Month: June 2026

Gen. 1:26 “God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature, so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
Gen. 1:27 God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female.
Gen. 1:28 God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” (MSB).

The scripture above reveals God’s original blueprint for mankind. It was a great idea conceived entirely for the benefit of man. When He eventually made the first man and woman, they reflected the exact manifesto of that blueprint: they were perfect in His own estimation!
But we know the age-old story that soon followed, of how Satan corrupted mankind, God’s crown creature, and took over the dominion of their habitat, thereby causing moral rot and chaos in the whole earth. And, to a large extent today, we are still in that sorry state of depravity, even after the great redemption project, which graciously came to us by the mercy of Almighty God, through His Son Jesus Christ, had been set in motion. The Holy Bible speaks of this redemption plan in the words below:
Heb. 2:14 – “Because God’s children are human beings–made of flesh and blood–Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.”
Heb. 2:15 – Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Heb. 2:16 – We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels.
Heb. 2:17 – Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.” NLT

The corruption of man by Satan affected them in two ways, namely: Firstly, it affected their God-like image. It stripped them of their God-like glory, which connects them to His divine life, thus leaving them in their base, vulnerable form of ordinary flesh. This, in essence, is spiritual death. It is the God-emptiness that every sinner presently feels, and must continue to feel unless they are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Gen. 3:7 – “At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves.” NLT

Secondly, it affected their God-like nature or likeness. They were stripped of their inherent ability to, like God, exercise dominion over their natural habitat. Nature would no longer recognize their authority over it because they had none anymore.
Gen. 3:17 – “And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.” NLT
This greatly impacted mankind’s ability to rule the earth and all of the created things in it, as God does in heaven.
The fall of man resulted in the withdrawal of God’s presence with them because they had relinquished their world to Satan. They lost the peace and joy of the paradise in which God placed them. Instead of the spiritual elevation which Satan promised they’d achieve, what history recorded, rather, was a tale of wickedness and immorality all over the earth.
Gen. 6:4 – In those days, and even afterward, giants lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with human women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes mentioned in legends of old.
Gen. 6:5 – Now the LORD observed the extent of the people’s wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil.
Gen. 6:6 – So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart.” NLT

It would have been an easy thing for God to completely destroy the fallen race of mankind and the entire earth, out of existence, in order to forestall the unfortunate and inevitable outcome of what Satan’s dominion over them would eventually result in (as we can see in today’s world), but He did not. Such a decision would not only have denied man of God’s mercy and forgiveness, but would also have handed Satan, God’s arch enemy, the much needed validation that he could defeat God’s purpose. So, the situation at hand, then, was what necessitated the plan of redemption which was aimed at making an atonement for mankind’s sin, and restoring them back to their original nature and habitat according to God’s original plan from the beginning.
So, from the foregoing we can see that the main goal of the redemption is in two fold, namely: Firstly, to restore mankind back to God’s image and likeness, through a spiritual rebirth.
Ezek. 36:26 – “And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.
Ezek. 36:27 – And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.” NLT
Secondly, to restore their natural habitat back to its original glory.
Isa. 65:17 – “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth–so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore.” NLT

Although that redemption plan has now been fully and successfully activated, one might still wonder why mankind still seem to be under so much control of Satan, with the propensity to do so much evil. Well, we must understand that although God’s redemption project for mankind is totally free for all of them, yet it is activated in individual person’s life strictly on a need basis. So the seeming prevalence of depravity among humankind is not because the redemption project has failed to yield any results but, rather, because some people still love their present fallen, sinful life more than the original God-life they had lost, which God’s redemption promises to restore to them. And God will not give to anyone what they do not desire and ask Him for.
John. 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John. 3:17 – God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
John. 3:18 – There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.
John. 3:19 – Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
John. 3:20 – They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished.
John. 3:21 – But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.” NLT

However, notwithstanding the fact that sin still prevails in our world today, yet many people have greatly benefited from God’s redemption over the millennia of years past; they were cleansed from their sins, were restored back to fellowship with God, and once again bear His image and likeness, but not in exactly the same way and manner as it was from the beginning, when Adam and Eve were made in glorious bodies. The reason for the difference is simply this: that a physical restoration of the human body, now, to its initial God-like glory cannot be compatible with the present degenerated nature of the earth; it will only be possible after the restoration of the earth, which is the second phase of God’s redemption plan.
So, the restoration of mankind’s initial glory is, for now, intended to be more a spiritual thing than physical, as 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 shows below:
2Cor. 4:6 – “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Cor. 4:7 – But this precious treasure–this light and power that now shine _within us is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.”_ NLT
In a very simple language, the scripture above says that every redeemed Christian now carries God’s glorious likeness within, that is in their spirit man, even though their outward appearance may still look their very own old self. However, when the period of the redemption of the soul of man is consummated, and the time of the restoration of God’s creation begins, we shall physically manifest the glorious image and likeness of God, as when God made Adam and Eve. This is what God’s redemption project is all about for now. It is still an on-going project, even though it has been fully set in motion; and we the beneficiaries (that is anyone who is genuinely born again) are eagerly waiting for when it will be fully implemented. Please, read Romans 8:15-25, but also consider the excerpts below:
Rom. 8:15 – “So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family–calling him “Father, dear Father.”
Rom. 8:16 – For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.
Rom. 8:17 – And since we are his children, we will share his treasures–for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Rom. 8:18 – Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Rom. 8:19 – For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Rom. 8:20 – Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse.
Rom. 8:21 – All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” NLT

There is going to be a time of restoration of God’s creation to its original form, and in accordance with His original blueprint. Jesus Christ also alluded to this coming event when He talked with His disciples (and to us too!) in Matthew 19:28-29 in the manner below:
Matt. 19:28 “Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matt. 19:29 “And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields–whatever–because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.” (MSB)

From the foregoing so far, I want to formulate some salient points for consideration, which will be aimed at pointing out some error in the modern day Gospel preaching that is subtly leading many unsuspecting people away from the hope of eternal life in God’s Heavenly Kingdom. It is necessary to do this at this critical time of our waiting for Jesus Christ’s return because Satan has raised his own army of false teachers, preachers and prophets for the sole purpose of misleading people from enjoying the benefit of God’s great redemption project, which has been fully paid for and set in motion by the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Since Satan could not stop that happening, he has been bent on seeing that very few people get redeemed and restored at last to their original place in God’s grand plan for His Kingdom.
Below are five points to help us navigate through God’s work of redemption, and the complexities associated with Satan’s efforts to rob man of its benefit. It is my sincere hope that at the end of this expose` you’d have become more enlightened and made aware of the pitfalls to avoid as we await the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to usher us into the next stage of God’s grand redemption plan.

