Merry Christmas From Our Family To Yours

Be Joyful Always

"Always be joyful.  Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

Today's scripture verse encourages us to be joyful, pray, and give thanks no matter the circumstances, good or "not so good," as I always say. However, is it possible to do all the above when you are facing challenges and struggles in your life? Well, beloved, I will tell you that without a shadow of a doubt, it is not humanly possible. The only way we can be joyful and thankful when facing the storms of life is when we possess God's strength and power through His Holy Spirit. That is why Nehemiah 8:10b states," For the joy of the Lord is your strength."  God, in His infinite mercy, knows that without His divine strength, we can not experience joy, not to talk of staying joyful at all times.  

Did you know that the word "joy" appears over 65 times in the Bible and the book of Psalms 19 times? This tells us how vital "joy" is to the life of a Christian. The key to the joy of a Christian is the Lord Jesus. Our joy can only be found in Him and not in man as with happiness.   Before I talk about how to stay joyful always as a Christian living in the world today, let us go ahead and define what joy is. Joy has often been used interchangeably with happiness, but even though they are both beautiful experiences, they are two different feelings. 

What is Joy?

In scripture, joy is sometimes referred to as "rejoice"  The word rejoice in the dictionary means a feeling or show of great joy or delight.   And so "Joy," according to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, is the emotion evoked by well-being, success, good fortune, or the prospect of possessing what one desire. Happiness is "a state of well-being and contentment; a pleasurable or satisfying experience. " So you see how similar these definitions are according to the world's interpretation.   However, the type of joy we refer to as believers is "God's kind of joy," or we might call it "Biblical joy."  Just like peace, the world does not know and understand this kind of joy. Our joy comes from the Lord God, and it is from within, more consistent and like peace; it is a characteristic of God's love from His Holy Spirit. Scripture states, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,]gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23".

As mentioned earlier, happiness is a wonderful experience that every human being on earth will encounter in their life's journey. However, it is not the same thing as joy. It is external and inconsistent. Happiness comes and goes with time because the events in our lives trigger it, the people we relate with, and thoughts and emotions.  

Beloved joy is a Christian virtue that every believer must strive to possess and experience daily. The benefit of having joy in your heart is that no matter your circumstances, it will not affect your joy as long as you understand where it comes from. From God and not man! Emotions affect your happiness but not your joy. You may have lost the job you loved, you may not know how you will pay next month's rent, or you might be experiencing marital problems, etc., but you still have joy. 

The joy shows on your face wherever you go, and people around you wonder how you can have all these problems and always smile. You can then say, "It's the joy of the Lord; it's not me"; He is my strength."    You should not let anything or anyone rob you of your joy. John 16:22. It is too precious to the Lord and should be guarded carefully and jealously.   

Apostle Paul knows firsthand what it means to stay joyful always in all circumstances. In times of despair and persecution, he strived to remain joyful, praying continually and giving thanks while imprisoned for Christ's sake. And so, in his epistle from prison, he encourages all believers in Philippians 4:4a to rejoice in the Lord always. 

Ways to Stay Joyful Always in the Lord

1. Be intentional in showing gratitude-   I Thessalonians 5:18 admonishes us to give thanks in all circumstances. Develop a lifestyle of thanksgiving, always showing appreciation in all things.

2.  Spend time in prayer and meditation - Praying, reading and meditating on the word of God daily is an act of worship unto the Lord and nourishment for your soul.  Strive to spend quality time in God's presence.  

3.  Spend time reflecting on the goodness of God - When you remember all the prayers answered, all the troubles he delivered you from and the many blessings, it will cause you to rejoice.  It puts a smile on your face and reminds you of his constant presence in your life. 

4.  Spend time around people and things that enhance your life - Surround yourself with people that can positively impact your life. Guard your heart and your joy jealously.  

5.  Think good thoughts - discipline your mind to focus on beautiful and godly thoughts.  "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. Philippians 4:8.

