THE MESSIAH'S MISSION - Nuggets from Isaiah 61:1

THE MESSIAH'S MISSION

(Nuggets from Isaiah 61:1)

This scripture highlights the CHRIST’S MISSION as He proclaims His first and second coming. This is buttressed in Luke 4:16-21.

The anointing of JESUS CHRIST referred to in this verse was the SANCTIFICATION of His human nature by the HOLY SPIRIT which commenced in the womb of His mother, the BLESSED VIRGIN, Mary. (Luke 1:35). This SANCTIFICATION continued as He grew to manhood (Luke 2:40,52), and was openly MANIFESTED at His BAPTISM, and never ceased till He took His GLORIFIED BODY and SOUL to Heaven.

 Our Lord Jesus Himself, who read this in the synagogue at Nazareth (perhaps it was the lesson for the day) and applied it entirely to Himself, saying, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (Luke 4:17,18,21), and the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth, in the opening of this text, were admired by all that heard them.

As Isaiah was authorized and directed to proclaim liberty to the Jews in Babylon, so was Christ, God's messenger, to publish a more joyful JUBILEE to a lost world, and here we are told,

I. How he was FITTED and QUALIFIED for this work: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me”, Isaiah 61:1. The prophets had the Spirit of God moving them at times, both instructing them what to say and exciting them to say it. Jesus Christ had the Spirit always resting on Him without measure, as a Spirit of counsel and a Spirit of courage, Isaiah 11:1-3. When He entered upon the execution of his prophetical office the Spirit, as a dove, descended upon him, Matthew 3:16. This Spirit which was upon Him was TRANSFERRED to those whom He sent to proclaim the same glad tidings, saying to them, when Je gave them the GREAT COMMISSION, “Receive you the Holy Ghost”, thereby ratifying it.

 

II. How he was APPOINTED and ORDAINED to it: “The Spirit of God is upon me, because the Lord God has anointed me”. For the service God called Him to, He furnished Him adequately, by giving Him His Spirit, because He had by a SACRED and SOLEMN unction set Him apart to this great office, as kings and priests were of old destined to their offices by anointing. Hence, the Redeemer was called the Messiah, the Christ, because He was anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. Our Lord Jesus did not go unsent. He had a commission from Him that is the FOUNTAIN OF POWER. God the Father sent Him and gave Him His DIVINE BACKING. This is a great satisfaction to mankind, that, whatever Christ said, He had a WARRANT from HEAVEN, for His doctrine was not His, but His that sent Him.

III. THE NATURE and SCOPE OF THE WORK to which he was APPOINTED and ORDAINED:

1. He was to be a PREACHER, and EXECUTE the office of a PROPHET. So well pleased was He with the good-will God showed towards men through Him that He would Himself be the preacher of it, that an honor might thereby be put upon the ministry of the gospel and the faith of the saints might be confirmed and encouraged.

He must preach good tidings to the meek, to the penitent, and humble, and poor in spirit to them the tidings of a Redeemer will be indeed good tidings, pure gospel, faithful sayings, and worthy of all acceptation. The poor in Spirit are commonly best disposed to receive the gospel (James 2:5), and it is usually profitable when it is received with meekness, as it ought to be.

2. He was to be a HEALER. He was sent to bind up the brokenhearted, as pained limbs are rolled to give them ease, as broken bones and bleeding wounds are bound up, that they may knit and close again. Those whose hearts are broken for sin, who are truly humbled under the sense of guilt and dread of wrath, are furnished in the gospel of Christ with that which will make them easy and silence their fears. Those only who have experienced the pains of a penitential contrition may expect the pleasure of divine cordial relationship with God, and total consolation.

3. He was to be a DELIVERER. He was sent as a PROPHET to PREACH, as a PRIEST to HEAL, and as a KING to ISSUE out PROCLAMATIONS of two kinds:

(1) Proclamations of PEACE to his FRIENDS: He shall proclaim liberty to the captives (as Cyrus did to the Jews in captivity) and the opening of the prison to those that were bound. Whereas, by the guilt of sin, we are bound over to the justice of God, and His lawful captives, sold for sin till payment be made of that great debt, Christ lets us know that He has made satisfaction to divine justice for that debt, that His satisfaction is accepted, and if we will plead that, and depend upon it, and hand over ourselves and all we have to him, in a grateful sense of the kindness He has shown us, there shall be no condemnation to us, and whereas, by the dominion of sin in us, we were bound under the power of Satan, and sold under sin, Christ lets us know that he has conquered Satan, destroyed him that had the power of death and his works, and provided for us grace sufficient to enable us to shake off the yoke of sin and to loose ourselves from those bands of our neck. 

The Son is ready by his Spirit to make us free and then we shall be free indeed, not only discharged from the miseries of captivity, but qualified to access all the immunity and dignity as citizens of Heaven. This is the gospel proclamation, and it is like the blowing of the jubilee trumpet, which proclaimed the great year of release (Leviticus 25:9,40), in allusion to which it is here called the acceptable year of the Lord, the time of our acceptance with God, which is the origin of our liberties. It is called the year of the Lord because it publishes His FREE GRACE to His own glory, and an acceptable year because it brings glad tidings to us.

(2) Proclamations of WAR AGAINST HIS ENEMIES. Christ proclaims the day of vengeance of our God, the vengeance He takes,

[a] On sin and satan, death and hell, and all the powers of darkness, that were to be destroyed. In order to secure your deliverance, Christ triumphed over these at the cross, having spoiled and weakened them, shamed them, and made a show of them openly, therein taking vengeance on them for all the injury they had done to man, (Colossians 2:15)

[b] On sons and daughters of men who OPPOSE THE GOSPEL and stand as obstacles, preventing sinners from receiving His offer of SALVATION.

THE MESSIAH’S MISSION was such an ALL-INCLUSIVE one, BRINGING RELIEF TO A DOOMED WORLD, and RESTORING HOPE TO A LOST HUMAN RACE. 

THANK GOD FOR CALVARY ✝️

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE

DAY 333 OF 365 🔥

📹 THE MESSIAH'S MISSION 

ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN CHRIST’S LOVE - Nuggets from Ephesians 3:17B - 19

 

ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN CHRIST’S LOVE

(Nuggets from Ephesians 3:17B-19)

 “That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17B-19 KJV)

Pause for a moment.

Read in between the lines to understand the kind of LOVE Apostle Paul was wrote about through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is more than a prayer, it is a passionate heart cry, coming from a man who was injurious, a persecutor of Christians who masterminded the killing of Stephen.

If SALVATION was based on merit or moral assessment, Saul of Tarsus, turned Apostle Paul, would not be qualified at all because of the kind of hatred he had for the church before his encounter with Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus.

