1. Jesus God's Sacrifical Lamb

Jesus Christ The Son of God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." -John 1:1-3

The bible says, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Why Son? For women are not a sign of strength, and as women were created for men and not men for women, son therefore is a sign of strength and power and honor and of dignitary. (Deuteronomy 21:17; Isaiah 49:2; Psalms 127:4-5; John 1:14; 1Corinthians 11:9)

God called Jesus His first born Son simply because Jesus is God first sign of Strength. As God sent forth His Word, all things are created. (John 1:1-3)

God our Father is a synonym used to simply illustrate the love of God and the relationship that God longs to have with each and every one of us who loves Him and is called according to His purpose for our life. God loves and cares for us just as our earthly fathers are to us. (1 John 3:10)


Jesus The Word of God

Both Christ(Greek) and Messiah(Hebrew) means “The Anointed One”. Who is Jesus Christ whom God called His Son? The Christian bible tells us that His Name is Jesus. The Name Jesus is the root covenant Name of God, Joshua (Yeshua) in Hebrew and an Anglicization of the Greek word meaning “Yahweh rescues” or The LORD saves, the Name by which all names on earth and heaven derived from. (John 1:14; Ephesians 3:14-19)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Colossians 1:15-16 tells us, The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. When He (God) sent forth His Word, all things came to be. (Proverbs 8:23; John 1:1-3)

That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. There is power in the working wonder of God’s spoken Word. (Deuteronomy 21:17; Revelation 19:13)


The Word became flesh

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. " -1 Corinthians 15:56

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17) And Ezekiel 1:26-28 describe the vision of prophet Ezekiel saw an appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. But Hebrews 12:14 tells us, without holiness no one will see the Lord.

And Psalms 104:2-4 says, The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment. God is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. But the bible says, God is love and no one has ever seen God but if God lives in us, his love is made complete in us when we love one another. (Psalms 104:2-4; 1 John 4:12; 1 John 4:12; 1 Timothy 6:15-16)

When Moses the man of God asked to see God's face, God said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." (Exodus 33:19-20) So then, it is not any possible that any man should see God and yet live. The bible tells us, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

And God has appointed Jesus is the one as judge of the living and the dead. He is the one Mediator between God Himself and all mankind. (1 Timothy 2:5) The Word became flesh revealing the love and righteousness of God, such that God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In Numbers 11:23, The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” How possible is it for God to come in a bodily form?

The bible says, The Holy Spirit Himself descended in a bodily form of a dove onto Jesus and a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22) Here in Genesis 18 may give us some glimpse unto the bodily form of Jesus of Jesus Christ whereby God reveals Himself to Abraham as three men, and also the trinity concept of God, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

Two men left to judge on the wicked city but the bible says, The LORD Himself remained standing before Abraham. Based on this encounter with God, the Israelites could have misunderstood God as three separate entities and that was why God once again revealed it to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:4. "Hear, O' Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."

Although under the tree at Mamre, Abraham did saw three men whom the bible perceive to us as God appearing to Abraham as three men, later we read, these men were angels whom God send to execute judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

Since then Jesus who is made a little lower than angel, is not angel, who is Jesus? Both Christ(Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) means “The Anointed One” and Hebrews 2:9 tells us, Jesus was made a little lower than the angels but He is now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

So The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us and the bible says, we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Ezekiel 1:26-28; John 1:14) And John testifies that Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of God and it is God who exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior so that all may come to know the power of his resurrection, that is the one power of God’s Glorious Arm. (Isaiah 53:1-3; John 1:29; Acts 5:31; Philippians 3:9-11)

Jesus is the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth, and Ezekiel says, such is the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And Hebrews 1:1-3 tells us, Jesus is the appointed heir of all things, The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (John 1:14; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Acts 10:38)

And this is decree of the LORD, He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.” (Psalm 2:7) For He (Jesus) is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:17-18)

Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)

2. The Righteousness of God

Romans 3:22-24 tells us that there is a righteousness that comes from God and because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, there is no other form of justification under the whole earth will be able to justify us before the living One of whom we have to give an account to. (1 Peter 4:5)

Grace defined as “the unmerited love and favour of God towards man; the divine influence acting in man to make him pure and good.” And that this righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. The bible says, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

When God created everything in this universe, He saw that everything was good. So how did sin enter the world? God created man, with the choice of free will because man was created in the image of God. And God gave man his free will of own choices to think good or evil, to do good or bad.

And although it was through Adam’s one disobedience that this one trespass should result in condemnation for all people but Paul also said in Romans 5:18-20, that as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous. It is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus that God’s one righteous act may result in justification and life for all mankind.

Now, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. And God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27-28)

So God blessed Adam and Eve and everything was good and perfect as it was with Adam and Eve because they knew no evil. But the human will was there and so God gave Adam and Eve a free will in the first place. Now Adam and Eve had a choice whether to choose to obey God or to disobey God. But in this desire (will) to become like God, Adam chose to disobey God and so sin entered the world through this one disobedience.

Like Adam, God has given each and everyone of us a free will. He will repay everyone according to what they have done. Romans 2:6-8 tells us, to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality; He (God) will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Genesis 6:5-6)

We cannot imagine a land without law but that the requirements of the law are written on each and every man’s hearts and the bible says, this consciences also bearing witness that sometimes our thoughts that though accusing us, at other times are even defending us. (Romans 2:15)

Hence for those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Luke 22:42; Romans 8:29) But the bible says, the purpose of the Law however was added because of transgression. As it is, God is perfect and He is holy but as long as man retain his choice of free will, the infringement or violation of a law, command or duty will always exist.

So God gave the law not to condemn man (Genesis 4:13-15, 24, 6:5-6) but that the law was given so that we may know what is faith in Christ. The law was given in order to disclose and to expose to men their guilt because of transgressions and to make men more conscious of the sinfulness of sin that all men may be led to the Seed, [The Son of Man] what is the promise of God that all man may have Salvation through Him. [The Son of God] (Hebrews 10:1-8; Galatians 3:19, 23) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Galatians 3:19; Romans 8:28)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)


Salvation is by Faith

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29

The dictionary defined faith as (1) belief and trust in and loyalty to God, (2) firm belief in something for which there is no proof, complete trust. Here we see faith as believing without proof. Generally, Faith can also be defined as the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. The word faith can also refer to a religion.

Jeremiah 35:13-15 recorded, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the LORD. ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me.

Salvation is by faith but faith itself is an evidence. The bible says, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26) Today God is not only looking for someone who merely says that he believes but also in living out what he say that he does that he really is believed. (Hebrews 11:6)

So then, does not a polytheist also have faith in (gods)? But it is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. (2 Corinthians 4:13-14) Our confession is by an act of faith.

