LUKE 8:1-17. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus continued preaching in other villages with His disciples. Some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sickness decided, decided from their private means and resources to support Jesus' ministry.

We learn from these women to also be a blessing after being blessed. Jesus healed them and they blessed His ministry by contributing to it. We also note that it were some of them, not everyone whom Jesus healed.

Are among the few who support Gods work after being blessed by a servants ministry or are you among the many who after being blessed continue to live their selfish lives not even thinking about the ministry which has blessed them. 

Be among the few who after being blessed support that particular servant with their resources and by praying for them and their ministry.

Jesus gave the parable of the sower. He explained that the seed is the word of God which is sown to those who listen either in the church or by reading the bible. The difference lies in the type of heart.

The first type who fell along the pathway are those after listening to the word get excited but do not allow the word of God to get inside them. They are admiring the preacher for the wonderful sermon or admiring the promises of God. Their attitude is 'i hope or wish that so and so listens to this word' and thus at the end of the sermon they forget the sermon because they never received it as a message if God to them but to others.

The second type who fell on rocky places are those who receive God's message in their hearts but when trials and tribulation come because of the word, they fall away. They are believers who only stand as long as there is no problems but when problems come they start complaining and think that God has left them and they compromise. They think that being a Christian mean no trials.

The third who fell on thorny ground refers to those who receive God's word, and overcome every trial that comes but when Gods lifts them up, and they acquire wealth, and have so much responsibilities to take care of, and they decide now that they have money, its time to enjoy themselves. Their devotion life is choked and they no longer seek God and read their bibles. They now stop being serious and become formal members of the church. The anointing is gone though they still have the gifts they had. They can still preach and heal and perform miracles but God is no longer supporting them. They have lost the freshness that was in them and they authority they once had.

The fourth group are the overcomers. The receive God's word and obey it and overcome every trial. When they acquire wealth they don't think it's time to enjoy themselves but recognise that they are stewards and they do not allow the many responsibilities they have acquired to drain away their devotion life. They still seek God, they still study their bible, they are honest with God and man, that is they don't pretend to be something they are not. They have a good heart which loves even those who hurt them. They have no bitterness or unforgiveness or anger against anyone. They have to let God and forgive freely just as Jesus forgave them. They also are very patient bearing fruit. They know that they have higher heights to reach every moment and they are still following Jesus wherever He goes. 

No one lights a lamp and put under the bed but puts it where everyone will see the light. Our lives should be a blessing to others.

All that are in secret will be brought into the open and every secret thing will be brought to light and be known unto all whether good or bad.

If we decide to honour God in secret, God will honour us openly before everyone and all will know that we honoured Him.

If we commit sin in private and dishonour God, God will publicly expose us and all will know that we dishonoured God in private. 

God does not love exposing the shame of His people openly but He always gives His people time to repent. If you judge yourself and see your sins and repent of them and settle the matters that needs to be settled for example asking for forgiveness from those you have hurt, or giving back what belongs to others including your debts and promises you made, then God will not expose you. If you instead of judging yourself you justify yourself and cover your sins, and don't ask forgiveness from those you've hurt and set right matters that need to be set right, when then grace period which God had given you to repent come to an end God will expose you publicly of all the evil you committed privately.

Learn to judge yourself

But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 1Cor 11:31

A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.

Prov 29:1

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and forsake they will receive mercy.

Prov 28:13

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LUKE 7:30-48. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

The Pharisees and scribes rejected Gods purpose for their lives by rejecting the baptism of John. 

God's purpose is hidden from the eyes of many due to pride. They rejected John and thought He was possessed by a demon because he lived differently from them, they also rejected Jesus saying he was gluttonous and a friend of sinners.

There are different people that God sends into our lives with a function which God wants to fulfill in us. If we have prejudices because in some area they are different from us, we'll discover at the end of it the loss will on our side and God's full purpose was not accomplished. If we only accept those who agree with us 100% in everything, we'll very poor spiritually. Different servants of God throughout the centuries have been different in some ways with different emphasis in different parts of scriptures. For example if you have a prejudice on water baptism you decided that those who baptise children are false prophets, you end up calling great servants like Martin Luther who emphasized justification by faith a false prophet; you also call John Wesley founder of the Methodist church a false prophet. 

If you have a prejudice that if you don't speak in tongues you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, you'll miss the blessing God has for you through many servants of His who never speaks in tongues and some who don't believe speaking in tongues it is for today and they are filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Whatever prejudice you have, it is a blockage to receiving all that God has for you. Get rid of your prejudices and decide from today that every child of God has something of God that can blessed me even if there are some things I don't agree with.

A Pharisee asked Jesus to dine with Him and Jesus went. Remember that the Pharisees were the one who were always seeking to destroy the ministry of Jesus and were always looking for faults in Him but Jesus never allowed that to form an opinion about all the Pharisees which would be a prejudice.

Let us follow Jesus here. Never have a prejudice against certain type or group of people because part of them did that. We are raised with prejudices of certain communities or families that this is how they always act. If you meet a child of God from the community, your own prejudices will hinder you from receiving what God has for you.

The question should be, has God accepted this person, if yes, why should you reject them? 

Did God wait for the person to be perfect and correct in everything before He accepted him? If no, why do you say you will only accept them when they are correct in everything. 

Don't be a hindrance to Gods blessings by your prejudices.

A woman who was a sinner went to Jesus and began wiping His feet with her hair and tears and kissing His feet and anointing them and Jesus commended her.

One thing we learn from the woman is being sensitive to the needs of others around you. She was sensitive to something that the Pharisee was not sensitive to yet Jesus needed. Ask God to help you to be sensitive to the needs of others around you.

We also learn from Jesus not to make ourselves a burden to others unnecessarily. He was perfectly contented and never made demands to the Pharisee that he had to wash His feet. He received whatever He was given with gratitude.

When you are invited in a place, do you concentrate on what is lacking making demands thatvyou must be treated in such a way or you must be given something or do you enjoy what you are given?

He said that those who are forgiven much love much and those who are forgiven little love little. 

We see that how much we love God is directly dependent on how much we know we have been forgiven. 

Do you now know why you love God so little? Why you will only serve when it's convenient, why you are so tight-fisted always calculation in your giving your whole life and everything to God? You have not seen how wretched you are. You have not seen how great your sins were against God and what a criminal you were yet God has forgiven you. Oh that God may open your eyes that you may see your wretchedness that you may love the Lord more and more.

Have you ever felt in your life even once that you were the greatest of all sinners in the world? If no, you very far from God. Draw nearly to the light of God's holiness and immediately you will see what a wretched you are.

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LUKE 7:11-29. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus being followed by a large crowd met a funeral procession of a widows son and Jesus felt compassion on her and raised the son back to life. 

Great fear swept the crowd and they glorified God saying that a great prophet has arisen and God has visited the people. 

It's interesting to see that whatever Jesus did, the people glorified God. He never sought to be popular with the people but lived before God's face seeking God's approval alone and as we saw earlier He slipped away often to pray and give glory to God.

When God uses you to bless someone, do people glorify God or do you make yourself a God to them making demands on them that they must do this and that for you. Do you make yourself a necessity in their lives thats you must be there to help or do they seek God more knowing that their help comes from above?

John sent and asked Jesus whether He was the Messiah or they should wait for another, he has been imprisoned and he begun doubting because Jesus did not take him out of the prison but he allowed him continue suffering there though he had been faithful to God and was doing His will. 

Jesus performed miracles as a fulfillment of what Isaiah said that the Messiah would do in Isaiah 35:4-6.

He also added that blessed is the one who is not offended in me. This means that if you have been faithful to God and you have been doing His will seeking to please Him and you get into problems, after praying for deliverance and God seems not to answer you, if you don't get offended by God's silence in not answering you, you are a Blessed person. If have have no complaints in your hearts because of the sufferings you've got into just because you were doing God's will, instead of your heart is at peace knowing that God is still in control and He knows you are there and that He is wiser than you and He still loves you and have good plans for you ...you let patience have her perfect work in you so that you maybe complete, perfect and lacking in nothing. James 1:4

In your heart as you pray for deliverance you also patiently wait asking God to accomplish in you what He intended to accomplish by allowing the problem you are facing come to you and trusting Him that at the appointed time He will indeed deliver you.

