SUNDAY SCHOOL DIARIES

MESSIANIC PSALMS

2016-10-06T19:15:00.001+01:00

Messiah, which is derived from the Hebrew word “Mashiach” has the same meaning of the Greek word “Christos” (Christ) which means “The Anointed One”. And the word Psalms is taken from the Hebrew word “Tehillim” which means “Praise”.

Thus, the Messianic Psalms are those scriptures in the book of Psalms that talked about the coming o the messiah.

It is the tradition of Israel to anoint somebody with oil signifying that the person has been set aside for a special purpose or assignment and so, Jesus being called the Messiah means that He had been set aside for a special, prophetic, redemptive and kingship assignment.

HOW DID JESUS FULFILL THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY?

When the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah, he noted clearly the events that were to happen, that He was to come through a virgin, in a manger, from the linage of David and so on; that the coming of the Messiah was to liberate and set the people of Israel free from their bondage.

He was to be a Prophet because he was to proclaim the word of God. He was to be a Priest (in the old testament the job of a priest is to atone for the sins of the people by sacrificing an animal, but Jesus didn’t have to do that, rather He gave Himself as a sacrificial lamp for the atonement of our sins).

He is also the King because He triumphed over Satan and He will come back to rule the world.

LESSONS FROM THE MESSIANIC STORY

The bible refers to us as priest and kings, just as Jesus who is our High Priest. Subjected to humiliation, He knew no sin; He took our sins upon Him, through the road to Calvary and was crucified because of our sins. He went through it all as a sacrificial lamp, submitted to the will of God to die for the same people who He came to love. As believers, there are times when we will have to make sacrifice by going the extra mile to love, help and care for others, even when we think they don’t deserve it.

From the time, the coming of Jesus was prophesied to the time it became a reality, was about 700 years, yet the people of Israel kept hoping and anticipating His coming, a man like Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he has seen The Messiah, though Simeon grew old, he kept believing that his Mashiach expectation would be fulfilled.

We are all believing God for miracles, it is important to note that God will keep His word.

By Sophia

Finding God in the Storm

2016-08-22T10:04:00.000+01:00

The psalmist prays: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” The writer of Psalm 42 was sad and discouraged. The struggles of life threatened to pull him under. But at just the right moment, he made this decision. “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him…I will remember You from the land of Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon…” There is resolve in those words. “I shall yet praise you…and I will remember You.” The writer made a deliberate decision to treat his downcast soul with thoughts of God.

There’s nothing easy about this. Finding God amid the billows will demand every bit of discipline you can muster. But the result is worth the strain. Besides, will reciting your problems turn you into a better person? No, but changing your mind-set will!

From God is With You Every Day

The Good in Seeming Wrong

2016-07-02T02:32:00.001+01:00

How do somewhat evil things achieve God’s purposes? How do even seemingly very bad things work out God’s ultimate good intentions? God says the thoughts I have towards you, are of good and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Again we know that every good and perfect gift comes from God! But it doesn’t say ONLY Good and perfect gifts comes from God! However, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according unto His purpose.

When David was left (behind) to tend for his father’s animal farm, it seemed he had that task simply because he was the last child of the family of Jesse but to God, the very thing which made him always left behind to cater for his father’s flock, became the fact that stood him out! How? By tendering to the sheep, he inculcated the skills and the heart of a leader! Do not complain about the things that your background (family, parents, states; etc.) makes you or exposes you to God is in the business of your predicament to become your advancement.

It is right that God does not look at the appearance of man but at his heart. This is good news! You can become all God wants you to become irrespective of who or what you look like. Your height, your complexion; your handicap etc. worry, if you must, about the quality of your heart or mind not about your physical appearance/disability. Don’t you worry about your present socio-economic status but let your mind consume the right piece of information, and with time, if you persist, your outward realities will conform to your thinking!

Understand this: God’s wisdom guides us even by the most unlikely events. It’s not always the case that “bad news” comes from the Devil! God can “cause” seemingly “evil/bad” in order to make way for his greater Good and perfect purposes! If this were not true, then Jesus would not have died! God gave over his son; putting him through the cross that Christ might become the saviour of the World!

Job was tested so that God may prove a point! Jesus was lead into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil! Saul was inflicted by “an evil spirit from the Lord” So that David could become the man to play his harp and sooth the Kings melody! God uses the unfavourable to get you to the favourable! So trust his wisdom and do not despair. Oh! That the Lord will teach us the wisdom behind the wisdom of His guidance! Amen!

Integrity Issues

2016-06-25T21:15:00.000+01:00

“Sir, I have a question”, said one of my students “suppose we were visited by armed robbers, who requested for our belongings and I have two phones but hid one and only presented the other as all I had”, Do I have integrity? The student’s question was a very interesting one.

We were discussing the integrity example of Samuel. To buttress the lesson and to show how integrity “is way beyond saying, we will come to your streets and raid and rape and steal by next week. Signed – Armed robbers”. And then, next week, in keeping to their words they came and stole, raped and raided the street. Is that integrity?

The problem of corruption in Nigeria is a problem of lack of integrity! From God’s stand point of view, integrity is a departure from sin and a consistent embrace of God’s righteous words in an individual, public and private life. Can an unbeliever who is naturally careless be a person of integrity? Not impossible. He may conduct his public life and particularly his transparent and accountable ways in a manner that’s praise worthy! That notwithstanding, in other areas of His life, and as far as God is concerned, the man is certainly not a person of integrity! Why? Because “integrity is not subjective; it’s a matter of obedience to God!”

Integrity is a matter of choosing obedience to God’s word, over and above personal gain. Integrity is preferring to be poor rather than to be a liar. Integrity is living blamelessly, and beyond reproach! Integrity is doing all things to the Glory of God. However, in the world we live in today, integrity will cost us, at some points. Though it would pay off on the long run as is usually all God’s ways! We do not always get instantaneous rewards for every obedience to God, but God who cannot lie is always ever a rewarder of them that diligently obey/seek Him.

