“And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.   And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Gen. 15:12-16).

Now, as I write this report, my heart is deeply in awe. God’s ways are not our ways and man certainly cannot understand them unless God favors man to reveal some things to us as He did with Daniel and as He does with many of His ministers. Why would He have the “seed” of Abram, a people  He wanted to be all His, enslaved for so many years (400) in Egypt? Why would He be so patient with the Amorites for so many years before judging them and dispossessing them in favor of the Israelites? He says: “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full”. Ah, He waited until they had gone so deep in sin against Him even to a point of no return. At this point, they ceased to be of any value or respect to Him. They had become  “the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction” (Phil.3:18-19). Ah, what a sobering  thought ! To linger in sin is so dangerous. It may land one in such a state as to be totally of no value to God.

On the other hand,  to live in God’s will is such a blessed state. God permits us to be in pain or trial for a reason. He enriched the Israelite and multiplied them in numbers while they were in slavery. Yes, He had a reason to keep them there. No doubt they suffered and cried to Him for deliverance, but God saw it fit to keep them there for about four hundred years.  No doubt, several died there, in faith, waiting for their deliverance.

To us, the church of God has been talked about for many years. Personally, I have travelled many miles and even overseas to see if there was a church of God congregation so full of God that His power  and grace were openly experienced as we read of  in the book of Acts. I have been frustrated and disappointed for many years. Up to now we are praying and waiting for God to build a church congregation like the early church  we read about in the Acts. It is written: “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.  And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” (Acts 5:12-16). It is my longing to see such a people and live among them for a while or even in all my life.  Oh, Lord, give us a revival that would see us reaching the level of holiness and humility that would result to such a church congregation.

And so, like the Amorites, the Muslims of the Coastal strip of Kenya resisted Christianity for so many years. If there were genuine hearts seeking after God, the answer was delayed. But finally, God moved. The hearts of the people of the coast are now getting the light so kept out for so many years. The sincere ones will no longer be  prevented from being yielded to the Lord as His property. The door is open.

A brief history.

Since 1698, the coastal strip of East Africa had been strictly under the influence of Islam. Even when the British took over the rule of the area, they ruled through the Sultan of Zanzibar. The Muslim rulers enforce their religion and this made Islam the predominant religion of the coast. However, the influence of the British brought in religious freedom and tolerance in the area. This resulted in several churches being established there. But, as far as I know,  the church of God, as portrayed in the bible, was not known in the area for several years, though we heard that One  John Ludwig is said to have tried to bring the teachings of the church of God in the area in the 1940s. But what he taught was soon swallowed up by the sagaciously planted religions of the area.  It was not until the year 2006 that the Lord had mercy on the people in the area and sent out some messengers there. They resided at Mombasa and went out openly evangelizing. The seed was scattered from north to the south of the coastal region in the year 2006. But the enemy hardened the hearts of the people at Mombasa insomuch that they did not accept the truth immediately for  a strong congregation to be  planted. But in the year 2007, the Lord’s blessings were received  and a congregation of the church of God was planted in Malindi when God’s messengers were able to settle on a low priced property. With this as the center, other congregations have sprung up in the area near Malindi, which is such a blessing for the area.

Need for deeper teachings both in precept and directly.

However, we must report that these are just congregations by the name “church of God”. They. generally, have not yet learnt how to yield totally to God to be filled with  and led of the Holy Ghost. One or two individuals may be sanctified alright, but one does not enjoy the bliss of a congregation fully run by the Holy Ghost. This is the common problem in all of Kenya. There is no place where one can go and just drink in the joy and power of the Holy Ghost effulgent from the general congregation. Even Makindu is so young a congregation, with the majority of  us the saints just learning to walk in the spirit.  All of us need to be taught the fundamental biblical truths that the Holy Ghost builds upon and develops into a saintly life of the congregation. As to who will come and stay for a considerable length of time teaching us the truths both by precept and directly, we can only pray and trust that the Lord will send such.

Some people came from Mombasa to Malindi to learn more of what they had heard preached and the truth slowly spread out though a congregation never started at Mombasa until  Bro. Melvin Tolle and Sis. Winnie recently started one at Kisauni. Even this is more built on Pentecostal background than on the fundamental truths taught by the church of God. However, truth always dispels error if the people are humble enough to learn from the Holy Ghost. These Dear people  are still seeking to learn and stand on more of God’s truth. If only God would send there a truly sanctified vessel who could live such a sanctified life and present the truth both by precept and direct teaching, we believe these people will stand on the bible principles. Please, pray.

Prayers answered.

Since 2008, calls have been coming for us to go to hold a meeting for these dear people. Though some quick visits had been made before this year (2012), the Lord had not made it possible for us to hold a meeting there that included all the congregations that have sprung up around Malindi. But the opening came when the Lord provided some needed funds and prepared us for the trip.

We intended to leave Makindu to go down to the coast from the 2^nd of April, but we were faced with steep opposition from the enemy and we were only able to leave Makindu on April 4^th, 2012. We had to stop at Mombasa on April 5^th  for some visiting and to wait for Bro. Edward from Meru, who did not know his way around as he had not come to the coast before. The visit at Mombasa was such a blessed one, though we were not able to reach some of the brethren we feel the Lord is using to lead others. There was no phone connection with them and we had to leave it all to the Lord. In our  prayers, the burdens for Bro. Edward and the meeting at Malindi featured so heavily.

On the 6^th of  April, we finished our morning devotions at about 6.30 AM, after which we called Bro. Edward hoping to hear that he was at Mombasa  Bus stop or somewhere near. He told us that he was several miles away (about 5 hours bus-ride) from Mombasa. He had found all the buses to Mombasa from Meru had been fully booked. So he took a vehicle to Nairobi, trusting that  he would get to Nairobi in time to catch another vehicle to Mombasa. But his bus to Nairobi travelled so slowly, dropping and getting passengers in many bus stops,  that it arrived at Nairobi at around 2.00 AM. At this time, it would be a miracle to get a vehicle to Mombasa, from where he would get another vehicle to Malindi. And indeed, the Lord did miraculously provide a vehicle for them at around 3.00 AM. When we learnt all this, we committed him to the Lord and went on ahead to Malindi. On arrival at Malindi, we tried to call our host, Bro. Naphtali, but to no avail. So we had to move around looking for a cheap place to settle in and wait till he would contact us. God had prepared a man for us who guided us to the Methodist Guest house at  Malindi. These  offered reasonable accommodation to us. It being the Easter holiday season, accommodation in the coastal area is very expensive. However, the Lord had made it so convenient for us that what was offered at the Methodist Guest house was affordable for us. Each room had  a shower, which we felt was a very good blessing. So we paid for the rooms for us and Bro. Edward. Soon after we had done this, a group of visitors came to the booking desk wanting accommodation. It was then we realized what the Lord had done for us and we immediately retired to give thanks and praises to the Lord. Had the Lord not been in it all to lead us to come at the time we did, we would not have had the accommodation.  Praise the Lord.

Just as we were settling to rest, a call came from Bro. Naphtali. He was at a more expensive place that he had been searching  for us as he had no room for us at his residence. We connected at the Methodist Guest house and again gave thanks to the Lord for the provision of such a convenient and reasonably priced place. Then we received a call from Bro. Edward telling us that he  had reached the bus stage at Malindi.  Oh, it was such a wonderful thing. The Lord had it all  working out so well and had won the battles for us. Praise the Lord.

By then, it was about 2.00 PM on Frinday. When we got  to the bus stage we found out that the Lord had provided him with a guide from Nairobi all the way to Malindi. This was a man who was travelling from Nakuru to Malindi but had arrived at Nairobi late. He too was looking for a vehicle to Mombasa from where he would catch another bus  to Malindi. He overheard  Bro. Edward and another person speak, wondering if they could find a vehicle to Mombasa at such a late time of the night. So he joined them. God prevailed on the manager of the vehicle they had travelled in from Meru and he  took upon himself the responsibility of getting them to a vehicle he knew was travelling to Mombasa always that late, and their problem was solved. Praise the Lord.

We rejoiced together and thanked the Lord for such a great favor in uniting us together. We were not afraid to thank and praise the Lord in the open public place. God’s favor was so much upon us that the season was wonderful though short.  Praise the Lord. The evening was spent in fellowship in the word of God till we retired for bed at about 11.00 PM.

On Saturday morning, on April 7, we all assembled at the place of meeting. Since the congregation has not yet built a house of worship, we were in a school hall. After prayer and testimony services in the morning, the speaker was called upon to speak.  The message was based on Revelation 12:1-2 . It was entitled: “The church of God versus man made churches”. By the time the message was finished, it was after 3.00 PM. and several  people sought help from the Lord after the service. By the time all was finished, it was going too late for another service that day. So we dispersed from the meeting  to allow those who had come from far to travel back home. There was no room for them to be accommodated.

That evening was a wonderful ministers’  fellowship time and discussions. Several issues were discussed to the benefit of the ministers.

April 8^th was Sunday and two services were scheduled for the day. Besides those professing to be the church of God, the morning service was attended by several other visitors from Pentecostalism, a thing that made the testimonies and prayer service very uncomfortable. Each one was free to stand at will and testify while each one was free to pray. The spirits of competition, pride  and self display  were so prevalent that the Holy Spirit was not given room to lead and it was like a bee hive of disturbed bees. However, the Lord made a way for the messenger to give the message for the morning. Bro. Edward spoke on “The One True Faith” (Eph.4:1-6). It was  so timely a message that  it caused a stir in the hearts of several visitors, and made some not come back to the service in the afternoon. No altar call was given.  Bro. Naphtali just dismissed the congregation immediately after the message, leaving it all with the people to digest and decide when to respond to the call of the Lord.

The afternoon service had a smaller attendance than the morning service. The messenger gave a lesson on “The Blessings in the Lord’s Church” (Acts 20:28). Emphasis was made on how the Lord walks with His children, caring for their every need, according to His promises. Even when there is a delay in answer to our cries, the Lord is still with us and knows exactly when to respond. There were several people seeking help from the Lord after the message.

On Monday morning, April 9, there was no formal service, but the ministers and helpers met together for questions and answers. Several things were brought out in the discussions that ensued. We all sought to understand issues such as how to ensure that the Holy Ghost has total freedom in directing our services, how to treat visitors who do not have the vision of the church of God and how to identify those who come to proselyte among us. In all, it was a very helpful meeting and fellowship. But it was clear to us that a short meeting is not enough. Please, pray that God would grant us means to get down there and stay with them for a month or more. The burden to live among those people at a reasonably longer period is so heavy now that we see their spiritual needs.

We bid each other farewell and left Malindi for Mombasa at about 2.00 PM, arriving at about 4.30 PM. Bro. Edward had to leave that evening for Thika, where he had some business calls to make and later for home at MuutiO’Kiama in Meru. But we wanted to see some people in Mombasa that evening. So we had to spend the night there, finally leaving for Makindu on the morning of April 10.

Other than Naphtali, we do not feel it is fair to introduce those professing to be in the ministry until we know them well and see their goals. Several come with plans for other things. We need to take time to know these people.

God favored us with some miracles.

The school owner, a lady, was sick with a heart problem. We were called to go to pray for her. When we got to her home, we found her breathing with difficulties. After prayers, she was well and we rejoiced together and praised the Lord. We called there yesterday (Thursday) to know of her progress and we learnt that she is well and on her job desk again. Praise the Lord.

A lady came out for prayer, complaining of stomach problems. She was prayed for and anointed and she went away praising the Lord. Later, on Monday, she accompanied us to a meeting rejoicing and praising the Lord for healing her.

Another old lady came forth for prayers. She could only speak the local language (Ki-Giriama). But the Lord helped us to understand that she  had a knee problem. She indicated it with her hands and she was unable to walk properly. After prayers, the Lord undertook for her and she was able to walk. She came beaming with joy to bid us farewell when we were leaving.

A young man had mental problems and had left his home to reside with Bro. Naphtali, believing that he would pray for him and have him delivered from the problem. Bro. Naphtali allowed him to live in his place for more than a month. It was reported that Bro. Naphtali and Sis. Perris prayed for this young man until he was healed. When we came, he was introduced to us and we heard his story. After the meeting, he went back to his home rejoicing and fully recovered.

We did not get more news of how the Lord had graciously worked in the meeting before we left the place.

Needs to pray for.

1. The congregation at Malindi desperately  need a house of worship. Other outside congregations do not need much funds for a building as they can easily use local materials. The Lord blessed and we acquired a plot of land of about size 100 x 100 feet. On this plot, a house of worship may be set up together with houses for other needs of the town congregation. Please, pray for this need.

1. There are several orphans in this congregation. It is a poor environment where the orphans are mostly left to fend for themselves and to sleep in the drainages and to eat from the garbage areas.  Please, pray that the Lord keeps them well supplied and instructed in the truths of the Lord.

1. This is an area that needs proper teaching of the truths of God. Please, pray that the Lord sends in consecrated well established teachers in the area. The people there do not know many of the biblical truths. We are consecrated to be travelling there as and when the Lord provides for the trips. But the means are rare and insufficient. Please, pray with us.

1. Bro. Naphtali, and several others in the ministry,  need a constant income to be able to minister there effectively.

=======================================

August 2011,

Makindu (in Kenya, Africa).

(By church of God)

 Our Lord  gave us the command: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Math. 28:19-20). The risen Christ now indwells all true saints of God and works through their bodies, minds, and wealth to save the world and glorify the Father. It is our part to humble ourselves and let him take full control and reconcile the whole world back to God. The Gospel must be preached to the whole world.

Every individual must be given all the chance to love the Lord and be fully yielded to Him so that God may live His life in and through the individual. Like Paul said “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Every individual needs to be given a chance to reach  such a state of consecration.

When every individual has thus died to self and loves the Lord insomuch as to let the Lord so live His life through the individual, then all of us who are so indwelt by God, (John 14:23), make up  “an holy temple in the Lord” (Eph.2:19-22). Therefore, when such people who have put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 13:14), assemble together to thank, praise and worship, and to reach out for the lost, God is in their midst to bless them and save  the  lost, heal the sick, and pour out His blessings  to all.  Hence His command to His saints: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25a).

Though human failings through ignorance, weak faith, and weaknesses of the flesh caused us to waste a lot of time wandering in sectarian activities, disguised as church of God works, the gracious Lord led us to forsake all such  divisive activities and live for His glory, by His Word, in love and unity with all His true children. Identifying these true children of God is a tricky business in this world of pretenses and craftiness, but the Dear Lord is so faithful to us that He has always been true to His promise: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb.13:5). God has been so faithful that He has never forsaken us in all these times.

