PSALM 9:7-12

Verse 7
But the Lord reigns forever, executing judgement from his throne.
Verse 8
He will Judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness
Verse 9
The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Verse 10
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.
Verse 11
Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
Verse 12
For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

The godly do not put their hope in corruptible human government but in God's everlasting rule of JUSTICE and FAIRNESS.
Let all the corrupt leaders carry on. The Lord's justice will be measured out to them righteously.
That is why in Psalm 96:10 it states " Tell all the nations."The Lord reigns!" The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all people fairly. Brethen, do not give up. Don't despair. Have no fear. Stand firm and refuse to be shaken.

Psalm 97:6 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. The heavens proclaim his righteousness.

The Spirit of the Lord will enter the world, the testimony of his righteousness will resound from above. His majestic name will fill the earth because his glory is higher than the heavens. The heavens will proclaim the glory of God and the skies will display his craftmanship. The ancient gates will be opened up and the king of glory will enter. The glory of the Lord will be revealed and all people will see it together. This is the word of the Lord.

The Lord will provide the godly SHELTER from every dangerous circumstance and REFUGE from every powerful and oppressive people. The Lord will be a FORTRESS, ROCK, STRENGTH AND STRONG TOWER for the godly. The godly will enjoy divine protection. The Lord will openly bestow his favor upon the afflicted in JESUS name. The Lord will not abandon the godly.

The godly are to recognise that the RIGTHEOUS JUDGEMENT of the Lord will fall on the wicked ones. The Lord has promised to judge all evil acts they commit. The one who rules in heaven will laugh and scoff at the evil ones. In his anger he will rebuke them and terrify them with his fierce fury.
The Lord will subdue the wicked ones before us by putting them beneath our feet. Fret not! The one who seats between the cherubim on high is our Lord. The Lord will avenge and save the godly by righteously judging all the evil and wicked ones.

The godly are not to seek revenge; but are to wait for the Lord to vindicate them. The Lord is a God of vengeance. He will give the evil and wicked ones exactly what they deserve. In Deut 32:35 the Lord has promised the godly that " I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them."

CONCLUSION

Word of advice to the wicked and evil ones.
Psalms 51:17 " The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God"
It is not too late. Repent and God will forgive you and welcome you into your inheritance.

Romans 14:1-12

Verse 1
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
Verse 2
For instance, one person believes it is right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetable.
Verse 3
Those who feel free to eat anythng should not look down on those who don't. And those who don't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.
Verse 4
Who are you to condemn someone's else servant. Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord's help, they will stand and receive his approval.
Verse 5
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think everyday is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.
Verse 6
Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honour him.Those who eat any kind of food do it to honour the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain food also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
Verse 7
For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves.
Verse 8
If we live, it is to honour the Lord. If we die, it is to honour the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Verse 9
Christ died and rose again for this very purpose- to be Lord of both the living and the dead.
Verse 10
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.
Verse 11
For the Scriptures say, ' As surely as I live.'says the Lord,'every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'"
Verse 12
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

Sometimes being weak in faith means having principles against doing certain things that christian liberty would allow. In the bible days, most of the weak in faith were Jewish Christians whose consciences did not give them liberty from certain requirements of the jewish law. Some thought they should eat only vegetables. Their conviction probably stemmed from a concern to maintain Jewish ritual purity in the midst of a pagan culture. They were probably following the lead of Daniel and his friends, who refused to eat the rich food and wine that the king of Babylon offered them as stated in Daniel 1:3-16. Other Jews restricted their diet in pagan cultures because they could never be sure that the meat had been been slaughtered according to Jewish requirements. Happens in the UK, where some immigrants of certain faiths will only buy and eat Halla meat.
There were those who prided themselves on their enligthened freedom in Christ, looked with disdain on those they considered weak. While on the other hand those considered 'weak' condemned those considered 'Strong' for their laxness. These attitudes, over different issues, are mirrored throughout the history of the christain church. Even to this present day and age that we live in.

