It's time to seek God - Hosea 10:12

2009-06-21T19:13:00.003+01:00

Contact Us

By post:

GospelScope
196 high road
wood green
London
United Kingdom
N22 8HH

By email:

femitunde@gospelscope.com

Is it sinful for a real Christian to work or buy Shares in a Brewery, Tobacco or Condom making company?

2008-09-08T19:06:00.007+01:00

Mary Mary - Shackles (Praise You)

Someone who is a born again and a degree holder in mechanical engineering finally got a job in a brewery where they make alcoholic beverages after been unemployed for 3 years. He gave testimony on how he got the high paying job to fellow praying believers and indicated that he will not be working in the alcohol department and that he'll be into something else besides making the beer or tasting it in any way.

When some people were asked for their comments on this,

Person A said: From a merely moral stand point, it doesn’t seem right. Why use your God-given talents, intellect etc to contribute to another person's bad health and to help the devil even though you are well paid and it's the other person's free choice?

Person B said: The point one should worry about is that, are you working according to God's purpose or direction? God might be sending you there for a purpose and for some, you might just be putting your eternity at stake. Consider Hosea that God told to take a prostitute for a wife, and Jonah that God sent to a sinful and corrupt Nineveh. The question you should ask yourself is, are you acting according to God's instruction to you.

So my question for those of you who are concerned about this interesting topic is this;

Is it proper for a born again Christian to work or invest in a company that make alcohol, condoms, or cigarettes even if they don't use those things? Should he quit that job and believe God for another job?

Please use the comment link below to drop your comments to help other readers.

Books, Bibles, Music, DVD's

2008-07-21T00:52:00.004+01:00

Here is the bargain center for all your christian essentials.

Just click the link below for the bargain you are looking for and you will be taken to the Bargain store.

_________

Spiritual Gifts

Church & Pastoral

Too Busy Not To Pray

Bibles & Bible Accessories

Church Supplies

Christian Music

The Children Store

Christian DVD

Christian Software

Gift & Home - Christian

Academics Resources

Homeschool

Discovering Spiritual Gifts - Which Gifts Do I Have?

2008-07-19T15:23:00.015+01:00

Benny Hinn - FIRE Fall on Audience in California

Have you ever known a church where it seems like the pastor is doing all the work? He works 72 hour or more a week, and the congregation is content because, after all, that’s what he’s getting paid for?

But the people in such a church do not grow much. They are not developing their spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts only develop when they are put to work.

Here in this article post, I am going to show you how to become aware of the spiritual gifts you already have so that you will be able to use them more effectively and strategically for the body of Christ and advancement of the Gospel.

Many people do not understand what spiritual gift is. They do not know how it relates to their lives, how it relates to the will of God for their life, how it relates to the lives of those around them, how it relates the local church, or how it relates to the body of Christ as a whole.

For several years, I also failed to understand what spiritual gift is and how it relates to God’s purposeful plan to enable us to serve. Mark 10: 43 – 45 That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to everyone, because even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

Spiritual Gift is God’s grace manifested in specific service to others.

1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Romans 12:6 We have different gifts based on the grace that was given to us. So if your gift is prophecy, use your gift in proportion to your faith.

(Romans 12:4-6a) Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

We can see clearly in these scriptures that every person who has received grace has already received spiritual gifts. Therefore every Christian has the responsibility to use his or her spiritual gifts in serving others.

God wants you to be aware of your gifts and what if you really mean business in your search, you will ask God to show you your gifts.If you make the discovery of your spiritual gifts one of the focus of your daily persistent prayer, he promises to answer you.

Matthew 7:7-11 "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you. Because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened. "There isn't a person among you who would give his son a stone if he asked for bread, is there? Or if he asks for a fish, he wouldn't give him a snake, would he? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him!

What gifts do I have?

The following are twenty-five New Testament gifts that I have listed to help you discover what gift you already have, but before you read further, I will like you to take note of the following points:

Discovering your gift(s) is not a matter of determining which gift(s) you have. If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, you have at least one gift. The Holy Spirit is the One who determined your gifts, not you or any other person. He distributes the gifts, as He deems best.
When we talk about “discovering” our gifts, we are merely referring to identifying those gifts that we already have.
Do not to be fooled into thinking that these are the only gifts God has given his people! The bible nowhere claims that the gifts listed by the apostles are the only ones. Almost all theologians agree that the biblical list of gifts is not exhaustive
I would also like you to note in the following list that there is what might be called natural abilities alongside some rather extraordinary gifts like prophecy, healing, working of miracles, interpretation of tongues etc. In fact, some spiritual gifts are, abilities that anyone might have, whether Christian or non- Christian. Many non-Christians have gifts of singing, hospitality, leadership, teaching and giving.

Why is this so?

