God and they hide behind the trees. “Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Gen 3:9,10). All the murderers like Cain, King Saul, King Ahab, King Herod, and even Judas, felt the pangs of a guilty conscience but they chose to suppress it even unto death. For example, when news about Jesus doing miracles came to Herod, he said that Jesus is John the Baptist. Why? Because he killed John trying to please a dancing girl and his guests (Mk 6:14;29). He liked John and regretted killing him. His conscience terrorized him to the hour of his death. But he died unrepentant. This is a horror story and a warning for all!

Conscience is a delicate instrument that must be respected. Church leaders have been guilty of trying to tamper with men’s conscience. The manipulation of conscience can be a destructive force within the Christian community. We should not tamper with our own conscience or the conscience of others. To make people feel guilty using man’s laws in the church is sin. This false guilt is a great burden on many. For example, telling people that not paying tithes, they will go to hell, that is sin. On the other hand, keeping quiet when men commit adultery, giving them false peace, that is also sin. “It is the nature of all hypocrites and false prophets to create a conscience where there is none, and to cause conscience to disappear where it does exist” (M. Luther). The pastor must preach God’s Word without fear or favor. He must be sensitive to the presence of God and his own conscience. He must keep a reasonable social distance between himself and the people he leads. This is to avoid emotional manipulation that damages people’s conscience. A damaged conscience destroys the power to love God and man. Our Lord has warned us of the rise of sin in the last days. “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 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 24:11-14). Lawlessness damages the conscience. Love then grows cold.

Who had a guilty conscience? Adam and Eve, Jacob when he cheated on Esau, Joseph’s brothers. David had a guilty conscience when cut Saul’s robe, when he killed Uriah and when he numbered Israel. Peter felt guilty when he denied Jesus. A guilty conscience is hell on earth and points to hell beyond. It is a heavy burden. A man with a guilty conscience is lonely. He has no true friends. He is always hiding. Until we deal with our sin, the conscience will still fight you. How do you feel when you don’t pray for one full day? Or when you use vulgar words? Or when the bank officer gives you more money than he was supposed to give you and you keep silent? Jesus convicted the accusers of the woman by their conscience. They all dropped the stones and went away (Jn 8:9-11).

In the US there is a Conscience Fund. People who feel guilty for cheating the US government of taxes can go to any post office and pay there. The fund was created in 1811 and received US$5 during its first year and over US$5.7million since then. At Niagara Falls there is a place called redemption point. If you swim past that point, you will die. In 1883, an English man called Matthew Webb, a champion swimmer, tried to beat that point. He drowned in the waters. Be careful to obey your conscience! God speaks thru it! “God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered? He removes the mountains, and they do not know when He overturns them in His anger” (Job 9:4, 5). “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (PV 29:1).

How to repair the conscience? Go to Jesus! It is His gift to you! Repent! Confess your sins to God and man. Conscience can be repaired and trained only by God’s Word. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22). “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:13, 14). Love helps you clear your conscience. Love rejoices with the truth! A good conscience is a soft pillow. It is a continuous heart feast. “having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed” (1Pet 3:16). Your conscience should have a loud voice to warn you! No sleeping tablet replaces a clean conscience.  Pray with David: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (Ps 51:1, 2).

Finally, let Martin Luther speak to us. This was Luther’s defense of his writings at the Diet of Worms in 1521. When accused of blasphemy against the Pope and King, he said: “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason-I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other-my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen!” Worship the Lord!

“Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” (2 Pet 2:22).

I was a sinner for 32 years, a confirmed unbeliever. I did not believe in God at all. I mocked those who did. On the 14th of March 1986, in Warri, Nigeria, I prayed my first prayer to God Almighty and in the name of Jesus. Almost a month later, I was gloriously saved and instantly filled with the Holy Spirit on the 12th of April 1986. The experience is as fresh in my spirit. Time does not have the power to make it less powerful than it was that happy day. The old Lia died. The new Lia became a totally new creation. I became the friend of the God I rejected for so long. Since then, during all these years of trials and temptations, even when I was weak and ignorant, I NEVER had a desire to go back to my unbelief vomit or my mocking mud. The new heart hated what I used to love before. The new heart started loving God’s Word. The new spirit in me had a life of its own. From my inward being I desired to love, to serve the God who saved my soul, and never go back to the world again. Left on my own, maybe I could have fallen, for no man, on his own, is stronger than the devil. But the new spirit in me will just not let me go back. God’s Grace sustained me in my walk with Jesus!

Often, I prayed, especially when I was a baby Christian: “Father in heaven, keep me tight to Your heart. If You see me going back to the world and try to take Your wonderful name in the shameful mud, please stop me before it is too late. Please, take me to heaven. It is better for me to die and go to You, than to disgrace Your name on earth. In Jesus’ name!” This prayer worked for me. Past vomits and muds are gone forever from my spiritual radar. It should be so with ever true child of God.

Lastly, if you are reading these words from the unholy ‘comfort’ of worldly mud, feeding on past foolishness vomited long ago, then stand up now! and run… run… run to Jesus… even if you are dirty and sick, no matter how… run to Jesus who alone has to key of life eternal!!! There is hope for any sinner or backslider who humbles himself and comes to the Lord! He will not cast you away! For there is no other hope! There is no other place to receive mercy and grace in time of need! Come to the Cross! Come to see that Jesus died to pay for your sins! You should be free indeed! God loves you! You can do it! Sinner, brother, sister, come home! I shall pray for you today! In Jesus’ name! Amen!

Love from Malia!

 This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached the first sermon in the series titled ‘The New Commandment – Love like Jesus’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of 1 Cor 13:1-13; Rom 13:8-10; Mark 12:28-34; John 13:31-35; 2 Cor 8:7-9.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Ten Commandments are ten laws that God Himself gave to the ancient nation of Israel thru His servant Moses. These Biblical principles apply to men’s relationship with God and with one another. If all people on earth keep at least one of these commandments, the world will be a better place. These Commandments were spoken directly by God at Mount Sinai and written by God’s finger on tablets of stone and given to Moses. This act makes them unique in the Bible. These Ten Laws are commands and not suggestions. They are personal, spoken to individuals.

BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS TO OBEY GOD’S LAW!

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Josh 1:7). It is only a Spirit filled believer that can obey God’s Law. The Holy Spirit supplies the power to obey God’s commands. But we have a part to play. God commands us to ‘be strong, courageous, and focused’. Spiritual weakness and confusion cause distraction and rebellion. In Hebrew, the words ‘be strong and courageous’ mean the following, be a man, be a good soldier, be a champion, establish your heart in the faith; be sure and confident; seize, bind, and conquer your enemy and increase your territory. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit, becoming strong in the strength of the Lord, leads to prosperity ‘wherever you go’. Spiritual and material prosperity is your portion, and it must manifest in any place in this world. You don’t need to travel ‘abroad’ to prosper. Bloom where you are planted. In Hebrew, the word ‘prosper’ means wisdom and understanding that leads to success in life. Therefore, if you obey God’s Word, you will become wise, a mentor, a leader of men, and God will prosper you anytime, anywhere. Selah!

WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY GOD’S LAW?

*The Ten commandments, also called The Law, are part of the Bible. It is the duty and privilege of a believer to study God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation. Many Christians only study the New Testament. They say that we are no longer under the Law. But that is not totally true. We are not under the Condemnation power of the Law, but we are under the Commanding power of the Law. As believers in Christ, we should not be lawbreakers, even if ignorantly. The Ten Commandments are eternal. These are not just for the Jews. These are God’s commands to all people everywhere to the end of time. Patiently and faithfully, you should study the Old Testament. You will discover the mystery that the Bible is indeed one. And then, you will be encouraged thru God’s Word. “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope“(Rom 15:4). The Word gives you true hope. Many Christians are too superficial and lazy. We should not be like that! To study God’s Word is a spiritual labor that has amazing benefits. Nothing replaces that!

*Obeying God’s Law is the only way to prove that you are born again because no unbeliever is able to obey God’s commandments. Obedience is achieved only by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is given only to the believers in Christ. It is not enough to say: ‘I am a child of God’. Prove it! A man may be religious but if he still lives in sin, breaking God’s commands, that one is a liar. A man cannot act like the devil and claim that he is a Christan. “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 Jn 3:4-9). Selah!

Like the branch of a tree, it is only a child of God that ‘abides’ in Christ. It is only in a child of God that you can find ‘God’s seed’. Because of this internal grace of life called ‘seed’, the believer not only does not desire to sin, but he ‘cannot sin’. He may occasionally fall into temptation and commit sin, but he cannot ‘abide’ in sin. Sin is not his natural habitat anymore. He abides in Christ, who is his salvation and life. The children of God hate sin. If they fall into sin, they still hate it and eventually they repent and come back to God. The children of God and the children of the devil are radically different, especially in the way they look at sin. Unbelievers have the seed of the devil inside them. They manifest especially by their love for sin, their neglect of the Bible and prayer, and hatred against the true believers. God’s children love to obey God’s Word! Selah!

*By obeying God’s Law, we honor and worship God. Jesus said: “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments” (Jn 14:15; AMP). Love manifests as obedience to the truth. This is the meaning of worshipping God ‘in spirit and in truth’ (Jn 4:23). You cannot claim that you worship God with all your heart when you walk in rebellion against His commands. Search your heart! Repent of disobedience if necessary!