And so, as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with family and friends this season, be intentional in staying joyful regardless of what you might be going through. As you do so, the Lord will strengthen and empower you. Strive to remain joyful always and allow the God of joy and peace to use you to impact the lives of those around you. 
SHALOM

Your Marriage Is Your Primary Ministry

"that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."   Titus 2:4-5 NKJV

Recently, I had watched a christian movie recommended by a very close friend and dear sister, and it ministered to me. I felt the Lord was trying to get me to understand something about ministry and patience and preparation.  For the most of this year, I have been going through a time of training and development for the assignment God has for me, and by His leading, I have taken some bold steps to prepare me for the Assignment.   So today my beloved sisters, I would like to share what the Lord has been ministering to me concerning Marriage and the home.  

As a wife and mother, I have strived to build my home, allowing the Lord to guide and counsel me along the way,  I have shared teachings centered around godly women taking care of their home, praying for their husbands, etc.  But it is only in recent times that I have come to know and understand how important the Christian home is to God,  to the body of Christ as a whole and the role it plays in our ministry to the Lord.   Over the years I have seen how many Christian homes had crumbled not because of adultery or money issues, but because many godly women with good intentions have neglected their responsibilities at home to do church.  What I mean by "doing church" is engaging in many activities in the local assembly that takes them away from their service at home.   The word of God reminded me in Proverbs 14:1 that we as women, it specifically says "wise" woman are the ones who build our homes.  The building and managing of our Christian homes which is an extension of the church, the body of Christ has been given to women by God as our number 1 assignment.  Yes, your marriage and home is your first and primary ministry unto God.  Your marriages and the way you hold them are a reflection of the way Christ loves His Church.  

Sisters,  the Lord God is not a God of confusion, He created marriage for a purpose and for that purpose to be fulfilled both the man and the woman have to play their role in the home and the family. The christian home is an extension of the church, so it is important your humble service to the Lord begins from there.  Even the world believes it, by this popular saying "Charity begins at home."
Like many of you, I have a calling upon my life, and I have waited on the Lord for years to release me to do the work.  I have received prophetic messages, word of knowledge, dream interpretations, open visions, etc. regarding my purpose and the assignment He has for me, and a lot of it involves me traveling around the world,  the mission fields teaching, counseling and doing outreach.   Sometimes I have found myself becoming impatient, asking God when will this great ministry take off because I have just been doing ministry part-time for years.  After all, He has spoken and all that keeps being revealed to me especially in recent months is to be patient,  I am still being prepared for the work ahead. One of the last prophetic messages given to me by a Man of God was that the Lord is taking me through a preparation process, I need to perceive how He is leading me.   And so when I watched that Christian movie the other day, my attitude towards my marriage and home changed.   I knew I could do better once I understood it to be my primary assignment.  

The movie showed two different scenarios,  both women loved the Lord and desired to do His work.  They were married with children and had a calling upon their lives, one sought God's leading and husband's permission, and the other did not.  She went ahead, and at the end of the day, there were consequences for the latter, but the former who followed the Lord's leading and guidance and listened to her husband, at the end of the day, everything fell into place for her.  Directed by the Holy Spirit, she faced the affairs of her home, her primary ministry and eventually, opportunities opened up to her for outside ministry work.  What a great lesson learned!!

Sisters, your primary ministry is your  loving and humble service to your husbands and children ,  keepers of the home, women of excellence who are caring, protective and supportive to your husbands and the children  God has entrusted in your hands,  godly women who  teaches her children the word of God, nurturing them and disciplining them with wisdom and care.  In Proverbs 31: 21-22, we are referred to as homemakers and also in our main text,  and are encouraged to be homemakers.   It states   "She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed in scarlet.  "She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made]."      In this ministry, your job is to create an atmosphere of the warmth of love for both your family and guests alike.  Even in times of difficulties,  you must be prepared and ready to embrace what comes next in  your life and that of your household; it is in those times that you will begin to develop the skills  (e.g., resilience, endurance, perseverance, etc.) that the Lord wants you to have as you also prepare for your outside assignments.   Beloved, the Lord has equipped women with the talents and spiritual gifts needed to establish and make fruitful your ministries, and your homes can be considered as a training ground to prepare you for the secondary ministry/assignment outside the home.  There is a time and a season for everything and the Lord who gave you the passion, the will and the strong desire along with the gifts to serve Him will reveal to you when the time is ripe to step out into other assignments and ministry work He has called you.  