The God who created us already built in us with particular and unique natural abilities, talents and creativity. When He redeems us from being spiritually dead, that is becoming Christians, everything becomes new [2 Cor 5:17] and this includes natural abilities. When God regenerates us, He doesn’t start from scratch but builds on what He has already made.

We could say that natural abilities are either talents or skills that have been learned through conditioning from the environment we lived in or training we have received. Again, both believers and unbelievers have natural abilities. Spiritual gifts, however, are an empowerment of divine origin, not a result of genetics, training, or conditioning. Only believers have spiritual gifts. For more go here

Compiled List of 25 New Testament Gifts:

Tongues (1 Cor 12:10, 30; 13:1; 14:26)
Interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:10, 30:14:26)
Speaking (1 Pet 4:11)
Celibacy (1 Cor 7:7)
Marriage (1 Cor 7:7)
Singing (1 Cor 14:26)
Revelation (1 Cor 14:26)
Sharing/giving (Rom 12:8; 1 Cor 13:3)
Leadership/Managing/Caring for (Rom 12:8)
Administration/Ability to lead (1 Cor 12:28)
Showing Mercy/ Being kind (Rom 12:28)
Apostles (Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28)
Evangelists (Eph 4:11)
Pastors (Eph 4:11)
A word of wisdom (1 Cor 12:28)
A word of knowledge (1 Cor 12:28)
Ability to discriminate between spirits (1 Cor 12:10)
Workings of miracles (1 Cor 12:10, 28)
Healing (1 Cor 12:9, 28)
Faith (1 Cor 12:9; 13:2)
Prophecy (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10, 28; 13:2; Eph 4:11)
Service /help (Rom 12:7; 1 Pet 4:11)
Ability to help (1 Cor 12:28)
Encouraging/comforting/urging/counselling (Rom 12:8)
Teaching (Rom 12:7; Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28;14:26)

Find out if any of these gifts fits you. If you feel comfortable with it, then carry out exercising it. If it stems from the grace that God has given your unique self, then it will fit. It will correspond to the new you God has made. Go here for more on
spiritual gifts

Using your suspected gift

If God has given you speaking gifts, you could use this gift in delivering messages in your church or fellowship meetings, speaking at conferences, leading a seminar, working at a Christian radio or television station, or teaching as a Sunday school teacher, a Christian college professor or a seminary instructor.

If your gift is teaching, seek an opportunity to do some teaching in your local church or a Christian education department. You may want to teach a basic doctrine course to newcomers or new Christians or host quarterly small group studies on different topics. You may enjoy doing research for the pastor or others who teach. You do not necessarily have to teach the Bible to be a help to the church ministry. Although you can help with interpretation or teaching teachers and others.

As someone with gift of mercy, you are willing to deal with and minister to people who have needs that most people feel very uncomfortable working with. With a counselling course, you could become a good counsellor. Other appropriate ministry areas include missions, committee member, furlough assistance, and correspondence helper. You would work well with the elderly and with people who have mental and physical disabilities, in nursing, and with special ministries to migrants, released offenders or abused children and women.

Do you think you have gift of exhortation? You may want to be a leadership trainer. You could certainly serve as a counselor in church or in a counseling center. You would work well as an encourager with those who are discouraged and as a counselor in a drug or alcohol program, rescue mission, poverty program, half-way house or runaway ministry or in a shelter for abused women and children. You could also use your gift in organizing or serving in a Men's or Women's Ministry.

If you think your gift is service, you may find yourself assisting people with their physical needs. You might ask your church to include you in some of their activities to put your gift to work and see.

If your gift is giving, your giving may provide finances or material goods to assist those with physical needs or to help in time of crisis. Have a list of those ministries you feel concerned for. Some categories of ministries you could include are your local church, your denomination, parachurch organizations, foreign missions, Christian education, Christian literature, urban ministry, prison ministry, and various ministries. Many of these ministries are usually unable to implement their plans due to lack of funds. Purposeful, planned and regular giving to these ministries will play a very important role than sporadic and one time giving.

If you think you have the ability to lead, seek an opportunity within your church or fellowship meetings to lead in some capacity.

Do you have the gift of hospitality? You could host elderly people, unwanted or disabled children, disturbed teens. It could be a tremendous way to make them feel special and know the love of Christ.

Some people may not have the primary helping gifts but may nonetheless have a passion toward these areas or toward people in need. They could fulfill leadership or administrative roles within these ministries. They could be teaching and training others to do the work. They could be praying for the ministry. These believers may not be in regular contact with the people in need but still hold integral roles in ministry to them.

Warnings

In order to avoid some lessons in the school of hard knocks, we really need to learn to be selective about which role we accept. Do not just say yes to everything because people who say yes to everything are not only being unfair to themselves and others, but they may also be taking time and energy away from another ministry they ought to be doing. God who give gifts will orchestrate the whole body so that we each are free to concentrate on our own small part and do it well.