It was this UNCONDITIONAL LOVE that led to the CONVICTION and SALVATION of Apostle Paul, He knew where God picked him from and he took the mandate of Apostleship in the new testament and ran with it.

He was not talking about a cute, TikTok-filter love. He was talking about a LOVE so BOUNDLESS, so MASSIVE, so UNTAMED that it has FOUR DIMENSIONS and still cannot be measured.

BREADTH; WIDE ENOUGH to hug every tribe, tongue, gangster, prostitute, Pharisee, billionaire, and broke college kid at the same time.

LENGTH; LONG ENOUGH to have reached reach you before you were born, stretched out for you and spanning right into eternity.

DEPTH; DEEP ENOUGH to dive into your worst mess, your secret shame, your hidden folders, and still call you “BELOVED.”

HEIGHT; HIGH ENOUGH to snatch you out of the gutter and position you to sit with Christ in heavenly places right now.

This LOVE doesn’t FLIRT; It is RESPONSIBLE.

This LOVE isn’t SENSUAL, it is SACRIFICIAL

This LOVE SURPASSES EVERY FORM OF KNOWLEDGE.

No PhD, intellectual prowess or expertise will ever come close.

You can never out-sin the reach of this LOVE, and you can never out-smart the grip of this LOVE.

Most Christians live like spiritual orphans fighting for crumbs when we have a GOD who owns the ENTIRE UNIVERSE, all planets and galaxies. We beg for PEACE while we are co-heirs with the PRINCE OF PEACE. We have standing provisions already put in place yet, we seem to be at the mercy of the devil.

Paul says the only way to survive this TSUNAMI of IGNORANCE is to be ROOTED and GROUNDED.

Prophet Hosea said that “God’s people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge. Ignorance has proven to be the bane of the masses.

Ignorance is the main reason God’s children are unable to appropriate His promises and harness His riches in GLORY by Christ Jesus. Man, originally was not worthy or qualified for God’s mercy by virtue of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but God in His magnanimity showed us MERCY and offered His son as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of MANKIND.

This LOVE doesn’t care what your past looks like, if only you are willing to own up in all sincerity, acknowledge your wrong doings, and repent from ALL YOUR SINS.

THIS LOVE IS MATCHLESS AND SECOND TO NONE.

ROOTED; like an ancient oak that laughs at hurricanes. “Blessed is the man that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither…” (Psalm 1:3). Storms will come, Friends will betray, ACQUAINTANCES will fail, but when your roots are wrapped around Christ’s love, you will NOT be moved.

Those who put their trust in God are like Mount Zion that can NEVER be removed.

GROUNDED; The higher God takes you, the deeper this love anchors you. Fame can’t make you proud. Failure can’t make you quit, because your foundation is the cross, and you are anchored in Jesus.

Nothing shakes a soul anchored in Calvary’s love.

When you finally grasp even an infinitesimal part of this love, something fantastic happens: You get “filled with all the fulness of God.” Not a sprinkle; Not a season; ALL. The same power that spoke the galaxies into being now vibrates in your chest. The same glory that made Moses’ face glow now radiates all over you.

That’s why demons flee when you walk in the room. That’s why depression loses its grip when you start praising. That’s why dead dreams resurrect when you whisper His name.

But here’s the part that people barely talk about: You will never know this love if you neglect Jesus to chase counterfeit love.

You can’t comprehend the height of this LOVE while addicted to the depths of porn. You can’t feel the breadth of this LOVE while hating your neighbor. You can’t touch the length of this LOVE while living for temporary highs and seeking the validation and affection of mortal men.

Repentance isn’t a punishment; it’s oxygen. It’s coming up from the mud so the Son can plant you by the river side.

So, right now, wherever you are, pray this prayer out loud:

“Father, DOWSE me with your LOVE, show me the BREADTH; forgive my PRIDE and PREJUDICE. Show me the LENGTH; kill my fear of tomorrow, show me the DEPTH; HEAL every wound I hide; Show me the HEIGHT, let me lose sight of this world’s counterfeit love. Root me; Ground me; Fill me till I leak Jesus everywhere I go. I’m done with shallow; Drown me in the ocean of your LOVE, In Jesus’ name. AMEN!”

The safest place in the universe is the center of an UNFEIGNED LOVE that bled for you. Everything else is slow suicide.

You are not a mistake; you are not too far; you are not disqualified. You are extravagantly, and eternally loved in all DIMENSIONS.

Now live like it, LOVE LIKE JESUS, UNCONDITIONALLY.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE

DAY 332 OF 365🔥

📹 ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN CHRIST'S LOVE

CHRIST’S INDWELLING PRESENCE - Nuggets from Ephesians 3:17A

CHRIST’S INDWELLING PRESENCE

(Nuggets from Ephesians 3:17A – KJV)

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith…” (Ephesians 3:17A KJV)

 

Dear ALL,

Youths, adults, skeptics, prodigals, church kids, and street kings/queens.

This one verse is about to wreck every excuse you’ve ever had for living a powerless life caused by ignorance.

 

In this scripture, Apostle Paul wasn’t praying for a visit, he was praying for a PERMANENT RESIDENT, one who will come in to STAY. The Greek word for “DWELL” is “KATOIKEO”; it means to settle down, to take up address, to move in with all the furniture. Jesus doesn’t want to come just to crash on your couch for the weekend. He wants your master bedroom, the keys, the Wi-Fi password, the whole house. Question that will haunt you tonight: Have you only invited Jesus to visit, or have you handed Him the title deed to your heart and the keys to your life?

 

Most of us treat salvation like a casual thing, with so much levity and disdain, especially after accepting Him into your life as your Lord and personal savior, whereas Jesus is standing inside the house you claim is His, watching you live like He’s not even there. That’s not salvation, that’s spiritual squatting.

 

Jesus wants to DWELL ACTIVELY in you, HE IS NOT A STATUE.

He wants you to feel His presence practically.

When Christ actually DWELLS in you (not visits, not Zoom-calls, not mid-week fellowships or Sunday appearances), everything changes.

1. You stop performing, because His presence is your perfection. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV)

YOU’RE NOT TRYING TO BECOME HOLY; HOLINESS MOVED IN AND STARTED DECORATING HIS ABODE.

2. Your secret battles get evicted. Porn at 2 a.m.? Lust? Rage? Depression? Addiction? They can’t stay when the King has come to stay. “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 KJV)

THE DEVIL KEEPS KNOCKING, BUT JESUS CHANGED THE LOCKS.

3. Your mouth starts speaking a new language. Lies, gossip, cursing, jesting, negativity, they get choked out and neutralized by the RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth…” (Ephesians 4:29 KJV)

WHEN CHRIST LIVES INSIDE YOU, YOUR WORDS, ACTIONS, THOUGHTS, COMPANY & HABITS AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE.