In Acts 19:18-20, many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done and a number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. And again Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:3, we remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Biblical Faith as defined by Paul is like this, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The bible says, for we live by faith, not by sight. We cannot see faith but faith itself is an evidence, the substance of things hoped. And the bible says, for this is what the ancients were commended for and because they did not received the things promised but that they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (Hebrews 11:13)

And 1 John 4:17 tell us, “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” And 1 John 3:23-24 says, “The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.” And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. We believe and therefore we confess but love is a natural thing.

The bible says, for whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (Galatians 5:6; 1 John 4:20)

So then, everyone who does what is right has been born of God because God is righteous and we know that. (1 John 2:28-29) As it was said in 1 Peter 3:20-23, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. (Hebrews 11:1; 2 Corinthians 5:7)

But those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. And I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’ (Jonah 2:8-9)

3. Faith in God

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. –Hebrews 11:1-2

Before 330AD, many died who followed the Way under the Name of Christianity. (Acts 9:2) It was their faith that brought them such prosecution. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony and this is what the ancients were commended for.

God is always pleased when we come to Him, because we believe in Him and that’s why we go to Him. As our heavenly Father, God loves us, He longs to bless us and cares for us. That is why the bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Compare to faith in its most raw form (Romans 4:22), faith put into action should enhance the work of our hands, the deed of our mouths, it is simply faith brought forth itself alive or faith itself metamorphoses - from faith to faith, from glory to glory. It is the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form and it requires more than one distinct stages.

Self-assurance and self-delusion is no faith though one may claim to have faith for if faith can comes by understanding, it requires no work or action on our part. On the contrary, it does not means that we should take on the honor on behalf of God and struck the rock. The Psalmist had undergone it and he knew this and that was why he said, “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.” (Psalm 119:140)

But true faith are faith that has been thoroughly tested and endures, good works and good deeds can never justify the faith we have in God neither can it saves us on the last day but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world. (Romans 8:36-38, John 16:33, 1 John 5:3-5)

The martyrdom of the early Christians laid the foundation of Christianity today for many were persecuted for their faith. (Luke 11:51; Hebrews 11:4; Ephesians 2:20-22) From all these examples quoted, we saw Paul telling the people what faith should truly be all about. Faith should be anchored on God. We can trust in the unchanging character of God. But it is not in the will of God that mankind should be passive and dependable on fate and affinity as some heathen so believed in. But that when the Son of Man comes, he should find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1-7)

So let us turn our eyes upon Jesus, God being the centre of our focus and when we cry out to Him, He will yet listen to our cry. Yes, some of whom were tried, mocked, scourged in chain and imprisoned. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. (verse 36) These people although did not receive the promise as we had, but that having obtained a good testimony through faith, they are made perfect yet not apart from us. (Hebrews 11:39-40, 12:1-3) Faith is anchorage on God.

4. The Invisible Working Hands of God

"When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth." -Psalm 104:30

The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of The Holy Trinity. The Holy Ghost is the invisible working hands of God. There are some bible symbolic of the Holy Ghost includes wind (John 3:8), water (John 7:37-39; Jeremiah2:13), fire (Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:24; Matthew 3:11), dove (John1:32) and lamp stand. (Revelation 4:5)

The Holy Spirit emanates from God or is said to be "poured out" from God, (Exodus 25:35; Titus 3:5-6) or "breathed" (John 20:22), and used to "fill" (Acts 2:4) and "anoint". (Acts 10:38) The Holy Spirit is the presence of God and the Holy Spirit is given as mark, is a seal of God and is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the day of our redemption, we who are God’s possession and to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

The Holy Spirit is the Seven Eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth. The Holy Spirit is The Arm of God. The Holy Spirit is The Breath of God. The Holy Spirit is The Power of God. The Holy Spirit is The Zeal of God. (2 Chronicles 16:9; Isaiah 63:12; Ezekiel 5:13; Zechariah 4:6; Romans 15:19)

God is a Spirit. The Holy Spirit belongs to God and The Holy Spirit sparks the Holy Presence of God; the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of the spiritual aspect of God the Father Himself. (Judges 14:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:8, Isaiah 63:11)

Today God speak through to us His Holy Spirit’s conviction and we know God through His written Word. The Spirit of God searches all things, even the deep things of God. When God sent forth His Word, The Holy Spirit carried out His commandment as exactly as The Word which He spoke and as readily as the time The Word went forth. Altogether, The Spirit of God works hand in hand with The Spoken Word of God. (Genesis 1:1-3)

The psalmist says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ” The God we know is all powerful and all present. (Psalms 108:4-6; 139:7)



The Power of His Word (God's Glorious Arm)

JESUS SAYS, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)

(1) There is Power when God speak because God's Word is Spirit and they are life.

The bible tells us, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:1-2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. (Genesis 1:3, 11, 14-15, 19, 24, 29-30)

Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27) There is Power when God speaks because God Word is Spirit and they are life. Jesus says, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47; John 6:63)


(2) The Holy Spirit is The One Power of God's Glorious Arm revealed in the End times.

"He (Christ) was chosen before the creation of the world, but wasrevealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, whoraised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God."-1 Peter 1:20-21

When God spoke all thing came to be. There is power in the Spoken Word of God,

What is that Power?

Paul says, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..” (Philippians 3:10) God wants to show forth His Power. The Majestic Awesome Power of His One Glorious Arm which He (God - The Father) shows/exhibits since the beginning of The Creation(Genesis 1:2) and this is the same resurrection Power which He (God) exerted in Christ Jesus when He (The Holy Ghost) raised Him (Jesus) from the death.

"But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life toyour mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." -Romans 8:10-11

That is the One Power of God’s glorious Arm, when God sent forth His Word, all things came to be. It is the Power that came from the One and Only God, our Abba Father of whom The Holy Spirit emanates from and of whom poured out on us generouslythrough Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. (Titus 3:5-6)

The Holy Spirit came to convict the world of sin and to draw all men unto Jesus so that The Salvation of God may be made known to all (Luke 14:16) and of The Power of His Majestic, His One Glorious Arm being revealed through the Name of Christ Jesus OurLord and Savior.


(3) There is Power when Jesus speaks because The Son of Man is The Living Word of God. He is the exact Representation of God, The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.

Colossians 1: 15-20 says, "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

He (Jesus) is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

But who is The Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is The One Glorious Arm of God. (Isaiah 53:1) When Jesus came, The Son of God, The Son of Man, full of The Holy Ghost - The Word of God, Jesus inherited the Name of God which God bestowed on Him. Psalm 2:7 says, "I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.

So he (Jesus) became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Hebrew 1:3-4)

Jesus Christ is the exact Representation of God The Father. And when Jesus speaks, He (Jesus) speaks as One speaking the very Word of God, for God The Father gave Him The Spirit without limit, without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. (John 3:34-36)

Jesus is the exact Representation of God The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. (Zechariah 3:8-10, 4:9. Ephesians 3:14; Cross Ref *Zechariah 1:1) Jesus says, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:5)


(4) Having God's kind of faith is Self-Denial, it seek not to glorify oneself but to glorify God.

Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." -Matthew 16:24 The Lord Jesus says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."(John 14:1) The bible tells us to put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of thewhole world. (Timothy 4:10)

Now, is there anyone whom you want to idolize so much today? But God wants to be The Sole Focus of our attention today. Having place our trust and hope in Jesus, we have faith in God. And having God’s kind of faith (Mark 11:22), it is self-denial, it seek not to glorify oneself but to glorify God. (John 3:1-3; Luke 7:29; Philippians 2:5-8)

5. The Christian Will of God

The bible says that man is created in the image of God; and God created man - soul, body and Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23) In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and God the Father being the Godhead of The Holy Trinity – The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.

There is Power when God speaks because God Word is Spirit and they are life. God is a Spirit and The Holy Spirit is a Person. (Acts 13:2) But God wants to create men and women; are living beings who can reason like Him. (Proverbs 30:9)

The Soul is a person (Genesis 8:21; Ezekiel 18:20), it is defined as the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing. It is the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the Universe. It is defined as a person’s total self. (Acts 5:4, *verse 9)

The bible says, when we received Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is of God that we may have the mind of Christ so that we may understand what God has freely given us in Him. Our body is a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in our midst. (Romans 12:2 ; 1 Corinthians 2:121, Corinthians 3:16)

But regarding this “same attitudes of mind” towards each other, Paul says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Attitude - This is not meaning that we should be in one unity with occults who profess to be Christian. But that it is needed for us as fellow believers in Christ to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3) So then Paul say in 1 Corinthians 3:16, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow."

And if we have the mind of Christ, His Word in our lives - prompted by His Holy Spirit's who convicts us, we know what God wants us to do. (Matthew 21:12; Romans 15:5-6; 1 Corinthians 2:16, 6:17) And this mind of Christ here is of understanding what the Lord’s good and perfect will for our life is and of knowing the Lord in greater measure for the scripture also say, “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has taught Him?” (Isaiah 26:3, 40:13) As it is, our body is a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in our midst. (Jeremiah 17:10; Luke 3:7-9; 1 Corinthians 11:27)

What then is in the human will? The human will does not lie in the human heart or in a human’s thinking. The human’s will is in the human mind but what the man really wants. (Genesis 6:5; Joshua 24:15; 2 Chronicles 12:14) Likewise, what is the “Will of God”? The Divine will of God lies in the Soul, The Godhead of the Holy Trinity. (Exodus 32:32-33)

In His own image has God created all mankind. We seek the LORD with our Soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29, 6:5) We worship The LORD in the Spirit and in Truth, but we make music unto the Lord with our mouth and a willing heart, that is the flesh, a corporeal one. (Psalms 119:108; John 4:24; Ephesians 5:19) And God will always be God and man will always be man and there will always be a distinct drawn between God, The Creator and man, the creation. Here we see, the call of God is also His divine will for the children of man, the bible say is irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)

When God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God gave them the will of choice. In Christianity, the will of God is not "a fixed term" nor is it passive nor is it merely waiting for something to happen. The bible says, he (Rehoboam) did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD. Rehoboam was a king of Judah but his heart was not set on God. But because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. (2 chronicles 12:14)

The dictionary defined "destine" as to set apart or appoint (for a certain purpose or person, or to do something); intend; design. It can also mean to direct, devise, or set apart for a specific purpose or place. (1 Kings 20:42; 1 Kings 22:20, 22:34; Jeremiah 15:2) Hence instead of waiting for something to happen and of leaving it to 'fate' or 'destiny', we pray to God and we implore upon The LORD.

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amos sent to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” But King Hezekiah wept bitterly before the LORD and The Word of The LORD came to him again, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’" And God did not bring to pass what He spoke through Isaiah earlier on.

In 2 Chronicles 18:19, Then he (The prophet) said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.’ ” (1 Kings 20:42) Now, this passage set the contrast for the will of God and the will of man. “And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that.”

And there in Lamentations 3:31-42 tells us, it is not God to deny a man of his rights and to deprive men of justice. And most thing meaning not all thing that has happened, so happened because God has so decreeded or God has allowed - So then who can speak and have it happen? (Lamentations 3:37; Romans 8:28)

But as it is, it is only right that GOD’s Sovereignty will be done to all mankind. So then the bible says, it is the Soul who sins and who shall die. But when a man dies, he is laid low then he breathes his last and is no more. The man who sins is the one who will die but it is the spirit of the man who will be judged ultimately. (Job 14:10; Ecclesiastes 3:21)

In Jeremiah 42:19-22, Jeremiah warned the remnant of Judah not to go to Egypt but they would not obey and so God pronounced judgment upon them. What is the Christian Will of God? The will of God in Christianity is not meaning that we should wait for our destiny or 'fate' to overtake us but as it is, Jesus told his disciples, “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:46)

And This is what The LORD said, “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.” (Jeremiah 18:7-10; Jonah 4:1-3; Romans 8:5)

What is The Divine Will of God? The Divine will of God lies in the Father - The Godhead of the Holy Trinity. (Matthew 15:21-28, Luke 18:1-8) "For God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19)

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What does this mean? And Jesus said, “Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.” (John 6:64)

Firstly God so foreknew our existence because He is God. God Himself witnesses our creation. Psalms 139:7-8 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonder -fully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Secondly, God keep watch over our every steps and He predestined out our every movement because He is our God. (Psalm 32:9, 91:11)

Psalms 139:15 wrote, “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” And He, God chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

Lastly, He (God) marked our lives, because He (Jesus) is the author and Finisher of our faith, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:2-3) And since it is God who justified us in Christ and we know that we are not under the law, but under grace; sin shall no longer be our master. (Romans 6:14, 8:33-34)

All men have been given a free will (The decision to make choices) in the first place;we are created in the image of God. (Genesis 2:16-17; Jeremiah 26:13, Lamentations 3:31-36; John 6:64; Romans 8:19) But as a Son honor his father, so a man ought to say, "The Lord will be done" and this meaning also whatever the outcome we have leave it to God or whatever God had in mind to do pertaining to His Will - We Bless The LORD. (Psalm 103:1; Malachi 1:6; Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8)

Nevertheless "The Christian Will of God" is never a passive or a fixed term, or else let us eat, drink and make merry for tomorrow we will die but as it is, there is a time for everything. (2 Chronicles 24:19; Ecclesiastes 8:15, 12:1, 12:13-14)

In Matthew 26:42, and He (Jesus) went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” Proverbs 25:15 says, “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. But it is God’s Sole Sovereignty Divine will that His Word should died on the cross for us for justice demands our life but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (compare Numbers 23:19, 2 Kings 20:1)

And God did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Now, this is the Divine Will of God for us through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23; John 3:16; Revelation 5:6)