Beware of Satan's attack on your gift. He can cause pride because of your particular ability. He may influence you to disregard rules and authority. Don't hesitate to read directions and work on developing tolerance for others' mistakes.

Spiritual gift assessment

Every Christian needs to know how he or she is gifted. The most effective Christians are those who are ministering within their areas of giftedness. Taking spiritual gift assessment helps you not only to understand how you are gifted but how you can use your giftedness to lead others in God’s Kingdom.

Are you are a pastor, building an effective team in your church depends on putting the right people in the right places. The best way to determine what place each person belongs in is by determine everyone's spiritual gifts.

Here’s a link for anyone to take a spiritual gift assessment free of charge. It is actually a really useful tool to becoming aware of one’s spiritual gift.

Take the spiritual gift assessment here now. It is free!

Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire - Updated and Expanded

By C. Peter Wagner / Gospel Light

A ministry tool no congregation should be without! An easy-to-follow new format---with an updated 137-question Houts inventory---helps church members, group leaders, teachers, and pastors identify and use their spiritual gifts. Now complete, this booklet lists 27 gifts found in Scripture, with references and descriptions. "Plug it in" and discover the power to serve!

Is It Biblical for Christian Women to Wear Trousers, Mini Skirts?

2008-06-29T23:18:00.026+01:00

The Video: I Exalt Thee

Legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel was fascinated with the desire to express lifestyle and ideas through clothing. For Chanel, fashion was this expression that made simple body coverings into fashion statements.

Fashion designers have for centuries sought inspiration in the elements that surround them, and consumers seek new ways to express themselves. Clothing is the primary channel for self-expression – you are what you wear. It is a means to demonstrate creativity and individuality by revealing a bit of your personality.

Yes, it is true, fashion is inspiration. Your fashion choices reflect statements about the type of person you aspire to be. Contemporary fashion is dominated by so-called "lifestyle brands," providing consumers with the chance to align themselves with pre-packaged ideals.

In a culture where first impressions matter, we create connections with one another based on these social cues and attribute values to strangers based on what they are wearing.

And here is the question we need to ask:

How is the "Christian" lifestyle represented in fashion and carrying a positive message, encouraging, edifying and building up the morale of people we come across?

At the very least, can a "Christian" style be found amidst the chaos of fashion or in an excellent way of honouring, praising and worshipping God?

The following are quotations on fashion from famous people and also a biblical verse:

The lamb began to follow the wolf in sheep's clothing. Aesop

What a deformed thief this fashion is. William Shakespeare

The fashion of this world passeth away. Bible, 1 Corinthians 7:31

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening. Coco Chanel

I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men. Marlene Dietrich

What about you? Who do you dress for? Do you dress for the image of Christ expressing worship through design - Christian apparel? Are we ready to bring down the walls and build anew? There’s a need to create creative forms of expression that represent the creative nature of our faith with fashion designed to express purity, hope, love, grace and our worship to God.

A Christian knows where he is going. That is heaven. But there are Christians who live as if they do not know where they are going. If you do not know where you are going, other people will lead you to where they are going.

The lamb began to follow the wolf in sheep's clothing. Aesop

If you are one of the women who dress to expose sensitive part or figure of their bodies in the sake of fashion or other reasons you may have, then read on to find out God’s word on it. Perhaps, you will discover the truth today and escape the wrath of God.

In this modern age, Fashion style is a leading tool of the Devil:

To spread lust wave into the heart of men so that they live a sinful lives.
To make you a partner in spreading lust in the heart of men through your choice of fashion
To magnetize wrong partner into your life. The kind of person who is only interested in the sensitive part of your body you have advertised to him and in the long run, that person now gets his interest in someone else’s body because his taste has changed.
To attract ungodly admirers to you in the physical realm whether you are married or not married. And in the spirit realm, spirit husband will not leave you alone because they identify you to be part of the game in promoting ungodliness and that is one of the reasons why sex in the dream may never be a thing of the past. Sex in the dream causes a great havoc like relationship breakdown, remaining single, marital disturbances, bareness, poverty, lustful desires, and spiritual contamination.
To draw off attention of God’s people to look at your pretty appearance and as a result, you have set yourself to be worshiped by them rather than prepared to worship God yourself.
To shut up the gate of heaven against you and your lustful admirers

1 Corinthians 8:9-13 – Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. The exercise of your freedom to wear anything you feel like as the world does can make a brother who is weak to fall by lusting after you in his heart –Matthew 5:28 – But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The exercise of your freedom can also become a stumbling block to a sister who copies you. The sister who copies you may not have the kind of knowledge or faith you have e.g. self control, purity of the heart, and many men run after this sister and she ends up to become a harlot. 1 Corinthians 8:13 – Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
Luke 17:1-3 – Jesus said to his disciples:”Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person THROUGH whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied round his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourself…
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 – “Everything is permissible” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” – but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. If you say that you do not care anything about having people look at you. You should have a rethink and probably examine yourself if you were on the Lord’s side or the Devil’s side.

