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Tag: Jesus

  • Any woman who screams the name of God during sex will go to hell – Ghanaian Prophet claims

    Any woman who screams the name of God during sex will go to hell – Ghanaian Prophet claims

    Popular Ghanaian Pastor, Kumchacha of Heaven’s Gate Ministry has stated that any woman who screams the name of God or Jesus Christ during sex will end up in hell.

    The vocal prophet noted that whether the woman is making love with her husband or boyfriend, once the person screams the name of Jesus Christ during the act, she will not miss hell.

    He made this known during a TV interview: “Whether you are making the love with your husband or your boyfriend, once you scream the name of Jesus Christ while in the act there is no way you will not go to hell”.

    Speaking further, he said specially trained angels will subject such people to all forms of severe beatings on judgment day before throwing them into hell because ”shouting the name Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit under such instances constitutes a grievous punishable by being thrown into hell.”

    “God is not his personal property it is the omnipresent God we all know. Read Exodus 21:1-7 it says you should not mention the name of God in vain. So while being romanced if you are mentioning the name like that you commit a big sin. If care is not taken you could be flogged one day by invisible hands while in the act”, he added.

     

  • Livescore: Jesus takes Man City into FA Cup final

    Livescore: Jesus takes Man City into FA Cup final

    Gabriel Jesus kept Manchester City’s quadruple dream alive as his early header saw them past Brighton 1-0 at Wembley and into the FA Cup final.

    The Brazilian netted the only goal of Saturday’s semi-final to keep City on track for an unprecedented trophy haul.

    Pep Guardiola’s side have already won the Carabao Cup this season, and are still in the hunt for the Premier League and Champions League.

    City, who will be back in north London on Tuesday night for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Tottenham, will face Watford or Wolves in the final. Those two sides meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.

    It took just four minutes for City to take the lead. A lovely team move afforded Kevin De Bruyne plenty of space on the right to put a perfect cross into the heart of the Brighton box, and Jesus popped up unmarked to head the ball home.

    The only other real noteworthy event of the first half, however, was a coming together between Kyle Walker and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, with a flare-up leading to the players going forehead to forehead.

    Walker appeared to be the aggressor as he moved his forehead into the face of the Iranian, but a VAR review deemed it only worthy of the yellow card already dished out by referee Anthony Taylor.

    Guardiola deemed it too risky to leave Walker on the pitch and replaced him with Danilo for the start of the second half, but it was Brighton who came out for the restart with more intent.

    They nearly created a glorious opening from a corner as well after 54 minutes as Shane Duffy won a header and put it back across the six-yard box, but Aymeric Laporte just got a foot in front of Glenn Murray to deny him an open goal.

    Brighton continued to press for a way back but City largely controlled the game superbly, with Guardiola throwing on the likes of John Stones and Fernandinho to help see out the result.

  • Jesus will save all believers and unbelievers – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Peter says some of the writings of Paul are hard to understand and “untaught and unstable people” twist them to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16). What is he referring to here?

    Paul says again and again: “God wants everyone to be saved.” (1 Timothy 2:4). “God is the Savior of everyone, but especially of those who have faith.” (1 Timothy 4:10). “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Peter agrees: “(God) wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” (2 Peter 3:9).

    Moreover, since God wants all men to be saved, then all men will be saved. This is because: “(God) works all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11). God says: “’My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:10). “Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” (Isaiah 46:11).

    Peter notes that Paul’s revelation that all will be saved was being use by some to justify continuing in sin. Carnal Christians think: “If all will be saved, then I don’t need to be righteous; whatever happens, I will be saved.”

    Indeed, Paul says the more we sin, the more grace God provides: “The law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:19-21).

    However, anticipating that some may conclude this gives them a license to sin, Paul asks: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1).

    Cords of love

    The problem comes from not having the mind of Christ. The wisdom of man leads to the presumption that the severity of God would readily lead men to salvation. Therefore, Christian fundamentalists create an extra-biblical hell designed to frighten men into the kingdom of God.

    But God warns: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 8-9). Thus, Jesus notes that religious leaders teach as doctrines the commandments of men instead of the commandments of God. (Mark 7:7).

    God is love and he does not lead men to salvation through fear. On the contrary: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18). God leads us to salvation through his love. He says: “I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” (Hosea 11:4).

    A basic requirement of salvation is repentance of sin. However, the fear of mythical hell does not lead to repentance. It is: “the goodness of God (that) leads to repentance.” (Romans 2:4). When God is good to us, even in spite of our sins, it breaks us down and makes us repent.

