HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON (JESUS OF NAZARETH)

WHY HE CAME. Isa 61:1-3, Luke 4:18-19, Matt 9:13, Matt 18:11

As you celebrate this Yuletide, remember that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. He came for the following reasons:

To save that which was lost from eternal damnation;

To preach the gospel to the poor;

To preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty them that are bruised;

That we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly;

To call sinners to repentance;

To open the eyes of the blind;

To preach good tidings unto the meek;

To bind up the broken-hearted;

To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all that mourn;

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion;

To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

WARNING

If you fail to hear and obey Him, to recognize and to acknowledge why he came, you will not escape the wrath of God which is coming on all the disobedient. Acts 3:23.

Have a wonderful Yuletide.

You are blessed.

Chris

MEN ALWAYS OUGHT TO PRAY...

LESSON FROM THE PERSISTENT WIDOW - Luke 18:7-8

“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”.

The Lord Jesus promised us in John 14:13 that whatsoever we ask in His name, that will he do… From this excerpt in Luke Chapter 18 concerning the poor widow, it is clear that the judge did not fear God nor regard man but because the widow troubled him and was going to weary him by her continual asking (verse 5), the judge avenged the widow.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PARABLE

1.    Christ used this parable to tell us that we should always pray and never faint – (Persistence) Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart … Luke 18:1.

2.   God will always answer His elect that cry out to Him day and night (His faithfulness) - Vs 7.

3.     When God comes with your basket of answered prayers, will he find FAITH? (our unfaithfulness) Vs 8.

LESSONS

1.     Never give up on God or in prayer, pray without ceasing (1 Thesa 5:17). If a common judge that had no regard for neither God nor man could answer the widow, how much more will God answer us His elect that cry unto Him day and night?

2.      When you ask, ask according to His will, that he may hear you (1 John 5:14). You must believe in the Lord Jesus for God to hear your prayer because all your asking must be done in His name - John 14:13.

3.      Ask in faith for without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6) and if thou canst believe, all things are possible to them that believe - Mark 9:23.

4.     We should always wait upon the Lord for those that wait shall renew their strength (Isa 40:31). And though the vision tarries for a while, wait for it, it is for an appointed time (Hab 2:3).

PRAYER

Oh Lord God, help me to always ask in faith and according to your will, in Jesus name, Amen.

Oh Lord God, help me to always wait upon you, in Jesus name, Amen.

What shall a man give in exchange for his SOUL?

WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL? MARK 8:37

THE DAY OF THE LORD:

One thing that is impossible for all men to escape from; rich and poor, great and small, powerful and weak, free and bond, is the day of the Lord. I mean the day that the person is going to meet face to face with the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth and everything in it. This day is called the day of judgement for that individual (Heb 9:27). It is not a day of rapture. Unfortunately, no one knows the day or the hour he or she will meet the son of man either in rapture or in death. Your pastor or bishop does not know neither does your native doctor, magician, occult grandmaster, wizard or astrologer. It is only God that knows this very day and/or hour.

SALVATION IN NO OTHER NAME:

The Bible (God’s Word that must be fulfilled Matt 24:35) makes it clear that there is no other name given among men by which we can be saved except the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). Salvation is therefore received when we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from death as an atonement for the sins of mankind (Rom 10:9). Note that just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), righteousness also came through another man Jesus Christ (Rom 5:12-19).

WHAT CAN YOU GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR SOUL?

Some trust in chariots, others in horses (Ps 20:7) and others yet in the unrighteous riches (Luke 12:13-21), but what can a man give in exchange for his soul? This question was put across by our Lord Jesus in Matt 16:26 and in Mark 8:37. Friend, let me cease this opportunity to reiterate that salvation is in no other name order than the name of Jesus. Whether you like it or not, believe it or not; every knee must bow before Him whom God has exalted above all things, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 2:9-10, Isa 45:23, Rom 14:11). When we die, our soul returns to the owner or giver. The bible records that God made man out of the dust and when he breathed on him the breath of life, he became a living soul (Gen 2:7). I therefore ask you today, if the owner of your soul Jesus, was to request for your soul this very moment, what will you give in exchange for your soul? Is it money, power, chariots or horses? Is it cars, houses, gold or silver? No, not at all. The only thing you can give God as a ransom for your soul is your SOUL through salvation in Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God. That is all God requests of you. How do you give God your soul? By being born again John 3:14-16 (accepting and confessing Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, forsaking your sins and other works of unrighteousness and seeking and obeying God as written in His word, The Bible); being converted like a little child, Matt 18:3 (Walking in holiness and righteousness) and being led by the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:14.