Jesus asked the crowds went to see when they went to see John. He said that He was more than a prophet and the greatest of all who are born of women. He was greater than even Mary the mother of Jesus. He was sent to prepare the coming of the Lord by His message of repentance. Even today the way to prepare people for the coming of the Lord is by preaching repentance and telling people to turn away from sin and self and live for God all their lives.

He said that the least in the kingdom is greater than John the baptist. I'm this context we can say that a child of the kingdom can be faithful to God and obedient to God's voice and do His will but when they get into problems because they obeyed God, they will not be intimidated and get offended when God seems not to answer their prayers but with a contented heart full of thanksgiving, they will still be praising the Lord. 

Do you get irritated and offended by God when you suffer for His sake just because you obeyed Him? You can rise higher than John the baptist as a child of the kingdom. You can still be praising God and thanking Him even in the midst of sufferings even if he seems not to hear you. 

Come up higher

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LUKE 7:1-10. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus went to Capernaum and a slave of a centurion who was highly valued by him was sick unto death. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some elders to ask Jesus to come and heal him.

This slave must have been very faithful in his work and thus became the most beloved of his master and his master was not willing to lose him. He was willing to anything to help him recover his health. He never said I will buy another slave if this one dies.

We learn here from this slave not to look at our circumstances. Slaves were sold for money just like the story of Joseph, and they had no rights of their own. This slave decided not to live in complaining all his life because of his circumstances but decided to be content and work hard and do his best and thus when the master saw that he worked hard and with joy, he decided in his heart that such a slave was not worthy losing.

Do you work hard and do your best where you are even if your circumstances are not favourable?

The centurion also was a godly man and loved and he helped financially in building the temple. In his position he helped others as he could with the resources God gave him. He realised that God had given him so that He can be a blessing to others. 

Are you a blessing to others with what God has given you?

He later sent other friends to tell Jesus not to come to his house because he was not worthy of such an honour but to just speak a word and his servant would be healed. He was under authority and thus could exercise authority and tell one to come and he does and do this and he does.

Jesus commended his faith as the greatest in the whole of Israel. What made his faith great?

1. He realised that he was unworthy to host Jesus. Faith knows that we are unworthy of the least of God's Mercies. The more you believe you are worthy of anything from God, the less faith you have. The more we come closer to God, the more we see our unworthiness and our wretchedness, but when we are far from God, we believe God is obliged to do somethings for us because we are such important people. 

2. He submitted to authority and thus exercised authority and he recognised that Jesus also submitted to authority and thus could exercise authority. Submission to authority is what makes God entrust us with authority. If you are rebellious to authority God has placed over you, God will not entrust you with authority. Faith here we see it in submission to authority.

Do you submit to the authority God has placed over you or are you rebellious?

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LUKE 6:29-42. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus continued teaching that we should not seek revenge for ourselves nor should we fight back. We should help who seek help from us and we should treat others just the same way we want to be treated.

How do you treat others especially when they fail you? Do you want to be forgiven if you fail someone? Forgive those who fail you. Do you want others to be patient with you and bear with your weaknesses? Be patient with others in their weaknesses. Do you want others to correct you harshly or with mercy and love? Correct others with mercy. Do you want others to speak rudely to you? Never speak rudely to others.

In everything you do, learn to put yourself in the other person's shoes and treat them the same you would want to be treated if you were in their position and have done what they did whether good or evil.

Sinners love those who love them, you love even those who hate you and are ungrateful. That shows you are a child of God not a sinner.

Are you a child of God? Do you only love those who love you? Do you do good to those who hate you? Are you jealous or embittered against those who hate you or have you forgiven them? A child of God is seen in their attitude to those who hate them and those who are ungrateful.

Be merciful just like your Father in heaven; that is merciful towards sinners and righteous.

Don't judge and you'll not be judged. Don't condemn and you'll not be condemned. Forgive and you shall be forgiven.

We learn here that God will treat us exactly the way we treat others. We ourselves will receive the same measure from God, pressed down, shaken together what we give to others, whether it be judgment, condemnation, mercy or forgiveness, doing good and in every way, how we treat others.

How do you want God to treat you?

Do you want Him to always be finding faults with you, criticizing you and judging you for every little thing? Or do you want God to be merciful to you, be patient and bear with your weaknesses, love you and do you good and always forgive you and never dwell on your sinful past? You yourself choose how God will treat you, and you should not complain when God treats you the way you treat others.

A blind cannot lead a blind. Both will fall into a ditch. 

A disciple is not above his master. But if fully trained they will be like His teacher.

This means that before God can use you to open the eyes of others, He must open yours first. God must work in you before He can work through you to help others. He must teach you before He can teach others and God will only work through you only to the measure He has been able to work in you and no further. When you see your faults and God helps overcome, you are able to remove the log in your eye which is the wrong attitude and judgemental spirit towards others who have failed because you'll remember you were in the same pit the other person is and you'll be able to help them out of it.

You can never help someone overcome something you see is wrong in them if your attitude towards them is wrong. The wrong attitude towards a person is a log compared to their speck no matter what the other person's sin is. For example if someone commits fornication, that is a sin that need to be repented of but if your attitude towards the person who has fallen is not of mercy to try to restore the person back in fellowship with God, the wrong attitude makes you a greater sinner than them. In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus taught that those who trust in themselves that they are righteous because they fast, and give tithes and help other but despise others who steal, commit adultery and take advantage of others; the sin of despising those who are fallen is greater than the sins the fallen person committed. What's your attitude towards the fallen, is it if mercy or condemnation?

Learn this, that what God requires from you is that you be merciful, and when you learn that, you will not condemn the innocent. Math 9:13, 12:7

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LUKE 6:12-28. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus spent a whole night in prayer asking God who to choose amongst His disciples to be walking with Him so that they can be left to take the gospel to the world.

We learn here the more serious decisions you need to make, the more time you need to take in your prayer. Let us follow Jesus here. Let's have both long and short times of prayer and seek God's will before we make any decision.

He went with the twelve He chose and met other disciples who were a large crowd and other people who came to hear and be healed and many were trying to touch Him for power was coming from Him and healing them all.

The whole of Jesus life blessed people and just by touching Him one was healed. God can also make you to bless others even without speaking to them. Not necessarily by healing because not everyone has the gifts of healing but you can bless others even by the way you live. Long for such a life.

He begun teaching them and said that they were blessed because were poor in their spirit, because poverty in the spirit is the master key that opens every door in heaven. One who is poor in spirit is like a begger in his spirit. He is always in need everyday. He expects to receive help for daily living each day and never relies on the help he received the previous days. 

Are you like that in your spirit? Are you always feeling your need for Gods mercy and grace? Are you each day looking for Gods help to live and overcome each days battles as they come? Are you never relying on your past experience to do something now and even today you are in desperate need for Gods mercy?

Through this poverty in the spirit, you will be able to unlock every door in heaven and you will receive everything God has for you in this life and God will be able to use you in every way that He has planned to use you.

Blessed are you who hunger now for you shall be satisfied? Are you hungry for God? Do you long see God in your life? Do you long to be a more righteous person in your life than you are right now? Do you you long to please God in your daily life? God will satisfy you.

Blessed are those who weep and mourn for they shall laugh. Do you weep on your bed over your sins that are unable to overcome? Do you mourn over your weaknesses which makes you ineffective for God? Do you weep over your failures? You will laugh for God will help you overcome them all.

You are a blessed person if people hate you, exclude you from their company, revile you and curse you as evil because you want to please Jesus. Rejoice and leap for joy for you have a great reward in heaven? 

Have you received this blessing for which is great and you need to rejoice greatly for it?

Have you been hated or excluded, revile you and cursed you just because you stood up for Christ?

A curse is on those who are rich and do not need to seek God anymore, those who have stopped reading their bibles because they think what they know is enough for them, those who have done much for God and think they no longer need to continue because very few have reached their level. They will not experience Gods power and anointing anymore.

A curse is on those who laugh, who don't see the need to seek God to overcome their weaknesses and sins and comfort themselves that God will understand and they are comfortable. They shall remain in that pit all their lives defeated.

A curse is on those who everyone praises. They are like the false prophets. They seek to please people and will never anything that will offend them.

Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you. Bless and never curse. Pray for those who mistreat you and take advantage of you.

Do you love your enemies or do you have bitterness or unforgiving spirit towards those who hurt you? Do you do good to those who hate you or are you seeking for revenge? Do you bless those who curse you or do you also curse them in your heart? Do you pray for those who mistreat you and take advantage of you or do you wish them evil?