    Fall from grace

    Similarly, the wisdom of man says if Christ will ultimately save all men, why bother to live righteously now? Those foolish enough to think like this are likely to fall from grace. No man is saved by right or merit. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    Therefore, if God saves some and not all, he would be guilty of favouritism. But “God has committed all (men) to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.” (Romans 11;32). However, the fact that all men will be saved does not mean all men will escape punishment. Those who despise the grace of Jesus will receive the severest punishment of all.

    “If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

    “Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, ‘I will take revenge. I will pay them back.’ He also said, ‘The Lord will judge his own people.’ It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:26-31).

    Weeping and gnashing

    When true knowledge comes and Christ is revealed by sight and not just by faith, many will be tormented by exclusion from his councils.

    Jesus says: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.” (Luke 13:28-30).

    Beware, because the first who will become last is likely to be a Christian who has despised the grace of God. In the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for the unbeliever than for the unfaithful believer. It will be more tolerable for those to whom the gospel was not preached than for those who despised or rejected it.

    Jesus says: “That servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47-48).

    Are these stripes then tantamount to destruction? Yes! Is there hope for man after the destruction of the Lord? Yes! But the duration of this penalty cannot be eternal precisely because God is love. God’s throne of judgment is established in mercy and not in vindictiveness:

    “In mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.” (Isaiah 16:5).

    “I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her penitents with righteousness.” (Isaiah 1:26-27).

  • Answering the call [3] – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Inviting Jesus into my life immediately opened me to the spirit world. It was as if someone turned on the light and suddenly, a world I never knew existed suddenly became visible to me. But there were complications. I was open to the positive spiritual as well as the negative.

    Spirit of error

    Once I was in an anointed environment, my left leg would shake visibly. This gave me some concern because I knew I was not the one shaking my leg. Then one day, an inner voice said to me: “Ask me anything you want, and I will answer you by shaking your leg. If the answer is yes, I will shake your leg. If the answer is no, I will not.”

    And so began this amazing process whereby I would ask a question in my mind and the answer would be provided through my leg. Let us say, for example, I was looking for my wristwatch. I would ask my invisible friend: “Is it in the bedroom?” If the answer was yes, my left leg would move up and down. If the answer was no, there would be no movement. Once I got to the right room, I would use the same question-and-answer process to identify the precise location of the watch.

    This was all very exciting until my invisible friend started giving me wrong answers. When I get to the place he identifies, the thing would not be there. And when I wondered why this was so, it would tell me: “You are not supposed to question the Holy Spirit, you are just supposed to obey.” After a while, I became totally confused.

    Spirit of truth

    Then one day, the pastor of my church came to see me. He said the Lord revealed to him in a dream that the devil was laughing at me, saying he would drive me mad. He said the Lord would like me to fast for three days. If I did, he would explain to me what I needed to know.

    I was very irritated by the pastor. I did not initially make a connection between his revelation and my “holy spirit.” I said to myself: “This is what was wrong with these pastors. They are always seeing idiotic visions about others, just in order to control their lives.” But I thank God that, in spite of my qualms, I decided to fast. I felt I would lose nothing by doing so.

    The beginning of my fast coincided with a trip to Igbajo for the funeral of my sister-in-law’s mother. We had a driver, so I sat at the back of the car, reading my bible. Every time I looked up, I noticed he was driving too fast for my liking. I kept warning him that all the members of my family were with me in the car and that he should not go above one hundred kilometers per hour.

    Then all of a sudden, the Lord took me out of the vehicle. Whether in the body or out of the body, I don’t know. But I was on top of the car looking down and I saw angels surrounding the car in formation and flying with us. Then just as quickly, I was back in the car, with the bible in my lap. From then on, I stopped bothering about the driver and simply concentrated on my reading. I am not saying a believer can drive at any speed he likes. I am just telling you about the grace I received from the Lord on that particular occasion.

    Spirit of revelation

    When I came back from the funeral, on the third day of my fast, I was sitting in my study all by myself, when something absolutely mind-blowing happened. The power of God suddenly overshadowed the room like a cloud, and the Lord started to talk to me. What was so dramatic about this, and it has never happened to me since that time, is that the voice came from “heaven.” It did not come from within me. It came from somewhere in the ceiling.

    The Lord told me to take a pen and write down what he was going to tell me. And there started from that day a recurring teaching from the Lord about the Kingdom of God. I have chosen to call this “kingdom dynamics.”