Apostle Paul warned against such mindset. Such approach should be disregarded. The word of God is telling us that GOD HAS ACCEPT(ED) ALL .Both the weak and the strong are genuine believers welcomed by God into his family. Therefore, we have no right to treat each other as if the other does not belong. Let us all ask the Lord to open the gates where the righteous enter, go in and thank the Lord. Because these gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and only the godly enter there. In there we will thank the Lord for answering our prayers and giving us the victory(Amen)

As the Lords servants, Christains are to Look to God for guidance and seek to honor him in all things. Because we are utimately accountable to him, our desire should ALWAYS be to PLEASE him, not to live for ourselves.

2 Corin 5:15
He(Jesus) died for everyone so that those who recieve his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for christ, who died and was raised for them.

We have no right to judge, condemn, criticize, attack another believer or chruch. May be actions, Yes, but motives, No. Only OUR Lord Jesus Christ was given that right by God.

2 Corin 5:10
For we must ALL stand before CHRIST to be JUDGED. We will EACH recieve whatever we DESERVE for the GOOD OR EVIL (WE) have DONE in this earthly body
We will be assessed and called to account. We will all (Pastor, Bishop, Apostle, Evangelist, Elder, Leader, Sister, Brother)get on our knees and confess all that we have done while here on earth. Some will give praise to God and others will find eternal sorrow. I pray that everyone reading this article will be counted worthy to give praise on that judgement day.(Amen)

U have quoted the bible. what is the voice of celestial church?

@ Toba

The voice of Celestial church of Christ is the Word of God. The Word of God is the scripture in the bible.
God bless.

Romans 9:1-13

Verse 1
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit
Verse 2
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
Verse 3
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
Verse 4
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
Verse 5
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.
Verse 6
It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
Verse 7
Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."[b] Verse 8
In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. Verse 9
For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[c]

Verse 10
Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.
Verse 11
Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand:
Verse 12
not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[d]
Verse 13
Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[e]

If u say so, i hear u. Thk God cele are reading the bible these days

Apostle Paul is highlighting a problem of unbelief that faced some many Jews. If God had promised salvation to Israel, why were so many Jews refusing to be saved. They did not believe that Jesus Christ was truly the fulfilment of God's plan. The Jews were deep rooted in the hope that because they were the remnant of Israel and the descendants of Abraham,embracing Jesus Christ as Lord was not paramount. For this reason, Paul was filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for the Jews. He was even ready to be cursed if that would save them. That is deep rooted love. Very christ-like. Willing to be cursed for others to be saved. Willing to go through hardship for others to gain salvation. Literally putting others first. A kind of heart all true believers should promote and emulate.

There is a very important finding I wish to reveal concerning the book of Romans. Up till Romans 9:4, Apostle Paul has called the Jewish people Jews. His shift to people of Israel here and throughout most of Chapter 9-11, is significant. Jews connotes national identity, but Israel emphasizes the covenant relationship of the people with God. They were CHOOSEN to be God ADOPTED children. The Israelites adopted status meant that they recieved God's blessing and promises, not necessarily saved. We know that Christ came from the people of Israel and God first made his promises of salvation to them. However the Israelites did not get the true meaning of the promises of salvation. They taught that they can earn this in an biological sense. What they failed to realise is that after our Lord christ ascended into heaven, an Israel within Israel was developing. These community consisted of both Jews and Gentiles who truly believed.

Romans 11:16-17 sheds light on this "If the first handful of dough is holy, the whole batch of dough is holy. If the root is holy, the branches are holy. 17But some of the olive branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive branch, have been grafted in their place. You get your nourishment from the roots of the olive tree.
The olive branches that were broken off were the unbelieving Jews and the wild olive branch that had been grafted in are me and you. Therein we get our nourishment. In the western world. many europeans call themselve christians either for sense of belonging sake or via heritage. Likewise we have many church goers who are just going thru the motions. But there are christians within the christian fold. The true believers. Which category do u belong to?