So then, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life set us free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 6:1, 8:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55-56) But our freedom in the Lord however is not for us to do as we like or to do evil. But rather Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Psalm 50:21; John 21:18)In Christianity, there is no such thing as "fated" ! for our destiny is in The Lord’s hands – In The Hands of The LORD God Almighty. (Isaiah 65:12; Jeremiah 15:2)

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:27-28)

6. The Holy Spirit our Counsellor

“He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” (John 16:14)

Jesus says, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he (The Holy Spirit) comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” (John 16:8-11) The Holy Spirit is the invisible working hands of God and The Holy Spirit glorify the Name of God. The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit come to guide the believers into all truth but the Holy Spirit will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears from God and The Holy Spirit will brings glory to the Name of God by making Him known to us. (John 14:6, 14:26, 16:13, 17:4-5)

The Holy Spirit - The Advocator, intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (John 14:26; 16:9) The Holy Spirit teaches the believers all things and remind them everything of what Jesus had said. The Holy Spirit is a helper in our work of the harvest field. He (The Holy Spirit) convicts the world of sin, so that others may believe in the Lord Jesus. (John 10:16)

As believers in Christ, we were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit unto the day of Salvation. (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30) God is a Spirit; The Holy Spirit is poured out of God. It is biblical that we do not pray to the Holy Spirit but we can talk to the Holy Spirit because he is the third person of the Holy Trinity. Expressive word like “Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me” or “Holy Spirit, thou art welcome in this place” is a form of acknowledgment that the presence of The Holy Spirit of God is working in our midst. (Genesis 6:6, 8:21; Isaiah 63:11; John 4:24; Acts 13:2; Ephesians 4:30; Revelation 4:2)

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:2) Convicted by the Holy Spirit, then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? (Acts 5:3) And God had also spoke to Peter in a vision. He convicted Peter through the conviction of The Holy Spirit in Acts 10:19 and also of Philips who saw the angel of the Lord. With the conviction of The Holy Spirit, lead him to stay close near to the Chariot (Acts 6:29). And this is also true of Agabus who stood up and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (Acts 17:28, 21:10-11)

But Paul however experienced The Lord on the way to Damascus and so he said in 2 Cor 3:17, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." After they (the Eunuch and Philips) have come out of the water, the Spirit of The Lord took Philips away. (Acts 8:39; 16:7) Ananias recognize it was The Lord who spoke to him in a vision, said to Saul, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.", and after he had placed his hands onto Saul, Saul received the Holy Spirit and was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9:17)

Now Paul, filled with The Holy Spirit of God said, "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.” (Acts 20:22) In Athens, apostle Paul spoke in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, from one man God made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ (Acts 17:26-28)

Today, God has given us His Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:17) The Holy Spirit works in and through the people of God, but men is not God that they should know the things of God. The bible says, the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. The Spirit of God knows the thoughts of man but no one knows the thoughts of God except that God choose to reveal it to us by His Spirit. (Amos 3:7; John 17:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:9-11; Ephesians 3:4-6; Romans 8:26-28)

When Jesus sent out the seventy-two, he said to them, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” And before His ascension, He (Jesus) instructed the disciples to wait for power from above (The Holy Ghost) when the Spirit comes on them and there they will be the Lord’s witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Today, without the power of The Holy Ghost, Christians would be powerless against the powers of the principalities of darkness in the spiritual world. (John 16:11; Acts 10:38; 1 John 2:20) Paul say, "we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. Hence we are but God's vessels, in the Lord's use. (Matthew 28:18-22; Luke 10:19; Acts 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians 3: 5-7, 2 Corinthians 4:7-8)

7. The Gifts of The Holy Spirit

Now Paul, who was also Saul of Tarsus, did a lot of miracles after he was called as one of the apostles testifying the Gospel of Christ. (Rom 2:16) And Paul said, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith." (Romans 12:6) and he, Paul also said, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.”

The Christian God is a God of purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11, Deuteronomy 32:47) and He (God) does not first called a person without empowering him and this ‘empowerment’ may not necessary meant a magician power of empowerment. (Jeremiah 12:5, See 1 Kings 19:3-10: How Elijah ran for his life)

In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. To equip God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Romans 12:5-8; Ephesians 4:10-13)

Ephesians 4:10-12 tell us, for Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up and all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. And in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (John 13:14; Romans 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:4-6)

The Holy Spirit is a gift of God and tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38; Hebrews 2:4) God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. And Paul said, yet not all are apostles, yet not all are prophets, yet not all are teachers, yet not all are workers of miracles, yet not all have gifts of healing, yet not all speak in tongues and yet not all can interpret tongues.

Jesus says, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. (Mark 10:43-44; 1 Corinthians 12:28-31)

8. The Baptism of The Holy Spirit

In the past, Moses said to God, “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes— and do not let me face my own ruin.”

And The LORD said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again. (Numbers 11:14-17, 11:25)

When The Lord Jesus was about to be taken away from the disciples, he breathed on them and he said unto them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22) But on one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5, 8)

God is a Spirit and Acts 2:17-21 says, In the last days, God will pour out His Spirit on all people, even on His servants, both men and women and they will prophesy. (2 Peter 1:21) When the day of Pentecost came, and the disciples were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4) But what happened during the Pentecost is a fulfillment of an indication of what The Lord will be do in the last days. (Joel 2:28)

In Acts 4:29-31, after the believers had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken and The Spirit of the Lord came upon them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Judges 14:6) Likewise, when the Spirit of The Lord came upon Samson, he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. And there Samuel said to Saul, The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Then when all those who had formerly known Saul saw him prophesying with the prophets and they said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’ (Judges 14:6; 1 Samuel 10:6, 1 Samuel 10:11)

The bible says, the Seventy Elders spoke once, but did not spoke in tongues again and continued to assist Moses in his role. (1 Corinthians 12:30) Today like Moses, and as 1 Peter 2:9 tells us, as God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and God’s special possession; Christians are to declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. And Paul said, eagerly desire the greater gifts but in all these, love is indispensable. Love being the fundamental or characteristic part or quality; it is the ultimate reality that underlies all outward manifestations and change, practical important, for usefulness in the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 3:8; John 15:5-6, 21:17; 1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 14:1; Galatians 5:22-23)

But the fruits of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And there, John The Baptist was warning the Pharisees and Sadducees and he said to them, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8; John 15:5-6; Galatians 5:22-23)

Jesus says, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” But earlier, The LORD had also commanded Moses to dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve Him as priest. And Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance? Then from then on, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him and Saul began to prophesy. Then Samuel also took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. The LORD had also said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight." (Numbers 27:18-19; Romans 2:28-29)

Now, the Holy Spirit in us (our reborn in Christ) and the infilling needs of The Holy Ghost is two different work of the Holy Spirit for then Jesus breathed on the disciples and said unto them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22) and there He instructed them to wait for the Gift (baptism) of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 3:18-20) But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Exodus 40:13; 1 Samuel 10:1, 10:10, 16:13)