 Beloved, as married women, the home is your primary ministry, the success in your home will determine your promotion in the mission field.  It is essential to understand your marriage and home as a ministry unto the Lord, handing it over to Him to help grow under His nurturing hand. He desires to bless the works of your hands, and your marriage is no exception.  Even though the Lord knows building a home in this fallen world can be quite challenging, as long as you are dedicated to keeping your homes, raising godly children and including God in every aspect of it, He will give surely give you good success.  Joshua 1:8b ESV. 

If you are reading this message today and you have neglected your ministry to your husband and children or husband, if no children yet, then it is time to repent and ask the Lord, your husband and your children for forgiveness.  Seek the Lord for guidance and wisdom in taking care of your home and also being able to balance your work life, responsibilities in your local church and your home life.   Your home must always come first in your service to the Lord.  If you hold a position of leadership in the church, in your workplace that requires being away from home for more than 8 hours a day, it is time to make a change, and the Lord shall help you do that in Jesus name.

I will leave you with the words from a Christian actor & minister   " A married woman must humble herself and take care of her home. She must build her home before she can build the church of God and the nation."

I pray this message has ministered to you!!  If it has, please share with your fellow sisters and friends.

God is Interested in Your Everyday Life

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives."  Psalm 37:23 NLT


Not too long ago, I was sharing with a client of mine who comes in for counseling & prayers how God is not just interested  or pleased with us when we do "spiritual" things such as reading our bible, engaging in prayer sessions, attending church service or bible study but also everything else in our lives.   It took me some years as  I matured as a believer to realize that and when I did, everywhere I went, whatever I did, He was always on my mind. I was conscious of His presence.  I shared how if I happen to misplace my car keys and blurt out "Lord help me find my keys."  Without really going on my knees to ask Him,  I would hear that small soft voice leading to where it was or a just a thought will drop in my spirit.   I will find myself heading in the direction where I last saw the keys.  That is God for you.

Beloved, God is very concerned and interested in the things that concern us. He is interested in waking us up in the morning so that we are not late for school, work or that appointment. He is interested in driving with us to work, running errands, to a sporting event, etc..  He is concerned about us when we are tired, sad or troubled and is there to give us comfort and encouragement.  He enjoys watching us do chores around the home, e.g., laundry, cooking, cleaning and also when we sit down at the table as a family or couple eating and talking about how our day went.  God enjoys every detail of our lives and is not happy when we do not involve Him in it.  After all, He is our Father, a loving one for that matter.  

Scripture tells us in our main text today that He orders the steps of the godly, that is you and me, and he delights or takes pleasure in every human activity we perform on a daily basis, except for sin of course.   Like any parent, who enjoys watching their children grow into matured and responsible young men and women, so does our heavenly Father, who also delights in seeing us progress, seeing us succeeding in life as a result of the  diverse talents, abilities and spiritual gifts He has given us to be used here on earth for His glory.   What displeases Him is when we do not appreciate all that He has given us and enjoy the life He has given unto us for a season.  Psalms 33:15 states. "
He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works "  According to John Gills exposition of the Bible, it means He forms or molds the hearts of his people anew for himself.   He forms Christ in them, and every grace of his Spirit; he builds them into one, and knits and unites them together in love, and makes them like to one another; for as face answers to face in the water, so do the hearts and experiences of the saints one to another.  He also understands all they do and carefully observes their activities.   Beloved, it brings joy to the Father's heart when we value and appreciate all that He has given us, and He also wants us to be conscious of His interest in our everyday lives. 
Do you know the Lord also takes pleasure in you when you enjoy His creation, the entire universe?  He loves watching you and me admiring nature, the stars, and space in general, the flowers, the trees, the animals, the mountains and valleys, the oceans and seas, the grasslands, etc.  He has given us all the five senses to enjoy these things.  And guess what, every time we enjoy the rest of His creation, it is an act of true worship when we show our gratitude for it.  

