Category: Faith

The Seven Churches of Asia Minor

by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith, Hope, Walk of Faith
Map of the seven churches in the book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation chapter 2 marks the start of Christ’s messages to the seven churches as revealed to Apostle John while in the Island of Patmos. He had been exiled there by the Romans for teaching the gospel of Jesus.The Island today is situated in the Aegean sea and is part of Greece.

I would like you to journey with me as I study the book of revelation and share my learnings with you here.Today we shall be looking at the seven churches in Asia minor as described in  Revelation 2 and 3.In case you missed the introduction, check it out here The Second Coming Of Christ

Revelation Chapter 2

In this chapter the Lord is instructing John with very detailed messages to four of the seven churches, namely; Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira. One of my key learnings  these past few weeks was finding a map of these very cities. I realise in my last post I had stated otherwise, hence correcting it here.

These were prominent cities in the province of Asia minor during the time of Apostle John, today their ruins are found in present day Turkey.These letters are pertinent to the church today as we still embody similar characteristics of these ancient churches.

Each of these messages follow a similar structure: 

  • The introduction that highlights a specific attribute of the Lord Jesus
  • A commendation of what each church is doing right
  • A warning about an area of weakness that they need to deal with
  • The reward the church stands to gain, if they heed the warning

Now that we have a clearer understanding of what to expect,let’s dive in!


To the angel of the church in Ephesus write;
“These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” Rev 2:1

This introduction section describes the Lord Jesus when he appeared to John in Rev 1:12-16.John heard a voice behind him and when he turned around saw the Lord among the lampstands with the seven stars in hand.The seven stars  are the angels/messengers of the seven churches and the seven lampstands refer to the seven churches namely; Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

Ephesus

This got me thinking, The Lord Jesus is always among the churches even today, observing,taking note of their activities and sending his messengers to them.He is always close to us even when we do not see him or hear him. We are never alone.

He says in his word “I will by no means leave you for forsake you” Hebrews 13:5
“The eyes of the  Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”  2 Chronicles 16:9

The seven stars in this hand are the angels/messengers of the church. I’m also reminded of the verse that says “…I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”Isaiah 41:1
I realise that for every church the Lord has assigned an angel, I reckon even  for every gathering of believers.Please note our priority should not be trying to initiate contact with the angels, rather to seek the Lord, and as we do this, he dispatches them to us with a response, according to his own sovereign will.

The Lord’s’ commendation follows in the passage below

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.”Rev 2:2-3

Jesus acknowledges their work and perseverance in enduring hardships in his name without growing weary.This indicates that all our works and sacrifices are seen by the Lord and that we shall in our lives surely  face hardships.

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Rev 2:4 -6

This is a call for repentance. We have  forsaken the Love  we had at first. The love for the Lord and the love for his word. Its a call to  do the things we did at first. Those activities we did that were driven by pure love.
If we fail to repent, Jesus would remove the lampstand – meaning the church would be taken away from its place.I realise that it is a serious offence in the eyes of the Lord  to turn our hearts away from him and failing to act in love, our love for him  grow cold.
Cursed is the one who trusts in a man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD” Jeremiah 17:5

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”Rev 2:7

The tree of life is the same tree in Genesis that was in the middle of the garden along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil Genesis 2:9 After the fall of man,God would not allow Adam and Eve back into the garden to access this tree and set a cherubim to guard the way to it.
The Lord Jesus now reveals to John that if the people repent and do the things they did at first and are victorious, they would be granted the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.This means  they get to go into the Father’s presence in heaven and second have access to this tree that had been barred from humanity since the fall of man.How cool is that!

Smyrna

“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:“These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.”Rev 2:8

Jesus here reveals himself as the First and the Last, I interpret this as He is E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!

To top it all off he Literally died for our sins  and Came back to life!
Brother Paul felt the same way when he wrote
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”
1 Colossians 15-120

“ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” Revelations 2: 9-10

This shows Jesus fully understood their circumstances and encouraged them that they were actually rich.He was also aware of the existence of certain groups who identified themselves as Jews but were lying and in fact doing the works of Satan. The Lord also urges them to  remain faithful in the face of persecution even to the point of death!

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.”  Rev 2:11

Those who held on to The Lord’s words and obeyed would receive  life as their victor’s crown and would never face hell but rather eternal  life in heaven.

Pergamum


“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.” Rev 2:12

This describes Jesus as the one who wields the double edged sword,this sword is the word of God.
Paul writes in Hebrews “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:1

This means his words literally judge thoughts and attitudes of the heart and can penetrate into the core of our being.His words can touch even the hardest hearts of man and pull down it’s  thick walls and transform one from the inside -like he did with Saul former persecutor of Christians and converted  him to Paul, an Apostle of Christ. He still has the power to do this even today.
Jesus is also referred to as the word in John’s gospel
“In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God.” John 1:1

The Prophet Jeremiah also confirms the same “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17: 10

“ I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Rev 2:13
It seems the devil was worshiped by many in this city, through pagan worship, yet despite this, the people remained faithful and did not renounce Christ even when other believers were put to death. Jesus commended them for their perseverance.

“Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” Rev 2:14-16

Balaam was a diviner  from Pethor who was  once summed by Balak, King of Moab to put a curse on the people. If this doesn’t ring any bell, he is the guy who had a talking donkey. According to this passage,he influenced the King of Moab to have the women of his land entice Israel to sin by inviting them to eat food sacrificed to their gods and commit immorality.The Lord condemns this as it is  a form of divination and witchcraft,given that the Nicolaitans are mentioned here as well a, it may be they were involved in the practice of divination.The Lord urges them to repent else he would fight them with his word, meaning he would judge them.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” Rev 2:17

The Manna was what the Lord fed the Israelites during the exodus journey from Egypt to Land of Canaan for 40 years. It fell on the ground every morning like dew, once they had settled it stopped. The Psalmist refers this to angelic food.
“Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens;he rained down manna for the people to eat,he gave them the grain of heaven.Human beings ate the bread of angels;” Psalm 78:23-25
It’s amazing the the Lord now will reward the people with this hidden manna for being victorious and following his will, along with a white stone with a new nameThe white stone with a new name written on it is pretty significant. The name must be engraved on the stone, the only other time the Lord engraved something on stone was the tablets of the commandments given to Moses for the people.The white stone itself signifies acquittal from any charges and the new name on it signifies a new identity and role. 

Thyatira


“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” Rev 2:18

Our Lord Jesus’  eyes described here reveal  his holiness, purity and power. He sees all and knows all and we are to live holy lives in reverence to him and the burnished bronze look of his feet depicts gleaming perfection in all his ways.

“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.”  Rev 2:19

The Lord commends them for their diligent service

“Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.”Rev 2:20 -23

The Lord is rebuking the people for putting up with the witchcraft and occultic behaviour of those false prophets. Teachings that mislead servants of the Lord into sexual immorality and eating foods sacrificed to idols
“… but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” 1Cor 10:20 -21

“Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ Rev 2:24

The Lord urges them to continue on in faith by holding to what they have until his return.

“To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star.  Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”Rev 2:26-29

The reward for doing the Lord’s will , the people would be given authority over nations and rule with Power from the Lord. They would be given the morning star – glory and brilliance.

REVELATION CHAPTER 3

Sardis


“To the angel  of the church in Sardis write:These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” Rev 3:1

Jesus holds the  seven spirits of God.There is a prophecy about Christ in Isaiah 11:2-3
“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,the Spirit of counsel and of might,the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
The seven stars in Jesus’ hand are the angels/messengers to the seven churches.Indeed the LORD Jesus upholds these messengers with his righteous right hand.

 “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.Rev 3:1b-3

Here the Lord is warning believers against being  spiritually dead yet outwardly  doing many religious works in a mechanical manner.Whatever we do we are to do it as unto the Lord and not unto man, this may be the reason why their deeds seem unfinished in his sight.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance”Colossians 3:23-24

Further more all our works should glorify the Lord and should be done with the strength that the Lord himself provides.May the lord help us to awake from this slumber.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1Peter :10:11

“Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”Rev 3:4-6

There is a group who have not soiled their clothes  are still pure in the Lord’s sight, they rely  on the Lord for his righteousness and are not seeking one of their own.The reward for them is that they will be clothed in white in heaven and will be acknowledged before God and his angels.

Philadelphia


“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. Rev 3:7

This represents the Lord’s divine sovereign authority, his plans simply cannot be thwarted. When  he speaks and takes action it can never be nullified nor reversed
“Yes and from ancient of days I am he.No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act who can reverse it? “ Isaiah 43:13
Even Job testified of this when he said “I know that you can do all things;no purpose of yours can be thwarted”  Job 42:2  With this understanding, I’m certain that you will never forget when Jesus opens a door, no one, no body and no thing can shut it!

 “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Rev 3:8-10

Here the Lord acknowledges their efforts and commends them for keeping his word and not denying his name. He will cause their enemies to fall down at their feet and acknowledge that the Lord has loved them. He will also keep them from the trials and tribulations that would come on the earth.

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Rev 3:9 -13

The Lord encourages the church to know that he is coming soon and to hold on to what they have – their faith in the Lord Jesus so that no one would take their crown. The word says that is it impossible to please the Lord without faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please God “ Hebrews 11:6

Laodecia

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. Rev 3:14

All Promises of God are yes and Amen in Christ “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Cor 20
Jesus is also referred to as Faithful and True “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True” Rev 19:11

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”Rev 3:15-18

The Lord is rebuking the church for being complacent and having a smug attitude. We need to repent of this attitude and decide not to revert to lukewarmness. The church needs to  repent and seek the Lord to clothe us with white, adorn us with his gold and put  salve for our eyes that we may see clearly and have discernment

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Rev 3:19-20

The Lord encourages the church that he disciplines out of love, we should therefore be earnest and repent.The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts , the eating together with the Lord refers to close fellowship.
DOes it refer to teh Lord’s banquet in heaven

“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Rev 3:21-22

The victorious will sits with the Lord on his throne, a place of honour and victory authority.

Application


You may think that we are light years away from these seven churches. It’s been a sobering realisation that the very issues that plagued the church then are still with us today, now amplified by technology and camouflaged within our diverse cultures.
Now more than ever we need to be grounded in the word of the Lord, walk in step with the Holy Spirit and bear fruit of the Spirit to hear what he says and discern the actions to take in accordance to his will.
We need to prayerfully review these messages to the seven churches and examine our hearts, our families and communities, heed the warning given, repent whole heartedly and await eager expectation for the return of Christ and for his reward.

“Behold , I am coming soon! My reward is with me” Revelation 22:12

Jesus rescues a woman from stoning

by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith, Forgiveness, Freedom, Grace, Mercy
AI generated image of Woman caught in adultery rescued from stoning by Jesus Christ


It’s interesting how the character and very nature of  Jesus is often overlooked . At times we lose sight of who he really is and fail to appreciate the sacrifices that he made and their significance to all humanity.

You may have heard of this story that I’m about to share with you but I would  like  you  to relook at it from a new perspective – one  of really seeking to know Christ.

Woman caught in adultery

The story goes that a woman was caught in the very act of adultery and she was taken to the leaders – the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. You see during that era Jewish customs dictated that any person – man or woman found guilty of adultery was sentenced to death by stoning. The witness or aggrieved party was given priority  to throw the first stone.The intention was to ensure that the accused would pay for their sin, a very high price to pay as those leaders ensured that they would not come out of that ordeal alive.

