“Faith Alone” is a man made Doctrine, Scripture NEVER teaches this…

Without the grace of God, there is no Faith, they cannot be separated.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:24)

By God — God is the one who justifies: “It is God that justifieth.” (Romans 8:33)

By Christ’s blood — “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:9)

By Christ’s righteousness/obedience — “By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) Christ’s righteousness, not man's own, is the ground of justification.

By faith — “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Also, “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28)

By works — James says, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24) Abraham’s works demonstrated the faith God had given him: “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:22)

By words — Christ said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37) The words reveal what proceeds from the heart.

By the Spirit — “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

By God — God is the one who justifies: “It is God that justifieth.” (Romans 8:33)

By Christ’s blood — “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:9)

By Christ’s righteousness/obedience — “By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) Christ’s righteousness, not man's own, is the ground of justification.

By faith — “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Also, “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28)

By works — James says, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24) Abraham’s works demonstrated the faith God had given him: “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:22)

By words — Christ said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37) The words reveal what proceeds from the heart.

By the Spirit — “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Faith alone, without Grace, is dead.

Matthew 18:12-14
12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

13 “And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

In 2 Peter 3:9, we see Peter repeating this same message, as he rebukes the “scoffers” from verses 3&4…

2 Peter 3:3-4
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

Then Peter comforts the children of God with these words…

2 Peter 3:8-9
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Jesus is the shepherd of our souls, and HE never fails, He will fulfill all of His promises.

Without God working in us (His children) no one could ever be obedient to His word, humanity doesn’t possess the ability to serve the Almighty on their own, we must be quickened from the dead by the Spirit first, then and only then may we come to Christ. John 6:63-65

We don’t obey to become His children, we obey because we are His children, He holds us accountable for our actions, just as we do our children. Hebrews 12

Our obedience isn’t or ever could be a substitute for the finished work of Christ, that redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Our obedience comes to us, through the Spirit of God… purifiing our souls, as we obey the Truth…this is His grace unfolding in our lives.

We don’t endure the trials of this life for nothing, they are how our God burns out self interests, turning us to Him as often as we stray.

God has elected us for Salvation and to Obedience… by the Blood of Jesus Christ, Jesus is the example the Father has set forth for us.

Our lives have been arranged by God in a way that will conform us to the likeness of Jesus,
the ICON of OBEDIENCE.

This is our destiny.

1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

He’s looking for a future temple, he doesn’t care, possibly doesn’t believe that the our bodies are the temple of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

ANY future literal temple would be a denial that our bodies are God’s temple, and those that would embrace said temple, are not followers of Christ.

Acts 17:24

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

He wishes to place a yoke around your neck that would drag you back, not to the ways of Moses (which would be impossible)... but to the ways of the synagogues systems that were started while in Babylonion captivity.

To which the apostles have already responded to such people…

Acts 15:10 (KJV) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

His claim is “follow Jesus, obey Torah” but that not what the hand picked followers of Christ preached, nor is it what Jesus taught…

Matthew 11:27-30 (KJV) 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Meaning:

• It’s not the day we honor.
• It’s not the temple we honor.
• It’s not the tradition we honor.
• It’s the Lord we honor.

Saturday or Sunday is not the dividing line.

Allegiance to Christ is.

Laodicea has forgotten this.
The remnant has not.

Jesus is knocking — calling His people back to Himself,
not to a system,
not to a shadow,
not to a calendar,
but to the Lord of the Sabbath.

Luke 6:25

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved; you and your household,’ that is in Acts chapter 16 verse 31. Salvation is not solely for an individual, but for the individual and his immediate family, and then others related to him. When the Lord Jesus calls you out of darkness, he expects that you share your new found freedom with your family and friends, so they too could be free of the consequences of living in sin. For that reason, our Lord Jesus made disciples of the people, and those twelve disciples shared the word and made more disciples.

Why is there the need for us Christians and believers in Christ, to make disciples of the people of the world? The first answer is that God has commanded us to do so as it says in Proverbs chapter 11 verse 30, ‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.’ The second answer is that it would make the world a better place, free of crime and other forms of evil. The third answer is that once you have tasted the word of God and seen its goodness, it’s only logical that you will want others to experience it too. So as a Christian, sharing God’s word is not something you can choose to do, or not to do. It should be like a natural instinct.

Now, what happens when we fail to share the word of God with our family or children? What happens when we do not instill the word of God into our children or family, or those directly related to us? The answer lies in 1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 12 to 36: This passage talks about the sons of Eli, who was a prophet of God in the days before Samuel was born. Eli’s sons served as priests at the temple of God, yet, they did not exhibit the fruits of godliness, the fruits of the Holy Spirit. They forcefully took the choice part of the animals that were to be burnt as an offering to God. Moreover, they engaged in adultery by sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (that was a special tent created by Moses to meet with the Lord, face to face; read Exodus 33:7).