*By obeying God’s Law, you defeat the devil in your life and establish your testimony as a believer. The devil is a murderer. He sinned from the beginning of sin. The devil is the first sinner in the universe. In the Garden of Eden, he deceived Eve to break God’s Law. Adam rebelled and joined in his wife’s deception. When Jesus died on the Cross, He destroyed the power of sin and death. He also destroyed the works of the devil. The devil is a liar, the accuser, and slanderer of God’s people. Jesus died to destroy these evil works. As Christians we should not indulge in the works our Master died to destroy. We should not lie, gossip, slander or give false witnesses against others. Jesus became Man and died for sinful men so that He can destroy death, the power of death upon the believers and their bondage of fear. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb 2:14-18). Christ became man to identify with sinful men and to die for their sins. God the Father accepted His Son’s sacrifice. To prove that He raised Him from the dead. By His death and resurrection, Jesus is now the Lord of all, the living, and the dead. But He is the High Priest only for the believers. He made ‘propitiation’ for the sins of His people. The word ‘propitiation’ means to calm down a god or a person who was angry with you. God hates sin. God was angry when Adam betrayed Him and rebelled against Him. Jesus died on the Cross on behalf of sinners, to honor God’s justice and holiness. Jesus died as an atonement that makes reconciliation between God and man possible.

“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Rom 14:9). As God the Son, Jesus has always been the Lord of the Living. By becoming Man, and by His death on the Cross, now Jesus became the Lord of the dead also. This is an extension of His authority. This was not possible, except Jesus became Man and that He died. Because of the Cross, no one can hide in hell and refuse to bow to Jesus. David knew about this revelation. He said: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Ps 139:7, 8).

The devil himself, as the chief murderer of the human race, is now under the feet of Jesus. If you believe that Jesus is merciful and that He died for your sins, then it is your duty to surrender your body to Him and worship Him. Paul says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:1, 2). By doing God’s will, you have destroyed the power of sin in your flesh and the power of the devil over you!

WHAT GOD’S LAW IS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO

God’s Law was not given to save man or to bring him into an intimate relationship with God. God did not send His Commandments to bring us into a relationship with Him. God already had a relationship with His people that started with Abraham. God’s people were people of covenant already. God, as the faithful Covenant Keeper, has promised them blessings and pledged to fulfill them. In the Ten Commandments God introduces Himself as their God. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” (Ex 20:2). As you can see, God is their Savior already. He is the One that brought them out of bondage. Therefore, the Law was not given to save them from sin. Later, Apostle Paul says: “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Gal 2:16, 17). Trying to go to heaven by obeying God’s Law is called legalism and that is sin! Selah!

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S LAW?

*The Law brings knowledge. As we study the Law, we now know who God is, what He likes and what He hates. We now know that God hates sin. It is God’s will that once we get saved, we receive the power to love and obey God’s Law. We become disciplined people and holy like God.

*The Law brings the fear of God, which is necessary for us to become wise, humble, and respectful of the God of the universe. When God came down on the mountain to give the Ten Commandments, His presence manifested with great noise, fire, and earthquake (Ex 20:18-21). The people were afraid and ran away. They told Moses to go and meet God by himself then come back to tell them the Law. Here, Moses is a symbol of Jesus Christ, who is the Mediator between God and man. Studying God’s Law does not save from sin, but it gives us the necessary respect for God so that we don’t become over-familiar with Him. There is safety in wisdom. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction” (PV 1:7). Selah!

*By the Law of God, we know what sin is and how ugly sin is. Sin is a terrible thing. Nothing less than the Blood of Jesus could atone for it. The Law of God must convict us of sin before we see our need for the Savior. We cannot appreciate the grace of God if we have not been convicted of sin, as lawbreakers. “They must be slain by the Law before they can be made alive by the Gospel” (C. Spurgeon). Because sin has weakened man’s will, no natural man can obey God’s Law. We are born sinners and lawbreakers. Jesus died to bring us out from the condemnation of the Law. Salvation is not by obeying the Law but by faith in the Gospel. “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:3, 4). Praise the Lord!

*The Law was given to restrain sin. Governments have the power to arrest and punish lawbreakers. The prison may not change their hearts, but they are restrained from committing more crimes “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Rom 13:4). Thank God!

*The Law leads us to Christ! This is the greatest work the Law does. The Law did not come with mercy or grace to help us obey it. The Law is a harsh Master, a disciplinarian Teacher or Tutor. It humbles us. It kills our pride and boasting. As we try to obey this Teacher, slowly, we are led to Christ, our Savior. “For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior]” (Rom 10:4; AMP). “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:19-25). “The Law leads to the Gospel and the Gospel leads us to Christ” (Charles Wesley).

God’s Law is like a mirror. It shows your stains but cannot wash them. It only makes you sad because you now know that you are unclean. As you pray for something to wash your face, God directs you to a basin filled with Blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins. The Blood of Jesus is the only ‘soap’ that can wash your stains and cleans your conscience. Glory to God! “Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” (E. A. Hoffman)

LAW AND GRACE

In the Bible, we discover the greatest separation: It is between Law and Grace. You see it clearly in the story of the adulterous woman who was to be killed according to the Law but was saved by Jesus, by His Grace (John 8:1-12). The Law says adultery is a sin. It also says that anyone who commits adultery should be killed (Ex 20:14; Lev 20:10). By God’s Law, the woman is to be stoned to death. This is what the Pharisees wanted to do. They are filled with religious pride, anger, and envy against Jesus. They came to test Jesus. Silently, Jesus writes something on the ground. Nobody knows what He writes. He is the Judge who takes His time. Nobody can proceed to do anything in His Court until He speaks. None speaks. None moves. His silence is His authority. The courtroom is quiet as a graveyard. His very presence stops all evil men from killing. Then He stands and says: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (Jn 8:7). The Pharisees wanted to trap Jesus. Now they are trapped by God’s Law. They are criminals at heart. They thought that they were the judges. Now, the true Judge and Lord of all men, both the living and dead, declares His judgment. The Word pierces them and paralyzes them. One by one, the older ones first dropped the stones, and went away. The devil, the accuser of the brethren, has lost this case. Jesus then commands the woman to stop sinning and go free. Grace does not condemn but Grace does not condone sin. It is a great sin to take Grace for granted!

Lesson: It is not enough to know the Law. To please God, you must obey it. But no natural man can obey God’s Law. Sin in the flesh has weakened the will. That is why you see doctors who know that alcohol leads to liver failure, they still drink it. You see lawyers taken to court for breaking the law. That is why financial gurus end up bankrupt, breaking the very laws of prosperity they teach others. You see pastors who preach against sin, and they are caught practicing the same sin. God’s Law is good, but it frustrates the sinner until he surrenders to Christ, who alone can save his soul. The Law says to the man who fell into the gutter: ‘you have fallen’. The Law has no hand to stretch to offer help. But the Gospel always goes inside the gutter to help the fallen man out of it. Grace is available only to the humble man who repents of his sins. Grace gives sinners the power to ‘go and sin no more’. Grace speaks because Blood was shed on the Cross. Praise the Lord!

The Book Pilgrim Proogress written by John Bunyan is the second-best seller after Bible in the whole world. In it you see a man called Christian who travels from the city of destruction to the heavenly Zion. There is a place where Christian goes to the house of the Interpreter. In that house there was a room full of dust. A man is trying to sweep the dust, but the room becomes worse. This dust is the original sin. The more you want to deal with it, the worse it becomes. The broom he uses to sweep is the Law. As he sweeps, the settled dust on the floor rises to fill the whole room. Lesson: you can’t kill sin with the Law. Then a lady comes to sprinkle water. The dust settles back to the floor. It is now wet with the sweet water of God’s grace. Now, the dirt of sin is easily swept away by the broom law. Praise the Lord!

“For [if we are] in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith activated and expressed and working through love” (Gal 5:6; AMP). Faith seeks to do God’s will, to obey His Word. Love tells faith what God’s will is. Love gives faith the fuel it needs to trust God for answers to prayers. Love gives faith the power to pray and receive the answers. Because Love never fails, faith will always win.    

KING GRACE BECAME POOR SO THAT LOVE WILL MAKES YOU RICH

This is God’s eternal Word: “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it” (PV 10:22). The word ‘rich’ means godly success and true prosperity.

“But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also. 8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:7-9).

Apostle Paul encourages the believers to give generously to God’s work and to help the needy. He does not command them. He encourages them. He tells them that they should be leaders and examples in spiritual things (faith, knowledge of the Bible, diligence, and love). They should also lead in the practical grace of giving to the needy. That generosity is a fruit of love. The Apostle says that it is right to compare our diligence and faithfulness to that of others. All true mature believers are generous with their resources. The greatest model of giving is God the Father and God the Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). “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). Love gives! Hatred is stingy! Selah!