One of the biggest needs has always been finding a people of God who purely depend on the Holy Ghost for leadership and not on the spirits of gossip, campaigns, stigmatization, self glorification and lordship. The need to find such a people arises in that God demands of us to love one another and to live in unity so that each part of the body may supply to the other what it needs in order that the body of Christ may be compactly perfect (Eph.4:16, 1 Cor. 1:21, Rom.12:4-16). Again, the Dear Lord is so faithful that He will never forsake any of His Dear child. He has led us into the light we needed step by step and at the time we realized our need and hungered for the light (Mat.5:6). Walking in that light and obeying the Lord has seen us going to a few places in Kenya and this has resulted in a few congregations of God starting as the Lord added to His church such as would get saved. Separated by distance, we have not been able to assemble regularly with such people both for our edification and also for theirs. Some of the newly saved people need instructions and inspiration by exemplary living. This can partly be achieved by our living together as a family of God for as long as the Lord would help us to.  Hence the need of such meetings as I will report about here. The saints of God gather together in camp and enjoy all the blessings of one heavenly family. A preliminary meeting, held last year in April, was aimed at strengthening those ministers of God serving in the various places. This one held in August 2011 was to reach out to the lost people around Makindu and strengthen all the church congregations, though most were represented by a few delegates as the costs of transportation, and other things, hindered all the saints to travel and assemble together at Makindu, a small market town of Kenya situated along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway in the Savanna area of Kenya.

Our prayer is that the Dear Lord gets all the glory in all that is said and done and that He blesses each one of you as you read on.

Praying God to send us His light.

 Soon after repentance, the enemy deceived us and got us entwined in various  groups, one after another,  that call themselves “Church of God(s) ”. They are here in Kenya and each claims to be the only true church, competes for followers, and does its very best to outdo the others. We got into one group at a time, praying God always to lead us to all who have the pure truth and leaving any group as soon as we realized we were trapped in a human organization that posed as church of God, but which was actually NOT such for it was not like what God had shown us in the initial vision of His  spotless church that He had given us . These divisions  are against the will of God as recorded in several parts of the bible (John 17:20-24; 1Cor. 1:10; John 10:16; Ro 12:5; Gal. 3:28, Etc.). Any church group or congregation that lifts itself above others and excludes any other saved people from its fellowship or membership is against the word of God and it is not the church of God that Jesus has built with His blood. We noted the different teachings and practices that divide the people of God. Yes, people can use the bible to create dogmatic creeds and catechisms to be learnt and recited without changing the heart and allowing God to rule the life of the individual. We wanted to rise above this. So we sought to be filled with God and be in fellowship with a people who were so filled with God that we would all be pure in all ways of life, and would reflect God in all aspects of life. But we were frustrated as we did not witness and experience the Godliness we hungered for in these organizations.

Again, in answer to prayer,  the merciful and ever loving God sent us the light we needed. He showed us that all that mattered is to be individually pure in heart and obedient to Him. He revealed to us that He only desires individual love and  total surrender to His will.  To Him, it was not the group that matters but the individual’s love, holiness and abandonment. He takes each individual  who yields all to Him and obeys all His words, then He makes His abode with that individual (John 14:23). While the individual walks with God, the individual lets his light so shine before men that they see God (Math.5:16).  “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (John 3:21). When men of the world see God at work through the life of those who walk with God, these worldly men are attracted to God. Whoever is so attracted to God and repents is individually forgiven sins,  and is added to the family of God by the virtue of having the same life of God. This individual who is fully given over to God is filled  with the Spirit of God so that He can live in full fellowship with God and finally live with Him eternally. The aggregate of such God filled individuals make His church here on earth irrespective of the number, race, position, or geographical location. When such God filled people are brought together by God, they form a local congregation of the church of God and such are they that worship God in truth and Spirit (John 4:23-24).

When this light flooded our soul, there was no more seeking to be a member of any group. We personally consecrated to be what God would want us to be, to be used of Him wherever  He would use us and to own nothing but that which He would give us to use for His glory. We repented the sins we committed in ignorance when we served the groups, pleaded with God to cleanse us from all the evil traits of groups and accept us as wholly His, free from all group traits and norms. We never knew a people that lived only for God and never based their salvation on their church membership or group membership, but only on their personal relationship with God. “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Rev. 14:4b,c).  All that mattered to us at this time was to live for the glory of God, following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.

But the Lord, so loving and caring, kept revealing truths, little by little to us to get established on this path of truth. “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:9-10). When we would not be able to receive some things directly from God, He used His faithful messengers who are wholly give over to Him to teach us the lifting truths that we needed to rise higher in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  As we live by the truths God sends our way, we expect to be added to others that God has already built into the church of God so that we all would grow together as a family of God. It is in this effort to grow together, and to reach out to others in love, that we came together in a camp meeting this year (August 2011). God was so merciful as to send to us His humble messengers who so faithfully delivered the messages from heaven that we are still rejoicing as we try to live the truths preached.

Messages from heaven.

For many years, we have been in contact with many church of God ministers. True, each has had a part in our life, some bringing us confusion and others helping us to see more light. But with time, God sent us stars that certainly led us to a heavenly path.  It is just as God has said: “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein (Isaiah 35:8)”. Filled with the Holy Ghost, and fully submitting to Him to lead us on the heavenly way, we certainly could never go astray. The problem is in identifying the Holy Ghost’s voice and in humbling ourselves to follow Him. Hence the need for messengers from God to help us more. They came and were with us for two weeks. Hardly a day went by without them instructing us as to how to receive and follow the light,  walk in it to rise higher in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

It would take a lot of time to transcribe the messages preached in this meeting, but they are to be made available  in DVDs for all who would request them, if only we could afford to mail them to all. We also have made it possible for them to be heard in our premises by those who would come to our place and listen to them. We would love to put them on the internet, but our connection is not adequate for this. Suffice to say that we were shown the need for salvation, how to get it and how to live it in order to reap the benefits of salvation. It was clearly stressed that these benefits come from the loving and faithful God, the creator and owner of all that exists. The messages are so uplifting and so full of God’s power that listening at them leaves the honest hearer changed. We encourage you to listen at them.

We want you to enjoy some of the pictures of those who attended the camp meeting and other related meetings we held and attempted to reach those who could not attend the camp meeting.  To see the pictures, please, go to our “Keepandshare” account  by copying and pasting this link: http://www.keepandshare.com/photo/show.php?i=1721713&cat=0&ph=y  on your browser, and then click it. God bless you as you enjoy. Please, do not forget to pray for us. We were limited by time and so we could not go all over. But the few places we were able to go to are shown in the pictures.

Finally, we want to thank you very much for praying for this meeting and the outreach here at Makindu. We are living in the remote areas of the Savannas of Kenya, where famine is made so severe, and poverty so enslaving, that we are in constant need of food and clothing to say nothing of the greatly needed water and shelter.  These are the basic needs of life. We thank the few saints who have given help in the provision of these. May the Dear Lord keep blessing you all Dear Ones. The rains are very unreliable and sometimes, they take about four years to come in some places. There is virtually no technological innovations that improve the lives of the people, except just a few things that are now being injected along the highway to Mombasa by the rich in order to serve their interests. We solicit your prayers.

A church of God servant.

http://thechurchofgodglorious.wordpress.com/reports/

WEEK OF JAN 16TH — JAN.22, 2012.

LIVE FOR GOD.

Mark 12: 30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment”.

Mal. 1: 6 “ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”

THE STARTING POINT.

The starting point for every one desiring to be born into the family of God is receiving Jesus in one’s life. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).  Let us keep in mind that Jesus is the Word of God (John 1: 1-3, 12). It all begins with hearing a message from heaven that we are lost in our sins, but can be saved through Jesus’ blood. This message may be sent direct by the Holy Ghost into our heart or it may come through a messenger of God. Then,  being sorry for offending God and not loving Him,  a hunger for God sets in the heart of the individual , triggering a seeking for God , with a desire to forsake sin for ever and turn to God.  “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you” (Acts 3: 19-20). Repenting, and crying to God for forgiveness and deliverance from the power of sin, believing that Jesus blood was shed for this purpose when He died for you,  moves God to forgive your sins and wipe them away. When He has forgiven you,  you are no longer a sinner in His eyes. You are justified in the courts of heaven.

RECEIVING JESUS AS LORD.

“Lord” means “A ruler” or  “The one who rules”, “A Governor”. Receiving Jesus as Lord means receiving Him as the one to rule your life from the very starting. When we say that Jesus is our Lord, we mean that He is the one who rules our life. Obeying every rule of God as it is in the bible is obeying Jesus. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). Failure to obey the Word of God is disobeying Jesus. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”(Luke 6:46).

LET THE WORD OF GOD WORK IN YOUR LIFE.

In 1John 2:24 it is written: “ Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father”. Letting Jesus abide in you is to submit to Him, His word, and letting it shape your life in all aspects. You must apply yourself to know His will, beginning at the way you think, then the way you do things and the way you speak. All these aspects of life must be governed by the word of God. In other words, it is Jesus who works in your life to do all the things  that you do. This is the way a true saint of God thinks.  “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal.2:20). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Phil.2:13). This is what it means to honor God, to love Him with all your heart. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).

LIVING WITH GOD IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.

Total salvation includes letting God live in you through His Holy Ghost,  doing  the things He wills with your body for His glory.  “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). While we are in the spirit, we will not do the lusts of the flesh at any time. This is the state described in Col. 3:1-4 : “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory”. The “heavenly places” is the Spiritual state we are ushered in by entire salvation, and this is described in Eph. 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. These are the heavenly places we see referred to as the “heaven” in Revelation 12:1, where John saw the wonderful woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars”. The woman is a symbol of the church Jesus Christ has built. She portrays the state of purity the holy humble saints of God live in. This is the purity that comes from obeying the word of God. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev.19:7-8).  This is what Jesus prayed for from the father in His prayer before he died. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

CONCLUSION.

We need to examine ourselves, to be sure we are living in the state God desires to find us  in by the time He calls for the church. We are now at the very end of time, when Jesus is about to return for His church. He desires to find us ready to live with Him in eternity. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me”( John 15:4).

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 WEEK OF JAN. 9TH–JAN.15TH, 2012.

BACK TO THE POSITION OF FAVOR WITH GOD.

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:4-5).

1.  God is love (1 John 4:16).

If we are filled with God (2Cor.6:16; 1Cor. 3: 16-17; 1Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:18-22) we must be effulgent with love.  It is in this state we have God as the pilot of our life. Good actions which are not motivated by the love of God, for His glory, will not do. Love (God) will shape all our relationships here on earth. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1Cor. 13:4-8 ).

(a)  Love for God will give us the ambition to always glorify Him in everything about us  (1Cor. 10:31). Without this ambition, our life on earth is centered on self and is wasted in the eyes of God. The ambition to glorify God is shown by our commitment to obey every word of God (John 14:23). It is by our unconditional obedience to God that we remove all shades of doubts in our mind and heart that we love God (1 John 3:18-22).

(b)  Love for God, and all that is His, will always goad us to submit to Him so that He will mould us into what He wants us to be (1Cor.1:30). When filled with Christ, we will always live for God and not for ourselves. And this is where most people have failed for most live for themselves, (and for who, and for what, is theirs),  but not for God. Yes, Dear One. Most people live for their church, for their wives, for their children, for their country, for their parents, etc, etc, BUT NOT FOR GOD. We need to examine ourselves and make sure that we are alive in Christ Jesus to live for God’s glory (2 Cor. 13:5).

(c) When God is not given the place He needs to occupy in someone’s thoughts, actions and in whatever is to be said, then the person does not do whatever he/she does for the glory of God. There is need to repent of this lack.

2. Need of repentance:

Rev. 2: 5 “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent”.

[I]. “….thou art fallen”.

Yes, fallen from that fervent love you had for God when you first got saved (Mark 12:30; John 14:23). Remember the hours you used to spend reading your bible and talking with God in prayer? What happened so that you do not have those moments with God now?….Yes, repent please, won’t you? God loves you so much that He does not want you lost. He is calling you back to that wonderful relationship.

Remember the fervor you had to testify, both in words and actions, about the love of God to everyone you met when you first got saved (Mark 12:31)? How you told everyone how God loved them and that He wanted to be with them always for their joy, comfort, safety and general welfare. Remember how you told everyone that it is only in God we have life and that without God, we are hopeless. But now you don’t. You just live like a part of the world around you.….? What happened? Repent, please, God loves you and wants to walk with you. Get rebaptized with the fire of the Holy Ghost again (Math. 3:11). This is your promise and you need to claim it, have it fulfilled in your life, and stay on fire for God. Remember that God wants to be in you and with you always so that you may enjoy the heavenly bliss that goes with fellowshipping God (2 Cor.6:16-18; Phil.2:13). He wants you to taste the victory that goes with Godly valor in battles and He wants you to finally sit with Him in eternal glory.

Oh, yes, that church party where we talk nothing of God but only the worldly things. Instead, we need to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:16-17). Oh, Yes, that church choir or activity where God is not central. We need to repent from the lukewarmness.

[II], “……and repent”.

Get back to the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and stay there (Eph 2:5-6; Col. 3:1-4). God wants to be your God as He has promised “I will be his God, and he shall be my son” Rev. 21:7). This means that God wants to make His abode with you as He has pledged in John 14:23: “….If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”. Oh, how wonderful it is to be so favored as to have God with me daily ! It is such a blesing to see God do His wonders using His vessel, our body (1Cor.6:19-20).

Amen. How much have we been changed to be like God ?…….Each one of us needs to examine themselves and not just go on in life like nothing is wrong. We cannot just ignore this plea and go on in life, and even mix up in church assemblies, as if nothing is wrong, and continue as if everything was normal. No. Not at this time when God tells us to repent of this indifference. Jesus very clearly exhorts us: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:34). Yes, Dear One. We live in a day when most people only care for themselves, for their pleasures, their fame, their comfort, etc, and do not care about the things of God and others. Indifference has killed the spirit of love for God and the neighbour. It has its part in precipitating the existing lukewarmness. There is need for repentance.

(a) Repent of your lack of concern:

What lack of concern……? Of division of the children of God and its inherent sins of hatred, pride, selfishness, segregation, etc, etc.. No one truly born from heaven has a right to divide from other children of God because we are all born into one family of heaven (John 1:12-13; 1 Pet. 1:22-23; 1 John 3:9; Eph. 3:14-15). There is need for everyone to believe and obey the truth that all who are truly born of God are one family—the family of God (Eph. 3:14-15; Eph. 2:19; 2Cor.6:18). This belief must lead us into doing all in our power to  live as the One family of God. The children of God have allowed themselves to be divided over many things which God has not ordained for us. As a result of this, they have formed movements, groups, etc, etc, which govern the lives of their members. As a result, we have multiples of what people call “Christian churches” and in a single city, town and market place. We even have many calling themselves “church of God(s)” in a single small place !! It should not be so. Division of the children of God is sin, whatever the excuse. Only God has the prerogative of casting the one who sins away because sin deprives one of the life of God (Rom. 6:23; James 1:15). Sin will cut the sinner away from God and His people (Isaiah 59:2; 1 John 3:10). Therefore, when any one commits the sin of division, that one cuts himself or herself away from God. Any group that results from division is also divided from God because it is formed as a result of the sin of division…….. “Repent”, says the Lord.

