MATHEW 24:26-51 THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus explained that His coming will not be in secret but will be just like the lightning.

Immediately after tribulation, sun will darken and moon will not give light and heaven powers will be shaken. The sun of man will appear and all the tribes of men will mourn, they will see the Son of man coming with great glory and power. He gather out His angels to gather His elect. When you see the signs, know He is near, at the doors. This will all be fulfilled, but the hour and day no one knows, not even the angels or Jesus. He will come on Normal working days when people are eating and drinking and getting married. They were occupied by the normal things in life and were unaware of the coming danger; Jesus will come the same way.

Two will be working and one will be left. You must watch always for His coming. You must always be ready, whether in your job, or in the evening on your sleep, or in the morning. You must learn to settle matters quickly that need to be set right. If you have wronged someone, you must be quick to apologise, if you have not forgiven someone you must forgive quickly, you owe someone something, you must repay on time as per agreement, you must repent of all known sin.

If you knew at what time Jesus would come, you will have made sure that all things would have been set right then, but you don't know.

If for example you have two weeks to live and you knew that you will be judged based on how you lived and you would hate to give an account to God, what would you do and you don't want to be ashamed at the judgment seat? 

You would stop sinning first of all, you would forgive everyone who have wronged you, you would humbly ask for forgiveness from all you have wronged, you would restore everything that is not yours to the owners, the things that God told you to do you'll all of them and nothing would distract you from obeying Gods will for your life.... you see how the fear of death have changed and humbled you. We can conclude that the fear of death have produced something in you which the fear of God did not accomplish. What a pity. It is because we don't fear God and because we are proud that we don't do these things we've just mentioned. Oh that God would put more fear of Him in our hearts and that we may walk humbly before Him.

If we think that Jesus is not coming soon, we will be distracted and start criticizing other Gods servants and finding faults with them and just live in a compromising way just like any other person. Jesus will come unexpectedly and punish him with other hypocrites and put them where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It's interesting that even many servants of God who were called by God, because they got distracted from following Gods call on their lives, became Pharisees and judgemental of other servants and they to themselves compromised in their lives, they will end up in hell though they served God once. THE END OF A MATTER IS BETTER THAN THE BEGINNING.

You who are standing for the Lord now, how will you finish your Christian race? Will you still be passionately pursuing and doing God's will, or your eyes will be distracted by the hypocrites in church and you start judging them, and also you begin making little compromises.... Be warned: CONCENTRATE ON DOING GODS WILL FOR YOUR LIFE AND LEAVE OTHERS WHO ARE NOT DOING IT. ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. YOU ARE NOT THEIR JUDGE, DON'T JUDGE THEM AND DON'T COMPROMISE. HAVE A SINGLE FOCUS OF DOING ALL OF GODS WILL AT EVERY TIME AND SEASON AND PLEASING HIM ALL THE TIME. JUDGE ONLY YOURSELF WHETHER YOU ARE TRUE TO THE LORD. DON'T GET SIDETRACKED. JESUS IS COMING SOON.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 24:6-25. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus explained there be wars, nations fighting against each other, famines and earthquake and these will be just the beginning of sorrows, then tribulation and death and being hated by all nations only because they are His followers. Many will be offended and fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

We are living in such days. The reason many believers will be offended and fall away from the faith is because they have been raised to believe that all suffering will end by them 'accepting Christ'. When persecution and tribulation occur, they will not be prepared for it and many will be overwhelmed that such suffering can come to Gods children and since they only wanted ease and comfort from Christ, when they see that they can escape the sufferings by denying Christ, they will deny Him and betray each other. They will develop bitterness against each other because they will be blaming others to be the cause of their misery and sufferings.

Where do you stand? Do you believe that just because you are a Christian no suffering or persecution or tribulation will come to because you are a Christian? If yes you are in a very dangerous position because when they come to you, you will not stand, you will be amongst those who fall away. 

Did you come to Christ to find ease and comfort? Then when you don't find it you will deny Him. How much are you willing to suffer for the cause of Christ? Is your attitude like that of the 3Hebrew boys which was; I would rather die than deny Christ. I will live for the one who gave His life for me.

Paul's attitude was

Acts 20:24- But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

Have the same attitude.

Many false prophets will arise and perform great miracles and wonders so that if possible they will deceive Even the elect.

It's interesting that many are undiscerning in this area. Just because one does great signs and wonders doesn't prove that they are servants of God. Many of them are deceivers.

Are they leading you repentance? Are they leading you to a godly life? Do they tell you of denying yourself and taking up your cross to follow Christ, or do they only how you can get things from God? 

Do not be deceived by miracles.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 24:1-5. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

The disciples pointed out to Jesus the beauty of the temple and Jesus responded to that it will all be destroyed and no stone will be left upon another. Even today looking at the beauty of the earth and all it's beautiful scenes, we must always remember that this earth is reserved for the fire and everything will be burnt up and thus must be living in holiness since judgment is coming. _2Pet 3:7-11_ 

The disciples asked when those things will be and he warned them first about deception. He said there will be deceivers who will come saying that He is Christ,i.e. Jesus is Christ; this will be to win the hearts of people that they are preaching the right doctrine. Having won the hearts of people, they will go on to deceive the unsuspecting people. That is why *we must be very much aware of deceivers because they will not openly say that they are deceivers but will come in sheep's clothing, that correct teaching, which that Jesus is the Messiah.* 

Just because someone says that Jesus is Lord doesn't mean they are servants of God, for many will come on that day saying Lord, Lord and they performed miracles and did great wonderful things but will be cast into hell because they lived in sin.

Just because someone's says Jesus is Lord, perfumes miracles and wonders in Jesus Name and does many wonderful things, it maybe a deceiver; be very careful. By their fruits you will know them. What are the results of their lives; after listening to them, do you have a greater hunger for God for deeper intimacy, do you have a hatred for sin and are drawn away from the world and it's pleasures, do love people especially those who hurt you and are your enemies? Or do you now take sin lightly, is your hunger for God quenched and hunger for possessions increased, does the world look attractive to you, do you now develop hatred and bitterness against those who hate you and seek revenge?

Don't be a victim of deception.

The way to protected from deception is to love the truth so that we might be saved. _2Thes 2:10-11_ 

This means that when God convicts me of something wrong with me in my conscience or through another person pointing out our mistakes, e.g the way we spoke, or a debt we promised to repay but the deadline has passed and we just assume that all is well between us but its not, or you are rebuked for something you are guilty of, if you don't love the truth so as to saved from those sins that have been specifically pointed out; God will allow you to be deceived. But if your attitude is, Yes Lord, that is true and am guilty of that sin, and I want to save me that I don't repeat it, yes I have not kept a promise I made and I want to fulfill it, yes I stole it and I want to restore it to the owner, yes i hurt him and I want to go and apologize, yes I have not repaid that debt as we agreed and i want to repay it, and i want to set matters right in my life that need to be set right, Lord help me to do it at the first opportunity; the Lord will help you if that is your attitude, and He will always warn you ahead; but if you are one who always justifies himself and will not acknowledge you are wrong your need for Gods mercy and grace to help you out so that you don't go on committing the sins again and again; God will allow you to be deceived all your life.

> If you want to be protected from deception, learn to acknowledge your guilt and don't blame anyone and acknowledge your need of God's mercy so that you don't keep on committing the same sins; never justify yourself or blame others for your sins and be willing to set matters right at the first opportunity, for example if you have sinned against some, go and apologize the very first time you see him.

You are blessed to be a blessing 

Feel free to share

@ _blessedmambo_

MATHEW 23:29-39. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

The Pharisees built the tombs of the prophets killed by their forefathers. They said to themselves, if they were there, they wouldn't have killed them. They condemned themselves as children of those who killed the prophets and thus Jesus told them to fill up the guilt of their fathers. 

