ACTING ON THE WORD

James 1:22 22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers of it, blinding yourselves with false ideas. 23 Because if any man is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a glass; 24 For after looking at himself he goes away, and in a short time he has no memory of what he was like.

God expects us to act on his words and not just be hearers of it. We must endeavor to be doers of the word after we have heard it. Faith is acting on what you believe . when the word is preached it takes one who believes to act in Faith to receive it. we can only receive something when we act on what we believe . The bible also says Faith without works is dead . we must understand that Faith is different from believe . Hebrews 11 defines Faith as follows ;  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the sign that the things not seen are true(BBE ).
Faith is the palpability of what you are hoping for . Hope is an expectation ,usually it is not a 100% assurance to have it. Believe is similar to trust .They are both based on history .Believe is the foundation of faith ,yet your believe alone can never bring your expectations to bear.For example:You can strongly believe that a pen could write ;that is true but if  you do not act by holding it to write it would lie there idle .Secondly you can openly confess that your car can move ,that's also a fact, cars do move, but you would be disappointed if you do not take an action to sit in the car and start it . The actions you take to write or sit in the car and start it ,stands for faith . Faith is acting on what you believe ,just believing is not faith you must act . They are people who have read the bible cover to cover and are able to quote the scriptures which they have memorized . This is a good thing . It's always wonderful to hear people do this . however what would be the use of the scriptures memorized if we are not living by it . The bible is like the law of a Christian ,not one that enslaves but one that brings freedom .It is also like looking through a mirror . (v: 25). A mirror is an object that reflects light . The mirror has the capacity to reveal to us how we look like and who we are .It sometimes shows us where our short comings are . when you look through a mirror and see a dirt in your shirt ,you are torn between two choices ,either to remove it or ignore it.In the same way the bible shows us who we are. Most people enjoy looking into the mirror . They can stand infront of the mirror examining themselves , how they look and what they look like .They get frustrated when they see a pimple on their face .In their frustration they try everything to remove it .The mirror works on the basis of a "WYSIWYG " Protocol . This acronym is the basic rule of printing which stands for "What You See Is What You Get " .The printer prints exactly what You have typed .It does not correct neither does it replace the words .It prints precisely what You give it.This is how the bible works,it reveals who we are and what we are made of plainly without covering it. Matthew 14:20 gives an account of how Jesus walked on water .When the disciples initially saw him do this ,they were terrified .They thought it was a ghost .Peter in his disbelief asked Jesus to call him to come if it were truly him.Jesus called him and Peter obeyed and was able to walk on the water just as Jesus did . Peter could have stayed in the boat doubting if truly it was Jesus but he acted on the word Jesus gave .Acting on the word requires faith . Peter made history ,Together with Jesus they were the only people to walk on water in the bible .

THE SEAL OF THE SPIRIT .

Salvation only comes when we believe in Jesus Christ and the gospel of truth which is preached .we are saved by grace and not by works (Eph 2:8 ).We receive salvation when we believe in the gospel after hearing it. Then after believing ,we are marked with a seal ,a seal guaranteeing our inheritance until the final redemption . Consequently Faith comes by hearing .Faith therefore thrives on knowledge .For one to have Faith or believe ,he/she must first hear .This is recorded in Romans 10:17. 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ .
The sealing is as a result of believing and believing is as a result of hearing .This is how the book of Romans puts it .

Romans 10:14. 14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?
Those who hear the gospel receive Faith which enables them to act on the word, because Faith means acting on what you believe.
A seal therefore is a device used to signify the genuineness of a document . It is used as an attestation of authenticity .In the ancient world if a person purchased goods of any kind ,it is marked with seal so that he might recognise it and be able to find it if mixed with other goods . The seal identified their owner and protected from theft .Paul metaphorically presents the seal to be the works of the HolySpirit in a believers life . Hence the Holy spirit becomes the seal of a believer (2cor 1:22 ). We are sealed by the spirit when we believe .The spirit becomes an attestation that we are spiritually validated ,genuine and protected as members of God's family . By the Holy spirit we are now identified as christs and protected by him.we are ascertained to be the the children of God because God can never have a child who doesn't partake in the holy spirit.
Amen !!!

THE BOOK OF RUTH .