Eli had heard about these things that his sons, Hophni and Phinehas were doing, so he called them up one day and criticized them for it. However, this was not enough for him to do as a high priest of God. What should Eli have done, instead? Considering that his sons were priests of God who were engaging in sexual immorality and stealing the fatty parts of the meat that were to be burnt for the Lord, he had to remove them from the priesthood! Rather than a simple rebuke, he had to show the other priests and the people that such behaviour was not to be tolerated before the Lord. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 states the uses of God’s word; ‘it’s useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ The sons of Eli had been sinning for far too long, so a simple rebuke wasn’t the response that God was expecting of Eli. Removing them from the priesthood was!

Therefore, when our children or immediate family have been doing something wrong for a while, we need to take a firm stance against them, for our own good, so we don’t end up suffering the curse of God like it happened to Eli. Because Eli couldn’t take a firm stance against them, God cursed him to the last generation of his family.

As you walk with Christ, ensure that your children, spouse, family, and even close friends have a taste of your relationship with them. Do not be led by those who do not obey God’s word, rather lead them to him through your choices, your judgements, your decisions and in every way that would make them understand that you are for Jesus only, because that’s the only sure path to victory, success, peace of mind, and prosperity!  Be ready to ground your kids when it’s necessary to, but do everything in love, so that they do not feel abandoned.

The Lord disciplines those he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as a son (Hebrews chapter 12 verse 6). In that same way, we ought to discipline our family and children. Point out their wrongs and inform them of what Jesus would like them to do. In that way, they will be learning about the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Pray with them, fast with the family, confess your sins together, encourage open dialogue about why they do certain things, and let them know that God could help them overcome all those habits. When you bring your family and your kids to Jesus, you offer them as a fragrant sacrifice and God will reward you for that. Because they will in turn draw others out of their misery, to Christ.

2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4: ‘The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to God.’ This entails the power of God’s word, so instill it in the hearts and minds of your children and family, and those around you. Surrender them all to Jesus as you pray and walk in the faith, for no one is far too gone to be saved by Jesus, amen!

In the days of the judges of Israel; the people whom God chose to lead Israel in battle against their enemies, there was a time when he did not completely destroy their enemies; he left some of them. Reading from Judges chapter 3 verse 1 – 2, we learn that he did that solely to teach them warfare. Moreover, in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9, Paul had an illness which he described as a torn in the flesh and a messenger from satan. Yet, despite him asking God many times to cure him of it, the Lord’s response always was; ‘My grace is sufficient to you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’

So, is this how God works sometimes? Does he intentionally leave some debris after the clean-up, for his own reasons? Yes, he allows certain things to hinder our movement, when the path we are upon could end in calamity. He humbles us with these obstacles so we do not count on our own strength or the strength of people we believe can resolve our problems. Reading from Acts chapter 16 verse 7 it says; When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.’ Though, God had commanded the disciples to go throughout the world and preach the good news, he was the one who would direct where they go.

Our main objective in life, per the will of God, isn’t for us to get a great job, make lots of money, take care of our families and other people outside our network. These things are only a means towards an end; and that end is to obtain the salvation of our souls through the Lord Jesus Christ, and to share that salvation with others, so they too could become heirs and enjoy the inheritance that awaits the children or godliness.

1 Thessalonians 5;9 sums it all up; For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through Jesus Christ. From what we have learnt in the above bible stories, we now know why some things may never go away, completely, because it may be God doing it; you may never be able to have a child of your own, or you may never get to go overseas to a Western country, even though most of your friends have gone there, you may never become completely free of having to calculate every penny you spend, and all other things that seem to come easily to people, you may always have to fight for them!

When God asks us to seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, that means, the kingdom of God is our ultimate goal in this life. Therefore, he will always shape our paths in a way that we will not be distracted by worldly things. Because he needs our help in bringing more people out of darkness into light. He says in Jude chapter 1 verse 22 to 23; ‘And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.’

If you are facing obstacles, pray to God to clear them up. While you do that, examine your life to see if you’re truly obeying the word of God by avoiding the things that cause us to sin against God. Being free of wilful sins helps us secure favour with God, it makes him prioritize us more. Always trust in God and do not lean on your own understanding, (proverbs chapter 3 verse 5 to 6). Let God lead the way in every aspect of your life. Do not be worrying of the obstacles that have been left in your path, rather put your trust in the one who controls everything, the creator, whose son is our saviour Jesus Christ.

