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In the Spirit on the Lord’s day

The book of Revelation in the Bible speaks of the past, present and future in one breath making it difficult to comprehend.wind6 Selah! While all the books of the bible are inspired by God, pains were taken to notify whoever reads Revelation that it was written inspirationally—that John, who was already a Christian (had the spirit of Christ), was caught up in the Spirit to be able to receive the words of this book Revelation 1:10. This is interesting!

How anyone not caught up in the spirit can understand the book of Revelation is unimaginable. The writer was a Christian as we are today. He was lifted up in the Spirit to write to as many as would be lifted up in the spirit (those who were Christians and those who will become Christians).

Before Christ’s resurrection and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit (Whom John was lifted up in on the Lord’s day), Jesus’ disciples did not know where they were coming from, where they were or where they were going as can be clearly seen in the canonical gospels. Though they were with Christ Jesus physically and heard the sound of His voice, they hardly ever understood what He was telling them. Jesus declared that Peter’s accurate confession of Him as the Son of God was because Peter was lifted up in the Spirit at that moment Matthew 16:17.

The book of Revelation as well as the rest of the 65 books of the Bible is truly an interesting gift from God. It carries three dimensional blessings.  A blessing for just reading it, blessing for listening to its prophesy and finally, another blessing for obeying what is written in it—that is, what Christ says Revelation 1:3 KJV. In reading Him, a measure of power and faith is imparted, in listening to Him another measure and in obeying Him, yet a fuller measure is imputed to the bride to finish the course.

He that obeys Him gets more grace to obey Him the more while the disobedient lose even that measure given James 1:22. He who buries the grace of God loses out completely while those who honor Him by using the grace given get imparted with more grace.

Obedience to what is written or what He says leads to an increasing knowledge of what He wants both doctrinally and in practice John 7:17. To this intent and purpose, He invites us to buy the wine and milk (oil) without money that above all other purposes our lives may be sweetened or our light may continually burn!

So the book of Revelation is saying, darkness and night has been increasing and will yet increase. Therefore it is encouraging this one purpose above all other purposes that we “let our light shine, let it burn”, drink the oil– it is without cost—it is paid for. Let nothing else occupy or consume our minds other than the oil. The key being, you, let the grace of God in you burn and give out the light. Don’t neglect to use the oil or use it unwisely which leads to burn-out which can be avoided Matthew 25:9. The five wise virgins knew they did not have inexhaustible oil. So in truthfulness and compassion, they kindly advised those that needed oil to go buy though it became too late for them Matt 25:10, Ecclesiastes 3:1.

The grace of God as oil is raining on the earth, whoever will stand under its rain by faith and be soaked will be saved. Now is the time—which is the message of the book of Revelation. The sin the world needs to repent of is their rejection of Christ Jesus, the grace and oil of God.

And for those engrafted into the commonwealth of Israel (born again), we need to repent of all iniquities by retaining the fire of our first love for Christ not just doing good deeds. Can we have the Spirit of Christ, good deeds and yet, shrink back from loving His Spirit? Yes!

According to the book of Revelation, despite the commendations from God about the good deeds of the Ephesians church Revelation 2: 2-3, 2: 6, they had backslidden from their first love for the Holy Spirit Revelation 2:4. This should not be confusing because all of their mentioned good deeds can be found with “some good people” who do not have the Spirit of Christ and the fire of love for the Spirit in their heart and soul. In other words, there are hardly any good deeds Christians can engage in—in this life that some natural good people don’t do. This is why the difference between the body of Christ on the earth and those outside His body is the possession of His Spirit and an unrelenting love for His Spirit. So, one can have the Spirit of Christ but begin to relent or withhold loving the Spirit. And God does not take it kindly Revelation 2:4-5.

Therefore, we are called upon to measure our oil and not presume. Presuming caused the foolish virgins irreparable loss Matthew 25:10. This calls for a humility that eradicates laziness—buy when the oil is low and patiently wait on God all the time. There is a sudden mercy and graces as it were that lifts us up in the Spirit as we practice obedience and waiting on the Lord on the Lord’s Day (everyday) —though we are in the spirit. Amen!

God is eager to help all of those who have the Spirit of His Son in every way spiritual and temporal. This is why, the past, present and future has always belonged to the sons of God.

If you are yet to receive the Spirit of Christ, know assuredly that you are the reason He was born, died and resurrected—receive Him today into your heart. Gain life in Him, in Him alone!

And “If”, we have the Spirit of Christ Jesus, let us walk with Him as He walks with us daily. For most assuredly, the past, present and future was and is designed for our salvation to the utmost.

Maranatha!

Beyond Global Blessings and Favor

The Jews are a blessed and favored people by God, the Creator of the world, its peoples and everything in the world. It is not so wise an idea to begrudge God or the Jews for this divine orchestration. For as long as the earth remains, neither elemental spirits nor humans puffed-up in themselves can change this sovereign ordination of the Great I Am. The Jews are God’s deliberate natural sign on the earth just as the rainbow is!