1. Understanding The Two Phases Of God’s Redemption Plan For Mankind.
The Holy Bible begins with the account of God’s creation of the physical heavens, the earth, and all living things, in Genesis chapter one. Thereafter Chapter two reveals the order of administration instituted by God in His new creation, with man, His crown creation, receiving the blessing to be the head of all that He had created. After that Chapter three reveals the coup staged by Satan to unseat mankind from their place of authority in their God-given paradise. However, because His initial works were compromised, God immediately implemented a temporal measure to mitigate the damage caused by Satan’s subjugation of mankind and his habitat: He reversed His earlier blessings on humankind and the earth; He cursed them! Read Genesis 3:1-19, but consider the excerpts below:
Gen. 3:17 – “And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
Gen. 3:18 – It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.
Gen. 3:19 – All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from dust, and to the dust you will return.” NLT

This measure taken by Almighty God above was meant to wind down the earth, its inhabitants and their governments because His original plan was not meant to accommodate the parallel government Satan had ultimately created (as can be seen in the scripture below) when he subjugated mankind in their habitat.
Luke. 4:5 – “Then the Devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luke. 4:6 – The Devil told him, “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them–because they are mine to give to anyone I please.
Luke. 4:7 – I will give it all to you if you will bow down and worship me.” NLT

Although mankind fell from grace, yet there were still a sizeable number of them who still remained loyal to God up to this day; these sought to run a government loyal to God while Satan, on the other hand, ran a government in opposition to Him. In His Wisdom God has allowed the two opposing government to run together, as we can see in Jesus Christ’s Parable of the Tares and the Wheat, in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
Matt. 13:40 “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Matt. 13:41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
Matt. 13:42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matt. 13:43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (NKJV)

God’s tolerance of the excesses of Satan and his followers today is by no means a sign of weakness; it was a temporal measure which He had put into place while a permanent plan of a total redemption was being birthed, as the scripture below reveals.
Isa. 65:17 “Pay close attention now: I’m creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten.” (MSB)

2. The First Phase Of God’s Redemption Explained
The first step God took in His effort to redeem mankind from the hand of their captor, Satan, was to make an atonement for their sins. This is the most important aspect of God’s plan of redemption as it deals entirely with the salvation of the soul of fallen mankind: if this cannot be achieved, then the second phase would be totally unnecessary. To this end a temporal means of atonement for sin was initially instituted through animal sacrifice, until God’s perfect Sacrifice should be made ready. Then enters Jesus Christ, God’s perfect sacrifice for sin!
John. 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (NLT)
1Cor. 15:3 – “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me–that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.” NLT

With the coming of Jesus Christ mankind was given a choice to return back to God through the reconciliatory atonement made by the offering of the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Lamb, when He died on the cross, and rose again.
This first stage of the redemption plan is still running today. It will, however, come to an end when the Church is raptured to heaven, and this can happen anytime from now.
2Cor. 5:17 – “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!
2Cor. 5:18 – All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him.
2Cor. 5:19 – For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.
2Cor. 5:20 – We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!”
2Cor. 5:21 – For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” NLT

3. The Second Phase Of God’s Redemption Explained
The second phase of God’s redemption plan is for the future restoration of the heavens and the earth, which presently are under the curse of God. When God, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, would have established His Kingdom, in the new heaven and the new earth, after the rapture of the church, then this final phase of the redemption of God’s creation would have been consummated.
Rev. 21:1 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
Rev. 21:2 – And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband.
Rev. 21:3 – I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.
Rev. 21:4 – He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.
Rev. 21:5 – “And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making all things new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

4. Why The Splitting Of God’s Redemption Plan Into Two Phases Became Necessary
God is a righteous Judge. If He was going to deal fairly with the ugly situation mankind brought upon themselves and their habitat, by taking sides with Satan against Him, (See Genesis 3:1-23) then it would have to be in a justifiable manner that will clearly show that justice was served and God’s righteousness, as an unbiased Umpire, upheld in the whole process, to wit:
a. The process must be impartial; both Satan and mankind must be granted equal opportunity to have audience before God’s holy court. To this end, the following allowances were made:
i. man could seek redemption from Satan’s tyranny by calling upon God, the Judge of all creation, for salvation. Genesis 4:26: “Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. _At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.”_ (NIV)
Ps. 18:6: _”In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”_ (NIV)

ii. Satan could show cause why mankind should not be granted redemption, or salvation, from his dominion. Job 1:6: “One day when the angels came to report to GOD, _Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them.”_ (MSB).
Psalms 109:6: “Send the _Evil One to accuse my accusing judge; dispatch Satan to prosecute him.”_ (MSB)
Read also Job 1:1-12; Revelation 12:10.

b. The process must also be unforced:
i. Mankind must choose to be redeemed; they cannot be forced into making that decision against their own free will as that will seem to be a counter-coup staged by God to deprive Satan of a loyal servant (it should be noted that mankind, of their own free will, pledged allegiance to Satan at the garden of Eden).
Deut. 30:19: – “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!” NLT
ii. Similarly, Satan cannot be allowed to prevent mankind from accepting God’s redemption at whatever time that they’re inclined to, or to tempt them beyond God’s allowable limits in that regard.
1Cor. 10:13: “For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.” (AMP)[always]

c. The first stage of God’s redemption plan must have to run its full course to a designated end, at which time God would pass His judgement on mankind, both the living and the dead, with regards to the choices they’d ever made. Those who chose His redemption would be justified while those who didn’t, but kept their allegiance to Satan, would be condemned. Read Matthew 25:31-46, but consider the excerpt below:
Matt. 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
Matt. 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Matt. 25:33 “He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Matt. 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world…
Matt. 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…
Matt. 25:46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (NIV)

The scripture above depicts how the end will come upon those among mankind who neglected, or outrightly rejected God’s redemption. They’ll never transit into the second phase of God’s plan of redemption. But for those who accepted God’s redemption work, which was accomplished through His Son Jesus Christ, the second phase opens up to them with exciting promises and great privileges in a world where Satan, his army of demons and all the wicked will never set foot again.
Dan. 7:9 – I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire,
Dan. 7:10 – and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.
Dan. 7:13 – As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.
Dan. 7:14 – He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal–it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
Dan. 7:27 – Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. They will rule forever, and all rulers will serve and obey them.” NLT

To Be Continued

As the clock ticks away the hours and the days of our life fly past, timeless eternity draws near and the burden of where we would live eternally rests heavily on our soul.

Many have trod the path in which we now walk, and if Christ tarries, many more would follow after us. How they ended their journey, or how they would, and how we would end ours, too, on the other side of life is the most important personal issue that rests in the heart of any person who is conscious of the eternal places of the afterlife: heaven or hell.

“…Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Matthew 25:34,41,46.

Those who have gone before us have had their chances and those who will follow after us will have their own chances, too, but for now we are having our own chances to conduct our journey to heaven, each person in the best way they believe would earn them a place in the Kingdom of God.
There is only one way, though, by which all who travel faithfully therein would end up in God’s kingdom. He is Jesus Christ.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” John 14:6.

The scripture above is not a new revelation to most people, anyway, as Jesus Christ has been widely preached as Lord and Saviour for over two thousand years now. But, perhaps, it may be new to someone out there; but the disturbing news is how reluctant we are to follow this “Way” (Jesus Christ) to a happy ending in heaven.
Today’s study will seek to help us identify the hindrances to walking with Jesus Christ, and how to overcome them.