The book of Ruth brings to bear so many christian virtues that we must emulate.The person of Ruth paints a picture of one who is keen and passionate about what she does.This is seen in her enthusiasm to follow her mother -in- law despite all her limitations.She was a Moabite ,which meant she was not a christian. She worshipped other gods.She lost her husband and became a widow for sometime, yet she wholeheartedly loved and followed her mother -in-law.Because of this, she was favored by God,She married a man named Boaz.We can succinctly see that because of the relationship Ruth had with Naomi,she was prepared to do anything for her.She saw how good Naomi was and was willing to follow her God.As Christians we must live a life pleasing to God.A life which pleases God is one that ultimately attracts people to him.We must also understand that the loss of a relative ,brother,husband,wife etc, is not the end of life neither is it an indication that God has forsaken us.Rather we should see it as a means through which God prompts us or calls us to him.We must continuously follow him and look forward to his favour. Ruth, the woman who lost her husband and children,was now called"A woman better than 7 sons ". How can this be.?This is the kind of favor we receive when we follow God with all our heart.The book of Ruth also reveals the virtues of God.In the final chapter of the book,we see how God was able to use Ruth and Boaz to be the main pillars of the genealogy of Jesus.It is amazing.Jesus actually came from the root of Ruth.With God everything is possible .

OUR NATURE AS EAGLES

Deut 32:10-11.NLT.
10 The LORD found him in a desolate land, in an empty wasteland where animals howl. He continually guarded him and taught him; he continually protected him like the pupil of his eye. 11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, so the LORD spread out his wings and took him, he lifted him up on his pinions.

God created man in his own image. This statement however does not refer to the physical looks of God but rather speaks of the fact that we are created to be God's representatives here on earth; We are created to rule. God sometimes speaks to us using symbols ,in the Scripture reading above God metaphorically presents himself as an eagle and how the eagle raises her young ones. If God created us in his own image and he is likened to an eagle then we must be his young ones. The Scripture therefore shows how God raises us. It also points out who we are;our nature. Hence for man to fully fathom who we are,We must study the ways of the eagle . With my little study about eagles i learnt that they are large powerful birds with heavy head and beaks . Eagles are designed to achieve their full potential through discipline. This means that one can be a fully grown Christian through discipline in life. You can not live your life anyhow and expect God's blessings. The eagle through discipline has become very strong and resistant. Because of this ,The eagle can soar to the a highest altitude during a fierce storm or rain while other birds can't .The eagle is not only the strongest bird,it is also the most fastest and has the ability to see farther than any bird. The eagle was only able to have all these qualities by confronting adversaries. The challenges we face are not ment to destroy us but builds us up just like the eagle. When there is scarcity of food, it causes the eagle to have a sharp eye sight. The eagle sees perfectly a mile away when it is soaring high above. It is able to see 93miles away. This is how God expects us to see. Am not speaking of your physical eyes. I am referring to the eyes of your imagination (spiritual eyes ).Our future is wrapped around what we see.we must have good visions in life. A good vision isnt developed on the outside but from within. Under the old testament most Visions mentioned in the Bible refers to what we see physically with our eyes, Gen 13:14  And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

. But under the new testament it is what is seen within, with the eyes of imagination. You must understand that any vision within your reach is not from God.Your vision must challenge your faith. What you want to achieve must not be within your reach. Faith operates in the realm of imagination. Without our imagination(spiritual eyes ) we will not be able to walk by faith. We must see far beyond our current circumstances. How far do you see?

MISDIRECTED ZEAL

Romans 10:1 - 4.Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

This reminds me of a movie I watched some time ago about a very Powerful evangelist who had an extraordinary zeal to preach everywhere regardless of his location .  He preached at the market square,at the bus station ,in the bus and on the streets  particularly about the law and condemning people .

Many people did not like the way this preacher delivered his condemning  messages .  He even goes  to the extent of fighting with people who refused to listen or agree with what he preached.

This evangelist  later died and met God but surprisingly God said he did not know  him  and showed him the way to hell.
Many of us, just like this Evangelist have a misdirected zeal.

A misdirected zeal is a zeal not based on the truth or right  knowledge . The apostles were persecuted , excommunicated and even killed by the Jews because they thought they were doing God a service.The Jews ,who were clinged to their religious ways of service regarded the disciples as blasphemers and seeking to do away with the systems of religion. They did all this because they had no knowledge of the truth.This is why Jesus told the disciples "They will do these things because they have not known the father or me " (John 16:2 ) . A true zeal and passion for Christ must come from the revelation of who He is . Paul himself at the beginning of this scripture said "I bear them record " , to bear record is to witness,or give evidence. He was the Jew who prosecuted the early Christians out of so called service to God through his strict observance of his religion .He was consumed in the law, seeking self righteousness( phil 3:4).

