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Tag: Jesus

  • Still on tithing: Pastor Adeboye gives reasons why Jesus, his apostles did not collect tithes

    Still on tithing: Pastor Adeboye gives reasons why Jesus, his apostles did not collect tithes

    The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has has given plausible reasowhy Jesus Christ did not collect tithes during His ministry on earth.

    Speaking during the church’s October Holy Ghost Service on Saturday at the Redemption City, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Adeboye clarified this in response to an unnamed RCCG pastor who preached against tithing, citing that Jesus never collected tithes.

    Adeboye’s comments came shortly after he apologised for previously stating that those who don’t pay tithes may not make it to heaven, also suggesting that 10% tithing is for beginners.

    The pastor said, “One of my pastors went online and preached a sermon on why people should not pay tithes. I watched the sermon, thinking I would learn something profound.

    “He said we shouldn’t pay tithes because Jesus didn’t collect tithes. I said, ah, Jesus was not a parish pastor, He was a world evangelist.”

    He added that he was, however, disappointed because it was a repetition of what others had been saying.

    Forgive me for saying so, but it was a very shallow sermon,” he added.

    In addressing the claim that Jesus did not collect tithes, Adeboye said, “Jesus was not a parish pastor; He was a world evangelist.

    “The Bible in Luke 8:1-3 tells us that certain women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, supported His ministry financially.”

    He further emphasised that the apostles did not collect tithes for the same reason because they were not parish pastors.

    The Bible in Luke 8:1-3 tells us that certain women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, supported His ministry financially.”

    He further emphasised that the apostles did not collect tithes for the same reason because they were not parish pastors.

    Adeboye concluded with a word of caution, referencing a fellow clergyman who had a group of women supporting his ministry, urging against gathering women solely for that purpose and highlighting the potential for moral missteps in such arrangements.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Put Jesus at the centre of it all

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Put Jesus at the centre of it all

    Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

    Meditation verse:

    “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me, you may have peace. In the  world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

    The story is told of a man who was busy in his study and did not want to be  disturbed by his little son. So, he gave the lad a puzzle to fix the different cities  of the world on a map. “This should keep him busy for a long time while I  concentrate on my work, the man said to himself”. But to his surprise, the little  boy emerged five minutes later, with all the cities in place on the map. Amazed,  he asked his son how he managed to achieve this in so short a time. The little  boy smiled and said “dad, there was a picture of a man at the centre of the back  of the map and I figured that if I could get the man to the centre, at the back, all  the cities would fall into place in front of the map”. Rather than focusing on  getting the different cities in place, he focused on putting the man at the centre. 

    The lyrics of a beautiful song. By Minister Eben, goes this way: “At the centre of it all, It’s You that I see, It’s You that I see. There is power in  Your name. Miracles happen in Your name”. 

    Life will always happen. But Jesus Christ, the One who is bigger than the biggest,  greater than the greatest and stronger than the strongest, is the only constant  in life. He is the only One who can make the difference that you seek in life. He  told His disciplesthat they would keep facing trials as long as they were on earth,  but they were not to be discouraged, because He had won the victory for them.  Take your eyes of the storms of life and look to the Man at the centre. When  you put Jesus Christ at the centre of your life, everything else will fall into place.  

    Have you asked Him to come into the centre of your heart and life? Here’s a  prayer you can say now: 

    “Dear Lord, I am a sinner in need of grace Thank You Jesus for dying to set me free from sin. Please forgive me for all my sins and come into my heart. Be my  Lord and Saviour. Fill me with Your Spirit and enable me to live for You. In Jesus  name, Amen.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    or call +2348155525555

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • Big boost for Arsenal as Jesus resumes training

    Big boost for Arsenal as Jesus resumes training

    Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus has returned to Arsenal training ahead of their upcoming games.

    The forward is recovering from a knee injury that he sustained during the club’s preseason tour of the United States.

    Jesus had expected to miss more time, but Sky Sports cameras on Thursday spotted him in training.

    The attacker could be able to earn a spot on the bench for the club’s next Premier League game.

    The Gunners take on Fulham over the weekend, having won their first two league games of the season.

    Jesus did go under the knife for the issue, but has made a faster recovery than expected.

  • REVEALED: Tuchel blocked Chelsea signing Gabriel Jesus

    REVEALED: Tuchel blocked Chelsea signing Gabriel Jesus

    Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was left shocked when Thomas Tuchel told him not to pursue Gabriel Jesus.

