Why We Should Forgive

There is something exquisitely sweet about holding a grudge. The ability to withhold forgiveness and indulge in self-righteous feelings is a heady power. God is the God of justice. Wrongs should be righted. And we deserve to feel contempt for those who hurt us. Except that it's all a lie. Refusing to forgive doesn't grant us power, it enslaves us to sin. And feeling contempt for others very rarely makes a significant difference in their lives. Absolutely, no good whatsoever comes from refusing to forgive; this is why Jesus said we are to forgive one another seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). We should forgive so much that it becomes second nature—our automatic response to offences. 

God gives us two very good reasons in Scripture for why we should forgive. First, God commands us to forgive others. God forgave us while we were His enemies (Romans 5:10), and we should do likewise with one another. Second, those who do not forgive others indicate that they themselves have not been forgiven because a truly regenerated heart is a forgiving heart (Matthew 6:14-15). If we are filled with resentment and bitterness, we are exhibiting the "works of the flesh," not the fruit of the Spirit which is evidence of true salvation (Galatians 5:19-23).

Most importantly, when we disobey one of God's commands, such as the command to forgive, we sin against Him. In refusing to forgive another person, we sin against that person, but also against God. Considering that God puts our transgressions as far from Him as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), He expects us to extend this same grace to others. Our sin against God is infinitely more egregious than anything another person can do to us. Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35) illustrates this truth. The servant had been forgiven a massive debt—symbolic of the debt of sin we owe to God—then refused to forgive a minor debt of a friend. The lesson of the parable is that if God's forgiveness toward us is limitless, so should ours be limitless toward others (Luke 17:3-4).

Ready to take a step of Faith?

In my part of the world, there's something about September that has the feeling of new beginnings. It probably has something to do with the dreamlike nature of the August holiday, where inboxes have temporary respite and it’s hard to get hold of people.  But it’s not true for everyone. For the victims of war, torture and displacement, months roll into one endless experience of horror and hell (there's been nothing cyclical about my mobile news feed on Syria, Iraq and the Middle East during August). It’s also true for victims of extreme poverty: for 1 billion people, the fight to survive continues in earnest. And this means Micah Challenge's work goes on. That's why, 17-19 October, (starting on Anti-Poverty Day) we're dedicating a weekend to praying for the poor. The deadline for the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - those all-important promises made to the poor back in the year 2000 - is close. Even closer on the horizon is the G20 summit in November, when we will hand thousands of global EXPOSED Campaign signatures to world leaders. This will be the culmination of our two-year campaign to shine a light on corruption that robs the poorest. There are many achievements to celebrate. But there are still 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty. 

Misconceptions About Jesus Christ

There are various misconception about Our Lord Jesus Christ, many sees him as a righteous prophet and a servant who came to do the will of the Almighty God while other sees him as the Messiah and the soon coming King. No matter how we see Him, The truth concerning Christ is spelt out in Scriptures as it relates most importantly on His conception, child hood, adult life and even after His Resurrection. This piece, "Miscoonception Concerning Christ" hence, provides answers to this misconception.

12 Keys in Understanding Israel in the Bible

Understanding Israel in the Bible can be simple and complex. The Bible teaches and predicts many events concerning Israel. In fact, the entirety of the Bible revolves around Israel and its history. Without doubt, Israel is the focus of history. This piece of writing: 12 Keys in Understanding Israel in the Bible  highlights the understanding of Israel as expressed in the Bible.

Faith and Salvation!

“Faith”:  the “root” of salvation. The Bible likes to use ‘plants’ as analogies and so do I.  The ‘root’ is the most important part of a plant and it’s the part that no one can see, except God. That’s why no one can judge a person by outward appearance. A plant can look tried and withered, even dead, but if it has a good ‘root’, that plant can rebound and be stronger than before.  So how do I get ‘faith’ and how do I know when I have it? Faith is being ‘certain’ of what you cannot see (Heb.11:1). In other words, it just believes that God exists (from the Bible) and He’s the One, True, Living God. Obviously, not everyone has the same amount of ‘faith’ because some people are more ‘certain’ than others. Faith is increased by knowledge and understanding of the Word as a person matures. Yet, it only takes a little to be ‘saved’ so how can you tell if you have enough?  Let me ask you something: When you get on your knees to pray, do you think you’re talking to an all-powerful, all-knowing God?  You must or you would be talking to yourself, so every time you pray, you are proving your faith. If you ever doubt your own faith, which happens to many people, just go to a private spot and pray, reminding yourself that you wouldn't be doing that if you didn't believe. It sounds too simple to be true but try it and see. Step 1: Salvation: Faith in God, alone, will not get a person to heaven. The Muslims and Jews believe in the same God of Abraham but salvation can only come through Jesus because it was only through His sacrifice that our sins can be forgiven. And that’s how you get to heaven. Paul said, “If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom.10:9);In other words, speak out loud and tell God that you believe in Jesus and want your sins forgiven. It’s that simple ... but you have to ask. You may not feel different right away but follow the rest of these steps and you will. Remember: ‘Believing in your heart’ is that element of ‘faith’ that Satan wants to steal away before you ever get started (seed 1). After you get past the prayer, you are officially ‘saved’ but you must develop a ‘root’ or you could ‘fall away’ in ‘times of testing’ (seed 2). After all, being ‘saved’ does not mean all your struggles are going to disappear. In fact, everyone who is accepted by God undergoes some type of ‘testing’ or ‘discipline’, eventually, because that’s how God ‘trains us’, as a Father should (Heb.12:5-11). Yet, God will not let a person be tempted more than he can bear and He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it. (1Cor. 10:13)  I heard a person refer to that verse once and say, “God must think I'm pretty strong.”  Lol!  Yes ..., He sure does. God knows exactly what He’s doing. After all, ‘holding on to your faith’ in times of trouble is what makes that ‘root’ stronger. All those who persevere will be rewarded.