See what Jesus had to ‘lose’ to give us salvation and many other blessings. Jesus came down from heaven. Earth was not His real home. Heaven is! The plan of salvation included humiliation. Jesus became a Man on earth. He had no house of His own. Jesus said: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Lk 9:58). Most of the time He borrowed from people. He borrowed food, clothing, a coin to give an illustration, a donkey to enter Jerusalem, and finally a tomb to be buried. He had friends who were rich, and they hosted Him sometimes. But He Himself had nothing at all. To save sinners like you and me, Jesus gave up everything. He was crucified naked. He voluntarily gave up His life and all that He had as a Man. He not only became a Man, He became a poor Man. He knows how it feels to lose it all. Why? For the glory of God, for a greater purpose than just having treasures on earth. We are commanded to be like Him. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:5-11).

DESTROYING THE STRONGHOLD OF POVERTY MENTALITY

The subject of material prosperity and poverty is something that interests everybody. This time I am speaking only to believers! As children of God, we must have the mind of Christ. We must view everything thru the eyes of Christ, as it is revealed in the Word of God. We must be careful; there is a danger concerning the doctrine of material prosperity. We must avoid and reject the worldly way of preaching prosperity. We must also avoid and reject the preaching of poverty as it is done in some cults. We do not love or hate money! We love God and hate the devil! The Holy Spirit shall lead us safely into the whole truth. “We need You, Holy Spirit!” 

There are more ‘poor people’ in this world than the ones called ‘wealthy’. But poverty is relative. A hut in your village may be a palace in my village. Let me be more practical… There is something called ‘poverty mentality’. It is a spiritual evil stronghold in your mind. If you are ignorant about it, it will stay there in you for a lifetime. It will affect your thinking in general and your ability to make money in particular. It may have been planted in your youth. It is the devil’s seed. As a child of God, you need to discover this evil plantation, uproot it, and destroy it. The Word of God has greater authority than any idea, imagination, or theory in your mind! This stronghold affects the rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate. It is a spiritual structure that forms a hindrance in your mind when you want to think about material prosperity in life.

These are some of the characteristics of poverty mentality type of stronghold in the mind:

*You think that money should be kept in ‘fix deposit’; you hate spending money; you feel bad and guilty after spending money.

*You think that the opportunities to make money are limited. You complain that there are no jobs or businesses in Nigeria.

*You think that taking the risk to start a business is too dangerous and that material success is temporary.

*You are afraid to be a leader. When it comes to finances you choose to follow than to lead others to a greater level of prosperity.

*You fear that you’ll never be able to save enough money to feel comfortable in life.

*You love receiving gifts and ‘free money’ from others.

*You daydream about being rich ‘one day’, like winning the lottery or that one day ‘you hammer’ (as we say in Nigeria).

*Your mind set concerning prosperity: you are a consumer and not a creator!

*You have an inferiority complex (feeling apologetic, anxious, or guilty) when it comes to your finances. You always says: “I no get money’.

*You see the world through the lenses of the poor people who hate the rich! You are silently jealous of others who have more money than you.

*You see wealth as a mysterious stranger who is mocking you from afar! For you, to stay poor, is easier than making money!

“A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest… then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber” (PV 6:10, 11). In the Bible, Poverty is described as an armed robber that attacks you in the night, when you sleep! Do you love sleep? Be careful! Sleep is a good servant but a bad, selfish master. Do not take sleeping pills! Too much sleep is a sign of sickness, depression or laziness and it will end in poverty. Do you fear armed men coming to attack you at night? The attack of poverty is worse than an EK47. Poverty is a spiritual bandit. It attacks when you sleep, when you relax too much, when you are not watchful and prayerful (ask Samson, he will tell you…). Once poverty pounces on you, it will chain your feet and your hands, blind your eyes, and confuse your mind. It will make you it’s prisoner, it’s servant. It will carry you to its smelly dungeon and steal all your dreams. It will kill the wonder of worship. It will destroy the romance of marriage. You will not be able to move on in life, to make any progress. Your hands will be too weak to do any work. You become easily tired, bored, or restless. You will be blind to opportunities to invest and make money. You become foolish, fearful, and confused when it comes to financial decisions. May God forbid! I pray for you…

Just before the Cross, He remembers the time when He was ‘rich’ in heaven. All glory was His! He owned everything! We can see with the eyes of the Spirit. Jesus is God. He was God in heaven. All angels worshipped Him. He was the richest Person in the universe. He reminds God the Father about the glory He had before He came down to earth. He said: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn 17:5). This prayer from Son to Father is a great mystery.

Question: Why did Jesus give up all things? Answer: to make us rich! Have you considered how rich you are? “Count your blessings, name them one by one. It will surprise you what the Lord has done!” Let us count some of the glorious riches you have in Christ Jesus: eternal salvation, peace of mind, joy in your soul, divine health, the privilege of prayer, the power to live a godly life, forgiveness of sins, the opportunity to belong to a local church and serve God there, no more doubts, fears, and bondages; freedom to fulfill destiny; blessings to your family and business, and so many others. How rich has Jesus made us! We have a treasure in heaven that no thief can touch. On earth, we are blessed to be His servants. This poverty mentality is a curse from the devil. But having all these blessings, reminds us to be responsible before God and man. We must love God! We must be generous and willing to bless others. May the grace of giving be our portion! God will reward us! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘The Ten Commandments’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book Exodus 20:1-17; 2 Kings 5:15-27; Luke 12:13-34.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – INTRODUCTION

The Ten Commandments are ten laws that God Himself gave to the ancient nation of Israel thru His servant Moses. These Biblical principles apply to men’s relationship with God and with one another. If all people on earth keep at least one of these commandments, the world will be a better place. These Commandments were spoken directly by God at Mount Sinai and written by God’s finger on tablets of stone and given to Moses. This act makes them unique in the Bible. These Ten Laws are commands and not suggestions. They are personal, spoken to individuals.

GOD’S WORD 

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the Sower and bread to the Eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Is 55:10, 11). God’s Word proceeds from God’s mouth. It goes to the earth like a messenger sent by God. The word ‘void’ means useless, without result, or empty handed. The word ‘prosper’ means to push forward against all hindrance, to be mighty and successful. Even if the preacher is weak as a child, God’s Word in his mouth will never be ‘void’ of power. It will always defeat all opposition and become successful to the glory of God! Let us give thanks to God for the Bible!

THE 10^TH COMMANDMENT – YOU SHALL NOT COVET!

“You shall not covet [that is, selfishly desire and attempt to acquire] your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Ex 20:17; AMP). The 10^th Commandment radically forbids every form of covetousness. Covetousness is a very serious sin. It alters the whole personality. “Whoever commits adultery with a woman … destroys his own soul” (PV 6:32). Covetousness is the strong, restless, eager, and excessive desire for wealth. It is extreme greed, a never satisfied lust after material possessions, especially something that belongs to someone else. It is a combination of lust, envy, and greed. Envy is the wicked painful feeling when you wish to have what another person has, and even destroy that person in the process. Greed is a strong selfish desire to have material wealth and power. Both envy and greed are works of the flesh. In the Bible, covetousness is another word for loving the world or loving Mammon. Covetousness is idolatry and makes God angry (Col 3:5) and it is a ticket to hell (1 Cor 6:19). For a believer to be covetous it means that he is backsliding (1 Tim 6:9, 10). A covetous man cannot worship God at the same time. The reason why God gave so many commands for us to take care of the poor and needy is so that we defeat greed by doing good deeds.

The Tenth Commandment is different than the rest because covetousness is hidden in the heart. Covetousness is similar to greed. But there is a difference. Greed desires material possessions. Covetousness also desires material possessions but the ones who belong to another person. Covetousness is connected to sexual lust. A covetous does not lust only after a woman, but he lusts after somebody’s wife. For example, when a man buys a new car, or builds a house, the covetous man cannot be happy for him. He imagines himself driving that very car and living in that particular house. When a man gets married, he can’t be happy for him. Even during the wedding day, he starts to imagine marrying his bride. Covetousness is connected to lust, idolatry, pride, envy, hypocrisy, stealing, adultery, and even murder.  Covetousness is an insult to the All-Sufficient God and His grace given to men. It is an insult to Jehovah Jireh, God, our Provider. A covetous man says in his heart: ‘God does not take care of me. I have to take care of myself.’ A covetous man is bitter and ungrateful. He destroys himself and many others around him.

The opposite of covetousness is contentment. Paul has learned the art of contentment. He was not born with it. He has already learned and mastered it. Apostle Paul does not say that he has no needs. What he says is that by the power of the Holy Spirit he has learned to trust the All-sufficient God until in his spirit, he is satisfied. “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: And a good man shall be satisfied from himself” (PV 14:14; KJ).  God’s grace is sufficient for a believer. Jesus said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor 12:9). A covetous man is not satisfied with God’s grace alone. Ask yourself, is God’s grace (unmerited favor) enough for you?

Covetousness is called “the mother of sin and the greatest of monsters”, because envy and greed first arise in the heart before they find expression in outward deeds.  Covetousness may not appear as bad as adultery or murder, but in fact it is one of the worst sins because it is a very fruitful root. It produces many other sins. Breaking the Tenth Commandment means breaking them all. The Ten Commandment is the final test of obedience. Covetousness happens when you are ready to pay any price to have something, even when you know that it is against God’s will. We covet when we set our hearts upon something which belongs to another and wish we had it instead of them. It is a common sin among Christians. The reason is because they foolishly compare one with another concerning mode of dressings, cars they drive and other achievements. Comparing with one another leads to competition and covetousness. It is the dangerous road of fools. “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Cor 10:12). Most of the time this covetousness is the effect of preaching the so called ‘prosperity gospel’. Under its influence, the people use their faith to pray mostly for material things and not for spiritual gains. Going to church only to hear about how to make money and having no desire for heaven, is a snare to many souls. These people have ‘itching ears.’ They love to hear prophecies about material wealth and have no interest in the true Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. This is a spiritual Law: as the leader is, so are his followers. As the pastor is, so is his congregation. Ask yourself? Why do you read the Bible? Why do you pray? What do you want to hear when you go to church? Empty religion is a hindrance to true spirituality. The Love of money has wrecked the lives of many believers and made many churches become dens of robbers. May God have mercy! 