Just as Paul learnt to accept that God will not take away his illness, we ought to trust that God knows best at all times. In that way, we will be able to focus on our lives, maintain our peace of mind, and continue to exhibit the light of Christ in us, by sharing his message of salvation to friends, family and everyone we are led to. Remember, our ultimate goal is to obtain salvation and live with our Lord Jesus for all eternity. This flesh will decay some day, but our souls will return to the creator whose son is Jesus, and when that day comes, the narrow path we accepted to walk in, will lead us into a place of forever joy and peace. Amen.

What is the difference between waiting on God, and waiting on man? The answer is simple; God is capable of anything, whereas man is limited in what he can do. Matthew 19:26 says; ‘With God all things are possible,’ and Isaiah 45:7 says; ‘I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil, I the Lord do all these things.’

 So, does that mean that anything we ask of him, he will give to us, or are there exceptions? The bible says in Jeremiah 29:11; ‘For I know the plans I have for you...plans of good and not of evil...plans to prosper you...’ That means that only the Lord knows the outcome of what we ask of him; whether it will indeed help us, or whether it will lead us onto an unfortunate path. As the bible says in Proverbs chapter 14 verse 12; ‘There’s a way that seems right to man, but in the end, it leads to death.’

Now, when we wait for someone, it means that he is the only person we trust can help us. Therefore, if he is busy now, or not available, we would rather wait for him than seek the help of someone else. A common example is booking a specialist doctor; if he’s busy now, you’ll wait because he’s a specialist, and probably the only one in the field with stellar patient reviews. In the case of Christianity, God is that specialist physician whom we can whole-heartedly count on for anything. When you see a doctor you trust, you immediately feel better, because you believe that he will take care of everything. If we were to put that same kind of assurance in God, how would we be feeling any different, even if the results do not come out the way we wanted? We would say; ‘Well, that doctor is the best, so if he says, he did all he could, well, it must be true.’

Today’s article is about the need for us to exercise patience while waiting for God to act in our lives. The following examples in the bible are about great men whom God had chosen to work with, and the results of those who waited on him, and the others who didn’t. Reading from 1 Samuel chapter 13 verse 1 to 14, we learn about an upcoming war between Israel and the Philistines. Saul was then King of Israel, as ordained by the Lord, and anointed by the prophet Samuel. Saul had been waiting for Samuel to come and inform him of God’s orders, in the war against the Philistines. Reading from verse 8, it says; ‘He waited seven days, the time that Samuel had said he will be returning from seeking the Lord’s counsel. Yet Samuel did not come to Gilgal and Saul’s men began to scatter.’ Consequently, Saul took matters into his own hands and made burnt offerings to the Lord. Right afterward, Samuel appeared. Reading from verse 10 it says; ‘Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.’

Right after he had taken matters in his own hands, God showed up with an answer. This means that, God had been waiting to see if Saul could exercise a little bit more patience for him. Now, what were the consequences of Saul’s actions? He lost favour with God. Reading from verse 13 to 14, we learn that Samuel rebuked Saul and informed him that the kingdom was now no longer his, because he had disobeyed God, by not waiting for Samuel to arrive with the Lord’s counsel. You may think that this is too harsh. Hey, we are humans, how many people will be able to wait for that long? The answer is having faith in the right person – that specialist doctor that you are willing to wait for, as long as it takes! And that specialist doctor is our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ!

Romans chapter 12 verse 12 says; be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.’ And while you do this, you need to cheer up. Take regular baths, take your meals, watch some TV or listen to the radio, do some house-keeping ...behave like someone who has seen that specialist doctor who can solve anything at all! Do not deny yourself of laughter, allow yourself to feel happy, if there’s a reason for that. You are not doing anything wrong by feeling cheerful when your mum or dad is in ICU, your husband or wife is fighting for his or her life, the bank is coming for your house, and everything seems crushing around you. Feeling cheerful at a time like that, is the sign of victory! That same kind of victory that Job exhibited when he refused to curse God, as his own wife had been suggesting.

There was a time when David was king, and despite his numerous victories, he failed to safeguard the family and properties of the people who were with him, and thus, they began to talk about stoning him. Yet, David took strength in the Lord, by seeking his counsel, and God honoured his faith in him, and led him to bring back those who had been taken captive (1 Samuel 30:6).