The love of God should lead us all to obey His command and take every truly born again person as a child of God, as our brother or sister and then from there on, live in unity. Personal convictions should not lead us to divide from others and go on to campaign for followers and then form different groups and movements of Christianity. All this division is born out of selfishness, pride and lack of love for God and your neighbor.

Repent, please, won’t you? Reach out for your brother and sister in the Lord and do all you are commanded of the Lord to live in the only One family of God .This is the will of God as we read in Ephesians 4:15-16 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”.

(b) Repent of the love of pre-eminence (3 John 1:9).

This is a great sin today among many preachers in the religious world and even in many now calling themselves “church of God”.  In the quest for power, glory, wealth, joy, comfort, and other things, they love to bind men to themselves by their ideologies,  self made doctrines, traditions and customs, wealth, etc, etc. They form Ministerial Bodies, Committees, Elderships, Puppets and other dictating tools just to keep men religiously bound to them and to the movements they head. This is wrong. Our love for Jesus must be so complete that we will  in all humility let Him rule the lives of all He has saved. After all He did not save them for us to rule. This is what our objective should have been initially when we were led by Him to help a soul.

(c)  Repent of the love for money.

1Tim. 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”. Love of money has led to a lot of connivance, lying, mudslinging, destruction of life and character, etc, etc, among many people. It has caused such hatred among people working in the name of the church that some will not even speak to each other. The Lord wants this evil cleaned out. If people cannot be honest and repent of this evil, there certainly cannot be unity among those that are holy and those that are sinful, just like hell and heaven cannot be one. You are either of the devil or of God ( 1John 3:10). But all God’s children are one family and they are not defiled by the love of money.

(d) There are other evils that must be repented of and forsaken in order that the life of Christ must flow freely in all the body, His church—the church of God.

God says: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1John 2:15-17). “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:34).

People have allowed very many worldly things to creep in their lives, slowly killing their zealous love for God, and therefore polluting the church. Since the individuals make up the church, the church cannot be a holy church when individual lives are  corrupt. The love of pornography destroys a Christian’s life insomuch that  an honest prayer life is impossible, chastity (both in the mind and action), is impossible, faithfulness to the spouse is also impossible especially in the aspect of coveting another person. It destroys the stand against immodest dress which causes others to sin or desire to sin. It severes connection between God and the lover of pornography insomuch that his prayers go unanswered. And it is not just pornography that cuts people off from God. Anything that one loves more than God cuts one away from God, be it work, food, entertainment, family, self, or anything else. If we cannot put God first in our life, we are a castaway (John 15:2). And if we are not “in God” as we go to fellowship, we are not in unity with those that are in God. Hence there cannot be holly fellowship if God is out. This brings the congregation down as a whole if all are not in God or it divides the congregation as those that love the world cannot be one with those that love God.

[III].  “….do the first works”:

Repentance is being sorry for sins against God and all His creation. It results in the turning away from sin of any nature and living a holy life from then onwards. Saintly unity does not mean ignoring sin in another’s life and continuing to interact in spiritual fellowship. No, sin and holiness do not combine or mix up (2Cor.6:14-16; 1 John 1:6).

(i) Settling a matter on “one-on-one” basis:

In Math. 18:15-20, the Lord teaches us one of the first principles of maintaining unity and safeguarding brotherhood among us. We need to go to the one who has wronged us and talk this over with a desire to settle the matter and forgive each other. In the same tone, the one who has wronged the other needs to go to the one wronged and apologize, seeking forgiveness. The Lord works from both ends and He must be obeyed. This same principle should be operating in the congregation of the church as well. If a person sees another commit sin, this person needs to do the very best to recover the sinner (Gal. 6:1; James 5:19; 2Th. 3:15). Yet, whoever  commits sin against God sins against His church. The one who sins has to make things right in the church by making a public confession and if need be, making restitution.  It should not be made a gossip subject or a character assassinating mission where people go destroying the name of the one who they think is wrong.

This needs to be done with sincerity, fearing the Lord on both sides. Dishonesty, where one side wants to deceive the other that all is well when actually it is not, is deplorable in the eyes of God. This is one of the most ignored law of Christian life today. Many prefer to ignore the Lord and go “preaching” about the evil the other has done as if it would edify the hearer or lead a soul to salvation. There is need of repenting of this devilish habit that has torn many congregations and destroyed many lives in many places.

Hypocrisy and character assassination has destroyed unity among many congregations and individuals. This has to be rectified for the church to be the church of God.

(ii) Forgiving one another:

In Luke 17:4, the Lord says:” And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him”. Let us stress the greatest lack today: “…. and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent…..” We do not see much of the  humility that causes people to go apologizing to those they have wronged. It is a necessity if one has to be a Christian. The Lord commands it and you cannot be a Christian if you do not obey the Lord.

On the other hand, there is a lot of talking “behind others back”,  with the motive of destroying others’ reputation, influence and if possible, getting others to hate and discriminate or segregate them. The first thing that needs to be done is to approach the one you feel or think has done the wrong. Let the wrong be pointed out to the individual and if it is acknowledged and repented of, then the matter is cleared (Math.18:15-17). Questions like “How am I expected to listen to an unrepentant preacher that has lied about me, and worse, falsely, unjustly?” have been asked. Well, this shows why preachers cause division by wickedly, foolishly, and falsely, accusing others of sins behind their backs. Each one should be openly faced, first in privacy, and if this will not be heeded, before two or three witnesses, and if this will not work, before the church.

The following is a testimony of a saint that fell victim of a preacher’s loose tongue: “Yes, in my heart, I have forgiven him and I want to humble myself and let God be glorified. I have even gone a step further to tell the preacher how he has wronged me and that I want the matter cleared between us. But the preacher would  not take heed of this. He goes ahead to accuse me falsely to others and will not let us talk face to face and let my side of the story be heard”.  Well, what do you think of such a preacher? He needs to get cleaned up. It is not permitted by God to allow this corruption seep into you from his pulpit. Pride will not let him so humble himself. So the wedge lives on. Oh, Dear Brethren, there is need of true repentance, a true sense of humility and cleaning out.

(iii) Letting the Holy Spirit teach us uniformly:

A lot of disunity and confusion has set in the church of God to-day because of the variations of doctrine. What needs to come up  first I whether the individual has been truly born of God. This is not conditioned by any preacher on earth. Spiritual birth is a heavenly blessing and only comes from heaven to a soul that is hungry of  reuniting with its heavenly Father (John 1:12-13). Conviction of sin, and of being lost, come from heaven (2 Cor.7:10). If we do not let a sinner see this, we persuade them of ourselves and leave God out. As a result, the sinner will not get born of God, but will just conform because of our persuasions and pleadings. This applies to every doctrine of God. We have to let God be the one to show the person the truth and convince them that it is the truth. We cannot use the truth as a club to beat people into submission. Those who hate to be clubbed to submission will go away and those who love to club people into submission will go another way. We need to let God be the one to persuade people about a certain truth. There should be no fighting, or friction, or debates at all on any truth. Prayer and sincere seeking of God’s leadership and will  will work out any difrences. We should therefore be patient and give the Holy spirit allthe time he wants to have in any matter that is not commonly seen and accepted among us. That way, do divisions will occur. The current divisions in the church of God need be handled in that manner too. The saints of God need to come together, seeking God’s leadership in all Humility and love until God has taken over everything in the church. Christ must have the supreme authority over all His saints and the church must exercise  its right to freely worship God without the man rule that has set in today (Rev. 11:15-17).

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment”(1Cor.1:10).

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WEEK OF JAN.1ST   –  JAN..8TH , 2012.

CHRIST ON DISPLAY IN THE CHURCH OF GOD (Rom. 13:14).

Galatians 2: 20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”.

 1. To begin with, Let us  examine  our selves. Let each individual examine him/herself personally.

 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2Cor.13:5).

 Is there any sin existing your heart? If so, it means that you are not a Christian as Christ does not live in you, which means that you have not become a child of God yet. When you sin and keep sinning, it is sin that lives in you and you are a child of the devil (1 John 3:8-10). How about these sins as seen by God in any heart?  ”For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). Defiled men are not a part of the church of God because they have not yet been born into it. If there is any of the above defilements, (sins), in your heart and life, you need to be born into the family of God (John 1:12-13; 1 Peter 1:23).

More details of sin are given here below. If there is any such trait in you,  you are a sinner and you need to repent and get saved. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  ⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2Tim.3: 1-5). “²⁹Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ³⁰Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Rom.1: 29-32).

2. Sin must die in us and  we must be dead to it.

Rom.  6:6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin”. If the flesh and its lusts and affections have been crucified, they are destroyed. “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). We have a responsibility after our flesh is crucified:: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6: 12-13). It is a responsibility to be taken seriously just like that of going to your job every day and being efficient on the job. The work of taking care of the soul is actually more important than that of taking care of the temporal body (Math.4:4).  

We must live as God wills always. “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries”( 1Peter 4: 1 -3).

When we are always doing the will of God, these sins have now been cut away from the heart: Col.2: 10-11  “¹⁰And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: ¹¹In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ”.  This kind of life is noticed by everyone around us and the church of God is clearly seen by the world.  Glory to God.

 3. We do not live for ourselves, but for Jesus.

2Co 5: 15 “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again”. God has planted His life, (seed), in us. Col.2:13 “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses”; John 5:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”; John 1:12-13: “¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  ¹³Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. Our motives, our desires and all our efforts are all directed to the glory of God.

 4. Living through Jesus.

We must live this life of God through all our deeds, thoughts and words. Godly nature must thrive in us. We must have the zeal for Godliness (Titus 2:14). To be zealous calls for our own efforts. This effort is acquired through prayer, hunger and obedience to God.  “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. ¹⁴And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col.2: 12-17). In another place, God describes those virtues for us as follows: Gal. 5:22-23  “²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”.

 5. We are transformed.

In Romans 12:2 God says: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. This transformation is a must for us as Christians. It is something we must hunger for and pray and apply ourselves to receive from God. It is done by the Holy Ghost, whom we must receive. The Disciples of Jesus were admonished by the Lord to wait until they got transformed: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Jesus Himself tells His Disciples: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The power Jesus promised to all who love Him is displayed by this transformation we are talking about. Godly virtues are so much alive in a Christian that the Christian lives the life of Christ.  It is being “created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:24).

 6. Having Christ on display:

If these virtues are in us, they will be seen in all our actions, heard and discerned in all our words and expressed in all our thoughts.  Christ, the light,  who shines in us, ( i.e. who lives in all His Saints),  will be seen by all men around us because we display Him through these characteristics of our life. That is what God wills and expresses in Romans 13:14: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof”.  As a result  of letting Christ live in us this way, all those around us will see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Math. 5:16). Living for Jesus is letting Him live His life through us. Gal. 2: 20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. Phil. 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”.

 7. Conclusion.

When we have allowed Jesus to live in us, We are living with Him. Rev. 3: 20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”.1Th 5:10  “Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him”. Eph 5: 2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour”. Tit 2: 14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”.

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WEEK OF 26th Dec. — 31st Dec., 2011.

We need to be sure we are partakers of the nature of God (2Pet.1:1-4).

1. To have the nature of God planted in us is necessary after we have been forgiven of our sins (Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 4:21-32). Justification takes place in the courts of heaven, and sanctification takes place here on earth when God fills us with His Spirit, purifying our hearts and seting us apart for His service.

God moved in, through the Holy Spirit, to dwell among His New Testament people from the day of Pentecost (2Cor. 6:16-18; Eph. 2:22). Since then all those who received Him within have been partakers of the nature of God. This is the final  step God took to deal with the problem of sin. Sin could not be wiped out in the Old Testament time because God had not moved in to indwell His people. When He did on the day of Pentecost, the sin problem was solved. It is no longer a problem among those who have received Him because He gives them the necessary power to live a sinless life. This is the nature of God (1 Pet. 1:15-16).  If we do not have the nature of God planted in us, we are not yet fit to serve Him in any capacity. Let us pray consistently, fasting , until we have reached this stage of holiness and then move on to the highest level of Godliness man can reach.

To have the nature of God is to have Christ dwelling  and living through our bodies, as we read in Gal. 2:20. In John 14:18, Christ promised not to leave us comfortless, but that He would return to us. He did this through the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

2.     Here is the nature we need to have while here on earth (2 Pet.1:3-4).

Colossians 3:12-17 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,

• bowels of mercies,
• kindness,
•  humbleness of mind,
• meekness,
• longsuffering;
• Forbearing one another,
• and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
•  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
•  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
•  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

(Also read Galatians 5:22-24).

3.     It is only after we have been so filled with these traits of Godly character that we are in a position to be trusted and qualified by being given gifts to serve the Lord.

• 1 Cor. 12:5-11 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Brothers and sisters, if you have  been transformed by the Spirit of God and have the nature of the Son of God, there will be given to you some spiritual gift or gifts that will always be seen and felt about you that will show others that you are spiritual.

• For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
• to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
• To another faith by the same Spirit;
• to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
• To another the working of miracles;
• to another prophecy;
• to another discerning of spirits;
•  to another divers kinds of tongues;
• to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

• Eph. 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles;
• and some, prophets;
• and some, evangelists;
• and some, pastors and teachers;

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

4.     God’s purpose in using His ministry: (Eph. 4: 12-16).

“ For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

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WEEK OF DEC. 5 –DEC. 11, 2011.

THEME: “The truth shall set you free”

( John 8:31-34).

Many people are slaves of sin through the god of wealth, power, pleasure, fashion and much more, which makes so many idolators. But God desires that we be set free to worship and serve Him freely in love and finally live gloriously with Him eternally. Are we ready?

^{John 8:31-34:}

^“31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ³³They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin”.

A].                Set free from all sin : 1 John 3:5-8 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”.

B].                 The righteousness that comes from obeying the word of God:

(James 2:12; John 13:17; Mt 7:21; Lu 6:46 ).

Heart purity which is manifest in the life of a saint through  holy actions, thoughts and words: (Eph. 5:9: 9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), Gal. 5:22.

• There has to be total love for God and all His (Mark 12:30-31); No love for the world (1John 2:15-16).

Let us look deeper at the holy life.

Your actions must always be those that glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31).We must allow God to be the One working in and through us (Pil.2:13, Heb. 13:2). This means letting everything we do be prompted by God for His glory.

(a)   Holy life at home:

–children obey and honour parents (Eph. 6:1-3).

–Young men to be sober minded (Titus 2:6).

ü  Do not allow these things in your life—cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, Karate games, etc.

–Parents do not provoke your children ( Col 3:21; Eph. 6:4).

–Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and even died for it (Eph. 5:25-29).