The world is the system where human beings live like God does not exist. The devil is the ruler of this world (Jn 14:30). All men are born sinners and they are slaves of sin, under their master, the devil. The world is a great idol. We are born to love the world and to worship its prince. God commands us to stop loving the world and start loving Him. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 Jn 2:15, 16). Religion is a cover up for sin, especially for covetousness. Sin dwells in the heart before it manifests as deeds. A covetous man is a worldly man. He only thinks and boasts of the things of this world (his successful business, his achievements …). He does not think or speak about spiritual things. Heaven is too far for him. He does not make plans to go there. He assumes that just by doing some good deeds, he will arrive in heaven. The people around the fire in the courtyard accused Peter of being a disciple of Jesus. They said: “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you” (Matt 26:73). In the same way, man is betrayed by his speech. A covetous man may hide his greed thru religion, but eventually, he is betrayed by his speech. Covetousness is dangerous. It is a moral sin polluting the whole soul. Men think that just because they provide good things for their families, they are free from this sin. Covetousness chokes the God’s Word in the heart. “The ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (Lk 8:14). A covetous man does not grow spiritually. This is a great test, but it takes time to prove it.

Covetousness breaks all the Ten Commandments. The covetous man has many gods. He is always filled with anxiety about his wealth and his future. He dreams big, to fly high, but his wings do not carry him above the earth.  Covetousness is like the captain of a boat who for the sake of money, he takes too many passengers and his boat sinks in the middle of the sea. His only hope is his money and that hope always disappoints.

GEHAZI’S COVETOUSNESS (2 Kings 5:19-27)

In the bible, we see many instances of people coveting. They all ended badly. For example, The false prophet Balaam coveted the money promised by Balak and was ready to curse God’s people. He died an untimely death (Jude 1:11). King Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard and killed him (1 Kings 21:1-16). According to the prophesy, Ahab, and his wife Jezebel both died violent, disgraceful deaths. David coveted Bathsheba and also ended up committing murder (2 Samuel 11). His family suffered after that. Achan coveted the fine things of Jericho and ended up stealing them. He and his family were killed for that sin (Joshua 7). God judges and punishes covetousness. “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (PV 13:11). Anaias and Saphira both lied and coveted leadership positions. They were stroked dead by God (Acts 5:1-11).

Naaman was a famous rich general in the Syrian army. But he was leprous. At that time leprosy was incurable. Prophet Elisha healed him miraculously. When Naaman wanted to pay him, Elisha refused. He wanted Naaman to know that Jehovah God healed him. The glory must go to God alone. Lesson: here you see a true servant of God. He does not do ministry for personal gain of fame. As Naaman departed in peace, Elisha’s servant Gehazi, who was also an apprentice in training, ran after him. He lied that his master sent him to take the gift he had previously refused. Naaman gives him money and expensive clothes. Gehazi comes back pretending that he has not gone out. But Elisha has seen in the Spirit realm. He gives his verdict. Because he has taken the gift from Naaman, his leprosy will cling to him and to his family. The curse took immediate effect. Gehazi’s punishment was deserved. He not only lied, but he despised God’s omnipresence, His Word, His holiness, and God’s position as the Judge of all men. He also damaged the testimony of Elisha as a servant of Jehovah. All the Syrians will hear about the miracle and the payment given to the prophet. A fool is someone who loses more than he gains. Gehazi was a fool. What gain is to him to have money, and vineyards, and sheep and oxen when he is a leprous man! He gained money but he lost his health, his family’s health, his reputation, his position as a servant to a great man of God, and possibly, he lost his soul. From that time on, as a leprous, with his family, he had to leave all his friends and live outside the town as an outcast. Naaman lost his sickness and Gehazi picked it. He experienced a reverse miracle. He discovered too late that he can deceive Naaman, but he cannot deceive God or His prophet. Beware of hypocrisy and covetousness! This curse can bring spiritual leprosy to your soul! Oh, you foolish Gehazi! It is better to have a simple coat on a healthy body and a clean conscience! “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim 6:9, 10). Lying, covetousness, and stealing are serious sins. The devil is always behind them. God always punishes these sins with visible judgment. Selah!

THE RICH YOUNG RULER (Matt 19:16-30)

A rich young ruler met Jesus. Possibly, he was a member of the Sanhedrin. We are not told that he made his money through fraudulent means. Maybe he was born into a rich Jewish family. He seems humble. He knelt before Jesus as a sign of respect. He recognized that Jesus is a Man of God. He called Him ‘Good Teacher’. Jesus gently rebuked him saying that only God is good. This is because the man did not see Jesus as God, only as a good teacher. He wanted to serve God and go to heaven. He was a good citizen and a religious man since his youth. But he believed in a wrong doctrine, that salvation is by works. He did not understand that salvation is only by Grace and thru Faith in Christ. His question was: “what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ He is concerned with ‘doing’. Interestingly, Jesus tells him to ‘keep the Ten Commandments’. Why did Jesus tell him that? It is because the man is still a proud boastful sinner. Jesus tells him to obey the commands that concern the relationship between people. Jesus replaces The Tenth Commandment that forbids covetousness with the fulfilment of it saying, ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself’. This command can only be obeyed by a true believer in Christ who is Spirit filled. The man says that he has kept these commands. He is deceived and he does not even know it. To prove that this man is lying, Jesus tells him: ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow Me’. Hearing this, the man goes away sorrowful because he could not give up his great wealth. He chose his money instead of Jesus, proving that with all his religious deeds, in his heart, he does not love Jesus. He is not saved. He failed the Tenth Commandment. Therefore, he failed them all. Jesus uses this encounter as a lesson for His disciples. He tells them that it is hard (not impossible) for a rich man to be saved. It is easier for a poor man to have faith in Jesus. The disciples were astonished. What is the lesson? Conviction of sin, godly sorrow that leads to salvation, and faith in the Gospel, is the unique work of the Holy Spirit. No man can save himself and no man can save another man. Material wealth and good deeds cannot save. They may even be a hindrance to the faith necessary for salvation. God’s Law convicts us as lawbreakers. We must make a choice. We cannot serve two masters, God, and mammon. Face to face with Jesus, this young successful man, went back to serve Mammon. The covetousness in his heart was stronger than his desire to go to heaven. See how strong sin is in the human heart. Only Christ can break that stronghold. Peter wanted to know what his gain will be for him leaving his family and business to follow Jesus. Jeus tells him that salvation is by grace and thru faith. Then there is reward for all who have sacrificed pleasures on earth for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel. There is a treasure in heaven for them. God does the accounting. Not only that there is compensation for losses, but a multiplication of reward manifested on earth. Lesson: nobody has followed Jesus and regrated it. Following Jesus and doing God’s work, can only lead to true joy, prosperity, and fulfillment in life. To God be all the glory!

THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL (Lk 12:13-21)

A man came to Jesus asking Him to be the judge between himself and another. Jesus refused the request because it was out of the sphere of His purpose. But this man’s request gave Him an opportunity to warn His disciples about the sin of Covetousness. He then shared with them the parable of the rich fool. There was this wealthy farmer. His land was fruitful. With each harvest he became richer. He decided to destroy his barns and build bigger ones, to store the bigger harvest. His plan was to be so rich that he will have no need to work in the future. He will only rest, eat, drink and be merry. To him, work was a burden. For him, enjoying his wealth and resting is the perfect happy life. But that night God takes his soul. He leaves behind all his wealth. This man is rich for himself and poor towards God. Why did Jesus call this man a fool?

The man is a fool because he only thinks about himself and his riches. He never thinks about God who gave him the power to make wealth. He forgot God! “You shall remember [with profound respect] the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:18; AMP). This man is a wicked fool because he did not see God as the source of his life and wealth. He did not seek God. He did not care about God. “The fool has said in his heart: There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one” (Ps 14:1-3). The man is a fool because he trusted his wealth to be happy. He made wealth his god. But material wealth cannot save your soul and cannot give you peace and joy. This man is a fool because he did not know the purpose of his wealth. He did not know that money is to be used to promote God’s Kingdom and help the needy. The man is a fool because he is too selfish. He wants to enjoy his wealth alone. Read his words: there are 6 I, 5 my, and 4 I will. He even calls his soul ‘my soul’. He did not know that God is the owner of his soul. God says: “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). At the point of death, this foolish man could keep his soul inside his body. He was boasting about things he cannot control. This man is a fool because he was sure about his future when he is not the owner of the future. We are commanded not to boast about tomorrow. “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:13-17). This man is a fool because he ignored God’s grace as the only way for salvation. The worse mistake he made is that he ignored God for the needs of his soul. He did not think that he may go to hell. He did not make plans to go to heaven. At last, his riches were left behind. They could not help him. What a fool! Selah!