    The Lord said to me: “Femi, there are two kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. Everybody you are ever going to meet will come from one of these two kingdoms. It is your responsibility to determine which kingdom the people you meet are from.

    If the person is from the kingdom of your Father, you must determine why I want you to meet him. Every person you meet, you will meet for a reason, and you will meet by appointment. Nothing that will ever happen to you will be coincidental. Nothing will ever happen to you by happenstance. Everything that will happen in your life will happen for a reason. It is your responsibility to determine precisely what the reason is.”

    As I wrote this down, I was covered with tears. I wept uncontrollably because I could not understand why God would give me such privileged information in a one-on-one tutorial. What did I do to deserve that kind of visitation? I was totally overwhelmed.

    Jesus my saviour

    The same night, the Lord gave me a dream. I was driving a big car, like one of those long tail-finned American cars, and my son, Femi-Kevin, was with me. A lady came to my side of the car, knocked on the window and leaned forward as if she wanted to talk to me. I wound down the window, and the next thing I knew the car was gone.

    I was now walking hand-in-hand with my son, full of joy and gladness, along Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. I just knew Kingsway Road was the way of salvation. It did not matter that we were no longer in the big car.

    Then the Lord shouted something in my ear. That shout was not in the dream but in my natural ear. It was as if he crouched beside me and shouted into my ear. He cried: “Matthew 13:13 to 16.” I opened my eyes and quickly got up, careful not to forget the bible citation. But I have never forgotten it. For one thing, it conclusively revealed the identity of my invisible Saviour. Through the scripture, Jesus said to me:

    “Therefore 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, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’

    But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.”

  • Doing greater works than Jesus – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Jesus says: “He who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father.” (John 14:12). This statement has confounded many Christians. Very few are bold enough even to imagine doing greater works than Jesus. And yet, Jesus’ words cannot be broken. Some believers have done far greater works than Jesus. But we do not even realize it because we do not know what it means to do the works of God.

    Signs and wonders

    It is generally assumed doing the works of God entails the working of miracles. But this is not true. Demons also perform miracles. In Revelation, John saw evil spirits coming out of the mouth of the false prophet among others. He observes that: “They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world.” (Revelation 16:14).

    Pharaoh’s magicians duplicated some of Moses’ miracles. When Moses and Aaron caused frogs to appear out of nowhere: “The magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 8:7). Indeed, Jesus warns: “False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24). Therefore, miracles should not be misconstrued as essentially or exclusively the works of God.

    However, only God and his sons can do God’s definitive works. Indeed, God’s children are identifiable by our ability to do the works of God. Thus, Jesus said to the Jews: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.” (John 8:39).

    When the disciples received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, passers-by marveled at how Galileans could suddenly speak foreign-languages. They said: “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” (Acts 2:11). This provides the clue we need. By divine inspiration, the disciples spoke the works of God. The wonderful works of God are God’s spoken words. At Pentecost, the works of God were manifest in the speech of the disciples who spoke works that only God speaks; the words of eternal life.

    The psalmist says: “I believed, therefore I spoke.” (Psalm 116:10). In order to do the works of God, we have to believe in Jesus and speak his works. Indeed, it is the works we speak that identify us as sons of God and disciples of Christ. Jesus says: “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-17). “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:44-45).

    Good works

    In God’s dictionary, good works are not merely synonymous with good deeds. Good deeds can be done by unbelievers. Good deeds are sheep’s clothing sometimes worn by wolves. “Good works” actually imply “good words.” Accordingly, Jesus uses both expressions interchangeably. He says: “The WORDS that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does the WORKS.” (John 14:10). This shows the works are indivisible from the speaking of the words. Jesus speaks God’s words and the Father does the works.

    The works of God are his words. God works by his words. He speaks his works. God created all things by his word. But the greatest work of God is in speaking the living-dead back to life. Jesus says: “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25).

    Bread of life

    John says: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” (John 1:14). Similarly, the word of Jesus must become flesh in us. Jesus says: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56). This means Jesus’ words must be broken down and digested so it enters into our spirit-man and becomes part of us. When this happens, we automatically speak Jesus’ works in atonement with him. We become “at one” with Christ; even as he is “at one” with the Father. (John 17:20-23).

    The will of God is that his works should be revealed in his sons. (John 9:3). Jesus says to us: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Our light is the word of Jesus. Jesus’ word is “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” (Psalm 119:105). In God’s light, we see light. (Psalm 36:9). Even so should our words provide illumination to this world of gross darkness. Our good works are our edifying words. Our words are “good works” when they glorify the Father.