What happened during the Pentecost is a fulfillment of an indication of what The Lord will be do in the last days. But God wants to show forth His Strength, His one Glorious Arm. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. And Numbers 11:26 tells us, but two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. (Numbers 11:26, compare compare Romans 2:25,29,8:14,9:4,9:27,10:5,11:5-6)

To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed and who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1; Zechariah 4:6; John 12:38) But as true believers of Christ, we also were included in Him when we heard the message of truth, the gospel of our salvation. And that when we believed, were marked in him with a seal, that is the promised Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:26-27; Romans 11:23-25; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30)

So then, there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

The Holy Spirit is a gift from God (Acts 2:38) and tongues is a gift of The Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:4, 12:8-11; John 3:8) But Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

In every campaign that he led, King David recognizes that it was the Spirit of The LORD that gave him the success and the victory. Today Christians need the power of the Holy Spirit in warring against the power of the principalities of the dark world and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. We need to take up the Sword of The Spirit and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Mark 16:17-18; Acts 1:8-9; Ephesians 1:19-21, 6:1-18)

Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20) Without the power of The Holy Spirit, men would be powerless against the powers of the principalities of darkness in the spiritual world. But as it is, the Holy Spirit is a Gift of God, and as believers, it is God Himself who has given us different gifts (of The Holy Spirit) according to the grace given to each of us. (Luke 8:18; Romans 12:6)

And if it is a gift and by grace, it is of God and never by ourselves, Jesus says, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:4)

9. The Law of Christ

Under The Law

"Do not think that I (Jesus) have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them". (Matthew 5:16)

Law can mean a divine commandment, the rules of conduct established and enforced by the authority or any rule or principle expected to be observed. Jesus came. He came to save, to love and also to fulfill the law, the main requirement of the Mosaic’s Law which is also a divine law. (Deuteronomy 4:2)

But in regard to rules of conduct established and enforced by the Authority, Romans 13:1 says, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

While most people tithe out of love and obedience for God and His people, others had needed to tithe because they had pledged to do so in the Lord, whether by the church or out of their own free will. (Judges 11:30-31,34-35, 13; Ecclesiastes 5:6)

What is a vow? A vow is a solemn promise or pledge made unto the LORD, or with God as witness, binding oneself to an act, way of life etc. So then, any vow made by a girl or a woman will be blinding unto her unless the husband of the woman or the father of the girl hears it and nullify it. But any vow that is made by a widow or a man is blinding unto themselves for as long as they lives (Acts 18:18, Numbers 30).


The Law of Christ

“For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.” -Hebrews 4:2

What does this mean? Does it mean that we have to go back to the Law (The Mosaic Law) once again? No, as it is, Christ is the complete of the Law. In Luke 6:5, Jesus called himself the Lord of the Sabbath. For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law and 1 Peter 2:9 tell us, “we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.”

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' Verse.38 This is the first and greatest commandment. Verse.39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Now, what does it mean by ‘Love thy neighbor as yourself.’ The bible says, all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." So Now, any law that still stands, are those that still ‘hang on these two commandments’ but Christ has fulfill the main requirement and the rest now come under this principal of Love, 'Love your neighbor as yourself’ which is also 'The Law of Christ.' (Galatians 6:2)

Therefore whosoever has Jesus as Lord and Savior has already entered into this rest for "The Son of Man is Lord of The Sabbath" (Hebrews 4:6, Luke 6:5)

So where are the old rules and regulations?

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.” -Ephesians 2:13-16 His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. V.15b,16.

And surely, all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two Commandments: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' And 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 9:9-10. “Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest”. Hence earlier, this was what Paul quoted from the Law of Moses."Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." (Deuteronomy 25:4)

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

So then, The law of Christ is anything that conforms to the principle of love. It can also be perceived in this way “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31; Proverbs 30:5-6; Galatians 6:2)


Love - The Basis of The Christian Faith

1 John 3:21-24 says, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.” (Matthew 3:7-10; John 15:5-8; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Peter 2:1-2)

Love does no harm to its neighbor. Love fulfils Christ's Law and love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:10)


Love - Our Confidence in The Last days

And so this was what James had all been talking about: "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him." (1 John 4:17)

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen because God is Love. (1 John 4:8, 4:19-20)

But we cannot force anyone to love someone whom they have not loved, but that love of God is a natural thing as is the Spirit of God. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:7-9)

10. The Law of The Spirit of Life

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Paul said in Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” V.7 "A man reaps what he sows" here Paul was using an illustration of God's nature Law of Harvesting to show man the consequences of sin.

“A man reaps what he sows” in context, Paul was saying, the one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8) For if we sow according to the law of the Spirit of God, we reap life and peace (Romans 8: 5, 6-7) the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; (Galatians 4:31) bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Verse 5 but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

And because what a man sows in his body, another man cannot reaps it for him; a man reaps what he sows. In this context, "a man reaps what he sows" should therefore be perceived in angle different from the secular perspective of "The Law of Cause and Effect" on "a man reaps what he sows". The LORD is upright. In Him there is no wickedness. It is in fact an insult to a gracious God that we should say that He should 'repaid'us as our sin deserved, for God is also The Spirit of Grace and Supplication! (Zechariah 12:10; Jeremiah 9:24) A man reaps what he sows is never what God intended. (1 John 1:8-10, 4:37-38) God's judgment and cursing are first pronounced when men remain stiff harded and refuses to turn from evil and seek God and do good. (Ecclesiastes 9:2; Job 4:8, 42:7; Proverbs 22:8; Hosea 8:7; Psalms 92:15)

Psalms 103:8-10 tells us, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (Psalm 32:2-5; Romans 4:7; Acts 19:18; James 5:16; 1 John 1:9)

Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. And Paul said, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2) Here Paul was actually telling us, if we live or serve our life in according to the Law of The Spirit of Life, meaning if we are really being led by the Spirit, then we are really under no law, not even the law of Christ.

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:6) But Paul said, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me." (Romans 7:15-17)

The dilemma that is in us by the result of this two law that is at work in us - The Law of Sin and death and The Law of The Spirit of Life.

