CHRISTIAN, HERE’S WHAT SHOULD REALLY MATTER TO YOU!

What really matters to you, Christian? You should evaluate your priorities and hopefully make changes as needed. But why? In our present world, we are so busy that we cannot always accomplish all that we have on our schedule on any given day. If we don’t set priorities, we could be spending time on the least important things, while overlooking the more important ones.

Having said all that, what should our priorities be as Christians? And what would be the benefits if we focus on the most important? According to the apostle Paul, the first and foremost is to be filled with the fruit of our salvation, which is the righteous character produced in our life by Jesus Christ. If we maintain the right focus, we will live a pure and blameless life, which will bring much glory and praise to God the Father (see Philippians 1:10-11). We need to make this our top priority because when we don’t, we discourage other Christians, and unbelievers see us as hypocrites: preaching one thing, and doing just the opposite. That of course drives them farther away from God.

So, in short, the fruit of our salvation is the demonstration of godliness in our lives as we imitate God as His dear children. Imitating parents is a  natural thing; children often do certain things only because they’ve seen their parents do them. May the Holy Spirit renew our minds and attitudes, and may we not grieve Him by continuing to live by the dictates of our sinful nature. Instead, may we imitate our Father!

Since Christ lives in us, one would expect that demonstrating Christ’s likeness would be easy, but it isn’t. That’s because our sinful nature is constantly at war with our spiritual nature, wanting to make us behave differently than we’d like to. Paul the apostle expresses it this way: “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:18-20).

Paul’s understanding and lament over the situation are this: “I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:22-24). But thank God, Paul found the solution to his -- and our -- lament - in the very next verse! “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ” (Romans 7:25). This shows us that righteous living is not just going to happen; God is working in us to give us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. But we have to put in a conscious effort to resist sin. We read in Philippians 2:12, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with reverence and fear.”    

We need to concentrate on the fruit of our salvation, produced in us by the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 6:22-23). The only way we, the branches, can bear fruit, is to abide in the vine, which is Jesus Christ. Bearing fruit does not just happen; we have to read and study the Word and obey it, allowing Him to transform our way of thinking and our behavior. 

Oh, may we be filled with the fruit of our salvation; it is critically important for all professing Christians! And let’s look forward to the heavenly prize that our Father will gladly give us at the end of this journey.

Pearl Nsiah-Kumi

06/03/2021

All references are from the New Living Translation (NLT)

KNOWLEDGE IS A POWERFUL TOOL

According to Wikipedia, knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of any information, such as facts, skills, or objects. Knowledge can be acquired in many different ways and from many sources, including but not limited to perception, reason, memory, testimony, scientific inquiry, education, and practice. 

What then is the importance of knowledge? Knowledge makes us aware of things we didn’t know before or confirms or challenges what we already know. Knowledge helps us make the best possible decision in different situations. If we care about making the right decision, we should also care about the source of the information on which we base our decisions. Not all information is true, and basing your decision on false information can be very costly and detrimental.

For example, if you knew it was unsafe to run when it is extremely hot outside, would you still run in the heat, or would you wait until it’s cooler and safer? And if you knew excess salt in one’s diet was unsafe for people with hypertension, which apparently you have, would you continue to add more salt to your food? The correct answer to both questions is ‘No!’ On the other hand, not knowing these facts could lead to you making wrong and harmful decisions. Knowledge, like they say, is power!

So, with these examples in mind, if you knew you would have to give God an account of how you’ve lived your life on earth, would you be careful how you lived? I hope so! But if you didn’t know you will be giving an account to God, now you know, because I’m sharing that knowledge with you now. According to the Bible, which is the Word of God, “Just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28). The brief definition from Simply Bible is this: It is appointed for men once to die and after this the judgment. Death is appointed, and you are no exception. You only die once, and death is not the end; it is your destiny's door.