A zeal which is not based on knowledge and precepts of God is one which is not enlightened ,discerning, and not founded on the correct views of God. Our actions and zeal must be based on the truth and right feelings,thus, was the zeal of Jesus Christ and the apostles.
Righteousness is only achieved by faith in Jesus Christ . Any other means we use is not God's righteousness. It is what is known as self -righteousness.

PREDESTINATION

Predestination means ,before ,to circumscribe by certain bounds or limit. Predestination also means that God ‘pre-destines’ what will happen –he sees, knows, plans, prepares, appoints and decides what will happen .

It is originally a geographical term and applied to anything determined ,demonstrated or concluded.

Here it points to God's fixed purpose or predetermination to bestow upon the gentiles the blessing of adoption of sons by Jesus Christ.Which adoption had been before granted to the Jewish people without circumcision or any other Mosaic rite.

The Jews held the view that they were the only ones elected by God since the law was first given to them. Paul was trying to mark that because of Jesus Christ even the Gentiles also stands a chance to be chosen just as the Jews were to become sons of God.Because of what Christ did not only the Jews are elected but we also.

It makes sense doesn't it?.This is what the bible says in 2Cor 5:18-19

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

The particular aspect of predestination that is concerned with God’s salvation of sinners through Christ is commonly referred to as election (Rom 8:29-30,33; Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:2). People receive eternal life, not because of their efforts to earn it, but because God in his grace gives it to them freely.

God makes the offer to all, but most refuse it; and God holds them responsible for their choice (Joh 3:16-19; 8:24).

Those who accept it, however, realize that only God’s grace has drawn them to the Saviour and given them the eternal life that God has prepared for them . Christ came to the world not for those who thought they were already chosen or elected but for those who didn't stand a chance,those who were not justified,those who were vile.

This is how 1john 2:2 also puts it.

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

God Had this in mind , to elect us as his children even before the foundations of the world. He had predestined us to be his sons through Christ.Christ's coming was all his Divine plan to reconcile us back to himself. We can never come to God unless he calls us and draws us close.

Frankly it is not the fact that we realise we are sinful that turns us to God,but it is God in his mercy that awakens this awareness in us.The prime purpose of God is for everyone to be saved.(1 Tim 2:4) He has given man "free will" and choice to choose him.

God honors peoples choices to either refuse or accept Christ.(luke 13:34). His grace through Jesus Christ has been extended to all, it is up to us to respond to God's invitation.

Ephesians 1 : 4-6. 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God's redemption plan.