Conclusion

Let us remember that Abraham had other children. But out of all of them, only Isaac was the child of the promise. Jacob and Esau came from the same womb. but the bible said that Esau was to serve Jacob. The scriptures even went further to reveal that "God loved Jacob, but rejected Esau"

There are many religions in the world. But we know that only Christianity is the true faith. Why? CHRIST.
The name Jacob stands for the nation of Israel, and Esau stands for Edom. They were both originally individuals. Just as love can sometimes express a choice, so hate can express rejection. The story of Jacob and Esau illustrates how the sovereign God chooses his own people.
Some to be cursed, some to be blessed. Some to be rich, some to be poor. Some to die and some to live. Some to laugh and some to cry.
One thing we have to realise is that God is not unfair because he owes nothing to his sinful creatures. However let's be grateful that his mercy and grace endures forever more.
God bless

@Toba

We have always read the bible. But I have to admit that many hearers do exist, and doers are few. All we are doing here is to showcase that
within the fold ,true christians still exist and that is the gospel truth.

False Teachers are Real
2 Peter Chapter 2

Peter seeks to heighten our awareness of the presence of false teachers. They are real. There are those bent on destroying the work of God by introducing falsehood

2 Peter 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-- bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

There have always been and always will be false teachers. This is why we must understand the origin and purpose of Gods word.

2 Peter 1:20-21
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.


False prophets do not wear a T shirt with the words "False Prophet" spelled out on the front and back. They secretly introduce their worldly gospel. Jude indicates that these false prophets are grumblers and faultfinders who follow their own evil desires as they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (Jude 1:16) False prophets seek to exploit people through stories they have made up.
The way we think directly affects the way we live. Peter warns against following their shameful ways.


2 Peter 2:17-19
These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity-- for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Recognizing False Teachers

They will sneak up on us. They appear as angels of light as they cleverly blind their error with truth. They know how to exploit people's weakness.
They will exploit you with deceptive words. They will make merchandise of you. They are in the business of buying and selling through exploitation. They have made merchandise of lost souls. False teachers live to gratify the natural man. They clothe their arrogance with humility and presume to know more than anyone else. Thinking they are better than others, they speak evil of anyone who tends to overshadow them. They have feelings of superiority.

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. (NIV)

They beguile "unstable souls." They entice, allure, entrap, or delude. That is the nature of sin. Sin's promises only bring momentary pleasure with long lasting consequences.

They have hearts trained in greedy practices. They have trained their hearts through continuous use to be greedy and to covet that which belongs to others. They are living under the curse of God and don't even know it. They only deceive others but they deceive themselves also.
They have lost their intended purpose. They offer nothing to quench the spiritual thirst of their hearers. They impress us with earthly wisdom and their knowledge, beautiful vocabulary, and their fluency. They are bags of wind.

The Certain Doom of False Prophets

Philippians 3:18-21
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (NIV)

The false teachers are doomed. (2 Peter 2: 4-11) This has been proven throughout biblical history. Peter uses the angels, the ancient world, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the day of judgement as examples.

2 Peter 2:12-13,`7
They "will utterly perish in their own corruption." The emphasis is on "utterly perish". They will be completely destroyed. They will reap what they have sown. They "will receive the wages of unrighteousness." They will receive the gloom of darkness forever. They have sought to bring darkness to others through their false teaching. They will live in eternal darkness as their punishment.


2 Peter 2:20-22
Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
They wil be worse off than they were in the beginning. (vv. 20-22)

Bethern, as christians we must be able to recognise them and avoid such. In Christ alone should we seek our freedom. God bless

Hi Yommyuk,

Don't you feel the volume of your biblical quotes in this thread is overshadowing whatever message you are trying to pass across to members of the online community?

Do not forget that not so many people will have the time and space to read through all those quotes to be able to find your 'message'.

In any case, I feel your message here (whatever it is) is likely to be more of a personal sermon as you have not told us you are an authority on 'Cele' issues.

Let us not misguide the public.

@S-Prayer

The sermons on this thread are taken from the service day bible lessons for year 2010. See link below

http://www.celestialchurch.com/aboutus/lessons/2010/default.htm

So metaphorically, it is the voice of celestial church of christ. However, literally speaking it is a personal sermon.

As per the volume of biblical quotes. Point taken.