It's the same today, we praise the servants of God who sacrificed so much for the Lord and God used them greatly and we pity the sufferings they went through; and within ourselves, if we were there then, we would not have treated them thus; but the ones who are in our generation we condemn and find fault with calling them all manner of evil names.

We outwardly think we are better but inwardly committing the same sins. For example, many martyrs were killed physically but today we just kill with our tongue. We destroy the reputation of godly men but speaking evil of them yet we don't see that we are in the same categories of those who killed physically.

With such an attitude Jesus says there is no way we can escape hell.

Remember that these are people who went to church at that time many studied their bibles and some were leaders. Jesus said they will go to hell unless they repent of they hypocrisy and pride. Many preachers and people who read their bible will go to hell because of hypocrisy and pride. During the funeral we may praise them thinking that they went to be with the Lord but they were cast out. All their good works will not help them. No amount of good works can make up for even one sin. Sin is a very serious matter and have to be repented of. 

Just as we saw earlier for example if you don't forgive, you will not be forgiven. If you have served God faithfully all your life but at the end of your life you develop bitterness and hatred towards someone who hurt you, if you don't forgive them before your die, you will not enter the kingdom of God.

Judgment will be merciless to those who show no mercy.

Jesus ended saying that they will not see Him again until they say, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

This means that unless we stop persecuting godly servants and speaking evil of them, the Lord will not reveal himself to us. This is one reason why the experiences of many Christians are dry, they have not experienced the Lord, they know not the fullness of joy and perfect peace in their personal lives. Learn to appreciate God's servant and bless them and you will see God reveal Himself quicker than you imagined. Use your tongue to bless not to curse, to speak good not evil.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 23:16-28. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

The Pharisees majored on minors. They made a big issue of of something small and ignored what was of greater importance.

They said if you swear by the alter, that was not serious but if you swore by the gift on the alter, that was very serious.

They were blind and didn't realise that the alter was greater than the gift since it was the one which sanctified the gift.

Do you make a big issue of of small things and ignore the most important things?

They gave tithes of little things growing in their gardens but forsook justice, mercy and faithfulness. These should be first.

Their order of priorities were wrong.

They removed a fly from the tea but swallowed camels. that is they saw the small sins of others with a microscope but didn't see their own sins which were very obvious.

Do you see the small sin of others but see nothing wrong with you? If you see nothing wrong with you that means you are already become like Christ and you know you are just deceiving yourself. you are a blind Pharisee

They cleaned the outside of a cup but inside was greed and self-indulgence.

They were to first clean inside and then the outside would be clean.

They looked beautiful outside but inside they were dead mens bones with all soughts of impurities.

Outside they looked righteous but inwardly they were hypocrites and lawlessness.

They were very careful how they acted before men to have a reputation of righteous people but ignored God who saw their inner wickedness and their private sins.

If you are more concerned about the picture you portray before others; that is the opinions of men, that the picture that God sees in your heart and in your private life, you are a hypocrite. You are a Pharisee. Repent. You are a worshipper of another god called the opinions of men

Here we see about having first things first. And cleaning inside of ourselves must be first.

 _2Cor 7:1_ and _1John 3:3_ says that we should cleanse ourselves. _1Cor 11:31_ says that if we judge ourselves rightly, we will not be judged.

If we want to be freed from Pharisism, the first thing we need to do is to stop judging others and instead judge ourselves right. Judging ourselves must not be on the outside, how we dress, whether we have matched our clothes, but it must be in the inside.

Asking questions like, the way I spoke to that person, was it right? Did I hurt them with the way I spoke, and if yes I apologise. 

Was their selfishness in the way I acted?

What is my motive of doing what I am doing? Am I trying to impress men? Am justifying myself and trying to show that I was not wrong?

What are my attitudes towards someone?

If Jesus was there, could I have spoken the way I did even if I was provoked?

Could I acted the way I did if Jesus was physically present?

> When you start judging and cleansing yourself from the inside, you realise that there so many things wrong with you which you need to set right and you will instead of judging others be merciful unto them. It will be very hard for you to judge others if you are constantly judging yourself; instead you will be a very compassionate person.

Live before God's face everyday....that is to be constantly aware that God is watching you in everything you do or speak, he sees your thoughts, motives and attitudes and thus will want his recommendation or approval and what people say about you will be none of your business. What God thinks or says about you will be very important.

> Decide from now on that God's first project is ME and he is trying to break me and mould me so that he can use me. But if I shift my focus to look at others, there will be nothing or very little that God will be able to accomplish through me.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@ _blessedmambo_

MATHEW 23:1-15. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

HYPOCRISY

Its interesting that of all the sins that Jesus, to this particular sin of hypocrisy, He dedicated a whole chapter on it.

Trying to look back in the previous chapters; we can conclude that in the eyes of Jesus, the sins which He considers greatest are PRIDE and HYPOCRISY since they are the ones He condemned most.

He said to the crowds and the disciples to listen to the Scribes and Pharisees since they interpreted the law of Moses, but never to know their example because they never practiced what they taught.

Are you among them; are you an example of what you teach? Or do you just tell people to do things which you yourselves don't do even if they are in the law?

Become first of all a doer before you teach and only teach what you yourself have practiced.

They tie heavy burdens on people but they themselves are not willing to move even with a finger.

They make so many demands on people saying you must do this, you must do this, but just like Pharaoh's taskmasters, they expect it to be done exactly and at the appointed time without they themselves offering any help, and they are very much irritated and angry when not done accordingly. 

Do you make demands on people and have high expectations and yet don't offer any help towards the accomplishment? You are a Pharaoh's taskmaster; repent from hypocrisy.

All they do is to be seen by men and make their clothes that they will be different from others in a way to be noticed by men. They love the place of honour and the highest places in gatherings and the churches. They love being respected and being called Rabbi, or leader.

Do you love recognition and honour. Do you earnestly desire respect before men as the one who does this and that in the church or one who have accomplished this and that? Do you get hurt when no one recognises you and you are treated just like any other person?

Don't have such high thoughts about yourself. 

Jesus says we are all brothers and Jesus is our teacher and leader and we are all students in His class, though we are all in different classes, some are in kindergarten and others are in higher classes, but all of us are students and Jesus is our teacher and we are all children of one Father in heaven.

The servant of others shall be the greatest of all for whoever humbles himself will be exalted and whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

Hypocrisy and pride made the Pharisees and the scribes become a hindrance to others who wanted enter Gods kingdom.

The character we portray on Sundays during the service if it's not the same we show at home or in the school or at the place of work, we are a hindrance to others who would have entered God's kingdom.

If you are a hypocrite you are a hindrance.

They also took advantage of the widows and to cover it up, they made long prayers and thus will receive greater condemnation.

Do you take advantage of others especially the weak and try to cover it up? Do you pretend that there is nothing wrong with what you have done when your conscience is already convincting you?

They are went for evangelism to convert people but their concerts become twice a child of hell. Before they came the convert was already on their way to hell, after they came, they gave them a false hope of entering heaven and because of their hypocritical lives, their concerts take sin lightly but think that because they said the sinners prayers that they will definitely be in God's kingdom; if they die in their hypocritical conditions they will be surprised to wake up in hell for hell is the place of the hypocrites. Math 24:51

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 22:15-46. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

The Pharisees consulted how they might trap Jesus with His words.

Do you act like that; are you a fault-finder trying to find something someone does wrong so that you can accuse them? 

Why don't you now seek for something good to appreciate in people?