So, when your destiny door opens, where will it lead you? It will lead you to one of two places—heaven or hell. My hope and prayer for you are that it will lead you into God’s presence in heaven, where there will be joy forever. The assurance of going to heaven exists only for those who have repented of their sins and asked God for forgiveness through Jesus’ death. As quoted earlier: “Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him”

If you don’t know for certain that your destiny door will lead you into God’s presence, then please stop everything you are doing and settle this issue right now; it is that important. Although it is appointed for you to die eventually, nobody knows when that will happen: only God does! If you don’t know when the bus will leave the station, you need to get there as early as possible, and if that means waiting for a few minutes for it to get there, at least you know you’ll be able to get on it. It’s better to know ahead of time that your sins are forgiven and your name written in the Book of Life, rather than leaving your future destination to chance. Once your destiny door opens, it’s too late to make any kind of decision; you just walk into whatever is behind the door—heaven or hell.

Please repent today: ask God for forgiveness, and you will be on your way to eternal life with God. I hope now that you are armed with this knowledge, you will make the right decision; nobody can make it for you—not family or friends. And likewise, you can’t make it for anyone else. Do it today!

 

C: Pearl Nsiah-Kumi

All references are from the New Living Translation (NLT).  

 

 

 

LIVE LIKE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN

 

Where is heaven and what is it like? Heaven is God’s dwelling place, the city where He is enthroned as King and Lord and is continuously worshiped by angels and the saints who have gone on ahead. The walls of the city are made of jasper, the city is pure gold, as clear as glass. It is built on a foundation inlaid with precious stones, many of which are not familiar to us, including jasper, sapphire, agate, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. The gates are made of pearls and the streets of pure gold. There’s not a single temple structure there because the Father and Son are the temple; the place is bright, never dark, but its light does not come from the sun or the moon: God’s glory lights it up (see Revelation 21:18-23).

Living like citizens of heaven is not a suggestion; it is a command for the church that needs to be obeyed. This command implies that we, the church, are already citizens of heaven, and should know how citizens should behave. It also implies we should live now as if we were already in heaven; how we live now on earth should be consistent with how we will live in heaven when the time comes. If you are a Christian, you already know that the world is nothing like heaven. The world is the devil’s domain, and he has much influence in it, leading to sin, evil, chaos, wars, and death. On the other hand, there’s order, peace, love, health, and unending life in heaven. Just imagine: we will see God face to face and be with Him forever; He will wipe all tears away from our eyes. Nothing evil will ever enter heaven; there will be no more crying, pain, fear, sorrow, or death (see Revelation 21:3-4). This is exciting, and a good reason to look forward to going there!

To be able to live like citizens of heaven, you should first become a citizen of heaven while here on earth. Dear reader, if you are not already a citizen of heaven, it’s not yet too late for you. But it will be soon if you don’t act quickly. Here’s what you have to do:

1) Admit you are a sinner deserving God’s judgment—you are a sinner because God says so, and it’s based on the fact that you inherited the sinful nature of your ancestors, and so you do sin (see Romans 3:23).

2) Repent of your sins and ask (pray to) God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ, His Son, who took on the punishment all sinners deserve (see John 3:16). If you refuse to accept that Jesus paid for your sins by dying in your place, it means you’ve decided to bear the punishment for your own sins: spending life after death in Hell forever. In that case, you cannot live in this world like a citizen of heaven, because you won’t be going there. I encourage you to come to God today through Jesus; hell is not a joke!

3) If you do the above two sincerely, God will forgive you, and as confirmation of your new relationship with Him, He’ll send His Holy Spirit to come and live in your Heart to identify you as His child, and guarantee that you have become a citizen of heaven, entitled to the inheritance promised to His children. Then, with the help of the Holy Spirit and following His instructions in the Bible, and with the support of the church, you’ll begin to think and live differently from your former life. You might even wonder how you were able to live the life you lived before. From this point on, you are ready to live here on earth as a citizen of heaven, looking forward to going home.