–Wives , love and submit to husbands (Eph. 5:22-24; Col. 3:18; Tit. 2:5; 1Pet. 3:1).

–Wives be chaste, keepers at home, etc, (Titus 2:5).

—Old men and women (Titus 2:2-4).

—To provide for the family: 1 Tim. 5:8.

—To teach our children the things of God: Eph. 6:4.

— Servants to be loyal to their masters: Eph.6:5-8

(b)    HOLY  LIFE AT CHURCH:

The church is the family of God (John 1:12-13; Built by Jesus -Mat.16:18). We must live like a family that honors our Father.–1.To love all the Brethren: Rom. 12:9-21; John 13:34; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 3:8.2.

--2. To help all the Brethren when in need; 1 John 3:16-18; James 2:15-16.

–3. To Support the Lord’s work: Malachi 3:8-11, Luke 11:42.

–4. To fulfill your part and edify the whole Church in the local congregation: 1 Cor.12:7,25-26; Eph. 4:15-16.

–5. Use your spiritual gifts to build the Church: (Eph. 4: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love).

– 6. To honor and esteem the Ministers: 1 Thes. 5:12-13; 1 Tim. 5:17-18.

(c)    HOLY LIFE IN OUR SOCIETY:

(1)   In the Society (Duties to the Nation):

(i)To the Officers of the land

(a). Pray for them: 1 Tim. 2:1-3;

(b). To be subject to them: Romans 13:1-8

(ii) Love your country:2 Samuel 10:12; Nehemiah 2:3; Isaiah 66:10

(d)    DRESSING FOR GOD’S GLORY:

(i)      We must not be ruled by the god of fashion (1John 2:15-17: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”.

(ii)              Dress must be modest (1 Tim.2:9; 1Pet. 3:3); It is wrldly to wear ornaments (1 John 2:15-17; Isaiah 3:16-23).

(iii)            Deut. 22: 5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God”.

(vi)            OUR WORDS AND THOUGHTS MUST BE PURE.

1.  All our speech must be for the glory of God (1Pet. 4:11)

(a)    Col. 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”.

(b)    We must not indulge in wrong talk (Eph. 4:29; Eph. 5:4; Col. 4:6; 1Th 5:11).

(c) All thoughts must be pure (Eph. 4: 8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever    things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”)

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The church of God is neither a denomination nor a human founded religious entity. It is all those who have been genuinely born to God through the blood of Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13, 1 Peter 1:23, Acts 20:28).  It is a heavenly family (Eph. 2:5-6,19; Eph. 3:14-15). No human being,  and no group of men, has the power to make you a member or to cancel your membership in God’s church thus excommunicating you. No human being has the powers or the ability to write another man’s name in the book of life in heaven (Luke 10:20; Exod. 32:32; Psa. 69:28;Psa.87:5-6; Philip, 4:3; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 13:8). Man can only  make you a member or revoke your membership from what he has organized around himself and become a boss of. But God begets His children by giving them His life, which when nourished with His word, the food for the soul (Mat.4:4), grows into an openly discernible life of God (Godliness) in man. This is the holiness that we must acquire in order to be as holy as our heavenly Father (Math. 5:48; 1 Peter 1:15-16). God is holy. Therefore His life in man can only produce holiness in man.

God’s life in man is a result of receiving Jesus in us as He said: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). When one has believed, and gets converted, one receives “Life”, that is Jesus Himself: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Further, in John 5:24, Jesus has declared: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”. It is this truth that we hear again declared: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). When God’s life is thriving in us, we are putting Christ on display. In other words, it is God working in us. When God is working in us, we can declare with Paul “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). We know that a dog is what it is by the life it lives. So must we know a Christian by the life he lives. If he does not live like Christ, then he is not a Christian. If we do not do what Christ does, we do not have God’s life. This means I am not a Christian if Christ does not live and work in and through me, and I must not deceive others that I am one. Neither should the others let me deceive them that I am one.

This brings us to the point that all those who live like Christ are the church of God. It is the life of God that makes them the church of God and not just the name. And they cannot have the life of God (Jesus Christ) without the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:9). It follows that all those who are soaked and floating in the Spirit of God, walking in the Spirit, have one binding factor, the life of God that is seen by all the world and affects all the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mat.5:16). Therefore, if we ourselves have the life of God, and then we see and experience the life of God in a person, we know that the person is one of us. We know we have the same life, and are an integral part of each other as members of the same body. It is then we must give each other the right hand of fellowship and live as members of the one church of God, the temple of God. “ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20-22). The habitation of God is truly His church here on earth. It happens in one simple way as Jesus said:”… If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).  “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Cor. 6:16).

Since the days Jesus finished His redemptive work and sent down the Holy Ghost to empower us (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49), the church of God has existed all through the centuries. It has not began with us. We only got added to this church when we were saved (Acts 2:47). Jesus made it very clear that He Himself was to be the only builder of His church (Math. 16:18). He builds it only through deliverance from sin and empowerment by the Holy Ghost, a thing that no man can do to another. All we can do is show this church to the world as we live the Christian life.

This is the church of God we are displaying to the world as we live Godly on this earth. It is all those who have submitted themselves to Jesus Christ and are living as His faithful holy servants in this world. We have the same character all over the world–the character of Jesus (1John 2:6). It is Jesus the Word, who has transformed us, creating us a new. “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph.4:24). How are we created a new? “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”(Eph.2:10). Once we have repented and wept, pleading with God to cleanse us from all our filthiness with the blood of His Son, we are forgiven of our committed sins. We must yield ourselves completely to God to obey His Word (Jesus) and be filled and led of His Spirit. From then we must allow Him to keep building grace after grace into us as He works in our lives to transform us into His image (2Cor.3:18; Rom.8:29). All who have taken these steps have been built on the proper foundation: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph.2:19-22).  It is one undivided church that has neither spot nor wrinkle. We will not discriminate any one or segregate any holy child of God. Neither shall we apply our own measuring rod to determine whether you are a member of God’s church or not. The life of God in you, and in us, it’s open clear fruits, is the greatest evidence to all His children that they have a brother or a sister come to be with them for the glory of the Father.

Amen.

We stand against division and all its characteristics and norms.

Here in Kenya the individual Western missionaries came each preaching their own brand of the church of God and therefore brought to us an already sectarian kind of religion. With Sectarianism (Babylon), goes other evil things like avarice, pride, segregation, hatred, gossip, murder, lies, strife, vying, and so many other evil spirits that all make those particular sects what each one of them is. As a result, there are many “church of God(s)”, each competing and discriminating against the other on the basis of their different ideologies and convictions. Ideologies based on personal convictions need not divide us at all because each individual is raised from glory to glory by the Spirit according to each individual’s personal level of love for God, humility, hunger and strength of effort to reach out to God. Also, circumstances and environment may limit the speed, or hinder it, of personal spiritual growth into higher levels of consecration, faith and revelations from God. As an example, I personally was not able to study the word of God effectively for many years because I never had electricity in my residence. For years, I lived in a dark hut, lit only with a kerosene lamp. It was so small that I could not have a private study room.  Also, during the day a lot of time that I would have allotted to prayer and study was lost in efforts to hunt for food, clothing and water. Nevertheless, I loved the Lord insomuch that I would wake up at 3 AM, light the dim kerosene lamp, pray and study the best I could before the day ushered in its distractions. I did not, and still do not, have means of transportation. So travelling from place to place took, and still takes, a long time. It was all I could do. But the Dear Lord has so much favored and blessed us insomuch that we are still enjoying the privileges of His Dear children. Despite all of this adversity in Mt. Kenya area, church of God congregations were planted. The apostasy that has befallen them is the individual’s fault in failing to seek, love and follow God with all his heart. Yet we knew not much of the many facets of truths known and lived in other nations like America and Canada. If we are judged by the standards of the communities where truth goes out fast, freely and easily, we would not be put in the class of the true church of God saints in America or other parts of the world. For the Americans and other well favored communities to divide from us because we do not know the truths they know would be discrimination, division and in fact segregation. On the other hand, cutting off some other people because God has revealed to you a truth they do not know is equally sinful. The criterion of acceptance should be the spirit one has and is driven by. The Spirit of God will lead a person to humbly pray and seek the truth of a matter until God stamps it on his heart as the truth (Acts 17:11). When God has clearly shown a person a truth, and the person rejects it, we know that person has rejected God. If we do not leave people this free, we will be their Holy Ghost to lead and rule them instead of God leading and ruling them as His subjects. And if we do not accept the babies into the family, we will certainly throw them “out with the bath water”. This way, divisions are created in the church of God, leading to the multiplicity of sects calling themselves “church of God”. This gives room to other spirits that have widened the gap so much that the name “church of God” is now used by so many that are a mere replication of Protestantism. We abhor this and so declare loudly that division of the saints of God because of ideologies and convictions is a preposterous sin. In the same tone, we condemn the practices of excommunication now in place in many factions of the church of God(s). We vehemently abhor this evil of division that has come up simply because men want to be the lords over others.

We have completely repented and died to all such and have forsaken these divisions only to stand as the ONLY ONE BODY OF CHRIST with those already connected to God. We have been “ risen with Christ” and we “ seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col.3:1). Our affections are “on things above” and “not on things on the earth”. We are “ alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all (Col 3:10-11).

In order to be able to live only for Christ, we have given ourselves over to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and will not succumb to any other spirit. Given that the Holy Spirit will use the written word to lead us on doctrinal standards, we want only to be led of Him and taught of Him. We do not want to be bound by that which is not spelt in the bible, neither shall we bind any one with anything. Those who feel that the Holy Spirit is not enough to lead them will be bound by other spirits. But we are satisfied with His leadership for ourselves and for those others we are in fellowship with. We trust that this will be honored by all those indwelt by God. Of course we will hasten to add that God will use those whom He indwells to teach us, otherwise He would not give the gifts of teaching, knowledge and prophesy if He never wanted to use such gifted people. But we are sure that such men of God will only lift up Jesus Christ and not themselves. We will therefore look for Jesus in these people who come to us, and we want them also to look for Jesus in us. This is our stand, Dear Ones. If we are wrong, we stand to be corrected.

Obedience and docility to the Holy Ghost will result in each one of us being compacted into the One Body of Christ: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1Cor.12:13). As long as we live holy by the power and help of the Holy Ghost, we are in the body of Christ. When we all meet we lift up Christ who sits as the head of His body. The Spiritual fellowship is just glorious among us and leaves no room for friction. But those who do not submit to Christ submit to a lord in another kingdom. Pride, the love of money, love of preeminence and love of pleasure have led some to being cut off from the Body of Christ. Such are in another or other kingdoms. “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:6, see also Mt. 3:10; Mt. 7:19). When chopped off, the severed part dies off. We have so many dead brands of “church of Gods” that we can no longer stand the spiritual stench of them. Such ones cannot stand our fellowship because it burns them. We love them as human beings, and we want them saved, but they separate themselves from us to wallow in their sins as permitted in their brands of church. Sins separate from God (Isa. 59:2), who dwells in His temple, which we are. We do not cast the sinner away, but he himself cuts himself away as Judas did to go to betray Jesus and later hanged himself.

Our doctrine is the Word of God as written in the Bible, no more no less. The Word and Spirit of God binds us together with God and each other. We have no other basis of unity, but the word of God that abides in us (John 14:23). Obeying the will of God precipitates the love of God from heaven and He comes to indwell us (2 Cor. 6:16-18). Many of us being indwelt by the Only  God makes us all One in Him. It cannot be otherwise. There  should not be many “church of Gods” each claiming to be the only true church. It is wrong and derogatory to our Lord. He does not, and will not, have many wives. We must therefore clean ourselves of everything unbiblical that cuts ourselves, as individuals, from the other brethren and only stand by the Word of God. This will put us right in the courts of heaven as others standing on His word are. It makes us One in Him.

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal.  3:27-28). “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:9-11).

Only sin will put you out of the church of God. And you certainly know when you have sin in your heart that you are not a part of the family of God. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness” (Isaiah 59:2-3). “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31). “The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous” (prov. 15:29).

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We would like to share these wonderful thoughts of a Dear Brother with you Dear Ones. They have been of great help to us and we prayerfully submit them trusting that some one will be helped as we are.

Keeping a right attitude

by A. K. Chancellor.

Having watched people suffer who took on a wrong attitude has served to give me inspiration to write for the sake of souls this warning which I hope will put them on guard lest they too fall into that damnable condition – out of which so few ever recover themselves.

By heeding good instructions you may keep your heart clean from this unnecessary defilement, for attitudes are directly related to some spirit. The attitude you feel and display witnesses to the presence of a spirit with the characteristics of that nature affecting you. I know that good people would not think of acting ugly, but if that influence prevails upon them, and blinds their minds to the condition, they will fall into justifying what they do, even though it is wrong.

Your adversary is continually. trying to get you off on a wrong course. He is subtle, he uses what we might be inclined to call our friends. Or he may work through our enemies.

But, that is not the end of the matter, for once a wrong attitude is taken, it is hard to get loose from it and the problem it has generated. By searching out the problem, getting down to the facts as they are, it may soon be discovered our feelings were wrong, not right.

Words can separate chief friends if they are handled craftily enough. There is a reason that backbiting and whispering is dangerous, there is a reason why dissimulation is forbidden. The first indication of a problem is found when you catch someone defending their position. Here sides are presented, but you are not going to hear a true picture of the opposite side, not from the person trying to persuade you to take their side.

You will hear about the other side but the facts will be doctored up a bit, if not totally misrepresented. Why? Because the one you are hearing from has a wrong attitude and they will convey the spirit they are under to you – if you will take it in. Attitudes are spiritual! You become possessed by a spirit to some extent if you so much as sympathize, so it is best not to fall into that trap. Investigate, if you can, not necessarily to be nosey, but it is your own soul that you must protect from becoming contaminated with wrong information and wrong feelings.

An attitude is a position taken in relation to some object, concern or information. It can be a good or bad attitude. You will automatically manifest to some degree and in some manner the attitude you are operating under. Such is as true of an attitude of joy, as of sorrow. No less is true of love or hatred. Reiterating my former position, it involves a spirit, and perhaps you may have heard some one make the expression about the way some one else acted – “My, what a spirit!”

On the other hand, it is not uncommon to hear the phrase “What an attitude!” The expression, “That person sure has a lovely disposition,” is a reflection on the attitude they demonstrate in their affairs with their fellow man. So, if you want to be known as a saint of God, and to affect people in a good way, you will have to watch your attitudes in all of the things with which you have to do. One wrong attitude spoils your whole appearance and influence.

A haughty person acts haughty for that is their attitude a hateful person will act hateful, a joyful] person will appear joyful Those who are hypocritical will appear hypocritical. They may be able in a measure to conceal the strength of the spirit working on them, but not totally, for when something is in the heart, it will find its way out to the surface of the personality.

