Return, Repent & Rejoice!

 “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What a moment that we’re waiting for in the midst of sorrow and sighing.  Let this sorrow and sighing turn to true and heartfelt repentance that causes many to turn to the living God Who once was dead but now is alive.  Let them be ransomed of the Lord Jesus, purchased by His own precious Blood.  This is what causes everlasting joy, and with joy and gladness and singing we come to mount Zion.  Let’s return and repent so that sorrow and sighing flee away and we enter into the joy of the Lord.  That’s the only place we flourish - in the joy of the Lord! Return, repent & rejoice!

Word of Faith brings Life

 “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭

There is oneness with the Father, the Word & the Holy Spirit.  The power of the Word is this that when we speak the Word in faith, the Holy Spirit brings it to life according to the will of the Father.  Let’s bring ourselves in agreement with the Word of God and speak it with faith.  We are bringing the will of God on earth as the Holy Spirit brings life to it.  Jesus said “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”  Let’s speak life to every dead situation we come across.  Amen!

Fulfilling God’s Purpose

 “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What an amazing revelation David received!  Even before any of us are born or existed, God has already seen us and written in His book about each of us.  All His plan and purpose for us are written there.  By faith in Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross, we receive God’s purpose and plan already written, right here on earth.  The Holy Spirit helps us to fulfill God’s purpose and plan on earth.  Thank You Father for every provision You have made for us to do Your will on earth as it is in heaven.

Preserved Forever

 “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”

‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Followers of Jesus Christ, who identify with His death, burial and resurrection, are preserved in Christ as we are sanctified by God our Father.  We are maintained as new creatures in Christ forever.  Just as new wine in new bottles is preserved!  The Holy Spirit Who seals us, preserves us too.  Let’s have confidence in our God that He never forsakes us, but is able to preserve us and sanctify us.  Let’s believe Him.  Let’s abide in His Word and simply believe.  Thank You Father!

The New Covenant

 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This was fulfilled in Jesus when He gave the bread and wine to His disciples at the upper room and said that this is the new covenant in His Blood.  The old covenant was a shadow of good things to come.  Jesus told the two disciples walking to Emmaus “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?”  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.  We are to see Jesus and the finished work of the Cross of Jesus in the shadow of the old testament but live in the reality of the new covenant which is the blood of the everlasting covenant that makes us perfect in every good work to do His will, working in us that which is wellpleasing in His sight.  Let’s live in the new covenant and see Christ & the Cross in the old!  Glory to Jesus!

Joy Personified

 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus is joy personified!  When Jesus rose from the dead, the women who came to the tomb and saw it empty, ran away from the sepulchre with fear and with great joy.  When we are forgiven and accept Jesus in our heart, we are filled with great joy.  We enter into the joy of the Lord.  Let’s rejoice in Christ whatever our circumstances and know that Jesus’s joy remains in us and that our joy is full.  This only happens when we look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Rejoice and again I say rejoice!

Humble Yourself

 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭57:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We know that God dwells in awesome splendour and no one can be in His glorious Presence.  Even angels hide their face in God’s Holy Presence.  Yet the Holy Spirit dwells with the humble and contrite, who know to repent sincerely.  How humble is God Himself, Who made the entire universe and the beautiful galaxies and huge stars.  The planet earth is less than a dust speck in the hugeness of the universe, yet God chose to come down as the Son of Man through Jesus and humbled Himself and was obedient unto death.  Let’s humble ourselves before Almighty God with sincere repentance of a contrite heart.  The Presence of God will dwell in you as you humble yourself and will lift you up.  Glory to God!

Fruit Worthy of Repentance

 “But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭26:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul, a prisoner, stood before Agrippa, and gave his testimony and preached repentance to the king and the Roman representative Festus.  Repentance means turning to God by acknowledging our sin and desiring to change and produce fruit worthy of repentance.  Instead, we get stuck with repentance towards condemnation and becoming sin conscious.  God calls us to trust Him to produce fruit worthy of repentance by His Holy Spirit.  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  That’s the glorious Gospel of grace that we proclaim.

Speaking Grace

 “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Speaking grace to the mountains in our life levels them and it becomes a plain, not by might, nor by power but by God’s Holy Spirit.  Through the shedding of the Blood of God’s Son, Jesus, we have received God’s Holy Spirit in the Church, to accomplish God’s will on earth as it is in heaven.  Let’s speak grace to the mountains in our lives and see them levelled.  Let the Holy Spirit through the Church, which are the people of God, Christ’s Body, release the power of God here on earth!  Thank You Holy Spirit!