They brought her  to Jesus “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. John 8: 4-6

They sought his opinion not that they were lenient on the woman but used this to test Jesus, knowing full well that such a fundamental law was only punishable by death.

This came in the wake of Jesus having delivered another Woman from evil spirits – Mary in Luke 8:2   Jesus knowing their real  intention, did not fall for their trap, neither did he respond as they expected. In fact he did something seemingly bizarre.

“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.” John 8: 6-8


Jesus’ response to the accusers

Let me back up a bit, Jesus had been at the temple courts since dawn that day, people saw him and gathered around him,he sat down to teach them. He was still teaching when the leaders brought in this woman to stand before the group.

It is evident that Jesus had been seated on the ground and he bent over to write there with his finger.The very ground he sat on was his seat,this signifies the mercy seat of God. He straightened up and challenged them “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” and he stooped again and continued writing.

The significance of this is quite mind blowing.The Mercy seat is first described in the old testament in the ark of the covenant, the atonement cover made of pure gold was also referred to as the Mercy seat.It was believed that the LORD himself communicated with Moses from here, it represented his presence among the people of Israel.
Exodus 25:10-22

Historically the High priest would sprinkle blood with his finger seven times on the atonement cover/mercy seat signifying making atonement for himself and his house hold as well as the people of Israel.Since the death and resurrection of Jesus, he is the mercy seat of God personified as his blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins of all peoples of the earth.

This is so important in understanding the story of the woman caught in adultery, they brought her to face judgement and brutal punishment, but instead she met Jesus who showed her mercy, spared her life because he was to soon shed his blood for her and others like her around the world. No one ever needs to pay for sins with their own blood for Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice once and for all. When we sin, we need to sincerely confess our sin to Christ and plead the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness for our sins.There is power in the blood of Jesus.

Nowhere else in the bible does  it indicate that Jesus bent down to the ground, let alone writing.The only reference we have that would be close to this is when God himself wrote the tablets of the covenant with his finger.He inscribed the commandments on a tablet of stone. Exodus 31:18

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the WOrd was God.He was with God in the beginning.Through him all things were made;without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:1-4

This essentially means that when God inscribed the stone tablets the commandments Jesus was right there with him for he is the Word!Halleluyah!

Jesus was well aware of the double standards of the leaders, they were living in sin and loved to show off their piety and holiness in eternal acts yet their hearts were far from God. Jesus saw their injustice, they only brought  the woman forward for stoning, her partner im crime, the man, was no where to be seen.
Yet knowing all this Jesus did not rebuke them harshly, nor did he give any of them menacing looks. He simply challenged them in a calm and controlled voice-” he who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.” At that he stooped again  facing downward and  went on writing on the ground.No one dared to lift a finger, they walked away , one by one – the eldest left first for they knew they had no right, for they themselves were sinners.

The sin the woman had committed obviously grieved the Lord Jesus more than anyone, as he is the Word of God made flesh  and is 100% holy- he had the right and authority to have her and her accusers  punished as well.Yet Jesus chose to forgive.
This is the very reason that Christ came.
“ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

Jesus showed  mercy and grace,to all parties;to the woman for her adultery and the leaders for their injustice and duplicity. This grace is  available not   only for them alone, but all of us who have sinned.

The bible does not explicitly reveal what Jesus actually wrote on the ground that day,however we now  use scripture to interpret scripture and rely on the holy Spirt to give understanding.

It could be that he was remembering the time God wrote the commandments. “Thou shall not commit adultery he may have been retracing that on the ground with his finger knowing full well that she was indeed guilty and was to face the death penalty.Yet in his unfailing love and great mercies, he knew that is why he came into the world to redeem people’s lives from the pit to set captives free and reconcile them back to God Almighty.
This is why scripture says” Lord ….in wrath remember mercy “ Habakkuk 3:2

Jesus silenced her accusers, showed her mercy and  gave her a chance to turn a new leaf and to live a life of purity.
The crowd that were advocating from her death and stoning all left.

Jesus said to her “Woman,where are they? Has anyone condemned you?

“No one, sir” she said

“Then neither do I condemn you,”Jesus declared. “Go and leave your life of sin.”

Application today

We should not be too quick to pass judgement on others.
None of us is  God, no one is holy, we ourselves are sinners  and should not try to hide that fact under the guise of self righteousness, falseholiness. We however have all been called to be holy, a feat that we cannot achieve on our own but the Word of God sanctifies us.We ought to rely on the Holy Spirit to help us to be holy.

We should emulate Christ in giving others grace and mercy. “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.”Matt 5:7
Choose grace even in the midst of pain. It really does hurt Jesus when we live in sin, especially since we are made in his image and are welcome to approach his throne of grace to receive mercy and find help in our time of need. Yet we fail to do so and hide away from him. He is ready and willing to forgive if only we renounce sin and repent.

Likewise we should encourage each other to come out of sin and run to Christ. Jesus saves, he rescues and delivers.
He rescued that woman centuries ago and is still rescuing more people even today.
So why not turn to him and be saved?

The Mystery of the Gospel

by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith, Hope, Inspiration
AI generated Silhouette of the Cross of Jesus


Before I begin, I’d like to thank you for checking in today. Honestly, it’s been eons since I last wrote you. So much has changed, life happened  that shifted by perspectives and priorities.

This is me now  returning to my first love – sharing about Jesus, spreading the message of the gospel and giving hope.
Excited to be back here in January 2026 looking forward to sharing more inspirational content and growing together with you.

My first post of the year is about demystifying the gospel, let’s dive in!