Under certain types of preaching it could be easy to detect mannerisms, for some preachers do not manifest the best of manners. Or, it might be the loudness of their voice, the timidity they express, their forwardness, or overbearing spirit. In cases of this nature you have to realize that it is truth you are searching for, not the person who brings the truth. To keep from getting picky and fault finding there has to be some resistance to temptation.

Have you never heard a report and found yourself quickly prejudiced? You read countenances whether you are aware of it or not, expressions speak, motions testify, actions beget reactions, and no more than a shrug of the shoulder can affect your attitude. If you are doing personal work and some one slams a door in your race, or speaks hastily, how soon are you ready to wish the Lord would apply some of his revenge? No, you are forbidden to take out the revenge yourself, but the enemy is there to present some malicious thoughts to your mind which seem justifiable.

If you are not careful you will be secretly wishing some calamity upon the offender, that too is an attitude that will sour the soul and bring on other attitudes equally as bad, if not worse. All of the time we must be on our guard.

To avoid being radical there are people who lean toward apostasy, while on the other hand there are those who lean toward radicalism to avoid apostasy. We do not have to lean either direction! This is part of the battle we face against taking on a wrong attitude.

How does a wrong attitude affect some one? You can’t sing the songs of Zion with victory if you have a wrong attitude. You may sing them loud, and even demonstrate some, but that in itself promotes a wrong attitude. Some have the idea that spirituality is noise, or vice versa, and with that kind of attitude they put on quite a show to prove they have what they know very little about.

I recall at a certain camp meeting when a minister during his speech, pointed his finger at me, and said something about going back to a certain group. The battle that followed was not easy, I felt some kind of feeling and attitude trying to overtake me, and I had to resist for a good while. It had to penetrate my understanding that men can and do react to wrong influences during preaching, on occasions, and were they rightly in the know they would act differently. I never had been with the movement referred to, therefore it was a wrong accusation the enemy had Introduced to that person’s mind and they flung it out toward me in a show of emotion.

Their attitude at that point was not good, and it worked on me to produce a wrong attitude in me. I could not see any profit in getting a wrong attitude in order to counteract what wrong had been done. On the other hand I had to be careful not to wish the Lord to take out vengeance on that person. There is a law that whatsoever a person sows, that also they will reap. But, it is not wisdom nor acceptable for us to wish a quick harvest, for if we take a right attitude we will pray for them instead.

You cannot right every wrong done upon earth, you cannot correct the wrongs done against yourself. It is difficult for you to bring yourself into line and correct the wrongs you have done against your fellow man. Restitution is not easy! Asking some one to forgive you for a wrong judgment you have made, or some wrong information you have passed on against others takes a real attitude of making things right that have been wrong.

I have suffered at the hand of some whose design it appeared to be to destroy me, or my influence, and to a degree they did a good job of it, if it can be called good, but what I mean is this, their work was very effective. They applied themselves, their charges seemed valid, and I fell into examining my intent and actions lest what they charged me with was actually true. I did not want to be wrong, but at the same time I had a responsibility to God and man, and it became hard to carry out what I perceived to be the mind of God, with such accusations looming up before my face.

The only recourse I had was to pray that God would give those whom he could the discernment they needed to see what was actually taking place. For a short period I seemed to be standing almost alone. Were it not for my wife and children and a few who knew not just where to stand, it would have been more than I knew how to cope with.

Eventually, for God did not immediately act, but after a prolonged period certain realized what was taking place and they took an open stand. That by the grace of God was my salvation in that conflict. As it turned out, not because I knew what to do, but God caused them to fall into the pit they had digged for me. Instead of being able to thrust me out, they themselves were thrust out, and I stood and marveled at the consequences.

Had I taken the wrong attitude God could not, and would not have come to my rescue. It was his work and I nothing but his servant, and in the first place did not know any thing to do but pray and submit the whole thing into his hand. This is why that I have no sympathy for people who rise up in defense of their hurt feelings.

It seems such a shame to me that men cannot tell the difference between standing up for truth, and merely standing up to defend their position. They might be right, some one has to be, at least it seems so, but God is the Judge of the whole world, let him fill that position and good will come out of what ever happens. If you once begin defending yourself the battle will go on and on, and attitudes will get worse and worse.

I have been in minister’s meetings where men were representing a cause and though they were fellow soldiers of that cause, attitudes became affected at opposite opinions. In such cases men actually turn on each other, though still professing to be in unity.

Paul saw the difficulty men encounter and sounded out a warning. In Gal 5:15, “If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” This shows the effects of the flesh over the Spirit, truly a regenerated state, but not in sanctification.

Attitudes are important! First of all, the gospel is not a product of ours, it came from heaven, it is in the Father’s control, who has put it in his Son’s control, and it is the Holy Ghost that administers the will of God. It is therefore useless and in poor taste for you and I to get upset and defensive over something which we might not really understand as we should. When I see wickedness flourishing all around it is tempting to rise up and act after a hasty manner.

Name calling goes along with attitudes. It seems so strange for so many divisions to exist between brethren who are close to seeing alike, except on perhaps a point or two, but on that one point, which may not involve any thing moral, they are adamant. It could be they both are wrong in understanding.

A review of our attitude is always in order if we detect something in us appearing to be contrary to the example Jesus set before us. We can pick up an attitude, as I pointed out earlier, just by listening to someone talk, either towards things spiritual or personal. Men develop attitudes toward their wives, and wives toward their husbands, and on certain occasions they may not think of them as attitudes.

For instance, when a person fails to get their way, they can feel an offence, and fall into pouting. It may not be a violent act, just an attitude of not speaking, knowing that such will add insult to injury, and beneath their attitude they may hope that the one who offended them will see them pouting and be hurt enough to apologize.

On the other hand, if one should speak a little sharply the other party may feel justified in answering back in as rough a tone, if not more roughly. An attitude is involved! Spirits are all about us and we do well to keep ourselves clean.

The subtle attitudes are the hardest to deal with – they lie buried deep in the heart, and they are so sneaky that some sort of calamity may have to happen to uproot them. Such can be true of the one who in his mind seeks an occasion of vengeance, which one cannot pinpoint as vengeance because of the way it is carried out. Most people are independent in nature, at least up to a point, and they do not want to be overly bothered, or taxed. They have a valid reason for their feelings and actions, so unless you are keen to weigh their words, they cut and cover, they are nice one day and unpleasant the next.

There is also the attitude of trying to keep up with the Jones, if not ahead of them. That is a costly attitude to nurse along. It puts the one affected into deep bondage. They will buy things they cannot afford, and put on a spread which belies their true worth. But, being affected by that attitude they will plow on with a great harvest to follow, slaves to desires that rob them of joy or peace.

Paul speaks of them in the letter he wrote to Timothy, saying, “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money (and I take this to mean possessions,) is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim 6:9-10).

At attitude is involved in the above revelation, “The love of money is the root of ALL EVIL,” therefore it is not desirable to love money! Money? Not just the money itself, but the power of possessing money. Men count people with money wise in some cases, and respect them even though some of them are not worthy of respect. Many people have gotten their wealth through unrighteous means.

Money as a medium of exchange is a necessity to existence as the economy of any society dictates, but to love money at the expense of one’s soul develops an unhealthy attitude that causes that affected person to depart from the faith into a state of perdition, meaning there remains little or no hope of ever being saved.

To err from the faith is to take on some philosophy foreign to the doctrine of Jesus Christ. The faith teaches us to “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt 6:32-34), and that which we have need of will be provided. This may not feed those desires for more than sufficient, and for worldly possessions, but what ever we need willbe provided.

The warning that James gave had to do with praying amiss that what we received would be consumed upon a selfish principle.

How many attitudes can a person show at one and the same time? It depends on that which the person is affected by! How many spirits are there in the world? Jesus related to the case where a legion, enough to send two thousand swine to their death in the sea, possessed one man. He was out of his head, wore no clothes and lived among the tombs – caves built into the side of hills where they buried the dead.

More basically, take the attitude of pride, a haughty spirit, the sly person, the liar, the thief, the man that is an adulterer, all of them act in a manner related to the power possessing them. Pride causes people to dress unbecoming the saints, and to act more important than they are. It influences people to shun certain while associating with others. Not for the sake of money alone, but for influence and prestige.

Respect is one thing, pride an altogether different thing. A person may be careful to dress neatly, to walk unassuming, to associate with those least desired, all because his heart is right, pure, free of malice.

Paul speaks in Gal 5:19-21 about the works of the flesh, each associated with an attitude. The attitude is the stand one takes, the position in relation to a place, person or thing of note. Children soon develop attitudes! One commonly demonstrated is, “I’m not going to do that!” They manifest independence, self-assessment, rebellion, the spirit that is at work in the whole world of those who are not saved.

One of the worst attitudes I know any thing about is the one in which a person allows the devil to put in their heart an attitude towards God of hate. That poor soul has fell to the lowest pits of corruption. In every sinner there is some hatred expressed in that they are all rebel in nature, and some manifesting that attitude, but to begin to blame God with all of men’s maladies is to come far short of truth and sanity.

Man brings upon himself his woes but he likes to accuse other than himself for the problems. God provided a sure cure, a real remedy that does not fail to work, therefore man is without excuse. All of his statements of self defense fall short of sound reasoning. Most all who have turned against God fall into that malady of “pity-partying” in which they act worse than a spoiled child.

Now, if a person thinks they can get at God by plunging into sin, they can do no more than heap up to themselves a lot of wrath against the day of wrath. Whatsoever a man soweth he is sure to reap, either in this life or in the world to come. There is one thing for sure, any one who turns on God is affected in their minds, they are no longer sane.

It is not uncommon for sinners to rise up against believers, that is a natural reaction for the condition of their heart. No less is true of the hypocrites, who, though they do far worse things than they accuse the righteous of, yet they are the most dreadful persecutors. What was would call an outright sinner, one who has not known God, or even heard much about God, one who knows nothing about salvation, they might be difficult to deal with on certain issues, but that hypocrite, one who has known, he is the worst. In all of these conditions there is an attitude, a condition that can be corrected.

Can attitudes be changed? For sure! If the person affected so desires. But I do not say that all attitudes are bad, there are some things we naturally possess as believers. Paul, when instructing the Romans concerning those who were working division, told them to “mark them,” and also to “avoid them.” An attitude is here suggested that is healthy. Keep away from those who have a spirit foreign to holiness. He also pointed out that gifts of the Spirit were given to instruct or enlighten believers, who upon becoming stable could withstand “every wind of doctrine.” (See Rom 16:17-13, Eph 4:11-14).

An attitude of holiness will enable you, even strengthen you to stand, and by stand I mean to speak out on the issues in a right frame of mind. Your attitude will be to defend the truth and those upholding the truth. You will denounce evil, both as to its nature and deeds. I am not saying, or have not said that we could not be possessed by attitudes, but those manifested by the saints are indeed good, according to holiness.

I have been acquainted with people who possessed good attitudes, which later on they lost by taking on an entirely different attitude. As in the case of fruit, so in attitudes, for attitudes are the fruit of our inner condition. An attitude of love is commendable, and of peace, or you can name all of the fruit of the Spirit and each of them as a manifestation is a good attitude to hold and promote.

As you can see by now, it is not attitudes alone that I am against, or trying to expose, but WRONG attitudes. There are some people who are excellent at forgiving, they would not hold a grudge on any grounds. Others are longsuffering, not tolerant of wrong, but they endure being wronged for the sake of the gospel. Still others suffer patiently, they are good examples of the mercy of God. Some exhibit grace beyond explanation, some are always joyous at all times. They brighten things up where ever you find them. To the opposite are those who are sad, every where they go there is a depressing air about them, a cloud of gloom.

There is a way to get victory over a wrong attitude, and when victory is realized the attitude is changed to one that is good. One way of overcoming is to resist, to sit down and examine yourself, to investigate your actions and feelings. Through prayer and obedience your life can change from one of bad attitudes to one of pleasantness. This does not mean that you will approve of wrong doing, or turn your head, but you will be able to cope with situations and not be adversely affected.

Martin Luther’s attitude toward the sins of Rome was the under-girding power of his assault against corruption’s of every kind. He saw the need of change, and saw his responsibility in helping to effect that change, therefore all that was left for him to do was act on those principles.

I know of no other attitude in this our day that is a greater hindrance to progress than the one which Jesus pointed out in Rev 3:16-17. Here are the main points, they were lukewarm, indifferent to conditions, not able or willing to buck the tide, which is properly classed as neither hot or cold. Religion and devotion they still had, but their attitude was such that God threatened them with spewing them out, and those who did not overcome as counseled were indeed spewed out.

We can appear to take a neutral attitude or stand for only so long, then something must give – patience will dictate action finally. God has borne long in some situations and no doubt this was the case, and is so, so far as the church of this age is concerned, but the eventuality is that a separation will take place in which God decides who remains and who goes. I have before seen God set men aside who presumed to indulge in sin, and when he gets through they are never restored.

Laodicea, you have professed to be “rich, and increased with goods, and

have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” The worst part of this condition or attitude is that they do not know their true condition! Why not? Because of all the self boasting they have done, and because they count more on the crowd than truth.

Men may step over the line and commit some act which their conscience has previously forbidden them to do, but now they are emboldened, for this is the process of making the heart hard. Instead of immediately humbling down and confessing what they have done, they stiffen up and add more to their slate of evil. The reason is apparent, their attitude has changed, God did not strike them down on the spot, so now they are bold to venture out into greater of-fences.

Having witnessed personally when a certain influential preacher fully yielded himself to a seducing spirit and the path he pursued after that, I am convinced that God turns some men over to a reprobate mind after he has been unable to salvage them. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus tried his best to keep the reformation from going down, he sent messages of warning, some of them being published, many of them being ignored or played down. Reaching a certain point in time and effort, it became evident that any further attempt was futile. At such time God moves out those whose hearts pained them at the spirit of apostasy which was taking over, and they became pillars in the succeeding move of God.

During preaching I have seen quite a variety of attitudes displayed, some almost violent. It is not too hard to tell when people are bucking up against that which is being presented. Being up in front and filled with the Spirit, discernment being present for the sake of the body, it is easy to see who is kicking and who is enjoying the message.

Some time ago when people were being seriously affected by an attitude bent on destruction, and I can say it was a spirit manifesting itself through human beings, God moved on my heart to sound out time and again on the subject of watching our attitudes. This further incensed some to do their thing! Instead of examining themselves to see if they could be adversely affected, they instead yielded themselves to the unrighteous cause and sealed their own destruction.

Some have suffered many things, but so far it has not served to change the attitudes of certain ones. There is no doubt in my mind but what some of them could have been spared if they had listened and sought the help they needed. But, being emboldened by friendship which they cherished above fellowship, and having fallen under that spirit, on they went until there was no remedy.

This is frightening indeed! Men and women can go so far as to no longer have a chance for recovery. You may not think that this is so, but look at the facts. People admit to the wrong of division, yet justify themselves in it when they become unable to humble themselves.