4. You walk through trauma with a smile. Job lost? Diagnosis bad? Friends ghosted? Money gone? Doesn’t matter. “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20 KJV). You won’t forget so soon that He keeps in PERFECT PEACE, ALL THOSE WHOSE MINDS STAY ON HIM. (Isaiah 26:3 KJV)

THOUGH THE STORMS RAGE, YOU REMAIN UNPERTURBED BECAUSE THE CAPTAIN AND MASTER OF THE WIND LIVES INSIDE THE BOAT: YOUR LIFE.

5. You stop chasing purpose; purpose starts chasing you. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 KJV) When Jesus dwells inside, you don’t hunt destiny, destiny hunts you down in the grocery store, in the lecture hall, on the block, on the bus, in the prison cell, just name it!

 

But here’s the part nobody preaches in the viral Instagram reels, YouTube shorts, Facebook Reels or Viral tweets: “CHRIST WILL NOT DWELL WHERE SELF STILL SITS ON THE THRONE”.

 

You can’t have two kings in one castle. One must abdicate. That’s why Paul prays “that Christ may dwell in your hearts BY FAITH.” Faith is the EVICTION NOTICE you serve your EGO. Faith is you opening every closet, every drawer, every hidden folder, and saying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me…” (Psalm 139:23-24 KJV).

 

The moment you do that, something supernatural happens. “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by FAITH; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19 KJV)

 

FILLED WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD; Not 70%, Not 99%. ALL. That’s the offer on the table right now, and you don’t have to sleep on this.

 

So, here’s the challenge, NO MORE PRETENSE, HOLY DRAMA, HYPOCRISY or MAKE-BELIEVE.

 

STOP PLAYING CHRISTIAN, STOP POSTING SCRIPTURES WHILE LIVING IN SIN, STOP SINGING “Oceans” while DROWNING IN COMPROMISE. 

Open the door WIDE and let the King of Glory come in (ALL the way in).

 

Pray this out loud right now, wherever you are:

“Lord Jesus, I’m tired of visiting you ONLY ON SUNDAYS. I am tired of reaching out to you only when I have an EMERGENCY or just landed into some big trouble. I am fed up already, Lord. Move in today, come and make my heart your home. Come and occupy every room in my heart. Break every chain, burn every idol, I give you my entirety, I surrender the throne of my heart. REIGN in me, LIVE in me, SPEAK through me, LOVE through me. From this second forward, it’s no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me. Grace my life with your indwelling presence and help me to live according to your will to retain you within me permanently, in Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

 

If you meant that prayer, something just shifted in the atmosphere.

 

King Jesus is welcome home now, and the house is His now; don’t ever attempt to indulge in sin, lest He walks away.

 

If you joined this prayer and handed Jesus the keys to your life, kindly drop “I LET HIM IN” in the comments section.

 

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE

DAY 331 OF 365 🔥

📹 CHRIST'S INDWELLING PRESENCE 

KOINŌNIA - PARTNERING WITH CHRIST - Nuggets from Hebrews 3:14

 

KOINŌNIA - PARTNERING WITH CHRIST
(Nuggets from Hebrews 3:14)

This is an Unshakable Call to Hold Fast Until you receive your Crown at last.

Let's paraphrase this verse a bit for more clarity:

“For we have become partakers of Christ, fellows with the King of Glory, sharers in His Spirit, His nature, HIS righteousness, His victory, His throne, if indeed we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end.” (Hebrews 3:14)

Listen closely, dear child of God. Listen closely, wanderer who has never truly bowed the knee at the cross of Calvary;

This is not just another verse. This is HEAVEN'S TRUMPET sounding over your life right now.

You have been invited to the GREATEST PRIVILEGE the universe has ever known: to become partakers: 'KOINŌNIA', meaning FELLOWS, COMPANIONS, CO-OWNERS, and PARTNERS with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Everything Jesus purchased with His blood shed on the cross can be yours: 
FORGIVENESS that is ABSOLUTE, PEACE that PASSES ALL  UNDERSTANDING, 
JOY UNSPEAKABLE and FULL of GLORY,
AUTHORITY over demons,
A NEW HEART,
A NEW NAME,
AN INHERITANCE INCORRUPTIBLE and UNDEFILED that NEVER FADES AWAY, reserved in HEAVEN for you.

But there is a condition. One glorious, non-negotiable, life-or-death condition:
 

YOU MUST HOLD FAST YOUR ORIGINAL CONFIDENCE FIRM AND UNSHAKEN TO THE VERY END.

That first moment you saw Jesus as altogether lovely, the very day you took that bold step to follow Him,
that night tears streamed down your face because you knew you were forgiven;

That newborn cry of FAITH, “Lord, I believe! I am Yours!”

That HOLY BOLDNESS that made you tell your friends, your family, even your enemies that Jesus is Lord unapologetically.

That is the CONFIDENCE Apostle Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit talking about.

Never let it go, never let the devil dilute it, never let the passage of time erode it.

Grip it! Guard it! Fan it into flame!
Carry it all the way till you cross the finish line.

The fact that you keep holding on is the proof that you truly belong to Him.

Those who are truly Christ’s do not throw in the towel at halftime.
They do not coast into compromise.
They do not flirt with the world that crucified their Savior.

They RUN, they FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, They ENDURE till they OVERCOME, and till they breathe their last, they hold on to that first love, still declaring with triumph that “Jesus is Lord!”

The Bible made it clear: 
Some start and do not finish. 
They taste the good word, get euphoric but over time, they lose sight of the cross and suddenly abandon what they first believed.
Apostle Paul said it in the book of Hebrews that "it is impossible to renew such people again to repentance." (Heb 6:4-6). But Why? Because their falling away exposes the sad reality that they were never truly rooted in Christ to start with. “They went out from us,” Apostle John says, “but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.” (1 John 2:19).

So I sound the alarm today with love in my heart and fire in my bones:

Dear Christian, do not drift!
Do not let sin harden your heart!
Do not let bitterness choke your joy!
Do not let the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, or the desires for the mundane things of this life choke the Word and make it unfruitful in you. (Mark 4:19).
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart like Israel did in the wilderness. (Heb 3:7-8)

Examine yourself. Are you still holding fast?

Is your confidence in Christ growing bolder, brighter, louder, or is it shrinking?

The same God who gave you that first boost of FAITH when you first believed is committed to holding your hands till He leads you home at last.

He who began the good work in you WILL surely complete it 
(Philippians 1:6).

No one can snatch you out of His hand (John 10:28-29) because He ever lives to make intercession for you (Hebrews 7:25)

His Holy Spirit inside you is the guarantee, the down-payment, the seal of ownership, authenticating your full redemption.
(Ephesians 1:13-14).