The Glorious Gospel of Grace

 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭20:32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul was bidding farewell to the church in Ephesus he had started, giving them the secret of the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The congregation was commended by Paul to God and to the Word of Jesus’s grace which is able to build them up and give them an inheritance among the sanctified.  This is what Jesus died and rose again for - that we may become mature by the Word of His grace.  Through this we become holy and obtain our inheritance in Christ for which we are joint heirs with Him.  The glorious Gospel of grace!

Christ’s Obedience

 “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When the slaves faced devastation and certain death, Moses obeyed God and stretched out the rod in faith.  Salvation came through and en masse the slaves worshipped God having tasted freedom!  While humanity was yet sinners, facing the wrath of God and chased by the devil and his host, in devastation and certain death, Christ died for us, God commending His love to us.  This was once and for all.  We have been set free, through Christ’s obedience on the Cross which wrought this great salvation for us.  We cry out in gratitude,  Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?  Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?  There is none like You, glory to God!

Pray for One Another

 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Admitting our faults to one another so that we can pray for each other, brings us to react immediately in the negative!  Because we enjoy being the first to know and carrying it to each other as talebearers, prayer is usually after the matter has been discussed threadbare!  We may want to help and offer solutions but it is not with the wisdom from above which is peaceable!  Let’s ask Jesus to first heal our heart to have the confidence that God’s Word is Rock solid; and then our tongue so that we don’t speak words of condemnation or judge the matter.  Let’s respond like Jesus did Who was obedient to the Father even unto death, and obey by praying for one another and then decree healing where required.  Let’s do it with our Father’s unconditional love in our hearts!  The prayers of the righteous avail much, God says!

Pleasant Words bring Health

 “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isn’t it amazing that our health is connected with the words we speak?  Pleasant words spoken require our heart to be filled with sweetness because out of the abundance of our heart the mouth speaks!  Hypocrisy is unacceptable!  Yet should we become sick, the knowledge that Jesus heals us because of the lashes on His back when He gave His life for us, enables us to reject sickness from our body.  Let’s practice pleasant words spoken from the heart!  Let’s not tolerate sickness in our body because Jesus died to make us whole.

Justified by Faith

 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We are justified by faith and not by works.  This is the new covenant that Jesus made with us as He said the new covenant is in His Blood that He shed for us.  So our justification is by grace through faith in the finished work of the Cross.  Jesus has paid it all - we can never be justified through our own effort.  This is the truth and this is what sanctified us.  Only by grace through faith.  This is the Gospel.  We have nothing to commend us to be justified before God - only the precious Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Let’s not fall into the trap of approaching God to be justified by works.  We come to the Almighty God only by the Blood of the Lamb.

Sacrifice of Praise

 “And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭24:25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David had, in a moment of taking pride in all his achievements, asked his commander in chief to make a census of all the army of Israel, those fit to fight.  As a result the plague came upon Israel and many died.  David recognised his foolish behaviour and repented before God with burnt offerings and peace offerings at the altar he built to the Lord.  Today our altar is the Cross of Jesus.  As we repent at the Cross on behalf of man’s foolishness to turn away from God and depend on our own strength by making foolish decisions, surely God will stay the coronavirus.  Let’s come to the foot of the Cross and bring the sacrifice of praise and worship in thanksgiving to our God Who hears and answers our prayers!

Conformable Unto His Death

 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The wisdom of the riches of God’s grace in Jesus dying and coming alive to give each human being the tremendous power of His resurrection and being conformable to His death is breathtaking!  Just by believing!  It’s awesome!  God has called us to be awe-inspired by the finished work of the Cross, that we meditate and identify with His sufferings.  We do this by nailing on the Cross and seeing Jesus punished for our secret sins, our hypocrisies and hidden meanness and other character traits, our ego hassles, our weaknesses, the ungodly thoughts that invade our mind, our anger, our stubbornness, our indifference, unbelief and every evil act.  We make the divine exchange on the Cross and receive by faith Jesus’s righteousness, His innocence, His grace, His forgiveness, His love for us personally.  Let’s humble ourselves to come to the foot of the Cross and make that exchange daily, for apart from Jesus we can do nothing!