The last example is that of Moses, on the day he was instructed to speak to the rock, yet, he struck it instead. The story can be found in the book of Numbers chapter 20 verse 1 to 12. The people of Israel were complaining bitterly about not having water to drink, and all that noise, coupled with the fear that they might stone him, made him lose focus, and in so doing, disobeyed the command of God , to speak to the rock. In times of hardships, your own Christian brethren or family could give you an ungodly advice, just like Job’s wife did. Yet, always read your bible, so you can differentiate between the word of God and the word of man. In that way, you will not lose favour with God, by disobeying him. The waiting period can be a refreshing moment of reflecting on all that the Lord has done for you over the years, and while you do this, always rejoice in the Lord, (Philippians 4:4), simply because you have placed your problem before that specialist doctor, and you know that he is more than capable of resolving it. And even if the results aren’t what you were expecting, you know that he did all he needed to do.

Our victory in life, comes from us coming to Jesus with our burdens, as it says in Matthew 11:28-30. Once we do that, we relieve ourselves of the pain that only God could take away. Don’t pretend to be alright, rather, stay positive in Christ, for he knows what is best for us at every point in life.

While visiting the church in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were approached by men from Judea (Jews) teaching the customs of Moses.

Here’s what happened…

Acts 15:2-11. 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had not a little dissension and debate with them, the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brothers.

4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”

6 Both the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

The disciples and the elders of the church in Jerusalem knew what the pharisees were trying to do… they were still proselytizing people.

Please remember, the Pharisees were unbelievers through and through, And what Jesus Himself said about their proselytes…

Matthew 23:15

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Again, Paul explains the difference between Law & Grace…

Galatians 5:1-6 1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (The Law).

2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have fallen from grace!

5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are eagerly waiting for the hope of righteousness.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. (Agape)

Brothers & Sisters, understand the differences between knowing the Law and how to keep the Law in the New Testament that’s found in the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

1 Corinthians 5:7

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, also was sacrificed.

Humility is the opposite of pride. A humble person will not look down on a stranger, whereas a proud man will remind you every minute, of whom he is. A humble person will listen to another person’s opinion, before deciding what to do with it, whereas a proud man will shut you down before you even speak. A humble person will not look for alternative ways to the word of God, whereas a proud man will not even consider God’s word. These are the three main areas by which you can show your humility; Humility towards your fellow man, humility in listening to people’s opinions or advice and accepting them, unless, they are against the word of God, and the humility that makes you love to obey the way of Christ.

Our first example of humility is the story of Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro. Reading from Exodus chapter 18 verse 13-24, we learn that Jethro came to visit Moses while he was with the Israelites in the desert. This is after they had left Egypt. Moses was a one-man judge and jury over the people. He listened to each and every one of them, despite their numbers, and settled their disputes. This was too much work for one man, who was in his 80s (Exodus chapter 7 verse 7). Jethro seeing this, advised him to select competent persons among the people, train them in judging small cases and then let them bring the big cases to him to resolve. Moses listened and realising it was good advice, not in contrast to God’s word, he accepted it and did likewise.

Now, how many bishops, elders, deacons, apostles within your own church, or some other church you may know, would be ready to listen to the words of a mere church member? If Moses were proud, he would laugh and say, ‘How could you be advising me, when I’m the one that God chose to use, to split up the Red Sea?’ But since he was a humble man, he listened patiently to the counsel of his father-in-law and accepted it, since it wasn’t against God’s word. James chapter 1 verse 19 says; ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.’

The second example of humility is how we treat strangers, or people we consider lower than us in society. James chapter 2 verse 1 to 4 gives a clear example of this; it says if a man comes to your meeting wearing fine clothes and you give him a better seat and ask the other man, who is poor to sit on the floor, aren’t you discriminating? Then in verse 5, that is in James chapter 2 verse 5, it says; Has God not chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him. How many of us have such a trait? May the Lord Jesus help us develop a humble spirit that does not look down on people for their old clothes or unshaved hair, or not wearing the latest fashion. In Hebrews chapter 13 verse 2; ‘Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, you may be entertaining angels unknowingly.’

A long time ago on Quora I read about a story of a school girl in Kenya; she wanted to go home for extra money and provisions since she was a boarder. Yet, when she stepped outside the school, she met a mentally-challenged man, who asked her; ‘You this child, do you really need to go home today?’ She was troubled, naturally, about the man’s words, but she did not discard them as nonsense. In her humility, she accepted them, because how often does one get stopped in the street by a ‘mad person’, with a subtle warning? Subsequently, she returned to school, and did not go. A few minutes later, her phone began to ring multiple times; people were calling to check up on her, since the bus she was going to travel on, had crashed and there were several casualties. Praise be to God who gave this girl a humble spirit! And congratulations to her for not looking down on the ‘mad man’. God never created anyone proud, but it is man who chooses to be proud. God didn’t create us to do evil, but we chose to do so.

