Of God and Mankind

Hebrews 8:6-7 (AMPC)  “ But as it now is, He [Christ] has acquired a [priestly] ministry which is as much superior  and more excellent [than the old] as the covenant (the agreement) of which He is the Mediator (the Arbiter, Agent) is superior  and more excellent, [because] it is enacted  and rests upon more important (sublimer, higher, and nobler) promises.   7 For if that first covenant had been without defect, there would have been no room for another one  or an attempt to institute another one.”   Dear people of God, from a number of conversations I have had with Christians on some issues bothering on the rights of a Christian in Christ, I have discovered, though sadly, that many are just not aware of these rights.   As a result, many go through life experiencing a lot of difficulties at the hands of the devil and his agents, both demons and human.   Consequently, many Christians are afraid of things that ordinarily they should give a...

1 Timothy 2:8    “ I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, without anger  or quarreling  or resentment or doubt [in their minds], lifting up holy hands.”   Dear people of God, prayer is a necessity for anyone who would successfully navigate the challenges of this life.   You cannot measure a person’s success in life just by material things because there are very many wealthy people whose lives are in severe crisis, e.g. marital squabbles, health challenges, insomnia, unruly kids, fear of death (Thanatophobia), fear of failure (Atychiphobia), fear of air travel (Aerophobia), etc.   With prayer to God in faith and trust, every human being would surely obtain that peace of mind that surpasses all understanding as God’s Word says in Philippians 4:6-7.   However, today’s main Holy Bible text shows there are hindrances to prayer that everyone should first deal with before going to God in prayer.   These are listed as anger, quarreli...

Romans 11:29 (AMPC) “ For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]”   Dear friend, as is usual with most of us, we would have reflected over 2024 and made some resolutions, goals and commitments for 2025.   My simple advice to everyone reading this message today is that you include the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah and Master of the Universe in whatever plans you have for 2025.   You must include Jesus Christ because He is the ONLY person Who would never mislead you because of His unfailing love for you as your Creator and God.   You must therefore follow Him wholeheartedly by diligent study, meditation, obedience and action on His Word in the Holy Bible. When you do this, you can be sure that your every prayer would be answered because He has said for you to ask God the Father anything in His (Jesu...

2 Timothy 2:3-7 (AMPC)    “ Take [with me] your share of the hardships  and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.   4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy  and please the one who enlisted him.   5 And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).   6 [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labo u rs to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.   7 Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight  and understanding in everything.”   Dear people of God, following the Lord Jesus Christ as a disciple is not as easy and straightforward as many Christians of today believe and understand.   We saw in the first part of the post on this topic...

Revelation 5:15-19 (AMPC)  “ I (Jesus Christ) know your [record of] works  and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!   16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!   17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered  and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize  and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [Hos. 12:8.]   18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined  and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.   19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict  and convince  and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic  and in earnest  and burning with ze...

1 Samuel 30:6 (AMPC)  “ David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged  and strengthened himself in the Lord His God.”   Dear people of God, there are many issues in this world that cause distress for human beings. The most common one is money.   Another one is sickness. In today’s lead Holy Bible text, David and his men were distressed because their family were abducted by the Amalekites.   It is stated here that as part of the measures to resolve his problem, David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord His God.   David went further by enquiring of God what next to do and God told him to go after the Amalekites and that he would recover all he and his men had lost.   David did exactly what God told him and he recovered all as God had promised – 1 Samuel 30:7-19.   In today’s world unfortunately, many have a diff...

Titus 1:16 (AMPC)  “ They profess to know God [to recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny  and disown  and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable  and loathsome, unbelieving  and disobedient  and disloyal  and rebellious, and [they are] unfit  and worthless for good work (deed or enterprise) of any kind.”   Dear people of God, whenever I hear someone commending his character, one thing I tell him is that it is difficult for someone to OBJECTIVELY assess himself.   As a result of sycophancy as well, it is also difficult even these days to obtain an objective assessment of oneself from others.   However, if a number of people are complaining about the same person’s character and the person does not see anything wrong with his or her character, then something is definitely wrong.   Do others describe you as hostile? Unfriendly? Unkind? Untrustworthy? Unstable? Unreliable? Can you be trusted to handle...

Luke 6:27-29 (NKJV)  “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  29 To him who strikes you on the  one  cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold  your  tunic either.   Dear people of God, the Gospel according to Luke chapter 6:20-49 contains some of the most demanding instructions to Christians.   However, as far as God is concerned, He has spoken, His Word is forever settled in heaven and His Word would be used to judge every one including Christians.   For many years, I have often wondered why Christians pray for their human enemies to die even when the Lord Jesus Christ and the entire New Testament messages do not contain a single verse instructing Christians to pray this way.   This practice of praying for the enemies to die is so common place now especially amongst Af...