Let Righteousness Reign

 “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭32:17‬ ‭KJV

Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah that His righteousness will bring peace, quietness and assurance forever.  Jesus was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  When we believe in the finished work of the Cross, repent for our sin and be cleansed through Jesus’s Blood Sacrifice, and we invite Christ into our heart, we receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness to reign in life by Jesus Christ.  Let’s receive peace, quietness and assurance forever through Christ’s righteousness in us.  Amen!

God’s Word is Truth

 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus said that mankind shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  All of the Bible is God breathed.  Jesus said that we are cleansed by the Word of God and if we abide in Him and His Word abides in us, we can ask whatever we want and He will do it.  It is with our heart we believe the Word of God, not with our limited intellectual capacity.  A child will not argue when you teach him to do something!  With a child like heart, let’s receive the Word of God, and let it dwell in us richly.  Let’s not argue with it, or doubt it.  Let’s be sanctified by the truth of God’s Word.  Let’s live by the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Thank You, Jesus!

Children of Light

 “They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭10:23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The pitch darkness that afflicted the Egyptians for three days was so very intense that they couldn’t move.  The Israelites in Goshen had light....Goshen being in the green pastureland of the Nile delta.  This is how God treats those who belong to Him.  We’re in the Kingdom of God and the children of light.  Gross darkness is afflicting this planet, and mankind is beset with plagues and deprivation, lockdown and social distancing!  Let us, the children of light, be the light of this world and shine brighter as the darkness deepens.  Goshen was then, the Kingdom of God is now!  But we are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Jesus through His Blood sacrifice made it possible for us to walk in the light!  Praise God!

Access to God

 “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We have such difficulty in having access to the leaders we have voted for!  What with X, Y or Z Security that surrounds them!  Yet God has chosen for us, who were His enemies because of our sins, to have access to Him, because Jesus tore the veil that alienated us to Him.  When we believe in Jesus’s Blood sacrifice on behalf of each of us personally, God’s Holy Spirit brings us immediate access to our Father God.  Just by believing!  Let’s with child like faith believe that we enter into the Holy of holies by the Blood of the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.  Glory to God!

Bless and not Curse

 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭122:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Anti Semitism is increasing more and more.  Hate seems to be influencing people in all the countries of the world against Almighty God, Creator of the universe.  The Bible tells us, the Church, to bless, to build up, to heal, to speak the peace of God to them.  We bless the Jews, we speak peace to Jerusalem.  We come against hate, with the Cross, the epitome of the love of God.  We speak the resurrection life of Jesus to all the death around us.  We bless and not curse.  We speak healing where there is sickness.  We build up and not tear down, with words of life.  We speak peace to Jerusalem, knowing that the Lord Jesus will come to rule from there.  Come Lord Jesus, come soon!  Maranatha!

Conviction not Condemnation

 “She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:11‬ ‭KJV

Jesus’s compassion is extraordinary!  Without condemnation He set free the woman caught in adultery.  He clearly told her not to sin anymore.  Earlier, the crowd, ready to stone her was also convicted in their conscience when Jesus said that whoever was sinless must stone her first, and they all disappeared!  Let’s have compassion for others who are stuck in a sinful lifestyle and ask Jesus to set them free without condemning them.  Jesus bore every sin on the Cross, not one was left out.  That’s why let’s repent on behalf of others, so the Holy Spirit convicts them and they’re set free.  Let’s not be the accuser!  Let’s have Christ’s extraordinary compassion!

Loving our Neighbours

 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In the midst of a perverse generation, Noah chose to do God’s will and not to compromise with the standards of those around him, finding grace in God’s eyes.  When we make the choice to follow the standards of the Bible, we are found peculiar in people’s eyes.  It is difficult to love people who practice a different standard - to love them but not accept what they practice.  As peculiar people, we are called in the power of the Holy Spirit to love our neighbours as ourselves, whether they’re practising against our faith or not.  We are the redeemed of the Lord Jesus and because of the Blood Covenant we are walking in, the love of the Holy Spirit has been shed abroad in our heart to love others with God’s love.  Not loving the sin but loving our neighbours with the love of God so they can experience God’s love.  Let’s be found with grace in the Lord’s eyes and pass on God’s love to others.  God’s love never fails.  Hallelujah!