Sisters, our God created us in His image and likeness for His enjoyment and His good pleasure. He has also given us the rest of creation for our enjoyment as well.   As you enjoy all that the Lord has provided for you, allow Him to also enjoy every part of you by intentionally including Him in every activity of your life.  As you do so, He will continue to bless and keep you secured under the shadow of His wings.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Phil 2:13 KJV

Working together as One Body

^" For as in one body we have many members,^[a] and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. "  Romans 12:4-5 ESV


Like any business or organization, the body of Christ, the global church within its individual local assemblies have to work together in one accord to fulfill the purpose and vision of the church.  We are called to walk in holy fellowship together, breaking bread, sympathizing with, and serving each other until Jesus returns for His bride (the Church).    It baffles me when I see the lack of teamwork, lack of unity in the church. 

 Everyone wants to do their own thing, you see individuals in the church trying to hoard all the work; taking on many duties for the wrong reasons and you also see some that do not want to do anything, but come to church, sit in the pews, give their tithes and offering and leave.  They do this without even being concerned about what they are contributing to the house of God or the body of Christ aside from their financial gifts which we are encouraged in scripture to give. We can't stay idle, we have to keep busy working for the Lord until his return.  1 Corinthians 15:58  

 In the body of Christ, we are told in the above scripture that there are many members and we have been given diverse gifts and talents in order to use for service in the offices/positions we are to hold in the church.  Apostle Paul beautifully illustrates how various members of our human frame are all useful and honorable in their allocated place; all designed for a specific task, so the church is one body, consisting of many members, and each is suited to be useful and comely in its proper place.

Friends, regardless of what congregation you attend or denomination you belong to, all of us (believers) make up the global/universal church where Christ is the head and so no matter where you find yourself, be ready to work together with the brethren to fulfill the purpose of the church of Christ.  I encourage you today if you are not doing so, to find your place in the body of Christ and begin to utilize the gifts and skills you have been given to serve alongside other believers in your local assembly or in your community and the Lord will bless and strengthen you as you do. 

Put On Humility

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.   Romans 12:3 KJV

Apostle Paul, in our main scripture text, is cautioning every believer to be truthful(honest)as they evaluate themselves, not thinking of themselves or believing that they are better than they are. I categorize this phrase under "pride." When you think about pride, it is saying to yourself and those around you that you are superior to everyone else. And so, it is essential to be sober and vigilant, with an honest mind, examining yourselves daily to ensure that you are remaining true to yourself, using good sense, and measuring yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you (plain text by the Contemporary English version). Some people may argue thinking highly of yourself does not necessarily mean arrogance. However, if you pay attention to what Brother Paul was saying in this verse, " Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think," so he is not saying that it's terrible to think of yourself highly but to the point of it leading to an arrogant and superior attitude.

The spirit of pride is a deadly spirit that every human must be careful of. Many believers have fallen victim to the spirit of pride, destroying several destinies. Remember, the same prideful spirit brought down Lucifer from the glorious place God had put him. This dangerous spirit has existed since the beginning of time. See Isaiah 14:12-15. A proud heart is deadly, and we, as believers, must accurately assess ourselves daily to ensure that the spirit of pride has not enslaved our hearts.

Beloved, always strive to live a life of humility, and do not think of yourself highly or better than the next person because of what God has blessed you with (i.e., material wealth, good education, beauty/looks, spiritual gifts, children, spouse, etc.), do not look down on others because they don't have what you have. Pride is the quickest route to eternal damnation, and I decree it shall not be our portion in Jesus' name. I encourage you to examine yourself daily to ensure that no iota of pride should be found in you. Be alert (vigilant) because pride can creep in at any time due to our sinful nature. Allow the Lord to lift you and exalt you in due season; instead of boasting in yourself, boast in the Lord, giving all the glory to Him.