There are people who once knew the truth who have become bitter in soul and do things to spite those who love the truth. They have taken on an attitude that mars their character, it undermines their strength to judge righteously. They become of those who are children of the devil, and acting out the characteristics of the devil becomes a way of life with them. They hate the good and love the evil.

There is an attitude of victory, and an attitude of defeat, but one does not possess both at one and the same time. There is the attitude of joy and an opposite attitude of sadness, and they are not present in the manners of a person both at the same time. There is the bright and cheery person, and the person spreading gloom, both of them have an attitude they are displaying.

There are people who are wealthy who pretend to be poor, and learn how to look dejected, you wouldn’t know they could afford groceries to watch them and hear them talk. On the other hand there are those who are so poor they can’t afford a dog, but to hear and watch them you would think they were well fixed, it is all in the mannerisms they flaunt before the public.

My purpose in dealing with attitudes concern more so the affairs of those in the church than in the world. You can fall under the wrong attitude as you hear and see things, and if you do not resist the depressing things, you will soon appear depressed yourself. An attitude is involved! For instance, you have heard how someone fell from grace, became a disgraceful sight, and it affects you so that you no longer rejoice as before. Instead, now you sit in silence, you keep your finger over your lip, so to speak, or rest your head in your hand. You are skeptical and cautious, you are under a cloud of gloom. How, in that state of mind are you going to be a lift to others needing your help?

You have seen some really put on a show, give vent to their emotions, shout, wave their hand as they sing, and you know in your mind that they do not really have that kind of victory, they appear to be putting on, or at least that is the case in your mind. So, instead of being able to submit the situation to God and let yourself be normal, you fall under a cloud of gloom, sit quietly, and look on others skeptically. You are stricken with at attitude which you feel is justifiable.

Your position is one of defeat, not that you have quit professing, at least so in your own mind, and you do not appreciate how others are affected at your actions.

Put yourself in the opposite position, picture yourself with joy, and ignorance about things going on. You praise God, rejoice, sing heartily as to the Lord. Others are looking on you, some of them have the attitude, “I used to be that way, but just wait!” Do you know what they need? They need to get down to business and pray through, they need to see through that which is blinding their mind. They are oppressed and seemingly know it not. They could effect a change by putting in for and gaining overcoming grace.

What you contribute to every meeting is important to the rest of the body meeting together, and those distant who cannot meet. The morning church went forth conquering and to conquer. Their attitude was – they were going to have the victory at any price. They died out to this world as a temporary residence, a place to get ready for the better place. They set not their affections on things or this world. Clothing and housing was no snare to them. Transportation was no snare, possessions was not a snare. They were overcomers! Their attitude was right, they had the victory needed to glorify God.

I don’t want any one telling me what to do! That is an attitude that can get one into trouble. Pride IS such an awful thing that it spiritually kills the soul. We must be of such an attitude that we can be taught by the least among us. We are searching for gold tried in the fire, pure and precious wealth bought for us by the blood of Jesus Christ. Are we going to despise the truth because the one we like to hear from the best is not the one bringing it to us? That is a destructive attitude.

How can Jesus Christ truly be the head of his church if we presume to run it? If our thoughts and desires are more proper than those of others, what has made it so? If it is so, surely God will tap us for service, he will use us according to our meekness and ability. God can use whom he will, when he will, and how he will, and it is our victory to accept his operation.

Only recently I was rejoicing that a certain congregation had gotten back together in a degree of unity. When service was over a certain person had been offended because the former Pastor had gotten a bad deal. I knew something about the previous setting and it was not men that claimed my attention, but principle. God is not the author of confusion, and there had been some confusion introduced. It rejoiced my heart to see that put down and the saints able to humble themselves and work together. Whomsoever God wanted to lead them can be worked out, if he has someone who is able and willing to follow, some one who can submit and obey.

The attitude of the person who became so offended drove him out of my presence, he quit attending services where I pastored. He was far more concerned about a person regardless of how wrong, than about the people who had been torn apart.

I have tried, unsuccessful to say the least, to get people to do what the Bible teaches in order to clear themselves of wrong attitudes, but they turned to me a deaf ear. There is only so far that any one can go in righting things. The attitude of self preservation at the expense of others is not quite sound. It is one thing to stand up for principles and another to merely defend self. Where self is the center of concern there is an unhealthy attitude present. But, even in this statement there can be some misgivings, therefore I find it necessary to enlarge slightly. Self is something we cannot and never will lose sight of, or rid our selves of, for self is the person. If no one else has the power to put self into line, and they do not, you must act the responsible part to out it into line.

Self is the world over which you reign, or which reigns over you, for self is that separated person which you are, the individual. But being two-fold it makes it a little harder to explain. Take for instance the inner man, or person, is spiritual, it is the eternal, and the outer man is made of the dust of the earth with the necessary fluids to hold it together and sustain it in this earthly life for a period.

Speaking of self it is the person in its completeness, but being selfish relates to temporal possessions or existence. Being selfish means not only personal possessions, but the depriving others of like possessions, or of outstripping them.

I know of no better illustration to use than dividing the apple between two. As the two who are to get the two halves look upon the divided apple, the selfish attitude is to get the larger half, perhaps even hoping that there is a larger and smaller portion. It is not the attitude of wanting the other to get the advantage, to do the prospering, but the number one concern is self.

The selfish attitude of the inner man is seen in what it allows and the steps it approves of to get for the outer man all that can be gotten for enjoyment of a temporal nature. But, even so God ordained certain pleasures, yet the selfish attitude is the depriving others for the sake of excelling, or of taking advantage of others to deprive or misuse them to benefit self.

However, when it comes to salvation, the soul that you have the power to help is mostly your own. If you do not look out for that part of self it will perish, therefore it is a must that you be selfish in this sense, that at any cost you secure your own soul for eternity. But this is no loss since in so doing you will be helping others.

How shall we properly define between what is acceptable self interest and what is immoral or carnal? Paul said to “examine yourselves,” with the thought in mind of taking care of self. It is not the least uncommon to pray, “Lord, help me!” But that cannot be construed as meaning one has a selfish attitude. Yet in our prayers we ought to be likewise concerned for our fellow man.

Then in the two great commandments we find these words, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” It is more than evident that there will be self love, self preservation up to a point. People who care nothing about themselves, who go around in shoddy clothes, unkept hair, dirty and unsociable, are counted as bums. A decent person abhors such an attitude and appearance.

In another area to be considered we are capable of generating thoughts after our personal or heart desires. Then we can entertain thoughts presented to our minds, either of a bad or good nature, and in the third area we can battle thoughts, resist and hate them. Thoughts then are discernable on three levels, some being of a passive nature, the same as day dreams. But, regardless of the nature of the thoughts they can contribute to attitudes developed by the way we treat those thoughts.

Attitudes are not insignificant, or transitory, they become embedded in our make-up, affecting our actions. This is one reason I stand out so strong against permitting ourselves to fall under the influence of wrong attitudes. Once an attitude is part of our thinking and acting process, we automatically respond, our stand is easily detected. The fruit of our position is borne out in actions.

The attitude of the thief is to take things that do not belong to him and his biggest obstacle to carrying out his attitude lies in the presence of those guarding what he wants, or in watching his actions.

May God add to your knowledge that which is needed to keep victory.

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Please, click on the above link to enjoy the pictures of the last camp meeting in Kenya and of the other places we went for services. God bless you.

It has been said that one picture speaks more than a thousand words. So we have tried to post as many pictures as we can in our “Keepandshare”  account  so that saints can go in and see them. We will go in as time permits and add details to some of the pictures. We will also add more pictures as time goes by. So, please, keep  going back.

Glory to God.

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AT MAKINDU

WAS THE BEST EVER HELD HERE.

Please, see the   “REPORTS “  PAGE  ON THIS WEBSITE

FOR A FULL REPORT OF THE MEETING.

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We were saved so that we may serve our Lord in Holiness: “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life  (Luke 1:74-75). Holiness cannot be perfected without unity.    

1. It is the will of God that all the believers  be united into one family of His: John  11:51-52; 1 Cor.1:10; Eph. 4:3;  Phil. 4:2; Col. 2:2; 2 Cor. 13:11; 1 Pet. 3:8. If we refuse to obey God and fulfill His will, then we lose our salvation.

2. All the saved are inducted together into one body : Rom. 15: 5-6; 1 Cor. 12: 13-14; Gal. 3:28.

3. All the saved are the children of one Father as Jesus made them such: Eph. 3:14-15; Eph.2:19; Gal. 6:10; John 1:12-13; 1 John 3:9-10; 1 John 3:1-2. Therefore they use the name of the Father which Jesus gave them (John 17: 17:11-12; Eph.3:14-15; Acts 20:28; Gal.1:13; 1 Cor. 9:15, etc, etc).

4. All the saved people must humble themselves to accept to be kept into the only one body they were born into, the only One Church of God (1 Cor.12:13-23; Rom. 12:4-5).

5. All the saved people must humble themselves to work together without sinning at all to promote God’s cause, dropping all the divisive teachings and traditions made by men and passed to the younger generations, or copied by them from men  (Phil.1:27; 1 Cor. 1:10; Rom. 15:6).

6. Unity of the believers is through Jesus Christ by one Spirit: Phil. 1:27; Eph. 4:4-  5,11-16; 1 Cor. 12:13-20; Romans 12:4-5.

7. Unity of the Saints  causes the world to believe in Jesus: John 17:21-23.

8. Unity of the Saints results to God’s working  wonderfully among his people:   Acts 4:31-33; Acts 5:12-20; Acts 12:5-17; Mat. 18:20.

9. God requires the unity of His children in one faith through the doctrine preached by the Ministry and also through what each member supplies to the whole Church as an integral part : Eph.4:11-13; 1Cor.12:11-14.

10.  It is the requirement of God that all the saved be united in one name at birth just as the earthly children get their father’s name at birth: Eph.3:14-15;  Eph.4:6; Rev. 3:12.

11. It is sin to be divided: Romans 16:17-18; 1 Cor.12:25-26.

12. Proposed solution to the present divisions of the church of God: That all repent of this sin of division and all other sins, humble themselves to God to be indwelt by Him and to work in and through them to unite them and glorify Himself in His only temple, the church of God (Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet.2:5; Eph. 4:15-16).

HOLINESS PART I.

God, in His written Word, demands holiness.

1. Holiness is an Attribute of God

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”(Exodus 15:11).

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”(Isa. 6:3).

“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”(Rev. 4:8).

Man was made in the image of God—holy. But man fell by choice and sinned away his glory, the image of God. God so loves man that He gave man a second chance so as not to be lost. So God made a way for man to be created anew through Jesus Christ so that man may be returned to his initial – primitive- holiness. Every individual is freely offered this chance by God.

2. God Must Be Worshiped in Holiness

“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” (I Chronicles 16:29).

“Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”(Psa. 30:4).

God hates sin and will not dwell in the hearts of a people who are even slightly tainted with sin. He will only dwell and work in a people who are holy (2 Cor. 6:18-18). He only accepts worship from such. He therefore wants a church congregation that is holy, one made up of a people who have been created a new through the blood of His Dear son, Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13, John 3:16). Such have the name of God and assemble with Him in church to worship, praise, and thank Him (Mat. 18:20). Such people live for the glory of God individually in their private lives, and collectively as a church congregation. The holy individuals scattered all over the world must accept the will of God and let Him melt them together in unity (John 17:21-24). We are prayerfully waiting to see this church, aggregately, here on earth. A church of God that is made up of such a people effuses Godliness to the world. God says it in His bible and we believe it. Please, do not harden your heart. Let God make you such as He wills. “While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” (Heb 3:15). Amen.

3. God’s Throne and Dwelling Place are unpoluted. .

“God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.” (Psalm 47:8).

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.”(Isaiah 57:15).

“Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.”(Zechariah 2:13). “Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and thy glory.” (Isaiah 63:15).

Amen. We must let God rule in His holy congregation collectively. We can only do this if each individual is totally obedient to God.

4. Holiness Becomes God’s House.

“Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, forever.” (Psalm 93:5).

“The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness.” (Titus 2:3).

If we have allowed Jesus to build us together into His Holy house (Eph. 2:21-22; Heb. 3:6), He will finish His work. It is going on now and we must humbly fit where He will have us be as the lively stones He uses (1 Pet. 2:5).

5. The Church of God Is Called a Mountain of Holiness

“The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.” (Jeremiah 31:23). “Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain” (Zechariah 8:3). “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and the dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain saith the Lord.”(Isaiah 65:25)

6. God Speaks in Holiness

“God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice.”(Psalm 60:6).

“Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.”(Jeremiah 23:9).

7. The Way of Holiness

“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”(Isaiah 35:8-10)

8. The Courts of Holiness

“But they that have gathered it shall cut it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.”(Isaiah 62:9)

9. The People of God Are Holy

“The people of thy holiness have possessed but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.”(Isaiah 63:18).

“And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.”(Isaiah 62:12).

“And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to he his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken”(Deuteronomy 26:18-19).

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9).

10. We Are Called unto Holiness

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.”(I Peter 1:15-16)

“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”(I Thessalonians 4:7)

“That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” (Luke 1:74-75).

“For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”(Hebrews 12:10).

11. A Perfect Holiness Attainable,

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1.)

“For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11: 45).

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. (Mat. 5:48).

12. Fruit unto Holiness

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Rom.6:22). This is the fruit we are after in every person who professes salvation..

conclusion: In the paragraphs, above, we have given but a few out of the many plain texts from the word of God teaching us the glorious doctrine of holiness. Some professing Christians look upon this doctrine as unscriptural and impracticable, but in the light of the gospel of Christ there is no other doctrine taught than holiness. The very fact that God, and Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the word of God, and heaven, and all the celestial hosts are holy, at once suggests to every reasonable mind the utter necessity of holiness in the heart and life of man. The apostle says that “we are his workmanship, created in Jesus Christ unto good works.” (Eph. 2:21-22)

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(Continued from the book “Heavenly life for earthly living”,  by C.E.Orr)

Man is under gravest obligation to live a heavenly life because of the price paid in order that he might live it. When a mother makes a great sacrifice to save her daughter from the ways of sin, it lays a great responsibility upon her. The apostle tells us that we are “bought with a price: therefore,”—the word therefore means for this reason, or, since this is a fact, we are under certain obligations. “Therefore,” says he, “glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Since we are bought with a price—a great price, we are under obligation to live to the glory of God, for it was to this end that we were purchased. Man usually feels under greater obligation to take care of valuable property that belongs to another than he does if it belongs to himself. And the greater the price paid, the greater the sense of responsibility. If a man would but fully realize that he belongs exclusively to God, this would move him to greater carefulness in life. Also it will bring to him a feeling of security, knowing that God will care for His own. A colored brother was heard to pray one time, when in a strong temptation, “Now help, Massa, for Your property is in danger.” It is blessed to realize in the hour of temptation that we are the Lord’s and to realize how dear we are to Him. Surely we will feel secure in His keeping.