    Greater works

    Jesus says we shall do greater works than him BECAUSE he goes to his Father in heaven. (John 14:12). This is because Jesus spoke God’s words for only thirty-three years. However, some of us will live much longer than Jesus. Therefore, we shall have the opportunity to speak more life-affirming words to others for much longer through various media. Indeed, God has used the mouth of some Christians to raise more dead people back to life than he did through Jesus.

    The Holy Spirit enables us to do God’s works by reminding us of the words of Jesus. In sending him to us, Jesus says: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26). The word of God comes to us in our daily walk with God. It not only empowers us, it keeps us from sin. David says to the Lord: “By the word of your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.” (Psalm 17:4).

    Our words are our works. The words of the believer can be powerful and even prophetic. Therefore, we must be careful to speak only words that are spirit and life-affirming. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29).

    Our words should be used to build up, encourage and edify others: “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (Colossians 4:6). In all things, Jesus is our shining example: “All bore witness to him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” (Luke 4:22).

    Jesus warns: “Every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37).

  • The essence of prayer – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Jesus says we should pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1). But why do we need to pray? God says: “I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.” (Ezekiel 11:5). Why then do we have to tell God what he already knows? God does not only know all the thoughts we think, he even determines when we think them. Then why pray when God knows what we are going to say before we say it?

    Why pray?

    Solomon says: “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:1). Then why pray if we can only say what God allows us to say? Solomon says furthermore: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21). Why pray then if it is God’s counsel that always holds? Why pray if God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways? (Isaiah 55:8).

    Indeed, as with everything else, we only pray because God enables us to do so. Jesus says: “Without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). If God does not enable us, we cannot even pray. Thus the psalmist pleads with God: “Revive us, and we will call upon your name.” (Psalm 80:18).

    But what is the point of praying to God if the initiative to pray itself comes from God himself? Why pray if, according to Jesus, prayer should always be “God’s will be done?” (Matthew 6:10). Why pray if, according to Hebrews, God’s counsel is immutable? (Hebrews 6:17). The wise man says: “Every decision is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:33). That means God is the first determinant of even the most random things we do or say.

    Jesus prayed

    We begin to understand the import of prayer when we look at Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2). Knowing what we now know about Jesus, that he is indeed the Lord God Almighty, it is significant that he spent a lot of time in prayer. Why would God need to pray? Why would God the Son pray continually to God the Father?

    The answer immediately informs our understanding of the necessity for prayer. The Son needs to pray to the Father in order to have a continuing relationship with him. Without communication, there can be no relationship. Therefore, we also need to be prayerful, that we may have a continuing relationship with God.

    The Prodigal Son went to a distant land, far away from the Father. He wrote no letters home. But Jesus came to a distant land far away from heaven and remained in constant communication with God. He wrote letters home every day. He skyped, sent text messages and emails. He also spent a fortune making inter-galactic phone-calls.

    Prayer then primarily concretises our relationship with God. Indeed, the privilege of prayer is the evidence that a relationship exists. This is a critical part of our inheritance in Christ. Thanks to Jesus, we can now: “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

    Prayer gives us intimacy with God whereby we get to know and comprehend his love that surpasses knowledge. (Ephesians 3:17-19). Of a truth, there are so many things that flesh and blood cannot reveal to us. Only God can.

    Jeremiah says: “Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” (Jeremiah 42:3). The truth of the matter is that we don’t know our right from our left; we don’t know what to do. “The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23). Therefore, it is necessary to ask God for direction because: “A man’s steps are of the LORD.” (Proverbs 20:24).

    Laundry list

    However, Jesus never prayed a laundry list prayer, like most of us are wont to do. He never prayed Father give me this and that. On the contrary, he says: “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8). Well, if he knows already, why does Jesus counsel: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7).

    Prayer belongs to the generation of Jacob; the generation of those who seek God’s face and not his hand. (Psalm 24:6). When Jesus gave us a guideline for prayer, our daily bread was only 1 out of 10 petitions. Moreover, our daily bread is Jesus himself, the bread of life, and not just food that perishes. (John 6:27). When we ask, the primary thing we are to ask for is God himself. When we seek, the only thing we seek is the face and kingdom of God. When we knock, it is in order to enter into the glorious presence of God for: “in his presence is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11).

    Like praise which God inhabits (Psalm 22:3), prayer attracts God. It brings God so much closer to us: “The Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him.” (Deuteronomy 4:7). “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18).

    Friends of God

    True Christianity is not a religion of rules and regulations like that practiced in many churches. True Christianity is a relationship: a relationship with God and with his Son Jesus. John says: “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3).

