Are Believers Still Under a Curse?

“Then another message came to me from the LORD: “Why do you quote this proverb in the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not say this proverb anymore in Israel. For all people are mine to judge – both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies”. Ezekiel 18:1-4 (NLT)

It beats my imagination therefore, when a lot of people who are born again keep complaining that the reason they are not progressing is because of the ancestral curses following them. Some accuse such curses as being the reason why they are always sick, barren, retrogressive, poor, struggling, unfortunate, not promoted, etc.

They believe their grand parents did something sacrilegious and were cursed by certain persons or powers; and as a result the curses have now cut across several generations to affect them. They also say that until deliverance is conducted on you by somebody with a higher authority, you would never be free if you are really under such curses, spells, jinxes, misfortunes, etc.

But are you really cursed?
In the Old Testament, there were portions where it was mentioned that the children would suffer for the sins of their parents. One of such is found in the book of Exodus 20:4-6 “Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations”.

The above quotation from Exodus has in itself put a lot of believers in bondage because they keep making reference to it and fail to balance the bible. In Deuteronomy 24:16 God changed His mind and decided instead, that only those who sinned should die – not their children anymore.

However, if a man sinned and attracted a curse upon himself and his family, the curse may be transmitted to the next generations if they follow their father’s footsteps and refuse to accept the LORD Jesus Christ into their lives as their Lord and savior. If you repent and refuse to follow the footsteps of your wicked father, the transmission line is broken. You will not inherit his sins and curses.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour, His blood washes you clean from all destructive covenants and curses. “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” 2 Cor.5:17 (NLT).

Why are we still held in bondage?
It is apparently not the curses of our ancestors that are holding us in captivity. There are other reasons why we are where we are today. Until such issues are decisively dealt with, we may continue to remain there.

1.Ignorance: Living in ignorance is the worst thing that could ever happen to any believer. If you don’t know your right, the devil would keep you in perpetual darkness and captivity. You need to know what the word of God says – that you are no longer under a curse.

2.Our character: The reason some believers fail to make a headway in life is because thy refuse to shed their old character after accepting Christ. You need to confess your past and forsake them. Confession without forsaking your old negative characters would surely keep you under a severe yoke. Your bad character can drive away your potential deliverer, employer, husband, wife, etc.

3.Forces of darkness: One of the reasons why Christians suffer is as a result of attacks from the forces of darkness. This is different from inheriting a curse. The enemies of God’s people keep attacking them to force them into denying God or forsaking their new found faith. 4.Genetic inheritance: This applies to issues like certain illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, sickle cell disease, etc. They are transmitted genetically from parents to their children. But they are not a result of a curse. They are purely scientific issues.

We therefore need to study God’s word and understand it properly to cure our ignorance. We also need to avoid old fables and purge our hearts of doctrines not supported by scriptures. God loves us and has good thought for us.

If you still feel there is a curse in your life that is limiting you, simply ask God to open your understanding to the truth of the Scripture and strengthen your faith. Please take a look at the following scriptural verse: Jer.31:28 – 34

Can You Separate Faith From Work?

Faith is not just a feeling, belief or confession; it does not just exist on its own, and as such cannot be completely separated from work. Some people believe that once they profess to trust God or to believe  His word, everything is finished; and then they would go and relax, waiting for results to come without any form of action.

Come to think of it, why did the bible say that “the demons believe God and they tremble?” (James 2:19 & 20). Does that make demons to be Christians? The answer, of course, is an emphatic ‘NO’. Demons may believe that God is real and that he made the heavens and the earth; but if they do not take action to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal savior, their belief amounts to nothing.

While was Abraham called the father of faith? Was it because he believed what God said? After all, he faltered along the line and slept with his housemaid Hagar. The reason he was addressed as the father of faith was because of the actions he took. First, when God asked him to leave Ur of the Chaldeans to a place He (God) would show him, Abraham believed God completely and he took action by leaving his father Terah and followed God’s direction.

Besides, when God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac, he didn’t argue; he knew that Jehovah Almighty was capable of giving him back what he would offer. He took action and took his son to the mountain of Moriah until God divinely intervened. His faith was totally backed with work.

The bible also says that faith that is not backed by good works amounts to nothing (James 2: 14-18). When you process to be a believer, you must back up your profession with good deeds. When you hear God’s voice, you also need to be proactive; you need not to be a passive observer of His command, you must take action and do what He says you should do before you start getting results.

If you are looking for a job for example, you must go and submit your CV to the company you hope would employ you. Don’t stay in the house and hope to get an invitation for interview when nobody knows your phone or email address. When you have submitted your CV, you put your trust on God to touch the management of the company to invite you for a job interview.

You get results because first you believed God; and second you took action which is a back up to your faith. If a prophet gives you a message from God for example and gives you instructions as to what to do, you must follow his instructions otherwise your belief without taking action would never earn you a positive result.

How To Build Up Your Faith in God

Developing a rock-solid faith could be an uphill task sometimes; but it could also be a simple thing to do if one understands the steps to take. It is the number one ingredient needed to please God as a believer: to please God, you must first believe that he lives and that he is able to reward those who earnestly seek him (including you).