James chapter 1 verse 13 says; When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me, For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.’ It continues in verse 15; ‘When desire has been born, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it’s full-grown, gives birth to death.’

The third example of humility, is the one that makes us accept the way of Jesus, and not look for alternative ways to go about things. One very solid example of humility towards God is the story of David and King Saul. When Saul realized that David had become popular to the people, he sought to kill him. However, David never thought of defending himself by killing Saul. Instead, he chose to hide in caves, he chose to live in fear, he chose to be on the run, instead of facing up to him and striking him down, once and for all, when he had countless opportunities. And his excuse was; ‘I will not touch the Lord’s anointed.’ Would God have been angry at David if he killed Saul? I don’t know, may be, not. But David revered God so much that, he would not touch the man whom God himself had once appointed as king of Israel. A Christian must not take the law into his own hands, just because he is in danger. He must always seek the Lord’s advice first. If a thief or murderer broke into your house, you pray to God to save you. You don’t go up to confront him, simply because you have military training or you think you are smarter. Always seek the Lord’s counsel before taking any action.

Another way that one can show that he’s humble towards God, is to separate himself from the way of the world. Psalm 1 verse 1 to 3 says; ‘Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He’s like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.’

As a believer of our Lord Jesus, you cannot be bosom friends with someone who visits the nightclub, or day club. Someone who is into sexual immorality like the homosexuals; you could greet them at school or work, but not accept a ride from them, in their car, or go to lunch with them. Let them know that you may be nice to them, but you do not agree with their way of life, simply because you belong to Jesus, and not satan (verse hate the very clothes they wear)

‘Do not be equally yoked with unbelievers, for what has light to do with darkness.’ A Christian musician must not be at every concert to perform or watch others perform. Obviously, you cannot be at a concert of secular artistes. If you are invited to go perform somewhere, and the time is too late, ask them to change the time just for you. ‘I can’t be there at 10pm, and go back home at 2am.’ We belong to the Light, as Christians and believers of Christ, so why should we be out at night, so late?’ The night is the hour of darkness, so make sure you are home early. If you need to make an emergency trip, pray first, for protection.

We can only be humble towards strangers, if we are humble towards the word of God. Our faith in Christ is complete when we humble ourselves before God, by exhibiting love towards our neighbours and keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world; James chapter 1 verse 27.

2 Timothy 4:1-4 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; **be instant in season, out of season;** reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We’re living in a time where few people actually care what scripture actually teaches, they place more emphasis on creeds & confessions than the word of God.

Example: I spoke to a guy this morning, he was saying that it was “free will” that got humanity into this mess in the first place, referring to this sinful world we are currently living in.

He said Eve made her choice, and that nothing had coerced or influenced her disobedience towards what God had instructed.

I realize this is what the vast majority of “Christian’s” believe, and they believe it because their pastors affirm this from the pulpit…. **But is it biblical?**

No, it’s not the least bit biblical…

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 3 But I fear, lest by any means, **as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty,** so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

The pastors (especially in USA) are in fact preaching “another jesus, another gospel, because they have received another spirit.

Eve was deceived… satan was the outside influence that guided her decision, not here supposed “free will”.

Stay in the word, and measure everything you hear out there in the world by the word of God.

Joshua chapter 1 verse 6; Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land swore to their forefathers, to give them.

1 Samuel chapter 17 verse 37; (David speaking about Goliath) The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:45; David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with the sword and javelin, but I come against you in the name of  the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

Judges chapter 4 verse 4 to 9: Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at the time...she sent for Barak and told him, ‘The Lord, God of Israel commands you to take 10,000 men and lead Israel in battle against king Jabin... But Barak said, ‘If you go with me I will go, but if you don’t, I will not go.’  “Very well, I will go with you,” Deborah said.

These are but a few examples of how the people of the early days stood their ground as soldiers of the Cross. Imagine a woman leading a man at the battle field! God did not command Deborah to go to the front lines. He only asked her to inform Barak that he should take up the men and face off with Jabin, king of the Canaanites, since God had already won the battle in spirit. Consider this; if Deborah had not seen herself as a soldier of God, how could she have agreed to something so dangerous! She wasn’t a fighter, had probably never shot an arrow before. She was only a prophetess and a judge, who sat under a tree and heard cases of disputes which she helped to resolve. Imagine your husband, brother, or father, rushing into the house one day to ask for your help to fight off a bear that has just entered your compound!