So lift your drooping hands! Strengthen your weak knees! 
Run with endurance the race set before you, looking unto Jesus, the AUTHOR and FINISHER of your FAITH. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The crown is waiting. 
The Lord is waiting to say “Well done” to you. 
Eternity is racing toward you.

KEEP PERSISTING, INSIST ON FINISHING YOUR COURSE.

Now, to every sinner, every wanderer, every prodigal child of God who is reading this, you are not just seeing this by accident or happenstance; GOD STILL LOVES AND CARES ABOUT YOU!

Today is the day of SALVATION. 
Right now, Jesus is offering you the same privilege to become a partaker, a fellow, a joint-heir with Him.

COME AND EXPERIENCE KOINŌNIA with Him. All of HEAVEN is holding its breath waiting for your “Yes.”

Repent!Turn away from every sin that has tied you down, enslaved you and on the verge of destroying you.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with that newborn, wide-eyed, all-in confidence, and you will be saved; truly, eternally, gloriously saved.

Do not wait until you feel worthy, because you never will.

Do not wait until you clean yourself up, because only Jesus can do that.

Come now,  come tired, come broken, come guilty, come just as you are to the cross where Jesus Christ was slaughtered so you could live.

Take hold of Him today, and then never, never, NEVER let go.

ONLY those who hold on to Jesus till the end will one day hear Him say,
“Enter in, My good and faithful servant. You held fast. You finished. Now share My joy forever.”

This is the PERSEVERANCE CALL.
This is the FINISH-LINE VISION that turns COWARDS into CONQUERORS.

Hold fast, beloved.
The glory is worth it.
Jesus is worth it.
And He is coming soon.

Don’t stop halfway, Run through the tape and feel the warm embrace of His arms.

May the GRACE of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Love of GOD the Father, and the FELLOWSHIP of the HOLY SPIRIT be your portion today and always.

You can only be a PARTNER WITH CHRIST and HOLD on till the end when you enjoy this SWEET FELLOWSHIP WITH DIVINITY otherwise known as KOINŌNIA.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
Day 330 of 365 🔥

📹 KOINŌNIA - PARTNERING WITH CHRIST 

NO BORDERS, NO BOUNDARIES - TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH - Nuggets from Isaiah 49:6

NO BORDERS, NO BOUNDARIES - TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
(Nuggets from Isaiah 49:6)

“And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
Isaiah 49:6 KJV

Seven hundred years before Bethlehem’s manger, while Jewish exiles sat weeping by Babylon’s rivers (Psalm 137:1), God dropped a MIND-BLOWING news of hope through Prophet Isaiah. The coming Messiah would not be a tribal Savior; He would be a global one. Restoring Israel alone? “Too small a thing,” God says. 

Imagine the sun, 93 million miles away, yet blazing glory, reduced to lighting one backyard. 
Totally Absurd, Wasteful and Pointless!

That is exactly how God saw salvation limited to one nation, Israel. 

Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2) was destined to rise with healing in His wings for every continent, every nation, every tongue, every tribe.
This was no afterthought. 

Before Abram was called and became Abraham, before Jacob became Israel, God had already declared, “In thy seed shall ALL the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18; 26:4);
Fantastically, there are 42 GENERATIONS from Abraham to Jesus; PROPHECY FULFILLED!

The COVENANT with Abraham was always GLOBAL. Paul later explodes with joy: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by FAITH, and announced the GOSPEL in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." (Galatians 3:8). The Jews were chosen not to monopolise salvation, but to midwife it to the world.
Fast-forward to when Jesus stepped onto history’s stage and announced, “I am the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” 
(John 8:12). Not just the LIGHT OF GALILEE, not just the LIGHT OF JUDEA; but THE LIGHT OF THE WHOLE WORLD. 

Then, before He ascended, He handed the torch to every believer: “YOU are the light of the WORLD", Let your light shine before others.” (Matthew 5:14-16). 
The baton is in your hand right now! The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you to push back darkness in your street, campus, office, village, and even the corners of the earth that are yet to be reached. (Romans 8:11; Acts 1:8).

Think of the Samaritan woman in John 4. Someone perceived as immoral and a Gentile who should not have any close ties with the Jews. But guess what? She met Jesus at a well, and In one conversation she got transformed, and an entire village streamed out to meet the Savior (John 4:39-42).
One life ignited—many saved. 
That is exactly how THE GOSPEL LEAPS BORDERS.

Think of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. A high-ranking African official who was reading Isaiah 53 in his chariot. Philip, obedient to the Spirit, runs alongside, explains Jesus, baptizes him on the spot, and disappears. History has it that the eunuch carried the gospel back to ancient Ethiopia and lit a flame that still burns till today. Christianity stands as the largest religion in  Ethiopia today; because of one obedient believer, another nation got touched.

Think of Cornelius in Acts 10. 
He was a Roman centurion, a Gentile. God sent Peter across with the words, “What God has cleansed, do not call common, unhallowed or unclean.” (Acts 10:15). The Holy Spirit descended on the Gentiles while Peter was still preaching! The shocked Jewish believers exclaim, “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life!” (Acts 11:18). The borders just crumbled again.

In the Middle-East, satellite TV and social media are smuggling the gospel past every checkpoint. In secular Europe, Iranian and Afghan refugees are meeting Jesus and planting churches faster than anyone can track. Salvation still has no borders. Christianity is making waves in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Sudan with thousands converting from Islam to Christianity.

SALVATION STILL PROVING TO BE BORDERLESS.

But there is a tragedy: 
while the plan is GLOBAL, the response is often LOCAL and LAZY. There are still “Jacobs” among us, once blazing believers now backslidden, cold, wandering far from God. The same chapter that promises light to the nations also speaks of restoring “the preserved of Israel”, those who once walked with God but have stumbled. We must chase them like the Good Shepherd chases the one lost sheep 
(Luke 15:4-7). 

Place that phone call,  visit them, go on follow-up, hold prayers, even go an extra mile by shedding tears to God seeking their immediate restoration.

Dear child of God, whatever it takes, bring Jacob home, but never let restoring the backslidden make you forget the billions who have never once heard the name of Jesus. More than 3.4 billion people today live in rural areas where the GOSPEL MESSAGE cannot be transmitted digitally, hence the need for MISSIONARIES. Thankfully, there are missionaries in most hinterlands, but the ratio of the laborers to the souls yet to be harvested is appalling.
Over 7,000 languages still have no Scripture, showing the urgent need to bridge this communication gap and get more translations of the Bible in both digital and paper formats. 

“How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14). Someone must go, someone must sacrifice time, talent and resources, someone must pray. Someone must be ready to pay the price.

Jesus finished His part; He died, rose, and commissioned His disciples then and now, the mission is for you and I. 