    The Arsenal forward was then available for transfer from Manchester City, as he had not yet joined the Gunners.

    While Arsenal convinced to bid for Jesus, Boehly was told by Tuchel to not pursue a deal.

    Per The Guardian, the German coach turned down Jesus, stating he was not ideally suited to his system.

    Chelsea instead signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Tuchel, but ended up firing the German coach shortly after the transfer window closed.

    He was replaced with Graham Potter, who also failed, while interim coach Frank Lampard performed even worse to end the season.

  • Jesus is a slave trader (2) – By Femi Aribisala

    Jesus is a slave trader (2) – By Femi Aribisala

    “When a man is made free from sin, he becomes a slave of righteousness”.

    The psalmist prophesied about Jesus’ resurrection: “You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive.” (Psalm 68:18). However, Jesus does not lead unbelievers or demons. He only leads believers. Therefore, believers are the captivity that the psalmist prophesied Jesus would lead captive. Jesus rescues us from the captivity of sin and then puts us in the captivity of righteousness.

    This is how Paul expresses this kingdom dynamic:

    “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Roman 6:16-23).

    Chained but free

    Significantly, Paul, the chief exponent of the New Testament, was often a prisoner in chains. Indeed, he referred to himself as “an ambassador in chains.” (Ephesians 6:20).Paul was often in chains by God’s design to demonstrate that a man can be physically chained but spiritually free. At the same time, many people that are physically free do not know that they are spiritually chained. This means a physical slave might be spiritually free, while a physically free man might be spiritually enslaved.

    The power of the gospel is that it opens the eyes of the blind to see their true spiritual condition. Thus, “Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” (John 8:31-32).

    Mystery of iniquity

    The word of God reveals that a sinner is in bondage. He is a slave of sin. When we are slaves of sin, we are controlled by our passions and lusts. This is the mystery of iniquity, or the mystery of lawlessness. It is a secret power that is not known to the sinner but becomes self-evident to the saint: “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

    Freedom in slavery

    Jesus is the Saviour who frees us from the stranglehold of sin. He says: “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

    This freedom is the freedom of the spirit. A man who is spiritually free is free indeed, even though he might be in physical chains as was the case of Paul. A man who is spiritually bound however is bound indeed, even though he is free to go from bar to bar, and to hop from bed to bed.

    It is only the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that can make a man spiritually free. This is because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every man who believes.

    A man who is in bondage to sin regards himself as free. He feels he can do whatever he likes. He can sleep with whomever he likes. He can drink as much as he likes whenever he likes. He is answerable to no one.

    But what he does not realise is that his presumed freedom is a sign of bondage to sin. Sin makes a man free from God. Sin makes a man free from righteousness. Sin makes a man lawless and reckless.

    When somebody annoys you, you just feel the urge to slap the person and you do so. Your passions commanded you to slap him and you did. You gave him a dirty slap. You taught him a lesson. It commanded you to abuse him, so you did. Afterward you felt good and even boasted about it.

    Your passions commanded you to sleep with that woman. You obeyed, and thoroughly enjoyed it. But without knowing it, you were a man under the authority of sin.

    Slavery in freedom

    When a man is a slave of sin, he is free from righteousness. But when he is made free from sin, he becomes a slave of righteousness.

    A man made free from sin often does not realise he is now a slave of righteousness. He feels he is now free to do what he likes. This is not the case. Precisely because he is now free, he cannot do what he likes.

    His freedom is for a reason and with an objective: to serve the Lord Christ. Accordingly, Jesus spoke to Moses saying: “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” (Exodus 8:1).

    Righteousness makes a man bound to Christ. Righteousness makes a man free from sin. Righteousness makes a man lawful. A man freed from sin does not wilfully return to bondage. Paul says: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

    A man who is made free by Christ needs to serve Christ with the same wholeheartedness with which he served sin. When we were under the bondage of sin, we were completely free from righteousness. Now that we are bound to righteousness, we must be completely free from sin.

    There is just one residual problem. Sin still resides in our mortal bodies. Paul says:

    “When I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin. So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.” (Romans 7:21-23).

  • Jesus is a slave trader (1) – By Femi Aribisala

    Jesus is a slave trader (1) – By Femi Aribisala

    “Believers are slaves of Jesus”.

    I write in my new book: “Kingdom Dynamics: The Day of My Death,” that Jesus saved my life and then took my life. He saved me because He wanted to kill me. As a result, my Saviour became my adversary and killer. That is kingdom dynamics.