The resurrected Christ warned the believers in the church of Laodicea to repent from trusting their wealth. “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent” (Rev 3:14-19). Selah!

COVETOUSNESS IS A GREAT SIN IN A PASTOR 

Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that he never preached the Gospel from impure motives. “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (1 Thess 2:1-7). God’s servant must preach the true Gospel, free of greed, deceit, or manipulation. The preaching must be done to please God who sent him. He must be faithful to God. He must not be intimidated by his congregation. He must not flatter people to gain their favor and must not work to please men. He must not soften the Gospel. He must preach God’s Word as it is in the Bible, without fear of favor to men. Why? Because God tests the hearts. God tests the motives for ministry, and rewards according to the work done. Men may testify that their pastor does not use flattery. But no man can see inside his heart if there is wicked greed or not. God rewards purity of heart with higher anointing in ministry. No pastor should preach hidden under ‘a cloak of covetousness’. This cloak means an excuse, a pretext, something to hide the real motives of the heart. When a pastor tells the people that he loves them, but at the same time he manipulates them to give him money, that is a coverup, a cloak of covetousness. God sees and God judges! Selah!

BEWARE OF THE FALSE DOCTRINES AND HYPOCRISY OF GREEDY RELIGIOUS RULERS

“Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt 16:5-12). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation… Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt 23:14; 25-28). ‘Extortion’ means to obtain money by threats or force. “Jesus began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known” (Lk 12:1-2). “No servant 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.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Lk13:10-15)

Our Lord warned us about ‘the leaven’ of religious rulers. This leaven is called hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is false, deceptive behavior. A hypocrite is an actor. He pretends to be a good Christian, but he is greedy and wicked in his heart. He is a handsome thief. She is a beautiful criminal. These religious rulers do not do what they preach. Our Lord’s greatest condemnation was to these religious rulers. As you see, they use religion to steal money from people. Therefore, hypocrisy is a sign of covetousness. It also manifests as preaching false doctrines. A Pharisee loves money in his heart, but he hides that. He wants men to think that he is a generous person who cares for the poor. He is a hypocrite. These people serve Mammon in their hearts but pretend to serve God in the church. These false brethren are not easy to detect. When Jesus confronted them with their hypocrisy, they ‘derided’ Him. To deride it means to mock, to speak with proud contempt. Bullies do that. Politicians often deride one another. Jesus calls this proud religious spirit ‘a leaven’. He commanded His disciples to beware of it. The warning is to reject every form of religious pride, greed, covetousness, and hypocrisy. Like leaven rises the dough, so this demon makes even the believers proud and destroys their testimonies. To stay humble and prayerful under slander or mocking is a great achievement. It is done only by the power of the Holy Spirit.

THE LEAVEN HINDERS THE RACE (Galatians 5:7-18).

The flesh is the part of man that is not under the influence of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit does not help the flesh, but fights its selfish desires. The flesh tries in vain to obey God’s Law. The Law was not given to save man. It was given to prove that man is a sinner, cannot obey God’s Law and cannot please Him. Once the Holy Spirit fills a believer and takes control in leading him, the flesh becomes weaker and weaker. That is when man can obey God’s Law, not only outwardly, but in his heart. This holy process is called sanctification. Being filled and led by the Holy Spirit is the only way to kill all religious hypocrisy. If you are daily led by the Spirit, you are not under the condemnation of the Law. The work of the Law is to convict of sin and to lead the man to Christ. It is only in Christ, that we become free and strong to obey God’s Law.

The leaven is the religious spiritual pride. It attacks the believer who runs the race by obeying the truth as he carries his cross daily. The leaven comes telling him to use the liberty of Christ to satisfy the desires of the flesh. If he is not careful, he backslides, becoming a religious hypocrite. He looks down on the faithful believers. He still goes to church and worships God, but not with all his heart. He becomes a hindrance to other Christians. He is now a greedy and proud believer. He pleases himself and other men. He does not please God. He gossips and slanders others. He starts quarrels and divides the church. He needs to repent of his sins and come back to the Cross. By the Power of the Spirit, he must kill the desires of the flesh, especially pride, greed, and hypocrisy. These are like weeds that quench the Word of God. Once the weeds are gathered and burnt with fire, the Word in his heart can grow. Love for God and love for man will again bloom like flowers in the springtime. Praise the Lord!

COVETOUSNESS IS IDOLATRY

Covetousness and gossip are some of the most common sins even among the Christians. These days, there is a higher pressure for people to covet things. Technology is improving faster. Every year, there are new phones, cars, and computers. People become jealous of others for having them. The devil deceived Eve. Her sin was a combination of covetousness and desiring the have other gods before God. “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them” (Col 3:1-7). Covetousness is idolatry because the greedy man loves money more than God. Covetousness is deceptive. Like pride, it creeps slowly into your heart, and you may be ignorant of it. Lucifer coveted God’s throne and His position. Why is covetousness so terrible? You become ungrateful for the things you have. Secondly, you will never be happy and never satisfied. That is torment. Ask yourself ‘when is enough, enough?’

THE EVIL SPIRIT OF GAMBLING

Gambling is defined as playing a game for money or for property. It means to bet, to take a chance, to expose yourself to danger and proceed in the face of it. Simply put, you risk money to win more money. Gambling is a major international commercial activity, with the legal gambling market totaling an estimated $335 billion in 2009. Gambling is a form of covetousness and a manifestation of the love of money. To be rich quickly without doing any labor is the dream of all sinners. That is the foundation of gambling. The attraction of gambling is entertainment and the love of money. The victims are people who are lazy, covetous, foolish, and ambitious at the same time, a deadly combination. Gambling is the fastest growing addiction in the world. 1/7 teenagers and 1/10 adults that gamble end up as addicted to it. Gambling wrecks homes and marriages. Research done says that poor people spend 13% of their small income on lottery. The rich people spend less than 1% of their income for the same lottery. The poor neighborhoods have the highest number of locations for gambling and lottery. These are sold in poor grocery stores to attract the people who buy food. Many times, a poor man has gone home to his family without food and just with a lottery slip that promises millions. The casinos machines are built in such a way that 80-90% of the winning numbers go to the patron. The chance of winning there is minimal but the attraction of making money without work is very high. Even the few that win, statistics say that they will lose all their money in maximum two years, and they are back to gamble again, ready to sell even their soul to Satan.

Gambling, betting, or lottery are not forbidden in the Bible. But the Bible warns against the love of money. Gambling gives hope to people that by playing a game, they will get rich without working. Gambling in moderation may not be a sin, but it is a waste of money. It is in the same category as going to eat at a very expensive restaurant, buying ‘designer’ dresses or shoes, or buying things you don’t need. In the Bible, God prescribed the casting of lots for some activities like the choosing of the scapegoat or choosing the portions of land for each tribe in the Promised Land. The Apostles cast lots to decide who will replace Judas. But none of these examples applies to casting lots to make money. Why gambling is wicked? When you gamble, you win at the expense of others, who lose money. Gambling encourages laziness, selfishness, and greed. Most gamblers live in anxiety, depression and many commit suicide. The greedy men trouble their families. “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live” (PV 15:27). In reality, gambling is an evil spirit that steals, kills, and destroys.

Gambling violates God’s law because of the following:

1-The foundation and the attraction of it is love of money, which is evil. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecc 5:10)

2-Gambling encourages laziness. We should work and be good stewards of the income we make. We tithe to God and use the remaining to take care of the family. Any surplus we save is for emergencies in the future. “Lazy hands make a man poor but diligent hands bring wealth” (PV 10:4)

3-Gambling may be entertaining but it is addictive. All addictions are sins. “A man is a slave to whatever has mastered him” (2Pet 2:19)

4-Gambling gives false hopes. “When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power come to nothing” (PV 11:7)

5-Gambling does not give glory to God but to the idol of ‘luck or fortune’. There are things in this world that may not be bad in themselves, but they are not beneficial to the kingdom of God and to our testimony as believers. “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor 6:12).

6-Man was created in the image of God. Gambling spoils that image. It makes a man to be a fool. “Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is gone, they will desert him and in the end he proves to be a fool” (Jer 17:11). Gambling is the backslider’s god and the fantasy of the rebellious.

Gambling in Nigeria is common, especially online sports betting. Nigeria is now home to more than 40 sports betting sites, indicating that about 60 million Nigerians actively participate in sports betting. That’s close to a third of Nigeria’s population. Next to South Africa, Nigeria is the second largest online gambling country in Africa. I read that the biggest betting online site in Nigeria is Bet9ja. Its net Worth 2023 is estimated at $1 billion. We pray for revival in Nigeria! God have mercy!