Integrity would not always be a strait jacket affair in this crooked world. Rehab took the initiative and hid the two Israeli spies and lied that they were not at her place anymore. Samuel was told by God to say that he had come to make sacrifices, though the major/primary business was to anoint David a king?

How does one tick the box of integrity in these situations? Whenever we choose to align ourselves to God’s purposes, and in bid to uphold righteousness, the Holy Spirit will guide us in how to choose to obey & please him in integrity! Rehab acted righteously and so did Samuel because when Human laws/words conflict with God’s, we must prefer the latter. Receive grace for integrity!

Are you been fair...?

2016-06-15T23:47:00.003+01:00

James chapter 5 captures my heart in a very captivating complex reeking of the prophetic – the end of ill-gotten wealth and the vast majority of men whose heart have been lost in the maze of seeking and amassing it at all costs; the corruption that is rife in a world where money is king; the coming doom of the age and the judgment of sinful rich men whose overly bloated riches/wealth is an evidence against them; and lots more.

I can not but see how James aptly captured the destruction of this world, as he uses words like: “Your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire”. By the word “fire” he immediately alludes to the destruction of this world (the earth & the heavens) by fire. And to make certain that his Christian audience recognizes this allusion, he adds “ye have heaped pressure together for the last days”. By using the words “lastdays” he again strikes of the inevitable future judgment that would come on the heels of the last days.

I must quickly add that his next line of thought brings to us some of the realities of the unjust and greedy ways riches were being gotten and amassed! He calls with urgency. “Behold!” It was something to strike a point! Hired labourers are not being treated fairly! The situation of the labour market, which leaves a vast majority jobless and small enviable few employed has created a great imbalance which the rich are bent of making the most profit of --an arguably ruthless profit! Taking occasion of the fact that there was no employment the poor would be left with no choice than to accept the excessively meagre pay. Since they had little or no option if they must not die of hunger! Yet at times, the employers devise ways to punish the poor by withholding or slashing their pay at the slightest provocation.

In doing this, while the rich are enjoying themselves living in the pleasure of their ill-gotten riches, they kill and condemn the poor to further poverty so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

And just before we think we are not guilty ourselves of the “sins” of the “rich” we need to examine ourselves too.

When we have agreed to pay a certain sum to those who have worked for us, do we actually pay? When we know that those who have worked for us, (e.g. our tailors, cobblers etc.) have actually done well, and we know we can pay them better, do we actually pay them in a manner they can turn to their God and thank God for making you one of their customers? Or are you the type that quarrel with those who have worked for you, finding all kinds of faults with their jobs, just so that you can have a reason to pay them less than what has been agreed?

Examine yourself!

James would offer a rather interesting encouragement and advice to the believers whereunto he wrote in the verses to follow: The first thing he urges upon them is this: Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord.

This advice interests my heart a lot! We must not fail to take home a big but silent point that comes with it: THE END OF THIS UNJUST SYSTEM OF THIS WORLD IS NEAR! THE LORD IS COMING! HAVE PATIENCE!

The way James deems it fit to encourage, was by pointing them, FIRST, to the coming of the Lord! It pays to reflect on this point, so that we do not miss the implications of what James said: THIS WORLD IS INCURABLY CORRUPT, and can only be SUSTAINED by us – the light & the salt, till the return of Christ! #selah

Next, James proceeds to lay guidelines to how we must live in order to be the change we desperately need to be!! Grudge not one another, learn to suffer* in patience, be happy to endure, just like job, swear not – let your integrity be above board that you don’t have to!

Then he concludes, by telling us to pray for the sick --- not wait for the Lord’s coming (clearly showing that there are certain things we must be able to change for Good, and not just wait till Jesus comes!) Then he tells us about the secret of effective praying – fervency & fellowship with the holy spirit! And he urges us towards, evangelism & soul winning, & restoration of the erring saint!

Womb Alive!

2016-04-18T13:46:00.000+01:00

He was from a poor background! He was born with sorrow! But he refused to let His background bury his back on the ground! What did he do? He “called on the God of Israel!” And he cried and said “Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!” And what happened afterwards? “And God granted Him that which he requested!” Do you know this man’s name? JABEZ!!! (1 Chron. 4:9-10).

Never a time do we need men who can “refuse God peace until he hears/answers their prayers” than our day! We need persistent, fervent prayer people who will not take NO for an answer! God is not a father who doesn’t care about His people. But it his principle to be the “rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6b).

God seeks for a broken and a contrite heart! The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous still produces incredible results till tomorrow! Our dearth of the miraculous is the shameful evidence of the poverty of our prayer lives! . God not only hears prayers! He answers prayers! And he still speaks to those who care to seek him without care! Hannah was such a believer! She was tired of her barrenness! She was tired of having a very loving husband for whom she can’t even raise a child! His love for her drove her desperate to raise him a child! But rather than seek the men of God, she sought the God of men!

She considered in her heart to vow her yet unborn/un-conceived child to God by faith! What a woman of faith! Maybe we need to identify the areas of our barrenness and move with faith to God to fix us! Until we get tired of our barrenness, we may never get the persevering faith that provokes results from God...

Today’s hardship all around us, the sorry state of our Nations, Families, and church offers us a unique opportunity to seek the God who rewards those that seek him diligently! May our challenges bring us to the point of challenging ourselves to seek God for a change in our lives, nation and generation, like Daniel, Jabez, Hannah, Jacob, and all the faith fore fathers that have gone ahead of us! Amen.

You Are Lost!!!

2016-03-24T12:27:00.002+01:00

“If I'm ever given an opportunity to return to the earth, I will never fail to let anyone who is not saved, know that they are as good as lost already!” The man sobbed, as he continued, "I was thinking that ‘Life is beautiful’ because I had virtually everything I needed at my beck and call! I jeered, booed and mocked at them Christians, thinking that they were foolish!

Haa! If anyone had told me that I was suffering, miserable and a living-dead, I would have laughed out at my heart! Alas, I never knew that I was actually suffering indeed!” His audience were busy nursing their pains with screams or gnashing of teeth, or with intense scratching of their bodies, out of pain, despair and anguish of anger at themselves!