Transformed by God

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  Romans 12:2 NKJV


Now what does the word "conformed" mean in this scripture text?  It means to "copy", to "emulate" and what scripture is telling us here is not to copy the behaviors, the attitudes, the customs of the world we live in.  Do not allow yourself to get corrupted by the world system because you are not of this world, even though you live in it.    You and I are children of the most High God that have been set apart for His use and have been given individualized divine assignments to complete while on earth until we are called home to glory.  We are ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ called to serve and shine our light in this dying world, we are called to a different standard of doing things and so as believers, you and I must allow God to transform us into the women we are destined and purposed to be. Without transformation taking place in our minds and thought process, it will be very easy to fall prey to the enemy's devices.  

Beloved, the world is defined for us in 1 John 2:15-16 and it states "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. "  Verse 16 actually defines what the world or the world system is all about ( i.e immorality, gluttony, materialism, alcoholism, drugs, thirst for power, over ambition).  Unfortunately so many believers have allowed the above to dominate their lives and some even go as far as justifying their sinful lifestyles.   

The only way believers can avoid falling prey to satan's schemes, conforming to the world's standards, is to allow the Holy Spirit ( God's transforming power) to renew our minds and how is this done?  By literarily allowing the power of God's word to change us into who He has purposed us to be on earth. For more understanding, read and meditate on the following verses:  Romans 10:17, Rev 1:3, Psalm 119:9-11, Psalm 1:2-3 and Joshua 1:8.  It is only the word of God, daily ministered in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (God's power on earth) that can transform us from worldliness to holiness ( a life daily set apart life, not trying to "blend in" with the world, but instead living according to God's Word as we study the Bible and grow in it).  

May the Lord help us to live a life holy and pleasing before Him.

Shalom.

A Living Sacrifice

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."  Romans 12:1 ESV


In this portion of scripture, the Apostle Paul was imploring the believers in Rome to commit their lives to the Lord which means dedicating and pledging their lives to him.  So when scripture says present your bodies as a living sacrifice, it does not just mean the flesh, but body, spirit and soul (our total being),  willing  to forsake the worldly pleasures of this age.   So Romans 12:1 reminds us as believers to honor the Lord with our total being, our complete existence, we must take care of the temple He has given us, our bodies (which consist of our will, mind and emotions).  Since our thoughts come from and are processed through our brains as well as our emotions (feelings),  I believe the mind and emotions can be considered a part of the "flesh.  We must guard it diligently, it must not be abused.  

In our daily Christian walk, what does this verse actually mean to us?  Beloved  it means that for those of us in Christ Jesus by virtue of being saved by grace, the only acceptable spiritual worship to God is to offer ourselves completely to the Lord God.  We must be instruments or vessels of righteousness ready to be used by Him at any time or place.  I like how this one author put it in her article from the King's Highway, she states  " we must give God permission to walk through us and expose anything in us that is not of faith. God is a gentleman and He will not force us to do this without our permission."  So true, I could not have said it any better, the Christian faith is a faith of "free will"  you have to be willing to go all the way with the Lord once you say " I accept you as my Lord and Savior"  being ready to surrender completely.    The Lord has set us apart as His holy people, His prized possession and therefore we must as His people honor Him, worshipping Him in spirit and in truth.