So, how should citizens of heaven live? The Bible tells us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ (see Philippians 1:27). We are to demonstrate our love for God through obedience to His Word, and loving each other. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). We need to “Stand together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News” (Philippians 1:27).

If we take this charge seriously, our lives, individually and collectively, would be so much more fulfilling, and we would be much happier and more content as we wait for our home-going. For instance, we would lovingly care for each other, and there would be no unmet needs in the body. Disagreements, in-fights, and Church-hopping could become things of the past. We would then understand that God’s plans for us are for good and not for disaster, to give us a future and hope (see Jeremiah 29:11). Also, Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). A rich and satisfying life will require some effort on our part: taking our charge seriously of obeying the Word and imitating God in how we live.

The apostle Paul again encourages us to have the attitude of Christ by being tender-hearted and compassionate, agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose (see Philippians 2:1-2). Wow! If we can honestly achieve this, we would accomplish so much more for God regardless of the denomination we belong to. Little differences that are not about salvation, Christian living, and our eternal home should not divide the church. Can you imagine the impact if local churches of different denominations loved each other, coming together to saturate their community with the gospel? But as it is right now, each church does its own thing; how sad! I would think it grieves God’s heart.

Lord Jesus, we the church need your help! We have not been living as citizens of heaven! We live like citizens of this world. We don’t obey you with the deep reverence and fear that displays the results of our salvation. Forgive us, and help us to cultivate your attitude of love and service. Although you are God, you gave up your divine privileges, left the glories of heaven, and came down to redeem us, your enemies. Please help the universal church love each other without feeling like one denomination is better than the other. May our love be not only for those we worship with or those of the same denomination. If we believe we are going to live as a community with each other in heaven, we should be able to do the same here as we prepare to go home. Thank you, Lord! I ask this in your holy name! 

IF THERE HAD BEEN SOMETHING BETTER THAN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST …

 

 

If you knew an easier, less time-consuming, and cheaper way of accomplishing a task, would you choose to accomplish it more difficultly and painfully? I ask this question to get you to ponder this: if there were other ways to remedy sin to God’s satisfaction, do you think He would have given His Son as a substitute for us? Would Jesus have willingly gone through all that agony? The answer to both questions is 'No!' Jesus made it clear when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, except through me” (John 14:6 NLT).

 I’m convinced that if there were other ways we could get to God, Jesus would not have died such a cruel death. And we are reminded in the Scriptures, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we might be saved” (Acts 4:12). So, if you choose to not go to God through Jesus, you’ve elected to go to hell at the end of this life. God doesn’t force His love on anyone. He tells us what is good for us and why, and admonishes us to go with His recommendation. But He leaves the choice to us and makes it clear what the consequences of our choice will be.

You might think that obeying the ten commandments (the law) makes you acceptable to God. If you are honest, you will admit that you don’t always keep the commandments perfectly 100% of the time. Nobody has ever been able to do that. which is the reason you need Jesus. He’s the only one who pleases God completely and therefore qualifies to purchase our freedom, so God can adopt us. Before Jesus came, the Israelites were commanded to obey the law and live, but they couldn’t. And the Scriptures tell us, “The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian” (Galatians 3:24-25). Simply put, obeying the law will not make you right with God.

Also, God gets to make the rules, not you or I. We only get to obey or disobey Him. Whichever we choose to do has an associated ramification: obey and live or disobey and die. But why would you choose to die and miss all the beauty and glory of God and heaven? Understand that dying doesn’t mean a non-existent life: it means pain and suffering that never ends. Think about it! If you’d like to avoid that kind of death, then follow God's direction, because nothing else will do.

Let’s assume that you accidentally dropped your keys in a sewer. Would you choose to retrieve them by jumping into a dirty sewer and getting hurt and who knows what else, if you could get a new set made for a minimal cost? I would choose to get a new set made, but that’s just me. By the same token, Jesus wouldn’t have died if there had been a better or easier way to save mankind from sin and hell. Jesus' death was necessary; it is the only way!