Exchange for Your Soul

 “Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Humans don’t know what happens to their soul after this earthly life.  Some think that all will go to heaven; some that after death you cease to exist; some think that there is an endless cycle of existence in different forms.  The Lord Jesus asked this question because He alone came back from the dead to say that through His Blood sacrifice, our sins are removed and when we receive by faith this soul saving deed of the Lord Jesus, we have access to God, not only in this life, but forever as His children. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Thank You Jesus!

Give without Sparing

 “He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The principles of the Kingdom of God are opposite to the world’s system.  Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”  Jesus demonstrated by giving His Life for the ransom of many.  The world says, “Covet, take and keep on taking”, but Jesus says “Give”...let’s be givers and spare not!

Partakers of the Divine Nature

 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now that we have been born again, as a new creation, we are restored back into the image and likeness of God Himself!  We now partake of God’s divine nature by the exceeding great and precious promises of the Bible as we believe that they are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus.  This has been made available to the redeemed by the shedding of the precious Blood of Jesus Christ.  Let’s escape the corruption in this world through lust by believing and receiving the promises of God and partaking of His divine nature.  Thank You Jesus!

Gospel Proclaimers

 “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭4:34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple that Solomon built and took Judah captive.  Daniel, one of the captives became a senior person in his government.  Daniel, being a captive, proclaimed the true God to king Nebuchadnezzar who was a megalomaniac!  Eventually when Nebuchadnezzar was driven out as a beast, after seven years he came back to his senses and acknowledged the true God.  Jesus has given the Church the authority to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, including megalomaniacs!  He brings the people back to their senses by His mighty Holy Spirit.  When Jesus rose again, he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  He Who ascended, is also He Who descended first into the lower parts of the earth.  The vilest person in hell heard the Gospel.  Let us be Gospel proclaimers.  Let us believe our God, praise, bless and honour Him, Whose dominion is everlasting and Whose Kingdom is from generation to generation.  Let the enemies of the Cross come under the footstool of the Lord Jesus!  Hallelujah!

Perfected Forever

 “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

By Jesus’s one offering of Himself, He has perfected us forever - our past, present and future sins have been erased.  How can this be?  Even our future sins?  Jesus died and rose again two thousand years ago when we were still in the future!  We cannot frame into time what is eternal or forever, it is beyond our mental capacity to understand it.  Jesus perfected us forever - let’s believe it.  He perfected those who are being sanctified....we who have believed, are now set apart, being sanctified and made holy - the process of sanctification is present continuous.  Because of the Blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is continuously sanctifying us as we keep surrendering to Him, imparting His holiness to us - how great is our God.  Let’s love Him with all our being and worship Him!  Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!

The Young can Receive God’s Wisdom & Knowledge

“As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬
As Daniel and his friends took a stand for the God of Israel by not eating the king’s food, God gave them knowledge and skill in all wisdom.  Such was the superiority of these children, that they stood before the king and others of authority and spoke with confidence that came from the Lord.  The psalmist had prophesied that children and infants will tell of God’s strength to silence the enemy.  The Lord Jesus has through the promises in the Word of God made it available to our generation today by His Blood sacrifice and these promises are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ to us.  When children and young people take a stand for God by seeking Him, He gives them knowledge and skill in all wisdom and understanding that is superior to all others.  They will stand and speak with confidence before people in authority to silence the enemy!  May our children hunger and thirst for God in their lives today and speak the power of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

Magnify God

“For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:46‬ ‭KJV‬‬
Peter was amazed that when he told of the Lord Jesus Christ to Cornelius and his household, who were outsiders to the Jewish people, yet the Holy Spirit fell on them.  The people spoke in tongues and magnified God.  Praying in tongues has become such a point of contention and disunity in the churches today when it is meant to bring the Church together and in unity.  God gave the mighty Holy Spirit for our time on earth to pray in tongues and with understanding, through all of us disciples, to magnify God.  Praying in tongues will cease after earthly time.  That is why it is imperative to pray in tongues now and allow the mighty Holy Spirit to bring God’s will on earth.  We are empowered to preach the Gospel with power and souls are saved and God’s Kingdom increases.  To be a witness for Jesus, we need the Holy Spirit.  Let’s pray ceaselessly with understanding and in tongues and magnify God! Let’s win souls for Jesus in the power of the mighty Holy Spirit!