    When we are prayerful, we become like Abraham, friends of God. (James 2:23). To such friends, God says: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

    That is why prayer is particularly efficacious when we are in difficulty, in trouble or in over our heads. When we pray, we are saying like Jesus: “Not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42). When we pray, we are inviting God into our situations and circumstances as poor and needy people because it is God who: “performs all things for (us).” (Psalm 57:2). When we pray, we are asking God for help and for deliverance.

    When we pray, we receive strength from God. “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31). When Jesus prayed at Gethsemane: “An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” (Luke 22:43).

    When we pray: “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard (our) hearts and (our) minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7). Accordingly, God says the reason why we are overwhelmed in life is because: “You refuse to ask for my help.” (Isaiah 43:22).

  • Who is Jesus? [2] – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    • The God who appeared to Abraham and promised him a son is none other than Jesus Christ.

    God says to Moses: “You cannot see my face; for no man shall see me, and live.” (Exodus 33:20). John equally affirms the same: “No one has seen God at any time.” (John 1:18).

    If no one has ever seen God and no man can see God and live, which God did Jacob speak to at Penuel? Jacob said: “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30). How come Jacob did not die after seeing God? The same question applies to Moses: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” (Exodus 33:11). Which God did Moses speak to face to face?

    Jesus says to Israel about God the Father: “You have never heard his voice nor seen his form.” (John 5:37). But Moses saw the form of the Lord. God said: “My servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the Lord.” (Numbers 12:6-8). If no man has ever seen the form of the Lord, which Lord did Moses see?

    Glory of God

    The Lord no man has seen is God the Father. The Lord who spoke to Jacob and Moses face to face is the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, David says by divine revelation: “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” (Psalm 110:1). David was king of Israel, so he had no earthly Lord. The Lord that spoke to his Lord was God the Father. The Lord that God the Father told to sit at his right hand is Jesus; God the Son.

    Jesus confirms this. He says to the Jews: “From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” (Luke 22:69). The writer of 1 Peter further validates this. He says Jesus Christ has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand- with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22).

    Isaiah also says: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1). The Lord Isaiah saw was Jesus. This is confirmed in the New Testament: “Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.” (John 12:41).

    Judge of all

    In Genesis, God appeared in person to Abraham. He then renewed his promise to give him a child: “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Genesis18:10). Close investigation reveals that the God who appeared to Abraham and promised him a son is none other than Jesus Christ.

    Mindful that his nephew, Lot, lived in Sodom, Abraham pleaded with God concerning the planned destruction of the city. He said: “Far be it from you to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:24-25).

    Who is the judge of all the earth? It is Jesus. According to the testimony of Jesus himself: “The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” (John5:22). Paul also affirms that Jesus is the judge of all: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:10). So Jesus is the God who spoke to Abraham.

    Rock of Ages

    Not only Moses, but the elders of Israel are all said to have seen God: “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel.” (Exodus 24:9-10). But again, the God they saw was Jesus Christ. Here is the proof.

    Moses chided Israel: “Jeshurun abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.” (Deuteronomy 32:15). The psalmist says: “Behold, he struck the rock, so that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed.” (Psalm 78:20). Israel’s God and Rock is actually none other than the pre-incarnate Jesus.

    Paul says: “All our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).

    Jesus is the Rock of Ages. He is the one who enjoins us to build our house on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25).

    God of Israel

    Indeed, on investigation, it becomes clear that Jesus is the God who called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt.

    When God called Moses at the burning bush, Moses asked: “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God replied: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13-14).

    Jesus reveals he is the “I AM” who sent Moses. He said to the Jews: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” This irritated his listeners who queried him: “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham!” Jesus’ answer was loaded. He said: “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I AM!” (John 8:56-58).

    This shows Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Exodus 3:15).

    Forgiver of sins

    When Jesus said: “I and my Father are one,” the Jews decided to stone him to death. They told him: “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.” (John 10:33).

    However, again and again, Jesus proved to be true to his words. When a paralytic was brought to him, he told him: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The teachers of the law who were there said: “He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus then decided to demonstrate to them that he is God indeed.

    He asked them: “Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” He then said to the paralytic: “I tell you, get up, take your bed and go home.” (Mark 2:5-11). The man got up, picked up his bed and went home, proving once and for all that Jesus is the God he claims to be.

    In short, the God of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament. Jesus confirms this to the Jews: “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” (John 5:39).