“You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free” – Jesus Christ,The Messiah.

In a world that is constantly changing its imperative to be anchored.Today’s reality is that  we are bombarded with astronomical amounts of information  that it’s impossible to consume it all, let alone individually verify tons of data.

We need an unchanging truth that is ever present and eternal to guide us on our journey while on earth and beyond.May I suggest to you the gospel truth as the mainstay.


The Gospel

The Gospel refers to the Good news of Christ Jesus.
Why is this news good you may ask? It’s only through Jesus that we experience salvation, forgiveness of sins and eternal life.The gospel speaks of the life of Christ spanning from his birth, his ministry on earth, his death, his burial, and resurrection.


You see, Christ was sent to earth on a mission.

Though being the Son of the living God he left his divinity to come to earth as a baby and live the life of a human being for the sole purpose to die for humanity in order to reconcile them back to our Glorious Father, God Almighty. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of all the world.

By his death on the cross, no other blood sacrifice would ever be required for the forgiveness of sins.The blood of Jesus Christ is pure and holy ( as he had no sin in him) therefore  his blood is more powerful than any other sacrificed blood.
His life and death  were therefore necessary as explained in the Old Testament and New Testament of the Bible.

The Old Testament is full of prophecies pointing to the birth of Christ centuries before he was even  born.
The New Testament in the Gospels ( Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) documents his birth, life on earth, Ministry and his death and resurrection.The rest of the books  in the New Testament expounds on his teachings and how one may live life as a believer of Christ. It also highlights the ministry work continued by his disciples in the early church as well as  prophecies of the Return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings to judge the world.

Mystery of the Gospel

The mystery of Christ was not made known before as God had kept this hidden and was revealed to the  prophets and the apostles. The mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel members together of one body and sharers together in the promise in Christ  Jesus  as stated in Ephesians 3:6
This Gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to the Jews first then to the Gentiles as quoted in Romans 1:16

This implies that the blood of Jesus shed on the cross was not only for forgiveness of sins of Jews alone but the Gentiles too.This means everyone on Earth! ( This includes astronauts hovering in space too!)
Salvation is available for all people of all nations of all colours who call on the name of Jesus and believe that he died for them.This is the gospel truth demystified!

The Genesis

Let’s go back to the beginning where it all started back to Genesis (so aptly named) God made humans in his image to rule over the earth and everything in it.The plan was that they were to live eternally in his presence. God made a beautiful garden called Eden where he placed Adam and Eve.They had a wonderful relationship as God visited them IRL severally.This changed however after the fall of man, when they disobeyed God.  As they had sinned their close relationship with God was ruined and they could never be in his Holy Glorious presence and secondly their life span was cut short as they would eventually die and not have eternal life.


God made a plan to fix this

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that who ever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” – John 3:16
Jesus himself also said in John 10:10  “ I have come that they may have life and have life abundantly”

It was said of Jesus “Behold the Lamb of God,who takes away the sins of the whole world” John 1:29

This means that God – in his  loving nature  wanted us to be with him forever and the only way to do that was to send his only Son Jesus Christ to die for humanity and anyone who believed in him would  be saved from the second death and be granted forgiveness of sins and eternal life! 

God executed the plan

As with all grand plans they take time to come to life and are  best executed in phases. In this particular case it has taken centuries to unfold.
The key milestones in this grand plan include the following;(PS I created these steps as a summary of my understanding of important events in the bible)

  1. God prepared the world for the coming of the Saviour through biblical prophecies
  2. The birth of  Jesus Christ,the Messiah, Our  Saviour- born of a virgin in Bethlehem
  3. Jesus begins his ministry – calls disciples and teaches the world about Our Father
  4. Jesus is arrested crucified, died and buried
  5. Jesus resurrects from the dead, meets disciples charges them to make disciples of all nations 
  6. Jesus to return to judge the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Prophecies about Jesus that have been fulfilled

The old testament is replete with prophecies concerning Christ and his mission on earth and these are fulfilled in the New Testament in the bible.

  • The Saviour will be born of a woman- Genesis 3:15 
    God  addressing the Serpent that deceived Eve “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and here’s; he will crush your head”This points to the Christ who will one day come and born of a woman
  • Abraham in Christ’s earthly lineage – Genesis 22: 18
    God speaking to Abraham “ and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed” This is fulfilled in Matthew 1:1 that shows the lineage of Jesus connected to Abraham and King David.
  • David in Jesus’s earthly lineage – 2 Samuel 7:16
    Prophet Samuel giving King David a message from God “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever”. Angel Gabriel explained to Mary that her child would the Son of the Most High , he would get the throne David and his kingdom would never end – paraphrased from Luke 1:32-33
  • The Saviour born of a virgin – Isaiah 7: 14
    Prophet Isaiah addressing the house of David“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and you will call him Immanuel(God with us)  Mary conceived Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and name her child Jesus as he would save the people from  their sins. Matthew 1:21-23
  • The suffering for the Saviour –  Isaiah 53
    Prophet Isaiah speaking about the Messiah’s mission “He poured out his life unto death and was numbered with the transgresses.For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.”  
    This is fulfilled in the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus, He was nailed to cross  beside two robbers and bled to death for our sins.Matthew 27: 38 “Two rebels were crucified with him”. “Father forgive them ,for they do not know what they are doing” Luke 23:34.
    “Christ Jesus who died- more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:34
    In his death Jesus was interceding for others even today in heaven he is still doing the same.
  • Jesus ascended and is seated in heaven on God’s right Psalms 110:1
    The LORD says to may Lord “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”
    Multiple accounts of disciples seeing him, very literally ascending into the clouds.
    Matthew 26:64 b”You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One.”
    Luke 24:51 “While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven”
    Hebrews 1: 3”He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven”
Select Teachings of Jesus
  • We are God’s Children  
    “Yet to all who believed in  his name he gave the rights to become children of God” John 1:12
  • Jesus is the  Way, the Truth and the Life “I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except by me” John 14:6
  • Jesus is the Light of the world
    “ I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12
  • Jesus Christ is Lord   “Very truly I tell you before Abraham was born, I am!” John 8:58
  • Jesus is the Bread of Life “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” John 6:35
  • The Holy Spirit, our advocate and helper. “If you love me, keep my commands And i will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth”
  • Resurrection and the Life “I am the resurrection and the life.The one who believes in me will live,even though they die;and who lives by  believing in me will never die. John 11:17