****

The greatest realization a man awakes to is that life outside of Christ is “condemned already!” When this realization dawns on a man, he is either saved or he is a reprobate! Those who are "lost" are not necessarily the destitute on our street corners and under the bridges of our major roads; Those who are 'lost' are not just those announced in the news or media as wanted and missing. These ones are probably lost but the essential hallmark of “the lost” is simply that they are without a savior and a Lord in Jesus Christ!

This definition of the Lost, which is true, leaves much to be desired! Because ‘the Lost’ are all around us -in the churches, in the markets, in the offices, in politics, in civil services, in government, in schools, in hospitals, on the roads, etc. The only thing God focuses on today is the business of Finding & Saving the lost! On God's priority list, his number – one concern is finding the lost! His second, is finding the lost! His third, is finding the lost!! His fourth is still finding the lost! And by now you should know the fifth up till the last!

If any man be in Christ and has no compassion for lost souls, has no contribution to finding the lost, He is a liar! He's not in Christ! He too is lost! And should be found! God had only one son, and He made Him a soul winner of soul winners! If you are not one of them, You Are Lost!!!

Underwater Ceramic Technician

2016-03-16T13:08:00.000+01:00

I read from Our Daily Bread Devotional this morning about job titles. The one I can’t forget in a hurry is the Underwater Ceramic Technician (i.e. a person who washes dishes at a restaurant). Others include Transparency Enhancement Facilitator – person that cleans windows, Media Distribution Officer – newspaper vendor, Environmental Hygienist – a street sweeper. A big name for a not so big role, right?

Most times people don’t think their role/job is good enough until it has the important-sounding title. What is of primary importance is the purpose for the role and what we set out to accomplish. It matters little what title we hold. All the parts of the body are necessary for the body to function properly. No part is better than another though it be prominent or not.

These gifts and abilities are for …the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for edifying the body of Christ, till we all come to the unit of the faith. (Eph. 4;12-13). We should never minimize the importance of our attitude toward temporary, earthly things. It is easy and quit tempting, to spend far too much time and energy pursuing the wealth of this world. In the light of eternity, a life spent on serving material wealth amounts to a wasted life.

How do you view your possessions, money, accesses, knowledge, abilities and pursuits? Consider them closely and honestly, then ask these serious questions: does my attitude about these things place them ahead of my relationship with God? Will my pursuit of these things bring glory or shame to God? Is God applauding my approach to acquiring these possessions? Does my pursuit of material things compromise my pursuit of God? How have I used these …for the edifying of the body of Christ?

For a steward (which everyone alive is), everything we are just caretakers of what has been given to us to look after - possessions, money, accesses, knowledge, abilities, pursuits, etc. We should regard all the resources we possess to be things God allows us to have. God owns everything; we are simply managers in this world. Rather than squared and be selfish with them, faithful stewards seek to use them wisely. We are required to keep in view that this is not our wealth, but God’s.

Make your love for God and pursuit of His kingdom the top priority. And in all other priorities, see yourself not as a possessor of things but as a steward of those things. A commitment to the attitude of a steward will bring us a sense of joy and purpose for our possessions. It should instill a feeling of peace and contentment into our minds.

Success Secrets of Prayer

2016-03-09T14:05:00.000+01:00

I got admitted into the University, I made up my mind that I do not want to accommodate squatters (and of course, I prayed never to be one myself). However, when I got to my third year, it began to dawn on me that keeping up with my “policy of no squatters” was getting increasingly difficult.

The university, generally, had a policy of providing a hostel accommodation to the first and final year students, amongst other special cases. Nevertheless, often times, even the first and final year students don’t get to secure an accommodation space for various reasons.

It was during this time, that one of my very good friends approached me for help. He had been unable to secure an accommodation space. He wanted to put up with me –the very thing I had always dreaded. At this moment, I had to choose between letting my policy to suffer and letting my friendship to suffer. Which was I to choose?

The backbone of prayer is faith and friendship with Jesus! Friendship with Jesus is key! Friends are mindful of pleasing each other. When we ask a favour from a dear friend, we usually expect a positive response—notwithstanding how difficult it might actually be for our friend to please us. Faith, on the other hand, is a function of trust. We trust that our friend, if he is truly one, will not let us down.

When we have such working friendship with Christ, we expect that as long as we are in his will, he hears us when we pray! That’s faith! And also our friendship with Christ compels us to come boldly to God in prayer! In the story of the man who had a late night visitor (Luke 111:5-9), it was his friendship with His neighbour that made the neighbour unable to turn him down! And also his faith (i.e. persistence) made his neighbour, leave the bed where he was, with his wife, to the kitchen to attend to his knocking friend at his door!

Most times, Patience and perseverance in our petition-making to God is the clearest manifestation of faith! Importunity is the verb form of Faith! And of the two lessons, Faith can be more forceful than friendship! It was faith or importunity of the widow, which “coerced” the unjust judge into granting the widow’s petition. Though God is never unjust, our daring faith will often be called upon if we are to get our needs met in prayer!

When my friend made his request to squat with me, I could have easily turned any other person down, but not him! So God is our friend! He is not like the unjust judge. So if I, being evil, but for friendship sake, could drop my policy, how much more God, who is just grant our request especially when we have faith too? ACTION POINT: Become a genuine friend of Jesus and build trust in Him! Then your prayers will get results – every time!!!

Contributed by Bar. David

Like father like son

2015-09-14T09:10:00.000+01:00

By nature, we are all born sinners. Sinners, not by what we did, but, by who we are – descendants of Adam. No wonder Paul exclaimed “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…”. This is true for only those, who through a proper understanding of Christ’s explanation found in John Chapter 3, are now born again.

Becoming a child of God transforms the believer, making him distinct from those who do not walk with Christ. Thus they grow in Christ, the world becomes less and less able to recognise or even relate to them. At salvation, a believer is delivered from the lies, selfishness, ungodly desires and hatred propagated by Satan.