INTRO

In the Church of today, a lot of preachers advocate that as a christian you should mingle with "Like for Like". Meaning only mingle with your kind, and look down on the poor. Some even go to the extreme by saying those who are poor are cursed. The Devil is a liar. Is this what Jesus taught? Thank God the bible is freely available to us to seek the truth and find it. My advice is to always evaluate any sermon with the Word of God. Only then can we be truthly set free from the lies the agents of satan are promoting in the body of Christ.

THE TRUTH
Leviticus 19:9-10
When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your field, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. It is the same with your grape crop- do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.
question that comes to mind is why should we not be allowed to harvest all the crops that we have planted. Is it not ours? Hmm. God said no!
In all that we harvest, we should leave some for the poor.

Exodus 22:22 "You must not exploit a widow or an orphan." Why? Because God recognises that the widow and orphan were in a helpless and economically disadvantaged position. God, by his protective stance towards these persons, is demostrating that he does not value people on the basis of their power or wealth, the standards accepted by most people. Instead , God values people because they share his image as stated in Genesis 1:27.

In Luke 2:24 revealed to us that Mary and Joseph when presenting our Lord Jesus Christ on the eighth day after his birth, they offered to the Lord either a pair of turledoves or  two young pigeons.  The book of Leviticus 5:7 told us that those who offered this kind of offering were  people who could not afford to buy a sheep. What Mary and Joseph offered to God was the minimum offering required, but was absolutely acceptable by God. In a sense, Mary and Joseph were poor according to human stardard. But out of all parents, both living and the death, they were the ones choosen by God to be the parents of our Lord and saviour. So surely they were blessed.


The book of Proverbs 11:2 tells us that "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." Proverbs 18:12 also tell us that "Haughtiness (Arrogance, Self importance, Superiority complex, Over confidence and Pride) goes before destruction (Ruin); Humility(meekness) precedes honour(Respect and Admiration)."

CONCLUSION

Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with each other. Do not be TOO PROUD to enjoy the company

The Consequences of Disobedience.

Joshua 7:1-26


1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things [a] ; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, [b] the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD's anger burned against Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the region." So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there." 4 So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries [c] and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?"

10 The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

13 "Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it.

14 " 'In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD takes shall come forward clan by clan; the clan that the LORD takes shall come forward family by family; and the family that the LORD takes shall come forward man by man. 15 He who is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done a disgraceful thing in Israel!' "

16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was taken. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and he took the Zerahites. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was taken. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, [d] the God of Israel, and give him the praise. [e] Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."

20 Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, [f] two hundred shekels [g] of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, [h] I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.

24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today."
      Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor [i] ever since

Why did so many of Israel's soldiers die at Ai because of .Achan's sin? Why did the Israelites stone Achan's family along with him? A significant part of the answer to these questions comes by understanding the concept of communal responsibility.

If Achan's family knew of his theft, they were accomplices and shared Achan's guilt. A community becomes responsible for sin when people either actively participate in an act of sin or silently condone sinful actions or atitudes.But what about Achan's children who were too young to understand or those who had no knowledge of his theft? What about Israel's soldiers who died at Ai because Achan stole what belonged to God?

To understand, we have to go back to the begining. The sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, was at least 2 fold. First, They choose not to trust God, even though he was their true and intimate friend. Instead, they listened to the voice of a stranger. Secondly, though they were unsuccessful, they declared their independence from God by trying to become gods themselves. Because we all make that same choice for ourselves, no one is truly innocent.

For this reason, we are all subject to the consequences of sin in the world. We may die as the result of another's sin, carelessness, or ignorance, or as a result of our own. Because one person drives under the influence of alcohol, someone else might die on the highway. Because one person wants to maximize profits, others can suffer in wretched conditions. And because Achan sinned, others in Israel died at Ai. None of this is "fair." However, God promises to bring perfect justice in his own time. God's Justice will be mediated through his grace and mercy, brought to us through Jesus' death in our place. Hallehua for that

That is why it is very important that we watch and check our ways because we do not know you else may be affected by our deeds. God Bless

Appointment of a Church Leader

1 Timothy 5:22
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

Laying on of hands is a rite used to set people apart for special tasks. The laying on of hands is part of a formal ceremony by which the church commissions selected people into their new service. Paul advises that this should take place only after the entire matter is properly and prayerfully considered.