Descriptions of Jesus
  • Faithful and True:
     “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse,whose rider is called Faithful and True” Revelation 19:11
  • King of Kings and Lord of Lords:
    “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” Revelation19:16
  • Alpha & Omega:
    “ I am the Alpha and the Omega,the First and the Last,The Beginning and the End” Revelation 22:13
  • Supremacy of the Son of God:
    “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:15
  • Word of God:
    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5
  • Deliverer:
    “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8:36
  • Lamb of God :“Behold,the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

Salvation



Upon hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ the next step is to make a decision.
Salvation is exactly that,making the decision to believe in Jesus’ gospel  and accepting him as your Lord and Savior.
This marks the beginning of a person’s transformation  of sanctification and being Christ-like and being led by the Holy Spirit of God.
“Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12
“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” Acts 16:30

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”Romans 10:8-13.
“All those the Father gives me will come to me,and whoever comes to meI will never drive away” John 6:37


The return of christ

Remember the  grand plan I spoke about earlier? Well, most of all those steps have been accomplished and are now between step 5 and 6.
Jesus already came and died and rose again. He charged his disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel…” Mark 16:15
Since his resurrection, people have been preaching the good news of Christ and will continue to do so until his return.

He will return to judge the world and carry away to heaven for eternity those who believe in him as Lord and Saviour.Scripture indicates that there will be an end of the age and that heaven and earth will pass away but his words will never pass away.We need to be ready for his return.

“Immediately after the distress of those days“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”Matthew 24:29- 31

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy,your old men will dream dreams,your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth,blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
“And everyone who calls  on the name of the Lord will be saved” Joel 2:28-32

Conclusion

Jesus is Lord, he is the  Saviour of the world, he came to earth to die for our wins. He was buried, resurrected and ascended into heaven where he is constantly interceding for us and preparing a place for us in heaven to be with him forever. He is returning soon to judge the world and conquer evil for good.

The gospel’s purpose is to lead people to Salvation, to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour to prepare for his return and be reunited with him and God the Father in heaven for ever and ever. The perfect happy ending of the truest love story.

COMPASSION

by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith, Love and Compassion
Cultivate Compassion

The world today seems to be losing compassion; people have become cold and heartless. Hence the increase in violence, wars and atrocities against humanity resulting in human suffering, despair and even death.

It seems as though the more time progresses, the more people loose compassion. The cause of this being exposure to toxic environments, traumas, despair and the inability to heal from such. This really got me thinking.  If compassion can be lost, then the converse is true.

Compassion can be cultivated

If compassion can be lost, then the converse is true.

The most logical place to start is finding compassion. A Deep source of compassion that is true, unending, infinite, and eternal. This cannot be a human, man-made or artificial as human nature in itself is finite.

Our Creator is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger and abounding in love. His inherent nature is love and holiness. His judgments are just and righteous and He is merciful. His word tells us that He has loved us with an everlasting love. A love that is so deep it is unending, unchanging. That even when we die believing in Him, he provides a way that we may be united with Him in heaven and will dwell in His presence for eternity!

He not only has compassion but He is Love can teach us how to be more compassionate.
How you may ask?
Through the study of his word and meditation of the Holy Scriptures.

 “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him” and “Because of the LORD’s great love we aren’t consumed, for his compassions never fail they are new every morning.” Psalms 103:4 and Lamentations 3:22-23

The LORD appeared to us in the past saying:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord is so compassionate that he also heals our wounds – all types of wounds; physical, psychological, spiritual.
Whatever wound you have, bring to the Lord for healing.

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 30:17

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.” Psalms 103:2-4

Meditate on Compassion

The essence of studying scripture is to discover who God is, his character and attributes. To learn his ways, so that we can relate to our Lord better. To remember all that you have read, you would need to ponder on and meditate on His word for it is truth, and this truth sanctifies us.

The scriptures are awash with stories depicting the LORD’s compassion. Think of these as Compassion in action stories. The most well-known are drawn from the lives of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus Christ. They not only share history, but they show the LORD’s compassion in dealing with mankind.

Noah

During the time of Noah the world was full of violence and the Lord decided to put an end to it all. He saved Noah by instructing him to build a wooden ark to protect his family along with all land creatures and birds.

The Lord gave Noah the exact dimensions of what he was to build; this was the first of its kind. Out of his compassion he saved a remnant and one pair of each species of animals. The clean animals however had seven pairs each.

The Lord’s compassion is evident as he sustains them in the ark all during the entire period of the flood (one year).In no instance did we ever hear that the lions and bears decided to gobble up Noah or his family for lunch.
 “The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all that he has made” Psalms 145:8-9

He brought them out of the ark only when the earth had dried and new vegetation had sprung up. The Lord made a covenant with Noah and all life on earth, that He would never again destroy the earth and all living creatures with water again. He gave his bow in the clouds as a sign of this eternal agreement. The Rainbow.

Abraham

The Lord blessed Abraham and said that he would bless all the peoples of the earth through him and even grant him an heir. At this point, he was aged 75 and was childless. The Lord made a covenant with him and changed his name from Abram, to Abraham meaning the Father of Nations. Twenty five years later, is when Isaac was born.