    Similarly, Jesus frees slaves from bondage and then enslaves them Himself. Indeed, the greatest slave trader of all is Jesus Christ. If Jesus enslaves you and you try to escape, you are going to get in trouble. 

    Enslaved Jews

    When the king who did not know Joseph became Pharaoh in Egypt, the Jews became the slaves of the Egyptians. Later, God sent Moses to rescue them, and he did this by a strong hand.

    When Jesus, the Messiah came, He also declared that He came to proclaim liberty to captives and to set free those who are oppressed. (Luke 4:18). As a result, many reached the conclusion that God is against slavery. Liberation theology” maintains slavery must be resisted by the righteous.

    The general conclusion is that slavery is evil. The British, who were the chief slave traders, maintained that they would never be slaves. They sang an anthem saying: “Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves. Britons never, never, never will be slaves.

    Righteous men, like William Wilberforce in England and Frederick Douglas in the USA, fought to get slavery abolished. The American civil war was fought over slavery. Today, slavery is proscribed in modern society.

    God and slavery

    But God’s attitude to slavery is ambivalent. Slavery was legitimised under the Law of Moses. Under the law, you could own a slave, but after 6 years you must let him go free. When he is set free, he must not go empty-handed. A six-year slave can then elect to be a permanent slave.

    Women could also be sold into slavery under the law. But female slaves were given special protection. They could not be sold into prostitution. Owners of female slaves had to marry them or give them as wives to their sons. Therefore, fathers could sell their daughters into slavery as a means of securing their future.

    Although God liberated Israel from slavery in Egypt, He later sent them back into slavery in Babylon when they offended Him. Thereafter, they looked forward to a Messiah who would liberate them once again.

    Disinterested Jesus

    But when Jesus came, He was completely disinterested in liberating the Jews from Roman oppression. Many hoped His powerful anointing could be used politically, even militarily. They wanted to make Him a king to lead a liberation movement. But Jesus did not accede to their wishes. (John 6:15).

    When He rose from the dead, His disciples became convinced that it was time for Israel’s liberation. And so, they asked Him: “Lord, are You going to free Israel [from Rome] now and restore us as an independent nation?” (Acts 1:6). But Jesus simply fobbed them off.

    Slavery in Christianity

    Paul enjoins slaves to obey their masters:

    “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5-8).

    Peter also expressed a similar viewpoint:

    “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.” (1 Peter 2:18-19).

    When the slave Onesimus escaped from Philemon, his owner, Paul sent him back, showing that Christianity does not put any premium on the freeing of slaves. Instead, Paul says:

    “Usually, a person should keep on with the work he was doing when God called him. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you- but of course, if you get a chance to be free, take it. If the Lord calls you, and you are a slave, remember that Christ has set you free from the awful power of sin; and if He has called you and you are free, remember that you are now a slave of Christ. You have been bought and paid for by Christ, so you belong to Him- be free now from all these earthly prides and fears. So, dear brothers, whatever situation a person is in when he becomes a Christian, let him stay there, for now the Lord is there to help him.” (1 Corinthians 7:20-24).

    Jesus’ slavery

    Jesus calls believers to slavery. He says:

    “Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:27-28).

    Many Christians fail to recognise is that Jesus Himself is a slave trader. The gospel says Jesus purchased slaves from slave-owners and then established His own slavery. As a result, Paul tells believers: “You are not your own. For you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

    The Lord says in Isaiah: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” (Isaiah 52:3). As foretold, Jesus bought us back “with His own blood.” (Act 20”:28).  

    Believers are now the slaves of Jesus. The only difference in God’s slavery from other forms of slavery is that, in the case of Jesus, the slave must agree to be a slave.

    Jesus says: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

    The disciple of Jesus is required to take the yoke of Jesus and put it on himself by himself. In that way, he agrees to be Jesus’ slave and to do all His bidding.

    However, if He refuses to be Jesus’ slave, there will be trouble. Those who rebel against Jesus’ enslavement are in for difficult times. The psalmist warns:

    “What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! For a summit conference of the nations has been called to plot against the Lord and His Messiah, Christ the King. ‘Come, let us break His chains,’ they say, ‘and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.’ But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans. And then in fierce fury He rebukes them and fills them with fear.” (Psalm 2:1-5).

    So, Jesus chains people down and makes us His slaves. If we rebel, we get into trouble. Jesus says: “Those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them — bring them here and kill them in front of me.” (Luke 19:27).

