The Greatest Gift of All Time

To many, Christmas is a season of giving—a time of giving to loved ones and those in need and putting a smile on someone's face. But many times, we forget where we emulate the reason why we give.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The human race was sentenced to death whether they did good or bad, but because of their nature, a nature that came about at the fall of man in Genesis 3. But God's love for the human race was so much that He gave a gift, the greatest gift of all whereby the whole world would be redeemed from death.

This gift was a total package, a chance to start afresh on a clean slate in a brand new life in its totality (ref.: 2 Corinthians 5:17). He was offered brand new health, wealth, and most of all a brand new spirit because he was offered the opportunity to have a new nature different from that which was sentenced to death. It was the perfect life because this life was the very life of God Himself (ref.: Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:3-6).

We give because He first gave. But in the spirit of giving, we should not forget the essence of Christmas. Our giving should point to Christ, as it should be done out of love for one another just as He loved us.

Even though we pick the 25th of December every year to celebrate the greatest gift from God to man, who is our Lord Jesus Christ, we should remember that every day we are to celebrate Christmas, for without the birth of Jesus, there wouldn't have been the redemption of man through His death, burial, and resurrection.

Jesus is our salvation, our full package, our reason for the season, our new life, and He is the greatest gift of all time.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t? Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations—you’re born again, and you are now brand new!

                                          

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GOD BLESS YOU.

 

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Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)

Understanding the Power of Our Creativity

Last time, I wrote on the power of imagination, the ability God gave every man allowing him or her to create. Every form of invention was an expression of man's creative ability. But since the fall of man, man's creative ability didn't stop, it still continued. So, wasn't having the creative ability a dangerous thing after the fall of man?

There is a lot of chaos in the world today. What do you think caused it? Man's creative abilities through imagination.

Man lost something fundamental when he fell: his relationship with God. His Spirit was different from that of God to the point Genesis 6:5 says, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually." AMPC.

When man fell, he was blind and lost his sense of direction. From the time of creation to the present, things created over time have caused chaos in one way or another.

However, what was lost was redeemed through our Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone born of God is expected to have this, and that is the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples before He left that He wouldn't leave them as orphans but would send them a Helper—the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth, who will abide with them (us) forever. He will teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance (ref.: John 14:15-18, 26).

The Spirit of Jesus (the Holy Spirit) in us is the bridge between man and the Father. Also remember that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus, is also God. He is the one who leads us in the proper way to create in line with the original system design of God Almighty.

So, how do we create without stepping on God's toes? Creativity is not controlled but an authentic expression of one's imagination brought into reality.

To answer this, let us take a closer look at the creation of man, the first and last Adam, and see the similarities. Genesis 1:26a says "26 God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness" AMPC. Then, let's take a look at John 5:19, which says, "Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."

To be created in the image and likeness of God implies that no matter how creative one could become, he cannot create outside of God, because he was created as He is in His likeness or ability. So, there is nothing we do that can come as a shock to God. So, Jesus said that He does nothing outside of who God is, because being the very essence of God Himself, it would only make sense to act as He is, which is to do only that which He sees His heavenly Father do.

To do anything outside of that is to act outside of who He is because to be made in the image and likeness of God is to be one in Spirit. As it says, "let Us" that is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (ref.: Genesis 1:26), implying oneness in Spirit, and thus bringing man into the spiritual bond, which includes his creativity.

This connection was what Adam lost when he fell in Genesis, but Jesus showed us the importance of the connection and also emphasised it to the Apostles in Luke 24:49, "'I will send the fulfillment of the Father’s promise to you, so stay here in the city until you are clothed with the mighty power of heaven.”' TPT. Thus, those who are redeemed (born again) are one in Spirit with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (ref.: Ephesians 4:4-6). Therefore, we are to sit at the Lord's feet consistently, to learn who He is, to then express who we are.

So, when the Psalmist said when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our heart (ref.: Psalm 37:4), what it really means is that when we spend time with the Lord, we then live our true lives, which is He's because we are one Spirit with Him. We know us because we knew Him first. We express our creativity because we understand God's creation first.

Everything has a system, and God created a system in which our creativity falls. But if we don't allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in line with the system which we find in the Word, we will create amiss and birth chaos.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

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GOD BLESS YOU.

 

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Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)

The Power of Your Imagination

There is something very unique about God in what He does: His power of creativity. When you read the book of Genesis chapter 1, you find God in the art of creation. It must have been outstanding for the angels to watch the bringing something out of nothing, things that had never before existed.

But when you read about the creation of man in Genesis 1:26a, something is striking. God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” What does this mean? It means that man was not just created in God's image and His likeness. In other words, humans were the only ones of God's creation who were given the privilege to create. Wow!