Mrs. Hannah Whitall Smith tells a story that well illustrates the responsibility of ownership. She says that while traveling in the south, she met a lady who told her that she had occasion one time to give her slave a piece of work to do which required him to stand outside the window on a plank, that was held steadily by someone sitting on the end on the inside.

“The man was a little afraid, but said, ‘Missus, if you will set on the end of the plank yourself, then I’ll do the work.’

“I replied, ‘Won’t it do if your wife will sit on the plank? Mandy will not let it fall.’

“ ‘No, Missus,’ he answered, ‘I won’t trust Mandy. She is only my wife, and she may forget and get up, but you are my Missus, and I belong to you, and of course, you will keep me safe.’ ”

God never sends us out on any duty without the promise of keeping us while doing that duty. God’s promise is the plank. This plank rests on His faithfulness. We need not fear to walk out upon it, knowing God is on the other end and will bear us up.

One Scripture text above others impresses me with the fact of our valuableness and dearness to God: “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all.” Now from this text you have always, no doubt, thought that Jesus was speaking of the greatness of the Father. That is the thought given us by the common version. But other translations give us a different thought which is the true thought in the mind of Jesus. The marginal reading of the revised version is, “That which my Father hath given unto me is greater than all.” The 20th Century reads, “What my Father has entrusted to me is more than all else.” Rotherham says, “As for my Father, what He has given me is a greater thing than all.” Weymouth translates it, “What my Father has given to me is more precious than all beside.” These versions give us the thought of Christ. Those whom the Father had given Him were more precious, were dearer to Him than all else. In His prayer to the Father, He gives us an intimation of how dear those whom the Father had given Him were to Him. “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me.” We can see here something of the joy of His soul as He speaks of those whom the Father had given Him. Dear reader, are you one of them? Have you been given by the Father to Jesus? Just as the father gives his daughter to be the bride of the bridegroom, has the Father given you to be the bride of Christ? Are you wedded to Him? Then do your whole duty by walking worthy of such a Lover. Again in this prayer, He said, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition,” meaning Judas. Of course He weeps over the one that was lost. He has had to weep many times because of someone being lost from the fold. It may be that someone who reads these lines was once safe within the fold, but has strayed away. If so, can you behold the Savior weeping for you? “His great, loving heart beats in pity for thee.” Return, oh, return to Him now.

I can see a little company in some inner circle, separated from the world, with Jesus in their midst. They are His portion. The Father hath given them unto Him and He hath kept them. They are more to Him than all else besides. I can now feel something of the love He has for them. While He was with them in the world, He kept them in the Father’s name, but He says, “Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.” While He was with that little inner circle in the world, He kept them, but now He has gone, and there is still a little company all His own left in the world. How are they going to be kept? Hear Him—“Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me.” He is at the right hand of the Father today, just now, praying for that little company of consecrated ones whom the Father hath given to Him and who are most precious unto Him.

He knows His own. He has placed a few marks upon them. In my boyhood days, I have seen my father marking his sheep that he might know them. Jesus knows His own by the marks they bear. Here are a few of His marks. “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” If you are one of those separated ones, the world hates you. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Is there a gulf fixed between you and the world? The great gulf that was fixed between the rich man in hell and Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom was not created after death, but existed while Lazarus lay at the rich man’s gate. If there is not a great gulf fixed between you and the world in this life, there will be none in the world to come. Doubtless there are many who walked apart from the world at one time who are now going arm in arm with the world. Being hated by the world is one of the certain marks of being of that inner circle of Christ’s beloved ones.

Then there is another mark. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.” These words may have a much deeper meaning than we may at first think. No one comes to Jesus that does not forsake all else besides. Here we learn that it is only those who have forsaken all and come to Jesus who are given to Jesus by the Father. Those who come to Jesus no longer look upon themselves or anything they may possess as being their own. The one chief cause of so many powerless lives is because of lack of supreme devotion and an entire consecration to God. We have heard people sing:

“Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.”

and then walk in ways of their own. Do you not think that the feet of many would point differently than they do if they were wholly directed by the Lord? They would carry them to the bedside of the sick, to the prison cell, to the house of sorrow, to the place of prayer, instead of to the places where the flesh find indulgence. If feet were “swift and beautiful” for the Lord, no doubt there would be more empty arm chairs and vacant pleasant firesides on prayer-meeting evenings and more empty beds on early Sunday mornings.

“Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages for Thee.”

This is really true in the life of those who have come to Jesus and are all His own. In such a case, there are no whisperings, tale-bearings, backbitings, jestings, light, frivolous, shallow expressions.

“Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.”

This is a true and beautiful conception. The soul of man can become so consonant with heaven as to receive the impulses of God’s love. The migrating fowl receives an impulse of a genial southern clime. In obedience to the impulse, it spreads its wings and flies away. The soul of man receives an impulse of God’s love. In loving obedience to this impulse, man moves about in the accomplishment of God’s perfect will. We wonder if all who sing these words are really moved by heavenly impulses. To be thus moved is the secret of heavenly living. They whose souls have been so perfectly pitched to the key of God’s will that they can receive the most delicate impulses, and obey them, live the most heavenly life. This is a mark of being one of that little company that is so precious to Christ. They are unknown, rejected, despised by the world, but they have come to Jesus and by the power of re-creation have been brought into such an affinity with Him as to be able to taste of the delicious delicacies of heaven and enjoy all the blessedness of a spiritual union with Christ. What care they for earth’s sweets! They have meat to eat the world knows not of.

There is yet one other mark we will mention. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” He does not say, “My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me,” but He inserts the clause, “I know them.” This is the secret of their following Him. He does not say, “My sheep hear my voice, and they know me and follow me.” They follow Him when He calls because He knows them. There are many, He says, who call Him Lord and who may do some very great things, but He never knew them; they are not following Him (Matthew 7:22-23). “To know” means to be united with, as branch is with vine, to have fellowship with, to have life flowing into life; it is love reciprocating love; it is heart beating with heart. Those whom Jesus knows, obey His call, not of compulsion, not for the green pastures, not for any personal advantage, not for fear of hell, but because of an inward attracting force, a constraining power, the controlling influence of Christ’s life and love. Paul said, “the love of Christ constraineth [me].” He felt the impulse of that love so strongly that it moved him to action. He obeyed that mighty impulse though it led him into great suffering in the flesh. This is true of God’s sheep. They do not follow for fleshly gratification, or personal advantage, the praise of men, or for filthy lucre, but they obey that impulse as readily when it leads through the shadow as when it leads through the sunshine.

The voice of Jesus acts upon the heart of a true Christian similar to the action of the sun’s rays upon vegetation in the springtime of the year. The rays of the sun call to the flowers and grasses, and they spring up at their call. God, in creation of the plant, placed something in its nature that caused it to move when receiving the impulses of the sun’s rays. This is a parable. It is a type of the relationship between the normal Christian’s soul and Christ. The Christian obeys the voice of Jesus out of a law of love. Love is the fulfilling of the law. There is a law between the plant and the sun. Something, we may call it instinct, causes it to obey that law. There is a law between the Christian soul and Christ. There is something in that soul that moves it to obey the law. It is love. Thus love is the fulfilling of the law. There is something in the plant that begins to stir and beat. It is an impulse given by the warm rays of the sun. In the Christian heart there is something beating. It is the impulse given by the love of Jesus. Someone may say that we are to obey Christ from choice, from the power of the will. This is true, but where is the will that will move toward Christ except it is given impulses by the love of Christ? Love is the stimulant of the will. We love Christ because He first loved us. The sinner must see and feel the impulses of God’s love before he will ever will to come unto Him. This is why no one can come to Christ except the Father draw him (John 6:44).

Just at this writing, a lady came into my study. She told me she had but recently read an illustrative story. It was the story of a pair of robins who willfully refused to obey the impulse of the Southland. “The journey was too long; there was danger of the fowler’s gun; we may find nothing to meet our needs on the way.” Thus they reasoned. They sought to invent a tiny stove which they could place in their nest to keep them warm; thus all the wearisomeness and dangers of the long journey to the south and back would be spared them. How fittingly this represents man. The way to the bosom of God—the Southland of the soul—is too strait and narrow. There are too many hardships to undergo, too much suffering to be borne. There is the practice of too much self-denial, there is too little of the smiles and applause of the world. We will invent ways and methods of our own. We will create an easier way to the sunlit lands of peace and heaven than that way by the cross of Jesus.

That little company that the Father, God, gave to Jesus is that little company that has come to Him by the way of the cross. It is the cross that fits man for the bosom of the Father, for the companionship of the Son. On the cross where Jesus died, we behold the manifestation of the love of God. We can receive the impulses of that love only by the way of the cross. It is the cross that brings us in tune with heaven. The Christian glories in the cross. It is by the cross he is separated from the world with all its attending wretchedness, fretfulness, anxieties, discontentments, and disappointments. It is by the cross he is brought into communication with heaven, with all its joys and blessedness. He feels the impulses of the great Southland, and someday the prison doors of the body will open, and he will fly away. Heaven has come to his soul now. Someday he will go to heaven. If you want to get Detroit, tune in on WXYZ. If you want to get heaven, tune in on the CROSS.

You can have your Christian instincts deepened at the cross. You do not need to seek a monastery, or make long pilgrimages to the Holy Land, or take a long course in college to get inborn within your soul intuitions of heaven. Make your pilgrimage to the cross of Christ. If you desire a greater knowledge of the glory world, to get a clearer vision of the face of Jesus, to hear more distinctively messages from heaven, to feel more perceptively the warm, soft, exhilarating breezes from the Southland, hold one hour’s converse with the Son of God at the cross. It is there that your life will become impregnated with the sweet, joyous fragrance of the heavenly graces, and your soul so transfigured by the beauty of holiness, that saintliness will beam out through every feature, and as you go out among men, attending to the duties of life, heavenliness will be stamped on every act. The price paid for your heavenly living was at the cross. It is only at the cross that the price—the life-blood of Jesus—can be appropriated by the soul, and man become the ownership of Christ and thereby enabled to glorify God in his body and spirit which are God’s.

I am thinking of heaven tonight,
Of a mansion prepared there for me,
Where Jesus, my Savior now dwells,
And where I, some glad day, shall be.

I’m thinking of Christ on the cross,
Of the blood that now makes me whole;
The death of the Crucified One
Was the wonderful price for my soul.

I’ll love Him all the days of my life,
His praise I will ever proclaim;
I will serve Him through calm and strife,
And live to honor His name.

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Heavenly Living

“The Topmost Round in the Ladder of Life.”

This was the subject three young ladies were discussing one afternoon. One of them thought if she could become a world renowned painter that she would reach, what she thought to be the topmost round in life’s ladder. The second aspired to become a great educator. The third thought she could be the greatest blessing to man by becoming a politician, therefore, she thought of entering the world of politics.

An old man who was passing by was asked by the young ladies what he thought to be the topmost round in the ladder of life. Taking a small well-worn book from his pocket, he read these words, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”(Colossians 3:17) He explained to them that “name” meant nature or character. “Therefore, whatever else you may do in life,” said the aged man, “you have not reached the true standard of life except you do those things in the nature, or character of Jesus.”

The young ladies exclaimed in one breath, “It is impossible to live such a life. Only angels live in such a way.”

This little book proposes to speak to you, gentle reader, about that which these young ladies thought to be impossible. To do all our deeds and speak all our words in the nature or character of Jesus is to live heavenly. These short messages are brought to you to show you that such a life can be lived on the earth, to tell you how it can be done, and also to tell you why it should be done.

We are called to heavenliness of life. None have attained to the true standard of life who do not live heavenly. It is God’s ideal life for man. In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke these words, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”(Matthew 7:21) Nothing but doing the will of God entitles man to heaven, and whosoever does His will lives heavenly. In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus said, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”(Matthew 6:9-10) When the will of God is done in earth as it is in heaven, then earth becomes counterpart of heaven. Wherever you see anyone doing the will of God, there you will behold an heavenly life. It is thought by some Christian professors that the will of God cannot be done on earth. They say we cannot even know the will of God. If you will read this little book carefully and prayerfully, you will learn how to know the will of God and also how to do it. There is a precious secret in knowing the will of God. It is said that “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.”(Psalm 25:14)  And again, “His secret is with the righteous.” (Proverbs 3:32) Yes, it is given to us to know the will of God and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. There is a close fellowship between Christ and His trusting child. There is a most intimate and blessed communion.

There is a hallowed place of prayer;
Wondrous things to me unfold;
My blessed Savior meets me there
And whispers secrets to my soul.

It is as easy to know the will of God as it is for the bird to know how to build its nest. Further on, we will have more to say about this. Paul, in writing a letter to Titus, his own son after the common faith, said, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12) To have these words fulfilled in our life is to live heavenly. Grace is a teacher come from God. It teaches man how to live. We have been told that grace means favor, and so it does, but that is not its primary meaning. Grace primarily means, “that which brings joy to another.” The night in which the Savior was born, an angel announced, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” (Luke 2:10) Then immediately, a multitude of the heavenly host shouted, “On earth peace, good will toward men.”(Luke 2:14)  The bringing of great joy to man was God’s good will to man. Grace means favor, but such favor as brings gladness to the heart of man. This grace that brings joy to the life of man teaches him of a life that corresponds with joy. Joy is found only in heavenly living. In no other plane of life will man find joy.

If all who profess to be Christians would live soberly, righteously, and godly, they would win the world for Christ in a short time. A heathen said to a missionary, “We are finding you out. You are not as good as your Book. We like your Book, but you do not live like your Book reads. If you would live like your Book reads, you would conquer India for Jesus in five years.” Amid the cares of everyday life, do you live like the Book reads? The Book tells us that we should live godly in this world, or in this life. To live godly is to live like God.

Let me tell you a story. It is only a story of my own imagination, but it may give you a serious thought. Suppose the planet Mars is inhabited by people of like nature to us. They have moving pictures there as men have here. One theatrical man hears of the life of Jesus. He hears of it being the most wonderful life ever lived. He wishes to get that life on his films that he may play it out in his picture house. But he is told that the life of Jesus is a Spirit life, and he has no camera that will photograph a spirit. But he is also told that there is a people on the planet Earth who live the life of Jesus in the flesh, and if he will send his photographer to Earth and take a picture of the daily life of these people, he will have the life of Jesus.

Now we wish to ask you if you are ready to sit for the picture? Suppose you can’t get your automobile started, or the bread burns, or the clothesline breaks, or the baby is cross, or someone tells a falsehood on you, are you ready to have your picture taken and write under it, “Christlike”?