They asked Jesus whether they were to pay taxes or not. Jesus asked for a coin because He didn't have one in His pocket; He asked whose image and superscription it was and then concluded that we should pay taxes to the revenue authorities and give to God what belongs to God.

The Sadducees then asked about a woman who was married to seven brothers and they all died with children; who's wife she would be in the resurrection and Jesus answered that they erred or mistaked because they didn't know the scriptures or the power of God.

How much of the bible do you know? How much of God's power have you experienced?

The less you know the bible, the more you will mistake what you do or think is God's will will only be based on assumptions not what the scriptures says. God's power is experienced when we seek Him wholeheartedly.

The more wholehearted you are, the more you will experience Gods power.

You have been a Christian for all those years and you still don't know the scriptures and Gods power; repent from that and seriously study the scriptures not just selected portions. Start reading the new testament from the beginning. Seek the Lord to experience His resurrection power which will help you love an overcoming life always.

God is God of the living not the dead. People were amazed hearing Jesus speak. Their hearts burnt as they listened to him simply because God backed Him up and He only taught what He had already practiced. 

Seek God's approval on your life and ministry. That is what will make a difference. People's hearts will burn as they listen to you, not only while preaching, but even on other days.

The Pharisees came again and a lawyer asked Him which is the greatest commandment and He said loving God with all your heart, soul, mind amd strength and loving your neighbour as yourself.

Is this the most important commandment to you? 

Have you made it your ambition in life that this is what you will pursue until death? If not you have been sidetracked; Get back on track; go for the main goal.

Loving God = keeping His commandments. John 14:15,21

Loving your neighbour= doing for them what you would like them do unto you. Mat 7:12

Jesus asked them who's Christ was and answered David. Jesus asked how He was His son since He was inspired to call Him Lord and they couldn't answer.

Even today God can give you wisdom to silence your enemies and the fault-finders. Seek Him.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

,@blessedmambo

MATHEW 22:1-14. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus gave the parable of of the king who prepared a wedding feast for his son and invited many. When the preparation were done, he sent his slaves to call those who were invited but they didn't come. Again he sent others but they took it light and went on to their businesses and farms and others mistreated the servants and killed them. 

The king was angry and he sent out his armies and destroyed their cities and killed them.

He said those who were invited were not worthy and thus he sent his slaves to the highways to invite as many as they found both good and bad and the house was filled with guests.

The king is a picture of God in heaven and the Son is Jesus Christ. The wedding feast is made for His Son and many guests are invited but they took light of it and continued in their daily activities. 

One reason they took light of it is because they knew that when they attended the feast, all the attention will be on kings son and not them. All honor and admiration would be to the kings son. If positions of honour would have been promised to them, they would have come but they were just invited just like any other person.

This may represent people in church who would only serve if they are promised positions of honour and prestige. If they would be recognised they will serve. These kind always get hurt whenever they are not recognised among other brethren of what they do for the Lord. 

They persecute the kings slaves and kill them with their tongues by speaking evil of them behind their backs.

Are you among them? Do you get hurt whenever you are not recognised? Do you gossip and speak evil of God's servants because you were not given honour or that position you longed for?

Do you only serve God when it's convenient for you and make excuses for not doing so?

Repent now, the king will send his armies to destroy your pride and your life and will leave you and choose others.

The king sent his servants to go to the highways to invite others as many as were found. This is a picture of God rejecting people and inside chooses those in worse conditions who are despised and rejected of men. These folks have nothing to boast about. They were already despised and rejected of men; to them it is such a privilege and honour to be invited to the wedding feast. They enjoyed it to the fullest. They were not seeking any honour and were perfectly contented that all attention was given to the kings Son and none was given to them. This could be a picture of those who serve God joyfully and are perfectly contented and are not seeking any honour unto themselves; the Kings Son is so glorious in their eyes that their sins have been washed away and now they are part of Kings family. The criticisms of men don't bother them; they are not seeking for positions of power. They are happy to be unknown.

Are you among them? If the position and honour you have would be stripped away from you, would your still serve joyfully?

As the king came to see His guests, he found one who had no wedding garment, he asked him how he came in without a wedding garment and he was speechless.

All the others had a wedding garment except him; this shows that when they came in, every one of them was given a wedding garment free of charge to go and put it on and all the thers joyfully did it except this man. He thought to himself, "this garment will make me look just like everyone else but I am better than all these people we came with, my dress is not as filthy as that of others, in fact i am their leader and i must be different from them for the king to easily recognise me". That is why He was speechless, he was a proud man. He wanted honour and position. He felt he should be given a privilege as a leader of all the others. Just like the labourers who worked in the first hour asked; how could you make these people equal to us; we are much better than them. These have spent all their lives in sin and I have spent mine in church, how could you make us equal? That's unfair?

Do you have such complaints against the Lord? Do you get hurt when you are treated just like other common people?

Your righteousness is like filthy rags and God will never accept it. Is 64:6. 

When two people come to God for salvation, one have lived in the church all their lives and the other have lived openly in sin, God sees them equally as filthy sinners who need salvation. Our very good works can never save us.

Finally this proud man was bound hands and foot and was cast where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called but few are chosen. Many had been called but not all came; and those who came, one was proud and was cast out...

Thus the chosen few are those who hear the call and respond to it in humility and does not come for positions of honour or any such thing.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

GOD IS FAITHFUL

 

To be faithful is to be worthy of trust. Our God can be trusted to keep what He has said.

Psalm 91:4 says that God's faithfulness is our shield and bulwark.

Shield is a protective covering from danger or harm.

Bulwark is a wall of protection.

Thus we see that God's faithfulness is our protection from every attack of the enemy both within and outside.

Outside sources may refer for example lack, persecution by outsiders and many other outside sources whereas inside attack may be through our closest friends and family members.

God's faithfulness will keep you from both these two attacks.

1Cor 1:8,9

He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Here we see a promise of being kept strong until the end by God. Our part is fellowshipping with Christ.

If we maintain our fellowship with Christ, God will preserve us until the end. 

Our fellowship with Christ is broken when we walk in darkness. 1John 1:3-6. If you are willfully living in sin, you are out fellowship with Christ and this promise does not apply to you. But if to the best of your knowledge you are living with a clear conscience, not consciously sinning, you are in fellowship with Christ. As we continue fellowshipping He gives us more light on ourselves. We see areas in our lives where we are unchristlike and we cleanse ourselves from these to be more Christlike like. 

> If we constantly judge ourselves in our actions, attitudes and motives, we will constantly be aware of our own needs for more grace to overcome our weaknesses but if we concentrate on others and their weaknesses, we will be proud and say like the Pharisees, thanks be to God that I am not like other men, am special; I don't do evil like so and so. Am better than them.

> A truly blessed is the person who truly judges himself constantly and not others

1Cor 10:12,13

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

We are warned here that if we think we are strong we are in danger for we can easily fall into temptation. The temptations that come to us are common to every person; BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL: He will not a temptation stronger than you to come to you; thus we know that every temptation that comes to us is one which we can overcome. God will make a way out of it.

Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mat 26:41

We only fall into temptation because we stop watching and praying. The reason we stop praying is because we think we are strong. Our inner man desires for any child of God is to please God and overcome every temptation; but our flesh is weak. This means that you can commit any sin that others commit without exception unless you continue watching and praying. There will never come a time in your life when you will not be tempted as long as you are alive: this we must constantly be on our guard and continue to pray. You can backslide from any point in your Christian life if you are not careful until the end; but remember the promise of God, every temptation you can overcome and there is always a way out of every temptation

1Thes 5:22-24

Stay away from every kind of evil.