During Isaac’s childhood the Lord asked him to offer him as a sacrifice in order to test him. Abraham did not hesitate and obeyed. He took Isaac to Mt.Moriah as directed by the Lord, his son pointed out that the wood and fire were present and inquired about the sacrificial lamb, to which Abraham responded   “The Lord will provide.”

He prepared the altar and placed his only son ready to sacrifice him when the Lord stopped him. Abraham had passed the test of obedience, the Lord provided a ram. The Lord showed Abraham compassion by blessing him to become the Father of Nations even before he had a single child. The Lord made sure that this prophecy came to pass according to his word. Today, many nations cane still trace their ancestry to him.


Moses

Abrahams’ descendants were later enslaved in Egypt for 400 years. The Lord called Moses to go deliver his people by confronting the Pharaoh.

The LORD showed his people compassion by fulfilling the rest of the promise he had made with Abraham, even though they were not in their best behavior. He  lead them out of Egypt in power ,parted the sea for them, fed them for 40 years in the wilderness, went before them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, defeated their enemies before them and got them to the promised land in Canaan.
“Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness” Nehemiah 9:19

 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.” Isaiah 54:7

Jesus

Jesus came on earth to reveal more to us about the Father and to reconcile us back to the Father by his sacrificial death on the cross. The law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Jesus performed miracles and healed the sick and delivered those under demonic oppression. The gospel of Luke tells one of the many miracles he performed. Jesus was teaching and crowds came to him bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and he healed them all.
He then called his disciples and said, “I have compassion for these people, they have already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry or they will collapse on the way.” Luke 15:32

They only had seven loaves with them and a few small fish. Jesus told the crowd to sit down, he gave thanks for the food, broke them and gave them to his disciples. They all ate and were satisfied, a total four thousand men besides women and children. They even had left overs! Seven basketfuls of broken pieces.

Later a woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus, during that time the punishment was death by stoning. But Jesus in his merciful compassion did not condemn her. “He told go and sin no more”

He also told parables to teach the people. That parable of the prodigal son depicts the Love and Compassion of God.

He is watching and waiting for us to go back to him, he is ready to received us with open arms and restore us to our rightful place as his children.

The death of Jesus on the cross was the ultimate display of love and compassion. He knew it was the only way for his blood to be shed for the forgiveness of sins and gain access to eternal life.
He did not resist but agreed to be the sacrificial Lamb of God. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son to condemn the world but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17

Become more compassionate

Now that you have the perfect example of what compassion looks like you can easily emulate that and apply it in your life. You can only give what you have; you can only give what you have experienced. Experiencing the love and compassion of the LORD and receiving it in your heart will enable you to have compassion for others and for yourself.

Jesus taught “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is just like it Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

All this does not come naturally to humans. We need the perfect help. The Holy Spirit of God was sent to us to help and strengthen us.

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control.” Galatians 5:22

Compassion can therefore be cultivated. In summary, in order to become more compassionate;

  • Learn Compassion from God’s example
  • Meditate on Compassion from the Holy Bible
  • Become more compassionate by accepting God’s love and loving God with your all
  •  Love your neighbor as you love yourself
  • The Holy Spirit of God enables you to bear fruit and have compassion

What Does It Mean to Test The LORD

Featured by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith
Testing the LORD – When to do it and when not to

“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the Test?” Moses posed this question to a people who had just been dramatically rescued from their oppressors. What was the quarrel about you may ask?
They were thirsty and were asking for water like so … “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

I guess by now you may be wondering how that amounts to testing the Lord. What does putting the Lord to the test mean in the first place? Could there be times when it is acceptable to test the LORD? To answer these questions read on…

DO NOT PUT THE LORD TO THE TEST

Let me take you back to where these people are coming from.

The people of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for 400 years, until the LORD sent Moses to face Pharaoh and demand for the release of his people. Their release did not come easy; but after 10 deadly plagues and the miraculous power of God in parting the sea to make a way for his people (approximately 2.5 Million) to cross the Red Sea, the entire army of Pharaoh in hot pursuit on their chariots all drowned in the Sea.

The LORD led these people with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They saw the miraculous power of God yet doubted his ability to sustain them in the desert. I may sound critical toward the people of Israel, but don’t we often behave in the same way. I know I do.

They quarreled Moses, not knowing that in doing so it was the LORD they quarreled, doubted and tested. That place was named Massah and Meribah by Moses because they quarreled and tested the LORD by asking themselves “Is the LORD among us or not?”  Exodus 17:7.

They were murmuring and complaining amongst themselves, quarrelling Moses and The LORD heard them.

The Psalmist says of them in Psalms 95: 8-9 “Today if you only would hear his voice. Do not  harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me, they tried me, though  they had seen what I did.”

The Israelites also rebelled once again when they had reports about the Canaan the Promised Land. Moses had earlier sent over twelve spies who went ahead to explore Canaan for a total of forty days. They came back after that period bearing some of the fruit of the land and a detailed report of what they saw. Ten of the spies had a discouraging report saying the people were much stronger and that it would be impossible to attack and overcome them. They even described their defeated mindset   “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes and we looked the same to them.” Numbers 13:33

Only two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua showed bravery and trust in the LORD .They encouraged the people by saying “We should go and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” Numbers 13: 30

With the promise land in the horizon, you would think that the people would be elated. Far from it. That very night they raised their voices and wept aloud grumbled yet again against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness!”
They blamed God for bringing them out of Egypt only for them to die by the sword. They were terrified of the giants that inhabited the land of Canaan and would have preferred to return to Egypt!