1. SHOW SUFFICIENT INTEREST IN FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST 
John 1:35-39; John 11:7-16; Luke 9:57-62; 22:31-33

In most cases of Christians who lost the Kingdom of God and ended up in hell, it is not that they didn’t receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, but whether, over time, they were able to sustain that initial interest in following Jesus Christ continuously is the pertinent question to ask.

“And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father…and another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house”_ Luke 9:59,61.

There’s hardly any acceptable excuse for refusing God’s invitation, no matter how well thought out it may seem. Matthew 22:1-5; 19:16-22; Proverbs 1:20-33.
If our zeal in following Jesus Christ daily equally matches our desire to make heaven at last, we would definitely achieve meaningful progress in our relationship with God.

“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” Matthew 10:38.

2. KEEP FOLLOWING JESUS EVEN WHEN OTHERS WILL NOT 
John 6:66-69; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Matthew 24:10-13; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Romans 8:35-39.

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” John 12:26.

It is a fact that people sometimes get discouraged following Jesus Christ, but more disturbing is the fact that some of these people get discouraged because of others who will not serve God in truth. This is spiritual childishness, or simply, a convenient excuse for uninterested people to walk away from Jesus Christ. For instance, why do we not see this happening in the secular world? When have we seen people resigning their appointments because one or two of their colleagues are inefficient? When have we seen companies folding up simply because some other companies doing the same business are not competent? Do they not rather see other people’s inefficiency or lack of competence as an opportunity for their own skills or good qualities to be noticed? Why do we not translate this into spiritual reality?

“Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” Matthew 26:33.

As our faith requires some complimentary works in order to be honoured by God, so also serving Him requires followership in order for it to be acceptable with Him. Romans 12:1-2; 8:1-6; 1 John 2:4-6.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”
Romans 8:1.

The true test for serving God is followership. This is the point of separation between the Christian who know what they want and where they are headed to, as against the ones who are simply observing a religious obligation.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” John 8:31.
Where others fail to follow Jesus Christ because they cannot bear to walk in His footsteps, that is where the faithful follower distinguishes themselves by proving they are truly committed to Jesus Christ for a lifetime.

3. LET YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS BE YOUR MOTIVATION IN FOLLOWING HIM EACH DAY
John 21:15-17; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. 
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” Romans 5:5.

It is amazing what extent humans, even animals too, could go in proving they are in love. In the romantic love vocabulary there’s hardly anything like convenience or discouragement, unless where the fires of true love were never kindled, or its embers are slowly dying.

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be condemned”
Song of Solomon 8:7.

If we could dare to fall in love with Jesus Christ as we are prone to do with mere, temporal, earthly beings or things, we should, no doubt, eventually arrive at heaven’s blissful city with no doubt as to our suitability for admittance into its eternal glory; for then would no excuses ( no matter how pressing) have been too important as to stand in our way! Anyone who has a relationship with God will immediately agree that we have been created with the capacity to love Him more than we could love anyone or anything else — even ourselves!. Matthew 10:37; 19:27-29.
“And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life”_
Matthew 19:29.

Nothing fosters a closer relationship and an enduring love as much as constant communication or fellowship. This is as true in all our physical ties with people as it is in spiritual ties with God also. We are responsible for whether our love for Jesus Christ is growing or dying, and the health of our love for Him determines the strength and quality of our followership.
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me”.
John 14:21, 24 .

It is not possible to love Jesus Christ and the world within the same heart. 1 John 2:15-17; Matthew 6:24.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” Matthew 6:24.

Enthroning Jesus Christ in our heart each day, without any rival, is the sure way forward to heaven, and the following daily activities would prove to be of immense help in doing this:

1. A ceaseless prayer life: Luke 18:1-7; Luke 6:12; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17. 

   “Pray without ceasing.”
The Christian who has cultivated and nurtured a disciplined prayer schedule will, no doubt have discovered that it has brought them closer to Jesus Christ.

2. A disciplined fasting schedule: Joel 1:14; 2:15-18; Jonah 3:5,10; Zechariah 8:18-19; Acts 13:1-12 .

” As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them”. Acts.13.2.
Fasting is to the human spirit what physical exercise is to their body. As a constant exercise keeps the body fit, grows the muscles and improve their reflexes, so also constant fasting increases the awareness and sensitivity of the human spirit to the spiritual realities surrounding them.

3. A continuous study of God’s Word: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; Deuteronomy 17:18-19; Psalm 119:9-11; Acts 17:10-11; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 2:15.

The Holy Bible is God’s instruction to mankind on how to navigate life’s complexities while maintaining a right standing with Him all through. Without the Holy Bible’s guidance, no one can live for, or walk with God as He want them to.
“… Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”.
Psalm 119:9,11.

4. A sustained practice of preaching, visitation and personal evangelism:

2 Timothy 4:1-2; Acts 8:4-8; 15:36; 2:44-47; 4:33; 20:17-24.
Getting involved in the ministry of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost is the best way to walk with Him. Jesus Christ lives in those who truly and faithfully evangelize lost souls and follow them up until they are spiritually  mature and also become His true followers.
I’ve always told anyone who cared to listen that if they want to find Jesus Christ anytime, He’s always available in the evangelism fields.
“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen”.
Mark.16.20.

Dear reader, I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I want to thank you for committing your time to reading the messages I post in this platform. I want you to know that it gives me joy anytime I explore the statistics section and notice an increase in the number of readers following my messages from across the world. It means so much to me. Thank you for being one of those highly esteemed readers. May God bless you with more outpouring of His love and grace to help you know and serve Him more, in Jesus Christi’s name. I want to also use this opportunity to make a passionate appeal to you, that after reading each message you should also endeavour to share it, or the link to the website, with your friends, family and colleagues. This is so that they can also benefit from the messages . I’ve also discovered that some readers do not know that there are more messages in the archive section at the foot of the page. For clarity, after getting to the end of any messages scroll down towards the end of the page, and you’ll find the archives. Please, visit that section and see the list of messages available since December last year. . Please, read and share; it is a duty to God and mankind. God bless y’all.

(Clearing The Smoke Screen Experience) Part Four.

Postlude

People have an innate need for the Lord. God put it there. Nothing else can fill that need except Him. But do they understand that? If they don’t, then someone has to tell them that if they keep ignoring the need for total surrender, commitment, and consecration to Jesus Christ through genuine repentance and forsaking of their sins, then that need will remain unfulfilled and they will remain unsaved.

Many have taken the initiative to warn sinners of their dire condition outside the grace of God, but of that number, some have not helped the lost sinner at all! They have led them farther away from the hope of salvation—maybe ignorantly, but certainly to their detriment.

2 Pet. 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
2 Pet. 2:2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
2 Pet. 2:3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (NIV)

In wrapping up this literature, I’d like to do a brief exposé on the distorted Born Again sermons which have promised so much to adherents but have yet to deliver the cravings of their souls for freedom from sin. This presents a scenario where the sinner cries for liberty from sin, but the preacher prescribes a remedy that cannot work.