And the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

We see here that if we abstain from sin, God will sanctify us completely. He is faithful to do it if we do our part of abstaining from all appearance of evil. If we have a desire to wholeheartedly live for God and be pure for Him, He will do it for you.

2Thes 3:2,3

Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer.

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

God will protect those who are faithfully praying for His servants.

Heb 3:6, 10:23

Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Christ is called the high priest of our confession. Heb 3:1

2Cor 4:13

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,

Remember it is what is written in Gods word that we speak; it's unfortunate today that much of what we declare as believers is not what God has promised in His word. 

Find out from God's word the promises of God and confess them with your tongue not what our selfish desires wants.

Keep confessing God's word, His faithful promises for deliverance, provision, overcoming...

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 21:23-46. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus was questioned about where He got His authority to do the things He did. He asked them a question where they were in a fix and were unable to answer Him and He said that He also will not answer them.

Jesus spoke with authority because He lived a life before His Fathers face; He always did what pleased the Father; Jn 8:29. He was not concerned about what people thought about Him or what He did but only what God thought about Him, whether it pleased the Father or not. If we would seek to follow Jesus and decide as He said, my food is to do the will of my Father and to finish the work God gave Him,; John 4:34; God will give us authority if we follow Jesus here: that is, He will back us up.

God created you with a purpose and He has a work for you told do and you will only find satisfaction doing what God created you to do.

Christ was given wisdom to answer His critics in a way that they could not gainsay or resist. Luke 21:15

If you are in His will, He will give you all the wisdom, alk the resources, all the knowledge and understanding you need to do all His will. It's all available for you and me.

Jesus gave a parable of two sons both sent to work in the vineyard by their father, one said no but later repented and went and the other said yes but never went.

It is those who do the will of God that please Him not those who merely say yes. 

In which category are you in; of the many things that you say you'll do for God or obey what God has spoken to your heart; how much have you obeyed not just saying YES I WILL?

There is more hope for sinners who are outrightly living in sin and are not pretending to be holy than those hypocrites in church who pretend to be holy but hearts are full of evil.

The prostitutes and thieves will enter the kingdom of God before the religious chief priests and the elders.

The reason is that the prostitutes did not have a righteousness of their own and gladly receive the Righteousness of Christ whereas the priests and elders who were the church leaders trusted in themselves to be right with God because they were outwardly holy and could not imagine themselves to be in the same category with the thieves and the prostitutes in coming to Jesus for salvation. Luke 18:10-14

Jesus came to save sinners not righteous people. Mat 9:13

Unless you come to Jesus as a filthy sinner, even when you have lived your whole life in the church; you will never be saved. If you think because you have not committed gross sins like the ones who are openly sinful, e.g murderers and prostitutes, that you can present your good works to God, they will never be accepted for they are as filthy rags, like a menstruous cloth. Isaiah 64:6

He also gave a parable of the tenants who were given a piece of land to be bringing fruits in the season. When the owner sent His servants, they were mistreated and some were killed. They even killed their son so that they will enjoy the fruits alone. He said that the vineyard will be taken away from them and given to others who will give fruits in every harvest.

This teaches that every we have belong to God. Our health, our intelligence, gifts, abilities, wealth...and we are just stewards. Ps 24:1, 1Cor 4:2

God is expecting you to give fruit in every season. Due to selfishness and failure to realise that what we have belongs to God, we don't give fruit to God. Oh that God may deliver us from such folly; that our Lives may be fruitful. God gives us time to repent, and when the time expires, He will take what He gave us and give to someone else who will produce fruit; just like He took the kingdom from Saul and gave it to David. 1Sam 14:13-14

Don't think you are so special that you are someone important and the church is blessed to have someone like you in their midst; Even TODAY, He can reject you and choose another and still remain to be God. Be humble.

The stone the builders rejected is become the chief cornerstone. It's the Lord's doing, it is marvelous in our eyes.

The person that many despise and reject will be Gods chosen vessel and will be glorious to see how God can use such a person.

If you humble yourself, you will be broken to pieces and God will use you to be a blessing; but if you are proud, the stone will fall on you and crush you to powder and God will destroy you; 

The choice is yours; to humble yourself and be made useful, or be proud and God opposes you and destroys you.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 21:17-22. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus was hungry and seeing a fig He came to seek fruit but only found leaves and cursed it.

It's unfortunate that it is true for many Christians, their lives are fruitless. When you look them at a far distance they will seem to be fruitful but looking the inner condition of their hearts, there is emptiness.

Jude 1:13 expresses it this way 

...caring for themselves; CLOUDS WITHOUT WATER, carried along by winds; autumn trees WITHOUT FRUIT, DOUBLY DEAD, uprooted;

Vs 16 says their primary characteristics is complaining and taking advantage of others.

Do you complain, do you take advantage of others especially due to their weaknesses or lack of knowledge?

Phil 2:14-Do everything without complaining and arguing,

2Cor 7:2 

Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF NO ONE.

If you want fruitfulness in your life, get rid of complaining and taking advantage of people. Settle matters right that need to be set right; remember that one day our whole lives will be put in a screen in the judgment day for everyone to see how we lived and what we did in our private lives, thoughts, motives and attitudes; only the parts we have repented and turned away from matters we've set right will be erased but the things we've hidden carefully from others to seek a good reputation as fruitful brothers will at that day be exposed. Don't wait for that it's time for the LORDS Mercies.

Peter expresses it this way in 2Pet 2:17-19

These are SPRINGS WITHOUT WATER and mists driven by a storm...They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.

They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. 

For YOU ARE A SLAVE TO WHATEVER CONTROLS YOU.

2Tim 2:5

HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF GODLINESS, but denying its power which could make them truly godly. Avoid such people.

Tit 1:16

Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live...

The fruitless fig tree can represent a life of hypocrisy. But Jesus gives us time to repent but He will curse us we continue living in hypocrisy and expose us openly one day. But God desires that we deal with him privately concerning our hypocrisy and when when we acknowledge it, He will give us that power which makes us truly godly in our hearts primarily. The picture we portray outside will be the true condition of our hearts.

Jesus told the disciples if they had faith they would do what the did and even tell a mountain to move into the sea and it will happen.

And everything you pray believing, you will receive.

The mountain of fruitlessness and hypocrisy should be cast into the sea never to be seen again in our lives; pray that God will make your inner life the same as the life you show others on the outside. Pray believing and God will deliver you from a life of hypocrisy and barrenness.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 21:1-16. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus approaching Jerusalem sent two of His disciples to bring a colt which was tied besides it's mother.

It is a wonderful thing when God gives us fellowship in the assignment He has given us. Two are better than one, if one falls, the other will lift him up but woe unto him who is alone for when he falls he has none to help him. Ecc 4:9-10

Do you have like-minded brothers or sisters whom you fellowship with? Ones whose goals are as yours in the desire to please God and obey Him? Do you have someone who can pray with you when you are down or are you a lone ranger?

You are a blessed person if you have someone who pushes you higher the upward call of God to fulfill your purpose.

It's interesting that Jesus said He needed a colt; not that He has any lack but it's a privilege given to the colt to carry Jesus. 

Even today Jesus needs you; He desires to use you to bless others. It's a privilege if you can submit to Him completely and be used by Him to be a blessing to others.

As He entered, people spread their clothes and branches for Him to pass through and they were singing, "Hosanna to the Son of David , blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Do you come in the name of the Lord or in your own name? Do you say what you have done for the Lord, the sacrifices you have made for the Lord, all you have endured for Him, how much you have given in His service? That's coming in your own name.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. What God has done, what He has sacrificed for us....in other words, not what we do for Christ, but what Christ does through us should be the agenda of our rejoicing

Jesus entered the temple and chased the money changers and Said His Fathers house is to be the house of prayer not the den of robbers.