Creativity comes from our imagination. In Genesis 11, the tower of Babel was built. But the creativity came from the imagination of man, as God said in Genesis 11:6, "And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them." AMPC.

The imagination of man is the birthplace of creativity. God created man to be creative just as He is. But Adam fell and the whole world is in a fallen state. Isn't the ability to create a dangerous tool in the hands of man? The inventions over the years that have led to the civilised state that we are in are a result of the use of the imagination, that is, the power to create.

The devil puts thoughts in man to imagine, that if he falls prey, he creates. The devil knows that the only way he can ruin the life of anyone is through their imagination, by polluting it so the man can use it to create if he rests on what he placed there. This is why God asks every Son or Daughter of God to meditate on His word day and night for it to shape the imagination.

So, how do you harness this ability for your good without stepping on God's toes or out of line?

Log on next time and find out how.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t? Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

Log on next time.

 

For prayers and comments, send them to the comment section below.

 

GOD BLESS YOU.

 

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Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)

What is the Work of the Believer?

Let's go all the way to the beginning. God made man and woman on the sixth day (ref.: Genesis 1:26-28). They were the very last of His creation. Immediately after He saw that all His creation was good, He rested from His creation, thus blessing the seventh day, the day of rest (ref.: Genesis 2:3). The day of the Sabbath was when the man and the woman received all that was given. The Sabbath was made for man to enter into God's abundance.

God built a system, which we could liken to a company. In Genesis 2:15, the Lord God gave man His job, which was to tend the Garden where He placed Him. In other words, the man's job was to manage the Garden, thus ensuring the system God designed was going according to plan.

Man wasn't working for food to eat, clothes to wear, shelter or any need, because all His needs were already met before he was created. God anticipated all of man's needs. But that's not what we see today, why?

Adam (the man) and the woman (who was later named Eve) went against the warning of God and as such were put out of the Garden. Adam and Eve had lost their spiritual connection with God and were dying off.

As Adam and Eve were out of the Garden, Adam began to toil the ground for food (ref.: Genesis 3:17-19). This was where he began to work and sweat for his food, clothing, shelter, and every other need. And this is where the world got it from, it wasn't the way God made man, from the beginning. It wasn't his design.

Jesus died for the whole world, and anyone who confesses Him as Lord and believes that God raised Him from the dead is saved (ref.: Romans 10:9), thus redeemed back to God with a brand new life. So, are those redeemed meant to toil and sweat as the world does?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:32, ³¹“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."

Jesus made it clear that it isn't normal to worry about needs because our heavenly Father, who is God Almighty knows that we need all these things, and has sorted it out.

So, verse 33 says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." This implies that we are to live as Sons and Daughters, to live as stewards who tend or take care of wherever He sends us. And whatever we do shouldn't be because of getting our needs met, because they are already met. So, how do we tap into the amazing "work" of the believer?

John 6:28-29 says, ²⁸"Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” ²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”"

For every Son or Daughter of God, their work is to believe in Christ Jesus whom God sent. Wow! This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. He is the one who leads us on the path of righteousness, in line with the word of Truth/God.

It may sound silly to base your life on the word of God and on the leading of the Holy Spirit. But sadly, the world has been wrong since the fall of Adam and came to meet the wrong way of life and called it normal.

Hebrews 4:10-11 says, ¹⁰"For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. ¹¹Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience."

We are to enter the rest of the Lord. And those who have entered His rest have ceased from his or her work. This doesn't mean being idle, but being led by the Holy Spirit in line with the word of God, that is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (ref.: Psalm 119:105).

So, verse 11 of Hebrews 4 asks us to be diligent to enter the rest of the Lord. King James says we should labour to enter His rest. We have to believe that Jesus is our rest, and in Him alone, we will find our purpose, and He has taken care of all our needs.

Our work is believing in all of whom Christ Jesus is. This activates all God has given us by grace in Christ Jesus, thus resting in all Christ has done. We are to operate and live in His rest.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

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GOD BLESS YOU.

 

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Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)

A Good Leader is a Good Follower

As Sons and Daughters of God, meditating with the Lord is important because you receive deep insight for living. And to be a good leader whatever we do, it implies that we are good followers. When we look at the parable of the sower (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27), the Master gave each of his servants talents according to their abilities to go and do business with them when he travelled.

Just as those servants were, likewise are the Sons and Daughters of God, because God has given every one of us skills, and we are to allow Him to lead us to where we are to use these skills or talents He has given to us. We cannot lead ourselves, we need to be led. This is why the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth in line with the Word of Christ Jesus. But if we think we can lead ourselves, we will become like the servant who buried the talent his master gave him.