WALKING IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

Since the day of the Lord (2 Pet 3:10) is unknown to anyone, and neither is there anything in this world we can give in exchange for our souls, what manner of people are we expected to be while we sojourn here on earth? The Bible recommends a life of holiness in order to see God. Unfortunately, some Christians think that after they have accepted Jesus, they can continue to live double lives. Accepting and believing in Jesus is one part of the deal. The other part which is also very important to God, is living a life of holiness and righteousness without which no man can see God (Heb 12:14). This truth has become very scarce in our today’s Christianity which I prefer to call modern Christianity. We have to beware of modern Christianity where a lot of things do not matter even when the God that cannot change (Mal 3:6) has said they matter to Him. If modern Christianity is like an abomination to God (Luke 16:15), who are we to say order wise. Let us therefore return to God that he may heal us and repent and be saved from the damnation that is coming upon the children of disobedient (Ephe 2:2; 5:6, Col 3:6). Let us not be like the rich fool that had so much possession in this world but was not rich towards God (Luke 12:20-21). Of course, even his very soul was taken from him that very night and he was sent to hell. May God help us to walk in obedience rather than disobedience in order to escape the damnation of hell and to enter into His REST, IJN, Amen!

Gospel Lessons & Verses

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LESSON FROM THE RICH FOOL

LESSON FROM THE RICH FOOL - LUKE 12:16-21 Read and Share if you care...
…“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Basic Truths:
He was rich in treasures of this world but was poor towards God.
He did not go to hell because he was a rich man.
He was very selfish and did not care about the poor.
He trusted in unrighteous riches and not in God.

What God Expects from us:
God expects us to believe and accept Jesus Christ his only son as our Lord and Saviour (Be Born Again John 3:16, and converted as a little child Matt 18:3)…The only recommended atonement for our sins and the only redemption for the soul of man. Acts 4:12.

God expects us to lay our treasures in heaven thereby being rich towards Him… In alms giving, praying, reading His word and in obedient tithing and offering, evangelism, supporting our local church and other Kingdom services Matt 6:20.

God expects us to walk in holiness and righteousness…. Putting away every unclean thing since our body is His temple and eschewing evil. Lev 20:7, Job 1:1, Heb 4:14, 12:14.

Put Away the OLD MAN and put on the NEW

ANOTHER PATHETIC STORY

Rita, an exceptionally talented sister in song and extraordinarily gifted in leadership and organization, who served the Lord in school fellowship with the testifier was also seen at the bank of hell. Read Rita’s story.

“A-ll-en, A-ll-en,” shouted the lady.

I was shocked to the root to hear my name in hell. I didn’t recognize on time who the person was, because the face was marred and disfigured by the fire; the skin was blackened by the flame and littered by sores.

Who? Who? Who are you? I asked with great inquisitiveness. She shouted again:

A-Il-en Bamgbose, I am Rita; your hostel mate in the Grammar School. “O-o-oh I’m hungry, p-l-e-a-s-e help m-e-e...”

I was flabbergasted at seeing Rita in hell. Rita in hell? No! It must be a dream. But Rita died a good Christian! I soliloquized all these questions right on the same spot. To cut a long story short, human feelings griped me and I thought I could help her out of that predicament. Thus, I took a step to move to her, but my legs were too heavy for me to lift. I looked around for my friendly angel again, he was nowhere to be found.