As they were talking about getting rid of Moses, the LORD showed up! His glory appeared at the tent of meeting. He had wanted to execute judgment on all the people, but Moses intervened and pleaded for their lives .The Lord relented and forgave them. There was however major consequences of the careless words they spoke. The Lord said that he will do the very thing he heard them say, they would fall in the desert. All those aged 20 and above who had seen the Lord’s signs He had performed and yet still disobeyed and tested God would never see the promise land, none of them who grumbled would enter Canaan except for Joshua and Caleb.

“..not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times – not one of them will ever see the land I promised…no one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it” Numbers 14:22 -23
The ten spies whose bad report caused the people to grumble, were struck by the LORD with a plague and died. This made me realize just how critical leadership is in the eyes of the LORD. He held the ten spies responsible for the bad report they gave to the people and they perished for it. On the other hand Moses interceded for the people and the LORD was able to forgive them.

As for the rest of the people, they were all to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years before he would allow them to reach Canaan. One year for each of the forty days they explored Canaan. This just goes to show how the LORD views complaining and grumbling.  Is your grumbling hindering you from getting to your promise land? What have you been complaining about to yourself when you think no one is hearing you?

The very next day, some of the people decided out of remorse that they were now ready to go to the Promised Land. They set out by themselves, Moses tried to stop them saying that they would not succeed as the Lord was not with them; they were disobeying Him yet again and would be defeated by their enemies. Nevertheless in their presumption, they still went ahead with their own plan. Needless to say, Moses’s words did swiftly come to pass.

The New Testament also records the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-10. They sold their property and decided to give part of the proceeds for themselves and brought the rest to the apostles. Peter however rebuked Ananias for having lied to the Holy Spirit. The man fell and died on the spot. His wife, Sapphira came a little later and after being questioned about the price they got for the land also laid. Peter said to her “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?” She too fell and died at his feet.

These things put the LORD to the test and anger Him

  • Quarrelling, Complaining  out loud, to others, to yourself ,or  even behind closed doors
  • Rebelling against God and disobeying him, Hardening of the heart
  • Doubting God  In thought and action, privately and publicly
  • Treating God in contempt –disbelief in His power
  • Lying or trying to trick the LORD
  • Tasted and Seen God’s power and still remaining in doubt of his power to save

Negative Outcomes of Putting the LORD to the Test (Numbers 14)

  • Serious failure
  • Wondering  in extended  wilderness seasons
  • Death


WHEN IT IS ACCECTABLE TO TEST THE LORD

The scriptures show us that there are some instances where the LORD allows us to test Him. They may not be listed in the commandments but are as equally profound if applied in the daily life of every believer.

The first pertains to tithing. Malachi states that the people rob God by refusing to pay tithes and offerings.

“How are we robbing you?” “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse your whole nation because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe”, says the LORD Almighty.” Malachi 3:8 -11.

The second acceptable way to test God’s will is to offer your body as a living sacrifice.

“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the LORD- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12: 1-2

The acceptable conditions of when to test the LORD

  • In tithing;- Offer your tithe as worship and test the LORD and see him bless you
  • In knowing God’s will; – Offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God and be transformed by the renewing of mind and test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Positive outcomes of testing the Lord (Malachi 3 and Romans 12)

  • Abundant &  overflowing blessings upon more blessings not only for you, but also for  your family, and nation
  •  Transformation by the renewing of your mind
  • Learn God’s good pleasing perfect will  in your life in all situations and pertaining all spheres  of your influence

The Lord desires that we offer Him not only our substance but our whole selves .This is the only instance when He permits us to test Him. Oh taste and see that the LORD is good!

What does it mean to Fear the LORD?

Featured by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith, Walk of Faith

We are told that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom. But what does it mean really?

Perhaps you have been misled to think that God is unapproachable, too detached or even too busy to think of you let alone give an ear. The phrase “fear the Lord” has also been misunderstood and makes one flee from the Lord rather than run to him for help.

The fear of the Lord can be defined as having a specific sense of respect, awe and submission to God. To submit to him, you also need to obey and believe in his word and in his power. It sounds pretty straight forward but thankfully the scripture reveals more on this.

How to practice the Fear of the LORD

As believers it is imperative to study scripture thoroughly  and find what the Lord requires of us. After all the Lord promised that his Holy Spirit will help us and even teach us all things!

 Sadly many have confused the fear of the Lord with outward behavior and rituals, forgetting that it is a matter of the heart. Whatever is in your  heart eventually springs forth and will be visible to all. Today, you will see that despite your past, you can really learn how to fear the Lord.

Let’s take a look at a couple of verses from scripture that speak about Fearing the Lord

  • Psalms 34:11-14

Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

  • Job 1:8

“Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

  • James 3:9 -12

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

  • Matthew 15:17- 20

“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; 

Therefore we can deduce that Fearing The Lord is a matter of one’s Speech and Conduct.

  1. Speech

    a) Keep your tongue from Evil and Lips from telling lies
    Tame your tongue. The Lord despises a perverted mouth. I’m certain this goes for what we say about others as well as what we say and think about ourselves.
    The scriptures tell us that we should not use our mouths to both praise and curse. It seems that the curses spoken end up defiling the person, because out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. Jesus taught his disciples that the things that come out of a person’s mouth come out of the heart and these defile them.

    b) Praise God Alone
    The tongue and mouth should be an instrument with which we should praise God Alone and worship his Holy Name.
    If speaking evil defiles the heart then we can conclude that speaking  truth  sanctifies. Jesus prayed to God “Sanctify them by the  truth, your word is truth.” John 17: 17
    Hallelujah!! Let us use our lips and mouths to praise God and speak the truth.