“As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” (John 20:21). 
The Great Commission is not a mere Suggestion, it is the MARCHING ORDER of the King.

Your salvation was never meant to terminate on you. You were saved to be a searchlight. The same power that shook Babylon’s exiles with hope is shaking YOU today. Will you hide your candle under a bushel, or will you lift it high until the ends of the earth see it?

You don't need a megaphone now to reach the ends of the Earth. 

At the time our Lord Jesus gave this GREAT COMMISSION, there was no technology, no internet, no social media. But today, from the comfort of your home, school, business place or office space, you can reach out to the world.

SALVATION HAS NO BORDERS.
The tomb is empty.
The throne is occupied. 
The Spirit has been poured out.  
The clock is ticking. 
The nations are waiting.

Shine forth and let the whole world see the light in you.

DELAY NO FURTHER! 

Be a radical evangelist, and run with this mandate till the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE 
DAY 329 OF 365 🔥

📹 NO BORDERS, NO BOUNDARIES - TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

SALVATION FOR ALL, HARNESSED BY FEW - Nuggets from Psalm 22:27

SALVATION FOR ALL, HARNESSED BY FEW
(Nuggets from Psalm 22:27)

“All the ends of the world will remember and turn unto the LORD; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee” 
(Psalm 22:27, KJV).

When God drew the eternal SALVATION PLAN for the entire HUMAN RACE, He left no tribe, tongue, or nation out of His heart.

From before the foundation of the world, the Lamb was slain (Revelation 13:8), and the invitation was written in blood for every single soul. John 3:16 remains the golden verse that shatters every limit we try to put on God’s love: “For God so loved the WORLD, that he gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That word “whosoever” is God’s blank cheque handed to humanity; no exclusions.

The desire of God has never changed: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise; not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

God also spoke through Ezekiel, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11).
From Genesis to Revelation, the heartbeat of God is the same; He wants ALL SOULS TO BE SAVED.

This is the major reason Jesus gave the Great Commission with a UNIVERSAL INTENTIONALITY: 
“Go ye into ALL THE WORLD, and preach the gospel to EVERY CREATURE.” (Mark 16:15). 

The church is not called to be a HOLY HUDDLE in one corner of the planet; she is called to invade every corner of the Earth with the good news, regardless of age, color, race, language, or social status. The gospel goes beyond human barriers. It leaps over walls of prejudice, culture, and tradition.

For centuries the Jews had been the only professing people of God. They carried the oracles, the covenants, the temple (Romans 9:4-5). But on the cross of Calvary, something revolutionary happened: 
“Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” (Ephesians 2:15). 

The veil was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51), the middle wall of partition was destroyed, and the Gentiles, once “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel”, were grafted in by the Blood of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:12–13).

At the Pentecost, the Apostles were empowered by the Holy Ghost, and this was what made Salvation to explode beyond Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). 

This is the clear message of Psalm 22:27, “ALL the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD.”

Yet, salvation for all demands a personal response: CONVERSION. It is not forced on anyone, neither does it happen automatically.

No one drifts into the kingdom. No one is born a Christian. Every soul must be BORN AGAIN INTENTIONALLY (John 3:3-7), and the journey to genuine conversion always begins with SERIOUS REFLECTION.

To “remember” in Psalm 22:27 is not the feeling of nostalgia; it is a deep, heart-felt CONSIDERATION of what Christ endured for us. Isaiah paints the picture: “He was despised and rejected, pierced for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:3-5). When you truly behold the Lamb, mocked, spat upon, crowned with thorns, nailed naked to a cross, you cannot remain neutral or indifferent. Reflection leads to TRUE REPENTANCE and REPENTANCE leads to TURNING.

Remember the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). He came to himself in the pigpen; the stench, the hunger, and the shame jolted his memory: 
“How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving!” (Luke 15:17). He arose, not because he felt worthy, but because he believed his father’s love was greater than his failure. That BOLD STEP OF FAITH brought him home to a robe, a ring, sandals, and a feast. 
Ever thought of Heaven’s reaction towards a REPENTANT SOUL? “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.” (Luke 15:10).
Why such a celebration? This is simply because every HUMAN SOUL has INESTIMABLE VALUE in God’s sight; this was why God sent His PRECIOUS AND ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to shed His SPOTLESS BLOOD on the cross to redeem your soul.
(1 Peter 1:18–19). 

Jesus gave three parables in Luke 15 just to drive this point home: the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son; each one was pursued relentlessly until found. The urgency of SOUL-WINNING is rooted in this truth: people you pass every day are one heartbeat away from eternity, and many do not know the Jesus yet and they care less about making Him their Savior.

Tragically, though salvation is offered to ALL, it is HARNESSED BY FEW. Jesus Himself warned, “Enter through the narrow gate. For WIDE is the gate and BROAD is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it, but NARROW is the gate and NARROW is the road that leads to life, and ONLY A FEW FIND IT.” (Matthew 7:13-14). The offer is universal; the acceptance is not. Many hear, but few truly turn. Many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14). Few are chosen because they chose to respond.
That is why the harvest remains plentiful while the laborers are still few. (Matthew 9:37-38). Every believer has been saved to save others. The moment you received mercy by virtue of your conversion and acceptance into God's family, having been adopted into sonship you were drafted into the rescue mission. Apostle Paul said, “The love of Christ constraineth us, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” 
(2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Look around you today. Your neighbor, colleague, classmate, house-help, customer, client, driver, etc, many have never had the gospel clearly explained with love and clarity. Someone is waiting for YOU to bridge the gap. Someone’s eternity may hinge on your obedience this very day.

Will you remain silent while souls slip into eternity without Christ? 
Will you hoard the TREASURE of SALVATION when God has saved you even though you didn't deserve it merit it? Can't you see that souls are perishing in their numbers?

Rise up, dear HARVESTER! 
Join the resolute company of those who have decided that no soul will go to hell under your watch. 
The fields are white (John 4:35). 
The clock is ticking, and don't forget that a crown of rejoicing awaits those who turn many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3).

Let today be the day you cross the street and HERALD THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, send that message/chat, post on your status, pay that transport fare, kneel by that hospital bed, or preach in that bus; do whatever it takes to rescue one more soul for whom Christ died.

It is not your duty to convince anyone to get saved. Just sow the seed preaching the word, follow-up from time to time as a disciple and God will definitely give the increase by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

SALVATION IS FOR ALL.
It is your duty to make sure it is harnessed by MANY, go out and find them, they are all around you.
 

PREACHING THE GOSPEL IS NOT A ONE-OFF TASK BUT A LIFE-LONG ASSIGNMENT.