You don't have to be a slave of bitterness or unforgiveness towards those who harm you. Christ came to set you free. You can love and do good and bless those who curse you and do evil to you, not by your own power but by the indwelling power of the Spirit of Christ in you.

You have lived in bitterness for long against those who have hurt you, and a slave of unforgiving spirit. You have been wishing and longing evil to those who hurt you and cursing them in your heart. Stop practicing witchcraft, you are a child of God. God is greater than all the enemies hosts. You need not worry, no one can really harm you spiritually unless you open yourself up through sin and bitterness and unforgiving spirit. Don't give the devil a chance.

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LUKE 5:27-6:11. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus went and saw Levi in His taxs office and said to him, "Follow me" and he left everything and followed Him.

Have you heard the call of Jesus to follow Him? Who are you following?

Do you search the scriptures to find out the way Jesus lived so that you may follow Him?

Following is not in the ministry but in life. Part of Jesus ministry was to die for the sins of the world, that we cannot follow but we can follow Him in the principles of His life. His priorities, His ambition, His way of thinking, His response to critics, His attitude to sinners and hypocrites, His attitude to money, His, His motives, the way He spoke...

Where in your life have you been following Jesus up until now?

Levi gave a big reception and invited many sinners who dined with Jesus.

He answered when asked why that He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

He was asked why His disciples never fasted and said they will when they are taken away.

The disciples will fast when the bridegroom is taken; When was the last time that you fasted? Are you a true disciple? Have you heard the Lord calling you to fast?

No one tears a new cloth and put it on and old garment and no one puts on new wine in old wineskins. New wine must be put in new wineskins and no one who drinks old wine straight away desires new for he says the old is better.

The old way of our life cannot be patched up with this new life in Jesus. We must be born anew for the life of Christ to be in us and our lives not be torn. If you try to live the life of Jesus without being born again, you will see that you will strain but when you are born again it becomes enjoyable. Fasting as mentioned for example, how is it to you? Do you always murmur when you have to fast, have you to be forced for you to fast?

Accept this new way of life and don't think that your unconverted life is better or how you did things just for the sake of doing them. 

Do you do things just because you have to do it? Learn to do everything as unto the Lord.

The Pharisees were having a microscope to look for faults in Jesus and His disciples and were on Him every time. Are you like that, always trying to look for something wrong in someone else? Don't follow the Pharisees, follow Jesus.

They accuse the disciples for rubbing wheat on Sabbath and Jessy reminded on how David ate consecrated bread in the temple.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and He said somewhere else that it is good to do good on Sabbath.

On another Sabbath as He was teaching the Pharisees were very keen to see if He would heal on Sabbath to accuse Him. He called the man with a withered hand and asked whether we should do good or evil, save life or destroy it. They were silent and He healed the man and they very angry and discussed on what to do to Him because He did not fit in their churches doctrine.

Are you among them? Are you always pointing your fingers on those of other churches who do things differently from your church on minor issues? What is important in every child of God is, does He fear the Lord and does He live the Lord. If yes, we can fellowship with them even if we don't agree on minor issues; and we may fellowship. 

For example one believes everyone must speak in tongues and another believes not everyone must speak in tongues as evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. God has allowed us to see things differently from each other to test us whether we'd love each other. It's easy to love those who agree with you on all things but it's not easy to love those with whom we see things differently. Have passed this test of love? You can start today 

The differences is because we are not perfect and our minds are limited but when we get to heaven, we will agree 100% on everything. In the meantime let's Fellowship and encourage each other to continue in the fear of the Lord and continue loving the Lord.

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LUKE 5:1-26. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

The crowds pressed around Him listening to the word of God and He seeing two boats, entered into one of them and put it a little further from the land, sat down and taught.

We see the hunger that people heard for God's word and the wisdom God gave Jesus to enter a boat a take it further from the land so that people would not be tempted to jump in, and He taught them.

We see that even when we are in a tight situation, God will give us wisdom on what to do if we are sensitive to His voice.

He later told Simon to cast the nets deeper and He said that they had toiled all night and caught nothing but at His word they obeyed and caught so much that they filled two boats.

We learn that doing something in our own initiative can not have results as doing something which God had told us to do. 

Have you not toiled for long trying to do many things that end up fruitless? Why not seek God to tell you what to do and you will find much fruit that no human explanation can tell, it's only God.

Simon got so convicted that and told Jesus to go away from him but Jesus told them that from onwards they would be a fishers if men.

They left everything and followed Jesus. The call of Jesus costed them.

You say that you are following Jesus, how much have it costed you to follow Him? If it has not costed you to follow Jesus, you are not following Him; don't deceive yourself.

In the cities, a leper asked Him for cleansing and he was cleansed. Jesus told him not to tell anyone. He was not seeking popularity amongst people. He lived before God's face. God seeing it was enough.

Do you have the same attitude? When you do something good, do you desire everyone in the neighborhood to know? Do you long to be known as having a good reputation? Follow Jesus. Don't seek popularity of men; don't seek to be known of them but only seek to be seen only by your Father in heaven and let that be enough.

Many sought Him to hear and be healed but He would often slip away in the wilderness to go and pray.

Prayer was so important to Jesus that He would look for little opportunities in His busy schedule for times to pray. He would skip lunch often and use that time to pray.

Do you seek for times where you slip away without others knowing where you are to go and pray? How much valuable is prayer to you? Follow Jesus and let prayer be more important to you that if you have a little time you'd often choose it to pray instead of taking lunch or leisure when you can't have both.

Let your whole life be marked out by prayer. Pray often as Jesus did.

As He was teaching, God's power to heal was present, and some men carrying a paralytic not finding a way removed the roof and placed Him before Jesus and seeing their faith said, his sins were forgiven.

This people could not let others from going to Jesus; if it costed them to break the roof, they were willing. they never cared what others thought of them; tbey were desperate and had to meet Jesus.

Have you been desperately in need that no one could hinder you from seeking Jesus, that you never cared what people would say? If they think you are mad, you never cared, you had to meet Jesus....

The Pharisees who were only finding faults asked who Jesus thought He was and answering their thoughts He said to the paralytic to pick up his bed and go home proving His sins were forgiven.

We learn that some sickness are due to sin. When you seek God about such He will point out the specific sin you need to turn from.

People were amazed and glorified God and were filled with fears. May we follow Jesus here, that we can live in such a way that what we do for God will not bring attention to us but all glory will go to God.

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LUKE 4:1-44. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

We had seen the temptation of Jesus in Mathew 4 and thus we'll precede from there.

After the temptations Jesus went back in the power of the Spirit and news about Him spread.

We learn that there is a power of the Holy Spirit which we only experience after overcoming temptations. Every temptation that comes in our lives is a test for us to experience more of God's power in our lives.

Have you been overcoming temptations or have you been complaining in your heart? The reason why the lives of many believers are stagnant is because instead of overcoming temptations, they murmur and complain. Are you one of them? Learn to overcome.

He read in the temple Isaiah 61:1-2a and said it was fulfilled in their hearing. They all spoke well of Him and marvelled at the gracious words that came out of His mouth. It's interesting that He didn't give a lot of interpretation in the verse but it was full of grace. It is the fullness of the Spirit that makes a difference in preaching not many explanations. The hearts burn as you listen to one who is filled with the Holy Spirit, one who have been tested overcome temptations. This is what makes a difference between preachers, one who has been tested and overcome temptations and is full of the Holy Spirit, when they stand to preach, their words will have more than one who have only read their Bible or attended a bible college.

Jesus answered that they will tell Him to do the things they heard Him do and as a doctor to heal himself but no prophet is accepted in His own home town.

In the days of Elijah during the famine Elijah was sent to a widow who was not a jew, and in the time of Elisha, God healed Naaman who was not a jew.

Jews were the chosen of God but God bypassed them. Even today God is still bypassing those who think themselves highly as the only chosen of God, those who despise others of other 'dead' denominations and going to choose from among them those who would represent Him. 

Are you proud of your church or your spiritual leader? Do you despise others who don't do as you do, those who you say are blind? May God have mercy on you. God has no favourites and He can use or bless whoever He wishes. 

Pride in anything, it can be pride in gifts, knowledge, church, statistics, abilities, wealth, wisdom... It is always the reason God bypasses many who think highly of themselves and despises others thinking they are better than them.