Remember that Jesus used to go to the temple on Sabbath days and He never chased the money changers until now?

Why did He wait for so long before He did though they were always there on Sabbath days? Because He never felt led by God to do so. He never did anything from His own initiative but only what He was taught by His Father. John 8:28

These money changers also had permission from the temple priests and they were giving them some bribes to continue in that work; why didn't any of them fight back and refuse His business to be destroyed? Because the life Jesus lived was so upright and pure that it burnt their consciousnesses and they knew they were wrong and He was right. His words had authority and were a very sharp sword. Jesus lived with the same body like us and faced every temptation that ever came to Him and that is why He had such authority and power in His words. 

Even now, if we seek to always do the will of God wholeheartedly, overcome sin and temptations by the power of the Holy Spirit; do nothing which the Lord has not led us to; then God will give power and authority in our words that will be like a sharp sword that none can hide their sins without getting strong convictions when you are there

God's house is the house of prayer not the centre of business.

He healed the blind and the lame.

The priests got agitated with the childrens sing and Jesus said that God ordains PRAISE from the mouths of babes.

The verse is quoted from Ps 8:2 which says God has ordained STRENGTH from the mouths of babes

Taking the two together we see that praise=strength.

When you are weak, praise God, and you will find strength.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@ blessedmambo

MATHEW 20:17-28. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus took His disciples and told them what would befall Him, how he would be taken and sentenced to death and raised from death.

The Mother of Zebedees children came with her son's and knelt asking if she would be given favour that her son's be given the right to sit on the right and left of the throne but Jesus asked whether they were willing to pay the price of taking the cup He took and they said yes. Jesus said indeed they would but those positions were reserved for the His Father.

The others were indignant hearing this and Jesus took them and taught them on how to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Those who wish to be greatest but servants of others and those who wish to be first must the slave. Just like Jesus did not come to be served but to serve angry give His life a ransom for many.

A slave has no rights of His own and yet He must do everything faithfully and not demand anything from anyone. THATS THE GREATEST.

Looking at the example of Jesus, how He ascended to the highest place in heaven, and since came as a man in every way, faced ever temptations that men face and overcame, we can also learn how to be the greatest in heaven. Heb 2:17, 4:15

Eph 2:5-11

Let Jesus be your example in humility.

He was equal to God but didn't grasp that position as God. He stripped Himself of all privileges as God became as a human being.

He took no reputation as a very important person but He became a slave.

He humbled himself further to die the worst death as a criminal.

This is why God exalted Him to the highest place.

Heb 12:1-4

We are told to run the race fixing our eyes on Jesus who for the joy set before Him ENDURED the cross despising it's shame and is sitted at the right hand of the Father. He grievously was contradicted by evil men and resisted sin even unto bloodshed .

Rev 3:21

He that overcome as Jesus overcame will be granted the right to sit with Him on the throne

From these 3passages of scriptures we see how to sit with Jesus.

The secret is in overcoming every temptation to sin and resisting it and victory is found as we seek to humble ourselves further and further.

Thus THE 10 SECRETS OF AN OVERCOMING CHRISTIAN LIFE ARE.

1. HUMILITY

2. HUMILITY

3. HUMILITY

4. HUMILITY

5. HUMILITY

6. HUMILITY

7. HUMILITY

8. HUMILITY

9. HUMILITY

10. HUMILITY 

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 19:26-20:16 THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS.

 

Jesus said that what was impossible with man is possible with God; that is, God is able to humble a proud arrogant person who is full of himself to be like a little child.

Peter then asked what they would gain for having left all to follow him and Jesus answered that they would sit on the thrones ruling with him and also a hundred times of what they left, whether houses, brothers, fathers, children's, lands ..and with persecution. Mark 10:30

He also warned that many who were first would be first and the last will be first.

Those in church who have prominent positions, leaders and those who have gifts which make them known better than others; MANY, i.e more than 50% of them will be last and many who were last, What be first. That is, those who have gifts which don't make them prominent, who are less known in the church yet they are faithful, many will be first.

The reason many who are first will be last is because of pride. When one has a position above others, there is a great temptation to be proud and if one is not careful you find that the devil have succeeded in infecting you with pride and you start thinking you are a very important person because of your position in church but you are not that important. Gods work went on wonderfully well before you were born and will continue on well wonderfully well long after you are dead; in the short period you have been given the privilege, let's serve in humility and in the fear of God and especially if you are a gifted person or a leader.

What Gods looks at is faithfulness not gifts. Seek to be faithful not popular.

Jesus continued to explain by a parable of the labourers in Mathew 20:1-16 .

Verse 16 show that Jesus was explaining how the last shall be the first.

Examining the parable, we see in the morning people were given job and the agreement was the days wages. Others joined at 0900, others at 1200, others 1500hrs they were told they would be given a fair pay. At 1700hrs he went and called others to the work but only told them to go into the vineyard but didn't make an agreement with them. At 1800hrs they were all called and the last were paid first and they were given a whole days wages and so on until they reached the first. And they expecting to be given extra since 'they beared the whole days labour ' they were disappointed for being given also the whole days wages and their complain was; "why do you make us equal to these who only worked for one hour?

Do you have such a complaint to God?

 For example; I have been born again for 20 years and have been serving faithfully in the Lord's vineyard Lord, and you have not given me such and such gift which you have given to brother so and so and He has only been born again for just one year?

What is your attitude as you are serving?

Do you suppose you are a very important person?

Paul warns in Gal 6:3; "if you think you are a somebody when you are not, you are deceiving yourself" and in Rom 12:3 He says we shouldn't think of ourselves more highly that we ought to think.

God must be everything, He must increase and we must decrease. John 3:30

Which direction have you been going? Are you becoming smaller and smaller in your own eyes and Christ becoming Greater and greater or is it vice versa?

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 19:1-24. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Pharisees asked whether it was right to divorce a wife and Jesus said that if anyone divorces his wife except for immorality and marries another, he commits adultery.

He explained that there are different reasons why people didn't get married .

Little children were brought to Him for Him to lay his hands on them and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Jesus said that children should be allowed to come to Him since the kingdom of heaven belong to those who are like little children. He laid His hands on them and went away.

As we saw earlier, the primary characteristics of little children is HUMILITY. The kingdom of heaven is for the humble, sincere and honest people not those who are proud and hypocrites.

A young ruler came and asked Him what he must do to be saved. Jesus told to keep the commandments and he asked which and Jesus gave the fifth to ninth command. The young man said he kept all of them since He was a child and asked what He lacked. 

Here we see the young man who kept the commandments from his childhood had a void in his heart. Deeply within, he knew there is something he is lacking. 

Even today, many who are serving in the church, like the young man, have good qualities still have an emptiness within. There is a gap in every man which nothing in the world can fill but only God.

Do you feel a void in your heart even if you have been serving faithfully in the church?

Jesus loving him answered that he go and sell everything and give to the poor and have his treasure in heaven and then he should come and follow him.

His problem was that he was obsessed with money. He loved money.

Even today, if there is anything that we love more than Jesus, we will have emptiness in us. It can be our loved ones, jobs, possessions or ourselves. We must love Jesus supremely; more that anything or anyone and we must follow him wherever he leads us if we are to experience fullness of joy and perfect rest and peace in our hearts.

The young was not willing to pay the price and therefore he went away sad.

Jesus said it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

It will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to inherit the kingdom of God.

The reason is because riches tend to make people proud. And when one is proud, God fights against him. 

If you go and ask the street children what they think about you; they will tell you that you are are rich person. It is because we compare ourselves with those who are financially well of than us that we think that this verse does not apply to us but it does.

