July, 2011

Rev.2 and 3.

It is easy for us all to accept praises from persons around us or from God (through a prophetic word), for the things we have done that is good, or well, or right, but it is hard for us to admit when we are wrong and to take corrective measures.

All of us have faults (this includes the church) and it is the word of God which will expose and highlight these faults in us. The question is will we admit to these failings or sins, repent and then make amends?

Rev.2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left they first love.

(5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works.(seek ye first the kingdom of God…..)

(14) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to comit fornication.

(20) Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth hereself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Rev.3:2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So then because thou art luke warm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.

For God is no respector of persons, and so He will remove men and women of God or even the whole church if we refuse to repent and do the right things. Rev.2:5

We have learnt to use the word of God to threaten persons into silence and thereby maintaining the status quo. Christians who get into quarrels are sometimes heard using the blood of Jesus as a weapon against each other!

Father, it is very sad that the pulpit has become a place not unlike our Jamaican parliment, a place where cursing of persons take place, a place where persons feel imune to chastisment, a place where persons think that they are beyond reproach, simply because they are men and women of God.

For many will hear in that hour :- depart from Me I know you not! There is still time to repent, so we pray that the hearts of stone will become hearts of flesh in Jesus’ name, amen.

In Rev. 1, 2 and 3, the seven stars are the angels(the seven spirits of God), of the seven churches of whom Jesus spoke. The seven golden candle stick, are the seven churches.

Rev.2:2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.

(3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My names sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

(9) I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of satan.

(13) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where satan dwellest.

(19) I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Rev.3:3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and holdfast, and repent.

(8) I Know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door , and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied my name.

(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Instead of getting angry and blaming others and blaming the devil, we really should spend more of our time repenting. We should be subdued before God. Bless you all.

It is interesting how Jesus spoke to the churches in Rev. 2 and 3. He first spoke to the things they were doing right and then to the things they were doing wrong. Jesus then ask the churches to repent and showed them His promises for them if they overcame!!

So the Spirit of God is saying unto the churches/His people; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of paradise of God; he shall not be hurt in the second death; he shall be given to eat of the hidden manna and will be given a white stone and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it; to him will I give power over the nations; the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels; him will I make a pillar in the temple of My God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of My God  and the name of the city of My God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from My God and I will write upon him My new name; him will I grant to sit with me in My throne even as I ALSO OVERCAME and am set down with My Father in his throne.

So if we overcome and endure to the end, then we will become joint heirs with Jesus Christ! That is the ultimate promise. Father, help us to stop complaining so much and that we will focus more on overcoming in Jesus’ name, amen.

Everthing in the bible is true, but not everthing in the bible is true for every person. If we are not willing to suffer with Christ, walk obediently to Him, look after the destitute, love Him as God alone, keep His temple undefiled, etc. then we will not be able to access a lot of the good things in His word.

In the kingdom of God, we all start from the same point where we are broken before God, asking His forgiveness for our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. This is probably except we had given our lives to Him while being still a young child, unsinful and unblemished or if we believe that God exists, have professed Him all our life but have never given our hearts to Him.

So we would start at 1Peter2:2 and graduate to Hebrews 5:12-14. If we feed a baby milk from a bottle all it’s life, then food for it would always be a bottle of milk. Christians therefore who have not been given any hard food or strong meat (in the word) all their lives will remain as babes.

If we really love God we will at least make an attempt to do whatever He has asked us to do, no matter how inadequate, uncomfortable or ashamed we might feel. At some point it might be a worthwhile test of persons in leadership of churches, if they are asked to do things that they would not normally want to do, like cleaning the church (including the toilets). This would give us an idea of how much they love God or if they are saved.

In St.John 14 Jesus promised that whatever works He did on earth, we could do likewise and even greater works. Any person can speak the word of God, but nothing will happen unless we truly believe or unless the gifts are given by God and we operate with his authority.

So everyone quotes Isaiah 54:17, no weapons that is formed against thee…., but do we qualify? God was/is speaking to a favoured woman, His people, the church. God shows us one of the ways to qualify with the Isaiah 58 fast, when in verse 9 He says that having done His will, when we call unto Him, He will say here I am.

If when I employ someone I think that I am doing them a favour by employing them, then I will have little or no regard for their well-being. If however, I think that I really need the person that I am employing, then I will tend to take more care of how I treat that person.

Principles are thrown through the window sometimes, as persons will steal or act improperly but will still maintain their jobs, either because they are deemed irreplaceable or they might be news carriers.

Clear rules and guidlines must be laid down and followed, ensuring there is no victimization and that there is equity and fairplay always. There is also a high degree of collusion between managers and workers to rob the companies they work for.

Father I bless you and thank you for guiding us this day, Amen.

There are pastors who believe that if they build a church it belongs to themselves. Even if it was their ‘own’ money that they had used, the church would still belong to God. For the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. Ps.24:1, 1Cor10:26.

Some have gone further by collecting monies on God’s behalf and have used it to set up businesses in their own names, with the hope of passing these to their wives and children when they die. It is so easy for us to dishonour God.

Some of us even believe that the gifts that God so freely give to us, is to be used to bring glory to ourselves. To the extent that, if for instant, I pray for someone and that person is healed by God, I would then feel that the person owes me for helping him out, nonsense!

None of us will ever be able to repay God for the possibility of eternal life with Him and all that we do for Him, we will still owe Him, as a value cannot be put on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We have been schooled extensively in how to get persons attached to us, addicted to us as leaders for selfish reasons, instead of hooking each person up to God fully, encouraging them to have that personal relationship with Him and teaching them how to grow their faith.

None of us can grow for any of us. To put it another way, we all have to grow for ourselves. This is not to discredit the help that we give to each other. We grow when we decide to depend on God, when we exercise our faith in seemingly impossible situations and God responds. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies. Rev.12:11.

Father we come against every deception, every guile, every controlling attachments in Jesus name. For if we are the seed that have been sown in the kingdom of God, then we cannot be quickened, nor can we grow and bring forth anything good unless we die. 1Cor15:36, St.John12:24. Dying is a continuous process that brings us closer to perfection.