Now what men do in the weakness of the body, man hates it and he knows it is wrong. But now the Spirit leads us and we know it by the Spirit and not because of the Law. (Romans 2:29) And that’s why the Christian life is warfare or in fact human life itself is warfare between man and the Satan. While God tests us to bring out the best in us, the devil tempts us to bring out the worst in us. This best may not be the best in the eyes of the world, compare Job 41:2-5 and Job 42:3 to Job 42:7. Yet at the end of it all, God will still view us as His best because He is God our Heavenly Father! (Job 42:7) Hence sin is the law at work in the members of my body (by going with the law, devil tempts us – hence the god of this world), waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

So now, Paul ask, Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Verse 24-25 But now thanks be to Christ Jesus, who set us free from this law of Sin and death. 1 Corinthians 15:55-56 reads, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

Then you ask, how about those who did not have the Spirit or the Law or the Word of God? Romans 2:14-17 says, “Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.” Verse 16 And this will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. (Rom 2:14-15)

Then someone ask the same question all over again, why then does Christ need to die for us? Again Romans 8:1-4 says, “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

God cannot contradict Himself and this time, instead of condemning man, (since the Law comes from Him) So now God condemned the Sin in us by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man. Thus by his sacrificial death, Christ has put to an end of all arguments and law. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

11. Jesus Name Above All Names

‘Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, " The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.”’ (Numbers 14:6-8)

There are researches that show that optimism may also be linked to health. The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." (Bible on "Heart Matters": See Genesis 42:38b, 44:34b; 2 Samuel 13:2, 1 Kings 21:4; Proverbs 13:12, 15:13, 15,30, 17:22, 18:14, 4:23)

Do you know someone who seems to always have a smile and a positive thought? Or are you yourself one of those people who is full of optimism? Hardships are seen as ‘learning experiences’ by optimists, and even the most miserable day always holds the promise for them that ‘tomorrow will probably be better.'

Unlike optimal thinking, being optimistic is realistic in nature, in the typical sense of the word, the word ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation. But without God in a man life, this can be very much like self-delusion, self-deception, self-deceit, self-deceived and self-deception can also be self-defeating sometimes. And if you always see the brighter side of things, you may find yourself experiencing more positive events in your life than others despite some bad thing that surround and because you find yourself less stressed and even enjoy greater health benefits because you relaxed!

'Cosmic ordering' however is another name for ‘positive thinking’ renamed by Mohr. In her belief of 'cosmic ordering', the author believes that a person can simply write down their wish list and wait for it to become reality. The idea is somehow linked to New Age Movement and the other concept such as the Law of Attraction. (Wiki)


Biblical Names God Intended

As I understand not all names are the exact translation of the direct language meaning but instead could be pointing to a biblical allusion or part of a literature quote made parallel to certain characters in history or some literary books.

I believe just as we give our children name which we wish they would grow up to be, God also gave Himself a Name by which He wishes to be known as. He is the 'I am who I am' (Exodus 3:14) "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

The Name Jesus, the root covenant Name of God, in Hebrew and an anglicization of the greek word meaning 'Yahweh rescues' or 'The LORD saves', (Psalm 145:8) the Name by which all names on earth and heaven derived from. Now, when we give ourselves a name or when we name our children, we want to identify our names with biblical characters in the bible. But why is it that we don’t see an authentic Christian calling his son or daughter 'Jesus', Name above all names of which the bible says, “every knee should bow.” (Philipians 2:10) and every demons flee? (Luke 10:17)

Now, you can never find two John that are alike in character, neither can you find two Michaels similar in their temperament and likewise, you can never find two Hannahs and two Ruths alike in character. And even if you are not called Emmanuel today, you can be sure that God is still with us when we call out to Him with all our heart. And because Jabez’ mother had given birth to him in pain, his mother gave him the name Jabez, meaning sorrow, trouble, pain. But it was not Jabez’s intention that he should cause pain and trouble to other and the bible tells us, how did God feel about his request.

But Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) Despite time again and again, people called him(Jabez) which means ‘pain’ or ‘he cause pain’, which could be stigmatic and because his parent had given such name to him, Jabez took such firm stand with his God that he thus gained the favour and blessings of God so much that even scribes (are prominent people!) lived at Jabez. (1 Chronicles 2:55) Jabez called on the LORD!



How do you think that by changing a person name, will it transform his character or personality? What will the change in name do in him?


GOD CHANGED JACOB NAME

When God gave me my new name, it took me a long time to accept it. But 'Jacob' could also means conniver but Israel means ‘Prince of God’. Now Jacob should have realized the deliberate change made to his name but yet God had to remind him time again and again, “Hey, you are not a conniver!” but a “Prince of God!” and Jacob continue to call himself Jacob until his returned from Paddan Aram.

So “God appeared to him again and blessed him. God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel. " So he named him Israel.” (Genesis 35:9-10)

(1)Jacob’s new name enables him to hold a new identity in God and Jacob need to learn how to live out this new name through faith anchored on God. He is no longer to be a conniver but a Prince of God. God changed Jacob's name.


GOD PROMISE TO ABRAM

"So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne." -Genesis 16:15

Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. It was a long eleven years when God first called him out of the land of the Chaldeans and it was the also the very first time, 'exalted father' felt his sense of fulfillment (Genesis 17:18) but God told him instead, he should not stop at that, but instead, "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee." (Genesis 17:5)

God reminded Abram that He would be the one who made him Abraham and he, Abraham would be a ‘father of nations’. (2)The name Abraham was God's promise to Abraham and to remind him(Abram) of God’s (faithfulness) work in his life.


NAOMI CHANGED HER NAME

Who was Naomi? Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth and Ruth was the grandmother of King David. The name ‘Naomi’ means ‘sweet’. But ‘Sweet’ and ‘My God is King’ (Elimelech) had to went and live for a while in the land of the Moabites with their two sons to escape famine.

Now, faithfulness is one attribute of God.(2 Timolty 2:13) But Ruth the Moabite found favour in the eyes of God and so true ‘friendship’ or true ‘companionship’ confessed to Naomi, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." Ruth confessed Israel as her own people and went with Naomi and The LORD was her God and God accepted her. (Deuteronomy 23:3; Matthew 1:1-6)

Upon her returned to Israel, we see Naomi humbled herself before God and changed her name from Naomi to Mara meaning “bitter”. (Ruth 1:20) God was kind and gracious to Naomi and Naomi now had a son by Ruth and Boaz whom they named Obed and he became her son. (Ruth 4:17) Naomi previously although bitter did not turn away from God but had instead recognize God’s sovereign rights in her life(Ruth 1:20-21) and was made sweet again by the gracious God who saw her contrite heart. (See how Ahab humbled himself before The LORD : 1 Kings 21:27-29)

(3)The change to her name signify Naomi’s humility towards her maker and a repentance heart towards a gracious and compassionate God; and God was indeed compassionate towards Naomi and even gracious to Ruth. (Deuteronomy 23:3)


THE PEOPLE CURSE GIDEON

Now Gideon had cut down the Asherah poles of Baal’s and had demolished the altar. So the men of the town demanded of Joash, his father to hand him (Gideon) over to them and put to death.

Verse 31, But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." (Judges 6:31)

And on that day the peoples cursed him(Gideon) saying, 'Let Baal contend with him' and thus Gideon was also known as 'Jerub-Baal'. But The LORD was with him and Gideon defeated the Midianites and led Israel 40 years.