THE CURE FOR COVETOUSNESS

Covetousness is a secret sin of the heart. These are some signs that you are covetous and are under the influence of Mammon: You are always worried about your finances; you are always broke; you buy things on impulse; you are greedy; you are always in debt. These are all negative emotions. The cure for covetousness is genuine repentance. The believer needs faith in Christ crucified and resurrected. He then needs to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The result is Contentment in life. Another way to destroy covetousness is by desiring spiritual things more, by loving God’s Word. Pray for a spiritual mind. Contentment is the opposite of Covetousness. It is defined as quiet happiness and satisfaction in life. It is not an exciting type of happiness. It is a deep stable peaceful joy that is not disturbed by circumstances. You are happy with God and the life He has given to you at the present. Money cannot buy contentment and peace. That is the gift of God. Money is good to buy the basic things of life: food, a roof over your head, paying for education and medical bills. But once you have enough money to pay for these basic needs, money loses the power to make you happy. For a man who has these basic needs supplied, he has to learn how to spend his money to become happier. Greed is a massive hindrance against happiness. Money is meant to be spent not just to be gathered. Giving money to God’s work and helping the needy will produce a new type of happiness that the poor man has never known. This is contentment, fulfillment, and true success in life. He now spends money to gather eternal treasures in heaven. This is true happiness. It is also wisdom. “remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Ac 20:35). There are many stories of wealthy men who died, and their children foolishly squandered their wealth. They were not wise with their money. This is the truth: the earthly riches will leave us, or we will leave them. Do not be like the rich fool. Think more of heaven than of earth. Be content! Be grateful for your life as it is now, even as you pray for your dreams to come true in the future. May God help us! May we fulfill destiny! Worship the Lord!

(This note and picture is from our daughter Jemine Leigh Oakes)

Many years ago, I had the amazing opportunity to sit with one of my voices of influence at a coffee shop. I had watched her for years, an incredibly successful worship leader, the writer of some of the most renowned worship songs, and here she was, sitting across from me. I wouldn’t let any word she spoke fall to the ground.

She poured life into my heart. To this day I’m so grateful for that moment, but something she said has stayed at the forefront of my life as a worship leader… she said “Jemine, remain faithful, just simply continue to be faithful.”

Recently these words were heavy on my heart and I knew a song was forming in my spirit. I typically stew over words and scripture for each song I write, but this time, the words just poured out.

.2 Timothy 2:13 says “if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

My prayer today is that God will always finds us faithful. Whatever you’re doing, on the top of the mountain, or the depths of the valley, in trial, or triumph, let him find you faithful, doing all you do as unto him.

Jesus, find me faithful!

I found this simple and beautiful prayer in the notes of my dear husband, Pastor Richmond Sisan Leigh. This should be about 2010. He was studying ‘heaven’ in the Bible. He was always fascinated with heaven and worship. There is no doubt in my mind that he was saved and that he had the assurance of salvation. He is now in heaven! His faith has finally become sight. I imagine him over there, happy, dressed in white, walking on the streets of gold and ‘gisting’ with Apostle Paul. I also imagine him near the throne of God, worshipping Him forever! This living hope in my heart is now my daily strength! Glory to God!

“Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for giving me the revelation of heaven, my eternal home. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I know that one day I will see You face to face in heaven. I see in the Bible that there are beautiful things over there. But most of all, I want to go there to be with You and to worship You forever. I pray that You increase my hope and my faith in You. Thank You for writing my name in Your Book of Life! I give You praise forever! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!”

My name is Silvia Lia Leigh. I was born in Romania almost 70 years ago. At that time Romania was a communist country. Religion was forbidden. We were thought in school that God does not exist; that religion is for the poor illiterate people. I believed that! I grew up in a loving family of four. My parents were teachers in the school which I attended with my younger sister; Adica. My father was also the principal of the school. My parents thought us by example to be kind, respectful, humble and hard working. We did not believe in God, and we did not attend church.
In 1973 I got admission into the Medical School in Timisoara. In my first year I met my husband Richmond, a Nigerian. We were classmates. We fell in love and against all odds we got married. After graduation, in 1980, we moved to Nigeria. We became very successful as medical practitioners. We started a private hospital in Warri Nigeria called “Lily Clinic”. We were very happy. We had three children. We had money and fame. What else could one possibly want? Nothing! Or so I thought…
In 1986 I had a crisis conversion. I met the Lord Jesus Christ. This was purely the grace of God in action because we did not attend any church. This is how it happened…. Before coming to Nigeria I have not seen a Bible. In January of the same year, I became very depressed. I saw nothing good in all my achievements. I even lost my desire to live. This was very strange because I was always an optimistic person. The mysterious depression started after ‘accidentally’ I read a scripture on a pamphlet: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). I did not know who Jeremiah was. The scripture was not explained. But after I read it once, I just could not forget it. It seems like the words got stamped in my mind. I tried to forget it but I could not. After reading it I started thinking of God. I fought the thought, but I failed. It was like He was calling me. I panicked… I have never prayed in my life. Can I start now? A voice said: ‘It is too late for you. Don’t pray!’ Another voice said the opposite: ‘It is never too late to pray. God loves you!’ These voices made me crazy. What voice I am supposed to believe?
Finally, I made my choice. For the very first time in my life, I prayed. It was 14th of March 1986. I said: “God, if You exist, then come down from heaven and change my heart. Make me Your friend! I am tired of doubting You. I am tired of fighting you. But please God, I can’t wait forever for the answer to this prayer. I give You ‘a month’s notice’ to come down from heaven and change my heart. If You come, I promise to be Your friend forever. But if You chose not to come, then let me die in peace. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!” I did not know the meaning of the name ‘Jesus’ but I heard people pray like that, so I guessed it was the appropriate end to a prayer. Immediately I knew that something ‘good’ had happened to me. Not certain of what, I felt a sense of destiny coming down enveloping my soul.
On the 12th of April, 28 days after this ‘a month’s notice’ prayer, the Holy Spirit came and filled my hungry heart. Like an invisible blood transfusion, I felt LIFE entering my veins. I was alone in the sitting room when this event happened. It was much later that I knew it was called ‘the baptism of the Holy Spirit’. I became a child of God, never to be the same again. I started reading the Bible like a mad woman. This hunger for the Word for God and for prayer continues without interruptions until now. After some time, my husband became saved also. We sold our private clinic and together, we are now in full time ministry. We are the founders and the senior pastors of Father’s House Bible Church in Warri, Nigeria. To God alone be all the glory!
May this testimony ignite in you the desire to be truly saved or to experience revival! In Jesus’ name, amen!
Pastor (Mrs.) Silvia Lia Leigh.

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘The Ten Commandments’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book Exodus 20:1-17; John 8:31-59; Luke 23:36-43

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – INTRODUCTION

The Ten Commandments are ten laws that God Himself gave to the ancient nation of Israel thru His servant Moses. These Biblical principles apply to men’s relationship with God and with one another. If all people on earth keep at least one of these commandments, the world will be a better place. These Commandments were spoken directly by God at Mount Sinai and written by God’s finger on tablets of stone and given to Moses. This act makes them unique in the Bible. These Ten Laws are commands and not suggestions. They are personal, spoken to individuals.

GOD’S WORD RUNS FAST TO THE EARTH AND DOES GOD’S WILL

“He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow” (Ps 147:15-18). God Himself sends His Commands to people on earth. His Word runs like a champion, fast and focused. There is no difficulty or delay for the Word going from heaven to earth. Nothing can stop or slow down the Word. “As the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Lk 17:24, 25). Because Jesus suffered rejection on earth, and died for sinners on the Cross, God’s Word is now triumphant and fast like lightning. If a man rejects God’s Word, his heart become frozen, and he becomes like an ice statue. But the same Word, like the sun during the springtime of grace, melts the icy heart and the tears of repentance ‘flow’ like the waters. God’s Word kills and makes alive! Selah!

THE 9^TH COMMANDMENT – YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR! YOU SHALL NOT LIE!

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor… You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (or any person)” (Ex 20:16; NKJ; AMP). The 9th Commandment concerns our speech. It is the chief sin of the tongue. It forbids men to speak wicked lies against another to damage his reputation, in order to reduce people’s respect for him. Satan is the principal instigator of it. He deceived Eve through the first lie that was spoken on earth (Gen 3:4). To bear false witness against someone is also called Calumny, Slander, or ‘character assassination’. It is a wicked verbal attack, meant to destroy reputations or friendships. Slander is called ‘Grudges fortified’ or ‘The Devil’s masterpiece.’ “A perverse person spreads strife, And a slanderer separates close friends” (PV 16:28; NASB). A perverse man is someone who distorts the truth. Strife means quarrels. The 9th commandment forbids us from committing any act that might bring undeserved suffering to another person. The focus is on our speech, but not exclusively. Words and deeds that unjustly destroy others’ reputations, harm them in court, or promote evil are prohibited. Another way to break this commandment by teaching false doctrines that damage God’s character and by not honoring the truth. Gossip is also forbidden by this commandment. The words of gossip are ‘sweet’ poison. They stay in the heart and are not easily forgotten. They do great damage. “The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon]” (PV 18:8; AMP). The fleshly tongue is connected with hell fire. It is only by the Holy Spirit that the tongue can be controlled and used for good. “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell” (Jam 3:5, 6). Connecting our hearts and tongues with heaven is our prayer! This is God’s command: “But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth” (Col 3:8; AMP). Confess this: “I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law” (Ps 119:163).