You are better than someone in some way and that makes you richer than him or her. It can be in intelligence, gifts, natural talents, wisdom, beauty, bible knowledge....

One mark that you are rich proud is that you despise someone who does not have what you have, and to you the LORD, it will be difficult for you to enter the kingdom of heaven unless you humble yourself.

Always remember that whatever you have, it is God who have given you.

And if you have been given, why do you boast as if it was not given to you?

Why do you think you are superior to others and everything you have you have been given? 1Cor 4:7

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 18:18-35.THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

He gave His disciples authority that whatever they bound in heaven will be bound on earth and whatever they lose in heaven will be loosed in earth.

Remember that we don't have human enemies but spiritual enemies. Eph 6:10-13.

There are many activities that happen in the heavenly places and if we bind them, they will be bound...and there are many who have been bound in the heavenlies by wicked spirits and if we loose them, they will be loose.

Do you use this authority that we have been given by Christ?

Again if two of you agree one earth about anything they ask, it will be done by my Father in heaven. This is why the devil creates divisions in the brotherhood because He knows the power that will be released due to such unity which will destroy his works. 

Eph 4:2-3

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Paul here states clearly how we can remain united since we have our own faults, different point of views and other differences...we nust be humble first of all and gentle towards each other. That we learn from Jesus; Mat 11:29-30

Then we must be patient and make allowance for the faults of the other person because they are not perfect and in one way or the other they will disappoint you or sin against you, consciously or unconsciously.

And we must do our best to make sure there are not tensions between you and you solve your disagreements to come up to a solution so that you remain one.

If both parties work towards the above goal, then the devil will not be able to separate you and when you pray together, great things will happen.

One of the greatest gifts that God gives us is the gift of fellowship with other like-minded brothers and sisters. You are a blessed person if you have such.

He continues and says for where two or three are gathered in my name; there am I in there midst.

There are different reasons why people gather, but when the gathering is IN HIS NAME; that is, to glorify and honour Christ, not us but him, He will be there.

Christ is not in every Christian gathering as many assume; it was to a lukewarm church who were singing and worshipping and serving and preaching and all church activities done that he said; I am outside the door knocking. Rev 3:20

Peter asked whether He should forgive seven time but Jesus said 70*7=490 time.

He gave an example of two debtors; one had a debt of 10,000,000$(dollars) and he could not repay but he knelt and pleaded for mercy and asked to be given time and He would repay but he was forgiven freely. Then going outside he met one who owed him about 200$(dollars) and asked to be repaid his debt. The man also asked for mercy and to be given time but He refused and took him to jail. When the master heard what the servant he had forgiven did, He called him and unforgave his debt and took him to torturers until he repaid the debt. 

Your Father in heaven will do so to you if you do not forgive your brother from the heart.

This teaches how evil unforginess is. All of us we have been wronged many times but that is a very small debt compared to our sin against God. The smallest sin we commit against God is a million times greater than the greatest sin others can sin against us because God is an infinite being and we are finite beings.

If you don't forgive, all the sins you were formerly forgiven will be charged to your account. 

You can live your whole life in church but if you die with unforginess, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. Wake up from your slumber and presumption.

You are blessed to be blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 18:1-17. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

The disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and he called a child and told them, "unless you be converted and become like a little child you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven."

Remember it were the disciples who followed him the he said must be converted and become like little children.

The primary characteristics of little children is HUMILITY. Whoever will humble themselves like a little child is the greatest in heaven. 

Another character of little children is honesty and sincerity. Children are free from hypocrisy. They don't pretend to be what they are not nor pretend to know what they don't know.

Unless we learn to humble ourselves, be honest and sincere, and be free from all hypocrisy, i.e. pretending or acting, we shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

He continues to say that whoever welcomes the little child in His name receives Christ.

If anyone causes anyone to sin, it can be through telling them sin is not serious, or by a bad example, or through thoughtlessness towards the feelings of others, or through any other way; it would be better for such a person that a milestone be tied around his neck and he be thrown in the deepest part of the sea.

Do you encourage others to sin?

Woe to the world because of the temptations to sin.

Temptations to sin are sure to come but unto him through whom they come.

As long as we live in this world as children of God, the devil will not cease from pursuing us that we may fall in His lap. BEWARE, NEVER THINK THAT THERE IS A TIME OR A SPIRITUAL LEVEL THAT YOU WILL ATTAIN SUCH THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER BE TEMPTED TO SIN. 

BE ALWAYS VIGILANT AND WATCHFUL, IF YOU THINK YOU ARE STANDING, TAKE HEED LEST YOU FALL.

When you fall in sin you have fallen in the trap of the devil and his plan is to let you remain there and finally you die and land in hell. Wake up from slumber.

It's interesting that the devil have convinced a lot of believers that sin is no longer serious. The fear of God is gone out of the hearts of those who take His name. The faithful are fast disappearing. Ps 12:1

O that God may restore His fear in His church.

Sin is serious and God's judgement on sin is serious. 

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off, it better to enter heaven maimed than with two hands be thrown in hell.

Be radical in dealing with sin now before it's too late.

Jesus came to seek and save that which is lost.

Ensure that you don't despise any little child. their angels are always beholding Gods face.

Is there anyone you despise because they don't have what you have, they don't know what you know, they don't act how you act, or you are better than them in certain areas; YOU are a proud person if there is anyone you despise no matter who they are.

God owns the universe, controls everything, He is great BUT DESPISES NO ONE. Job 36:5

Learn from God

He says that if a sheep goes astray, the shepherd leaves the 99and goes for it and there is great joy when the sheep is found. 

It is not the will of God that anyone perish; no matter how fallen they are, there is no pit that God cannot get them out.

If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault. If he refuses, take one or two others as witnesses and still if He is a proud person who will not acknowledge that He is wrong, take him to the authority in church and if still he hardens His heart, treat him as an unbeliever.

Children don't despise other children who don't have what they have. They have no problem admitting that they are wrong and have not problem apologising.

Remember that unless you are converted and become like a little child, you will not inherit the kingdom of God.

When was the last time that you asked for forgiveness from someone you wronged?

When last did you ask God to forgive you for despising someone?

You are blessed to be a blessing.

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 17:14-27. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

A man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus to be cured. His disciples were unable to cure him. Jesus said, you faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I put up with you? And He healed the boy; the disciples later asked Jesus why they couldn't heal him and answered it was because of their unbelief.

When you are unable to do something that you know you ought to do, do you go to Jesus and ask Him why you couldn't do it? Or do you assume that whatever will be will be?

Learn from the disciples to ask Jesus every question we have, and Jesus always answers.

All those questions you've been having in your heart, take all to Jesus; He is willing to listen to you and give you light.

He said to them if they had little faith as a mustard seed they'd tell a mountain to move and it would; but this kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting

There is a place for prayer and fasting in the Christian life?

When last did you fast and prayed and sought God?

God has many things He have for us but the key to some of them is prayer and fasting.

Do you want everything God has for you in this life? Make prayer and fasting part of your spiritual disciplines.

Jesus went from there and told His disciples all that He would suffer and killed and they were very sorrowful.

The tax persons asked whether Jesus paid tax or not and Peter answered yes. Today the question would be, does your master file returns or not. Jesus filed his returns and so should we 

Jesus asked Peter from whom the taxes were collected their sons or strangers and Peter said strangers and Jesus said that children are exempted.

Peter was sent fish and from the first fish would take money to pay the temple tax so as not to offend the revenue authorities.

Here we see that Jesus is caring. He paid for himself and for his disciple Peter.