At salvation, sinful actions become detestable and are rejected. When sin does occur in a believer’s life, it is not excused or ignored, but dealt with through repentance. It is a call for believers to embrace a lifestyle that actively shuns sin and pursues Christ – a dramatic change from their lives before salvation. Those who continue to allow Satan’s works to exist in their lives will soon begin to resemble him, not only in their actions, but also their desires.

Just as a parent passes certain traits to his or her children, being born of God has a fundamental impact on who we are, how we live and what we value. Genuine faith results in transformation, and we become dramatically different from those around us. Yet it is easy to become apathetic, and forget that putting our faith on display demands a daily decision to love.

Take a moment to think about those people in your life who might be moved by a display of Christ’s love in action. Is there a neighbour in crisis? Perhaps a sceptical co-worker who dismisses Christians as hypocrites. Or someone at church going through a time of discouragement.

Resolve to look for opportunities to put Christ’s love on display for those people. Make a personal sacrifice of time or resources to impact someone’s life this week. The bible said that the love we have for one another would identify us as God’s children. Are you experiencing a strained relationship with a fellow Christian? Take the initiative to begin the restoration process. Ask God for direction and help in demonstrating His love no matter the response.

Welcome back to Sunday School Diaries

Tough Love

2015-03-26T12:54:00.000+01:00

We people meet for the first time, they usually start with regular “hellos” and “hi”. They do not usually get angry over everything the person does because there is very little between them. They do not own each other much. When the relationship/friendship gets interesting or when it goes beyond mere acquaintances and starts developing into something deeper, there’s usually this question “who am I to you?” or “what are we doing?”

This question is usually followed by set of rules or conditions (can be said or left unsaid) which determines how the relationship is to proceed going forward. The dos and don’ts increase, small things offends the other, etc.

Same can be said of the relationship between Israel and God. They have been God’s people for as long as they can remember but where majorly on “hello – hi” level. They have never asked themselves what are we doing or who am I to you?

After the plagues and passing the Red Sea, God had demonstrated to the Israelites that He meant business in the relationship He was building with them. He had to give them the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments was and is still instructions concerning the goodness, righteousness, and godliness that God expects of those who identify as His children and walk in the Spirit. Those He had brought out of Egypt (sinful life) through many miracles, those who He had graciously redeemed. This commandments where to define them as a people.

Christians are not bound by the Law, having been freed from its obligations through Christ. However, the Law teaches principles concerning how to live under God’s blessings. Obeying God is no longer a matter of code, but of conscience. Scripture provides us with fundamental moral concepts, as well as instructions regarding holiness and separation from the world. These reveal to us what God desires of His people. As we follow His righteous plans, we will experience spiritual growth and vitality as well as intimacy with God.

As it is with human to human relationships, those dos and don’ts keeps the relationship alive; the dos and don’ts of God – His commands summarized in – Galatians 5:13 – 15 “…For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbour as yourself” keeps our relationship with him growing. Perform a personal inventory of you level of commitment to God’s Word today. How far is God from you? “If you feel far away from God, guess who moved?” Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you, James 4:8.

A Life of Purpose

2015-02-23T16:23:00.000+01:00

God’s hand in the life of Moses was manifested from the time of his birth. Just like He (God) said to Jeremiah "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.", God said same to Moses. The Lord who formed us, knows for what particular services and purposes he intended us. But unless he sanctify us by his new-creating Spirit, we shall neither be fit for his holy service on earth, nor his holy happiness in heaven. If the task God has given us to carry out is not bigger than us, such that we can only accomplish them by His help, then that task is not from God.

God deals with us individually and differently depending on the task God has given us to accomplish. God knows what He is doing, His thoughts and ways are far above ours. He has a plan for our lives. Most times, that plan cannot be understood until long after the events of our lives have unfolded. He prepares us to bring about the desired result in the right way.

As such, we must realise that our work for God must be precede by reverence for Him. Recognising both His holiness and our sinfulness allows us to honour Him in a way befitting His majesty. We are then prepared to hear His voice and follow His call. This makes us not to have the attitude of “let’s get God’s work done by all means.”

We see events from a limited perspective and with incomplete understanding we must trust God’s sovereignty by submitting ourselves to His plans and leaving ourselves in His hands. The preparation may be in the form of hardships, doubt, fear; but as we mature in faith, we realise the need to rely on God. God will then guide us in and give us wisdom. When it is time, the answer to that burning question of “who am I; who shall I say sent me and what will I say?” will be available.

It becomes us to have low thoughts of ourselves. Those who are young, should consider that they are so, and not venture beyond their powers. But though a sense of our own weakness and insufficiency should make us go humbly about our work, it should not make us draw back when God calls us. Those who have messages to deliver from God, must not fear the face of man. The Lord, by a sign, will give such a gift as is necessary. God's message should be delivered in his own words.

God is aware of our weakness and doubts. He is patient with our questions and insecurities. Asking God to choose someone else to complete His plans for us indicates a lack of trust. If God calls us to a task, He will furnish the resources for us to complete it.

Sodom and Gomorrah

2015-02-10T16:16:00.001+01:00

Three angels visited Abraham. They came disguised as men, travellers along the road. Two of them went down to Sodom and Gomorrah, to observe first-hand the wickedness in those cities.

The other visitor, who was the Lord, stayed behind. He revealed to Abraham that he was going to destroy the cities because of the evil ways of their people. Abraham, a special friend of the Lord, began to bargain with God to spare the cities if there were righteous people in them.

First Abraham asked if the Lord would spare the cities if fifty righteous people lived there. The Lord said yes. Boldly, Abraham kept bargaining down, until God agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if even ten righteous people lived there. Then the Lord departed.

Then all the men of the city surrounded Lot's house where the angels had camped and said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." (Genesis 19:5, NIV).