The fact that your pastor’s wife goes about half nakedly or American Evangelist wears mini skirts, open breast tops, tight fitting trousers (showing the contours or outline of buttocks) does not mean God approves of them and besides, these people are not the yardstick/standard of righteousness. Jesus said that, on that day many will say Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, heal the sick and cast out demons in your name, and he said he will say to them I do not know you and they will be cast into lake of fire.

1 Corinthians 10:31-32. Whether you eat or drink or WHATEVER YOU DO, do it to the glory of God. DO NOT CAUSE ANYONE TO STUMBLE, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, SO THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED.

Is wearing Trousers sinful?

Deuteronomy 22:5 – A WOMAN MUST NOT WEAR MEN’S CLOTHING, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests (hates) anyone who does this.

There's no mention of 'skirts' or 'trousers' in that verse - Deut 22:5. The substance of that injunction is that men and women should not confuse their gender appearances; and the motive is to discourage the lifestyles that may stem from such practices. Confusion of appearances lead to confusion of gender roles. Such lifestyles may include homosexual tendencies among God's people, which is another abomination (Lev.20:13); or gender roles confused altogether, in the family and society at large.

It is interesting that the dress-sense and fashion of the Old Testament people included the idea that men and women wore garments that had skirts. Notice the masculine pronouns used in Psa. 133:2 - "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments" and of Ezekiel: "Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts" (Ezek. 5:3). So men wore garments that had skirts back then, but not in the sense of 'skirts' (a woman's garment which hangs down from the waist) as we understand them today. The skirts of Aaron's garment were simply in reference to the outer border of the priestly garments.

Deut. 22:5 is NOT condemning women wearing trousers. The substance and motive for that verse is to discourage any confusion of gender identity and roles among people professing to belong to God. It was given to emphasize distinction between men and women. It didn't specify which kind of clothes, just what pertains to men and women. Who now decides what pertains to men?

There are men trousers and women trousers. Equally, there are men shirts and women shirts. If we assume that Deut 22:5 is condemning women wearing trouser in that it belongs to men, then what of shirts? Who does it belong to?

Read this quotes from Saintchux:

In every culture there are type of clothes used to identify them. If you have watched the video PASSION OF CHRIST, you will know the type of clothes wore by the jews. All the movies of JESUS CHRIST that I have watched, there is none where HE wore trouser and shirt, all HE was wearing is gown or whatever you may call it, and that is their culture.

My grand father neither wore trouser nor shirt. Likewise my grand mother who neither wore skirt nor blouser, because it was not part of the clothes wore by our people by that time.

I was told that in those days, young boys do not wear anything at all. and young girls just use something to cover their breast & other parts.

Please who is the owner of trouser? Man or Woman?

However, the point is, what you wear tells who you are. In the New Testament, women are particularly admonished to "be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly" as befitting women professing to be godly. (I Tim. 2:9, 10). Men and women who profess godliness in their lives don't want to misrepresent their calling, and that's why we're admonished in the OT verse above to not mix up our dress sense to risk confusing our gender identity and roles, because "from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6)

Whether you wear trouser or not, the most important thing is, do not be mastered by fashions of this world to help spread lust wave in the heart of men. 1 Corinthians 6; 12- but I will not be mastered by anything.

Your dressing style should not be found amidst the chaos of fashion, wearing mini skirts, open breast tops, tight fitting trousers (showing the contours or outline of your buttocks) etc.

We are encouraged to honour God with our body in 1 Corinthians 6; 20 – you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6; 17 – But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

If you have been obeying the word of God but when it comes to your fashion choice, you said in your heart, you can wear anything you feel like and go about quarter or half nakedly and you even quote the scripture that God only looks at the heart. The devil can clearly see this disobedience in you and knows you are still his candidate by your disobedience and can still coolly continue his work on you.

1 Timothy 2: 9-10 says – I also want women to dress modestly with decency and propriety – you said no, but to superbly dress that all heads turn towards you. Watch out! You disagree with the Lord regarding this and unite with the Lord’s enemy to achieve his scheme in the heart of men.

Ephesians 5;17 – Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Deola Sagoe - Top African Designer

What to do now:

No one can serve two masters. You will either leave one or serve the other. You cannot call yourself child of God and still attach yourself to worldliness. You cannot say that you are on the Lord’s side and still be a co-partner with the devil in spreading lust in the heart of men simply because of your addiction to the fashion in the world today.

Painting your face with different colours of make ups does not glorify the God of beauty and holiness and only pronounces aloud that you are in contest with the fashion parades of the world system.