2 Cor. 11:3 – “But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent.”
2 Cor. 11:4 – “You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.” (NLT)

When God sent Jesus Christ to redeem mankind from their slavery to sin, He didn’t just mean to deal with that problem partially but completely. The concept of being Born Again, as set forth by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in John 3:3, is meant to be understood and preached exactly as the term itself denotes: a total transformation from one state of affairs to another. In this case, it is the liberation of the soul from the dominion of sin to the perfect liberty of a holy life through the grace of God. If this is not happening in anyone’s life, as divine providence has planned it, then there’s definitely something wrong—not with the plan itself, though, but with its administration by the preacher.

1 John 3:4 – “Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God.”
1 John 3:5 – And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in Him.
1 John 3:6 – So if we continue to live in Him, we won’t sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known Him or understood who He is.
1 John 3:7 – Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: when people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.
1 John 3:8 – But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil.
1 John 3:9 – Those who have been born into God’s family do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. (NLT)

The scripture above aptly captures the essence of being Born Again. The message is straightforward to the point: freedom from sin and Satan.
This experience has eluded so many sincere seekers, not because they’re not serious about being born again, but because they’re not being taught well on the subject. Below are some common misconceptions about the Born Again experience, which keep people in their sin while promising them liberty.

1. Eternal Security
   Proponents of this view usually rely on certain scriptures to preach that once a person gets saved, they remain saved no matter what they do with their lives afterwards. But nothing could be farther from the truth!

Let me reproduce below one of the scriptures that they usually manipulate:
John 10:27 – “My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:28 – I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me,
John 10:29 – for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me.” (NLT)

Some years ago, a family joined our church. During a teaching session one Sunday, the head of that family asked a question which was deliberately targeted at contradicting my teaching. By God’s grace, I cleared the doubts he raised and restored confidence in the teaching. Little did I know at the time that he was a theologian studying for his PhD. I decided to invite him to meet me at the church on a free day so I could find out more about his views on the scriptures, given his remarks the other day. At the meeting, his view was that once a person gets saved, they’d forever be saved no matter how they lived subsequently. He quoted the scriptures above, particularly verses 28 and 29, relying heavily on the phrases “…I give them eternal life” and “…no one can take them from me.”

While those words are the truth, what validates them is verse 27, which spells out the condition to be fulfilled before the promises in the two following verses could be enjoyed by anyone. While focusing on the promises, he forgot, or neglected, to consider the condition precedent! Let me break it down:
John 10:27 – “My sheep recognize my voice (connotes a relationship with Jesus Christ); I know them (confirms His acknowledgment of the existing relationship), and they follow me (proves obedience to His will, which governs that relationship).”_

If at any time those conditions are breached without prompt recourse to genuine repentance and total forsaking of the offence, the preceding benefits would become null, void, and of no effect anymore. The sheep which strays away from the shepherd’s care risks being mauled by wolves, so also the child of God who wantonly strays back into the world after their repentance and reconciliation with God. No doubt, God allows us the liberty of choice as to who to pitch our tent with: Him or Satan. But there are consequences!
Heb. 10:38 – “And a righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
Heb. 10:39 – But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation.”

2. Another false assurance which some preachers give to desperate seekers who cannot stand anymore their continued rising from and falling into sin is that no one is perfect. Well, that is correct, but only to the extent that no one can make themselves perfect; but God can and does make people perfect! The issue here is not so much about our ability to live a perfect and holy life as it is in allowing God to perfect our life Himself and make it holy.
   Eph. 5:27 “That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and faultless.” (AMP)

No one has the right to discourage anyone from seeking a higher life of holiness in Christ simply because they have been unsuccessful at it themselves. The opportunity is there for anyone who’s willing to pay the price in personal consecration to God, commitment to doing His will, and death to self.
Gal. 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (NIV)

The two instances above should suffice to convince anyone who is willing to live an honest and holy life that God also demands it of us, and that without it we cannot hope to be accepted into His heavenly family and Kingdom.

How, then, can a true seeker be genuinely born again? Below are some simple and practical steps to know and follow:

1. You must know that God actually wants you to be born again—that’s why He sent Jesus Christ to make it possible for you. It is His plan for you!
   John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT)
2. God wants you to know Him, to believe and accept His Son Jesus Christ as the only One to whom He has given authority to grant salvation (cause to become born again) to anyone.
   John 17:3 – “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” (NLT)
   This cannot be possible without first acquiring accurate knowledge of who God is and what His plans are for you through Jesus Christ His Son. This means that you have to read the Holy Bible in faith and also attend Christian meetings where the Word of God is accurately taught.
3. As God’s word confronts your sins, do not hesitate to renounce and confess them while asking for God’s mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the One whom He has designated for this very purpose.
   1 John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.”
   1 John 1:9 – But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” (NLT)
4. You must strive to strengthen your new relationship with God by endeavoring to live practically according to the principles of His Word, the Holy Bible. You should keep at it, prayerfully and deliberately, until the Christ life (being born again) becomes manifest in you.
   1 John 1:5 “This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in Him.”
   1 John 1:6 If we claim that we experience a shared life with Him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim.” (MSB)
5. You must make Jesus Christ known to others who might also need His salvation by sharing your own story with them. You owe God this debt of gratitude. Doing this regularly will help confirm your faith in Jesus Christ, your newly found Lord and Saviour.
   Mark 5:19 – “But Jesus said, ‘No, go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.'”
   Mark 5:20 – So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.” (NLT)

The above is just a model to follow. However, in actual fact, God cannot be restricted to a formula: He works in amazing ways to bring His salvation to the one who genuinely seeks rest from their sins.
Matt. 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” (AMP)

But whatever He does to grant anyone salvation will eventually align with His Word as shown in the model above.

The End.

Ps. 51:1 – “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.
Ps. 51:2 – Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.
Ps. 51:3 – For I recognize my shameful deeds—they haunt me day and night.
Ps. 51:4 – Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
Ps. 51:7 – Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Ps. 51:9 – Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.
Ps. 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me”. — NLT

Acknowledgment And Repentance.

The realization of one’s guilt may sober their mind and bring about a spiritual awakening, but only genuine repentance will bring about God’s forgiveness and mercy. This is so because conviction is easier to experience, as God does not need anyone’s permission to convict them of their sins. But in dealing with repentance, however, that is where the difficulty lies because God does not save anyone except with their cooperation; after their spiritual awakening, they have to honestly acknowledge that they need to repent of their known sins, and have a genuine desire to be saved from them, before He can reach out to them in mercy and love.
Jer. 3:13: “Only acknowledge your iniquity and guilt—that you have rebelled and transgressed against the Lord your God and have scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice, says the Lord”. (AMP)

It is, however, a common thing to see that some people who had earlier acknowledged their sins would still let Satan convince them that the timing was wrong for genuine repentance. It is a sad surprise to hear the manner of such excuses which keep some of those convicted hearts from genuine repentance and reconciliation with God. Some want to achieve success in their career before getting serious with God. Others first want to be married before abandoning their promiscuous life and turning to God. Yet others want to get rich before repenting of their financial crimes and receiving Jesus Christ into their life. And so on. They give God conditions for repentance as though they’ve had a bargain with Him to freeze their time on earth, and to keep it from running, until they are done achieving their goals and/or fulfilling their ambitions. In other words they view genuine repentance and reconciliation with God as a huge distraction to those set objectives. Needless to say, they have given priority to their worldly pursuits while abandoning God’s call to repentance. Well, God has no such time for an impenitent sinner; His grace was not designed as a license for the sinner to continue in their sin until repentance is possible! Whether anyone repents or not, their time on earth ticks away relentlessly, bringing them closer to God’s judgment.
Titus 2:11 – For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.
Titus 2:12 – And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God,
Titus 2:13 – while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed”. NLT

Considering that we are the ones who need God’s intervention, and that He has graciously given each one of us a time frame within which to seek and find it, we should be eager to seek reconciliation with Him because our life on earth does not continue indefinitely: a little delay here and there may lead to eternal condemnation and punishment in hell fire. God may be patient with the sinner but there is a limit within which they must respond to His patience and love. Whoever genuinely repents of their sins gets saved, but those who refuse must face His judgment nevertheless!