A few points to note here:

o God was mercifully willing to spare the cities for the sake of a few righteous people, but none lived there. The Bible tells us all the inhabitants were depraved.

o One of the reasons God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was because he did not want the Jews to be influenced by this evil. As the Creator of all things, God has the divine right to destroy evil as he sees fit.

o Lot and his family were spared, but his future sons-in-laws were destroyed because they thought Lot was joking about God's wrath. Millions of people today think God and sin are things to joke about. God does exist, and he does punish unrepentant sinners.

o The Bible clearly states that the fire and sulphur, or brimstone, rained down "from the Lord out of the heavens" (Genesis 19:24, NIV), not upward from a volcano. Lot's wife, whose name is not given, became a pillar of salt. Some scholars believe she was covered with molten material.

Many people hold to misconceptions about God’s grace. Some hold to concepts that cheapen grace, for they deny the sinfulness of sin. The truth is that grace exposes the reality of mankind’s sinfulness and lustfulness. God, because He is gracious and merciful, has provided the way for people to be saved from the judgment sin brings. He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take the punishment for sin.

Sodom personified sin in every form: from pride and selfishness to perversion and idolatry. So the story of Sodom stands as an important warning to us: we must not tolerate any sin. Let us examine our lives to see if we have become permissive of any sinful behaviours or attitudes that can become spiritual stumbling blocks. If so, let us turn to God in repentance.

Father Abraham

2015-02-02T14:15:00.000+01:00

Father Abraham, Has many sons,

Many sons has father Abraham,

I am one of them, and so are you

So let us praise the Lord

We all love to sing this song but how many of us are willing to do what it takes to partake of these Abrahamic promises. Abraham had to leave all that was familiar. He had to lay aside his old identity and everything he knew. Every aspect of his life would be altered forever. God did not tell Abraham where he was going or what events would take place when he arrived. The call was one of trust and submission. God expects His followers to step out in faith in following Him, even when the road ahead is not very clear or even when they do not know exactly where He is leading them to.

The story of Abraham demonstrates the ways in which God gives dramatic rewards for absolute faith and obedience. At God’s command, Abraham leaves his home to roam in a strange land; God’s reward is to cause Abraham to discover great wealth. Sarah, barren her entire life, gives birth to a son at the age of ninety, an event so unlikely that she laughs when she is told that it will occur.

And finally, Abraham receives God’s greatest praise when he obediently stands poised to kill the very son through whom God has promised to fulfil his covenant. These moments depict absolute faith in God, despite the fact that his demands may seem illogical or unreasonable. What God consistently rewards is the abandonment of human reason and free will in favour of actions whose purpose is unknown or unknowable. As a result, these stories establish a version of God who knows what is best for mankind, but who reveals his purposes only selectively.

Who then are the heirs of the precious and very great promises made to Abraham and to his seed? You are. To whom can it be said: Your sins are forgiven; God is for you; with all his power, goodness, and mercy he will pursue you all your life, and you will rise from the dead; your name will be great; your assembly as the stars of the heavens; you will possess the gates of your enemies, and the land of Israel and all the earth will be your inheritance; and you will fill the new world with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord? To whom can all this be said? To you, the children of Abraham through faith in Christ. "For all things are yours . . . whether the world or life or death or the present or the future, all (the promises!) are yours, for you are Christ's and Christ (the seed of Abraham) is God's" (1 Corinthians 3:21–23).

Nigerian’s Heaven

2015-01-21T15:39:00.000+01:00

“All those who are from Nigeria, join that queue, the rest of you, remain on this queue. Since you are Nigerian, giving or accepting bribe is ok; you can enter heaven. Or because you are Nigerian, it is not a sin to disobey government laws, or pay your correct taxes, levies and dues…” Many people expect God to say this to them when they get to the Judgement Seat.

The time of Noah is significant with what will happen when Christ comes. God will not spare the world, but the people’s righteousness will be used as a yardstick for punishing the ungodly. God is saying if my servant who was also in the world under the same sinful conditions as you were, was able to live right, why wouldn’t you? Chew on that! God will not spare the people of the old world as seen in Revelation. He intends to build a new pure Jerusalem.

After man sinned in the Garden of Eden, God was still merciful and compassionate that He still wanted to dwell with men despite their disobedience. Until He then saw that man had taken in the sinful nature of the devil and it was impossible to dwell in man. In fact God “strived” with men but because of man’s will (choice), God could not prevail. That is why it is impossible to mix both the flesh and the spirit. The flesh brings about – death/destruction while the spirit life – they are going to two different areas. So God said….. “for he is in flesh”. Men acted/thought flesh.

However, when we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds good behaviour. At the same time Christ-like love refuses to endorse misbehaviour. Jesus loved his apostles, but he wasn’t silent when they were faithless. Jesus loved the people in the temple, but he didn’t sit still when they were hypocritical.

God will use righteous people as a yardstick in judging others. The story of Noah explains that God will never lack a righteous person to use. As people will think that there are no more righteous people on earth, God is laughing saying that there is somebody who He can use. God CANNOT lack a vessel even in the midst of immorality in this pervert generation. Noah did not doubt or grudge when he heard God’s voice. He obeyed and it was counted to him as righteousness.

The question we should be asking ourselves is “Can God boldly say to me, that I am righteous before him in my generation?

Eat and Die

2015-01-15T19:18:00.000+01:00

Man, as created, was good. God created man in His own image and likeness, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. Well, then, if God created man good, how comes it that all men now are bad? How did sin pass into all mankind? What caused this stupendous change from good to bad?

God created Adam, the first man, and Eve, the first woman, and placed them in a perfect home, the Garden of Eden. In fact, everything about Earth was perfect at that moment in time. God put two important trees in the garden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam's duties were clear. God told him to tend the garden and not eat the fruit of those two trees, or he would die. Adam passed that warning on to his wife.

Instead of believing God, Eve believed Satan. She ate the fruit and gave some to her husband to eat. Scripture says "the eyes of both of them were opened." (Genesis 3:7, NIV) They realized they were naked and made hasty coverings from fig leaves.