This is the HOLINESS CHALLENGE

DAY 328 OF 365 🔥

📹 SALVATION FOR ALL, HARNESSED BY FEW

WHAT KIND OF FRUIT ARE YOU? - Nuggets from Matthew 12:33

WHAT KIND OF FRUIT ARE YOU?
(Nuggets from Matthew 12:33)

A little back story..

Jesus had just healed a man who was both BLIND and DUMB, and the expected response from the crowd, family, and friends of the man should have been EXCITEMENT and JUBILATION, but guess what?
The wonderful Pharisees came for Jesus, accusing Him of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.

Such effrontery exhibited by the Pharisees, calling the work of the Holy Spirit 'demonic' was totally extreme.

Jesus responded to them that "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand", and that Satan wouldn’t fight against his own demons, else his kingdom wouldn't stand.

Jesus needed to use a common illustration that everyone would understand - Agriculture.

The TREE in this context represents the HEART, which is your TRUE INNER CHARACTER, IDEAL NATURE, and PERSONALITY.

The FRUIT in this context refers to WORDS and ACTIONS.
The “fruit” is what comes out of you as a person, especially through your words and actions, just like what the Pharisees were saying about Jesus. 

Jesus' response to the Pharisees explained and paraphrased in clearer terms was:

“Your WORDS (THE FRUIT) are EVIL and BLASPHEMOUS. That reveals that your HEARTS (THE TREE) are evil. 

A good person with a good heart would never say something so wicked and twisted about the obvious work of God - the miracle of healing the man who was DEAF and BLIND.”

Jesus made it clear that there are only two POSSIBILITIES, no middle course.

A GOOD TREE WILL DEFINITELY YIELD GOOD FRUIT, and a BAD TREE WILL DEFINITELY YIELD A BAD FRUIT.

The ONLY reason a 'supposed child of God' will keep living in sin is because THE PERSON DID NOT FULLY SURRENDER TO GOD and, as a result DID NOT FULLY REPENT.

THE TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT.
Your WORDS are a sneak peek into your HEART.

You can pretend on the outside, but sooner or later what you say (especially when you are triggered, angry, offended or under pressure) shows everyone what you’re really like on the inside.

DON'T EVER LIE TO YOURSELF!
If bad stuff keeps coming out of your mouth, the problem isn’t just your MOUTH — the problem is your HEART. Fix the TREE (let God change your HEART), and the FRUIT (your WORDS and LIFE) will automatically become good too.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 327 OF 365 🔥

📹 WHAT KIND OF FRUIT ARE YOU? 

POLISHED WITHOUT, ROTTEN WITHIN - GOD CHECKS THE INSIDE - Nuggets from Luke 11:39

POLISHED WITHOUT, ROTTEN WITHIN - GOD CHECKS THE INSIDE
(Nuggets from Luke 11:39)

Jesus' encounter with the Pharisee was quite revealing as He spotlighted the TRUE PERSONALITY of that sect.

On that fateful day, the Pharisee beckoned to Jesus to come and dine with him, and Jesus obliged him.
He observed that Jesus didn't bother himself with any religious rituals before eating, not just the SANITATION ASPECT of washing hands. This was because the Pharisees believed that a demon usually sat on unwashed hands. Since Jesus hadn't washed His hands before eating with them, they concluded that Jesus was already going to get contaminated by not performing any religious rituals to ward off any demons. As laughable as it sounds, this was their doctrine, and they adhered to the core and called anyone who did otherwise.

Jesus needed to educate him here by asking him why they were more concerned about making the outward part of the cup clean, whereas their inward parts were filled with wickedness.

Jesus needed to use the everyday scenario of 'a cup and platter(plate)' to show how the Pharisees meticulously pretended to be okay on the outside while ignoring the moral filth inside them.

Jesus sees beyond the outward appearance and this buttresses the fact that God is not interested in the CONTEXT of your life (what you show people); He focuses more on the CONTENT (your innermost secrets and TRUE PERSONALITY).

We live in a world where everyone wants to be seen as PERFECT, without flaws or faults. You may pretend all you can, show off to the world that you are the NICEST OF ALL, such a PERFECT MASK, COATED WITH PERFECT LIES, but in all you do, always remember that GOD CHECKS THE INSIDE.

What shall it profit an individual to have a POLISHED REPUTATION with a POISONED HEART?

Jesus called out the Pharisee because they were more concerned about washing the outside, so no one bothered to check or see the ROT WITHIN.

Dear 'Christian', 'Follower of God's, 'Preacher', 'Worker', 'Pastor', 'Evangelist',

This message has not and will NEVER lose its relevance. Stop performing righteousness, stop acting the script you wrote in the name of SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS and RELIGION.

Every effort you make to look clean whilst your heart and soul remain laden with wickedness is an EFFORT IN FUTILITY, because God hates deceit.

In this life, you only have one person to IMPRESS - THE ALMIGHTY GOD.
You don't IMPRESS Him as a matter of PRETENSE because He knows you INSIDE OUT.

LET YOUR INNERMOST BEING TALLY WITH THE OUTWARD PERSONALITY GOD KNOWS AND MEN SEE.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 326 OF 365 🔥

📹 POLISHED WITHOUT, ROTTEN WITHIN - GOD CHECKS THE INSIDE 

 

DUNAMIS: THE MIRACLE-WORKING POWER - Nuggets from Acts 1:8

DUNAMIS: THE MIRACLE-WORKING POWER
(Nuggets from Acts 1:8)

DUNAMIS is the INHERENT POWER of GOD expressed by the HOLY SPIRIT.

Jesus Christ, our Lord, wielded this power during His earthly ministry and wrought diverse miracles.
This was the same power through which God spoke this world into existence. It has been in operation from ETERNITY PAST, it is still operational now, and it will continue to be in operation in ETERNITY TO COME.

In the beginning, when God said "Let there be light", it was this DUNAMIS that God activated as the Holy Spirit hovered over the face of the waters. DUNAMIS is a CREATIVE POWER that brings things to birth.

With DUNAMIS, your IMAGINATIONS can turn into REALITY.

DUNAMIS is LIMITLESS and BOUNDLESS.

DUNAMIS is the RESURRECTION POWER, this is the same power Jesus endowed all His disciples with to go and carry out the GREAT COMMISSION.

With this DUNAMIS, whatsoever you declare must come to pass. 

Preaching the Gospel without signs and wonders wouldn't be that easy because people are looking for something convincing to make them believe.

Not everyone BELIEVES WITHOUT SEEING. Even though our Lord Jesus said "Blessed are those who believe without seeing", there are feeble-minded folks who need some bait or attraction before they get convinced to listen to the gospel message.

MIRACLES are BAITS that God uses to attract those who are potentially salvable. Jesus multiplied 

God has given us the mandate to BE HIS WITNESSES, PREACHING THE GOSPEL BEYOND BORDERS.