However, this blessings and favor bestowed on the Jews is only global since it does not pass into eternal abundant life. Why so?

While the Bible supplies ample scriptures for it, Acts 4:11-12 sums it all up. As sovereignly ordained, eternal abundant life is an exclusive, blissful and God given right only for those who accept, receive and abide in the Lily of the Valley, the Rose of Sharon, the Son of the Living God, the Eternal narrow Way, the First sideboxborn Son of God from the dead—the awaited Great God and Savior, the Living Christ Jesus and mankind’s (men and women) only hope of glory Titus 2:13, Colossians 1:27, 17-18.

This is why the godly song written by Elisha Albright Hoffman is asking people of every race, tribe, language and nation?

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation Revelation 5:9.

Maranatha!

Life, abundant Life

Is the bible actually true or what? Careful reading of the bible affirms that it is saying, ‘Before Christ came into the world, mankind did not have life as a result of Adam and Eve’s fall’. We just existed! We were working, discovering and inventing things, eating, having sex and making babies. In this sense, humans are not far from the ants who, also work smartly, build and engage in reproduction.

So, Christ Jesus came to give mankind life, life in its abundance!WCGC_fancourt_resized

Does this suggest that holy men and women of old before Christ did not have life too? The bible gives this notion and I second its truth. They had glimpses of His life from a distance and longed earnestly to possess it. The longing kept their hearts and minds towards God. So they served Him with reverence and fear.

But, since Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection some people have been escaping from merely existing into life.  And no longer are those who have the glimpse of life just longing after Him—they are possessing life, life in all its abundance. Nicodemus had something of the glimpse of life so he went to see Him (Life) better at night. Christ Jesus nodded him towards the life—‘get born again, and then you will see life clearly. You will not only see it, you will possess it by water and the Spirit’ John 3:1-5.

Since His resurrection, a body of people on the earth described as His body possess life and increasingly have Him in all of His fullness. Note, it is not just having life but possessing life (Christ) in His fullness— having a real vibrant relationship with the living Christ Jesus the Head and High Priest of His body on the earth John 10:27. Not a fairy tale.

“If the Lord is not a real and vital part of our lives, then we are only half living”— Crosswalk. In which case, God is asking, where art thou? Genesis 3:9.

Dear friend, are you part of His body? The Holy Spirit will bear witness to you in your spirit Romans 8:16. His joy and peace will evidence it to you in your inner man. Restfulness in your inner being will testify to it. Crazy thoughts and jumpy actions will be vanishing as you are astonished by His awesome power resurrecting you to an increasingly godly and goodly thoughts and actions that gladdens the heart under every situation. Which is to say, all things are now working out only for good in your life! All things are beginning to be made by the Holy Spirit to serve as a springboard to prepare you as a part of the bride (wise virgins) for the bridegroom (Eternal Life).

The measure of life, abundant life that mortals can contain is made available by Christ Jesus to all who ask for it Psalm 86:5. How merciful and gracious God is!

Merciful because He looks to His Son’s sacrifice and grants forgiveness to all who ask for it though they be sinners—gross sinners who murdered His Son, Jesus.

Gracious because He is all powerful to rescue all who are in hiding beaten or negotiated down (Genesis 3:1-6) by the dominion of darkness if only we will come out to meet Him as He walks towards us and not hide behind trees (ministries and other people, so to speak Proverbs 11:21) Genesis 3:8. By His power, He translates all who receive and accept His Son (the Messiah) from the darkness of hell into the light of heaven—that is, His Kingdom. This is the power of the second Adam, the life giving Spirit.

The life of God in the earth is flowing in His Kingdom on the earth. And the Kingdom soon will overun the kingdom of this world as the will of God is increasingly being done in the earth as it is done in heaven.

Sinners and religious (pious) people must now flee to Christ Jesus for safety. The appointed time God has given for all men to be saved is running out Romans 13:11. The righteous are being taken out of the earth yet men know it not. God is rejoicing as His own return home.

God is strengthening the body of His Son on the earth to tell the world that God loves them. God does not want anyone to perish Titus 2:11, 2 Peter 3:9. Enough people have perished because while on earth clothed with mortal body, they only existed having refused and rejected life. Receiving this life (Christ) is so crucial and as such, God gave opportunity to even those who existed before Christ’s advent the chance to receieve Him, in their hearts.

Mankind (men and women) need eternal life in this present life.  Therefore, have life that you may live ABUNDANTLY forever not exist forever. Goodness and religion do not give life! Life gives goodness and devotion. Those who know and possess life know this reality, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” John 10:10.

Life is at your disposal; take Him in richly Colossians 3:16!

Maranatha!