That view of the matter becomes more explicit in certain important passages of the New Testament. In the latter part of Romans 15, in particular, the Apostle Paul makes it plain. "Through one trespass," he there says, "the judgment came unto all men to condemnation" (Romans 5:18). "Through the one man's disobedience," he says in the next verse, "the many were made sinners." In these words and all through this passage we have the great doctrine that when Adam sinned he sinned as the representative of the race, so that it is quite correct to say that all mankind sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression. There is a profound connection between Adam and the whole race of his descendants.

Christianity teaches that human beings are unable to overcome their fallen nature on their own and must turn to Christ as their Saviour. The doctrine of grace states that salvation is a free gift from God and cannot be earned, merely accepted through faith.

The contrast between the world before sin and the world today is frightening. Disease and suffering are rampant. Wars are always going on somewhere, and closer to home, people treat one another cruelly. Christ offered freedom from sin at his first coming and will close the "end times" at his second coming.

The Fall of Man shows I have a flawed, sinful nature and can never earn my way into heaven by trying to be a good person. Have I put my faith in Jesus Christ to save me?

God made it all

2015-01-09T17:29:00.000+01:00

The birds and the bees, the flowers and trees,
The stars in the sky, the little butterflies;
The rivers and creeks, the cool summer breeze,
The clouds and the leaves, the plants and the seeds,
Everything we see, God made it all!

The rabbits and squirrels, little boys and girls,
Our fingers and hands, each woman and man;
The dogs and their fleas, the creatures of the deep,
The he's and she's, yes, even you and even me,
Everything we see, God made it all!

In summary, the simple truth of the creation story is that God is the author of creation. In Genesis 1 we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation.

God was very pleased with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stopped, observed his handiwork and saw that it was good. On final inspection of all that he had made, God regarded it as "very good." This is a great time to remind ourselves that we are part of God's creation. Even when you don't feel worthy of his pleasure, remember that God made you and is pleased with you. You are of great worth to him.

In verse 26, God says, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." This is the only instance in the creation account that God uses the plural form to refer to himself. It's interesting to note that this happens just as he begins to create man. Many scholars believe this is the Bible's first reference to the Trinity.

On the seventh day, God rested. It's hard to come up with a reason why God would need to rest, but apparently he considered it important. Rest is often an unfamiliar concept in our busy, fast-paced world. It's socially unacceptable to take an entire day to rest. Yet God knows we need times of refreshing. Our example, Jesus, spent time alone away from the crowds. So, we should not feel guilty when we take time each week to rest and renew our bodies, souls, and spirits.

The story clearly shows that God was enjoying himself as he went about the work of creation. As noted previously, six times he stops and savours his accomplishments. If God takes pleasure in his handiwork, is there anything wrong with us feeling good about our achievements?

Do you enjoy your work? Whether it's your job, your hobby, or your ministry service, if your work is pleasing to God then it should also bring pleasure to you. Consider the work of your hands. What things are you doing to bring pleasure to both you and God?

Finish Well

2014-12-31T16:55:00.002+01:00

I read of a journalist who was in charge of the obituaries. One day when he didn’t have any deaths to record, he put a sheet of blank paper in his typewriter and wrote his own name at the top. He then found himself writing his own obituary: “I have been a good husband and a fine father. I have contributed to a number of worthy causes. I have left a reputation of absolute integrity. My friends are many.” By the time he had finished the page, he had already, unknowingly and unintentionally, committed himself to the task of living up to his own obituary.

Starting well is relatively easy. Finishing well is a different matter! Starting that new diet or exercise program is kind of fun, but hanging in over the long haul is the real test. Getting married is exciting and relatively easy. Staying married through the struggles, adjustments, and trials is not always an easy matter.

The same is true of the Christian life. Becoming a Christian is relatively easy: acknowledge to God that you are a sinner and receive by faith the free gift of eternal life that Christ provided by His shed blood. You cannot work for salvation nor do anything to qualify for it. God gives it freely to all that recognize their need and trust in Christ alone.

The Christian life is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Since finishing a marathon well is not easy, when you see a man who sprints across the finish line, you ought to try to find out his secret. The apostle Paul was such a man. It’s as if he has crossed the finish line with energy to spare. He jogs back to where Timothy seems to be losing steam and exhorts him to keep running well. It is clear that Paul is looking death in the face. His words must have caused Timothy to burst into tears when he first read them. And, these words must have sobered Timothy with the reality that Paul had handed off the baton to him. Now, he had to finish well.

Perhaps your circumstances seem pretty dismal today. Maybe you’re considering dropping out of the Christian race. From his dungeon, the aged apostle calls out to you:

§ “Don’t quit! Keep going! You can finish well!

§ “Keep in focus my view of the present: You can reproduce yourself in others to carry the torch after you. View your life as a sacrifice to God. Your death will be a departure to be with Christ.

§ “Keep in focus my view of the past, so that one day it will be your past. You will be able to look back and say that you engaged in the struggle for the cause of Christ. You didn’t drop out of the race! You guarded the truth of the gospel.

§ “Keep in focus my view of the future. Soon you will stand before the Lord, the righteous Judge, vindicated by His grace. Live in view of that day!” If you live with Paul’s focus, you will finish well!

Ask yourself these questions and give yourself a sincere answer:

o With whom are you currently trying to reproduce yourself? If the answer is “no one,” ask God to direct you to someone.

o Does the idea of departing to be with Christ cause you more fear or peace? If fear, how can you change this?

o When do you most feel like dropping out of the race? What encourages you to keep going at those times?

o Should believers be motivated by the thought of heavenly rewards? How can we keep that motivation pure?

Rescue Mission

2014-12-31T15:34:00.000+01:00

Imagine the creator of this vast universe who has all knowledge, all power coming to the ones he created to make himself known to them. Well that’s exactly what took place over 2,000 years ago. To communicate with us in the best way possible, God “became flesh,” He became one of the creatures he made, man.

Why did God do this? Because our greatest need is an eternal one. It’s not about what we can gain in this life, in profits or pleasure or making a lasting imprint on this earth. None of these will satisfy our soul. Ours is a spiritual need, one that we were created for, to have fellowship with God and do His will.