Has God ever done anything unique for you or anything that would have been impossible from the human angle? Then you have a reason to develop your faith further because if what he did would otherwise have been very difficult or impossible then you should trust more in his ability to do the impossible or the extra-ordinary.

Have you ever woken up at midnight and your child takes ill and there is no vehicle to transport your ailing child to the nearest hospital? The acute sickness became so threatening that you concluded your baby would die before dawn? If in that circumstance you prayed and he/she suddenly gets well, your testimony should encourage you to build your faith in God.

If you have been close to a friend who suffered a terminal disease maybe liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, lung cancer, tumour of the brain, etc; and the doctors at a point ruled that he/she would definitely die in few days and you went on your knees to seek God’s face and your friend got healed, that should motivate you to put your trust in God.

Have you ever come face-to-face with death, maybe you got involved in an auto crash and remained unconscious for days or weeks and the prayer of the brethren sustained you? It shows that the mercies of God can actually do beyond what the orthodox medicine could do.

Albert Einstein was once told by his class teacher that nothing good could come out of him (Einstein): that was when he was about 14 years. But at 26 he propounded “the law of relativism”. Do you think his teacher or his parents gave him special tutorials? No, of course! The hand of God was at work in his life. If you could trust God for once, he can change your life story. Believe that the same God who did it for Albert Einstein could do it for you.

Sometimes you approach God for a thing in prayer and give him a sign to be sure he actually answers your prayers. You wait for the sign to come to pass. Surprisingly it comes to pass without anybody else assisting you to get that desired result. It is enough to help you develop your faith in him because he answers prayer.

To build your faith therefore, reappraise your life; look at those things God has done which no man could easily do for you. Acknowledge him as the source of those miracles. Believe he is trustworthy and that he would never disappoint you if you put your trust in him. Build on that trust; have that firm belief that even in the future God is able to handle all difficult situations you may come across in life.

Disciples Of Jesus Christ - What It Takes To Be One

A disciple is one who is willing to follow and learn from Jesus Christ; one who is ready to learn his physical attributes and aspire to be endued with his spiritual qualities as well.
Discipleship is about learning from him and transmitting that which you have learnt from him to those you are going to raise.

Christianity would be incomplete if the early disciples like Simon Peter, Andrew, James the son of Zebedee, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus did not follow Christ religiously and carry out ‘The Great Commission’.

They stayed with and learned from the master: they imbibed his teachings and transmitted all he taught them to the next generations of believers to ensure there was continuity.

In order for one to be a good disciple, one needs to have the following qualities:
1. Willingness to learn: One must be willing to learn from Christ himself or from those who have been disciples themselves. One must be prepared to study the word of God at all times and put on the qualities of the master as written down therein.

2. Obedience: he must be ready to be obedient to the authority of God, Christ and the leaders of the church. Anyone who is not ready to obey established authorities is not ready to be a disciple.

3. Persecution: he should be ready to face persecution as well because the master made it clear that his followers must be ready to face persecution just as he did since a servant cannot be greater than his master.

4. Patience: Such a person must be patient because Christ demonstrated his strength by being patient.

5. Love: One great attribute of Jesus was his love and compassion for humanity and the dying soul. He’s always moved to compassion at the suffering of man and is always ready to do something to alleviate human suffering and pain.

6. Faith: A disciple must have faith in his master; he must believe in the master’s ability to meet his needs, take care of him and protect him. He must believe that no matter the circumstances the master is always there to answer him whenever he called.

7. Zeal: Such a person must also have the zeal and hunger to be like his master. Peter was one such example who kept striving to be like Jesus Christ; he even asked Christ to invite him to walk on the water like himself.

8. Raise others: Christ instructed Peter to take care of the sheep. He also told the disciples to teach all nations in his name. His followers should therefore be willing not only to teach others, but to also to support them in the Lord.

As one who wants to be a disciple of the Lord, are you ready to carry the cross that he carried? Are you ready to learn from him and carry out the great commission? Think about what it takes to be one and make up your mind to follow the master to the end.

How to Teach the Lessons of The Bible More Effectively

To teach the lessons of the bible could be both easy and difficult tasks: to be able to do so effectively, one requires certain tools at one’s disposal. You need tools that are both within yourself and the ones outside you to be able to present biblical truth in such a way as to convince your hearers that you are worthy to a teacher of God’s word.

In the first place, to teach is to show somebody how to do something so that they will be able to it themselves. Whatever you want to bring to the knowledge of your students or hearers must be something that you are able to do yourself.

1. Your personal lifestyle: Teaching the bible is not all about telling somebody what you cannot do yourself; it is not telling somebody to do what you have never practiced. It is telling somebody what you know you have been doing as spelt out in the word of God. You don’t have to be a hypocrite: you will only effectively teach the bible by the kind of lifestyle you lead.

You cannot be an effective teacher if you talk about not stealing and yet you steal. If you must tell your students not to be disobedient, you have to be willing to obey authorities yourself. If you come out to teach based on what you have been able to practice from the word of God, you would an effective teacher of the scripture.

2. Witness of the Holy Spirit: One other way to be able to teach the lessons of the bible more effectively is for you to depend on the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”.

Therefore, for you to be able to effectively teach the lessons of the bible, you need first of all to be taught all biblical truths by the Holy Spirit. It is when you have these truths that you will be able to pass them on to your students or listeners.