Even today, Jesus still cares and want to help out of your problems. 

You maybe having debts that you have not repaid; Jesus is Willing to help you. 

You may have gotten yourself into trouble due to your ignorance or careless and now there seems to be no way out; Jesus cares for you. He is willing to help you out of it.

As we sing in the well known hymn.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

 *What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer!* 

 *O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,* 

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee

thou wilt find a solace there.

We lose our peace and bear Much pain unnecessarily, just because we worry instead of taking it to Jesus. 

Stop worrying and take that problem to Jesus and you will have peace.

PEACE is the mark that our prayers have reached the throne. Phil 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 17:1-13. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus went to the mountain with His disciples and was transfigured before them. Then Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with him. When Peter sa it, he suggested that they make 3booths, one Jesus, Moses and Elijah and immediately a cloud overshadowed them and a voice said; this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.

Peter was overwhelmed when he sincerely made that suggestion which made the three equal but God did not agree with him. Immediately a cloud came. In the same way whenever we try to elevate servants of God to the same height to Jesus, a cloud always come immediately and our spiritual growth is stunted until we exalt Jesus where God has exalted Him. This is the position that God has placed Christ.

Col 1:18

He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will COME TO HAVE FIRST PLACE IN EVERYTHING.

If we learn to put Christ first in everything, then we will God support us all the days of our lives; but if we exalt and even worship servants of God; no matter how faithful they are, God will bring a cloud and we'll remain in darkness. 

Yeah we should honour God's servant but we must never worship them; Christ alone must have the first place in everything.

Has Christ been number 1 in all decisions you have been making? You can start today and decide always that He will be first; to be consulted, to be pleased, to be obeyed, seeking His approval in everything I do, first to seek help from....

Here God said we should listen to Christ which he never said during the baptism. Mathew 3:17

This teaches that as a man, Even Jesus had to be tested to gain God's approval. In the same way, before God's approves of us and bears witness to our ministry, he first must test us.

Ps 11:5a The Lord tests and proves the righteous

2Chron 32:31b. God left him to himself to try him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

God have tested you many times, and you have failed through compromise and murmuring... Learn to overcome every trial that you face and you will get promotions in your spiritual life very first.

The disciples fell down and were afraid and Jesus lifted them and told them not to be afraid , they lifted their eyes and saw only Jesus.

Jesus was an encourager. Whenever he found His disciples fearful, He encouraged them. Let's follow Him. Whenever you find a disciple who is discouraged, learn to encourage them.

Jesus told them not to mention what they had seen until He was raised from the dead.

Jesus as we saw earlier did not like being publicized but always sought to hide behind the scenes. As He taught in Mathew 6; your left hand should not know what your right hand does.

The disciples asked him why scribes taught that Elijah must come first and He explained that He had come and no one recognised him and he suffered and was mistreated; the disciples understood that He was talking about John the baptist.

Rarely does people recognise true prophets in their generation. They are recognised after they are dead. They get mistreated and persecuted and all manner of evil done to them. Only the wholehearted disciples recognise true people in their generation. Are you one them? God can open your eyes to see His true prophets in your generation if you decide to be wholehearted and love Christ more that everything and everyone else. And when God opens your eyes, learn to honour them and God will bless you for that.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

MATHEW 16:23-28.THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus stated clearly that when we are concerned with man's interests and not Gods interests, we are stumbling blocks to Him. 

There are many things that God is trying to work in us that we may fulfil His purposes but we hinder God from working in us when we don't see things as God sees them but looks in an earthly viewpoint. 

Oh that God would open eyes eyes to set our minds on God's interests and our spiritual growth would be rapid. We have stagnated for long because our minds are set on our own interests. Let's move on, we have dwelt there for long, let's look at things and circumstances and everything from a heavenly point of view; or in other words; what God is trying to accomplish through the circumstances whether good or bad. What is God saying in these circumstances.

Jesus said that if anyone desire to be His disciple, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Jesus. Self denial means that there are things you want or desire to do but will not do them because your heart is set on God's interests not your own. Taking up your cross means that whenever my will crosses the will of God, I deny my will to do the will of God. Luke 9:23 days that you have to do it daily.

Following Jesus is a conscious act. You are looking at the direction He is moving and following. You don't allow yourself to be distracted by others or situations. Go always in the direction God is leading you into every single day.

Whoever will seek to preserve his self life will lose it, but he who denies himself for Jesus' sake will find.

What will you gain if you gain the whole world and lose your soul?

Is anything worth more than your soul?

Jesus will come with angels with the glory of His Father and repay everyone according to their deeds. 

He said that some will not die before they see Him coming in His kingdom. The coming of His kingdom here refers the the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given. He is called the Spirit of Christ. Phil 1:19

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 16:1-23. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

The Pharisees asked Jesus to show a spectacular sign to prove His authority.

He said, when you see dark clouds, you say it will rain and when the sky is red you say it will be fair weather and it is so. 

He repeated what He had already said in Mat 12:39, only the wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but the only sign that He has given us is that of Jonah, that is, His death and resurrection. No wonder Paul cries, O That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering and being made comfortable to His death. Phil 3:10. It's unfortunate that we rarely hear about the death and resurrection of Jesus except maybe during Easter, what we mostly hear is miracles.

Death and resurrection which is the sign Jesus gave simply means as I understand it, when I choose do die to my self will, and choose to God's will every time, I will experience the resurrection power of Christ and I will become and more like Jesus, in my character, my attitudes, motives and every way from Glory to glory. 

The destination that Jesus has prepared for us is that we become like Jesus Christ. If you and I are moving in that direction, we at the end of every year be able to see that we have become a little more like than at the beginning of that year. Not comfortably saying that,'that is the way I am', not but every moment pressing on and becoming better and better every moment. Have you been heading to that direction or have you lived in the same condition or moving in a different location? You can start now. Choose the way of death to your self will to do the will of God and you will experience the resurrection power of God working in you to become more like Christ every moment.

Jesus warned His disciples of the teaching of the Sadducees and Pharisees.

Lk 12:1 says that beware of leaven of Pharisees and scribes which is hypocrisy.

The Pharisees had the right doctrine but they were hypocrites, that is, they never practiced what they taught. Mathew 23:3. 

We see here that the way we live is more important than what we teach. Many have an itch of teaching others but James warned us that let there be few teachers for teachers will receive a stricter judgment that the rest. Jam 3:1. Paul told Timothy to first take care of the way He lived and then of His teaching. 1Tim 4:16.

We learn therefore that we should only teach what we have practiced and this is the only way of having Gods approval and authority.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT PREACHING IS THAT GOD BACKS UP. God will not back you up if you are living hypocritical life.

Jesus continued and asked His disciples who people said He was, and then asked them and Peter answered the He was the Messiah the son of the Living God. Jesus said that He was blessed for not flesh and blood revealed that by the Holy Spirit. 

On that revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of the living God, Christ would build His church and the gates of Hell would not prevail.

Note that IT IS JESUS BUILDING HIS CHURCH.

it is not the devil fighting the church but the church fighting the kingdom of Satan and overcoming it, and it will not prevail. 

The church which Jesus is building upon the revelation of Him being Messiah Son of the Living God, will fight the kingdom of satan and overcome it. 

Still on this revelation, Jesus would give the key that whatever we bind in heaven will be bound on earth and whatever we lose in heaven will be loosed in earth. This is the second heaven where demons and principalities and power are. Noted that we don't fight with human beings. Eph 6:10-12.

For us to fight the devil effectively, we must believe Jesus is The anointed one of God who came to deliver us from all our bondages and restore to us the glory we lost, and then decide from henceforth never to fight with human beings. 