  • What does it mean to believe in Jesus? – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    The Jews asked Jesus: “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” He said to them: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.” (John 6:28-29).

    Jesus is the Saviour therefore, undoubtedly, belief in Jesus is fundamental to salvation. Often, when people came to Jesus for healing, he would ask: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). When he visited his hometown, John notes that: “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:58).

    Jesus did not tell Nicodemus to become more religious in order to obtain eternal life. He did not tell him to give more tithes and offerings to the synagogue. He simply told him to believe in him: “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).

    Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to determine precisely what it means to believe in Jesus; especially because although demons believe, nevertheless, they are not saved.

    Active participle

    Faith in Jesus is an active participle. If we believe in Jesus, our actions will testify to our faith. James says: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18). Likewise, the psalmist says: “I believe therefore I speak.”

    If we believe in Jesus, we would not be overwhelmed by sickness because he is our healer. If we believe, we would not be dismayed by loss because he is our redeemer. If we believe, we would not be intimidated by giants in the wilderness of life knowing he is our shield.

    If we truly believe, everything we do and don’t do will derive from our belief. Indeed, anything and everything that does not come from belief in Jesus is a sin. (Romans 14:23).

    So answer me this: what precisely has your belief in Christ ever caused you to do? Those are the things that validate your salvation. Have you ever removed the roof of a house because you believe in Jesus? Has your belief finally led you to lay down your life for Christ’s sake?

    We walk by our faith: we don’t merely stand by faith. Believing requires us to step out of a boat at Jesus’ command and walk on water. It requires us to forsake all and follow him. It requires us to walk a tightrope across a great big gorge in order to get to God. That tightrope is Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life.

    Rise up and walk

    I was cornered by armed robbers on the way from the airport in Lagos. Nevertheless, the Lord assured me: “Nothing is going to happen to you here.” After he said this, one of the armed robbers shot me in the leg, seemingly contradicting God’s promise. But then the Lord continued: “Femi, nothing is wrong with your leg.”

    Should I believe the word of the Lord, or believe the evidence of the bullet in my leg?

    Later on, the Lord said to me: “I allowed you to be shot because I wanted you to see yourself using crutches. You have been using crutches all your life but did not know it.” Then he asked me: “Can a man with a broken leg walk without crutches?” I did not think so. But he insisted: “He can walk by trusting in me. Now, put down your crutches and walk.”

    I put them down but could not walk. Therefore, I had to learn to walk again, but this time by trusting in God. That is what it means to believe in Jesus. When we believe in Jesus, we do the impossible. When we believe, we rise up from our sick bed, take up our bed and walk.

    If we believe, we would not stay too long on any mountain: we would go forward. Because they believed, Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land. Because they did not believe, the rest of the Israelites perished in the wilderness.

    Disbelieving believers

    There are so many so-called believers who don’t believe in Jesus. Most believe with their lips and not with their heart. Many profess belief in a Jesus they do not know. But true faith must be grounded in knowledge. Peter says: “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge.” (2 Peter 1:5).

    You cannot believe in Jesus from merely reading about him in the pages of the bible. You have to know the Jesus of the bible. You have to enter into a personal relationship with him. Paul says: “I know whom I have believed.” (2 Timothy 1:12).

    It is a shame that today’s Christianity is rife with contradictions. The president of the Christian Union is jilted in love and falls into depression. In truth, she does not believe in Jesus. She does not know Jesus is the redeemer. The choirmaster’s project fails and thereafter he loses all hope. In actual fact, he does not believe in Jesus. He does not know that the hope in Jesus does not disappoint. (Isaiah 49:23).

    The evangelist loses a child in a car accident and refuses to forgive the driver who hit her. She does not believe in Jesus. She does not know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25). The usher’s business collapses and he stops going to church. He does not believe in Jesus. He does not know that the Father of our Lord Jesus is not mediated through results.

    Believe to see

    Thomas says of the resurrected Jesus: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). Poppycock! Seeing is not believing. The Jews saw Jesus’ multiplication of five loaves to feed five thousand and still did not believe in him. They came asking to see another miracle before they would believe.

    Miracles don’t lead to belief: belief leads to miracles. We don’t see to believe: we believe to see. David says: “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13).

    Faith in Jesus opens the eyes of the blind, enabling us to see the kingdom of God. Accordingly, Jesus said to Martha who was mourning her dead brother: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). Thereafter, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, even though he had been dead and buried for four days

    When Nathaniel believed what Jesus told him, he received a promise. Jesus said to him: “You will see greater things than these. Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (John 1:50-51).