"For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth."   Deuteronomy  14:2


"But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. " John 4:23

Your Own Uniqueness

Scripture text:  Psalm 139:13-16


Over and over again I find myself teaching on topics that centers around self image and being ourselves.  In recent years,  I have written and spoken on teaching messages ranging from loving yourself to being fearfully and wonderfully made by God.  And so I have come to the realization that the Holy Spirit has been directing me to keep sharing these words of empowerment to women around the world because He wants to bring healing, deliverance and restoration to the lives of His children who have experienced and are still experiencing much physical, spiritual and emotional abuse in the hands of people both inside and outside the church.   By His grace, I will continue to do so and pray that these teachings reach and transform the lives of as many women as possible.  Beloved we are all created unique and exceptional by God, the great artist and potter.  He made us all perfect in His sight having our own uniqueness.  There are no two people the same on this earth, not even identical twins.  Our God is so creative that He has made human beings in all variations, shapes, sizes, colors, giving to us all kinds of attributes or traits, skills and talents.   This He created for His good pleasure and divine purpose, we are His original masterpiece and He alone holds the trademark and patent for each of us.
The Lord God uses people like you and me according to the gifts and talents He has given us, and ofcourse our willingness to serve.  Everyone cannot preach, teach, sing or prophesy the same neither can we all be gifted in the arts or sports etc. the same way.  For God's will to be done in the world we live in,  we are called  to do things differently, in ways that will attract the right people to us, the men and women He wants us to impact for His kingdom.   Beloved, it is your way of doing things, be it teaching or singing that attracts the individual that the Lord wants to use you to deliver and set free from that affliction or issue.   So you cannot be like the other sister whom God is using in a different way even if you have the same skillset.  Be your own self, Be exceptional in what you do.  There are those who serve or have served under particular men and women of God or other spiritual mentors and they strive to emulate them in the way they preach, teach or prophesy down to the way they dress or wear their hair.   There is nothing wrong with honoring your spiritual mentor by emulating a thing or two but the Lord has called you into ministry as well so that He can specifically use you for His purpose.. As a result you need to figure out what that purpose is and how God wants you to go about it.  Remember God created you wonderfully and fearfully and for His good pleasure, He deposited things in you from birth, from the moment you became born again i.e natural talents and spiritual gifts as well as skills you have learned through training and employment, including life experiences (the good and not so good)  to use for His glory.  With all these things in addition to your personality/character your own uniqueness emerges.    Embrace who you are in Christ, strive to be who God has called you to be, do not be anyone else but YOU.   Sisters, you do not need to imitate Sister A or Pastor Mrs. B  to do God's work,  use what God has already given you to serve Him by serving others.  When you do so, people will see you as original, authentic, the real thing and not a copy cat or counterfeit ; When you are authentic, things flow naturally.  You do not second guess yourself or have to double check the flow of your message if this is how Pastor says it or is this how she walks or looks at the congregation when ministering.. No need for all that, it is too much hassle and you end up just being a performer on the pulpit.    Before you can embrace your uniqueness, you need to first of all be able to love yourself, appreciate who you are in Christ and walking in God's plan for your life, only then can you embrace your uniqueness.  Jeremiah, the prophet was a man of God who knew His uniqueness at a young age.  God revealed to him in Jeremiah 1: 4-5 " Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,  before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  No other prophet was this revealed to, but young Jeremiah.  The Lord said He had already set Jeremiah apart before He was even born meaning He was already a prophet from the womb and God had a great plan for His life.   The Lord even went further to describe more of Jeremiah's uniqueness in verse 18  " Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.   They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord."   Brethren,  your uniqueness is embedded in your calling (God's purpose for your life).  

And so I  just want to encourage you today to be yourself, be who God has designed and created you to be, stop searching for approval from others, stop wasting quality time on the wrong things,  God has created you exceptional and uniquely for a reason, find that reason and begin to walk in it.  It is when you do that, you will experience God's overwhelming peace and joy.  


I encourage you to check out other teaching messages on my blog site and share with others :
-  Loving Yourself
- You are wonderfully made
- Who does God say you are?
- Fearfully and Wonderfully made.

The Kingdom of God: What are its requirements?

  

 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. "   John 3:3-5 NKJV

Before I go further, I would like to define what the " Kingdom of God" is, Is it Heaven or another place? Well I believe the answer can be found in Daniel 2:44 and Revelations 11:15

"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever." Daniel 2:44 I encourage you to read the whole of Daniel chapter 2 for more details on God's Kingdom.

Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: "The kingdom of the world is now the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." Revelations 11:15

These two scripture texts illustrate that the time that the Kingdom will be established after Christ’s return to the earth. At the completion of the process of being saved or born again, we shall be transformed into immortal beings and become kings and priests serving in God’s Kingdom on earth see Revelation 1:6 and Revelation 5:10.

Friends, the Lord Jesus Christ did not mince words when speaking to Nicodemus, one of the Jewish leaders. Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus was sent by God, but he was still a bit confused about who He really was. What was his actual title? Was He just a teacher, a prophet, or someone greater? Who was this man? Nicodemus knew this was a fascinating individual who seemed to be able to draw people to him through his teachings and he felt it was time to have a one on one conversation with him. So in order not to be seen or identified by his colleagues, he went to see Jesus at night. The Lord Jesus straight up told him, unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. Of course, Nicodemus had no idea what he meant by being "born again" as we can see in vs 4 and so Jesus tried to explain the term in vs 5, saying "unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. I am sure if the conversation had continued a little longer which it may have very well done, Nicodemus may still ask " what do you mean by water "Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

 

What does it mean to be "born again"? It means surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, confessing with your mouth that He is the Son of the living God who came to earth in human form, died for our sins and rose up on the 3rd day, ascended into glory, and is currently sitting at the right hand of God interceding for us daily. Because of the great love, the Father had for us, and He sent His only begotten son to die for our sins for us to spend eternity with Him. This is the first requirement "Believe" John 3:16.

The second requirement for entering the kingdom of God is to do the will of the Father. Living a holy life pleasing to God makes you and me a candidate for the kingdom of God. So beloved when you give your life to the Lord Jesus or become born again, it's only the beginning of your Christian journey, the process begins. As believers, each of us must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I like the way the New Living Translation puts it " Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear."

You must strive to live a godly life, letting your light shine wherever you go so that all may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven, this is stated in Matthew 5:16. It's disheartening to see how over the decades, many in the body of Christ have fallen, they started well but ended so badly and many more today are following in the same path, giving into false teachings, heresies, etc. The word of God tells us in Matthew 7:21 " Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

In Matthew 19:21, the rich man was interested in getting saved, but he was not willing to go all the way with Jesus. He was not ready to let go of all his worldly possessions to follow the giver of life and all good things. So when Jesus acknowledged the fact that he had been obedient to the law, obeying all the commandments, he now told him to do one more thing, sell all your worldly possessions, give it to the poor and follow me. Like many of us would have probably done today if we are honest with ourselves, the rich man said he couldn't do that. After all my hard work, after all the challenges I faced to get to where I am today, you now want me to give it all up for a life of uncertainty? Sorry "Rabbi" (Teacher) I can't do it. Beloved, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul? Not my words, but Christ's" Mark 8:36

To enter the kingdom of God, we must be ready to surrender all to Him, our worldly possessions, our lives, our family, everything near and dear to us. Unfortunately, so many are not ready to let go completely and give God full control. Fear, worry, family, material things, staying in our comfort zones holds us back, and if one is not careful, the cost can lead to dire consequences. 

Do you meet these two requirements? If yes, Praise the Lord and keep on walking in Christ and living for Him, if unsure, examine your life and make the decision today to get right with the Lord. If you are not born again, and you are ready to give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ today, pls click on this link for the "sinners prayer "http://www.24hourprayer.com/saved.html. 

After you have done so follow the rest of the prompts for what next or you are welcome to contact us @ dozmeinternational@gmail.com to connect you with a bible believing church in your area or you are welcome to go to Church Finder - Find Local Churches - ChurchFinder.com.

Beloved Jesus assures us that when you do decide to follow Him all the way, surrendering all and trusting Him for your life, the Lord God will make it possible for you to stay faithful, committed, focused to the very end.

"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:25-26 ESV

Shalom!