IF YOU FIGHT PEOPLE YOU WILL HAVE NO ENERGY TO FIGHT THE DEVIL .

We lose from the heavenlies the souls that have been bound by the the devil and bind all the activities of the devil hindering us from accomplishing Gods assignment for our lives.

Jesus begun to talk about His death and Peter took His aside and even rebuked Jesus and spoke sharply to Him telling him that He must never suffer. Jesus said to him, get behind me satan, for you are a stumbling block to me, your interests are mans interests not Gods interests.

Here we see how it is easy to start being a voice of God and in the next five minutes become the voice of satan. The reason is that at that moment Peter became proud that God gave Him a revelation from heaven and Jesus appreciated it. He thought that He was a very important person.

Rom 12:3 says that we should not think of ourselves more highly that we ought to think.

Gal 6:3 says that if you think you are someone important when you are a nobody, you are deceiving yourself. BEWARE OF PRIDE. It can turn one who was a mouthpiece of God to a mouthpiece of Satan.

Always remember that before you were born, God's work continued wonderful well and long after you are dead, it will continue. In the short period we are here, we should serve God with brokenness and humility and in reverence.

Another thing is that when we are thinking of our own interests and not Gods interests, we are stumbling blocks to Jesus, that is why Jesus we must love Him more that our loved one and friends and ourselves if we are to be His disciples.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessed mambo

MATHEW 15:21-39. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

A Canaanite woman came to Jesus crying loud asking Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter but Jesus kept quiet. She went to the disciples and they came to Jesus asking that she be sent away; Jesus replied that He was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel but the woman never gave up, as she continued Jesus said that it is not good that the children's food be thrown to the dogs. And she said "YES LORD".The dogs also eat crumbs that fall from the table and Jesus said that great is her faith.

Here we learn about desperate prayers that cannot be denied. Not that Jesus did not want to heal her daughter but He was testing her faith; His silence was the first test. The second was He saying that He was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel and third was that it wasn't good to give children's bread to dogs. In all these 3tests she passed. She said YES LORD to what Jesus said and that was a mark of faith. When you go to God in prayer; do you easily give up or do you persist until the answer comes? When God is silent to you and is answering the prayers of others, do you give up or start complaining that God is partial or do you still persist in prayer in faith assured that God hears you, cares about you and will answer you if you don't give up.

When He reproves you and point something wrong with you, do you start justifying yourself or do you say YES LORD . I am guilty, and there is forgiveness with you that you maybe feared.

Never justify yourself when God convicts you of something; to justify yourself when God points out something to you which needs to be set right or confessed and forsaken is to call God a liar straight to His face. Now that you know, learn to Yes Lord, that is true 

Jesus went to the mountain and sat down and people brought all the sick and maimed and blind and He healed all of them.

When people saw that they glorified God. Oh that we may learn to serve others and simultaneously direct all glory to God.

He fed the four thousand and then dismissed them.

All that were brought to Jesus and every situation, there is not a single case where we Jesus scratching his Head wondering what to do. Even today in that situation you are facing, take it to Jesus, He knows what to do and will do it. Don't be doubting, He is well able even today.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@blessedmambo

BEING USABLE FOR GODS HIGHEST PURPOSES.

There are many plans that God plans to do through humans but they are of different, some we can say are good, others are better and others are the best. Therefore being used by God is of different kinds. God uses even the devil to fulfill His purposes; for example God's plan to save the world was through the death of Jesus. God accomplished this by allowing this by allowing the devil incite religion leaders to crucify Christ. Thus we can say that God used the devil to accomplish His purpose of saving the world.

When Christian relax in their faith, many times God uses evil men to awaken them. When you hear a report that there are evil plans being planned to destroy you or your family or your business, that time you will really get serious with God and seek Him. So we can say that God used the wicked men to awaken you to prayer and being serious with the things of God.

But God has greater purposes which He desires to accomplish and we should desire to be used for His highest purposes not just the small purposes.

 _2Tim 2:21_ 

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. You will be the very best in the house—so that Christ himself can use you for his highest purposes.

 _2Tim 2:21_ (NASB, TLB).

We see here Paul telling us that there are purposes which are higher than others; and if you want to be used for God's highest purposes, you have to cleanse yourself from sin. _Vs 19._ this is not for preachers, it is for all children of God.

Thus we conclude the the reason God is unable to use us for higher purposes is because we are contented to live in sin. Stop sinning that God will use you 

 

God told Jeremiah in Jer 15:19

...If you speak what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth...

God can make our mouth like His, but the condition is if we remove meaningless words from our speech. Worthless are meaningless words that we speak; for example making promises which we do not intend to fulfill, words which we speak which we do not mean. God tells Jeremiah that if He only spoke what He meant, words which are precious to encourage others not discourage them, if He stops speaking words of gossips and tearing others. If instead of criticizing he interceded, God would make Jeremiah's mouth like His mouth. Even today God has not changed. If you stop making promises which you don't intend to fulfill, if you instead of fault-finding and criticizing, gossiping and speaking evil of others you intercede for them, if instead of speaking words that discourage you speak words that will encourage them, God will make your mouth like His.

Am example of how God's mouth is in creation in Gen one. At the end of every day it says that " God saw that is was good". ( Gen 1:4,10,12,18,21,25 ). At the end of creation God saw that it was "very good"( Gen 1:31

Remember that at verse 2 was a hopeless condition, full of darkness without form.

If God makes your mouth to be like His, He can use you in the life of one who is hopeless, desperate, whose life is shattered and has no future. You speak to him and as you continue doing so, it becomes better and better every moment. Every time you speak, it becomes good and as you continue finally people will look at that same persons condition and see that it has become " very good" from their hopeless condition.

Desire that

Paul continues to tell Timothy.

The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.

This is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do ever good work. ( 2Tim 3:16-17 TLB )

For us to do good work, we must be equipped. Here see that the way God equips us is through the whole Bible. Through it, God teaches us, opens our eyes to see what is wrong with our lives, straighten what is crooked and smoothen us, break our pride and bring us out of the valley of discouragement and self pity, and teach us to do what is right. Then If this is accomplished in us, God will give us everything we need to be useful in His highest purposes.

We need to note that God's first project is us not others. It's only as far as God has been in able to transform us that He can use us to transform others and not any further.

As it is said, you can lead others where you have not reached. Therefore even in sharing God's word, we should only share only what is true in us or only where God has transformed us and not any further, otherwise we will be hypocrites teaching others what is not true in our lives.

We have seen that it *the whole bible not some parts* that God uses. Therefore I want to encourage you if you have never seriously studied the bible to start today. And if you you have read at least once, don't be satisfied, start again.

We are still students in God's school, and the interesting thing in this school is that one who has just joined today, and that who joined 50years ago, even those doing the their pHD, they all have the same text book. For all classes from class one to pHD, the bible is the text book used in all of them. *Don't be satisfied that you studied it 3or ten or even 50times, if you still in God's school, read. Don't drop out of school.* 

As you read, don't read so that you can share with others, we so that it's purpose is to teach you and show you what is wrong with you and straighten out what is wrong with you and teach you to walk in righteousness. Make that the goal of your reading. Read with an open heart crying out to God to open your eyes and decide if you see something that is not true in your life, you will ask God to straighten your life that it be according to that word, if you see something wrong with you you will acknowledge it and ask God to help you change not try to twist that word to fit your condition.

If is for the very first time you want to read; I recommend that you start with the New testament from Mathew. Read one chapter a day and highlight the key verses with a pen or a highlighter. It only takes 5minutes of your time.Then take one of the verses you have highlighted for your meditation during the day.

You are blessed to be a blessing

Feel free to share

@ blessedmambo