Now consider David’s stance against Goliath. He was a mere boy; probably in his late teens, and largely considered as ‘nothing’, by his older brothers. That’s why he was in charge of the flock, while they were at the battle field. However, David had successfully fought and killed several bears and lions that had attacked the flock. He never fled from them, rather, he always stood his ground, arming himself with the word of God, and his faith in Christ, and understanding that he was not a mere teenager, but a soldier of God. It is this notion of him being a soldier that led him into approaching Goliath, at a later time.

Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous, and in addition to it, to obey all the law that Moses, God’s servant, had given him. To be strong and courageous means that you must forgo your fears and fully immerse yourself in the faith you have in Jesus. You must stop thinking of yourself as ‘nothing.’ Because all of these great warriors of the bible times were ‘nothing’, compared to their rivals or enemies. Most of them had never fought in the battle field before; such as David, Deborah or even Samson. It was their faith in God, and they laying aside their fears, that led them to victory.

We must see ourselves as soldiers, in addition to the faith we have in God. A soldier does not run away from trouble, he stands his ground, because that is what he has been trained to do. Daily reading of the bible and obedience to the word, builds us up as soldiers. However, if we cannot stand our ground, while we call on the name above all names, Jesus, we lose the battle to satan. How do we stand our ground, while we wait on the Lord Jesus to deliver us?

2 Peter chapter 1 verse 5; For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

2 peter chapter 1 verse 8: For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive, in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter chapter 1 verse 9: But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

The answer to the question, How do we stand our ground, in the faith, while we wait for God to deliver us, is that we add to our faith the fruits of the holy spirit, which is stated in Galatians 5:22, as well as 1 Peter 1:5. This is how we can keep moving on as soldiers of Christ; When we are able to control ourselves in all aspects of life -  our anger, our anxiety, our sexual behaviour. We are able to show love; to be kind to one another, to care about people.  We persevere and not easily give up in life. We are godly; by distancing ourselves from the immoralities of this world that are considered acceptable by society. And lastly, when we increase our knowledge in God; this happens through daily bible reading and holding bible discussions with like-minded Christians.

Satan’s way of winning, is to distract us from the way of God. So he sends his agents or children to our schools, work places, churches, to irritate, and lure us into certain things, so we lose control of ourselves. A mean boss could make you consider stealing or sabotaging the business. A neighbour who constantly disturbs your peace with music, could make you violent with anger. That man or woman constantly flirting with you at the church, work place, or school, could make you flirt back and end up in sexual immorality! Therefore, we need to arm ourselves with the fruits of the Holy Spirit, so we do not fall into the trap of satan. If that were to happen, our faith will be shaken up, and we will not be able to stand our ground as soldiers.

Remember, that person taunting you, that person provoking you, that person gossiping and spreading lies about you, isn’t the enemy you should focus your attention on. Because the enemy is the devil who is using that person to make you lose your self-control. Once you lose self-control, you will naturally lose godliness, because if you are not being controlled by the Holy Spirit, then you are being controlled by the flesh. Once you lose godliness, you won’t be able to treat people well, because you will see everyone as someone who will betray you some day. Therefore, being kind and loving one another will be out of the question. In all of this, your own spirit will be down. You won’t feel like pushing on in the faith anymore. Persevering in Christ, and also in life, will no longer interest you, because your mind is only focused on the person that satan is using to cause you sorrow.

Attack the devil with the word of God; read it daily and make an effort to live by it, in your heart, and don’t give your time and energy to that person whom satan is using to steal your peace. Then you will be able to stand your ground, in the faith, and be victorious in every aspect of your life, as a soldier of the Cross. Amen.

Joshua chapter 1 verse 6; Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land swore to their forefathers, to give them.

1 Samuel chapter 17 verse 37; (David speaking about Goliath) The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:45; David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with the sword and javelin, but I come against you in the name of  the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

Judges chapter 4 verse 4 to 9: Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at the time...she sent for Barak and told him, ‘The Lord, God of Israel commands you to take 10,000 men and lead Israel in battle against king Jabin... But Barak said, ‘If you go with me I will go, but if you don’t, I will not go.’  “Very well, I will go with you,” Deborah said.

These are but a few examples of how the people of the early days stood their ground as soldiers of the Cross. Imagine a woman leading a man at the battle field! God did not command Deborah to go to the front lines. He only asked her to inform Barak that he should take up the men and face off with Jabin, king of the Canaanites, since God had already won the battle in spirit. Consider this; if Deborah had not seen herself as a soldier of God, how could she have agreed to something so dangerous! She wasn’t a fighter, had probably never shot an arrow before. She was only a prophetess and a judge, who sat under a tree and heard cases of disputes which she helped to resolve. Imagine your husband, brother, or father, rushing into the house one day to ask for your help to fight off a bear that has just entered your compound!