What you really need is a righteous living in complete submission to the Lord. When you ask the lord to give you a true beauty, the lord will hear and give you.

Repent now and ask the Lord to forgive you. Be determined not to get enticed with it anymore and remember the day of salvation is drawing nearer every day.

Appropriate dressing for women who profess to be God’s worshipers is found in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 – I also want women to dress modestly with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

If skaters, snowboarders and others all have their brands, shouldn't we? Does Christian fashion exist, and if it does, how responsive to this lifestyle are we? We as Christians currently need to express our lifestyle and values? We need to wear styles that help us build community.

We need to wear a well designed piece of Christian apparel that provide us a chance to express ourselves in a creative way, promoting a positive message, encouraging, edifying and building up the morale of society in an excellent way of honouring, praising and worshipping God.

Please use the tell - a -friend form below to tell your friends who might be interested to read this post or you may want to social bookmark it as well. Remember, we should be the culture shapers, the light shining in the world to God's glory.

Is there a comment or feedback you would like to contribute to this post? Feel free to use the comment link below.

Business Entrepreneurs: Are you too busy to pray?

2008-06-22T22:49:00.006+01:00

Don Moen - Hallelujah to the lamb

Become Holy. Each one of us has a capacity to become holy and the way to holiness is prayer. – Mother Teresa

Has your business goal overruled your prayer life that you only pray in the morning when you woke up or only in the evening before you go to bed? If this is so, then you need to change because to live a successful Christian life with power and authority in Christ, we will need to be an early riser like Jesus.

Mark 1:35 - In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Luke 5:16 - But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

Daniel was a really busy man, a very senior politician who did not allow his busy schedule in administering the affairs of his country to disturb his seeking God day and night.. He maintained cordial relationship with God by seeking him three times daily.

Daniel 6:10 - Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

Whatever you are doing, specific time must be set aside for prayer no matter what else is going on. During the stresses and trials of life, we need to pray more not less. The title of Hybel's book, Too Busy Not to Pray, says it well

Prayer feeds the soul – as blood is to the body, prayer is to the soul – and it brings you closer to God. – Mother Teresa

Any comment? Please use the comment link below.

Beware of false prophet and do not believe every spirit.

2008-06-22T21:24:00.007+01:00

The Video: Don Moen - I worship you Almighty God

To get a thorough grasp of this, I would like you to read a whole of 1 kings 13 Here

After you’ve studied the chapter, go on to read Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary below

Then, what is your view? Share your comment regarding it in the comment link for other readers to read.

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary:

Verses 11-22 The man of God had honestly and resolutely refused the king's invitation, though he promised him a reward; yet he was over-persuaded by an old prophet to come back with him, and dine in Beth-el, contrary to the command given him. Here we find how dearly his dinner cost him. Observe with wonder,I. The old prophet's wickedness. I cannot but call him a false prophet and a bad man, it being much easier to believe that from one of such a bad character should be extorted a confirmation of what the man of God said (as we find, v. 32) than that a true prophet, and a good man, should tell such a deliberate lie as he did, and father it upon God. A good tree could never bring forth such corrupt fruit. Perhaps he was trained up among the sons of the prophets, in one of Samuel's colleges not far off, whence he retained the name of a prophet, but, growing worldly and profane, the spirit of prophecy had departed from him. If he had been a good prophet he would have reproved Jeroboam's idolatry, and not have suffered his sons to attend his altars, as, it should seem, they did.

Now, 1. Whether he had any good design in fetching back the man of God is not certain. One may hope that he did it in compassion to him, concluding he wanted refreshment, and out of a desire to be better acquainted with him and more fully to understand his errand than he could from the report of his sons; yet his sons having told him all that passed, and particularly that the prophet was forbidden to eat or drink there, which he had openly told Jeroboam, I suppose it was done with a bad design, to draw him into a snare, and so to expose him; for false prophets have ever been the worst enemies to the true prophets, usually aiming to destroy them, but sometimes, as here, to debauch them and draw them from their duty. Thus they gave the Nazarites wine to drink (Amos 2:12), that they might glory in their fall.