Ps. 7:9 – “End the wickedness of the ungodly, but help all those who obey you. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.
Ps. 7:10 – God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.
Ps. 7:11 – God is a judge who is perfectly fair. He is angry with the wicked every day.
Ps. 7:12 – “If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow”.
Ps. 7:13 – He will prepare his deadly weapons and ignite his flaming arrows”.

But why would anyone keep the Savior waiting? Why would anyone give more priority to the temporal gains of this fleeting life while abandoning the eternal riches of a forgiven and cleansed life, which God, who cannot lie, offers to all who turn to Him in genuine repentance? Can there be any justifiable reason for such neglect and spurning of God’s mercy? Should we not, rather, acknowledge our shortcomings before God, and return to Him in repentance?
Heb. 3:12 – “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.
Heb. 3:13 – You must warn each other every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God”. NLT

Galatians 1:6-7: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Which is not another; but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

The Departure.
The opening lines in my prelude to this literature were a paraphrase inspired by the lyrics in the gospel song titled People Need The Lord, written by Greg Nelson and Phil McHugh in 1983. That song captures the essence of what I’m writing in this literature, and it will form the fulcrum on which it revolves.
Because we were created by a higher being (Almighty God), we have this innate desire to associate with Him; nothing else can truly replace that. People know that they need a Saviour to save them from their limitations; we all have limitations, but only those to whom it really matters seek God’s intervention. Do you?
Ps. 61:2 – “From the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
Ps. 61:3 – for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.” NLT

However, it is not everyone who responds to that natural need for God; some even ignore Him. Others deliberately move headlong into uncertainty, with their load of care, avoiding the very thought of finding help in the Saviour, Jesus Christ, because they view such a decision as weakness; they would rather figure out a plan for their self-help. But is depending on Jesus Christ really a weakness? Is it a shame to turn to one’s Maker for the very help they know is beyond their own reach? Why do people have such a mindset? Why do people view religion as a weakness? Why do some people have such an uncharitable view about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Why would anyone keep carrying the heavy load of sin and guilt they are not supposed to carry anymore? Is it because they disbelieve that the atonement for our sins paid by Jesus Christ’s blood is real? Who is working behind the scenes to rob mankind of their right to seek solace in a Saviour who’s willing to accept them as they are? Did I hear you say Satan?
Rev. 12:9: “And the huge dragon was cast down and out – that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him.” (AMP)

Yes, you’re right, but he’s just a deceiver whom anyone can resist unless they have found his deception too good to ignore for the reality that God loves and cares for them; and that’s the sad reality with most people! Mankind’s complacency is their own undoing!
Satan is guilty of deceiving mankind, but then mankind is also guilty of spreading that deception, too!
I listened in total shock as a very popular bishop of one of the Pentecostal churches in Nigeria publicly declared in a YouTube video that God has not called them to preach about heaven and hell. He said that even though they believed in the existence of those two spiritual dimensions, one of which is where a sinner or a saint must ultimately spend eternity, yet he insisted that God didn’t call them to preach that! So, in essence, he was saying that they don’t talk to people about that in their sermons because they’re not obligated to. What can be more proof of a departure from God’s way than that?! For the avoidance of any doubt it is imperative to note that the basic message in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that of reconciliation with God which leads to eternal life in Heaven for those who believe, and a warning of eternal condemnation to Hell for those who depart from God. The preaching of those basic truths of the Gospel is the duty of every child of God. It is unfortunate for anyone to want to hide under the facade of a specialized call in order to deny their unfortunate members the benefit of this very important truth. How else can they be warned of the consequences of a Christless life without mentioning Hell fire, or of the hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ without mentioning Heaven? In His Gospel Jesus Christ mentioned Hell 11 times and Heaven more than 50 times; should a wilful departure from His lead in this matter not be construed as a departure from the truth? Whose agenda is this really? Who are its targets? It is bad enough that Satan has a choke hold on man’s innate desire for God, but it is even more tragic that man himself supports the devil with their recklessness.
Jer. 2:12 – “The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay, says the LORD.
Jer. 2:13 – For my people have done two evil things: They have forsaken me–the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” NLT

Complacency makes people keep forsaking the God whom their innermost being screams for! They think “I’m fine,” so they stop fighting to be free from Satan’s lies, stop seeking the true way to eternal light and life, and try to stop feeling the weight of a life without Jesus Christ. The innate need is still there, but they’ve numbed it. That’s the smoke screen doing its job!

Job 36:5 – “God is mighty, yet he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding.
Job 36:8 – If troubles come upon them and they are enslaved and afflicted,
Job 36:9 – he takes the trouble to show them the reason. He shows them their sins, for they have behaved proudly.
Job 36:10 – He gets their attention and says they must turn away from evil.
Job 36:11 – “If they listen and obey God, then they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.
Job 36:12 – But if they refuse to listen to him, they will perish in battle and die from lack of understanding.
Job 36:13 – For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help.” NLT

Programs keep running, songs keep playing, but nobody’s desperate for God anymore. We mistake our much involvement with church activity for being born again.
People drown their innate desire for God with work, vibes, hustle, and they call the forcefully silenced conscience “peace of mind” when it’s really just a temporal anesthesia. Jesus Christ warned about it in Revelation 3:17:
“You say, I am rich… and do not know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.”
That’s complacency; a wrong diagnosis of one’s self, and it makes a man think he needs better circumstances. The truth is he needs a new birth, because the problem is innate. Only Jesus Christ can truly fill in the God-shaped vacuum in the lost sinner’s heart. But will they come to Him? Will you now?
Isa. 53:6: “All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own…” NLT

To Be Continued.

John 12:24: “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.” (MSG)

THE PRELUDE
I watch people walk past me every day. On the surface they look fine, but their eyes tell the truth: there’s emptiness there. They’re carrying worries, heading nowhere, battling private pain that nobody sees. They laugh so no one hears them crying inside. They move from one fear to the next, chasing broken dreams.
But at the end of all that emptiness, there’s still one open door that they seem not to see, or ignore: He is Jesus. That’s the real need!
People don’t need more religion or performance. People need the Lord Jesus Christ. And the question is, when will they actually see it and respond?