Have a sober estimate of yourself. Rom 12:3

You deceive yourself when you think you are someone important when you are nothing. Gal 6:3

The people got angry and took Jesus by force to go and kill Him. Jesus passed in their midst and went His way. He could not die at that time because His ambition was to please God and His time had not come. He had no other purpose in life other than to please Him and do His will and He did nothing without seeking God. John 4:34, 8:29, 5:30, 6:38.

If you don't want to die prematurely, let your ambition in life be to please God and do His will.

He continued preaching and people were amazed at His teaching because He spoke with authority. Remember that these people only heard sermons in the synagogue every Sabbath but they recognised that Jesus was different from the Scribes and Pharisees sermons. 

His authority as we saw earlier came from overcoming temptations and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Seek that your words have authority. Beware of hypocrisy, God does not give authority to hypocrites, those who pretend to be on the outside something when Their inside is corrupt.

There was a man in the synagogue who was demon possessed but when Jesus begun preaching, the demon could not stand the power of Jesus words and spoke out and Jesus cast it out and people were amazed at such authority. Remember that the Pharisees and scribes used to preach and teach in the temple but the demon in the man was not disturbed. Authority in Jesus' words made the difference.

He healed Peter's mother in law. We see that Peter was a married man not as some believe that He wasn't married.

He healed many people and cast out demons. He departed and people sought Him. He said He must preach in other cities as well and thus He continued preaching.

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LUKE 3:7-38. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Many people came to John to be baptized and he called them brood of vipers and asked who had warned them to flee from the wrath to come.

He said that they must show in their daily lives that they have repented and turned from their sins. They were not to boast in their genealogy for the axe is already laid at the root to cut down every tree that does not bring fruit.

We learn here that repentance must precede baptism and that being baptized is not a licence or ticket to go to heaven. If you are baptized but there no change in the way you live to prove that you have repented, your baptism is worthless. You will be cut down and thrown in the fire unless you repent.

Do not boast of your associations or your church or your pastor or your family if they have a good reputation; that will not save you. God is no respector of persons. If in your life there is no evidence of repentance; you will be cut down and thrown in the fire. 

The people asked him what to do and He said they should be generous and share what they have with others. They should not be tight fisted. They should stop taking advantage of others because of their positions, they should be honest, they should not not use force and exploit others, nor accuse others falsely, and they should be contented.

Have you repented? Is there change in your life that prove that you have truly repented? Don't depend on your baptism. If there is no change in your life, your baptism count for nothing. Baptism is meaningful only to the person who has repented, who prove it by the way they live.

People were anxious wondering whether John was the Messiah and He answered that he only baptized with water, but one greater than him, who he was not even worthy to untie His shoe laces, He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.

He has a winnowing folk to separate wheat from chaff. The wheat will will be gathered in the barn and the chaff will be thrown in the unquenchable fire.

John was closest to God of all people and he felt most unworthy to even untie the shoelaces from Jesus. We see that the closer we get to God, the more unworthy we feel to do even the smallest thing for Him. The more you think you are qualified to serve God, the further you are from Him. 

Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. The purpose is to cleanse the chaff and empower us to do all the will of God for our lives. 

The chaff are those whose lives are empty but give an impression to others that they are okay, they will be thrown in the unquenchable fire. Jesus cannot be deceived. Does your life match the impression that you make to others or is it empty just like a balloon filled with air, showing it's something when empty?

Seek God to make your life in the inside match the impression that you give to others if your spirituality.

John was arrested for publicly criticizing Herod for marrying His brothers wife and other wrong things He had done.

Jesus went to be baptized and He was praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit ascended as a dove. A voice from Heaven said that this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

The voice of God's approval marked out Jesus as He begun His public ministry. God is always watching us in our private lives. How we talk, our inner attitudes and thoughts, our motives, our actions.... and if we are consistently seeking to please Him in our private lives, He will also approve if us and bear witness in our ministry.

NB: IN SERVING GOD, GODS APPROVAL IF US IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT WE DO FOR HIM. DOES THE LORD BEAR WITNESS TO OUR LABOUR. If not, we are doing a work which is wood, hay and straw and will be burnt in the last day. Make it your ambition to seek Gods approval of your life in private so that He can bear witness if you in public.

There are four women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Mathew, Rahab who was a well known prostitute, Bathsheba who committed adultery with David, Ruth who was a Moabite who came by Lot committing incest with his own daughter. Phares was born by Judah committing adultery with his daughter in law. Thus we see that sexual immorality in the genealogy of Jesus but He still pleased God and fulfilled His purpose on earth. Even today we come from different backgrounds but we still can please God even if our background have an evil history. 

Ezek 18:20

The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

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LUKE 3:1-6. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Tiberius Ceaser, Pontius Pilate, Herod the Tetrach, Philip the Tetrach were ruling then, When Annas and Caiphas were high priests, the word of God came to John in the wilderness.

It's interesting to see how God bypassed the great political leaders and great religious leaders and gave His word to a man who was waiting for Him in the wilderness.

We can thus conclude that having a high position even in the church, and having popularity amongst people and having a high reputation does not impress God. God is not a respecter of persons. What God looks for in a man is a person who is humble and seeks after Him alone. John did not have others with Him, but He had made up His mind to seek God and do His will even if no one else does.

Have you made up your mind to Gods will for your life even if you are alone?

There is a story behind the great hymn, 'I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS'. The man who said those words got converted with His family by a missionary who came and preached in His village. He got arrested and put in an open place sorounded by the villagers with the bows and arrows ready to kill Him and his wife and children. He would only be save if he denied Jesus. When told to deny Him he said, " I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back". His child children got killed.

When asked the second time, He answered, "The world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back". His wife got killed

When asked the third time, he said, " Though none go with me, I will follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back". He also got killed but as a result many who saw that got converted and one of them wrote those words which we now sing.

To what extent will you go to follow Jesus? Are you willing to do His will and please Him at any cost or will you only serve when it's convenient?

John had a message which even the great religious leaders do not have. He preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

There is a great lack in most pulpits today of the message of repentance; turning away from sin and self and turning to God in humility and brokenness.

He called himself a voice crying out. He had heard from God. Unfortunately today, what many hear is not a voice but an echo of what someone else said. Majority don't know God, they only know about God reading from books written by others, some who knew God.

We need people who know God in our generation but it's unfortunate we try to look for convenience. The proud self in our lives must be crucified. The message of the cross must again be brought back in the pulpits. What people here today is about money and material wealth and health. These things God gives to everyone. The richest people in the world are not christians, the people who live longest and the healthiest are not christians...

God gives health and wealth both to believers and atheists. We must find our way back to the message of the cross. Repentance involves

1. Every valley shall be filled. This means we must turn from self pity and discouragement. We are not orphans. We have a Father in heaven who loves us and cares for us. He rules over everything that affects us. He will not allow what we can't bear come to us. We are children of the most High God. Why should we be discouraged as if God have been impeached from His throne? Why should you pity yourself as if God does not care for you? The only time that a child of God should be discouraged and pity themselves is when God dies or get dethroned; but as long as God is on the throne, the child of God has every reason to rejoice.

2. The mountain and hill shall be brought low. This means that pride must not be allowed in our lives. We must be levelled to see that we are equal to other brothers and sisters who may not be as privileged or educated or wealthy as we are. Pride makes us despise others and treat them with contempt. Pride makes us arrogant and make demands on others. People who are proud get offended and are angered very quicky. We must humble ourselves and acknowledge that whatever we have, we have been given by God. Whatever we think we have should only be compared with what Jesus have.

3. The crooked shall be made straight. This means that we must set right in our lives the crooked ways we have acted. Like Zacchaeus restored four times what he had cheated others, we must repay our debts, restore what we have stolen, apologise to those we have hurt or taken advantage of.

4. The rough places must be made smooth. This means we must change the rough way we acted in the past. The way we spoke to others when provoked must now be kind and gentle, we must change our wrong attitudes and the prejudices we've acquired in our past. We must seek for good to for evil in people

When this four things happens in your life, everyone will see the salvation of God. They will see that you have been truly converted. They will ask you what happened. 

Have you been truly converted? Do people who know you acknowledge that they have seen the salvation of God in your life?

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LUKE 2:36-52. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

There was a prophetess Annah who was widowed after seven years and served God in the temple in prayers and fastings. She also praised God about the child and spoke about Him to everyone around.

They returned home and the child Jesus continued to grow strong and increased in wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him.