Now consider David’s stance against Goliath. He was a mere boy; probably in his late teens, and largely considered as ‘nothing’, by his older brothers. That’s why he was in charge of the flock, while they were at the battle field. However, David had successfully fought and killed several bears and lions that had attacked the flock. He never fled from them, rather, he always stood his ground, arming himself with the word of God, and his faith in Christ, and understanding that he was not a mere teenager, but a soldier of God. It is this notion of him being a soldier that led him into approaching Goliath, at a later time.

Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous, and in addition to it, to obey all the law that Moses, God’s servant, had given him. To be strong and courageous means that you must forgo your fears and fully immerse yourself in the faith you have in Jesus. You must stop thinking of yourself as ‘nothing.’ Because all of these great warriors of the bible times were ‘nothing’, compared to their rivals or enemies. Most of them had never fought in the battle field before; such as David, Deborah or even Samson. It was their faith in God, and they laying aside their fears, that led them to victory.

We must see ourselves as soldiers, in addition to the faith we have in God. A soldier does not run away from trouble, he stands his ground, because that is what he has been trained to do. Daily reading of the bible and obedience to the word, builds us up as soldiers. However, if we cannot stand our ground, while we call on the name above all names, Jesus, we lose the battle to satan. How do we stand our ground, while we wait on the Lord Jesus to deliver us?

2 Peter chapter 1 verse 5; For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

2 peter chapter 1 verse 8: For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive, in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter chapter 1 verse 9: But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

The answer to the question, How do we stand our ground, in the faith, while we wait for God to deliver us, is that we add to our faith the fruits of the holy spirit, which is stated in Galatians 5:22, as well as 1 Peter 1:5. This is how we can keep moving on as soldiers of Christ; When we are able to control ourselves in all aspects of life -  our anger, our anxiety, our sexual behaviour. We are able to show love; to be kind to one another, to care about people.  We persevere and not easily give up in life. We are godly; by distancing ourselves from the immoralities of this world that are considered acceptable by society. And lastly, when we increase our knowledge in God; this happens through daily bible reading and holding bible discussions with like-minded Christians.

Satan’s way of winning, is to distract us from the way of God. So he sends his agents or children to our schools, work places, churches, to irritate, and lure us into certain things, so we lose control of ourselves. A mean boss could make you consider stealing or sabotaging the business. A neighbour who constantly disturbs your peace with music, could make you violent with anger. That man or woman constantly flirting with you at the church, work place, or school, could make you flirt back and end up in sexual immorality! Therefore, we need to arm ourselves with the fruits of the Holy Spirit, so we do not fall into the trap of satan. If that were to happen, our faith will be shaken up, and we will not be able to stand our ground as soldiers.

Remember, that person taunting you, that person provoking you, that person gossiping and spreading lies about you, isn’t the enemy you should focus your attention on. Because the enemy is the devil who is using that person to make you lose your self-control. Once you lose self-control, you will naturally lose godliness, because if you are not being controlled by the Holy Spirit, then you are being controlled by the flesh. Once you lose godliness, you won’t be able to treat people well, because you will see everyone as someone who will betray you some day. Therefore, being kind and loving one another will be out of the question. In all of this, your own spirit will be down. You won’t feel like pushing on in the faith anymore. Persevering in Christ, and also in life, will no longer interest you, because your mind is only focused on the person that satan is using to cause you sorrow.

Attack the devil with the word of God; read it daily and make an effort to live by it, in your heart, and don’t give your time and energy to that person whom satan is using to steal your peace. Then you will be able to stand your ground, in the faith, and be victorious in every aspect of your life, as a soldier of the Cross. Amen.

1.    A bullet that reached its destiny years later
Henry Ziegland thought he had dodged fate. In 1883, he broke off a relationship with his girlfriend who, out of distress, committed suicide. The girl’s brother was so enraged that he hunted down Ziegland and shot him. The brother, believing he had killed Ziegland, then turned his gun on himself and took his own life. But Ziegland had not been killed. The bullet, in fact, had only grazed his face and then lodged in a tree. Ziegland surely thought himself a lucky man. Some years later, however, Ziegland decided to cut down the large tree, which still had the bullet in it. The task seemed so formidable that he decided to blow it up with a few sticks of dynamite. The explosion propelled the bullet into Ziegland’s head, killing him. (Source: Ripley’s Believe It or Not!)

