Is it Christ or our denominations?

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1 Cor 1:23-24 (KJV)

Have you wondered why it is difficult to see in our churches what the apostles saw after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus? Have you wondered why transformed lives are rare to find among those who respond to our messages?
If we want to experience what the apostles experienced, we must sit back and ask ourselves, what is it that they did that we are not doing? And what is it that they did not do that we have immersed ourselves in today?

Everything we do is supposed to revolve around Christ. Our lives are to revolve around Christ. He is the One that God has given to be our Signpost and Landmark in this race of life. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We look up to Him as our example. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…” Heb. 12: 2. We are to fix our eyes on Him as the Author, Pioneer, Leader, Instructor, Finisher and Perfecter of our faith. He has left for us an example and Peter admonishes us to follow in His steps. (1 Pet.2: 21). God is raising a people that will conform to the image of His own Son and He has made Him the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom.8: 29). He is the One we are to emulate and not any person else. At the end, our lives will be measured by how we conformed to Christ. Today there are many ‘heroes’ and ‘untouchables’ in many denominations that members are focused upon as examples. They stand and speak as if they are gods which are above human laws and scrutiny. Actually, everything centers around them. The denominational barriers do not allow members to interact with other members of the body of Christ. The ‘sheep’ belong to them. The church ‘fishes’ are all theirs for exploit. Indeed, they are the center of attraction. But that is not the way God planned it to be. He planned it that Christ will be the center of whatever we do in our churches and our lives must revolve around Him.

Not just our lives, but also our message and preaching must center on Christ. God has not left us here to preach any pastor or overseer, no matter how ‘powerful’ or ‘holy’ that man may be. The existence of denominations means that we will always have different understandings on some issues. However, the central and common focus must be Christ. The apostles preached Christ. What do we preach today? Saul, immediately after his conversion in Damascus preached Christ in the synagogues (Acts 9: 20). From our text above, we see that Paul and his team preached Christ. When persecution scattered the disciples, Philip went to Samaria and preached Christ (Acts 8: 5). We saw the result of such preaching in verses 7 – 8. There are some people that their message is, “which church do you attend?”, “come to my church, my pastor is very powerful”, “if you come to our church, all your problems will be over” etc. There are some churches that if anything happen to their pastor or overseer today, everything will collapse. We preach men of God. We preach our denominations as the best. We preach everything except Christ. We invite people to the pastor instead of inviting them to Christ. We present our churches instead of presenting Christ who alone can save. He is the power of God and the wisdom of God. The message around Christ is simple and not confusing but the teachings around any other thing or person in the church can lead astray and focus people wrongly, oftentimes throughout their lifetime. It is only the Word of God that brings eternal results.

Inasmuch as our lives and messages must revolve around Christ, our service and the motive of our ministries are to revolve around Christ also. It is true that several people answer Christians for many reasons, also, many people serve God in churches for many reasons. Of course, if the pastor of a church is serving God for the wrong reason, most likely, the members of the church will also have wrong motives for serving God. A man sometime ago wrote a book, “The man God uses”; but today we want to serve the god man uses – a god man can direct at his own will to solve his problems and accomplish his lusts. A Christo-centric service is one that is done ultimately to bring glory to Christ and to bring about God’s purpose in Christ to come to pass.

There are many reasons why everything about us must revolve around Christ. All human systems will one day collapse and they cannot stand the test of time but one built around Christ will last forever. When Christ is not the center, people will have wrong focus. They will have their focus on something else apart from Christ. When Christ is not the center, people will spend their lifetime serving the denominational organization without serving Christ. May we not wake up one day in eternity and suddenly discover that we have wasted our lives here on earth serving and protecting our denominations without serving God’s purpose. It’s all about Christ and not about our denominations!

The Prosperity Non-sense

God is a good God and blesses His children with every good gift according to His discretion. However, there is madness all around us today whereby prosperity is preached as if it is the beginning and the end of the gospel of Jesus. People fail to realize that the Old Testament has to be understood and interpreted through the eyes of the New Testament. In the OT, God focused on an earthly inheritance for the nation of Israel - Canaan. But in the New Testament, the emphasis is on spiritual inheritance - heaven. Jesus talked about '...in my Father's house are many mansions...' John 14:1-4. Paul wrote to Timothy '...I have ran the race, I have kept the faith. It now remains the crown of life which God has prepared for me and for all those that love Him...' (paraphrased)
Hence, in the list of the people of faith in Heb 11, after listing those that received miracles, down from vs 38, there began another list of those that were persecuted and killed. Yet the Bible declares, "..All these died in the faith..."
Why are we doing this injustice to the cause of Christ and presenting Christianity as if it only has promise for this life alone? Why are we being this unfaithful to the Word of God? Why are we presenting Jesus as if He died just to give us bread and wine for our pleasure? Why are we being this unfaithful to our brethren who are suffering persecution for their faith as if they are stupid and have a faith that does not work?
The 'health and wealth gospel' is a half-baked gospel full of confusion and lies that will only succeed in tying the souls of men down to the affairs of this life. May God deliver us from this non-sense.