Everyone is a leader in a different capacity. However, being an effective leader implies that we are effective followers. To be an effective follower implies trusting, relying on, and believing in the word of your leader. To us, this leader is our Lord Jesus Christ.

But anyone who hears the word of the Lord Jesus, and doesn't do them will be like the house built on the sand, that eventually crashed when faced with the situation of life. And this is because did not have its foundation built on Christ Jesus.

We are vessels before the Lord to be used for His purpose. All we are to do is to abide by His leading. We really don't know the very next step. We are like the blind needing to be led, this is why He is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (ref.: Psalm 119:105).

If your life went wrong before, stick to the leading of the Lord Jesus, and allow Him to lead you. Don't doubt Him because that never worked for you remember? Also, remember that a good leader is a good follower. And being a good follower is to trust in, rely on, and believe in the words of your leader, who is our Lord Jesus Christ, and see your life receive light and fulfilment.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

Log on next time.

 

For prayers and comments, send them to the comment section below.

 

GOD BLESS YOU.

 

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Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)

It's a Done Deal

When the scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 that the just shall walk by faith and not by sight, many of us don't live out what it means. In other words, we live in hope by believing it will come. Faith is not in the future; it is in the now; it is a done deal.

Think of yourself as a child who is hungry and knows his or her mum made lunch. You are aware or you know that your mum made lunch, and NOT would make lunch. Even though you haven’t seen it, you know lunch is ready. The same applies to us as Sons and Daughters of God, when we are asked to walk by faith, not sight. We are to believe it is a done deal.

When the children of Israel approached Jericho, the LORD told Joshua, their leader, that He had given Jericho and everything in it into their hands. At the time the LORD said this, Jericho was still standing tall, very fortified, with its wall so tall that houses were built on it (ref. Joshua 2:15, 6:2). But Joshua, by faith, saw Jericho in his hands, just as the child knew lunch was ready.

As Sons and Daughters of God, we are to see God as our Father and treat Him as one, because He really is one. Trust what He says, and believe that all you will ever need has been provided to you by grace. And we receive this grace through faith, by acting as a Son or Daughter to a Father which is shown by trusting Him.

Trust in the LORD with all your hearts, and do not lean on your own understanding (ref.: Proverbs 3:5). He does all the worrying for us, ours is to just become Sons and Daughters to Him as He leads us, we are to trust Him that it is done, no matter what we may see that is contrary. Just because He said He sorted out your financial issues, believe it is done. Just because He said He sorted out your health issues, believe it is done, and whatever may come our way.

Remember to always follow His leading because we trust Him, and whatever He says. We are Sons and Daughters to Him and we are to live as one.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

Log on next time.

 

For prayers and comments, send them to the comment section below.

 

GOD BLESS YOU.

 

PLEASE LIKE AND FOLLOW MY BLOG

 

                                                                                                                 

Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)

Only Repeat What He Said

I believe we are aware of the fig tree that died after Jesus spoke to it (ref.: Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-24). His disciples marvelled when they saw the tree withered from its roots. Jesus told them to have faith in God. And faith is our positive response to all God has given to us by grace in Christ Jesus. But when you come to think of it, activating what God has given to us starts with our thoughts and our words. Our actions follow what our thoughts and words rest on.

What does this mean? It means our words and thoughts should be in line with the grace we have received. In other words, we are to only think and say who He says we are and nothing else. The Bible says the just shall walk by faith and not by sight (ref.: 2 Corinthians 5:7). We should not pay attention to the distractions that are contrary to what He says we are. We are to just repeat what He said.

When we do this, we are confident that it is what He said that we are repeating, and not what we feel like saying that could be contrary to His grace. We become what we say.

Sometimes we may be confident that whatever Jesus says is true, but acknowledging it to ourselves may have some unbelief because of the condemnation from the devil. But when we just repeat what Jesus said, the consistency in knowing that all we have to do is just repeat His words and think it, there is this confidence in the words we speak because we know that if it is true of Jesus, we are just to repeat it and see it manifest. For as He is, so are we in this world (ref.: 1 John 4:17).

We don't really go through troubles in life because Jesus has gone through them and overcome them for us. So we confess His words of victory and see His victory become our reality.

He is above any circumstance we will ever face, we are just to repeat His words, and think them through as meditation day and night. As long as you believe that the words are true of Jesus, then they will be true for you.

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

Log on next time.

 

For prayers and comments, send them to the comment section below.

 

GOD BLESS YOU.

 

PLEASE LIKE AND FOLLOW MY BLOG

 

                                                                                                                 

Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are obtained from the New King James Version (NKJV)