Jesus came to earth because he loves us; He came to deliver truth in a world of false beliefs. But the main reason He came to earth was to be the final sacrifice for our sins. The simple reason is because we are not good, some may think they are, but none are as good as they think when compared to God’s standard--Jesus Christ.

His love prompted him to become man to accomplish what only He could, to rescue mankind. Because we are sinful, in a spiritually wrecked condition we are in need of redemption but could not redeem ourselves. Nothing short than the eternal creator could accomplish this; no man with sin could qualify to redeem us with his life. God would come to earth as man to cleanse the affect of the disease of sin inherited to all humanity. That is what is so amazing about the Bibles story of Jesus. The creator came to earth; God who is perfect, righteous and holy lived among his creatures that are unholy, unrighteous, even those who were enemies of him.

Jesus came to earth because of God's love for all of us; no matter what religion, country or culture we were born into He wants fellowship with us. He wants us to experience the mercy and forgiveness that is needed to make us whole.

Only in Christ can we have faith, hope and love. We have Faith to live in a fallen world where things do not often go the way we would like. Yet we can trust God who is watching over us and personally cares for our life. We have Hope for our life today no matter what may happen and hope for our future. Hope that the life to come is going to be more fulfilling and than anything we experienced on earth. We can Love God who gave the ultimate sacrifice in laying down the life of his human body to save us from the penalty of our sins. Now we are able to love Him who we once hated. Because of this new life, love is indwelled in us that we are also able to love people in a greater manner, even those we may not know.

Your Legacy

2014-12-20T00:36:00.000+01:00

Legacy is an interesting word. It means an inheritance of property or money, but it also speaks to the value system you live by and the memories you will leave behind.

How do you leave a legacy that is a gift? And if you had inherited a legacy that was a burden, as so many of us do, in some form or other, how do you avoid passing that burden on to your children?

There is a Jewish saying that the most vulnerable people are those who are dead. The dead no longer have any power except the power those they leave behind give them. Legacy is, in many ways, an attempt to have and keep making impact after death.

As Paul pondered the end of his life, he made three very simple statements about his legacy. He had “fought the good fight”—standing firm as a spiritual warrior, clothed in the armour of God, faithfully defending the truth of the gospel. He had “finished the race”—ensuring in the process that he was neither disqualified nor disheartened in the marathon of life and ministry. Most importantly, he had “kept the faith”—remaining true, committed, and loyal to the One who rescued him from sin and darkness.

Notice that Paul’s brief statements here say nothing about the education he had received, the places he had travelled, the letters he had written, the people he had preached to, or the churches he had planted. He flat out wanted his legacy to be labelled as “faithful.” I love that! It’s what I want to aspire to as a follower of Jesus.

So, I have to ask myself, “If that’s the kind of legacy I want to leave, how would I pursue it today?” Well, it means that my choices need to be more about “fighting the good fight.” I need to put on the spiritual armour each morning, as Paul told the Ephesians to do, and live to be victorious in all that comes my way. I need to be running the race to win, putting off all that hinders and the sins that entangle (Hebrews 12:1). And, it means that in every situation I want my attitudes, my words, and my actions to be loyal and true to Jesus.

As Paul told the Philippians, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:13-14). There’s no better time than the start of this New Year to set our sights on new goals that will, over time, develop a legacy worth leaving.

Building a legacy worth leaving behind begins today and is made one decision at a time. Live your life such that Jesus will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Being Concerned

2014-12-12T22:35:00.001+01:00

Healthy caring relationships in the body of Christ may be defined as fellowship that experiences goodness on one hand and the absence of evil on the other. A commitment to caring and loving relationships requires a proactive, mutual, unconditional, gracious, and merciful thrust that is intended to connect one another beyond our differences. Living in the here and now poses a challenge to this premise because divisive factors present impediments to such harmony.

The first two characteristics of the early church were that "they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship" (Acts 2:42). Many of our churches today are strong on teaching but weak on fellowship. Good teaching is not a substitute for fellowship.

In Galatians 5:16-26 Paul contrasts those qualities of character that result in bad relationships with those that form good relationships. "The acts of the sinful nature" include "hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy", whereas "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." As Stephen Covey says in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People with regard to running a business, or marriage, or family:

“No amount of technical administrative skill in labouring for the masses can make up for lack of nobility of personal character in developing relationships.”

What the New Testament means by the Church is not an institution which owns property, performs rites and organises meetings, or even one that plans strategies to evangelise unreached people. Rather, it is a group of ordinary people who, because they are experiencing the immense grace of a compassionate God, are learning how to overcome hostility between people, forgive and trust one another, share what they have and encourage one another in wholesome and joyous relationships.

Being part of a family is wonderful. And it has its share of challenges and problems. So we all need to do our part to make the family become better. Treat each other with respect and being gentle and considerate go a long way in building a strong family. We need to do our best to provide for our own families and also to assist who are in need.

What is needed, then, is for organised Christianity to be seen as a cause. Only a cause that is obviously unselfish, outgoing, compassionate, flexible and travelling light in terms of structures, can be a credible source for the message that God is, God loves, God came and God forgives.

Each of us need to practice the truth we have been entrusted with. Information must lead to application that produces transformation. Not only will this result in godly living, it will help others to be receptive to the gospel as they see us practice what we preach.

Decision/consequences

2014-12-02T15:41:00.000+01:00

I visited my place of birth some weeks back and stumbled upon some of my old pictures. As I flipped through forgotten photos from my early days. I could see how innocent and unperturbed I was (maybe I still am). I was even cute! And yet, I would spend so much time obsessing about what was wrong with me. How often do I wake up and go through the day, missing what is in front of me? During these years, I made several decisions most of which I wish I didn’t. But now I realise those decisions are what made me who I am today. As Viktor Frankl said, “Live as if you were living already for the second time, and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now!” This doesn’t just apply to big moral choices you must make. This may just be the choice to be happy and appreciate your breath.