Today it is not out of place to find people sitting right beside us in church every fellowship day, looking like they belong, singing, praying, going through the motions of a Spirit-filled worship. But if you look closer, through the eyes of the Spirit, you’ll see it: they’re hurting, weighed down, acting like everything’s okay while slowly falling apart inside. They feel the emptiness inside but wonder why religion cannot fill it up. God’s heart breaks for them, and so must ours, too, because no amount of church activity can fix what only Jesus Christ can heal in their lives. The door to God’s heart is still open, but do they notice it? Jesus Christ still calls, but can they hear Him? Will they ever come to realize before it’s too late that they don’t need more programs, that all they need is the Lord?

Matt 11:28: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'” NLT
Matt 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.” NLT

Sunday clothes, Sunday smiles, Sunday answers, but Monday morning the emptiness is still there. A prayer said over and over with a forced assurance, albeit without the new birth experience, is just another smoke screen. Only genuine regeneration removes the weight of Christlessness in the heart.
John 3:3: “Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.'” NLT

Looking fine on the outside is often a smoke screen for the emptiness on the inside. People are afraid to admit their emptiness and Christlessness. They want to belong where grace has not yet placed them; they want the peace of God but they will not have it at the prescribed price of death to self and alive to Christ!
Rom 6:11: “So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.” NLT
Rom 6:12: “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires.” NLT

They may say the prayer, raise the hand, answer the altar call… but unless they’re ready to die to self, the emptiness will still be there because a smoke screen experience can’t fill what only the new birth can.

To Be Continued

A friend is anyone with whom you could share the intimate issues of your life without any fear of betrayal or disappointment.

From the texts above we see Jesus Christ as the perfect example of who a good friend is: to His disciples He said , “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth…” Luke 22:27.

To Mary and Martha, He was a dependable friend in the hour of their sorrow and grief when their brother Lazarus died. Although He knew He would bring Lazarus back to life yet He could not help crying along with the two sisters when He noticed their pains and deep anguish over their dead brother.

“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled, and said, where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!”
John 11: 33 – 36.

Similarly, to anyone who accepts Him as their Lord and personal Saviour today, He says with friendly assurance, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you”. John 15:14.
His hand of friendship is still extended to whosoever is sincerely willing to accept and obey Him.
We will consider the teaching in the following sub-topics below:

1. The difference between a friend and a servant of Jesus
2. Why be friends of Jesus?
3. What does Jesus Demand from his friends?
4. The Difference Between A Friend And A Servant.
   Psalms 89: 20 – 37; Psalms 119:90; John 15: 14. “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15.

From the scripture above the Lord Himself defined who a friend is as against a servant. With regards to a servant He said, “For the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth ….” But for a friend He said, “But I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you.” And
By those words Jesus Christ meant that anyone who enjoys a position of trust in His heart is considered as his friend. That’s exactly how He wants to interact with you – as a friend with whom He could share His thoughts where it matters.

But looking out carefully at the beginning of this verse we will draw a very important lesson there. It says, “Henceforth I call you not servants ….” The understanding here is that before the Lord made that statement, He had called them His Servants. Their relationship with Him was in two Phases; first He called them as servants then, afterwards, He accepted them as His friends. This graduation was not unconnected with their steadfastness and consistency in serving Him faithfully. See John 15:14; Luke 22:28 – 30.
“Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
John 15:14.
The words of Proverbs 22:11 aptly fits the narrative above; it says: “He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend”.

Let’s consider the scriptures below and explore a similar trend between God and some Bible characters:
A. ABRAHAM: Genesis 12: 1 – 5; 17:1 – 13; 18:1 – 33.
At the first God called Abraham as a servant (Genesis 12: 1 – 5). Then afterwards, He admonished him to pursue a life of steadfastness and perfection in His presence (Genesis 17: 1 – 13). When Abraham’s obedience and steadfastness to God was proved then, in Genesis 18:1 – 33, God paid him and his household a literal visit and ate before him as a friend. From that time onward God treated Abraham as a friend, and He shared His thoughts about His mission to Sodom and Gomorrah with Abraham.
“And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do…?” Genesis 18:17.
Apostle James would eventually write about that relationship in the glowing words below:
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called a friend of God.” James 2:23.

B.MOSES: Exodus 3:1 – 20; Exodus 34: 27 – 35; Numbers 12: 1 – 8; Deuteronomy 34:10 – 12

Moses’ relationship with God followed a similar pattern with that of Abraham. In Exodus 3:1 – 20 God called Moses and sent him to Egypt as a servant. In Exodus 34:27 – 35 we see Moses’ rise in his relationship with God and the attendant glory which was bestowed on him as a result. In Numbers 12: 1 – 8 we see God making a distinction between His relationship with Moses and other prophets.
Numbers 12:6-8: “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold…”
At the end of Moses’ tenure on earth, the golden tribute below was written in honour of his friendship with God.
“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Deuteronomy 34:10.

Primarily, all of God’s creations are His servants (Psalm 119:90 – 91) but for those who distinguish themselves and present their spirit, soul and body holy unto Him, He receives and elevates them into a secondary and much higher relationship with Him, and with much better privileges and authority than the ordinary believer enjoys.

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master’s use and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20, 21.

2. Why Be Friend With Jesus?
   Luke 16:1-13; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 9:23 – 26; Matthew 10:32-33; Mark 8:38.
   The scriptures above give a plethora of reasons why we must seek a lasting friendship with Jesus Christ while we still have the opportunity to do so; they set forth the benefits of being friends with Jesus and the woes that would befall those who turn down this gracious offer. For those who would continue as His friends, Jesus says:
   “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Luke 22:28-30.
   But to all those who refuse Him in favour of a friendship with this present sinful world, He warns:
   “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels”. Mark 8:28. Even though the words quoted above were, at first-hand value, spoken to the people of Jesus’ days on earth, nevertheless, the Holy Scriptures also make them relevant to us when it says that the inspired words of the Holy Bible are given for our admonition. See
   1 Corinthians 10:11:
   “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come”.
   So, therefore, the benefits of this friendship and the woes of its neglect still bear on all of mankind who ever lived up to the age of accountability for their actions or inaction. Each person must decide for themselves what they must do with God’s offer of His Son, Jesus Christ, to us. Some people, both in the past and now in the present, turned down Jesus Christ’s offer of friendship in favour of a fleeting romance with this dying world. See the following: John 6:66; Luke 4:28-30; Mark 5:14-17. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica……” 2 Timothy 4:10.

However, and that happily, there are others who turned their backs on the world and its glamour in favour of friendship with Jesus Christ. See also the following: John 6:67-69; Luke 4:42-43; Mark 5:18-20; Mark 10:28.
“Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.” Mark 10:28.

Today we are each faced with this same decision and must make our choice for or against a friendship with Jesus Christ.
For those who are desirous to be friends with Him but are in need of some motivation to forsake the world and follow Him, I will raise some points and expound some scriptures that will help deliver this needed motivation. In doing so, let me ask you this salient question as a lead to this exposition : why should you be friends with Jesus Christ all through your life’s journey on earth?