    “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3).

  • The new creation in Christ Jesus – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    The scriptures say the whole earth is filled with the glory of God. So how come most people cannot see it? How come men could not see the glory of God in Jesus Christ?

    They could not because Jesus is the quintessential spiritual man. The same applies to the New Creation. The New Creation is a spiritual man. However, the glory of the spiritual is veiled from the natural.

    Paul admits that for a long time he only saw Jesus from a human point of view. Therefore, he did not believe that this most ordinary man from Nazareth was the Messiah. After Christ revealed himself to Paul on Damascus Road by the special grace of God, he resolved that he would never again see men after the flesh but would only see them spiritually.

    Christ in you

    Once a man gives his life to Christ, God comes to dwell in him. He then carries out a life-long transformative work in him. What does this entail? He works in Christ into the believer, systematically transforming him more and more into Christ’s likeness. (2 Corinthians 3:18). Thus, Paul says to the believer: “Christ is in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:26-27). Christ is in you, not as a result of any self-application, but because God is installing Christ in you.

    Let me illustrate this kingdom dynamic with a parable. A man called Mike Teeson gave his life to Christ. But after he confessed Christ, he continued to be quarrelsome and to beat people up. He still thinks he is Mike Teeson, but the counsel of God says he is a new creation. If he fulfils the word of God, he is in for a big surprise. One day, he is going to wake up and realise he cannot fight anymore.

    Because God is at work in Mike, the word of God says, “the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:33). This means Mike will soon discover that the old man of the flesh will become subject to the new man of the Spirit. First he might find it increasingly difficult to beat people up as usual. Soon, everybody Mike fights will beat him. Soon, a little boy will slap Mike and he will discover that he simply does not have the strength to fight back anymore.

    What exactly happened to Mike? Mike lost the biggest fight of his life, the fight against Jesus Christ. What Jesus did was to make Mike into a useless fighter. Paul speaks of this future eventuality as if it had already been accomplished in the past: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

    Mike might have anticipated that as a believer, he is going to become a good Mike Teeson. That is wrong. Mike is going to become somebody other than himself. He is going to be a totally new creation. Indeed, Mike is slated to become exactly like Christ: “Now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2).

    Veiled glory

    Why did people who lived in biblical times fail to see the glory of Jesus? The problem here comes from being used to a completely different type of glory. It comes from being so thoroughly socialised in the glory of the world that we fail to recognise and appreciate the peculiar glory of the kingdom of God.

    The glory of the man of the world is temporal; it does not last. The man who won the gold medals in the Olympic Games is soon forgotten. The president’s term of office comes to an end. The former Miss World is now an old woman. But the glory of God endures. It does not fade. It lasts forever.

    The devil offered Jesus all the glory of the world for a very meagre requirement: “simply bow down and worship me.” But Jesus would have none of it. Why would he trade the genuine article for the counterfeit? This only happens when we don’t know the original or don’t know its value.

    What would you give for the glory of the world? How far would you go in order to be the Managing Director of your company? It is said in the world: “All is fair in love and in war.” Can a man make you an offer you cannot refuse? Can you be seduced by the world? Of course you can, for you are a man of little strength. That is why Jesus taught us to pray: “do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil.” (Matthew. 6:13).

    Counterfeit wealth

    Observe that according to the Lord’s Prayer, the true kingdom, the real power, and the glory that does not fade all belong exclusively to God. Therefore we need to ask the Lord not to allow us to be deceived by the counterfeit. We must be careful not to be seduced by the glory of this world?

    A pre-eminent glory of man in the world consists in the abundance of his possessions. But in Christ, such glory is meaningless. Show me your wealth in the world and I will show you my faith in Christ. In the world, people live by money. When a man has money, he has “made it.” But in the kingdom of God, the just shall live by faith. (Hebrews 10:38). If the Lord is really our shepherd then we shall not want. We shall no longer hunger for the “goodies” of this world. When a man truly has Christ, he has all he needs.

    Confronted with the choice of relinquishing all he had and inheriting the kingdom of God, the rich young ruler opted for his wealth. The bible observes that he went away sorrowful because he had many possessions. What the wisdom of God is saying here is that the wealth of many is going to be the cause of their eternal sorrow. The rich man of the world might have something today. But the problem with “today” is that it only lasts “ten days.” (Revelation 2:10)

    However, the New Creation not only has today, he also has the future. By his faith, he overcomes the vanities of the world. Jesus came and bequeathed him with the abundant life. He gave him a life that may be devoid of the things of the world, but that is full of the things the world does not have: love, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

    The natural man cannot see the things of kingdom of God. For example, Isaiah could not see the glory of God until King Uzziah died. The inferior glory of the king blinded him from the superior glory of God. (Isaiah 6:1). Therefore, he declares: “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.” (Isaiah 40:4-5).