3. Biblical knowledge: You need also to acquire knowledge of the scriptures. You need to be taught by somebody who has been taught himself. One way to do this is to have a mentor – somebody who is versed in the word of God and can interpret scriptures correctly.

Another way you can also acquire knowledge of the scripture is for you to attend a bible school. You can do this as a full time student, part time student or through a distant learning programme. When you are adequately taught, it becomes easier for you to teach others effectively (2 Tim.2:15). You cannot teach and impart the right knowledge if you are ignorant yourself.

4. Good approach: Your approach to teaching would also determine whether your lessons would be effective or not. You should be ready to be gentle and make the lessons interesting to the person you are teaching. If you are harsh with your students, they will not find the lessons attractive. If the lessons are not attractive, it would be difficult for them to be effective.

Make the teaching an interactive one and you would get the attention of all your students. When you are able to get their attention, it becomes easier to get the lesson across to them.

The Role Women Play in Christian Society

Women have different roles to play in the Christian society. Like their male counterparts, their contributions are necessary for the growth and for the proper functioning of the Christian society.

The duties they perform cannot be overemphasized. During the period of Christ, in the apostolic era and in this very dispensation, they continue to play special roles to advance Christianity; though the duties have slightly changed within these periods.

Some of the special roles they play therefore include but are not limited to the following:
1. Pastoral support: It is significant to note that during Christ’s time, women played the roles of supporters (ministers) who were always around to provide special cares for the needs of the pastor (Christ) and his Apostles. Among these women were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James; Joanna, etc. Women still take care of the pastors today. Some play this role as deaconesses.

2. Marriage counselors: One other role they play is that of a marriage counselor. The bible says the older women should teach the younger ones how to obey their husbands. Matured women who are versed in the word of God perform the duties of marriage counselors and help the younger ones to set their marriages in order, and help prevent marital conflicts and divorce.

What Does Eating of Meat Have to Do With Religion?

The issue of having to eat or not to eat meat by certain religions has been a major source of disagreement by their followers. It has also made some religions to see themselves as the ones approved of God; while others are looked down upon as inferior.

Forbidding of certain foods/meats was practiced in the Mosaic era, and it went on until it was abolished by God in the apostolic day, by divine order to Apostle Peter (Acts 10: 9-16). Just as the order to abstain from certain foods was divinely given through Moses, the abolition of the law of abstinence was also passed to Apostle Peter by divine instruction/revelation.

God had earlier instructed Moses that the people of Israel should abstain from the consumption of animals like Coney, hare, swine, weasel, mouse, tortoise, ferret, chameleon, lizard, snail, eagle, ossifrage, osprey, vulture, kite, raven, owl, cormorant, cuckoo, etc. He told them that anyone who ate them would be made unclean by them.

The people were also instructed not to eat the blood of animals as the life of the animal is in the blood (Deut.12:16, 23-25). Anyone who ate blood would be guilty and would be stoned to death (Lev.17:14). The people religiously obeyed these instructions.

But with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, certain portions of the Mosaic laws were modified (including abstinence from eating certain meats). God’s revelation to Apostle Peter made it clear that whatever God created and had made clean should no longer be called ‘unclean’.

However, today, some religions (even some Christian sects) still forbid their members from eating certain foods or meats which they term ‘unclean. Some religions are doing this by calling themselves Vegetarians. Others abstain from some foods during a particular period as part of their spiritual exercises.

However, Apostle Paul made it clear that the only reason a Christian should forbid any food is if it weakens the faith of his brother who is not yet strong in the faith. Otherwise no Christian is justified by abstaining from food or meat. Justification comes only by our faith in the redemption works of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus himself declared that it is not what goes into a man that condemns him; but that which comes out of him. It is not the food and meat that destroys the man but the evil thoughts emanating from his heart.

Nevertheless, the general consensus among the Apostles is that all should abstain from eating the blood of animals, strangled meat, fornication and idolatry. To ask a man to forbid certain foods would amount to laying a burden on such person.

Everything God has created should be received by faith when offered to you. We are to eat any food without questioning the source, or whether it has been offered to an idol. Abstaining from certain meats is to try to please to law or live by it. We understand that no one can please the law.

The law brings death, and living by the law makes one a slave to the requirements of the law. But putting our faith in the works of Christ brings life. We cannot earn salvation by strictly observing the law; salvation can only be found in Christ Jesus.

10 Rules Of Prosperity

When one is prosperous it means he/she is successful; and everyone wants to be successful or at least associate with people who are succeeding in their businesses, ministries, academics or chosen careers.

Prosperity does not just come into one’s laps; there are laid down rules that one has to follow if one expects to be prosperous. These rules, when faithfully obeyed set the stage for you to walk into success.

1. Put God First: God is the source of success; so if we truly want to be prosperous, we must learn to put God first in whatever we do. We must learn to do his will and acknowledge him as the source of our prosperity. Putting God first makes it easier for us to get his heavenly and earthly blessings.

2. Live in simple obedience: God himself has given us some of the principles that would enable us to prosper. Some of those things he says we should do include paying our tithes faithfully, as well as paying our offerings. Besides, he says we should keep his commandments. It would be difficult for us to excel if we live in deliberate disobedience to God’s instructions.

