Before we delve into today’s blog, I would like to first deliver these messages that were given to me.
This person, please, now is not the time to gather pity parties. You must pray these afflictions out of your life. The death fired into your life must return to its sender in the name of Jesus. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 Everybody needs help in life. At different stages, we require a different kind of help to move from where we are to where we want to be. Also, at different stages, the role of everybody changes—one day a recipient of help, another day the channel through which help comes. I would like you to note the underlined words in the paragraph above. Help does not come from any man. Help comes from God alone, and man is simply a channel through which God’s help gets to us. It is arrogance for a man to think that he is the source of help, and ignorance for a recipient of help to make man the source of help. When a man cries to God for help, God sends the answer. This answer comes through another man, because there must be someone that God will send to deliver it. So, when help is given, both the giver and the receiver must be grateful to God. The receiver must be grateful first, because God heard him/her and answered. He/she must express gratitude towards the man/woman who delivered the help obediently. Many have heard the command of God to deliver help, and refused. The giver must be grateful to God because God has found him/her to be a worthy instrument to deliver His answer. He/she must be grateful because he/she is now in a position from which they can elevate others. Never make the mistake of replacing God with man. Just because your help came through a specific man, it does not mean that he should take the place of God in your life. Never elevate the instrument above Him who wields the instrument. The day God withdraws help from a man, everything fails; not even the most intelligent, wealthiest, or powerful will accomplish anything. Psalm 127:1, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” This is the message of King David in the 121st Psalm – My help comes from the Lord! Differentiate the channel from the source. GOD BLESS. Check out the podcast page for episodes of I Am A Christian Podcast and also for links to your preferred podcasting platform. Remember to subscribe, like, and share with friends and family
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Why is it possible for 10 different pastors to read the same passage of the bible and bring out different messages for their congregation? Which one of them is right? Or is it not the same God they all serve?
I remember the first time someone asked me these questions. It created doubt in my mind because my knowledge of God and the bible was still developing. So, today, I would like to answer it on here just in case you come across it in your conversations. To do so, I will offer you 3 scenarios, and then will show you examples in the bible. Scenario one: It is possible that all 10 pastors are wrong about their interpretation of the passage. You can not know the revelation in a single line in the bible unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to you. The same way you can read the bible and not understand it, regardless of how intelligent you are (Matthew 16:17; Acts 8:26-39; John 5:37-40). Unless an individual (whether pastor or newly born-again) surrenders to the Holy Spirit for interpretation, he/she will never get the revelation in the scripture and so would be wrong about its interpretation. Scenario two: It is possible that some are right and others are wrong about the interpretation of the passage. Again, just like I said above, unless the Holy Spirit is leading the individual, he/she will not get the revelation in the passage. But to take it one step further: there are those who are agents of the devil masquerading as pastors in churches. These are the ones the Apostle Paul spoke of in Galatians 1:6-12; “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 be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Scenario three: It is possible that all 10 pastors are correct in their interpretation of the passage. One of the first thing you should know about God is that He speaks to people in the language and the way they understand. 1 Corinthians 1:21-24, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” Note in the passage above, the Jews required signs and wonders, but the Greeks wisdom (eloquent speeches). Despite the message from God being the same - Christ crucified, the preachers presented it differently to the different groups of people. To the Jews, power; and to the Greeks, wisdom. So, imagine being under the ministration of the Apostle Peter when he was ministering to the Jews and all he preached was power, signs and wonders; then another day you were with a group of Greeks and you hear Apostle Paul preach to them wisdom. It is the same Christ crucified, but to different groups ministered in the way they understand. Another thing to note is that we see in parts (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). But the Word of God, its knowledge, is bigger than what any one person can fully comprehend. Whatever is revealed to a person at a given time is for a purpose. Also, by revealing little bits at a time through different sources, the Holy Spirit helps us grow into well rounded Christians. One more example: In Leviticus 20:10, Moses taught this law amongst others to the children of Israel. “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife — with the wife of his neighbour — both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.” In John 8:1-11, the Pharisees and scribes brought a woman to Jesus whom they had caught in the act of adultery. They recited the law in Leviticus 20:10 to Jesus, and he did not say that they were wrong because they were not. The law came from God through Moses. So why did Jesus take the actions he did? Beyond the obvious stated in the passage: …to test him; he needed to teach them that there was more they needed to learn about God. Moses taught them about the law and its consequences, but there was a higher level that they were unaware of: mercy and forgiveness. It is this knowledge the Apostle Paul communicated to the Galatia brethren in Galatians 6:1, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.” So, yes, it is possible for 10 different pastors to read the same passage of the bible and bring out 10 different interpretations from it. But what is the role of those receiving the message? Their role is to test all knowledge to ensure that is of God (1 John 4:1). This means that the Holy Spirit must dwell within them, and that they study the bible by themselves regularly. Whether you gave your life to God today, or have been born again for 20 years, if you are not led by the Holy Spirit, and you don’t study as commanded in 2 Timothy 2:15, you will never know what is truth and what is deception. By the mercy of God, you will not fall into error in Jesus’ name. Amen. GOD BLESS. Check out the podcast page for episodes of I Am A Christian Podcast and also for links to your preferred podcasting platform. Remember to subscribe, like, and share with friends and family Having an expectation means yearning for something.
Expectation is a big part of life, and it is a responsibility that every living thing must manage. Before you were born, there were already expectations in place about who you will be, the life you will lead, the role you will play, and many more. Whether we like it or not, everyone of us must come to the terms that there are several expectations that we must fulfil in life, and knowing how best to manage them is important. But first, let us see some key things about expectations.
In your own time, go through these scriptures, and I pray that the Holy Spirit will minister the revelation of them to your heart in Jesus’ name. Proverbs 23:18; 24:14; Psalm 19:7-11; Mark 11:12-14; Judges 13; Daniel 10:1; Daniel 10:12-14. Every person as they go through life will encounter on multiple occasions conflicting expectations. I remember when I was younger; the conflict was about what path I should take in my education. Some wanted me to be a lawyer, others a doctor. I loved the theatre, so I had performing arts in mind. And every time there was a conversation, as the time to make a decision drew closer, the voices of the different parties became louder and more insistent on what path I should take. Understand this: before God formed you in your mother’s womb, He had a purpose for you. And so, you must reject every expectation that does not conform to this purpose. Please know that just the same way God has an expectation of you, so also the devil has an expectation. The same way God will use people and things around to keep you on the right path, focused on the right things, so also the devil will use people and things around you to draw your attention to his expectation for you. There will be conflicting expectations of how you spend your money, who you marry, how you raise your children, how you make decisions. When these moments come, you need wisdom and you need power to manage them well. But also, the expectations you have of yourself, you need wisdom and power to manage and fulfil them well. What wisdom will teach you is this:
You need power to overthrow the adversaries that will stand on your way to fulfilling your expectations. I know some people believe that if they go through life not wishing evil on anybody, no evil will come on them. I wish that was true. If you have a purpose, an expectation to fulfil, you have adversaries. And you must stop them before they stop you. To conclude, meeting certain expectations in the right way and at the right time can help move you closer to fulfilling your purpose in life, and for this, you need wisdom and power. Not the ones the world gives, but Jesus, who is the wisdom and power of God (1 Corinthians 1:22-25). Accepting Him into your life is the first and most important step. After you have done this, there are prayers you should constantly pray to help you on your journey.
GOD BLESS. Check out the podcast page for episodes of I Am A Christian Podcast and also for links to your preferred podcasting platform. Remember to subscribe, like, and share with friends and family |
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