1. Because as His friends you are assured of a place in the Kingdom of heaven. John 14:1-3; 17:24; Revelation 3:11-12.
   “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.
2. Because as His friend, who does His will, He will hear you whenever you call upon His name. Read Psalm 91:14-16 . “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7. But look at it the other way round, for those who despise the Lord, Jesus Christ: Proverbs 1:24-32; Isaiah 1:11-15; Jeremiah 11:10-11; Ezekiel 8:17-18; James 4:3. Proverbs 1:24-28: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me… “

3.Because He will save you in the time of trials, temptations or dangers: Psalm 91:1-12; Revelation 3:10; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Isaiah 43:1-2; John 10:27-29; 6:39.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”. John 10:27-28. .

4.Because He will recognize and help you on the day of judgment: 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-34; Revelation 20:4-6.
John 6:39-40: “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day”.
But, conversely, see how it will go on that day with those who will turn away from Jesus, the best of all friends! Luke 13:24-28; Matthew 7:21-23; Revelation 20:11-15.
2 Timothy 2:12: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us…”

A friendship with Jesus Christ is best if it lasts a lifetime because that’s the kind He recognizes and rewards.
“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end”. Hebrews 3:14.

“…the LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you”.
2 Chronicles 15:2.

5.Because you will inherit God’s kingdom and live with Him and His Son Jesus Christ forever and ever, if you continue being friends with Him until the end of your life. Revelation 21:1-7; 22:12-15; Hebrews 10:35-39; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 3:1-3.

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”. Revelation 21:7.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”. Psalm 23:16.

3. What Does Jesus Demand From His Friends?
   John 15:14-16; John 14:21,23; John 15:4-9. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
   John 15:14.
   The quoted verse above spells out the condition for friendship with Jesus Christ. Though brief and concise it, nevertheless, carries a weight of responsibility that can be discharged only with a deep sense of duty , and the two must be equally matched. To know our responsibilities towards this friendship and not be able to dutifully carry it out would make us unfaithful friends.
   John 14:24: “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me”.
   On the other hand, to be zealous for the Lord Jesus Christ without knowing our responsibility towards Him would be serving Him in vain. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46.

In both cases above knowledge is vital; that is, the knowledge of what Jesus expects from us and how to fulfill those expectations. It is on this basis (provided the will to serve is unforced) that a friendship with Jesus is made and maintained.
“And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” John 17:3.

As earlier on pointed out, John 15:14 spells out the condition for friendship with Jesus Christ. Noteworthy is the fact that this is a covenant relationship between a perfect person (Jesus Christ) on the one hand and an imperfect person (you) on the other hand, and that it is based on the Bible principle found in Amos 3:3, which says: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
Now, the only way that a perfect person and an imperfect person could agree to walk together as friends is where a condition precedent had been met, and in this case the condition is in John 15:14, which says: ” Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” The word “Whatsoever” in the context of that verse connotes absolute obedience, and it must needs be so because as the perfect person in this relationship our imperfection is taken care of if we follow His own ways and ideas in dealing with the issues of life in general, and as it affects our relationship with Him in particular.
Below are some of the very fundamental things Jesus expects or demands from all those who would continue with Him as friends.

1. He wants us to realize our imperfection so we could see more clearly and understand more deeply our need for Him in this relationship. John 15:1-5; Romans 7:14-25; 8:1-4; Philippians 4:13; Proverbs 3:5; Jeremiah 9:23,24; Psalm 37:3-7. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.
2. He wants us to faithfully follow His exemplary life of obedience and service to His Father, Almighty God. This is the guarantee that we would be transformed into His image and likeness and therefore become fit to be citizens of His heavenly Kingdom forever. John 15:10; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Matthew 11:29; Luke 2:49; John 4:34,35; 9:4,5; Hebrews 5:7-9. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world”. 1 John 4:17.
3. He wants us to be fruitful in all good things that we do, for to be otherwise would be contradictory to our relationship with Him because He is indeed fruitful in all His works. John 15:8,16; Philippians 1:9-11; Luke 3:7-9; Matthew 21:43; Galatians 5:22,23. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”. Genesis 1:28.

The fruitfulness of our friendship with Jesus Christ, should not only be restricted to spiritual things (even though it is by far that aspect which is most profitable to our relationship with Him) but it must also include the works and labours of our hands.
A look at the wonders of creation will help us see the beauty with which God, through Jesus Christ, made the earth and its set ordinances, which cannot be altered. Such creativity and wisdom can also be imparted to us in the everyday life activities and business endeavours that we lay our hands on, if we are united in true friendship with Jesus Christ.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”. Psalm 1:1-3.

CONCLUSION .
Dear friend, having read all of the foregoing, wouldn’t you agree that the prospects of a friendship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, far outweighs and outshines that of a friendship with this sinful and dying world? Wouldn’t you now gadly accept his forgiveness and mercy for your sins, with a personal commitment to love and obey Him as His grace enables you, so that you can activate this friendship while you still have the chance?
I believe that you should because there’s no higher calling, no greater honour and, certainly, no better deal than being in a friendship with Jesus Christ!
Why not take the initiative, right now, to invite Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour? You can bet that He’s already waiting with arms open wide to receive you.

John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”.

Luke 13:22-23:
“And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem .
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?… “

There will always be something to fight for, or against, as we strive to be found worthy to enter the Kingdom of heaven at the end of our earthly tenure. It could be that we are either fighting to overcome some lapses in our relationship with God and man, or else fighting to maintain our victory over those lapses. This fight is bound to continue in order to prove our resolve to strive to enter God’s Kingdom; God will let it run through the course of our years until the end of our earthly lives, when we shall exit this world either as losers or conquerors. 1 Timothy 6:11-12; 2 Timothy 4:5-8.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a profession before many witnesses”. 2 Timothy 4:12

In our opening text, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in answering the question put to Him about the number of people likely to successfully enter His heavenly Kingdom, made the following comments, which we shall build upon in admonishing ourselves to greater commitment and consecration in serving God.

1.Jesus Christ admonished all people to Strive to enter God’s Kingdom.
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able”.
In replying the enquirer, our Lord first admonished to strive to enter the Kingdom of God. This gives us the understanding that heaven will not be won on a platter of gold—we will need to fight hard to be admitted into it. This answer is quite different from what some preachers want their congregation to believe; they have indoctrinated them to believe that becoming a Christian frees one from any further battle, except to wait for the return of Jesus Christ to take them to heaven. However, we can see that the Lord Himself said that many people will be unsuccessful in their attempt at entering into the heavenly Kingdom, and that is not because God wants only a few people in His Kingdom, but rather because most people would be ill-prepared for the challenges which lie between them and God’s Kingdom. There’d be trials, temptations and persecutions to overcome! Only a consistent striving against those forces of evil, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Conqueror of Satan and sin, can guarantee total victory to anyone. John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. “

2. Jesus Christ said that the master of the house will shut the door at the appropriate time.
   “once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:”
   Luke 13:25.
   Here we get the understanding that there will not always be time available for anyone to prepare for heaven. Now is the accepted time!
   2 Corinthians 6:2 :
   “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
   Most people die unprepared for God’s Kingdom simply because they thought that they could be better prepared for that journey someday, and that day never came!
   Knowing the grave consequence of missing the Kingdom of heaven, and the fact that we do not even know how many days, months or years we have left to live, should make us treat the subject of repentance and reconciliation with God with wisdom and promptness.
   Isaiah 55:6-7 says:
   “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
   Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. “

3.Jesus Christ said that people who missed heaven at last will seek to make excuses, but belatedly.
Luke 13:26-27: ” Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
This is a clear warning for Christian procrastinators; don’t delay for another day or time whatever you have to do to make heaven right now. Those set of people whom the Lord turned away from the gate of His Kingdom were, most likely, people who were familiar with the ways of God: they had eaten with Him and had attended His meetings. But it would seem that they kept putting away for another time the issue of total surrender of their life to His will, in order to actually work out the salvation of their soul.
Philippians 2:12: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”.