(4) Man's word without godly conviction are nothing and may instead bring judgment upon themselves but every Word of The LORD will come to pass. (Matthew 12: 37, 24:35; Psalm 109:28, 27:14)


GOD NAMED JOHN THE BAPTIST

“But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” (Luke 1:13)

John The Baptist was born to Zechariah, a priest belonging to the priestly division of Abijah serving before The LORD. And his mother Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. (Luke 1:5)

Not only did John The Baptist received a name totally different from his clan, not found to anyone of his relatives, John the Baptist served a priesthood totally different in the house of His God. The meaning of John is 'The Lord is merciful' and although the King had John beheaded and his head brought on a platter, (Matthew 14:9-11)

(5)The name of John however holds the goodwill of God towards all mankind. It was God intended to make known His purpose beforehand. (Luke 1:14-17) John The Baptist was the one of whom it was said, "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Luke 3:4)


SOMETIMES NAMES ARE JUST NAMES

“May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name —his name is Fool, and folly goes with him.” (1 Samuel 25:25) Now Nabal, the husband of Abigail (before King David), could have implied ‘fool’ (1Samuel 25:25) but he was very rich (1 Sam 25:18-19) and there was no indication that Nabal was stupid. (1 Sam 25:10-11)

The LORD’s angel however did not even bother to give Samson a name but still Samson grew and The LORD blessed him. (Judges 13:24-25) So Samson was called and used by the LORD and he led Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.


BIBLICAL NAMES WE GAVE OURSELVES

There are many names which God intended in the bible. But now all sort of peoples now all over the world now called themselves, David, John, Paul, Jacob, Peter, Paul, Ruth, Esther, Hannah and even EmmanuEl, and still it would not implied anything if their life won’t change or if they are not touch and transform by the Power of God.

Sometimes our names may mean something or anything or even nothing but God can still use us. There are many men and women whose name doesn’t carry any significant meaning yet they are all called and used by God. And although names can be just names but when sometimes our parents do not even bother to name us properly, then we can somehow wonder if ‘we do mean anything to them, pa & ma’.

A cat will never become a tiger and a kitten would never turn into a cub and grow up to be as ferocious as a tiger. (Gen 2:20) But simply because the LORD loved him (Solomon), HE sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. (2 Samuel 12:25)

(6) The name that we give to ourselves may mean anything and everything possible under the sun, except but when given by a specific purpose for which it is intended to live out (the will of God in our life), a name is just a name.


Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. (Isaiah 59:1) As much as God is a compassionate God who hears us when we cried out to Him, God has eyes who sees and even are ears that hears when mankind speak against Him. The LORD heard what the ten spies and the peoples were saying….

Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites:

“The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they." (Numbers 14:11) And there God hear the every word that we say. (Ezekiel 11:2-4; Proverbs 18:21, 12:13-14, 13:2-3, 10:14)

Jephthab was a mighty warrior and he vowed to The LORD, “And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." (Judges 11:30-31) Jephthab vowed and God hears us when we vow. (Ecclesiastes 5:1)

(7) God listened to every word that men said, whether they honour him or if they despise Him and God kept watch over every Word of His to make sure all His every Word come to pass. (Jeremiah 1:11-12; Proverbs 6:2-3, 16:33, 16:1-4)



SPIRITUAL WARFARE

We used to have a neighour. She had no brother and so her mum named her "brother followed" and soon enough they had a baby brother. The other relatives followed suit but yield no same result. Someone can say this was either a coincidence or mere superstition but people born to those time can be very superstitious because they were all born in an era full of spiritual strongholds and full of superstitions.

But the name 'Joseph' in the bible is one good name, “May The Lord Adds”. Like Naomi, seek God first and may we do not forget God like Rachel did. (Genesis 30:22,25; 31:34;35:19)

(8) Spiritual warfare and demonic curses are different from normal man curses (2 Sam 16:13) and because they are demonic and real. The devil is the temporal king of this world, there are demonic curses which must break and can only be broken in the Name of Jesus alone. (Psalm 109:28; Numbers 22:12, 23:23, 23:20,23)

"Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face towards the desert." (Numbers 24:1) So God forbids, Balaam's sorcery against Israel failed to take place as Balak's planned. (Numbers 22:6)

And because God acts as judge between the House of Gideon whom they also called Jerub-Baal meaning "let Baal contend with him" The bible says, and God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. And God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.

(9) It was God who allow/made the curse of Jotham, son of Gideon came true on Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem. (Judges 9)


JESUS NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

When I was little, I used to hear adults and children testified to this, ‘The moon cuts your ear if you ever point to it’, supposing because we are not to be disrespectful to the moon. In the earlier days, most peoples have idols at home. Most old folks reject Christianity, churches were few and the demonic thresholds were very strong. In this 'cutting', one of the man or woman or child's ear will rot and these peoples really receive a clearly visible cut on their ear as it does rot a little and can be painful. But when I believed in Jesus, so even though I was doubtful, I pointed at the moon, once, twice and twice. That whole night until the next day, nothing happened. And now when I feel like it, I just point to the moon and say, ‘Ah, this is the moon!’ (Ephesians 2:2, Numbers 22:12, 18)

We have to be careful of what we believe in simply because we are mould by our conviction and we can be harmed by our conviction when it is not built on the foundation of God Word! The ten spies and the peoples were harmed by the conviction of their hearts. (Numbers 13:31,33) For they were convicted that God is not able (Numbers 14:11) and they were convicted that God brought them out only to be fall by the sword and wives and children taken as plunders. (Numbers 14:3; Genesis 35:18, 48:17-19)

There are many covenant Names of God. The devil fell because it wanted to be as great as God. (Ezekiel 28:11-17) Today, there are people insisting on calling themeselves Jesus but most importantly, the bible say, God's Word is Spirit and they are life!

Today if your parent have given you the name, 'weak', Tell the Lord, 'Make me strong'. Today if your name is 'stupid', Tell the Lord, 'Grant me your kind of godly wisdom'. And Today, if your name is 'poor', Tell the Lord, 'Prosper me O'Father and make me rich in The Lord!' It's all in the Name of Jesus. Tell The LORD!

I was very much convicted that God is the sole source of a man’s strength. His Word alone works wonder and there is a God who hears us when we pray and call out to him. The Spirit of God searches the heart of men. Faith has to anchor on the Word of God and we place our faith on God and God alone. But God is not a robot but in His own image, has He created all mankind. Power, wisdom, counsel and victory belong to Him and Him alone. Amen and Amen.

“What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done to you, You false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree!” –Psalm 120:3-4

The real Power lies not in our word or in the calling out of names but there is Provocative power when a man uses his tongue without restrain. (James 3:5, Proverbs 15:1; Genesis 39:19; 2 kings 2:23; Jeremiah 18:19, 23:17; 1 Peter 3:15)

'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' -Jeremiah 33:3

Please read: Keys To The Kingdom Of Heaven

12. Thy Will Be Done Thy Kingdom Come

Jesus say, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34-40; Luke 16:13-15; John 16:24) In Luke 16, Jesus told the story of a rich man called Lazarus and another poor man also called Lazarus. When I first read this story, I thought it was a real story and hence I used to wonder why did God want to bless the rich Lazarus and yet in the end leave him to suffer in hell. And why did God want to allow the poor Lazarus to be tortured and later received him into His eternal dwelling? Why couldn’t God strike a balance between the two? But if it was just another parable that Jesus is narrating here, what was the Lord’s purpose in telling us all these?

