Of God and Mankind

Titus 2:11-14 (AMPC) “ For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.   12 It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world,   13 Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One),   14 Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people [to be peculiarly His own, people who are] eager and enthusiastic about [living a life that is good and filled with] beneficial deeds.”   Dear people of God, while I was a child growing up, it was easy to identify a Christian...

2 Kings 18:5-7a (AMPC) “ He (Hezekiah) trusted in the  Lord  God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.    6 For he held fast to the  Lord ; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the  Lord  had commanded Moses.  7 The  Lord  was with him; he prospered wherever he went.”   Dear people of God, today’s reference Holy Bible text is about king Hezekiah of Judah described as completely loyal to God and His commands and he never deviated from following God amongst all the kings of Judah either before or after him.   Consequently, the Bible records that God was with him and he prospered wherever he went.    It is this same God I am writing about today.    God’s principles are the same and never changes because He is Holy, Just and Righteous.    There are many people who claim to be following...

Psalm 107:17-20 (AMPC)   “ Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.   18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death.   19 Then they cried out to the  Lord  in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.   20 He sent His Word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.”   Dear people of God, in the Old Testament era, God spoke to His people through  the prophets while in New Testament era we currently live in, He speaks to us through  His Son our Lord Jesus Christ.   This fact is stated in Hebrews 1:1-2.   When you examine God’s Word in today’s lead Holy Bible text above, you see a  pattern that still plays out today.   The Israelites under the Old Testament era sinned against God and were afflicted by  the devil. They then cried out to the Lord in their distress. God th...

Hebrews 13:4 (AMPC) “ Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous.”   Dear people of God, I was once told a true story of a church program held years ago where the officiating minister while preaching on some reasons why prayers were not answered mentioned marital infidelity and violence against spouses.   The minister then posed two questions to the married men present.   He asked all married men who since they got married had never been intimate with another woman aside their God-given spouse to raise their hand up. Only 2 men raised their hands in the congregation of over 1,000 men.   The minister also asked those who had never physically hit their wives since they got married to raise their hands up. Again, it was just the same 2 men that raised ...

Matthew 24:6-8 (AMPC) “ And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.   7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;   8 All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish].”   Dear people of God, the King Jesus Christ is coming.   While people all over the world are deliberating the appropriateness or otherwise of the Russian-Ukrainian war, God’s Word is being fulfilled as seen in today’s lead Holy Bible text.   With non-Christians, this is just a war. Even amongst some Christians, there are some who haven’t realized how close we are to the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to take in Rapture His qualified children.   Many would want to argue for me to prove to them where the Russian-Ukrainian war is stated expl...

3 John 1:2 (AMPC) “ Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.”   Dear people of God, poverty is not an excuse to be dishonest because God has promised spiritual, financial, and material prosperity to all His children in His Word in today’s main Scripture reading.   Take note that there are conditions for every child of God to prosper, which is that you believe what God has stated by acting in faith in giving to the work of the Gospel as we saw in the first part of this post.   Consequently, God would not suspend this condition because of your poverty. Rather, He expects that you would believe His Word and do exactly what it says to get the exact same result He has promised.   It is therefore inexcusable for any genuine Christian to claim poverty as a reason not to pay tithe – 10% of your income as a salary earner or 10% of your profit as a businessperson or 10% of mon...

  Proverbs 30:7-9 (AMPC) “ Two things have I asked of You [O Lord]; deny them not to me before I die:   8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,   9 Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the Name of my God.     Dear people of God, amongst several poor people are those who are outright dishonest and who try to justify their action with their poverty status.   Such people tell lies, cheat their employers or business partners, cheat their customers, steal even from their local church congregation all in a bid to raise money for their daily needs.   Unfortunately for such people, as far as God is concerned, poverty is not an excuse to be dishonest in anyway.   What God expects is for anyone who knows Him to call on Him in prayer to show him or her what to do to get out of poverty.   Take note that...