  • The new creation in Christ – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Jesus says to Nicodemus: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6).

    When you ask a man to describe himself, he might say: “I am tall and handsome.” But do you know your height and looks are not you? The man drives a Mercedes Benz and therefore considers the car to be his identity. He feels the luxurious car defines who he is. So the wisdom of God says: “Steal the car, and let us see if he will consider himself stolen.” “Burn the car, so he will consider himself burnt.”

    If we are how we look, what happens when we grow old? The Lord says: “I am the Lord, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6). If the Lord does not change then, neither do sons of God because as he is so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17). If a man is his physical nature, then if he has an accident and breaks his leg, he has changed. No! A man is his spirit and not his body; and his spirit does not change. Like Jesus, a son of God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8).

    The prototype

    There is only one New Creation and he is Jesus. There is only one personality. There is only one character. There is only one look; and that is Christ: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:27-28).

    The New Creation stands in perfect atonement with God and with Christ. This was Jesus’ prayer, and it was answered completely at the Pentecost. He asked: “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21).

    Jesus is the beginning of the new creation. (Revelation 3:14). The first human species was in Adam. The New Creation is in Christ. As Levi was in the loins of Abraham when Melchisedec met him, so have we been in the loins of Christ from the foundation of the world. As Noah was in the ark, so are we in Christ. The New Creation is a completely different species of human being although coming through no human agency. He comes not by blood, or through the flesh, but as a result of the will of God. (John 1:13).

    Family of God

    Moreover, the New Creation draws strength from the power reservoir of the body of Christ. That body is not made up of one, but of many, parts. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Accordingly, the son of God is never alone. He is part and parcel of an incredibly large and illustrious heavenly family.

    The New Creation has a hundredfold of brothers and sisters and mothers. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26). When God says: “Touch not my anointed,” it is not a vain threat. The New Creation is his brother’s keeper. Therefore, the man who dares to fight a son of God is going to have to face him and all his relatives.

    If you fight him, you have to answer to the body of Christ. You might be fighting him in Lagos, but there are brothers and sisters of his in Toronto prevailing in battle on his behalf. Once the battle cry is raised, a message is transmitted to the twelve tribes of Israel that it is time to repel the forces of the enemy. So it is spiritually with the body of Christ.

    Therefore, know this for certain, the son of God is impregnable. He is an integral part of the army of the God, the Lord of hosts; an army united in spirit and in power. It is an army perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement. Unlike what takes place in the contradictory churches of today, in the Church of Christ where the son of God belongs, there is one body and one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father. (Ephesians 4:4-6).

    Born again

    The New Creation is of God and is born of God. He hates sin with passion and walks in the truth. He cannot be killed and cannot die. Signs and wonders follow him. He has the spirit of excellence. He has the spirit of wisdom and revelation. He can see the kingdom of God. He can see the invisible. He has the mind of God. In short, the new creation is the fulfilment of the law and the prophets.

    “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:1-2).

    Transfiguration

    One day, Peter, John and James went up a high mountain with Jesus and discovered to their surprise that this same Jesus is somebody else at the same time. Suddenly, Jesus was transfigured before them and they caught a privileged glimpse of his glory.

    Jesus said to Nicodemus: “ No one has ascended to heaven but he who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” (John 3:13). This is a wonderful kingdom dynamic. The Son of Man who is in heaven is also here on earth at the same time talking to Nicodemus. No wonder, Nicodemus was completely flabbergasted. As it is with Jesus, so it is with the New Creation. As he is here on earth, so is he seated at the same time in the heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 2:6).

    As a man on earth, the pre-incarnate glory of Jesus was veiled. This baffled many. There was dissonance between Jesus’ mighty works and his human pedigree. People wondered about him. He was learned, and yet he never went to school. “He’s just a carpenter’s son,” they reasoned. And yet, carpenters don’t heal the sick and raise the dead. “But we know his mother and his brothers. Surely he is just another Joe.” (Matthew 13:55).

    However, at the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, John and James discovered what manner of man Jesus is. They saw him completely differently, covered with God’s splendour and glory. And they heard a majestic voice calling down from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (2 Peter 1:17). So it is with the son of God.

    Beloved, wouldn’t you like to be a son of God? “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7).