There is a subtle difference between Righteousness and Holiness.Righteousness is a position we have as Christians,We are justified righteous or better still made right with God .we receive righteousness by having faith in Jesus, and not by works or deeds.To justify means to declare righteous. Justification is God’s act of declaring righteous those who put their faith in Christ and his saving work. God does not make believers righteous in the sense of improving them to a standard of behaviour that satisfies him, but rather he declares them righteous. Christ has met God’s righteous demands by paying sin’s penalty on behalf of sinners. God can therefore declare repentant sinners righteous, yet himself remain righteous in doing so (Rom 1:16-17; 3:21t-26; 4:1-3; 5:1-2; Gal 2:15-16; 3:21-22; Phi 3:9). Though righteous deeds, or good works, cannot save anyone, once people are saved their lives should be full of righteous deeds (Eph 2:8-10; Phi 1:11). Once God has declared them righteous, they must make it true in practice by living righteously (Rom 6:13,18-19; Eph 4:24; 5:9; Phi 3:8-10; 1Ti 6:11; 1Pe 2:24; 3:14) .Holiness is a condition. The Hebrew word usually translated ‘holy’ had a much profound meaning than the English word ‘holy’. To most English-speaking people ‘holiness’ means sinlessness or purity. To the Hebrews the word originally indicated the state or condition of a person or thing as being separated from the common affairs of life and consecrated wholly to . for example,God was considered holy, because he was separate from ordinary people, and indeed from all created things (Exo 15:11-12; Psa 99:3; Isa 6:3; 8:13; Rev 3:7; 4:8). Israel was holy, because it belonged to God and was cut off from the religions and customs of the surrounding peoples (Exo 19:6; Deu 7:6). The Sabbath and other religious days were holy, because they were separated from the common days of the workaday world (Exo 31:15; Lev 23:4,21,24). People who were removed from secular life and consecrated to the service of God were holy (Lev 21:6-8). Places and land withdrawn from common use and set apart for sacred use or given to God were holy (Lev 6:16; 27:21). Besides obviously holy things such as places of worship, less obvious things such as clothing, oils, food and produce were also holy if they were set apart for God. The relation of a person or thing to God was what determined whether it was holy or not. God’s holiness meant that he was separate not only from the common everyday world but, above all, from sin (Hab 1:12-13). As a result holiness developed the association with ethical qualities that we are familiar with in English. Because God was holy, his people were to be holy (Lev 11:44-45; Isa 57:15; 1Pe 1:15-16). God’s holiness meant also that one day he would judge sinners (see GOD; JUDGMENT). The preaching of the Old Testament prophets was very much concerned with this ethical aspect of holiness.In the New Testament the writers emphasize this moral aspect of holiness. The holiness of God is to be reflected in his people in lives of purity, uprightness and moral goodness (Mar 6:20; Eph 1:4; 5:27; 1Th 4:7; Tit 1:8; Heb 12:10,14). Holiness, however, is not something people can achieve by themselves. All are defiled by sin (Rom 3:10,23), but Christ, the perfect one, died to take away their sin. God can now accept repentant sinners as cleansed, because of what Christ has done (1Pe 2:22-24). God declares believers in Jesus Christ holy; that is, he sanctifies them (1Co 6:11; 1Pe 1:2). Having been declared holy, believers must make it true in practice. They must have lives of practical sanctification . In conclusion,Jesus Christ was sent and prosecuted to serve as an atonement for our sins (Romans 3:25).He came to satisfy God's anger by taking the punishment in our place.Gods punishment for sin is death(Rom 6:23) so God had to send his son to receive that punishment in our place. Now the war between man and God is over.His wrath has been appeased.Through faith in his death and Resurrection we obtain righteousness.Therefore we are made right with him.This righteousness is however not attained by works or deeds but by faith.Thus through Christ we receive acquittal for our sins.Not by the law,because keeping the law would never make us righteous,(Gal 3:11-21) but faith in Christ(Phil 3:9 ).God has shown us a better and much different way we can obtain righteousness and acquittality.Man tried to be right before God but failed.God's redemption plan is not by obeying the law but by faith.Through faith in Christ we made right in the sight of God.Salvation comes to all,either circumcised or uncircumcised.All we need is to believe,it does not matter what who you are. Having said all this;after we have obtained righteousness by faith , it is not supposed to end there.we are supposed to grow in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).Studying Gods word and praying are some of the activities that helps us to grow in righteousness.

THE REVELATION KNOWLEDGE OF TIME..(Eccl 3:1)

It is amazing how most of us (Christians) go through the day and later realise that we have not done anything profitable. Most of us are caught up doing the rights things at the wrong time or vise versa.

The wisest man who ever lived, in his cognition of time said that there is time for everything.As young Christians, one of the most expedient things to consider is to be diligent with our time management. There is therefore a need to plan ,set goals(attainable ones) and prepare to reach those goals.I feel a bit ashamed talking about this because it actually reveals my weakness. However i felt the need to share this so others may learn from it.

Before we continue lets first define what time is. The  dictionary defines time as  a non-spatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future.This means time is continuous and cannot be reversed.

 The time lost can never be gained back. The Greek viewed the concept of time in the following way.Kairos and chronos. Chronos is a season of time and kairos is an appointed time.In every chronos (season of time)there is a kairos(appointed time). The appointed time is usually not known that is why there is a need to prepare for it. The chronos can be said to be a preparation stage. It is said that success comes when preparation meets opportunity.Many have missed their kairos moments because they failed to prepare very well during the chronos moments. The appointed time is usually a time of maturity.Every food has to take time to cook,however in the fullness of time (kairos) it becomes ready, likewise every christian has a kairos moment. It is like preparing for an exam in school one who prepares diligently during the term ends up performing well, in the same vein we are expected to prepare ourselves during this chronos moments so we can bear fruits in the fullness of time.We need to spend our time wisely. we need to plan our time in such a way that everything we do must prepare us for a kairos moment. I pray that we will be challenged to consider our times and hold it in high esteem. It is my prayer that God will teach us to know the times and seasons we are in.