“Rita, why are you here? You are a child of God, why did you miss heaven? We organized concerts, carols and quiz competitions in our school fellowship and you didn’t disappoint God. You were very good at sword drill and impromptu speech. “Why?” “How?’ I sobbed out these statements.

“Yes, I did all that in the Grammar School, Allen,” she replied “But, later in life and two months to my graduation in the University, I yielded to a sinful affair with a boy at home during a short break. I thought of repenting in the campus chapel when the school resumed. But on returning from home, I had a motor accident. The next thing I discovered was that I found myself in the gate over there and the angel asked me to go to the left road which ends in this place,” she revealed.

“O-o-oh Rita, why did you allow this, after all the evangelism in the boarding house, choruses and prayer meetings? What were you doing till your flesh inflicted this temptation on you and conquered?” I asked with lament.

While I was lamenting over this tragic scene, the fire as red as it were erupted like a volcano around the place she was, immediately, she sank. I was afraid of God right there. I didn’t see Rita again throughout my vision.

PRAYER

Father Lord, help me to discover and the forsake deeds that are capable of finding me out on the last day. Grant me grace to put away the OLD MAN and to put on the NEW MAN. Ephe 4:22-25

Extract from the book, “4 HOUR INTERVIEWS IN HELL”. Yemi Bankole, 1999.

CONFESS and FORSAKE your SINS NOW or NEVER

STORY THAT TOUCHES THE HEART:

A Church Overseer, who contributed immensely to early missionary activities in Nigeria and other African states after he took over from the church founder in the early fifties (Name withheld), found himself in the abyss, after he had served the Lord for over 32 years. Read the conversation between the Reverend and the man who saw him by the bank of the Abyss.

“Sir, what happened?”, I reverently asked.

“Friend, from where? Do you know me?” he asked.

“It seems so Sir! I think you were Reverend so and so”, I replied with heaviness of mind.

“Yes, you’re right,” he retorted.

“I pity the tragic condition of this place. Upon all the struggling for preaching of those years,” I continued.

“Dear, I never dreamt of coming to a place like here too. My waking thought was heaven while on earth, but, for a lesson learned too late my hope became a mirage.

Friend, this is what happened. I preached for thirty-two years in the world. I preached salvation by grace; hell fire as a reality and the imminent coming of Christ called the rapture. Presently in heaven, are good number of those who heard these good teachings from me. But, two years before death struck. I took part of the church money meant for Church Building to conduct a wedding ceremony for my Grand Daughter. And this being unknown to anybody, I let it go. At the end of that year, I wrote the financial report revealing that the whole amount contributed was spent for the project - After a sermon one Sunday evening, I took ill which ended in my death. Before I got to the main gate I was basking in joy that I had made it at last, not until I was diverted here. I doubted it, until the hook of record was opened which carried all my good Christian services. But underneath all the rendered services it is written “Not to be remembered, because he took a holy thing”. The angel in charge further disclosed that the church money which I took was contributed out of sweat by the church members and faithfulness demands for a just and true account.

He added that my report was not in conformity with the gospel standard of stewardship and that the act betrayed my office as a minister, he explained.

“But, Sir, did you plead for mercy? I asked.

“I did, but the angel replied that forgiveness is possible only in the world, but reward or judgement is determined there at the gate”, he answered.

LESSON

FRIEND, the lesson I have learnt from this story is that we should never neglect warnings and convictions by the Holy Spirit. I want to believe that for 2 years this reverend gentleman was given opportunity to confess his sins and afterwards make restitution but he blatantly refused as a result of pride. If he had told the church board that he used church money, the worst that could have happened to him would have been for the board to ask him to repay the money or probably compel him to resign as an overseer. Now this man has found himself in hell and there is no more chance for repentance or forgiveness. Rom 8: 22.

PRAYER

Oh Lord my Father, help me to discover and to repent of SINS that are capable of making me GUILTY on the LAST DAY. Help me to always listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to do according to His leading. Gal 5:16, 25. Rom. 8:14. 1 John 1:8-10.

Story from the book, “4 HOUR INTERVIEWS IN HELL”. Yemi Bankole, 1999.