But, 2. It is certain that he took a very bad method to bring him back. When the man of God had told him, "I may not, and therefore I will not, return to eat bread with thee" (his resolutions concurring with the divine command, v. 16, 17), he wickedly pretended that he had an order from heaven to fetch him back. He imposed upon him by asserting his quondam character as a prophet: I am a prophet also as thou art; he pretended he had a vision of an angel that sent him on this errand. But it was all a lie; it was a banter upon prophecy, and profane in the highest degree. When this old prophet is spoken of (2 Ki. 23:18) he is called the prophet that came out of Samaria, whereas there was no such place as Samaria till long after, ch. 16:24. Therefore I take it he is so called there, though he was of Beth-el, because he was like those who were afterwards the prophets of Samaria, who caused God's people Israel to err, Jer. 23:13.II. The good prophet's weakness, in suffering himself to be thus imposed upon: He went back with him, v. 19. He that had resolution enough to refuse the invitation of the king, who promised him a reward, could not resist the insinuations of one that pretended to be a prophet. God's people are more in danger of being drawn from their duty by the plausible pretences of divinity and sanctity than by external inducements; we have therefore need to beware of false prophets, and not believe every spirit.III. The proceedings of divine justice hereupon; and here we may well wonder that the wicked prophet, who told the lie and did the mischief, went unpunished, while the holy man of God, that was drawn by him into sin, was suddenly and severely punished for it. What shall we make of this! The judgments of God are unfathomable. The deceived and the deceiver are his, and he giveth not account of any of his matters. Certainly there must be a judgment to come, when these things will be called over again, and when those that sinned most and suffered least, in this world, will receive according to their works. 1. The message delivered to the man of God was strange. His crime is recited, v. 21, 22. It was, in one word, disobedience to an express command. Judgment is given upon it: Thy carcase shall not come to the sepulchre of thy fathers, that is, "Thou shalt never reach thy own house, but shalt be a carcase quickly, nor shall thy dead body be brought to the place of thy fathers' sepulchres, to be interred." 2. Yet it was more strange that the old prophet himself should be the messenger. Of this we can give no account but that God would have it so, as he spoke to Balaam by his ass and read Saul his doom by the devil in Samuel's likeness. We may think God designed hereby, (1.) To startle the lying prophet, and make him sensible of his sin. The message could not but affect him the more when he himself had the delivering of it, and had so strong an impression made upon his spirit by it that he cried out, as one in an agony, v. 21. He had reason to think, if he must die for his disobedience in a small matter who sinned by surprise, of how much sorer punishment he should be thought worthy who had belied an angel of God and cheated a man of God by a deliberate forgery.

If this were done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry? Perhaps it had a good effect upon him. Those who preach God's wrath to others have hard hearts indeed if they fear it not themselves. (2.) To put the greater mortification upon the prophet that was deceived, and to show what those must expect who hearken to the great deceiver. Those that yield to him as a tempter will be terrified by him as a tormentor; whom he now fawns upon he will afterwards fly upon, and whom he now draws into sin he will do what he can to drive to despair.

Wonders of Creation – the stars, the moon

2008-06-20T17:09:00.009+01:00

Awesome God

British astronomer said that the total number of stars in space could equal or surpass the total number of grains of sands on all sea shores of the world!!!

When God said in Isaiah 40;26 ‘Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host in number; He calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth’’.

Someone at first may not appreciate the awesomeness of this scripture and not until he/she learnt the astronomers’ claim that there are over 70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (70 sextillion) stars which are suns to other planets. The number of stars in our universe is actually about 10 times more than the total number of grains of sand on the world’s beaches and deserts put together. But that is only the stars in the visible universe, within range of our telescopes.

Moreover, many of these stars have planets and many of these planets probably have life. God knows the exact number of all of them, for he made them – psalm 147;4 says He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

Isaiah 45;18 says For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it: He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it and to be inhabited: I am the Lord and there is no one else.

Psalmist in psalm 147;5 says Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite. There are 70,000, million, million, million stars or suns. Our galaxy alone which is sometimes called the milky way contains roughly over 200 billion stars, which are suns and each having their own solar system, family of planets which they govern as our sun is governing nine planets or more. 100 individual galaxies in the universe and each comprising 200 billion stars or more and most of these suns or stars are believed to be larger than our sun.

For this figure to be meaningful, British astronomer said that the total number of stars in space could equal or surpass the total number of grains of sands on all sea shores of the world. In most cases these stars are separated from each other by trillions of miles. He stretched out heaven indeed.

For instance, giant stars like Epsilon Aurigae is 2,400,000,000 (2.4 billion) miles in diameter, is compared to our sun which is only 865,400 miles in diameter. The distance of the sun to the earth is about 93,000,000, miles and is 300,000 times closer to us than any other fixed star. The moon is the earth’s satellite, it is a dark opaque body and rules in the night (psalm 136; 9 Gen 1:14-18). It revolves around the earth. The earth has only 1 moon also called satellite, mars has 2; Jupiter has 12, Saturn 9 and so on.

The earth weighs 6,000million, million, million tons and our sun weighs heavier than the earth in 330,000 times. It is reported that other suns compared to our sun is heavier, for instance, the heaviest known suns/stars are 100 times more than our sun. Orion one of the giant is estimated to be 200,000 billion times larger than the sun. About 5,000 stars or suns can be seen by naked eye on a clear night and astronomers can photograph with their scientific equipments billion and billions of these stars but other stars in the multitude are so near to each other and appear to us as a solid mass.