Obviously, those things they casually put away until another time may have included some issues like neglecting to live a holy and righteous life after repentance, or refusing to practice the restitution of stolen or mismanaged assets entrusted to them.
Luke 19:8-9: “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold .
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham”.
Unless we do not have the means to do it, and God bears us witness, putting away for tomorrow what can be conveniently done today might turn out to be a regrettable gamble!
James 4:14: “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

4.Finally, Jesus Christ said that some will lose their places in heaven to others.
Luke 13:28-30: “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last”.
This is a wakeup call! God is not partial; anyone who becomes careless and unserious with serving Him may lose their place in heaven to those who are more earnest and determined to enter in.
God has given all of mankind equal opportunity to share in His glorious Kingdom. Whatever anyone choses to do with that opportunity is their business, but they must understand that God is impartial in His administering of justice: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons”. Colossians 3:23-25. Read also the following scriptures: Revelation 3:11; 2:25; 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”. 1 Corinthians 10:13.

There has never been any time in human history, as now, that the signs of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ are more clearly seen being revealed, since the time that He prophesied about them in Matthew 24:4-8, 36-39. In the face of these glaring facts of the imminent return of Jesus Christ for His bride, the church, the clarion call for all true Christians is that of prompt readiness for His return: every Christian must cast away the cares of this temporal world and be prepared for their next life in God’s eternal Kingdom, which shall soon be revealed in glory!
“Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh… Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing” Matthew 24:44, 46

LOOKING INWARDS, OUTWARDS AND UPWARDS.
2 Corinthians 13:5; John 4:35; Hebrews 12:2
In preparing ourselves for the Lord’s return, we are to adopt a threefold strategy to make our preparations thorough and successful. They are as follows:

1. Looking Inwards: Psalm 139:23-24; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Jude 1:20-21; Mark 7:20-23; Proverbs 4:23
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” 2 Corinthians 7:1
All Christian brethren must be wary of the stratagem employed by Satan to keep them so occupied with the daily running of the affairs of their lives, so much that the inward condition of their hearts suffers neglect. We must learn to acquire the discipline of constant self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5). We must assure ourselves, by the witness of the Holy Spirit of God, that we are still walking in the narrow path to eternal life in heaven.
We must avoid being biased in our own favour when it comes to the issue of self examination because that cannot change what’s settled in God’s record about us. I say this because some Christians like to think of themselves as being already half way into heaven even when the clear evidence proves otherwise! This bias could be as a result of a limited knowledge of the standard God demands of us, or as a result of a wilfull self-deception just for man’s applause.
“Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” Proverbs 20:6

If we are sincerely aware of the existence of such moral weakness in our lives we would each do well to ask the Lord to search us Himself; to help search the deepest places of our hearts where our personal and limited probes dare not go.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Psalm 139:23-24

Looking inwards of our hearts, by the help of God’s Spirit, helps us to control the flow of emotional traffic in and out of it, which in turn helps us to live a life worthy of our profession of faith in Christ. Jude 1:20-21; Proverbs 4:23
If we can successfully guard our hearts from satanic invasion and defilement, then, we can also live a life of holiness unto God.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” Proverbs 4:23

We must understand that Jesus Christ is returning to rapture a holy church without spot or wrinkle, so our hearts should match His expectation: there should be no room for such vices as malice, bitterness, unforgiveness, immoral thoughts and lusts within it. Mark 7:20-23.
“… That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” Ephesians 5:27.

2. Looking Outward: Matthew 9:34-36; John 4:34-38; Jude 1:22-23; Philippians 2:4
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherds” Matthew 9:36
One of the most common mistakes we make as Christians is the over-concentration of spiritual care on ourselves, leaving others around us out in the cold hands of a bleak fate, and the danger of a Christ-less eternity, with no hope of salvation. We may claim that because they attend church meetings, they may not be ignorant of the truth that can save them; but, then, we also fail to realize that some of us were also in the same shoes before Christ eventually saved us by His grace. As religious persons, before we got saved, we might have had a form of godliness but, certainly, not the power of a transformed life, just like must people we are out there. We must help them find Christ, too, now that God has saved us from the clutches of a vain religious life without salvation.
“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” Philippians 2:4

The world around us needs to be saved. Jesus saw the multitudes of lost sinners, knowing full well where they would end up at death, unless they were saved, and He had compassion on them. If we count ourselves fortunate to be saved and destined for heaven at last, then let us look outwards towards others around us and help them share in this our glorious hope: let us win them for Christ before the opportunity is forever lost!
Proverbs 24:11-12:
“If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? “

The world is ripe for harvest, but the harvesters are more engrossed in their personal and temporal pursuit, which is of no eternal value, than for the souls moving headlong towards the pit of hell. Let’s be careful not to lose our own place in heaven because of a willful neglect of God’s call to soul winning. The fields are so ripe for harvest that we could easily gather in many souls for Christ if only we are as mindful of soul winning as we are of our personal businesses and family matters. John 4:34-38.
As we wait for the Lord’s return, let us engage ourselves in earnest evangelism and following up of new converts. Let us pick an interest in the lives of our neighbors and create an opportunity to witness Christ the Saviour to them.
“And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
Jude 1:22-23.

3. Looking Upward: Hebrews 12:1-3; Luke 21:25-28; Philippians 3:20-21.
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” Luke 21:28.

There are so many things in the world with which anyone might be distracted and thrown off focus at any given time! Such things might come from within or around us. The song writer wrote: “My foes are ever near me, around me and within, but Jesus draw thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin”.
“…Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2.

As the signs of the end are manifested every day, we are admonished to look up towards heaven for our redemption, not on the happenings around. Why? The answer is simply because the happening around us are capable of causing us to be discouraged (Matthew 24:10-12), afraid and, thus, lose faith in God (Luke 21:25-26).
The barbaric and demonic activities people do today without so much of a thought for the plight of their victims are all in an attempt to provoke hatred, revenge and unforgiveness in the heart. The Christian should be careful!!! Many Christians’ hearts have been defiled already by such emotions. Let’s quickly repent, refocus and look away from the happenings around us. God has promised to take care of all who would endure all these evils without a compromise. Let’s, therefore, brace up for the worst, but with our eyes looking upwards to heaven.
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls” Luke 21:17-19

Making heaven is not meant to be as easy as eating a piece of cake; we must enter there “… through much tribulation”, and the earlier we start preparing to make sacrifices and learn to place obedience to God above our personal wishes and/or desires, the better.
“For yet a little while and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:37-39.