A celebration of life: Glenn Penner passes on to glory

I have read materials from this great man of God and his balanced views on persecution and Christian suffering for some years now since I came in contact with The Voice of the Martyrs. His ministry was like swimming against the tide.
In a generation where suffering is viewed as ungodly and Christians are pressured to pursue the world and its pleasures. Glenn tried to present the Scriptures, the way it is. Indeed, thank God for his life.
May God help us to finish strong also.

The report is here.

Please pray. These persecutions are real.

Many of us that live in places where there are no much religious crises may not understand what these brethren are going through. But put yourself in their shoes for once and please pray!

Seven people killed in Egypt

At least seven people were killed in the town of Nag Hamadi in Quena province, Egypt on January 6 when gunmen opened fire on churchgoers exiting a Christmas Eve midnight mass service. Christian Copts in Egypt observe Christmas on January 7. At least nine people were also injured in the attack, three of whom are in critical condition. The shooting was reportedly in retaliation for the alleged rape of a Muslim girl by a Christian man, which sparked violence in November (click here for the story). The lead shooter has allegedly been identified but at last report had not been arrested. (Sources: AP, AFP)

Pray for peace and stability in this area. Pray that Christians will respond to this violence with Christ-like love. Ask God to comfort those mourning the loss of loved ones. Pray for healing for those injured.

For more on Egypt's suffering Christians, click here.

Also in Nigeria:
More violence have continued after some moslems attacked Christians as they were coming out of the Church after a church service. Just look at this story here. And here.

Please let continue to pray for the families of those who lost thier lives and fast recovery of those injured.

He cares! He loves you!

Are you sick and discouraged, weak and weary, facing trials and trouble that seem more than you can bear? Then remember these 5 glorious facts from Mal.3:3

“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness”. (KJV)

1. HE CARES – You are precious to Him “as silver and gold”
2. HE CLEANSES – The fire purifies and “purges them”
3. HE CONTROLS – Yes, the fire is under control. “He shall sit as a refiner”
4. HE COMFORTS – He’s with you in the fire. “And He shall sit” by the fire.
5. HE KNOWS – Be assured He knows when the work is done. He looks for His image. Climb upon the pinnacle of faith with Job and cry, “when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold”


It’s easy to trust God when there is no trouble, but it is more needful when trouble comes.

I just got these from some notes I made sometime ago either listening to a message or reading a book but I feel it's going to be a blessing to you. Face the year with faith in God that, "He who began the good wok in you will finish it" Phil.1:6. God bless!

New Book: The New Birth

Download now

This is a book I just finished putting a final touch to it and it is up for free download. I only request that if you use it on a website, please link back to this site. If you want to print it anywhere for distribution, please write me for permission.

Preview:
"Jesus Christ told Nicodemus, who came to him in the night, that he must be born a second time. The Jewish leader was confused, just as many are still confused today. He began to ask questions trying to understand the meaning of being born again after the first natural birth. What made it a very serious matter was because the Lord Jesus gave it as the only condition for both seeing and entering the kingdom of God. If you are not born a second time, you cannot see or enter the kingdom of God."

What happens when we receive the New Birth?
We are made alive
All our sins are forgiven
We have salvation and assurance of eternal life
We have Victory over our old sinful lifestyle.
Joy and peace of God
Members of God’s family
We have safety from the attacks of Satan and his followers

"There are two types of decisions – positive and negative decisions. There are no middle lines. Procrastination means that you are still in your sinful condition and not yet ready to get born again. You can either accept the new life that Jesus Christ offers to you free of charge now or you reject it. Each of the decisions has its implications and consequences. God loves you and wants you to choose life and live. We live with the choices we make in life. This choice however is for eternity and you cannot have the opportunity to change it once you die."

Download now

There are somethings we will understand only when we meet Him.

Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly;
Shall God unroll the cancas
And explain the reason WHY.
The dark threads are as needful,
In the Weaver's skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned. ----Selected

No matter what is your experience, you can trust the heart of the Master. He knows what He is doing in your life and He cares for you! He has not promised to give every explanation down here. Oftentimes, I think that even if God begins to explain some things to us, we may not have the capacity to understand.
However, bye and bye, we will understand when we meet Him. Cheers and welcome to AD2010.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

It has been an eventful year.

This is to wish all that often visit this site a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year! 2010 will be better than 2009 and we are going to remain watchful as events of the end times unfold.
May we continue to be ready for His coming.

Appeal from Archbishop of Sudan to Governments and others following recent atrocities

APPEAL regarding the recent atrocities in Jonglei and Western Equatoria States

On Saturday 29th August 2009 I received reports from Wernyol, Twic East County, Jonglei State, that there had been another attack on the peoples of the area in which over forty people – men, women and children – were killed. Amongst the dead were Ven. Joseph Mabior Garang, Archdeacon of Wernyol and Archbishop’s Commissary in the new Diocese of Twic East, who was shot at the altar of the church in Wernyol during a service of Morning Prayer. Tens of others have been wounded, some very seriously with gun-shot wounds and broken limbs. Only a few of these have been taken to Juba Military Hospital, whilst the rest are still in Bor Hospital.