We see here that even Jesus needed grace from His childhood; how much do we need this grace if we are to grow strong and wiser. This grace of God is given only to the humble. James 4:6, 1Pet 5:5. Thus if we are to continually enjoy God's grace, which is God's power to help us do everything that God requires if us; 2Cor 12:9, 9:8, Heb 13:9....we must always be humble. We also will constantly increase in wisdom. Humility is to let God be God, always acknowledging our need and lack waiting for His help and never trusting in ourselves to do anything He requires if us without His power.

Jesus' parents used to Go to the yearly feast in the temple, and when Jesus was twelve, He was left and His parents assumed they he was among the crowd. They sought Him and found in the temple after 3days sitting among the teachers listening and asking them questions. All who heard Him were amazed at His answers. When His parents asked Him why He did that, He said He ought to be in His Fathers house.

It's interesting that at such a young age Jesus had a great hunger for God's word. He listed keenly to the teachers and asked questions to understand well. REMEMBER THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A BIBLE AND COULD ONLY LISTEN TO GODS WORD WHEN HE WENT TO THE TEMPLE.

You have a bible in your home, how much hungry are you to know what God says? Do you long to hear God more than following a TV program? 

Do you long to hear God more than watching a football match or that series?

Jesus says to you; FOLLOW ME. Ask God to give you an insatiable hunger for His word which will surpass all other longings and hungers in your life.

Are you bored with God's word? Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the bible will become a new book to you and it be the most interesting book of all.

He went down with them and continued obeying and submitting to His parents and He increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and men.

Here we see humility of Jesus in submitting to imperfect parents, Joseph and Mary and thus increased in wisdom.

We also must submit to imperfect authorities that God places over us if we are to increase in wisdom and favour. Jesus was perfect and saw the weaknesses Of His parents and He never even despised them or compared His perfection with His parents imperfections. We must also follow Him here, in submission to imperfect authorities and never despising them even when we see their weaknesses and when we see areas we are better than them. 

Never speak evil of the authorities God has placed over you. God will not be able to use you fully as He desires if you don't submit to imperfect authority.

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LUKE 2:1-35. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

 A proclamation of census was made and everyone went to their country to be counted. Joseph went to Bethlehem with His wife Mary and it was at that time that Jesus was born. It was prophesied that He would be born in the city of David.

We see that God is in control of all people and events that affect us. He allowed the leaders to send people to their hometowns so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Even today, God is still in control; when you are fully submitted and obedient to Him, He will control events and people affecting you in such a way that He will fulfill His will and purpose for your life.

God also ensured that they didn't arrive on time so that they would find that all the hotels were occupied so that they would lay Jesus in a manger; since He came to identify with everyone from the lowest in community. 

Have you ever heard that someone was laid where cows feed after being born? 

There were shepherds who were in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night; and angel appeared to them and gave them good tidings of great joy.

A multitude of heavenly host appeared and praised God saying glory to God in the highest and peace in earth among those with whom the Lord is pleased.

We learn that because the shepherds were faithful in their work, God gave them a message. In the same way, we must be found faithful wherever we are and we'll see and hear from God.

The blessing that God blessed those who please Him is peace. Therefore we can conclude that if you have no peace in your heart, you are not pleasing God and you need to seek God to find out where He is not pleased with you and set it right.

They went and saw Jesus and told everyone the message they had and Mary treasured those words in her heart and thought about them often.

We see also that we can bless others by sharing with them what has blessed us. 

Also we can learn from Mary to take seriously the prophetic words we receive and meditate on them.

After the days of purification the child was taken to the temple and Simeon who was a righteous man was eagerly waiting for the Messiah for the Lord had revealed to Him that He would not see death before he saw the Messiah and after seeing Him he said He was now ready to die for he had seen the salvation of the Lord. 

Can it be said of you that you are eagerly waiting for the Lord. Are you anxious about His coming?

Jesus was appointed for the rise and fall of Many and a sign which will be opposed. A sword will pierce every soul and the thoughts of many Will be revealed.

Those who would listen to Him would rise to greater spiritual heights but those who wouldn't would fall to lower depths in sin. His words would be like a sharp sword which will expose the inner heart's motives, attitudes and thoughts of all. We have seen that the religious Pharisees were comfortable until Jesus came and exposed their hypocrisy, He removed the masks where they were hiding to show everyone what was really in their heights. We also see sincere people who were seeking God and these were blessed by Jesus and blessed others and 11disciples became the first apostles. The Pharisees and the high priests fell so low that they planned the death of God's holy Son and incited others to kill Him. The apostles rose to greater heights and knew God. He was grievously opposed by sinners. Heb 12:3

Even today a truly spiritual man will lead many to greater spiritual depths and others who oppose him will fall to lower depths in sin. He will be opposed and called all types of names.

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LUKE 1:56-80. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Mary stayed in Elizabeths house for 3months and went. Neighbours rejoiced with her when she gave birth for the Mercies the Lord showed her.

After 8days after circumcision they named him after his father but Elizabeth said no that His name is John. They said none in their family was called by that name and when they made signs to Zachariah, he wrote his name as John and people were astonished and immediately his mouth opened and he begun praising the Lord.

People recognised that Gods hand was on the child.

We learn that God fulfills what he promises and nothing can hinder him. 

Zachariah begun prophesying saying; blessed is the Lord who has visited and redeemed the people by sending a mighty saviour from the lineage of David as the prophets had prophesied. Salvation from our enemies and all who hate us.

We see that what God says will always be fulfilled.

Remember that our enemies are not human beings but the devil and the principalities. Eph 6:11-12. 

Thanks be to God because through Christ there is salvation from the powers of evil forces.

And we being delivered from these evil powers, we should serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

Do fear the devil and demons as you continue serving God? The devil was defeated on the cross and his armour taken away; Col 2:14-15, Heb 2:14,15- thus we should serve God without fear, not even the fear if death; but we should be walking in holiness and righteousness before Him. This means that the only way we allow the devil in our lives is when we live in sin. If we live in sin the devil will come and deceive us and destroy our lives and ministry.

Have you opened your life to the devil through sin? Is there a sin in your life that you have hidden in your heart and you are justifying yourself? Repent and turn from it. Don't give the devil a chance through unforginess or bitterness or anything other sin which your conscience is telling you about.

We should walk and serve before God - this means that in my daily walk; I should recognise that God is always watching me: my private life and thoughts as well as my public life. I should therefore seek to please God in everything I do whether in private or in public. Mens opinion should not drive us but God's opinion on us and approval on what we do should be the only thing that should concern us.

The child would go before the Lord to prepare the way of the Lord to give His people knowledge of salvation by forgiveness of their sins.

We see that salvation and forgiveness of sins is the way to be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Are you ready? If He comes right now as you read this, will He take you with Him? Don't just assume, seek Him to find out whether there is anything in you that can hinder Him from taking you with him right now. It's better to know now when there is time rather than wait until the day of judgment to find. It's better that God judges you now than in the final day because now you'll be able to set right the things that need to be set right in your life. Train yourself to go to Gods judgment seat from time to time that you may not be surprised at the last day.

Those who sat in darkness and shadow of death, light should shine upon them. Those who are hopeless should be given hope.

The message also should guide our feet in the way of peace. This means that the more we walk with the Lord, the more our hearts should be at peace and rest in our hearts. If your heart is not at peace; it's a warning sign that something is wrong. Seek to find out what is wrong and set it right. Never ignore when you are not in peace; it's always an indication that something is wrong.

The child continued to grow strong in the spirit and continued in the desert until the days of His public appearance in Israel.

We learn here that our inner man should be growing stronger each and every moment, to be able to overcome the pressures of life and temptations that we face everyday. Our strength should increase as our days increases. Deut 33:25, Ps 84:7, Eph 3:16

We also learn that before God gives a person a ministry, he has to train him first and test him. God approves him when he passes the tests and then releases him to bless His people.

Have you been passing your tests or have you been failing? Whenever we complain, we fail the test and we have to repeat the same class until we pass.

Have you been failing the tests by seeking to please men in public rather than trying to please God in private?

God will have to wait before using you as He desires until you pass the tests.

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LUKE 1:21-55. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

People wondered why Zachariah overstayed in the temple and when He came out they understood he had seen a vision and couldn't speak. His wife became pregnant afterwards and she hid 5months. God took away her disgrace.