This POWER is not available to everyone, but to ONLY those who have been baptized with the Holy Ghost.

As you make yourself available to preach the GOSPEL, these signs will naturally follow you.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 325 OF 365 🔥

📹 DUNAMIS: THE MIRACLE-WORKING POWER

CHRIST JESUS, THE ONE AND ONLY MEDIATOR - Nuggets from 1 Timothy 2:5

CHRIST JESUS, THE ONE AND ONLY MEDIATOR

(Nuggets from 1 Timothy 2:5)

Jesus Christ is the second person in the TRINITY, He is the Word of God personified - THE WORD MADE FLESH who came to dwell amongst men.

No one else understands what it means to be human, except Jesus Christ, who came into this world to become like us and live like us.

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except through me."

Going through fallen angels, demons, or even through the Blessed Virgin, Mary is an effort in FUTILITY.

Jesus is the ONLY WAY!

There are no shortcuts, no bypasses, go through JESUS ALONE.

He is the High Priest who mediates on behalf of His church and stands as the middleman between mankind and God.

Jesus is the BRIDGE that connects mankind to God. As a mediator,  He is the ONLY ONE qualified to reserve the exclusive right of RECONCILING A HOLY GOD WITH SINFUL HUMANITY.

Jesus did not just die on the cross, He actively intercedes for all genuine believers, playing the role of an advocate to God on behalf of those who believe in Him and His death on the cross. 

Whilst the Old Testament priests were only allowed to enter the Holy of Holies once a year to atone for the sins of the Israelites, Jesus Christ as the one and only mediator and PERFECT HIGH PRIEST intercedes on behalf of the ERRANT but REPENTANT believers who look up to Him as their ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR AND ADVOCATE.

CALL ON JESUS TODAY; THERE IS NO OTHER WAY OR ROUTE TO SALVATION.

JESUS SAVES, INTERCEDES AND MEDIATES NOW AND FOREVER MORE.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE

DAY 324 OF 365 🔥

📹 CHRIST JESUS, THE ONE AND ONLY MEDIATOR

A PRAYER FOR MERCY - Nuggets from 2 Chronicles 6:27

A PRAYER FOR MERCY
(Nuggets from 2 Chronicles 6:27)

King Solomon was praying diversely when it was time to dedicate the first temple to God in Israel.

Solomon prayed for God's mercy because he could sense the future of Israel prophetically, he could see them deviating from God's ways and living in rebellion, forsaking God's commandments and committing sin.
It was because of the sins of Israel that other nations defeated them in battle.

Solomon made a plea to God, envisioning that Israel would someday choose sin over God. He prayed that God would hear them whenever they prayed to Him, looking towards the temple.

Solomon's prayer was detailed. He prayed that God should forgive their sins, teach them the right way to live, and send rain on their land.

SIN INHIBITS your relationship with God and stands as a BARRIER to effective prayer, hinders growth, and makes God's Blessings and Promises INACCESSIBLE to you.

In this dispensation, you don't need to look towards any temple made with hands to pray to God before He answers you. Jesus' death on the cross ended every bottleneck and partition between you and God.

This is GRACE IN ACTION!

You can now approach God from anywhere at any time because of the cross of Calvary. Jesus made a way for you!

Have you gone astray already?
You don't need anyone to repent on your behalf, YOU MUST MAKE THAT BOLD STEP YOURSELF.

REPENTANCE IS NOT DONE IN PROXY; you must take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for your sins, be accountable, acknowledge that you have done wrong, be remorseful, and vow not to return to your sinful ways anymore.
 

ONLY TRUE REPENTANCE PAVES THE WAY FOR FORGIVENESS.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 323 OF 365 🔥

📹 A PRAYER FOR MERCY 

I WILL CLEANSE AND PARDON YOU (A PROPHECY FULFILLED) - Nuggets from Jeremiah 33:8

I WILL CLEANSE AND PARDON YOU - A PROPHECY FULFILLED
(Nuggets from Jeremiah 33:8)

Jeremiah prophesied of God's promise to restore and spiritually purify the people of Judah and Israel from their sins through a future, permanent covenant.

At this time, Jesus had yet come into this world and the death on the cross of Calvary was still in the future, but this promise anticipated a DIVINE ACT OF MERCY and FORGIVENESS that the temporary Mosaic rituals of killing animals (heifer, ram, bullock) could only foreshadow.

Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection was and is the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy, providing the "once-for-all" atonement that the Old Testament rituals and prophecies anticipated. Thus, the promise in Jeremiah 33:8 was given centuries before Christ, pointing forward to the mechanism of forgiveness that would ultimately be provided through Him. 

While God promised to restore Israel from captivity and servitude in Babylon back to their native land, the actual restoration and reconciliation plan He had for them was to send His only begotten son, which He fulfilled centuries later.

Are you still struggling with sin?
You are in a better covenant now because Jesus has died and His blood avails for you.

Have you been to Jesus for this cleansing power yet?
 

GOD ONLY PARDONS THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SINS, REPENT AND VOW TO FORSAKE THEIR EVIL WAYS.

Don't linger anymore.
 

THE PROPHECY HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN CHRIST, THE OFFER IS YOURS TO GRAB

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 322 OF 365 🔥

📹 I WILL CLEANSE AND PARDON YOU) A PROPHECY FULFILLED) 

SELF-EXAMINATION AND TRUE REPENTANCE - Nuggets from Lamentations 3:40

SELF-EXAMINATION AND TRUE REPENTANCE
(Nuggets from Lamentations 3:40)

Prophet Jeremiah lamented over the condition of the nation Israel, their sins were overwhelming and as a result, made them strangers and enemies of God.

The surrounding nations looked upon the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem and sang songs of mockery and derision, celebrating their downfall.

This was one of the major reasons Jeremiah was called the weeping Prophet. He wept over the sinful state of Israel and the impending Judgment for their sins which led to their captivity as exiles in Babylon.

The purpose of the affliction that came upon Israel was their SELF-WILL and SHEER STUBBORNNESS, which made them remain adamant in sin.

In the preceding verse, Jeremiah was wondering why Judah would complain about their present predicament, knowing fully well that it was a PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR SINS. However, as a prophet who had empathy, he didn't want to focus on the PROBLEM, instead he went ahead to proffer a SOLUTION.

SEARCHING and TRYING their ways and TURNING again to God was the ONLY way out for the children of Israel.

To SEARCH your ways means to ferret out everything that has been concealed within you and allowing God to CORRECT, TREAT and CHANGE you. Let God into your HEART'S INNERMOST SECRETS and do not hide anything from Him again.

To TRY your ways means to EXAMINE and ASSESS your life in all HONESTY, to show God how SINCERE you are for a change. This is what would pave the way for GENUINE REPENTANCE.