3. Be diligent: God rewards diligence (careful and thorough work), and if you are hard working, he would be pleased to bless the work of your hands. And when he blesses your hand work, success comes.

Reformation Through Jesus Christ

The greatest reformation that ever comes to a man or nations comes through the power of Jesus Christ. When a man willingly surrenders his life to the Lord, he is reformed: the same is true for nations. Nothing changes a person like the blood of the risen saviour.

Ade came out a changed man after being to prison for the 5th time. This change did not come by the effort of the government or the prison warders; efforts had been made to change him in his previous periods of imprisonment to no avail.

Ade had become notorious in the state and had particularly terrorized his neighbourhood for years. This in turn took him to prison for five good times with the hope of rehabilitating him while there. Surprisingly, each time he went there, he came back more hardened than before.

He had formed his criminal gangs with which he unleashed terror on his neighbourhood: nobody dared challenge him. He trained some youths on how to smoke marijuana, cocaine, and even how to rob. Most of the boys that were caught in robbery and burglary eventually pointed their fingers back to their sponsor, Ade.

He became a regular inmate of the prison; he never showed any remorse for his criminal acts. Going to prison was like going to a tourist attraction; he seemed to enjoy every bit of his experience while there. He did nothing to change his ways. First time he was imprisoned for raping a girl of five. Just four months after his release, he was imprisoned again for burglary. And the story continued just like that – from one crime to another.

Each time he went to prison, instead of changing for good, he came back with a new criminal skill. At a time he became so deadly and violent that the conventional police were afraid to come and arrest him each time he committed a crime. So on such occasions, mobile policemen were drafted to arrest him. The government did everything to see that he got out of crime but nothing worked. They even offered him a lucrative job which he did for only six months and abandoned it for the jungle.

Then on his fifth time in prison, something remarkable happened to him. A pastor from one of the churches around went there as part of his prison outreach. He preached Jesus Christ to him; and for the first time in his life, Ade wept like a baby. His heart was broken: he accepted Jesus Christ into his life and then promised never to go back to his old ways. The pastor gave him a bible which he promised to read. He kept coming to see him to make sure he actually read his bible daily.

Within a few months it became visible to other inmates and the prison authority that something new had happened to Ade. He was released few months later and now lives peacefully with his neighbours; he no longer steals, do drugs or sponsor criminals. Some of the boys who had been part of his gang have also repented. What the power of the state could not achieve, Jesus Christ did it for him and brought a lasting peace to his neighbourhood. He is the only one that brings true reformation to any society or persons.

Tithe: Has It Been Cancelled By JesusChrist?

The issue of paying tithes has become a thing of confusion and debate by different Christian denominations. Some see it as mandatory while others see it as exploitative and unbiblical. Some even believe that when it is paid, it goes into the pastor’s pocket; so they would rather keep their moneys than enrich the pastors.

Tithe is the one-tenth of an individual’s income which he/she pays to God as a way of appreciating him for securing his business or job. It is instructed by God that it should be paid from our incomes (Malachi 3:10), and on our lands (Lev.27:30).

Our patriarchs Abraham and Jacob paid tithes (Gen.14:18-28, 28:22), and we are to follow their example by giving what belongs to God to him. God declared in Malachi 3:8-12 that we rob him if we do not pay our tithes; he also challenged us to pay up and see if he would not protect our establishments, and also release his divine blessings upon our lives.

What did Jesus say concerning tithe?
Jesus said “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Matt.23:23) KJV.

Do you now see the portion “this ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone?” He did not in any way say he had abolished tithing; he only condemned the act of selective implementation. He condemned the act of doing one and neglecting the other; he made it clear that tithing and judgment, mercy and faith were all necessary, and that one should not be shoved aside because we want to observe the other.

We should therefore be careful when we preach the word of God and be sure we rightly interpret what is written therein. We should not seek to be heroes by deliberately omitting some portions of God’s word. When we are tempted to do so, we should remember what is written in Rev.22:18-19.

By the way, why do we have to pay tithes?
Tithes are paid so that there is abundance in the house of God (Mal.3:10), to honour God (Prov.3:9), and to make sure the house of God is well maintained and the church workers are taken care of.

It is not our duties to determine who eats the tithes; we pay it to God and receive our blessings for being obedient. God on the other hand chooses his pastors, priests or Levites as the case may be and gives them permission to eat from that which is paid to him (God). We should therefore remove our eyes and attention from that which is not ours so that we could receive God’s blessing. We lose our blessings when we pay our tithes grudgingly.

We also pay it as a way of providing spiritual insurance for our businesses, and rebuking the devourer from them. Disobeying God’s order has led many business men and workers into losing their businesses and jobs. A lot of people have lost their life investments to fraudsters because of their refusal to pay their tithe. So pay yours and ask God to use it as a contact point to bless you and your business.

Abortion; Is ItThe OnlyOption?

Abortion is the emptying of the pregnant uterus before the 28th week. It can be spontaneous (occurring on its own) or induced (intentional); when it is induced, it means it has been deliberately initiated by a person (qualified or otherwise) for reasons believed to be in the interest of the mother and family.

For the sake of clarity, we shall be concerned about induced abortion. It is intentionally getting rid of the foetus for medical or aesthetic reasons; a young lady gets pregnant and the doctor feels that she might not be able to deliver the baby either because her reproductive system is still immature or because it would endanger her life.