Slander is lying and a direct insult to God who is Truth. Jesus said: “I am the Truth” (Jn 14:6). “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Nu 23:19). “God, who cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). God wants His people to love truth. We are commanded to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15). To falsely accuse someone or quote them out of context with the intent to do them harm is wicked. The liar wants to deceive others to believe in his lies. Some political candidates use this tactic against opponents hoping that voters will be tricked into thinking that the accusations are true. This is how politicians deceive and steal followers. Written words used to harm a person’s reputation are called ‘libel’, and spoken words used to harm a person’s reputation are called ‘slander.’ False witnessing is done in public (in a court of justice) or in private (gossiping). Slander is a social sin or a criminal offence. It often leads to court cases. In most countries the Constitution protects the character of man and punishes the slanderer. The Law also tries to balance this with the freedom of speech. Just having a different opinion is not regarded as slander. A vulgar insult spoken in anger is wicked but not considered slander. Slander is always done through wickedness and a desire to destroy another person’s reputation and good name. For example, these are some serious accusations considered as slander: accusing someone to be an armed robber or a witch; accusing a person to be sick with an incurable (mental) disease, accusing someone to be an adulterer, or accusing an athlete that he is taking drugs to win the race. These accusations damage the person’s character and social status. Public persons are more likely to be slandered. A word spoken is not considered slander if: the word proves to be true, the word was only an opinion and not spoken with malice, the victim was not harmed by it or the victim agrees with the word. Generally, it is hard for lawyers to win a case against those who slander.

Slander against God is called blasphemy. It is the act of insulting, cursing, or showing lack of reverence for God. The Third Commandment forbids blasphemy: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Ex 20:7). This is God’s Law in the Old Testament: “Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. And 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 24:15. 16). Our Lord said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an eternal sin. “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness but is subject to eternal condemnation”— because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mk 3:28-30). “No sin is greater or provokes God’s wrath more than the blaspheming of His Name” (Heidelberg Catechism). Blasphemy remained a criminal offence in England until 2008. In the past, promoting atheism in England could be a crime and was vigorously prosecuted. Presently, almost all countries have removed the laws against blasphemy. In the Muslim countries, blasphemy is still punished with flogging and even with a death sentence.  

GOD HATES PRIDE, LIES, WICKEDNESS, SLANDER AND DIVISION!

“These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (PV 6:16-19). Liars are wicked fools. “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool” (PV 10:18). Those who lie and flatter hate their victims. “A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin” (PV 26:28).

God forbids taking His name in vain and slandering the name of people who are created in His image. Slandering men means slandering their creator. While everyone has a fundamental right to freely speak their minds, your freedom of expression is not absolute. Most legal systems set limits on what you can say especially if you make claims about someone that are not true. “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold” (PV 22:1). Calumny damages the good name of a person. That damage is stealing from a greater treasure than silver and gold. It injures a man more than stealing from his bank account!    

“Who steals my purse, steals trash,

But he who steals from me my good name,

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

Yet leaves me poor indeed.”

WHY DO PEOPLE SLANDER OTHERS?

Slander is always wicked. It is a manifestation of sin dwelling in the heart. Jealousy, inferiority complex, anger and fear are the main reasons why people lie against others. Most of the time, people slander because they have been deceived to believe a lie. They trust the liar and they repeat the lie. That is why we should not totally trust men, but only God! Another reason people slander it is because they have misunderstood the person. They did not search for the facts, and they jumped to conclusions. Impatience often leads to error. Peer pressure should not lead you into sin! “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice” (Ex 23:1, 2).  Selfishness is the root of slander. When you are careless with your words, and you do not feel the pain in another, you will fall into sin. God judges careless (idle) words. Search your heart! Words come from inside your heart. Our Lord said: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt 12:33-37).  

GOD’S LAW CONCERNING WITNESSES- SLANDER IS EVIL -SLANDER IS PUNISHED!

The ninth Commandment forbids all lying, but especially trying to deceive others as you damage your neighbor’s name. Trying to bring down a person, destroying his good name so that you raise your own reputation at his expense is sinful. Slander is sin! God hates it! God punishes it! In The Old Testament, if a man commits a sin, the witnesses should bring him to a court presided by priests or judges in the presence of God. Only one witness is not acceptable in court. At least two witnesses must testify. A witness is one who has seen the offence firsthand. A secondhand witness is not accepted. The judges make a careful inquiry about the accusation. If the accusation is true, the judges give the punishment accordingly. If the accusation is false, the victim is freed, and the accusers are condemned. The judges will give the same punishment that the false witnesses wanted for the victim. Slander is called ‘evil’.  “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so, you shall put away the evil from among you. And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Deut 19:15-21). A false witness is a wicked liar. He causes much damage to the victim and his family. “A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies” (PV 14:5). “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape” (PV 19:5). “A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow” (PV 25:18). Remember how Ananias and Saphira lied to the Holy Spirit, and they died on the spot (Acts 5:1-11). True believers like Joseph, David and Naboth experienced slander. They suffered because of it. They chose not to defend themselves. Like Jesus, they trusted God who vindicated them. Selah!

JOSEPH WAS SLANDERED BY POTIPHAR’S WIFE (Genesis 39:1-23)

Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar, an army general in Egypt. He was faithful and wise in the house of his master. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. But Joseph refused saying that this is ‘great wickedness and sin against God’. Rejected by Joseph, she decided to punish him. With Joseph’s robe in her hand, she accused him of trying to rape her. She slandered him to the household servants and to her husband. Joseph was to be killed for such an accusation. But God was with Joseph. He was sent to prison. Joseph did not defend himself. He trusted God. After some years, according to his dream, God promoted him. He became the prime minister of Egypt, the greatest country at the time. Lesson: slander cannot destroy a true believer! “A curse you don’t deserve will take wings and fly away like a sparrow or a swallow” (PV 26:2; CEV).

KING DAVID WAS SLANDERD BY SHIMEI (2 Samuel 16:5-14)

David was falsely accused and persecuted by King Saul. He knows how painful it is when men speak evil against you. Listen to his advice: “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Ps 27:11-14). Read God’s Word! Having patience, courage, and trust in God is how you respond to false accusations.

The story of Shimei is a sad one. We see that God is merciful even with slanderers. But if they refuse to repent, they will be punished. When Absalom took over the throne, King David, with some faithful followers, ran away from Jerusalem. Shimei, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, and the same family with King Saul, taking advantage of David’s pain, cursed him publicly. He said: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil because you are a bloodthirsty man!” (2 Sam 16:7, 8). These words were wicked lies. David did not plot to kill Saul to take over his throne the way Absalom was doing. Even when King Saul wanted to kill him, David did not insult or attack the king. One of David’s men wanted to kill Shimei for slandering David. But even in his pain, David refused to defend himself. David said: “Let him curse because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David’ … See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day” (2 Sam 16:10-12).

David trusted God for justice. After Absalom died, as King David was coming back to Jerusalem, the same Shimei came to bow and asked David for forgiveness. It was clearly a false repentance but because it was a happy day of victory, David forgave him. As he was dying, David told his son Solomon to judge Shimei later. He said: “You have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood” (1 Kings 2:8, 9). As Solomon took over the throne, he called Shimei and commanded him not to leave Jerusalem. He agreed. After three years, Shimei left Jerusalem to capture two of his runaway slaves. People told Solomon that Shimei broke his promise to stay in Jerusalem. “Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?” The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore, the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head. But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus, the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon” (1 Kings 2:42-46). God is patient with sinners but not forever! Selah!

NABOTH IS SLANDERED AND KILLED BY AHAB AND JEZEBEL (1 Kg 21:1-29; 22:29-38; 2 Kg 9:30-37)

The story of how Naboth was killed is a tragedy. King Ahab wanted to buy a plot of land belonging to Naboth. This land was next to his palace in Samaria. Naboth was using it as a vineyard. It was his family inheritance since the Promised Land was divided by Joshua. Because Naboth refused to sell the land, Ahab became angry. His wife Jezebel reminded him that he was the king, and that he had all the powers in the country. Her father was a pagan king. She grew up to believe that all kings and rulers have the right to be oppressors. They could take any land and kill if any refuses them. Ahab was a weak man, but his wife was a strong wicked woman. She took over the matter. She used her husband identity and seal and wrote official letters to the men of Naboth’s village. They were commanded to fast and make a feast, giving the impression that they are religious men serving God. They should ‘promote’ Naboth so that he will not suspect any plot. They should hire two false witnesses who will publicly declare that they heard when Naboth cursed God and the king. At the feast, the men declared Naboth guilty and stoned him to death. They sent a message to Jezebel that they had obeyed all her instructions. Liars and wicked men always walk together. “If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked” (PV 29:12). Jezebel tells her husband that he can take over Naboth’s land. Happily, Ahab goes to inspect the land. Prophet Elijah meets him there are declares that he is a murderer and a thief. Elijah prophesies that both Ahab and Jezebel will die violent deaths at the same spot where Naboth was killed. Ahab repented. Though it was a false repentance, God showed him mercy delaying the punishment to the time of his son. All Ahab’s male descendants died untimely deaths. Ahab and Jezebel died violently on Naboth’s plot.