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury everyday. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.” (The parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus: Luke 16:19-26)

When Pastor Tong was raising funds for his Church in Indonesia, he told the congregation. “I told The LORD, I did not have money, but I have two knees.” He said, “The rich did not gave a single cent to help build the Church but the poorest of the poorest did.” How did he know? I concluded he know it because the money must have not came through large money order but instead collection is cent by cent and dollar by dollar, from the poorest of the poorest, in Indonesia. And The Church was built. The Lord be glorified!


THAT JOY OF ASKING:

Jesus said to his disciple, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24) When I was still small, seven, eight, nine years old. Whenever I want my father to buy me something, he would always answer me like this, “Give me a number.” And it so happened that, when I want a bike, I gave him a number. When I want a video recorder, I gave him a number. When I wanted something, I gave him a number and surprisingly most of these numbers came up. But why is it that when I grew up, I don’t ask the Lord, “Give me a number?” (John 21:18; Hebrews 12:6)

Jesus said to his disciple, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” To “complete” meaning, “Having all the necessary or appropriate parts” But “completed” meaning to, “Finish making or doing” Other bible versions translated it like this, “that your joy may be full”, “so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.” Another version translated it as, “so that your joy may be overflow.”

After I grew up, I will yet ask The Lord many questions at times and was not satisfied until one day I found an indescribable type of intense satisfaction in communing with the Lord through one week of intense prayer (resulting in one's inner joy) and as I pray as I pray, I learn how to say (at times), “Thy will be done, Thy Kingdom come.” I am not saying that prayer should perfect us, but it does draw us nearer and closer to God and to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's prompting, nudging and moreover even more conscious of sin that present in our life.

In Luke 10:17, after Jesus had send out the seventy-two, and after they had returned, the seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” The seventy-two were joyous that the demons submit to them in the Name of the Lord. But much more than this joy, Jesus said, “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

What does this mean? In other words, Jesus is saying that, it is not of 'that joy' by which in the Name of God, we achieve what we want, we get what we want, and the sub-conscious mind tell us, 'ah we did it we did it'. Nope, this joy should be something that is more than this. This joy should be more than that. (Luke 12:34-35)

In the Name of Jesus, we pray, we ask, we receive, we cast out demon and evil spirit, people get heal and we have our breakthrough etc etc.. but rather what is that true hope we have in the Lord. (Luke 10:20; John 16:33; Luke 12:34; John 16:24) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Secondly, Jesus has always been with his disciples. Mainly, this made them wonder what was that significance of taking the Lord's Name before Father GOD in our prayer requests. And they have never asked in the Lord Name before because the Lord has always been with them. But they were joyous because demons flee and demons submit to them in the Lord's Name. They were victorious and hence joyous.

I believe to see the bible as a whole bible point of view this is of most vital to healthy Christian’s grow. The Rich Lazarus have everything that he wants but yet he was not accepted into the kingdom of God. On the other hand, the other poor Lazarus suffered while he was on earth, and it does not mean that he did not pray or had not ask at all. (And they both called Abraham, father!) But the fact is, the poor Lazarus was indeed being richly received into God eternal dwelling. And it was God who qualified him!

Someone may want to wonder, what makes God qualifies him but not the other Lazarus? Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” And this joy has to be one that is complete, meaning concise, not partial happiness, not superficial, but rather in full knowledge of God. (John 14:15-17, 13-14)

What is that joy?

Then John 16:24, verse 25-27 and Jesus continued, “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.” (See Luke 11:9-13)

Verse 26, “In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” Note all these should be in context, when Jesus replied to his disciples, He said this, verse 26, “I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.” meaning the disciples was in some form of "cannot understand" and 'because' the Lord had all along been with them and the Holy Spirit has not yet been poured down and they, the 'puzzled' disciples have not yet asked anything in His Name and perhaps they do not even know why they should ask in their Lord's Name in the first place! (John 21:18)

BUT THAT, instead Jesus replied, “the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” Through 1 John 2:12-14, John wrote, I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

As we grow in the Lord we ought to be able to better embrace what God has in store for us. As it is, we ought to progress on with this faith level as our spiritual gifts is also accord with the faith that is proportionate in us. (Romans 12:6) Then Jesus said to Peter, "Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (John 21:18-19) Jesus continued, John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have
overcome the world.”
And this is how it should be the complete message of the Christian gospel.

Christianity is not a one message of the prosperity ages, but of hope in our Lord Christ Jesus – The Salvation of God and the continuous message of true Salvation that comes from a sincere, true faith. –The early Martyrs. (Acts 4:32)


Thy Will be done, thy Kingdom come - The Lord's model prayer.

Jesus taught this is how we should pray, “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.” (Luke 11:2-4)

(1) Through prayer, we know who is our God. (2) Through Prayer, we learn how to seek Him first. (3) Through prayer, we know there is a constant need for continuous walking right in the Lord to communing with the Lord. (4)Through prayer, we know our constrain and our weaknesses much better than we ever know ourselves. (5) Through prayer we receive The Lord.

At the mount of Olives, The Lord Jesus did not pray, ‘Father you always heard me, take this cup away from me now.’ (ref John 11:41-42) And Jesus had said to Peter, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (John 26:53) Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) - The Lord's 'Model Prayer'.

Now that I have grew up, I realized something. Many a time, what we had forgotten to ask, the Lord gave us but what we have been asking, sometimes the Lord kept "forgetting" to give it to us. And 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." Verse 15, “And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Today, with the help of the Holy Ghost, God wants us to know 'that joy' in which we ask, the understanding of what we ask, why we ask, and the attitude of our asking, much more than purely the joy of receiving when we ask and we receive!

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:13-14) God does not lie and the bible says, those he loves, he chasten. But it can be horrifying to know that it is possible for one not to have known the true gospel and yet flourish, and also possible for another not to have known the true Way and yet still live in abundances.

And there Jesus said to his disciples, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (Matthew 7:8-11) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:13-17; 25-27)

Today we can ask everything that we want, but the one main purpose would be that “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” Our asking is not merely a prayer to satisfy us, rather is that asking a 'want' to glorify our God. (1 John 5:14)

How sincere can one be in saying this?

“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done.” The Lord's Model Prayer. (Luke 12:34-40; Luke 16:13-15; John 16:24)

The attitude of prayer must be the 'wants' that want to cause God The Father to be glorified in the Son. Today, if what we ask cannot glorified God, it is not God’s right kind of asking. The ONE who always wants to receive from God can never understand what does it mean to BLESS THE LORD" by saying: “THY WILL BE DONE, THY KINGDOM COME.” Thy will be done, thy kingdom come! (Scriptural reference, John 14; 16; Luke 11; 1 John 5) “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” -Jesus