Induced abortion could either be legal, in which case the law permits that it should be carried out in order to save the life of the mother; or it could be criminal, in which case it is done for reasons other than those permitted by the law. There are risks involved in either case, but the advantage has to be weighed against the disadvantage before a legal abortion is contemplated.

Why Should There Be An Induced Abortion?
The medical team feels that allowing the pregnancy to continue would definitely endanger the mother’s life. This could be as a result of the fact that the woman has a medical challenge e.g. congestive cardiac failure, severe sickle cell crisis, chronic renal failure, etc, and if the pregnancy is not terminated she could die as a result of excessive stress.

It could also be contemplated if it is feared that the foetus is going to be born with severe deformity as a result of conditions like Rubella (German measles) of the pregnant mother; or in a situation where an ultra sound scan shows that the unborn baby has Amelia (absence of limbs), Anencephalous (without brain), etc. The medical team may decide to terminate such pregnancy to save the mother from mental stress.

Criminal abortion on the other hand involves terminating the pregnancy for other reasons not permitted by law e.g. when a lady feels that pregnancy would make her not look young and beautiful anymore; or when she feels she is not yet ready to have a baby, or when the family feels having a child outside of wedlock would tarnish the family name.

What Does The Bible Say?
“Thou shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13; Deut.5:17; Matt.5:21). God does not permit killing or murder for any reason especially when it has to do with satisfying your selfish interest. We should be aware that the foetus is a human life and has the right to live. We must not pretend by calling it another name or assume that it is too small to be considered a human being. Humans don’t carry the zygote of goats, dogs, horses, crocodiles, etc; they carry only human zygote. So, when the male and female gametes unite, the product is a human being (living), and within a short time all the human parts become obvious.

Why Should We Not Carry Out An Abortion?
1.It is against God’s desire and law
2.It leads to termination of human life
3.It destroys the lives of future leaders, scientists, teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, business men, soldiers, etc
4.It could become septic and endanger the life of the mother
5.It could become complicated, thereby making the woman unable to have children when she is ready
6.It brings guilt feelings to the person involved.

When you are contemplating an abortion, you must think of whom to obey; whether God, professional ethics, your personal beauty or family name. It may be justifiable to terminate a pregnancy because the baby is already dead or macerated; or because of the fact that the Ultra Sound Scan showed that it has anencephalus. For any other reason (maybe for the mother’s health, Rubella, etc), allow God to decide what happens next.

If you ever get pregnant accidentally, kindly carry the pregnancy to term; have the baby. If your family refuses to accept the baby, and you are not ready to take responsibility, you should give it to the motherless babies’ home where it could be nursed or where somebody would legally adopt the baby.

10 Reasons Why People Go To Church

There are several reasons why people go to church nowadays, some of which include in order to follow God’s directives, and to worship him in holiness. Others go there for selfish motives, just to please themselves; not minding what God thinks of them.

The reasons why people go to church therefore include the following:
1. To Seek God: there are genuine seekers of God, who come to the church because they feel that it is the right place to meet with God. They come with contrite hearts; they are ready to do whatever would bring them into a better fellowship with their maker. They listen to what the pastor says, compare it with the scripture, and allow it to impart their lives positively. Their primary reason for being there is because they need a change in their lives. These are the true followers/worshippers of God.

2. To seek for partners: there are those who believe that the best place to get a genuine life partner is the church. So they come there primarily to look for a wife or husband; and they may not have a place in their hearts for the word of God to dwell. Once they get what they want, they take their leave. These ones could easily be deceived by the devil, and by pretence from the persons they have chased into the church, and eventually most of them end up getting a counterfeit partner. Just as they came for the sole purpose of getting a partner, so also are there others who came for the same reason, and have no word of God in them. They eventually end up linking up with one another.

Unequal Yoke; What Does It Mean?

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” (2Cor.6:14). Christ expects his followers to maintain a close relationship with themselves, especially when it comes to spiritual things, and maintain a lesser one with unbelievers.

Unbelievers are those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, and as such, they are not a part of his fold. He demands that his sheep be separate from them so as not to be corrupt. True believers therefore should know their limit when it comes to relating with unbelievers. He is not saying that they should not relate at all with the unbelievers; rather he is asking that they should not become intimate with them.

Why should there be a separation?

1. Belief: two people cannot work together except there is an agreement. The believers in Christ and the unbelievers do not share the same belief; so it would be very difficult for them to work harmoniously since there is no basis for them to agree with one another. For instance, the believers accept that Jesus Christ is lord but the unbelievers don’t. Christ’s followers also accept the reality of heaven and hell fire: but those who are not his followers don’t share this reality. So it would be wise for believers to separate themselves from people who are capable of making them lose their belief.

2. No fear of God: anyone who has no Jesus Christ in his life has no fear for God: so it is potentially harmful for God’s children to associate with such persons. The reason why such people lie, fornicate, rebel against authority, etc. is because they do not have the fear of God in their lives. In order to guard his children, Jesus has therefore advised them not to mingle with such people.

3. Practice of evil: Unbelievers also indulge in ritual killings, idolatry, fetishism, etc, and God had on several occasions warned his children to have nothing to do with these kinds of practices. It is therefore necessary to separate themselves from anyone capable of influencing them into doing that which would offend God.