The angel was sent to Mary. She was highly favoured and blessed of the Lord since she was chosen to bear in her womb, Jesus who is the Son of God and would be given the throne of His Father David who reign would not end. She asked how it would happen since she wasn't married and was told that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she will conceive. She was told that her cousin also was pregnant for nothing is impossible with God.

She answered that let it be according to His word.

In the same way, God has chosen us just like Mary in this sin-cursed world to bear the body of Christ in our body. That we should represent Christ. We are His ambassadors; and just like Mary was told The Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she would conceive, we also cannot bear the body of Christ in us without being filled with the Holy Spirit. 

It's impossible. Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith- trusting God to do what He said He will do. Eph 3:17

She said let it be done to her according to that which she was told. Even today, when God says something to us, we must believe and trust God to do it.

She went and visited Elizabeth and as soon as she greeted her, the child in Elizabeth womb lept in joy and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

She being filled with the Holy Spirit called Mary Blessed among women and her child blessed.

She saw it as an honour to be visited by the one whom the Lord has blessed.

YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE THE LORD WILL DO WHAT HE SAID. Vs 45

Mary replied in praises to the Lord and rejoicing because of the Lord. He chose her who was humble and now all generations will call her blessed. God who is mighty did great things for her; for He is merciful to all who fear Him.

Those who were proud in their hearts He cast down and exalted the humble.

He filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich empty. He helped His servant in His mercy.

We learn here that it is a privilege and honour to even be visited by one who the Lord has blessed.

We also see the qualities Mary had that God saw and chose her among all the ladies.

1. She was humble.

2. She feared God.

3. She was poor in spirit; always seeking God's help in mercy. 

4. She served God

5. She trusted God to do what He promised.

We also must seek in our lives to have the qualities mentioned and we will be blessed in our generation and we'll be highly favoured of the Lord.

Let the attitude of our whole being be: 'Lord am in need of your mercy and grace. On my own I will mess unless you uphold me. I am not trusting in my own wisdom or strength but my help comes from you'- this is what poor in spirit means.

To be humble is to acknowledge God and that whatever you have, God has given you. Humility is before God.

To fear God is to fear doing anything that will hurt God. It is also to fear His judgement knowing that He sees everything we do and He will judge our motives, attitudes and actions in the final day and He cannot be bribed.

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LUKE 1:1-20. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Luke made an investigation to find out all things from the beginning and has written in order of occurrence. And as we shall see there are many things that He has written which are not found in Mathew. He begins with Zachariah and Elizabeth who were old and barren and yet walked in the commandments of the Lord.

As He was performing His Priestly duties and angel appeared and told Him that He would have a child.

This shows us that if we continue faithfully in service of the Lord, God will remember us and answer our prayers. Don't give up and begin complaining in your heart. Continue serving waiting upon the Lord and He will meet with you and bless you.

We also notice that the first words the Lord speaks to His faithful children who are sincerely seeking Him and serving Him is; 'Do not fear'. Don't be a slave of fear.

His child would be great in the sight of God. Wow, this is the testimony that we should all seek; to be great in the sight of God. Not what men think about us is important but God opinion about us; he sees our private lives; He sees our thoughts and motives and attitudes and the things we do in darkness; thus we ought to walk in such awareness that He is closely watching us.

Seek God's approval not man's. Seek to please Him in your private life not pleasing men in public.

He also will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will turn many Israelites to God. He will be a forerunner and will turn the hearts of children back to the fathers and prepare people for the coming of the Lord. He will come in the spirit and power of Elijah.

Here we say that for us to fulfill God's purpose for our lives, we have to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We cannot walk before God's face and please Him unless we're filled with the Holy Spirit and seek the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our commission. We cannot rely on our past filling and say I was filled and year ago. We need to be filled every moment just like you cannot say I drunk water last year and that is enough I don't need to drink again. We have to keep on drinking from the wells of salvation to be able to accomplish God's purpose for our lives.

Zachariah doubted and was made dumb for doubting. It is because He knew the story of Abraham and Sarah who had a son in old age. He having an example and doubting was serious before God.

In the same way, if God speaks to us something and we doubt, if we have had the testimony of the scriptures and of other children, God having done exactly the same thing He has spoken to us; If we doubt, it's like slapping Him in the face and calling Him a liar and unfaithful. He has to discipline us in whichever way seems best.

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MATHEW 27:52-28:20. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

 

The saints who had died resurrected and went to the Holy city and appeared to many.

Many women came to minister to Him and Joseph took Jesus body to bury it. The tomb was sealed to prevent Jesus from resurrecting but as we know Jesus could not be hindered from resurrecting. His appearance was like lightning and His clothes as white as snow. The guards were fearful but the angels encouraged the women telling them that Jesus is risen. As they were going to tell others, Jesus met them and they worshipped Him.

When the guards reported the event, they were given a huge amount of money to tell people Jesus' body was stolen.

We see here that God's purposes cannot be hindered and that God always encourages the souls that love Him and are sincerely seeking Him. We also see that money can blind us to do things contrary to our conscience as the soldiers were blinded to tell a lie. 

The disciples went where Jesus appointed they meet and seeing Him they worshipped but some doubted. 

Its possible to see and still not believe unless God opens our eyes.

Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him and that is the only reason they should go into the world to make disciples teaching them to obey everything He commanded them. He would be with them until the end.

 Jesus having all authority simply means He is the blessed controller of all things. Everything is under His control. He controls all people, all events and circumstances that affect me as a disciple, He controls satan and all His demons and their activities. That is why we ought to be bold in making disciples and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded.

Remember that disciples are people who love Jesus more than family relatives and who say not to their wills to do the will of God.

Are you a disciple or are you just a nominal christian? Do you understand that God is in control? If you do you be free from all fear: the only fear you should have is the fear of God. Fear of doing anything that will hurt or displease God.

God is still in control. Trust Him

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MATHEW 27:37-51. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus was crucified alongside two robbers and everyone that passed by mocked Him telling him to come down from the cross, but He despised the shame as we read in Heb 12:2.

There was thick darkness between 12:00noon and 3:00p.m and Jesus cried out: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. 

This is the only prayer of Jesus which was never answered. We know at that time He bore the sins of the world and that is Why God forsook Him. He experienced what millions would experience in hell for eternity; since He himself was God, He would experience that in three hours. If He was not God as Jehovah witness claim, as a man he would only pay the sins of one person and he wouldn't do it for three hours: thus He had to be God to bear all the sins of the world. Others claim He was not man, and if He was not man he couldn't tell us to follow Him. His earthly life is to us and example to follow. He was made like us in all things, and was tempted in every way that we are tempted and thus we can run to him for help when we are tempted so that we can overcome every trial. Heb 2:17-18, 4:15-16

The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom so that we can take ourselves to the Holy of holies through the blood of Christ. We now no longer need the priests to take our prayers and confessions to God but we can go directly to God without human aid. The blood of Christ brings us closer to God. Eph 2:13

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MATHEW 27:1-36. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

All the chief priests and all the elders agreed to crucify Jesus. He was a threat to their ministry and He didn't agree with them and they were jealous of Him because they couldn't do what He did. 

Judas felt remorse and returned the money He was given and went and hanged himself. He had ignored the voice of His conscience for long but couldn't bear it anymore.

Do you ignore the voice of your conscience when it convicts you whenever you are thinking of doing something wrong and also after doing something wrong? Be careful you may end up committing suicide in your spirit. You may not die physically but you'll die spiritually when you continue silencing the voice of your conscience.

The money was used to buy a field to bury strangers as Jeremiah had prophesied.

Every time Jesus was accused, He said nothing but whenever He was asked whether He was the Messiah, He always answered. There was no need to answer His accusers since they were convinced He was worthy of death.

In the same way if someone is determined to destroy you; there is no need of answering them, but whenever they ask about your relationship with God, be a bold witness, don't be ashamed to testify Christ.

There are people who are always looking for something wrong in people; you'll meet them; remain silent. If they found fault with Jesus yet He was perfect and without sin, what about you and I who have so many weaknesses? 

The chief priests advised the people to ask for Barabbas who was a murder and Jesus should be crucified. 

Jealous is such an evil force that it makes one blind. They were determined that this Jesus had to die no matter the cost. The people also had forgotten all the miracles Jesus did for them. 

Are you jealous of someone who is better than you in a certain area?

Are you always thinking of how to destroy His reputation or trying to find something wrong with them?