It takes a solemn and sober reflection to look inwards and discover your pitfalls and decide whether you need help or not.

God's arms are wide open to embrace any prodigal son or daughter of His who has wandered far away from home and is ready to return.

DON'T BE STUBBORN LIKE THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM; SEARCH, TRY AND TURN AGAIN TO THE LORD, AND HE WILL SURELY PARDON YOU, GIVE YOUR LIFE A MEANING AND PREPARE YOU FOR ETERNITY WITH HIM.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 321 OF 365 🔥

📹  SELF-EXAMINATION AND TRUE REPENTANCE

THE GREAT COMMISSION: SALVATION IS FOR ALL - Nuggets from Luke 24:47

THE GREAT COMMISSION: SALVATION IS FOR ALL
(Nuggets from Luke 24:47)

After the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, He needed to give His disciples one final charge - to be witnesses, preaching the gospel to all.

Jesus needed to tell His disciples the MESSAGE they must preach, the REASON for the GOSPEL and the SCOPE of the GOSPEL.

The GOSPEL beginning at Jerusalem was significant because Jesus wanted them to start from the place he was crucified, buried and resurrected. Jesus wanted His disciples to take this message to even the people who were complicit in His death, to let them know that the offer of FORGIVENESS was for them too, showing that God's grace has no limits.

The MESSAGE was primarily REPENTANCE and REMISSION (FORGIVENESS and ATONEMENT for sins).

The REASON for the GOSPEL was to draw the attention of mankind to the cross and make them turn away from sin and return to God.

The SCOPE of the GOSPEL was TO ALL NATIONS, highlighting the fact that GOD'S PLAN FOR SALVATION IS IDENTICAL (THE SAME) and UNIVERSAL, FOR ALL, irrespective of RACE, COLOR, CULTURE or GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION; Salvation is for the whole world.

The atonement for the sins of humanity is what cancels the debt of sin. This is the end result of FORGIVENESS, and this is what Jesus Christ our Lord commissioned His disciples before ascending back into Heaven, and now by extension to every true disciple of His.

Are you witnessing Christ already?
Have you ever told anyone about Jesus and the ultimate price he paid on the cross for the sins of the whole world?

No sinner is excusable for not repenting or reconciling with God before leaving this world because SALVATION IS FOR ALL.
 

BE A TRUE WITNESS FOR JESUS IN WORD, LIFESTYLE AND THROUGH YOUR DEEDS; LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 320 OF 365 🔥 

📹 THE GREAT COMMISSION: SALVATION IS FOR ALL

 

THE DEPRAVITY OF AN UNCONVERTED HEART - Nuggets from Matthew 15:19

THE DEPRAVITY OF AN UNCONVERTED HEART
(Nuggets from Matthew 15:19)

This was the exact condition of the Scribes and Pharisees, despite their religiosity. In the earlier verses of Matthew Chapter 15, they came to Jesus to rant and complain about His disciples not observing the Jewish traditions.

Jesus made it clear to them that those traditions were making them transgress and go against God's commandments. They preferred to show off by dedicating things to the temple but not caring for their parents, contrary to God's commandment "Honor your Father and mother".

In addition, Jesus likened them to Hypocrites and reminded them of what Prophet Isaiah spoke about them, that they were people who "ONLY DREW NEAR TO GOD WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONORED GOD WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS WERE FAR AWAY FROM HIM."

Jesus needed to exemplify His point by telling them the ACTUAL THINGS THAT DEFILE. 

Every form of DEFILEMENT comes from within - THE HEART.

Everything you do begins in your heart/mind. 

The HEART gets POLLUTED and DEFILED through Dirty internal thoughts, ungodly desires, and  intentions that lead to external actions that are offensive to God.

Evil thoughts, murder, all kinds of sexual immorality, theft, false witness, lies, greed, and deceit originate from the heart and these are the things that truly defile a person, not external factors like what one eats. 

This emphasizes the importance of INNER PURITY, knowing that your ACTIONS are a reflection of your INNER STATE. 

"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."The words that proceed from your mouth are a reflection of the thoughts that brood in your heart.

All vices that humans exhibit are cultivated internally and influence the actions over time either for good or ill, depending on the nature of their thoughts.

Circumcision of the HEART otherwise known as SANCTIFICATION, is the only panacea for this malady.

GET SALVATION, AND GO AHEAD TO SEEK SANCTIFICATION TO GUARD YOUR HEART AGAINST UNHOLY INFILTRATION.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 319 OF 365 🔥

📹 THE DEPRAVITY OF AN UNCONVERTED HEART 

FLEEING TO FOLLOW - Nuggets from 1 Timothy 6:11

 FLEEING TO FOLLOW
(Nuggets from 1 Timothy 6:11)

Apostle Paul was admonishing young Timothy who was his convert.
Referring to him as a man of God, Apostle Paul recognized that Timothy had attained some level of responsibility in the Christian Faith and as such, needed to know the Kernel of his calling.

He started with the EXPRESS COMMAND to FLEE!
But what exactly was he instructed to Flee?

Timothy was instructed to FLEE the negative traits associated with false teachers and the love of money, Specifically, "foolish and hurtful lusts" and "temptation and snare" that arise from a love of money, as described in the preceding verses.
 

IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO FLEE SIN WHEN YOU ARE NOT READY TO FOLLOW AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS.

It is one thing to FLEE, and another to FOLLOW. After fleeing these vices and negative traits, there is no room for IDLENESS or standing aloof to celebrate the FLEEING.

You must FOLLOW after RIGHTEOUSNESS immediately you FLEE SIN because any vacuum or delay in taking proper action will give the devil room to strike.

You don't flee to do nothing, YOU FLEE TO FOLLOW! 

This injunction to FLEE EVERY NEGATIVE TRAIT AND SINFUL LIFESTYLE was not just directed to Timothy, but to every believer who is intentional about this journey to Heaven.

What are you to FOLLOW?

RIGHTEOUSNESS - Everything that pleases the Lord.

GODLINESS - Manifesting God's nature in your life as one born of Him.

FAITH -  Confidence in the cross, absolute belief in Jesus as the author of our Salvation.

LOVE - Showing Agape (Divine and unconditional Love to all.

PATIENCE - Long-suffering, enduring like Christ and not being hasty in responding to stimulus.

MEEKNESS - Extraordinary form of HUMILITY, emptying yourself of every form of pride and having a sense of entire nothingness, putting your achievements, strengths, qualifications and status under control and relating with everyone without showing off.
 

FOLLOW THESE VIRTUES AMONGST MANY OTHERS AND LET THE HOLY SPIRIT TAKE THE LEAD.

This is HOLINESS CHALLENGE
DAY 318 OF 365 🔥

📹 FLEEING TO FOLLOW