    CONTINUED…

  • EPL: Jesus on target as Arsenal thrash Leeds United 4-1

    EPL: Jesus on target as Arsenal thrash Leeds United 4-1

    Arsenal on Saturday kept their title hopes alive after defeating relegation battling Leeds United by 4-1 to still maintain their eight points gap on top of the table.

    Mikel Arteta’s side had seen their advantage trimmed to five points by second-placed Manchester City’s 4-1 win against Liverpool earlier in the afternoon.

    However, when called to duty, Arsenal put up a wonderful display at the Emirate by seeing off Leeds and maintaining  their eight points gap.

    Jesus was the headline act for Arsenal as he replaced the ill Bukayo Saka in the starting line-up and ensured the in-form England forward wasn’t missed in the slightest.

    The Brazilian put Arsenal ahead with a penalty late in the first half, ending a 14-game drought with his sixth goal since joining from title rivals City last year.

    Ben White, a former Leeds loanee, doubled Arsenal’s advantage early in the second half.

    Making just his second start since surgery on the knee injury he suffered at last year’s World Cup, Jesus struck again with a predatory effort, underlining the importance of his return to fitness as the title race approaches its climax.

  • SHOCKING! Lawmakers propose Bill to stop talking about Jesus, jail offenders

    SHOCKING! Lawmakers propose Bill to stop talking about Jesus, jail offenders

    Two Israeli Knesset (parliament) have introduced a bill seeking to ban any and all efforts to tell people about Jesus.

    According to a report by All Israel News, if the new bill that was introduced last week is approved, people who talk about Jesus in Israel would be sent to at least one-year imprisonment.

    “The punishment for doing so would be one-year imprisonment.

    “If the conversation is with minor – someone under the age of 18 – the punishment would be two years imprisonment,” the report reads.

    The proposed legislation would outlaw all efforts by people of one faith who, in any way, want to discuss or try to persuade people of other faiths to consider changing their current religious beliefs

    This bill would apply to people having spiritual conversations with Israelis of any religion.

    However, in their official explanation of the bill, the two Israeli legislators, Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, who are ultra-Orthodox Jewish members of Knesset specifically emphasised the warning to stop Christians, in particular.

    The bill’s primary objective, therefore, appears to be making it illegal for followers of Jesus (“Yeshua” in Hebrew) to explain why they believe that Jesus is both Messiah and God with the hope that Israelis might consider following Him.

    The bill does not only make a simple personal conversation about Jesus with another individual a crime.

    It would also make it illegal for “someone who solicits a person – directly, digitally, by mail or online – in order to convert his religion.”

    Thus, producing and publishing online videos explaining the Gospel to Jewish or Muslim people in Israel – and to those of any other religious faiths – would suddenly become illegal.

    Publishing books, other printed literature, online articles, podcasts, or other forms of media that explain the life and ministry of Jesus and His message found in the New Testament would also become illegal. So would discussing the Gospel message via email, text messages, written letters and/or on social media, including answering questions initiated by people who don’t follow Jesus.

    According to the report, the bill could also spark a serious clash with the Evangelical Christians in the United States and around the world who are among the biggest supporters of the State of Israel.

    The bill could also draw sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, in the executive branch, among U.S. governors and others who love Israel and have always stood with the Jewish state, but would fiercely oppose efforts to silence followers of Jesus in the Holy Land.

    Former U.S. Ambassador of International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback – who served during the Trump-Pence administration – is the first American leader to publicly warn that the new bill poses a massive threat to free speech, human rights and religious freedom.

    Meanwhile, there has been a backlash on Twitter.

    For instance, Shaun (@osha3264) wrote on Twitter: “Israel waging a war on Christianity? Wonder how Ben Shapiro feels about this.”

    Esquire (@j_lindoor) wrote, “Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Deny him now and He will deny you with His Father in heavan.”

    G.H (@vanillasky130) wrote, “Well the true face of Zionism is being revealed to the world . Disgusting.”

    Saleeh Rasheed (@RasheedSaleeh) wrote, “Zionism is a none religious cult ! They use the Jewish faith to advance their rotten ideology and myths …”

  • Are Christians disciples of Jesus? – By Femi Aribisala

    Are Christians disciples of Jesus? – By Femi Aribisala

    Disciples are not made from crowds.

     

    Not likely! Christians cannot be disciples because pastors are not disciples. Jesus asks: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:39-40).