Pilates wife sent a message that He should have nothing to do with the righteous Jesus because she had a terrible dream. Whenever we are sincere, God always warns us, but if our hearts are full of evil, we become deaf to the voice of God.

Pilate washed His hands saying He was innocent in that matter. Whenever you find people accusing a righteous man, don't join them. 

They took Jesus, beat him and took Him to be crucified; stripped Him of His clothes and put a scarlet robe on Him. They knit a crown of thorns and forced it into His head and mocked Him.

They also beat Him on the head and continued mocking Him.

He was given vinegar to drink but he refused because even the cross He wanted to sensitive to the voice of His Father.

We also should value the voice of God that nothing not even suffering will make us not listen to it.

Be always sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in your heart.

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MATHEW 26:45-75. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Judas came accompanied by a large crowd with clubs and swords to arrest Jesus. He told them that whoever He kisses is the one they should arrest. Jesus called Him friend even at this time.

There was nothing special about the way He lived; he looked exactly like other people and dressed as them; that is why there was a need to help identify him early in the morning. He always called himself the son of man, meaning a normal human being.

He was not bitter against Judas who came to betray Him. He called him Friend. He had already sought the Father in prayer for grace to overcome. 

The disciples themselves ran away.

We can overcome bitterness and hatred against those who betray us and do evil unto us if we learn to always seek God in prayer. The reason many are unable to forgive us that they do not pray to overcome such temptations since they come to all human beings. 

Are bitter against someone who harmed you or did evil unto you? Are you unable to forgive just like Jesus forgave Judas and those that did much evil to Him? 

God can give grace to overcome all bitterness and hatred and even desiring evil or revenge to those who hurt you if you earnestly seek Him for grace to overcome.

You don't have to be a slave of anger and bitterness and hatred; seek God that you may be set free.

Peter followed at a distance but as we know He denied thrice knowing Jesus and He even swore that He didn't know Him.

False witnesses were sought but were not convincing but because Jesus called Himself the Son of God, the Messiah, they said He was guilty of death.

He was beaten and spat on and mocked Him.

The wicked men get pleasure when doing evil to a righteous person even today. The witness of a righteous man is a testimony to the consciousnesses of the wicked and they are constantly reminded of their wickedness and judgement of God and that is why they always want to get rid of the upright from their midst: it can be through evil reports or persecution; but if we are watchful and prayerful, we will overcome every time.

The cock crew after Peter denying Jesus thrice and went out and wept bitterly.

Do you ever weep when you see your sins against Christ or do you just sit down and assume that all is well? 

When was the last time you mourned and wept over your sins?

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MATHEW 26:42-44. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus continued praying that if it were possible for that he would not drink that cup but not His will but God's will be done. What was in the cup that Jesus didn't want? Ps 75:8...the cup contained God's wrath and anger and judgement against sin. It contained God forsaking humans and that was hell. Jesus dreaded being forsaken by God. When Jesus was praying; he thought of me; he accepted to be forsaken by God for me to be accepted by God. He wanted me to experience the fellowship with God that He enjoyed from eternity. Sin is serious in that it cannot be ignored. The full punishment must be paid because God is a just God.

God judged the whole human race to be under sin. We deserved to experience hell which is the only God-forsaken place. Jesus loved you and I that he came to take my sin. 

There is a theory that says that there was a urgent meeting in heaven when man sinned to discuss who would die for the sins of the world and all the angels kept silent ; and after a long period of Time Jesus stood and said He would die for the world and all the angels applauded Him. As good as it seems, I disagree for these reasons.

1. A created being can only pay the price of only one created being. No angel therefore could pay the punishment of more than one person since they are created beings.

2. Hell is for eternity and no created being can experience it in 3,hours. 

Thus it has to be God Himself alone who could pay for the sins of the world and since He is an infinite being He could experience all the concentrated agonies of hell of all of the human race in three hours on the cross. At the end of that period He said that it was finished.

Jesus loved you so much; how much do you love Him. He experienced all the agonies of hell for you. It was your sin not His that crucified Christ. It was not the Romans, it was you and I, do you see it or are you still blind? 

Jesus valued the fellowship with the Father that He dreaded when it had to break; He prayed for 3hours for it not to be broken but not His will but God's will be done; He knew that if he bore the sins of the world even His Father who loved Him and enjoyed His fellowship from eternity would not look at Him nor could he answer His prayer.

To Jesus, fellowship with God was the most important thing. What about you? What do you value most in your life?

Fellowship with God must become primary in our lives. When breaks it we must hate it and get rid of it in our lives. Sin is the only thing that breaks it and we must hate it and seek God's power to overcome it.

O that God may plant a deep hatred for sin in our hearts, and that we may have his priorities primarily. May we live with eternal values in our view.

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MATHEW 26:31-41. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus warned His disciples that they would fall away because of him because it is written, strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. 

Even today the devil knows that if he can get the shepherd of the church, He would get the members as well and that is why He fights the leadership of a church with all His strength because if a person who is in authority backslides, they never backslide alone; many others whose foundation was faulty; whose were on them, would backslide along with them. Our eyes always ought to be looking unto Jesus, and Jesus should be our primary focus and example; though we have few who can say with Paul, join in following my example. Phil 3:17

You are a blessed person if you have someone who can be your example: never take such people for granted. Learn to appreciate them.

Peter was self-confident and declared that though all forsake Christ, he would not. Jesus answered telling him that He would deny Him thrice. The self-confident Peter said He was even willing to die with Christ if necessary. Other disciples also said so.

Jesus took them to Gethsemane to go and pray. He acknowledged His distress and His grieves to his imperfect disciples and told them to keep watch and pray with them. 

Jesus never pretended that all was well; but acknowledged His struggles to persons weaker than Him. What a lesson. Do you share your struggles with other weaker persons than you who are disciples of Christ? Do you acknowledge your need for others weaker than you to watch and pray with you? Are you better or wiser than Jesus?

We need each other; if Jesus could not fulfill His purpose on earth without the prayers of His disciples, neither shall we.

The self-confident Peter backslid and denied Jesus thrice. He never knew the weakness of His flesh. He didn't realise that His flesh profits nothing and that only the Spirit could give life. He didn't realise that nothing good dwells in His flesh. John 6:63, Rom 7:18.

Do you realise that no good thing dwells in your flesh? You are so weak that you can fall anytime. Any sin that anyone in the world commits, you can commit. 

That is why Jesus told His disciples to keep watching and praying. For the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Yeah, in every child of God, there is a desire to please God and do His will; but the flesh, which is our self-will is against it that is why we must always be watchful not to go places where we can be tempted, and always be praying that God will help us overcome every temptation.

Paul prayed that believers should be strengthened in the inner man. Eph 3:16

He also said that our self-will is against the Spirit and the two are against each other. But if through the Spirit you put to death the desires of the flesh you will live. Gal 5:16-18, Rom 8:13-14.

We must always beware of the weakness of our flesh; don't be overconfident; there is no height from which you cannot fall; you can backside in any point in your Christian life; be watching and praying '...lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil...' Pray to overcome.

Watch and pray that you may not fall into temptation. We realised here two things; 

1. Temptations to sin will always come.

2. We fall in sin only because we don't combine watching and praying, but if we humble ourselves acknowledging we are weak, thus being watchful and always asking for grace to overcome, we will always overcome every temptation.

Do you now understand why you fall often in temptations? It's God's will that you overcome and there is a way out of every temptation if we humble ourselves and pray and be watchful. See Heb 4:15-16, 1Cor 10:12-13

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MATHEW 26:14-30. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Judas got very offended with Jesus because Jesus didn't agree with him concerning selling perfume to give the money to the poor. He would have gotten an opportunity to steal part of the money as He used to; thus he went to look for money through another way; that is betraying Jesus Christ. He was given 30pieces of silver. 

The disciples asked Jesus where He wished to take the supper and He sent them to a particular house and they prepared the last supper there.

As they were eating he said to them that one of them would betray him. They were distressed and grieved and each asking, 'is it I?'. Jesus knew Judas would but never exposed Him to the others. He kept silent.

In the same way we can learn from Jesus not to expose the sins of one person to the others, for each will be accountable to God personally.

We can also learn from the disciples to judge ourselves. They never pointed out their fingers to each other but to themselves. They judged themselves not others. I wish we learnt this and we'd live a much happier life; constantly judging ourselves and not others who are not our responsibility.