    “Through  Jesus, therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others for with such sacrifices God is pleased”  Hebrews 13:15-16
  2. Conduct

    a) Turn from evil
    Change your ways and shun evil. In the event that evil hurls itself to your face, do what Joseph of old did (Genesis 39:10 – 12). He avoided Potiphar’s wife and when she caught him, he fled! Don’t try to prove yourself as “strong”enough in such situations.
    b) Do good
    Avoiding evil alone isn’t enough, you need to do good. Do what is good in God’s eyes, not your eyes!

     If you follow the story of Joseph, (Genesis 39 – 43) he was wrongly imprisoned by Potiphar. While in the dungeon, he did not become bitter nor did he wallow in self- pity. Infact the prison warden put him in charge of other prisoners. Joseph cared for them and was concerned about their wellbeing. He even asked one of the new in mates  ”Why do you look so sad today”?  This question alone would go a long way in rekindling many broken family relationships that exist today!
    To cut the story short, it  led to a conversation about dreams that eventually caused Joseph to meet Pharaoh who promptly elevated him to Governor of Egypt!

    c) Seek Peace and pursue it
    Take the initiative to make peace, take the first step to apologize and  ask for forgiveness. Show grace to those who have wronged you, like Joseph. He made peace with his brothers and did not retaliate though he had the power to do so. He reassured them in his speech and his actions backed what he said.

    He  not only forgave them ,but went ahead to invite all his brothers their families and his father to come live with him in Egypt where they would escape the severe famine and death.70 Persons in all he welcomed who later grew into an entire nation, the nation of Israel!

    d) Avoid Pride and embrace humility
    The Lord hates pride and arrogance. Pride also always comes before a fall. In today’s world we so often mistake pride for confidence and humility for weakness.

Why Fear the LORD?

  • He reveals his ways to those who fear him.
    ”The Lord confides in those who fear him and makes his covenant known to them.” Psalms 25: 14
  • You will lack no good thing
    “Fear the LORD you his holy people for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry but those who fear the Lord lack no good thing” Psalms 34: 9
  • Pathway to wisdom
    “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom” Psalms 111:10
  • You will be protected and blessed by God
    “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” Psalms 33:18
    “Praise the LORD .Blessed are those who fear the LORD who find great delight in his commands.” Psalms 112:1
  • The Lord loves those who fear him
    “As a Father has compassion on his children so does the Lord have compassion on those who fear him” Psalms 103:13
    “From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him” Psalms 103:17

I’m sure by now you are convinced that one can learn to fear the Lord, this is only the beginning of wisdom. You should be on track to enjoying a wonderful and intimate relationship with the LORD. God bless you.

IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION

by ComeFullCircleblog, posted in Faith, Mental Health, Social Issues

Perfect Perfection

If there was one unconscious desire that all humans had it would be the pursuit of perfect perfection. Many wish they were  born into the perfect family, attended the perfect school, got perfect grades ,perfect friends, perfect scholarship, perfect  internship, perfect job, perfect employer, perfect BFF, Perfect boss, perfect customer service, perfect neighbor, perfect date, perfect  dress ,perfect suit, perfect phone ,perfect car, perfect ring, perfect performance, perfect house, perfect spouse, perfect body, perfect child, perfect city, perfect country, perfect world .Let me burst that bubble right here. We are undoubtedly in awe of perfect perfection yet we are imperfect beings!

The irony of life is an imperfect being demanding for perfection ,yet they themselves fall short and are making zero attempts to improve.

  • A parent demanding absolute obedience from their children, yet they themselves are blatantly disobedient .
  • An unfaithful spouse demanding perfect loyalty from their partner.
  • Incompetent leaders demanding nothing but the utmost performance.
  • A citizen criticizing their government for corruption while disregarding  their own thievery
  • Decrying  the immoral state of the community yet one’s life is in the proverbial immoral gutter.

No one is Perfect

 Interestingly those who seem perfect to the rest of the world are seen as super human; the most disciplined ,the most accomplished, the wealthiest, the healthiest and strongest , the fastest, most influential. This is not entirely negative as it spurs progress and encourages humanity to reach higher heights .They may appear perfect but are instead committed to a serious pursuit of excellence. We should all aspire for excellence and applaud those who do as they show the rest of the world that excellence is achievable.

Acknowledging that no one is perfect should never be an excuse for us to knowingly continue living in apathy or in sin. We should instead admit to ourselves first that we messed up and admit the same to God and guess what, He NEVER Condemns Us. He is Waiting for us to come to him and he will receive us with open arms.

Many of Us find it difficult to do so as we have a distorted view of who God is, some may see him as aloof and too far off, a mean school principal or judge or even an angry old man  . These  are just wrong perceptions tainted by unfortunate incidents  in your past!

He is a Loving Father, The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He is a Faithful and Just God .We are also promised that If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Hallelujah!!

Despite Our Imperfection, We Are Made Righteous

God knows  that we are not perfect beings, he wants us to rely on him on his strength and his mercy. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

The Gospel reveals the righteousness of God – a righteousness that is by faith in Christ. The same Gospel declares the good news to all, that God sent his own  Son to die for all our sins. He took our sins to the cross and in exchange we got HIS Righteousness!

“ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3: 21 -24


The Only Perfect One

The Perfect One

The Perfect One

The Only Perfect One

He is perfectly Compassionate, He is LOVE

He perfectly True, He Is TRUTH

He is Perfectly Good, He is GREAT

He is perfectly Pure, He is HOLY

He is perfectly Right, He is RIGHTEOUS

He is perfect Power, He is POWERFUL

He is perfectly Strong, He is STRENGTH

He is perfect Glory , He is GLORIOUS

He is perfect Splendor, He is MAGNIFICENT MAJESTY

He is perfect Salvation ,HE is JESUS CHRIST

Comefullcircle.life