4. Polygamy / divorce: Monogamy is one of the hallmarks of Christianity, and God does not take it kindly with any Christian who goes into polygamy. Polygamy remains one of the hallmarks of the unbelievers; since they have contrasting ideologies, it would be wise to separate them.

Unequal yoke makes people with different opinions, ideologies and perceptions to be brought into a relationship that would not produce anything good. People of God should be aware of these differences, and seek to establish relationships with fellow believers that would help them grow in their spiritual lives and enhance their doctrinal beliefs.

Why We Must Not Neglect The Power Of The Holy Spirit

“You are completely empty; you need the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to overcome your present predicament”, the Pastor said, as Jonathan remained mute and stared into space. He looked puzzled and continued to stare from one face to the other.

Jonathan was a new convert in one of the Pentecostal churches; he had become enthusiastic about joining the church’s evangelism team. Though he had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit; he felt his enthusiasm and academic knowledge would be enough to make him succeed.

Some members of the team had advised him to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit, since he could never use human wisdom and academic prowess to convert souls for Christ. He argued that as a young man with a Bachelor’s degree in English Language, he knew the right tenses to apply in preaching the gospel. He felt his oratory would be enough to win the hardest of souls to Christ.

Besides, Jonathan did not even believe in demons and their manipulative powers. He concluded that demons existed in some people’s imagination, and that it was more of illusion than reality.

But on that particular morning, he had gone out for open-air preaching, in company of three other members of the evangelism team. They got to the bus stop where he was to preach; and as soon as he stepped forward and shouted ‘praise the lord’, a young man appeared from nowhere and pointed his finger at him. He lost his voice and became disorientated to persons and time. The members of the team managed to rush him to the church, where the pastor prayed for him before he regained his voice and senses.

So many believers today try to import their intellectualism into the church and feel they could do without the Holy Spirit: they end up committing spiritual blunders, because spiritual assignments are not done by academic knowledge. They require spiritual knowledge and the backing of the Holy Spirit to do them successfully.

Having given your life to Jesus Christ, you need to ask him to fill you with the baptism of the Holy Spirit as he promised (Acts2:38-39). Believe that the gift would be given to you. Give thanks to God because of the assurance that the Holy Spirit’s baptism would be given to you. If you believe and maintain your faith, Jesus will fill you with this power. He has always given to those who believe in him; so he will also give to you because he keeps his word. He knows the challenges that you would face as you go about doing his work; he’s interested to empower you so you would succeed in doing the work he has called you to do.

7 Reasons Why You Need The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the single most important source of help that every child of God needs in order to lead a good Christian life. Without him in our lives, we can never live lives that would satisfactorily please God. Every believer must therefore seek to have him in their lives.

When the Holy Spirit dwells in our lives, there are several things he would help us to do as Christians.

1.He makes us holy: We are told that we must be holy if we are to be relevant in God’s kingdom. We can only get the power to live holy lives through the Holy Spirit. Every believer should therefore submit to him and ask him to make them holy. (Rom.15:16; Thess.2:13; 1st Pet.1:15-16)

2.He links us to God: It is the Holy Spirit that establishes the link between us and God; because it is impossible for us to see God with our canal eyes. Every believer should seek his help, so as to be able to enjoy a better relationship with God. (John 15:26)

3.He gives us new life: We cannot see God with our sin-infested, corrupt, old bodies. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit renews us and gives us the spirit that is acceptable unto God (John 3:5-6; Titus 3:5)
4.He reveals God secrets: There are things God has kept away from the canal man; which would only be revealed to those who have his spirit. When the Holy Spirit dwells in you, he reveals those special secrets to you. (1Cor.14:16-18)

5.He brings us into fellowship: He brings us into fellowship with himself and with God. There are lots of benefits we derive from enjoying a fellowship with him. He shows us things to come; he reveals the truth about Jesus Christ and helps us to live a good Christian life. (2Cor.13:14; Phili.2:1)

6.He will raise us from the dead: The hope of any Christian is that he should be raised from the dead, into the kingdom prepared by Christ; where he would live for eternity. This hope could only be realized by the power of the Holy Spirit. You are sure of your resurrection on the last day, if you have him in your life (Rom.8:11)

7.He gives us talents: All the talents we need to succeed in our Christian lives, and to earn a living, come from him. He gives to us as he wishes. (Ex.31:2-3)

You need to surrender to Jesus Christ as your lord and personal saviour, and then you can ask him to fill you with the promised Holy Spirit. If you want to give your life to him, you may say this simple prayer: Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you today. I accept you as my lord and saviour, because I know you died to set me free from sin and death. Fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit, that I might be able to live a successful Christian life. Thank you for granting my request. Amen.

Holy Spirit; Why We All Need Him

The Holy Spirit is needed by everyone who wants to succeed in his/her Christian life; he plays an important roll in our growth as believers. He is a part of the trinity (Three-in-one God); and was promised to al Christians by our lord Jesus Christ

The Holy Spirit is essential to all believers for the following reason:
1.He is our teacher: He teaches us all spiritual truths, and makes us remember all we have learnt. We therefore need him if we are to make it as student of the kingdom (John 14:26)

2.He encourages us: Heavenly race is such a challenging one, with trials, temptations and tribulations which could easily make us fall along the way. The Holly Spirit keeps encouraging us as we are faced by these challenges, and keeps us moving toward our goal. His presence in our lives makes the race an easier one to run (Act 9:31).