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH

 

Jesus gave many illustrations when He taught the people. One such time was when He taught them about His Second Coming. Regarding a specific date of His return, He told them, “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Matthew 24:36).

However, He made it clear how it will happen. He said, “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day” (Matthew 24:37). What happened in Noah’s day? Why was it an appropriate illustration?

The story of Noah was well known to the people; it was a story they could relate to and understand. Jesus reminded them of what happened, to make sure they could see the parallel between it and His Second Coming. He told them, “In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. The people didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:38-39).

So, in what ways will the Second Coming be like Noah’s day? Noah’s generation was exceedingly wicked: so wicked that it broke God’s heart! He responded by confiding in Noah, telling him, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out with the earth!” (Genesis 6:13). Then He gave Noah instructions to build a boat to preserve his family of eight and a pair (male and female) of every animal, and seven pairs of every kind of bird and animal that were for consumption and sacrifice (see Genesis 7:1-3). Noah did as he was told.

After the boat was completed, Noah and his family and the animals boarded, and God closed the door behind them. Seven days later, it started to rain. It rained for forty days and nights, resulting in a deep flood that destroyed every living thing (see Genesis 7:23-24).

Jesus’ illustration was meant to teach His audience and us to be constantly ready for His Second Coming; it will be unannounced! With the exception of Noah and his family, everyone else on earth perished. Prior to the flood, they kept up their usual routine and evil lifestyles, as if nothing was ever going to change. Then suddenly, the rain and flood came; the boat was closed and they had nowhere to go for safety. It was too late!

The scriptures say, “This is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17). This is your opportunity to be saved and have your name recorded in the Book of Life for security (see Revelation 20:15).

Are you all set for when Jesus returns or when you die? If you’ve never repented and asked God for forgiveness, this is your chance to do that. Nobody knows when either event will happen; only God knows! Don’t let either one take you by surprise; you won’t be able to do anything about it then, just like Noah’s world couldn’t do anything about their situation.

Jesus will come back when we least expect Him; may He find our names in the Book of Life and may we be living in obedience and looking eagerly for His return.

All references are from the New Living Translation (NLT)

THE CHRISTIAN AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

A Christian is an individual who has accepted Jesus’ death and resurrection as his or her own, and has therefore become a child of God, identified by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13). Based on that definition, are you a Christian? If not, would you like to be? If you aren’t, you will miss out on God’s guarantee that He will give His children the inheritance He promised (heaven). If you are not a Christian, it means you are not His child, and someday you will spend eternity in a place without God—hell.

The Holy Spirit identifies us as God’s children and directs the way we live, so we won’t be dominated by our sinful flesh. The Holy Spirit works in us to bring about the transformation that makes us Christ-like. Anyone who claims to be a child of God but does not have the Spirit does not know what he or she is talking about, because the Scriptures say very clearly, “Those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all” (Romans 8:9). 

There is a clear difference between Christians and unbelievers. Unbelievers are controlled by their sinful nature, which makes them think about sinful things. They can never please God; their end is death-eternal separation from God after this life. On the other hand, Christians are controlled by the Holy Spirit, leading them to want to please the Spirit. The Scriptures say, “Letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Also, “Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:10-11). What a powerful statement! 

The biggest external distinction between Christians and unbelievers is that Christians do not enjoy displeasing God by living in sin because He’s given them a new nature through their rebirth. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, they are supposed to live in Him and be led by Him. Anyone who continues to sin, the Scriptures say, “Does not know him {God} or understand who he is” (1 John 3:6). In other words, if you enjoy living in sin, the Spirit does not live in you, which means you are not a Christian. Therefore, the claim that you are is false! Also, “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God” (1 John 3:9). 

The Christian:

●     Is reborn

●     Is in the family of God: His child.