Distances out there are so great that they are measured by light years. Space is infinite and so great is the distance that accommodates all those stars/suns in their distance and sizes. A light year is the distance travelled by light in one year. Light travels at the rate of 186,324 miles in a second which comes to 5,800,000,000,000miles in a year. This is known as one light year.

It takes light 400 years to reach us on the earth from north star. Light from Nebula, the galaxy, takes 700,000 years to reach us. It takes light 500,000,000 years to reach us from galaxy’s seen faintly from astronomers telescope. These stars or suns are so big, so far, that, when we perceive it with our naked eyes, we only see tiny stars in the sky.

Want to share your view? Please leave your comment in the comment link below

Satan most effective tool is Lust.

2008-06-20T13:51:00.009+01:00

The Video: Heidi Baker Worshiping

The bible tells us that Satan’s main objective and purpose is to:

Steal
Kill
Destroy

He robs people of good things, gifts, happiness, and destinies. He terminates lives, kills good relationships, kills good purposes and qualities God deposited in individual lives. He destroys destinies, lives, hopes and more and more within the three main objectives the bible informs us about.

He achieves his purpose through many devices and tactics to enslave and put lives in bondage with no exit to escape. Only the power of the Almighty God can deliver one from his grip.

Sin is what presents him advantage otherwise he has no power over you. This is why he works so hard that you fall into sin. The most effective tool he uses is Lust, followed by Anger then Love of money and the likes.

In the commandment of God – Deuteronomy 5: 18 says ‘you shall not commit adultery’. Satan knows that once he gets you to disobey this commandment the penalty you will pay is, he can do what he likes on you. He knew this when he went to Eve in the Garden of Eden to persuade her to eat fruit from the tree God commanded them not to eat and when Eve fell for it, Satan gained control since then.

God hates fornication, adultery, homosexuality and all sexual immorality. He warns us throughout the bible that we should refrain from it.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28 – you have heard that it was said, ‘do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This scripture addresses fornicator in the heart. Anyone, man or woman who looks at opposite sex with sexual desire in her heart is guilty of sin of lust. We really need to be very careful here. Many people are unaware how they get caught in satanic trap.

They think fornication/adultery is committed when one actually performs sex with somebody he/she is not married to. Lust in the heart presents Satan an advantage over us to do his scheme and if we do not repent and stop this disobedience, we will be surprised that the door of heaven will be shut against us on the judgement day and will be cast into hell.

Any comment? Feedback? Please leave your contribution in the comment link below.

Watch your thoughts

2008-06-19T20:22:00.013+01:00

The Video - Benny Hinn Crusade: Demon possesed Witch (for 22 years) delivered

Our body is dead without soul and spirit. It cannot function on its own. The body reacts to the order or commandments and contents of the mind, emotion, thoughts and feelings.

The soul is where our mind, emotion and thought are.We have heard or said things like …what’s in your mind…my mind tells me…I have been thinking of it… and so on.

If our thought, mind is negative or unholy and we want it to be positive to obey God in everything as Holy Scripture has commanded – WHAT CAN WE DO?

The bible says as man thinketh in his heart so he is.

Therefore, watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions, watch your actions, they become your habits, watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, for it will become your destiny.

What controls your thought is the source of it. The source is more important than your thought. It is important that we constantly improve the source of our hearing. Reading the word of God day and night will transform and renew your mind as in Romans 12:2. Things like lust, hatred, laziness and so on start in the soul when the soul is not well kept.

What you need to do is to start thinking how God thinks. God gave us the bible to meditate on so that we will have image of him in our thought. Jesus came to set example for us to meditate on so that we will have image of him in our mind. The devil is out there on the Television, Magazines and in all sort of media and using every means to paint image on our thoughts. We need to increase the security of our mind so that our thoughts are pure.God said in Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently.

About Gospel Scope

2008-06-19T12:00:00.009+01:00

Well, it's a christian community for people in the online. The focus here is on christians values and truth that help us to live the kind of life God expects us to live.

Most people spend their lives relying on all kinds of information that is out there. But many times knowledge isn’t enough. We need to pursue Godly wisdom to keep us out of moral blind alleys and dead end roads. He who walks with wise men will be wise, but companion of fools will be destroyed – Proverbs 13:20.

I was moved to launch this blog to be a community where people or any Christian of any denomination feels comfortable to hang out, read, learn and contribute. I’d like us to work in community to support each other as a Christian, and to help our brothers and sisters in Christ when they need a hand.

You can always feel welcome to leave comments or ask questions and we’ll do our best to help folks out. If you would like to contribute please get in touch with me at femitunde@gospelscope.com. Thanks for your time and God Bless,

Freelancing

2007-08-27T16:32:00.002+01:00

With the high rise in the cost of living, it is not surprising that many people are looking for other ways to earn more money. These days you are not limited to looking for a permanent or contract job on jobsites or Newspapers. Now you can sell your professional capabilities in a worldwide marketplace. One of the most popular sources of money is freelancing.