If you could go back to a younger age, knowing what you know today, how would you have done things differently to be further ahead than you are now? Hindsight always is clearer than foresight. Many of us can think of things we wish we had done differently in order to be better off today. Every decision or action has a reward or recompense.

When the Lord comes, He comes with a reward for us. Rewards by simple definition are good things. We tend to think of rewards in materialistic terms. However, we know that God is bringing something far better than materialistic things. The Lord is also bringing something else with Him: recompense. And this recompense is to precede the reward part.

Our lives and how we live them are open advertisements of the beauty of following Jesus. How we live now matters for all eternity. We are building our lives on our faith in Christ, lives that will continue to serve His purposes in His eternal kingdom. This short earthly life is a training ground for our eternal assignment. After placing our trust in Christ, the next important thing in a believer’s life is discovering his or her place of serving others.

If you have not discovered how you are gifted to serve others in the name of the Lord, begin that journey toady. Speak to a mature Christian or pastor and share your heart’s desires. Explore different opportunities to serve. Be willing to learn and grow. Remember you are building a life that will last forever.

At the end…

2014-11-27T15:17:00.001+01:00

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, accepting Him as the only way to God the Father and eternity in heaven, then you have no reason to fear the Day of Judgment. As a Christian, you are assured that your eternal future in glory has already been secured. Far from dreading the Second Coming, you can joyfully anticipate Christ's return.

While the exact day and hour is unknown, Jesus gave signs to watch for to anticipate His return. Wars, famines and earthquakes will be some of the birth pains, alerting us to the nearness of the Second Coming (see Matthew 24). Christ told us these things not only so we would be prepared for His return, but so that we would not be deceived by false messiahs. Christ's return will not be a quiet, rumoured incident. We will not learn about it on the evening news. The next time this world sees Christ, it will be such a spectacular event that no one will miss it.

When Jesus first came into Jerusalem, He came humbly on a donkey and with tears. During Jesus' last evening with his disciples, He told them not to let their hearts be troubled because He was going away to prepare a place for them and promised that He was going to come again. When Christ returns it will not be in tears but as a triumphant warrior in charge of the armies of God to bring about the purposes of God. At the end time, He will gather together God's people, and he will bring final judgment on those who don't belong to Him. Christians believe history is working relentlessly and inexorably toward the consummation of God's eternal purposes and these purposes will be brought to pass at the glorious triumphant return of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus - the Word of God also became the Lamb of God. The one who will come to judge has earned the right to judge because He accepted the wrath of God for the sins of the whole world, went down into death, and was raised again triumphant. The end times will see Jesus ruling the nations in truth and righteousness as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The question to consider is my name in the Book of Life because I have repented of my sin, humbled myself before God, and received the gift of eternal life through Him? What if Christ returned tomorrow? Would that change how you spend the rest of today? Would you continue to keep silent about His love and judgment, or would you boldly and lovingly share about His return? Commit yourself to living a lifestyle that eagerly anticipates the appearance of King Jesus.

Serious Matter

2014-11-14T14:17:00.000+01:00

The reality is that sin is very serious to God. In fact it’s so serious that he sent Jesus to take the penalty for our sin, that we might be forgiven. He sent his son to die to save us from the penalty of sin (and from the power of sin). That shows how seriously God takes sin. And it shows us how much he loves us. To us, sin doesn’t seem such a big deal sometimes. We wonder why God doesn’t just wipe it out. But God sees sin as it really is, a violent, destructive, evil force, which seeks to deny him his place as Lord over his creation. It must be dealt with, and dealt with permanently. Even if we don’t see it now, the reality of hell shows us how serious sin is.

I agree that sometimes it seems unfair that God would send people to hell, but I wonder if that’s coming at it from the wrong direction. What we all deserve, you and me included, is to be punished. If anything’s unfair, it’s that God allows anyone to be completely forgiven when we sin, through Jesus death on the cross. That means we don’t get what we deserve; it means we get forgiveness and eternal life, rather than judgment for our sins. That is unfair, don’t you think so, but in a good way! And the gift of forgiveness is available to anyone who will put their trust in Jesus and follow him. The gospel is the power of salvation, and the revelation of God’s righteousness is the solution for the sin. God has acted to rescue people, to save them, to restore them to righteousness.

As Christians, we are saved because our sins are forgiven. Rather than spiritual death, we have eternal life. Instead of God's wrath and the second death, we will have deliverance and reward before Christ, "...Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25.21 KJV bible). In Christ, we are saved from all types of spiritual condemnation, being resurrected from death, and delivered from wrath, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5.24 KJV bible). So we understand the manifold riches and grace that is being given to us as servants of Christ, who continue to walk by faith, and not worldly sight.

The Antichrist

2014-11-06T22:43:00.003+01:00

One of the appealing factors of many sporting contests is that the winner of a game is not decided until the very last play of the game as time runs out. The tension and anticipation are part of what makes such contests exciting to watch. There is a war being waged between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan. But unlike sporting events, the winner is already known.

We believe that the Antichrist will be revealed after the rapture of the Church, when Christ will come to take His followers to heaven. As Christians, we are reminded of our need to be faithful to follow our Lord Jesus Christ. And we are reminded we are to take a stand against the spirit of antichrist that is already in this world by witnessing for Christ. We can warn others that those who follow the antichrist in rebelling against God will suffer eternally and invite them to share in the triumph of Christ’s kingdom.

One day antichrist will be revealed. While we believe this will not occur until after the rapture of the Church, the spirit of the antichrist is at work in the world even today. So we must set our hearts on being faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our perseverance will be tested. We should remember several principles when we are tempted to turn our attention from Christ.

Be alert, always seeking God for spiritual discernment. Satan is constantly on the prowl to derail us, often in subtle ways.

Be faithful in studying and applying God’s Word in preparation for present and future spiritual battles.

Keep an eternal perspective, remembering that the trails of today are temporary while glories of heaven lasts forever.

Call on God, who stands ready to help and empower when we call on His name.

The power of evil will test our faith in coming days. We must prepare to respond with determination, reaffirming our commitment to Christ.

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour… Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life... His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.