In speaking of the great salvation of God through His abundant mercy and love, Paul said, “And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6) Through the saving grace of God, man is raised up to an heavenly place in Christ. In chapter one Paul tells that God will bless us “with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”(Ephesians 1:3) Many are praying for spiritual blessings. Such blessings fall only in heavenly places. Man will have all the spiritual blessings his soul demands if he will but live in an heavenly place. Now man can live in an heavenly place for the grace of God in salvation raises him up to an heavenly place. The only kind of life people live in an heavenly place is an heavenly life. You cannot live a sinful, worldly life in an heavenly place.

A holy life is a convincing proof of the reality of the Christian religion and the truthfulness of the Bible. A God-filled life is a strong magnet drawing men into companionship with Jesus. If a holy life does not draw men to God, it is because they are of such a nature as to gravitate only toward the world. There are powers in a godly life that distinguishes it from all other life. A holy life is an index finger pointing the way to God. A life free from sin speaks out the story of redeeming grace to other lives. If we carry holy principles with us in the world, the world will be hallowed by us. Those who work in flower fields carry the fragrance on their clothes. There is no sweeter music in the world or in heaven than those psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs sung out of hearts filled with the love of heaven. It is not for artistic music that the world is thirsting; it is the music sung in the lives of holy men and women. Fill your soul, O saint of God, in the place of secret prayer, with the music of the celestial world, and then go out, and sing it into the hearts of men. Nothing will gladden the world like this. The world of men is weary with a religion that is worldly. “Away with the plays, pictures, classical music, programs, socials,” they cry, “give us a religion that has come from heaven and lifts men up to an heavenly place and to holiness of life.” The world is looking for men who walk with God.

We can live heavenly here amid the duties of every day life. We can have the stamp of holiness on every word we speak and every deed we do. By living much in the presence of Christ, the bloom of Christ will tint every act of life. By the assimilation of Christ, in the hour of quiet meditation, we become molded into His image, and we can then stamp that image upon the world. If we would impress the world with heaven, we must bear the impress of heaven.

“I hear my Savior saying,
‘I’ll never leave thee now,
If thou wilt bear My image
Upon thy heart and brow.’ ”

God has a place for each of us. If we will find this place and fill it as He intends, our life will turn the thoughts of men from earthly to heavenly things. A Christian lady for days nursed a poor, sick, fallen girl. One day as the girl was recovering health, the lady said to her, “Do you ever have thoughts of God?” The girl, looking into her face replied, “I cannot help but have thoughts of God since I knew you.”

It is a blessed privilege to so live that we can bring thoughts of God to the minds of others. I would rather cause one man to think of God than have the wealth of the wealthiest man. A man said to his wife, “When I am tried and tempted to speak hastily and crossly, if you will keep sweet, it will help me to get the victory.” It is no small thing in the eyes of heaven to keep so mild, gentle and calm in a time of domestic tempest as to bring a quietness, a calmness into the life of some tried one.

There is a small marble slab, marking the grave of a child in a southern hillside cemetery, on which are engraven the words, “It is easy to live right when she was with us.” The words were the remark of one of the playmates of the deceased child, as the little body was being lowered into the grave.

Is there a soul so dead that does not thrill with an emotion at the thought of being able to make it easier for another to live right? Let us invest so heavily in the stock of grace that we may be able, by our heavenly life, to help others to live heavenly. Such investment will pay well in the day of eternity. It is a great privilege to be in the niche God has for us in the world of life. It is a wonderful thing to have a little spot in the great vineyard of the Lord assigned to our care and keeping. Let us keep it clean. It may not be a very large spot. It may not reach many miles from our cottage door, but small though it be, let’s keep it clean and beautiful. There is a wondrous reflex action in it. We grow into the image of the work we do from the heart. If we have an ideal life before us and we work to that ideal, we will have that ideal stamped in our character. As we work to brighten our corner, we will grow to be brighter.

We have seen the motto, “Take the world as you find it.” We would like to place another by the side of this, “But do not leave it as you found it.” An heavenly life in the world leaves its imprint upon the world. With whatsoever sort of life you touch the world, that is the stamp you will leave upon it. The old miller left some of the flourdust, with which his clothes were covered, upon everyone he touched. If we talk with someone for a few moments and do not leave something of heaven upon them, it is because we are not close enough to heaven or close enough to them, and possibly both.

A small dark spot on a snow-white cloth will attract more attention than all the snowy whiteness. Let us beware then to keep our lives unspotted. The finer the music, the greater the risk and the more noticeable the discord. The higher profession of religion we make, the greater the reproach of an unworthy deed. God made us for work and not for idleness. He has given us material which we are to work into the fabric of our lives, and the very material given us to rear a palace beautiful unto the Lord will become a stumbling block both for ourselves and others if we do not use it.

The lives we live do not die with us. They will go on preaching long after the grass is waving over our tomb. It is a serious thought. This is an age of lightness of thought respecting eternal things. It is an age in which there is much calculated to relieve men of the feeling of responsibility of life. It is a serious thing to live. Better never to have lived at all than to fail of doing our duty in life. No tears of our after life can wash out a deed that has been done. Jesus can forgive, but the deed still lives.

The son of a wealthy man was standing scratching the glass of a show-window with the diamond in his ring.

“Don’t do that,” said a ragged newsboy.

“I guess I will do as I please,” replied the young man.

“But you can’t rub it out,” answered the boy.

The deeds of life are difficult to efface.

There is an heavenly way marked out for the people of God. It was marked out by the life of Jesus. The way He trod is the heavenly way. God wants us at our best. It is our privilege, as Christians, to reveal Christ to men. God calls us to holiness of life. “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:16) “Be ye holy in all manner of living.” (I Peter 1:15) ASV Holy living is heavenly living. Jesus has come to give us life (John 10:10); “He that hath the Son hath life.” (I John 5:12) The life that Jesus came to give us is heavenly life. We can have it in its fullness, and when we have it, we can and will live it. Just as it takes time and effort to keep in strong physical life, so it will take time and effort to keep in strong spiritual life.

Take time, yes, take time
To ponder on the path of life that Jesus trod:
Take time, yes, take time
To steep your soul in long deep thoughts of God.

The following verses should be our daily testimony:

I am walking each day in an heavenly way
How e’er strait and narrow it be;
To me it is clear, and I love it so dear,
For Jesus is walking with me.

To me He is fair, naught with Him can compare,
The truest, the noblest, the best;
His love I can feel, to me He is real,
As gently I lie on His breast.

Though dark be the day, light lies on my way,
My pathway of life I can see;
I walk without fear, for my Savior is near,
His great loving hand leadeth me.

I am kept by His power, therefore reigning each hour,
Over all the dominion of sin:
To the world I am dead, by the Spirit I’m led,
Along an heavenly way with Him.

Earthly things are behind, I am armed with Christ’s mind,
I am happy as I can be;
I am running the race, locked in His embrace,
“And this is like heaven to me.”

No thirst for life’s pleasure, nor thought for earth’s treasure,
I live for a home o’er the sea;
With Christ I am walking, with Him I am talking,
This is pleasure, and treasure to me.

My pathway grows brighter, my heart’s growing lighter
As hourly I’m nearing the goal:
My joys are increasing, I’m waiting releasing,
To soar to the home of my soul.

(From the Book: “Heavenly life for earthly living”  C.E.Orr).

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How to live in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph.2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Introduction: “What are those heavenly places?”

[John 12:26---Accepting and following Jesus to serve Him;

John 14:3----Immersed in the Holy Spirit, for God is a Spirit and Jesus rose to go up to God with a spiritual body. Jesus, in His Spirit body takes us up unto Himself (John 14:18,28); John 17:5----Glorified with God: filled with the glory of His presence and diffusing this glory wherever we go. This is the state God wants His church to rise to so that he may take her to Himself at the right time.].

1. First, we need to allow God to create us to be like Jesus (1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:2-3).

That is: we need to be saved from all our sins:

Ephes. 2:10 “ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”. Deut. 32:6  “Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?”  Eph. 4:24: “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”. Titus 2: 14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”.

(a)    A saved person prays to God every day, worshipping Him, thanking and praising Him:      (1 Thes.5:17; Luke 18:1; Phil. 4:6-7). In this worship service, the individual dies to self, placing self on the altar, Jesus .

(b)   A saved person gets direction from  God every day as to what he/she should wear, say, think  and do (Rom. 8:14; Gal.5:16-18,25).

(c)    A saved person lives to glorify God every minute of his/her life (1  Cor. 10:31).

Are you sure you are saved? The saved people make the family of God, the church of God because they are in Christ Jesus in the heavenly places always (Eph.2:6).

2. Then we need to  walk  always in God (Spirit);  God is the  Spirit—John 4:23-24.

(Gal.5:16—not fulfilling the lust  of the flesh), but :

(a) Minding the things of God (Rom.8:5)

• Seeking only the heavenly things (Col.3:1-3).

(b)   Being fruitful in every good work (Col. 1:10a).

• Bearing much fruit (John 15:8; Math. 5:16).

(a)    Increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10b).

• Beholding the glory of God (John 17:24): When we behold  His glory,

we must appreciate it in worship and reverence (Rev. 4:11; Rev. 22:8-9).

Are you living in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus?._______.

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Stay Connected to God (John 17:20-24).

[1]. We live through God (Acts 17: 28 “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; …….. For we are also his offspring”). The life of God in us is lost through sin (Rom 6:23; James 1:15).

[2]. The life of God:

The life of God is His Word. We receive the Word of God when we are saved and His life  is given to us again: (1 Peter 1: 23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”; John 1:12-13 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”). This is the regeneration, the new birth which occurs when we are justified in the eyes of God.

[3].  A changed life, (created a new).

(a) 2 Cor. 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.  Jesus describes the state of an unsaved man in many places in the bible, but we want to look at one such a description this morning:  “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). These evils are planted in the heart of the sinner by the devil when he is allowed to control the heart of man (1 John 3:10; John 8:44). The life of a person whose life is controlled by the devil is a terrible life as described in Romans 1:28-31. A single spot like any one described here makes the individual awful in the eyes of God (Isaiah 1:12-16). Such dross must be wiped off through the blood of Jesus Christ and holy traits of God planted instead. If we do not allow the change to be effected in our life, we cannot be saved. But if we allow it, we will have the evils in our life “uprooted” and good  seed will be “planted”. This is what is described by God in the bible as the new creation: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph.2:10). Now, have we allowed God to create us a new?______ (Eph.4:24). What has been cut off from your life?_________ (Mat. 15:19; Gal. 5:19-21). And what has been planted instead?________ (Gal. 5:22-25; Col. 3:12-17).

(b)This creation process is described as: “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:11). These traits are planted ,(instilled), in the life of the saved person at regeneration. It is for the regenerated person to ensure that they grow in his/her life and are seen  by every one (Mat. 5: 16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”). Unless we let these fruits of righteousness flourish in our life, our life will not be a Christian life. That is why Christianity is challenged to-day by the religions of the world.  Many of the so called Christians do not live as the bible teaches, bringing a reproach to Christianity. Let us live to our name. Amen?________.

[4]. Let God’s life thrive (Phil. 2:12-13).

When we do this, we are letting Jesus be our Lord—our King, our Master, our ruler  “ Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1: 21-22). One requirement of God that is rejected today by the so called Christians, let alone the church of God, is that of unity (John 17:21-23; John 10:16; Gal. 3:28). Isn’t it a shame to call Him our Lord when we do not want to obey Him?_______. If we obeyed this command of our Lord, the church would certainly reflect His glory here on earth (John 17:24). God’s life would be lived by the church here on earth insomuch that the world would be converted in mass.  Allowing Jesus to be our Master is letting Him live His life through our body (Gal. 2:20). That way all of us would be the One body of Christ. Are you willing to be that? ______. We need to remove all the dividing evils, customs and views and let God mould us into His church where Christ is all in all. We need to come together, all in a humble prayed up spirit,  as the apostles did in Acts 15 and let the Holy Ghost correct this  thing now keeping us apart.

[5].         (a)When we have the life of Jesus abundantly (John 10:10), we are like Jesus (1 John 2: 6). This must show in our manner of life always individually and resultantly in the church life (Gal. 5:22-26; Col 3:12-17, etc). If this life of Jesus does not show in our ways of life,  both in church and in our individual lives, we are not connected to the true Vine. As such, we cannot be the church of God described in the bible. It is only One church and it must have the glory of God (Rev. 21:11).

(b) When people see this life of Jesus, they glorify our Father who is in heaven (Mat. 5: 16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”).

[6] We keep this life of God in us by His word (Mat. 4:4; 1 John 3:8-10) and this Word is Jesus Christ (John 1:1-4). Through Jesus, we are in God (Eph. 2:21-22).

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Yielding myself to God:

Romans 12:1“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”. a) A body that hosts a clean soul: Cleansed of all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:8-9). b) A soul that is taken over by the Holy Ghost who gives us all the power to live holy (Acts 1:8; 1 John 3:6-10). This means that our body that houses our soul is indwelt by God (2 Cor. 6:16-18). It is no longer a coffin for a dead soul. This is the body that is used by God (Phil .2:13). How then, does God use my body? (i) Am I used to lead souls to Jesus every day so that they can be healed of the malady of sin and adopted in the household of God? (ii) Am I used of God to pray for every one He brings to my mind so that their needs might be met by the loving Father? (iii) Am I used of God to help all the needy people I meet wherever I go?—the sick people need healing, the sinners need salvation, the hungry people need feeding, the naked people need clothing, the troubled people need comforting—they are all around me. I cannot afford to be passive and selfish. (iv) Am I used of God to light the world He has sent me to? If I am the light of the world, I need to let the light so shine that all around me see where to walk. c) Oh, God, take over this body you have given me and use it for your glory. It is the only service I can give you, my Father (Rom 12:1). I yield to you and will always seek to be in your hands. I am your property and want to be no less.

In other words, am I right  in the eyes of God ?

The sin of division pollutes the soul.

Is my soul polluted  with the sin of division if I have refused to obey the Lord as He commands in His Book of the law—The Bible ?

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21). Oh, Lord, is  my disobedience so grave as to hinder souls to believe?…Oh, No!…..

Jesus Himself asks me a very simple question: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say” (Luke 6:46)? I will have to stop deceiving myself that I am saved since I do not obey the Lord. Surely, if I died to-day, I would never make it to heaven. Oh, Lord, what must I do now?…”Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19)……………

Now that I have repented of this terrible sin of division, as I have forsaken all other sins, what do I do next?…..”And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:15-16). I am sure that  God leaves no walls of  discrimination, segregation and division, partiality, or whatever, between His children. Once I am sure that the other One is full of God as directed in His law (the Scriptures), and I know this as God has already told me how to know it: “….. because as he is, so are we in this world “(1 John 4:17), I am to extend my right hand of fellowship to that other One who is born of God. No man’s orders and money, or group norms, customs and rules should keep me separated from my Brother or Sister in the Lord.

……..As I am free from this sin and all others, I am sure I am headed to heaven if I have to go to-day. Praise the Lord!

Oh, come death: I am not afraid of you. Take me to my Lord on angels’ wings.

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