I have leant from Episcopal Church sources on the ground that the attackers were well armed with new automatic weapons, dressed in army uniforms, and appeared well-organized and properly trained. Instead of attacking a cattle camp, this was an attack on a Payam headquarter town. Consequently in the view of the Church, this was not a tribal conflict as commonly reported, but a deliberately organized attack on civilians by those that are against the peace in Southern Sudan. These reports confirm the suspicions that I aired in my May 2009 appeal to the diplomatic and international community in Sudan.

Last week I received the news from Ezo, Ezo County, Western Equatoria State, that there had been another devastating attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) on Ezo town on 12th/13th August in which three people, including an Episcopal Church lay reader had been murdered. The attack included the abduction of children from the Episcopal church building in Ezo, and several thousand more people have been displaced into Ezo town – people that the local churches are struggling to care for. Ezo Hospital was also attacked, medicine stolen and equipment destroyed.

I hear from Bishop John Zawo of the Episcopal Diocese of Ezo that the attack could have been avoided if better military security had been given to the town.

I am therefore appealing to the government and the international community at large to act swiftly in order to prevent such atrocities from occurring in future. Continuing violence such as this is not only a crime against the innocent people killed and injured, it is a crime against the peace of the Sudan and if left unchecked will do great damage to the smooth implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Brethren we need to pray for missions in Sudan. May God help us to wake up to our responsibilities. When many are suffering and are in need of basic provisions, others are exploiting the church members so as to purchase unnecessary 4-Way Drive jeeps just for enjoyment.

Funds for the 39,000 displaced persons and the bereaved family of Archdeacon Garang may be sent to Anglican Mainstream (for AID – Sudan) 21 High Street, Eynsham, OX29 4HE UK or donated through the paypal link on Anglican Mainstream website. All funds will be sent directly through with no deductions.

Read more here.

Pastors beheaded in Borno state, Nigeria

Twelve Christians were killed, including three pastors, in northern Nigeria after members of the Islamic militant group Boko Haram launched attacks on police and government bases on July 26. The violence, which began in Bauchi state, spread to the states of Borno, Kano and Yobe. Churches were set ablaze and several people were abducted, including Christians. Many believers were threatened with death if they refused to convert to Islam. According to an August 6 report from The Daily Sun, three pastors -- Pastor Sabo Yukubu, Pastor Sylvester Akpan and Pastor George Orji -- were brutally beheaded by assailants who were reportedly acting on the instruction of the militant group's leader, Mohammed Yusuf, who was later killed by authorities. The militants attempted to force the pastors to convert to Islam, but they refused to abandon their faith. They were then beheaded by guards who shouted "Allah Akbar" and fired several gunshots into the air in celebration.

Pray that God will comfort the families of those killed in these attacks. Pray that the peace of Christ will rule the hearts and minds of Nigerian Christians in the face of ongoing threats and danger (Philippians 4:7).

To find out more about how Christians suffer in Nigeria, click here.

APPEAL FOR TESO SUB-REGION: DIOCESE OF UGANDA

The Archbishop of Uganda’s secretary for International Relations writes:

"Uganda is experiencing serious drought and famine in northeastern, northern, and northwestern Uganda. People have now started to die. The government says it can handle the situation, but that’s what the government is supposed to say. And, if they could handle the situation, people should not have already started to die.

We are seeking for funds for emergency relief for famine victims in Uganda. The hardest hit area is the Teso sub-region (Soroti, Kumi areas, if you’re looking at a map) in eastern Uganda.

Please click here to support!

At last Episcopal Church in America passes resolution D025 and C056

Just read down. Homosexuality has been officialy accepted as a way of life for ECUSA.
D025: Both gays and lesbians can now be leaders and be ordained into the orders of Deacon, Priest and Bishops. This was done without any recourse to all the concerns the other members of the Anglican Communion have been expresing over the years.

C056: The Book of Common prayer is going to be revised to include "theological resources and liturgies of blessing for same-gender holy unions". This will likely be accomplished in the next two years.

It is most likely that very soon, persecution of the faithful will start. Let he that is faithful continue to be faithful still.

Read all here.

Five Iranian Christians arrested

Five Iranian Christians arrested

Photo from Release International
On May 21, Iranian security officers invaded a house church in the city of Karaj and arrested five newly converted Christians gathered for worship and Bible study, according to a May 25 report from Farsi Christian News Network. The house was searched without court authorization and several Bibles were confiscated. The five believers, including the owner of the home, were handcuffed and had been taken to an unknown location at last report.

Pray for the release of these Christians. Ask God to strengthen Iranian believers to continue honouring Him despite pressure and opposition from authorities.

Learn more about persecuted Christians in Iran.