What are the lessons? Jezebel is dead long ago. But there is a spirit of Jezebel still doing harm in the churches (Revelation 2:18-29). This spirit misleads the Christians to backslide, by worshiping idols and committing adultery. The spiritual Jezebel is wicked, selfish, and bold. She calls herself a prophetess. She uses false prophets in churches. God did not call them. They called themselves. They are ‘ordained’ by the spirit of Jezebel. They sponsor slander and gossip. They oppress and deceive. They hate to humble themselves and repent. They teach false doctrines. They have a form of godliness, but they deny the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. They send their spies to the churches to investigate the freedom the true brethren have. They mislead believers back to the bondage of sin (Gal 2:4, 5). Jesus died to set us free from sin, from the world and from the devil. Be careful! Freedom can be lost! We are commanded to protect the freedom we have received in Christ (Gal 5:1-10). These false brethren may use magic powers to oppose the pastors who preach truth (2 Tim 3:1-13). They take advantage of the immaturity of young believers, especially the women in the church. Their intent is to keep men foolish and into the bondage of deception. The spirit of Jezebel is the main reason why many believers attend churches but still remain spiritually immature. There is a need for spiritual warfare. We need to be filled with Holy Spirit so that we expose, confront, and destroy the stronghold Jezebel has raised against the knowledge of truth (2 Cor 10:3-6). The Resurrected Christ promised to reward those who defeat the spirit of Jezebel in the church. Their reward is authority over the nations in His name. Also, the champions receive the gift of ‘the morning star’. They become leaders in the church. They shine in the midst of darkness and lead many to righteousness. This authority manifests as genuine revival in the land. Praise the Lord!  

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE ARE SLANDERED? LOVE THE SINNER! HATE THE SIN! TRUST GOD FOR VINDICATION!

Jesus said: “You must love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mk 12:31). Your neighbor has a reputation. It is your duty to defend it as you defend your own. God commands: “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord” (Lev 19:16). A talebearer is a gossip and a slanderer. He divides the people in the church. Friendship is built on trust. Slander (gossip) destroys friendships. You can’t trust one who gossips. “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore, do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” (PV 20:19). The slanderer himself has no true friends. People may try to get close to him but soon, they draw back because he talks too much. “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (PV 16:27, 28). Like a dog digs the ground to find food, so an evil man digs up evil that becomes fire on his lips. Gossip separate friends and is a possible cause for divorce. The victim of slander ends in depression, anger, or even committing suicide. Be careful! Words are powerful. They create or destroy. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (PV 18:21). Words are like seeds. You speak lies, and death, that is a form of suicide. You speak health, peace and life, your reward is eternal life. Slander is one of the manifestations of sin and evil. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Tim 3:1-5). These are religious but wicked people. We are commanded to turn away from them!

When slandered, we trust God to defend us. This is what Joseph, David, and Naboth did. They are symbols of Jesus. “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:20-23). We remind ourselves that God reigns forever. He cannot lose any battle. God hates and punishes sin. In Christ we are more than conquerors. We overcome Satan, ‘the accuser of the brethren’ by faith in the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross for our sins. We also overcome him by the Word of God applied in our lives and becoming a testimony.

“A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord” (Ps 101: 4-8). “The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart” (Ps 119:69). The psalmist says that he will radically separate himself from wicked proud people, from liars, slanderers, and deceivers. Lesson: we do not quarrel or desire the death of any man, no matter how wicked. But we separate ourselves from these people. We pray. We study God’s Word. We apply God’s Word in practical living. We attend a local church and serve God there. We submit to the delegated authority God has placed us under. We remain sensitive to the possibility of deception. We do not trust ourselves or people. We trust God totally. We also trust people who have proved to us, beyond any shadow of doubt that they are godly Spriit filled leaders in the Body of Christ. We do spiritual warfare. We learn to control our tongues. We do not curse, slander, or abuse people, especially our parents, elders, and leaders. We chose to bless and pray for others. We shine God’s light! Praise the Lord!

“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:25-32). The Bible commands us to stop sinning and lying in particular! This command can only be obeyed by the true believers. All malicious angry speech, unforgiveness and bitterness grieve the Holy Spirit. Repent! Ask the Holy Spirit for forgiveness for grieving Him. Speaking the truth in love imparts grace to others.    

JESUS EXPOSES THE DEVIL AND HIS CHILDREN (John 8:39-47)

We all know of the power of godly lineage. Many people become proud of it. Coming from a good godly family is wonderful. But a good family is not enough to save your soul. Salvation is thru a personal commitment to Christ. The Jews at the time of Jesus are good examples of religious unbelievers. They saw themselves as ‘children of Abraham’ and were boasting about it. At the same time, they rejected Jesus as their Savior. Jesus compares them with Abraham to prove that they were hypocrites. In what way are they different from Abraham?

*In their attitude to Jesus Christ. Abraham recognized and humbly accepted Jesus when He came to visit him with two angels. He welcomed Jesus and called Him ‘Lord’ (Gen 18:3, 32). But the Pharisees opposed Jesus and slandered Him saying that He has a demon (Jn 8:48). A true sign that you are a child of God is that you honor and worship the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ. None who slanders Jesus is saved.

*In their attitude to God’s Word. Jesus said: “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father” (Jn 8:37, 38). Jesus said that He speaks what He has seen and heard from God the Father. But the Jews ‘had no place’ for God’s Word. They rejected Jesus and His Word. Lesson: A true sign that you are saved is that you accept, love, and obey God’s Word.

*In their attitude to good works. Jesus said to them: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father” (Jn 8:39-41). Abraham welcomed and humbly served Jesus. He and Sarah brought food and water. Abraham was proved right by his faith and the deeds that proceeded from his faith. “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (Jam 2:23, 24). But these proud Jews were rude to Jesus and to the disciples. Lesson: A true sign that you are saved is that your faith is fruitful and manifests by good works.

Jesus confronts the Jews: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (Jn 8:44). Many people don’t believe in a devil. But here, you see Jesus clearly believes that there is a devil who has children who reject Jesus. There are two major attributes of the devil: he is a murderer and a liar! We are not told many details about the devil, but we know he was an archangel, created by God. His name was Lucifer, meaning ‘The bearer of light’ or ‘The morning star’. He received power, wisdom, beauty, and authority over other angels. It seems that he was in charge of heaven’s choir. He became proud. He wanted to be worshipped as God. Pride and rebellion are the oldest sins in the universe. God threw him out from heaven to the earth. Some angels followed him, and they are now called demons (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28). The name ‘devil’ means slanderer or accuser. The name ‘Satan’ means adversary, or enemy. He is the enemy of God and of God’s people.

Jesus said that the devil was a murderer from the beginning, that means starting from the Book of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden, the devil lied about God and deceived Eve. She gave Adam to eat from the forbidding fruit. By disobeying God, sin and death entered mankind. The devil is the author of the original sin, and he is the murderer of the human race. This is one of his greatest achievements. Jesus also calls the devil a liar and the father of lies. Everything the devil says is a lie. He has used lies successfully to deceive all men. Deception is his preferred weapon. The devil hates and opposes truth, especially the Gospel. He attacks God’s servants who preach the truth. A preacher needs to be strong and courageous as he preaches the truth. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the truth. His former name Lucifer means ‘The bearer of light’. He hates that God’s people see the light, hear the truth, and become free. Paul says: “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:1-6). Be careful! The devil cannot succeed in defeating a believer except through deception. We are reminded of the need of spiritual warfare. Even if we are deceived by the devil, we cannot lose our salvation. But we can lose rewards, the joy of our salvation and many opportunities for ministry. That is still a great loss! We need to study God’s Word, fast, watch, and pray! In Christ, the victory is sure! Praise the Lord!

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE ARE SLANDERED? LOVE YOUR ENEMY!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust… Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt 5:43-45, 48). To be able to control your tongue is a great spiritual achievement. “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body” (Jam 3:2). Selah!

How do we love our enemies? First, you need to have the right view of your enemies. You do not act towards them the way they act towards you. You do not talk to them according to what they say to you, but by the higher command of love from our Lord. See them as blind slaves under the devil. Like Jesus said, ‘they don’t know what they are doing’. Love is the highest motive of any action. And Love never fails! If you answer in anger at their angry words, you have lowered your stand for Jesus. Do not put yourself at their level. Secondly, remember that you don’t have to LIKE them. The command is to LOVE THEM. Talk and behave as a child of God! Do all things for the glory of God! Amen!

THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So, the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time… The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 12:7-12; 20:10). Jesus promises: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev 22:12-17)

THE ROBBER WHO GOT SAVED ON THE CROSS (Luke 23:36-43)

The last day of Jesus as a Man on earth was hell on earth. The religious rulers hired false witnesses against Jesus. The Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy. They slandered Him (Matt 26:57-68). It was in the midst of lies and abuse that our Lord was crucified. Apart of the few disciples at the foot of the Cross, He was surrounded by wicked religious rulers, by men who tortured Him and slandered Him and blasphemed God. On His way to the Cross, the crowd and the Roman soldiers mocked and slandered Jesus. The devil tried his best to increase the suffering of our Lord. Two robbers were crucified with Jesus. Initially, they both insulted Him (Matt 27:44). Later, one of them repented of his sins. He rebuked the other robber for insulting Jesus. He then asked Jesus to save him. This was true faith. At this time, our Lord was hanging on the Cross, naked, with a crown of thorns on his head, His body and face bleeding. Who can believe that this dying Man is the Savior of the world? One of the robbers did! Hanging on his cross, he got a supernatural revelation of King Jesus and against all odds, he believed. Christ promised him personal and immediate salvation. What a Savior! Worship the Lord!