Is this the Last call?

January 10, 2015:  I HAVE A MESSAGE ON MY HEART THIS MORNING. I pray that I can SUCCINCTLY state it and that it will STAND AS A WARNING to those who NEED to see and hear: PEOPLE MUST TURN TO JESUS NOW, REPENT OF THEIR SIN AND REBELLION, AND ACCEPT HIS SACRIFICE OF SHED BLOOD--POURED OUT "FOR THEM" ON THE CROSS. GOD LOVES YOU. HE WANTS YOU TO TURN TO HIM THROUGH FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO DIED TO GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE!!! John 3:16--the whole gospel in ONE VERSE!
HOWEVER, I have the DISTINCT sensation that the people who most DESPERATELY NEED to hear the LOUD warnings from God PAY NO HEED, and are SIMPLY NOT INTERESTED.
By personal observation, I see so many who are DISTRACTED. The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life distracts them (which are SIN, the lures of the world, and their own PRIDE in the life they currently enjoy). I wonder if they will PAY ATTENTION to this warning. I'm not being negative when I say "Probably not."
Here's WHY:

NOAH, a godly man and a preacher of righteousness BEFORE the GREAT FLOOD, had NO CONVERTS (except his own family). The entire population of his day perished in the WRATH of God, drowned in the overflowing waters of the Flood. Warnings of that FLOOD had been issued for NOT JUST A FEW YEARS, but for CENTURIES, and then DECADES, and then THE TIME was upon them. People paid that great prophet, Noah, NO HEED. Caught up in their eating and drinking, their marrying and giving in marriages, their planting and building, their buying and selling, they went on their OWN MERRY WAY to total destruction. Yes, they had been warned!

JEREMIAH, a godly man and a powerful prophet (the WEEPING prophet) SHOUTED warnings to Israel in a TIME BEFORE THEIR BEING TAKEN INTO CAPTIVITY TO BABYLON. The entire nation (except for those like Daniel and his three friends) IGNORED the warnings. God was ANGRY with His chosen nation, because they had REBELLED against Him. They worshiped false gods (the demons represented in IDOLS), and even gave sacrifices unto those demons. God's patience wore out. Jeremiah SHOUTED the truth and called for Israel to REPENT. They DIDN'T. And the judgment came. They spent 70 years, PRISONERS to a wicked nation, and a brutal king, Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar (a TYPE of THE ANTICHRIST, by the way).

IN the world of TODAY, I observe so MANY people who are DISTRACTED. MANY are caught up, too, in their own interests, so DISTRACTED that they DO NOT realize THE DANGER which surrounds them. Many bury their noses in video games ("...just passing the time", they may say). Many others are hooked upon their cell phones, texting to friends or tweeting, or following the tweets of celebrities. Still many others are caught up in football mania (or of other sports), gleefully cheering over championships or the playoffs. Nothing is wrong with those activities, EXCEPT the DISTRACTION! People don't SEE that the enemy of their souls (SATAN), keeps them so busy with UNIMPORTANT things that they NEGLECT the SALVATION offered to them through Jesus Christ. If people DIE without FAITH in the ONE Who DIED to save them, they are condemned ALREADY and will spend eternity in hell with the devil and his wicked angels. SOME MAY MOCK THAT, JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE DID BEFORE THE GREAT FLOOD DESTROYED THEM.
A terrible TIME of judgment APPROACHES, even now! This judgment will come BY FIRE, not water, but the end result is the same for people who REBEL. They will perish, with their eternal destiny being THE FIRES OF HELL. Hey, if you DON'T BELIEVE in hell, that DOES NOT mean it's not real! I could share prophecy after prophecy that has COME TO PASS IN EVERY SMALL DETAIL. God's Word is TRUE. He always DOES what He declares He will do. DISBELIEVE it at your own peril!
God does NOTHING until He REVEALS it through His servants, the prophets. Amos 3:7. IN THIS TIME, many, many WATCHMEN of God have climbed upon the walls (of FACEBOOK) and are SHOUTING the warnings, DAY AFTER DAY. We sense in our spirits NOW--that the TIME OF WARNING is coming to AN END. Do NOT neglect this GRACE of God, because He does NOT want you to perish. The GREAT DAY OF THE LORD approaches, a time so HORRENDOUS and terrible, that it is EVEN WORSE than the Flood of Noah's day. I could cite scripture after scripture to PROVE that point, but there's NO TIME, and little SPACE to include it in this message.
CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, AND BE SAVED. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION, THE ACCEPTABLE TIME OF GOD'S GRACE.
TOMORROW MIGHT BE TOO LATE FOR YOU!!!
I pray that you have not only read this message to its end, but that you RESPOND to the call of God. We don't know WHEN it might be THE LAST CALL!!!

Culled from Jesus is the coming King dot com