    A disciple of Jesus must be like Jesus. But Christians are not like Jesus. They are like their teachers, the pastors. Jesus says: “Do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.” (Matthew 23:10). Nevertheless, pastors arrogate themselves as teachers of Christians.

     Jesus says in His church: “There will be one flock and one pastor.” (John 10:16). That one pastor is Jesus Himself; the Good Pastor. But pastors insist on creating several flocks with several pastors.

     Jesus says: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14).

     But pastors pack their churches with the crowd, insisting it is the broad way that leads to life. They refuse to acknowledge that disciples are not made from crowds. Disciples are made from the few and not the many.

     Little flock

     Therefore, Jesus reassures the few: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

     The big flock is a waste of time. Jesus says: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” (Revelation 3:1).

     Jesus, Himself, was a crowd-puller. Wherever He went the crowds followed Him. But He disdained them because they were not interested in Him but only in what they could get from Him. He says to some of them: 

    “You want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.” John 6:26-27).

    That is one of the fundamental differences between the sheep and the goats; between the crowd and Jesus’ disciples. The crowds seek perishable goods. The disciples seek eternal life.

    When Jesus spoke to the crowds, He spoke in parables. When His disciples asked Him why, He said they are not interested in Him:

     “I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. (Matthew 13:13-15).

     “When they were alone, (Jesus) explained all things to His disciples.” (Mark 4:34). Indeed, none of Jesus’ major teachings were addressed to the crowds. They could not hear Him anyway, since there were no loudspeakers then. This means the crowd can never be disciples of Christ.

    Lip-service

    Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23).

     Christians are the ones who call Jesus Lord but do not do what He says. (Luke 6:46).

    In the main, Christians are hypocrites. They talk the talk but do not walk the walk. Jesus says: These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9).

    As a result, Christians cannot be disciples of Jesus. Neither can they make disciples. If you follow Christians, they will not take you to Jesus. They have other destinations. They say: “Follow me and you will become millionaires.” “Follow me, and you will succeed in business.” “Follow my Jesus, and you will buy Pathfinders.” 

    But the hope that is in Jesus is not for the attainment of the vanities and vainglories of this world. “For all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16).

    Fathers-in-the-Lord

    If you are a Christian and you maintain you are a disciple of Christ, then let me ask you some telling questions that will reveal that you are not.

     Who is your father?

     Jesus says: “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9).

     But do you still call your biological father your father? Is your pastor your father-in-the-Lord? Is he your Daddy G.O.? Is your priest Father John? Then you are not a disciple of Christ.

     Christ’s disciples have no other Father but God. They hold allegiance to no man but to God. They are not born of men but of God. They are not heirs of men but of God. (Romans 8:17). They do not showcase the attributes of men but are partakers of the divine nature, “having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:4).

     Faith over family

    If you are a Christian and maintain you are a disciple of Christ, then answer me this: who are the members of your family? If the members of your family are still limited to your nuclear or even extended family, then you are not a disciple of Christ.

     Jesus says: “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33).

     Jesus requires His disciples to forsake their house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, and lands for His sake. (Mark 10:29). If we do, He promises we will receive in return a hundredfold of houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands. (Mark 10:30).

     If we have not done this and have therefore not received the hundredfold return, then we cannot be disciples of Christ.

     When they told Jesus His mother and brothers were looking for Him: “He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:48-50).

     This principle of preferred allegiance from an earthly to a heavenly family remains Greek to Christians. But Jesus says: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26).

  • ‘I’ll kick the ball into the net soon and I won’t stop again’ – Gabriel Jesus

    ‘I’ll kick the ball into the net soon and I won’t stop again’ – Gabriel Jesus

    Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus has rejected doubts about his goalscoring ability at Arsenal.

    His last goal came in the North London derby win over Tottenham on October 1. It means he has now gone 13 games without a goal for club and country.

    Jesus told Apostagolos at the World Cup: “Of course, I’m the player who should score every now and then, I’m here for the goals.

    “When I’m on the field I try to score, but I also try to help.

    “When we win, I’m happy too. To be honest, I’m not thinking about that. If I get a chance, I’ll score. I’m sure.”

    Asked specifically if his finishing is a problem, the 25-year-old hit back: “No, I don’t think so.

    “We can talk about finishing, but the most appropriate thing is to talk about the chances I had. It’s different football here and at Arsenal.

    “Even though I had a few chances and I lost, I’m sure it’s not about submitting. I started the season so well and nobody was asking about it.

    “But it’s not a problem. I’ll kick the ball into the net soon and I won’t stop again.”