●     The Holy Spirit lives in and controls him.

●     Is freed from the power of sin.

●     Does not make a practice of sinning.

●     Has no obligation to the sinful nature.

●     Will inherit eternal life without condemnation.

●     Will receive full rights as an adopted child, including a new body in the future.

●     The Spirit prays for him according to God’s will.

●     Loves other believers.

The Unbeliever:

●     Is a child of the devil.

●     Says Jesus is not the Christ.

●     Is controlled by the sin nature, leading to death.

●     Can never please God.

So, for the Christian, the Scriptures teach us that the life-giving Spirit has freed us from the power of sin that leads to death. Therefore, we are not slated to die. Instead, we are on our way to heaven where we will be like Jesus, and we will see Him as He really is (see 1 John 3:2). We get to be with God, our Father, forever and ever, where there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, tears, or pain (see Revelation 3:3-4).

If you are not a Christian, would you like to be, and be among those going to heaven? I hope you do because the alternative is terrible. I encourage you to call on Jesus today, while you still have time. Nobody knows how much time they have before it becomes too late.  Make that decision today; ask God for forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrifice. When you do that, God will forgive you and send His Spirit to dwell in your heart as evidence that you are His child.

   

GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS

 

God’s attributes include, but are not limited to, justice. He is the perfect parent: He does not rebuke one child for some wrong while excusing another child for doing the exact same thing. Human parents are not consistent 100% of the time in enforcing rules they themselves have set. Depending on what’s going on and how they’re feeling at any given time, their responses could differ about the same rule. Not so with God!

Moses had a very close relationship with God; God chose him to lead the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt into Canaan, the land He had promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants. God often confided in Moses, telling him His plans ahead of time. When Moses interceded for the people, God took his concerns into consideration, almost like accepting Moses’ advice.

For example, when Moses was up on Mount Sinai to bring down the Ten Commandments, the people got impatient and had Aaron make a golden calf for their god. God threatened to destroy them: “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation” (Exodus 32:9-10).

You might think Moses would jump up and down at the thought of being elevated to the position of father of many nations. Instead, Moses immediately disagreed, reminding God, “O LORD! Why are you so angry with your own people …? why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth?’” (Exodus 9:11-12). God listened to Moses and did not carry out His threat.

With the kind of relationship the two shared, you might think Moses never faced God’s discipline. But you would be wrong. God did not cut him any slack when, out of frustration, he did something totally different from God’s instruction. God’s instruction to Moses was, “As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water” (Numbers 20:8). Moses got the people to gather at the rock, and then addressed them: “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring you water from this rock?” (Numbers 20:10). Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice, and water gushed out as God had promised would happen, and the people had water to drink.

God could not turn a blind eye to what happened; He didn’t sweep it under the rug. Instead, He rebuked Moses: “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them” (Numbers 20:12). What?  For just one single offense? Yes! Moses pleaded with the Lord: “Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains” (Deuteronomy 3:25). God’s angry response was: “That’s enough! Speak of it no more” (Deuteronomy 3:26). Moses’ hope was dashed.

  Years later, when they were nearing the end of their journey before crossing the Jordan, God brought up the incident where Moses struck the rock; He instructed Moses to climb Mount Nebo, and from there He showed him the whole land of Canaan. God then said to Moses, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have now allowed you to see it with your eyes, but you will not enter the land” (Deuteronomy 34:4). Wow! How sad and disappointing. One act of disobedience, and Moses lost the privilege to enter the Promised Land! Sure enough, Moses died on the mountain, and the LORD buried him: but exactly where? No one knows!

Interestingly, though, the Scriptures say of Moses, “There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10). So, knowing God face to face does not get you off the hook. God will punish sin no matter who commits it. We can trust His justice; Let’s learn to obey Him in all things. Never think you are too special and can do as you please. God is no respecter of persons, including you and me.