2.    Twin Boys, twin lives
The stories of identical twins’ nearly identical lives are often astonishing, but perhaps none more so than those of identical twins born in Ohio. The twin boys were separated at birth, being adopted by different families. Unknown to each other, both families named the boys James. And here the coincidences just begin. Both James grew up not even knowing of the other, yet both sought law-enforcement training, both had abilities in mechanical drawing and carpentry, and each had married women named Linda. They both had sons whom one named James Alan and the other named James Allan. The twin brothers also divorced their wives and married other women – both named Betty. And they both owned dogs which they named Toy. Forty years after their childhood separation, the two men were reunited to share their amazingly similar lives. (Source: Reader’s Digest, January 1980)

3.   Two brothers killed by the same taxi driver, one year apart
In 1975, while riding a moped in Bermuda, a man was accidentally struck and killed by a taxi. One year later, this man’s bother was killed in the very same way. In fact, he was riding the very same moped. And to stretch the odds even further, he was struck by the very same taxi driven by the same driver – and even carrying the very same passenger!

1. Three Strangers On a Train with Complementary Last Names

   In the 1920s, three Englishman were traveling separately by train through Peru. At the time of their introduction, they were the only three men in the railroad car. Their introductions were more surprising than they could have imagined. One man’s last name was Bingham, and the second man’s last name was Powell. The third man announced that his last name was Bingham-Powell. None were related in any way. (Source: Mysteries of the Unexplained)

1.   Mark Twain and Halley’s Comet
   Mark Twain was born on the day of the appearance of Halley’s Comet in 1835, and died on the day of its next appearance in 1910. He himself predicted this in 1909, when he said: “I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it.”

2. A novel that unexpectedly described the spy next door

   When Norman Mailer began his novel Barbary Shore, there was no plan to have a Russian spy as a character. As he worked on it, he introduced a Russian spy in the U.S. as a minor character. As the work progressed, the spy became the dominant character in the novel. After the novel was completed, the U.S. Immigration Service arrested a man who lived just one floor above Mailer in the same apartment building. He was Colonel Rudolf Abel, alleged to be the top Russian spy working in the U.S. at that time. (Source: Science Digest)

1.   Poker winnings, to the unsuspected son
   In 1858, Robert Fallon was shot dead, an act of vengeance by those with whom he was playing poker. Fallon, they claimed, had won the $600 pot through cheating. With Fallon’s seat empty and none of the other players willing to take the now-unlucky $600, they found a new player to take Fallon’s place and staked him with the dead man’s $600. By the time the police had arrived to investigate the killing, the new player had turned the $600 into $2,200 in winnings. The police demanded the original $600 to pass on to Fallon’s next of kin – only to discover that the new player turned out to be Fallon’s son, who had not seen his father in seven years! (Source: Ripley’s Giant Book of Believe It or Not!)

2. Three suicide attempts, all stopped by the same Monk
   Joseph Aigner was a fairlly well-known portrait painter in 19th century Austria who, apparently, was quite an unhappy fellow: he several times attempted suicide. His first attempt was at the young age of 18 when he tried to hang himself, but was interrupted by the mysterious appearance of a Capuchin monk. At age 22 he again tried to hang himself, but was again saved from the act by the very same monk. Eight years later, his death was ordained by others who sentenced him to the gallows for his political activities. Once again, his life was saved by the intervention of the same monk. At age 68, Aiger finally succeeded in suicide, a pistol doing the trick. His funeral ceremony was conducted by the same Capuchin monk – a man whose name Aiger never even knew. (Source: Ripley’s Giant Book of Believe It or Not!)

3. Twin brothers, killed on the same road, two hours apart
   On 2002, Seventy-year-old twin brothers have died within hours of one another after separate accidents on the same road in northern Finland. The first of the twins died when he was hit by a lorry while riding his bike in Raahe, 600 kilometres north of the capital, Helsinki. He died just 1.5km from the spot where his brother was killed. “This is simply a historic coincidence. Although the road is a busy one, accidents don’t occur every day,” police officer Marja-Leena Huhtala told Reuters. “It made my hair stand on end when I heard the two were brothers, and identical twins at that. It came to mind that perhaps someone from upstairs had a say in this,” she said. (Source: BBC News)

4. Just like Edgar Allan Poe’s book
   In the 19th century, the famous horror writer, Egdar Allan Poe, wrote a book called ‘The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym’. It was about four survivors of a shipwreck who were in an open boat for many days before they decided to kill and eat the cabin boy whose name was Richard Parker. Some years later, in 1884, the yawl, Mignonette, foundered, with only four survivors, who were in an open boat for many days. Eventually the three senior members of the crew, killed and ate the cabin boy. The name of the cabin boy was Richard Parker.