The concept behind freelancing is a simple one. You make available your skills and expertise to other companies, organizations and individuals who need it on a contract basis. In fact, just about any job you can think of can be done on a freelance basis. For example, there was a time I was looking for a designer to design pages of my magazine, the most convenient way to get this done was to seek for service of a freelancer from the internet and I was quite impressed with the response I got. I had also employed a service of a freelance programmer who is based in India while I live in London. Photographers, programmers, translators, proof readers, graphic/web designers, writers, editing service/word processing, and etc can earn a substantial income from freelancing.

The new breed of freelancing and project oriented sites let companies, organizations and individuals needing help describe their projects. Then freelancers and small businesses offer their bids or proposals for the project from which those buyers can choose. As long as you have the skill, someone is looking for it and willing to pay for it. The internet and technology make online freelancing a good way to make money. You can even live in Asia and freelance for a company based in Europe or in the United States.

Income

And of course, it SOUNDS easy, but not all things are as easy as it seems. Like everything in this world, it may be hard at first and especially if you are not used to it. Be prepared to take a low level project at reasonable prices. This will be an opportunity to build your reputation and once your reputation is built, clients will flock to you. The Editorial Freelancers’ association claim that there are freelancers making around half a million dollars a year!

More Freelancing Benefits

Because freelancing jobs are often per project basis and not per number of hours, therefore, it affords the person more free time, you can work at your own pace, at any time of the day you choose, without even leaving your front door and be your own boss.

Hints

Many successful freelancers who earn a good stable income build their freelance careers on referrals and repeat job orders. Therefore your work ethics and attitude are important in building a good reputation. Make sure you are providing good quality work and meeting deadlines.
Do not leave your full time job until you are sure that you are getting a level of income you are satisfied with, and then gradually ease out of your regular job.

Freelance Sites

You can sign up for freelance sites where you can have immediate access to jobs and start bidding on projects. Millions of potential customers visit these freelance sites each week looking for professionals like you to complete various projects ranging from Logo and brochure designs to website designing and accountancy and more.

Go Freelance click below
Start your work-at-home career today. Get direct access to hundreds of freelance and home-based jobs. Click here to find work now.

Examine Yourself

2007-08-27T14:19:00.004+01:00

Do you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur?

Success does not come easily for the vast majority of people – they have to work diligently and with an extraordinary amount of determination to achieve a decent standard of living.

“Success comes to those who think about success and strive for it” –Bishop David Oyedepo (Living Faith Ministry).

Starting your own business is not an automatic wheel to riches or success. If you live your life hoping to become successful without pressing for it or you are just emulating the high flyers, you are likely to have a frustrating time.

Positive Personal Qualities

To become successful, you need to imbibe certain qualities which successful people have that unsuccessful do not. The under listed qualities help you to understand whether you have what it takes to start a small business.

Ambition – Positive thinking – Drive – Perseverance – Enthusiasm – Initiative – Determination – Questioning Mind – Commitment - Good Judgement – Self Confidence – Optimism – Faith in abilities – Intuition – Technical Knowledge – Decision Maker – Good Health – Family Support – High Standards – Adaptability – Self Disciplined – Able to Communicate – Risk Taker – Ability to solve problem – Getting on well with people – Flexibility – Hardworking – Ability to simply get up and start over again?

If you have the above qualities, you are most likely to have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

Do not worry if you fall short. If you are willing, you can turn your weakness to strength. It is a good idea to get relatives or friends to give you an assessment on the above listed qualities.

Negative Personal Qualities

Unsuccessful people do have their personal characteristics but unfortunately, it is a kiss of failure. As listed below:

Laziness – Lack of ambition – Lack of drive – Limited confidence – Unable to take effective decisions – Poor health – Procrastination – Poor communication – Simplicity/too easy going – Ineffectiveness – Unable to adapt – Anxiety – Low standards – Easily give up – Unable to cope with emergency – Never finish what you start – Pessimistic.

Analysis of Yourself

SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threat) analysis of yourself is needed to increase awareness of yourself. Be honest with yourself by writing down your strengths and address your weaknesses, for instance, if you have a poor health or hate selling.

Write down the opportunity and threats you perceive. Your opportunity might be that your children are on scholarship and therefore have more money to spare while your threats might be that you have a huge financial commitment you have just embarked upon and just cannot afford to take risks. Your personal SWOT Analysis will increase your self –awareness and give you direction of levelling up from your weakness to strength and to cover up for your threats.

The under listed books are selection of books that I believe will be invaluable to people with new and existing business looking to move forward or those who are yet to start business of their own.