Judas just like others asked the same and Jesus answered that he said that himself.

Jesus took the bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to His disciples to eat, saying is His body broken for you.

Here we learn before God can use us to feed others and bless others, He first have to take us, that save us, then bless us, which is to fill us with the Holy Spirit, and the break us; that to humble us that we'll never have confidence in ourselves; always saying no to our will and yes to His will.

He gave the cup for them to drink saying this is His blood of the new covenant poured out for the remission of sins.

Jesus never drunk the cup again; He is waiting for us that He may drink with us again in His father's attitude.

Oh that this maybe our attitude; that we be selfless, to love others to experience what we have which we can enjoy alone. It's unfortunate that we are so self-centred that we rarely think of others who haven't experienced God as we have but God can take us out of our self-centred way of living to be thinking of others.

They Sung a hymn and went to the mount of olives to pray. 

May we learn to sing songs in our hearts to the Lord, not only in the church but even in our homes; may our lives be marked out by prayer. 

Are you a person of prayer or you know for murmuring and complaining?

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MATHEW 26:1-14. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus having finished speaking said to His disciples that His time to be crucified had come. It was the chief priests and the elders who schemed on His crucifixion. The chief priests and the elders in today's language would refers to bishops, reverends, and all great leaders in the church. It was those who read and taught the bible that were blind not to see that what the scriptures said was being accomplished right in their own eyes. 

We see thus that being a church leader doesn't give anyone an advantage over the other common people. Hypocrisy will blind even the greatest servants of God and only if we are honest and humble can God open our eyes to see. God hides His truth from the wise and prudent and reveals them to the babes; and the primary characteristics of babes is humility and lack of pretense; they are sincere and honest. God has no favourites, He is not partial.

Do you want God to open your eyes to see His truth in the bible? Be honest and humble and stop pretending otherwise you will remain blind all your life even if you are a leader in a church.

Jesus went to the house of Simon the leper and a woman with an alabaster oil which was very costly poured on the head of Jesus and sat down.

The disciples were very angry and said it was a waste for it could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

Jesus asked why they troubled the woman for doing something good and what she did was for His burial and would always be remembered along with the gospel message.

Do you get irritated when you see something giving themselves to the Lord more than you? Are you always critical of those who have given up many things for the Lord? Leave them alone, it is to the Lord that they are doing it. Don't be distracted. Follow Jesus and keep your eyes on Him and not on others.

Judas got offended when Jesus said that and went out and sought to betray Him.

Do you easily get offended when you don't get things the way you want them to be? Will you only follow Jesus when it's convenient for you? When He says something in His word that hurts you, and humbles and breaks you, will you still follow or will you like Judas seek to betray Him.

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MATHEW 25:31-46. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

When Christ comes in His kingdom, He will separate all people as a shepherd separates sheep from goat. To those on the right He open the doors of heaven that they may enter the joy of the Lord; because they fed Him, and gave him something to drink, visited them in hospital and in prison. They did these when they did to THE LEAST BROTHER OF CHRIST.

Brothers of Christ refers to the children of God; those who are genuinely born again. God loves all His children so much that He looks at how we treat them especially when they are in need. If you don't meet their need when you know they have it, you close up the convictions in your heart to help them and just assume that life goes on well; at the end you will be cast out into hell.

God is closely watching how you treat His children... 

Are you merciful and compassionate to them, then He will be merciful and compassionate to you.

Do you encourage them, then He will encourage you.

Do you judge and criticise and always find fault with them; then God will judge you in the least thing you mistake; and will only concentrate on what you have done wrong to judge you.

In other words, God will treat you in the same way that you treat His children and especially when you find them in need?

How do you want God to treat you? Treat His children exactly that way.

You maybe finding that God dealing hard with you; or delay in being merciful to you; or the heavens are hard as brass on you as you pray..... Judge yourself on how you treat God's children; it maybe the cause of all your misery

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MATHEW 25:13-30. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

Jesus cautions us to be watchful and alert for we do not know when He will come. 'Our lamps are dying out,' the foolish virgins cried; our passion and zeal is dying out, our love is weakening, our strength is slowly becoming darkness, our boldness is slowly becoming fear, our light is turning into darkness....be watchful

Is your passion for the Lord increasing or decreasing? Do you love prayers as you did? Do you love God's word as you once did? Do you love God's people as you did? Are you still a bold witness for Christ as you were? Are you still interested in the things of Christ or are you slowly getting sidetracked? You are changing; wake up; guard jealously the place if prayer; keep the fire always burning in your heart; don't let it go out.

Jesus gave the parable of the talents, everyone was given according to their ability, to one five, another two and another one. The man left for a long period of time and came back to settle accounts with them. 

We must realise that God has given us different gifts , but they are all according to our abilities. Some have more gifts and abilities and others have less, but to all God will come one day to settle accounts with us?

What did you do with the wealth I gave you? I gave you health, what did you do with it? I gave you intelligence, I gave you physical abilities, what did you do with what I gave you?

The first two servants gained more but the last hid it on the earth. This means that the first two did something with eternal value with what God gave them but the last did things that only had early value. He didn't think that something of eternal value could be accomplished through him because of two reasons.

1. He compared himself with others who had more and got discouraged and wished he had more like them.

2. He had a wrong attitude towards the master. He considered him a very hard man who wanted to reap where he never sowed.

He was considered a wicked and lazy and unprofitable servant.

He could have invested money with the bankers and he could have gotten profits.

Investing with the bankers .. it can mean a ministry of encouraging others who are serving God and praying for them.

If you think you are a one talent man and there nothing you can do; instead of wasting the time and opportunity that God has given you, dedicate yourself to the ministry of encouraging others and praying for them. 

There are many servants of God who are often discouraged by the people and situations that they face, why don't you dedicate yourself to be encouraging them to go on, tell them their work will be rewarded, tell them that God is still in control no matter what is happening in their lives, tell them you are praying for them.....be an encourager instead and God will reward you.

What is your attitude towards God? Is He to you a person a person who is hard to please and makes demands on us that we cannot fulfill?, no, God is a loving and caring and merciful Father; He is not hard to please; He wants each of us, just like parents wants their children; to do our best. Our best will be different for each because we have different abilities. He only wants us to be faithful with the little He gives us. No matter how many weaknesses you have, if you do your best, if you are faithful; God is pleased with you.

Don't compare yourself with others who are more gifted than you; that will only discourage you and you'll be tempted to think that God is unjust; God will never ask you to give an account of things He never gave you; but be sure that you will give an account of the little that you have.

When we don't use what God gives us for what has eternal value, one day God will take away from you and give it yo someone who is faithful; and the end will be thrown where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. BEWARE

Whoever has and is FAITHFUL with what they have, more will be added, and whoever is unfaithful with what they have, it will be taken away from them.

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MATHEW 25:1-12. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS

 

Jesus gave the parable of the ten virgins, 5 were wise and five were foolish. The wise carried extra oil but the foolish didn't. The bridegroom delayed and they all slumbered and slept and by the time the bridegroom came, the lamps of the foolish were going out and they were told to go amd buy from the dealers.

What did the wise have that the foolish didn't? Wisdom. 

Wisdom is the principal thing. Prov 4:7

There are two types of wisdom, heavenly and devilish. The characteristics of heavenly wisdom is first of all; PURITY, PEACE

-LOVING, GENTLE AT ALL TIMES, OPEN TO REASON, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS, SHOWS NO FAVORISM, AND ALWAYS SINCERE, WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. James 3:17.

This heavenly wisdom does not come naturally that is why the foolish were told to go and buy from the dealers. The dealers are the difficult situations and people that we encounter in our daily lives. God allows difficulties to come out our way to that we get wisdom. 

Maximise on every thing that comes your way; don't have wasted experiences. Let everything you experience teach you wisdom. If you only murmur and complain about difficult people and situations, you will not gain the wisdom God wanted to give you and you will remain a foolish virgin all your life.

The extra oil is hidden. The lamps burning are our external life, our good works before men. Mat 5:16

An inner life lived before God is what will determine whether we'll endure to the end or not. In any situation, do you seek to please God or men? Whose approval are you seeking, God or men? Are you more concerned about what people say or think about you or what God thinks about you?

In every circumstance or with people we meet; always seek God's approval and seek to please Him and you will be a wise virgin.

The foolish were finally cast out though they were in church and did good works before men. It was not enough. 

Live before God's face all the days your life.

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