3.Helps us to pray: Sometimes we become confused as to how to pray and what to ask from God. Sometimes we are too tired to pray, and when we kneel down we just keep struggling. At times like these, he comes in to assist us: he then directs us on what to say and also gives us the strength to pray (Romans 8:26-27).

4.He convicts us of sin: Everyone was a sinner before accepting Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and personal saviour. Occasionally we still get caught in the web of sin; it takes only the presence of the Holy Spirit for one to agree he’s truly a sinner, because he convicts us of our sin, and brings us to genuine repentance (John 16:8).

5.He empowers us: we would be powerless as Christians, without his presence in our lives. It is he who gives us the power we need for evangelism, and to succeed in our tedious ministries. Our Christian success does not depend on physical strength; rather, it depends on the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. (Act 1:8; 6:6-10).

6.He counsels us: The Holy Spirit also advices us whenever we are making decisions, to ensure we do not make decisions that would lead us into danger and destruction. He helps us to take decisions that is best for whatever situations we find ourselves in (John 14:16)

7.Helps us overcome Satan: Without the Holy Spirit, Satan would destroy us in a twinkle of an eye; since we cannot withstand him with our natural strength. He provides us with the weapons needed to overcome Satan and stand to resist temptations that he brings on our ways (Eph 6:16-18).

8.He directs us: He also provides us the direction we need to take in our day to day work, and as we interact with others. We saw how he led Evangelist Philip to the way leading to Gaza, so as to preach the gospel to the Ethiopian Eunuch who needed salvation at that point in time (Ps 143:10; Act 8:29-39).

9.He controls us: We could be wild in our natural state; we could react negatively and aggressively when provoked. But he gives us self-control, and makes us see reason why we must not react in an unacceptable way (Rom 8:9). We need this great tool to be able to fit properly into society and touch people with our positive approach to life.

10. He admonishes us: He boldly tells us what our friend and families may not be able to tell us. He reproves when we do what is wrong: he does not pamper us. When he sees us doing what is against God’s standards, he immediately frond at it and point out to us, in other to save our soul from hell fire. (Neh.9:30).

How To Make Your Light Shine Before men

Christians are lights, and as such; they are expected to shine for the world to see. They are to illuminate their environment, so that those who have not known God would see their illumination and seek to know their God (Matt.5:16)

Just as light makes a difference in darkness, so Christians are expected to make a difference in this corrupt world. They are to lead by example: those who have not accepted Jesus Christ into their lives should see the difference in the lives of believers, and then desire to have in their own lives, those virtues that have distinguished believers from the unbelievers.

There are several ways we could shine for the world to see; and by shining and touching their lives with our lights, they would see us as true children of God. This could make them forsake their wicked ways and come into God’s kingdom.

1.Be a peace maker: One thing that would distinguish you as a light is when you become a peace maker. You should be a mediator and settle disagreements between people in your environment. When there are problems or disagreements between two or more people, you should not take side with anyone: rather, you should look for a way to resolve the conflict. (Matt.5:9)

2.Respect the law: You must obey the law if you are to positively influence unbelievers for Christ. You must not be a task evader; you must respect environmental laws, traffic laws, and also respect other people’s rights. By so doing you would earn the respect of the people around you; and they would listen when you tell them about Jesus Christ.

3.Live in harmony: You should live in harmony with all people; you shouldn’t be a trouble maker yourself. Be friendly with your neighbours (Christians and non-Christians): and when they intentionally provoke you, you should not react negatively. (Roms.12:18, 14:19; Heb.12:14, 1Peter 3:11).

4.Forgive others: When you forgive others their sins against you, you prove to them that you are a true follower of Jesus Christ.

5.Love others: Love people irrespective of their background, religion, race, social status, etc. When you do, they become attracted you: then you are able to influence them with your light.

6.Live what you preach: Your neighbours are watching to see you do what you preach. If you live what you preach, your life would influence them positively. They are watching if you steal, lie, fornicate, cheat, gossip, etc. So the best way to impart their lives is, never do a thing that would stain your reputation, or make them see you as a hypocrite.

7.Defend the weak: Be willing to be a mouthpiece for the weak; never join to oppress them. Don’t tolerate injustice or any form of segregation between the rich and the poor. You should ensure that the poor or the down trodden are fairly treated.

God Keeps His Covenant

God is trustworthy: he maintains his word and also respects whatever utterances he makes. He is mindful of his reputation and wants everyone to rely on his word – He keeps his covenant.

When God enters into a covenant with you, he gives himself fully into fulfilling the terms of the agreement. Though he is not compelled to respect the deal, he makes sure he keeps his own part, he does it out of his sincere love and out of respect for his spoken words.

God keeps several kinds of covenant with his children; some of them include:

1.Covenant of blessing: When we show him our sincere love and work in obedience to his word, he enters into an agreement to bless us. He makes sure he keeps to the terms of the agreement. One of the persons who enjoyed this kind of covenant was Noah. We are told in Gen.9:1-3, that God blessed Noah and his sons, and told them to multiply and fill the earth; and because of the existing relationship, Noah and his family were spared when the destructive rain came upon the earth. God blessed him and placed everything at his (Noah’s) command, to eat whatever animal, bird or vegetables he chose to eat. Abraham was also blessed abundantly after God entered into an agreement with him to bless him.

2.Covenant of establishment: When God enters into this kind of covenant with you, he makes sure you are established in every of your endeavors. King David enjoyed this kind of relationship with God and his dynasty of kings was established forever. (2Sam.7:11-16; 1Chr.17:10-14; Ps.89:28). Because of this unending love, David became the source through which the savior of the world, Jesus Christ came; and we all know that Jesus rulership is forever. That is in keeping God’s covenant with King David

3.Covenant of victory: When God establishes such a relationship with you, you will never suffer defeat in the hands of your enemies. He will never let you be humiliated or suffer losses. He keeps you perpetually above your enemies and on top of every situation. King David was a beneficiary and he never lost any battle all his life; even when he chose not to fight back, he still emerged victorious. (1Chr.17:10; Ps.91:14).

Is there anything he has told you he would do for you? Why don’t you trust him? He can never fail to keep his word. He never lies; he is not man that he should lie. He respects his word; he never forgets to do what he says he would do.

I Serve The God Of Prosperity

I have been a born-again Christian for 13 years now and my walk with God has made me discover and understand him the more. I now see him differently from the way I used to see him when I was an unbeliever; I have come to realize that he is a God of prosperity. There is no poverty and failure in him: Every good thing comes from him because he made all things good from the beginning and gave us dominion over all things, including failure and penury.

Examples abound in the scripture, of people whom God prospered and made great. I will only mention few of them because of time.

1.Abraham: God promised in (Gen 12:1-3) that he would make Abraham a great nation, bless him, make his name great and make him a blessing to others. He truly prospered Abraham. We understand he controlled wealth and even had 318 servants whom he fed daily. He became so contented width what he had that when he went to war he refused to take plunders.(Gen 14:14 -23)

2.King David: God also prospered King David and made him very comfortable financially. He was so blessed that he established about 11 different compromise(1 Chr 27:25-31) and was able to make ready abundant provisions for the building of the lord’s house (1 chr.28:2); though it was his son Solomon that would later build the temple.

3.King Solomon: He was another person that enjoyed God’s prosperity. God prospered him and honored him above all other kings. (1Kings 3:13) and when the queen of Sheba paid him a visit, she was dumb struck by the great wealth that oozed around him. She was amazed at King Solomon’s opulence. She respected him because of the number of people feeding from his table, the quality of food, the meat, their apparel, etc. (1Kings10:4-3). He also received several gifts and royalties from different people which made him prosper the more. (1Kings1010-12, 14-17)

What does God’s word say?
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3John 2) KJV. God desires that every of his child should prosper and live healthy life. He wants you to succeed in all spheres of life.

However, for you to enjoy this prosperity, you must believe in God’s word and obey him. His blessings do not come to those who live in habitual sin and are disobedient to his word. Expect him to prosper you as you enjoy a healthy relationship and fellowship with him.

Blasphemy; What Does It Mean?

Blasphemy is something done or said that shows disrespect for God or sacred things. God deserves to be honored and respected in the way we say, act or react to issues regarding him. We blaspheme God when we deliberately do things that will soil his name or show that we have no regard for him.

What amounts to blasphemy?
1.Idolatry: Worshiping idols, or bowing down before graven images amounts to blasphemy before God, because we give the glory that belongs to God, instead to the idols or images. (Neh.9:18; Ez.20:27-27)

2.Involvement in condemnable acts: When people get involved in condemnable acts, like rebellion, they blaspheme God. This was exactly what Lucifer did that cost him his position in heaven (Ez.28:14-18).

3.Persecuting the church: The Apostle Paul confessed being a blasphemer for persecuting the church of Jesus Christ. (1Tim.1:13). Anyone therefore who persecutes the people of God because of their belief, commits the sin of blasphemy.

4.Discrediting Jesus: The Jews kept attacking Jesus because they didn’t believe what he said concerning himself. They even refused to give him credit for most of the works he did. They believed he should not be called the son of God. This in itself amounted to blasphemy. (Matt.9:2-3; Matt.26:64-65; Mrk.2:7; John10:33)

5.Equating Jesus with Satan: Branding Jesus to be the same thing as Satan means blaspheming the name of God. To also say that Jesus uses the power of the devil, amounts to blasphemy (Matt.12:24-27; Mrk.3:22-26)

6.Substituting the Holy Spirit’s glory: When we refuse to give glory to the Holy Spirit for what he has done, or when we chose to give the glory to the devil as the source of a miracle which the Holy Spirit has performed, we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. (Matt.12:31-32)

7.Oppressing the poor: The act of oppressing the poor also amounts to blasphemy in the sight of God. (Josh.2:2-7)

8.Speaking against God’ word: One of the accusations the people brought against Stephen was that he spoke blasphemous words against the holy place and against the law (The word of God’s law). Acts 6:11-13

9.Speaking against God: The son of Shelomith was stoned to death because according to the Jews, he blasphemed by speaking against the lord God. (Lev.24:11-16).