This warns that the person responsible for appointing elders who prove unfaithful is, in a sense, partaker of their sins, unless due deliberation, investigation and testing preceded such unfortunate appointment. However, the share of the sins of others is not borne by the minister who properly observes these restrictions, restraints and precautions.

Are you are an Overseer, Senior Pastor, etc ? If yes take note. The word of God says in our quest for church growth, we should be fully aware of the consequences that come from putting church growth before purity.

Hosea 6:3
Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.
Hoesa 6:6
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

More than any other prophet, Hosea emphasizes the importance of knowing God. Israel would ultimately be destroyed (Hosea 4:6) because they refused to know God (Hosea 4:1)

For us, Knowledge means information, facts and concepts. But in biblical times, Knowledge was centered in personal relationships. To know someone is to enter into a close relationship with that person. Knowing God involves much more than simply mastering facts and information about him. It even transcends discussions about the natue and character of God, as important as those are. Knowing God means entering into an intimate relationship with him. It means identifying with God and learning to view everything as God does. Knowing God can and will transform our thoughts and actions, our priorities and values, and our relationship with fellow human beings. It is far more important than religious rites, sacrifices and burnt offering, or any other religious activites.

CONCLUSION
Jeremiah 9:24
Those who wish to boast should boast in this alone; that they TRULY know me and understand that I am the Lord who demostrates unfalling love and who brings justice and righteousnesss to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!

God Bless

The Divine Nature of Christ

Philippians 2:6-11

6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:6-11

This is often called the Christ Hymn, reveals early Christians beliefs about  the nature of Jesus Christ. This hymn affirms that the early Christians believed in the preexistence and divine nature of Christ. The books of Colossians 1:15-20,2:9, John 1:1-2 and Hebrews 1:1-3 is an affirmation of this fact. Christ is not simply another human prophet as the muslims proclaim. Nothing can be so far from it. He was present with God the Father from the very beginning and he is the one throught whom the universe was created. As the 'Son of God, he share the nature of God himself.

The hymn also affirms that Jesus Christ came to earth in an act of immense humility - The infinite God became human. Jesus Christ, the glorious Creator of the universe, died as a sacrificial offering for the sins of human beings so that we might be forgiven and be reconciled to God (John 3:14-17), as the Scriptures had foretold in Isa 53:3-12

This hymn also affirms that God raised Jesus from the dead, has given him "the place of highest honor" in heaven and conferred on him the title "Lord" One day, all created beings will bow before him and ackowledge that he is Lord of the entire universe, deserving of the worship that God alone is worthy to recieve (Rev 5:8-14)

We serve the living God - Keep the faith holy.

God bless

1 Corin 9:4-11

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (New International Version)

7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

"When Christ comes, he will destroy the enemies of the Good News and resue persecuted believers. The future event calls for a present response. Those who obey the Good News can have confidence of rescue. Those who disobey will experience everlasting destruction.

Although Paul carefully lays out the events that will precede the day of the Lord, such as "Apostasy" which is a willful falling away from, or rebellion against the Good News and the appearing of the "man of lawlessness" which is the spirit that was operating on earth before God called light out to destroy the power of darkness. Apostle Paul assures the Thessalonians Christain that God will judge evil (2 Thess 2:8

The Lord of Host is calling all believers to derive our hope and comfort in him. To stand firm in the present age as we face the future. The final consummation of all things which is the "day of the Lord" will come when least expected, like a thief in the night. Only the father knows when that day will be. The present is not a time for speculation but for hope and solid confidence. Setting dates and times is not the way Christians should approach questions about the end. The Word of God teaches us about final things to give hope in the midst of trouble and perspective on present life and conduct.

God Bless

SALUTATION

Halleluah! Halleluah! Halleluah!

In a couple of weeks year 2010 will be dead and gone, and we will be venturing into 2011. Millions won't make it while billions will get there safely. If you find yourself counted among the latter (Roman 14:8 If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord) Amen.

To be honest, Celestial church of Christ has been on the ropes for a while, wherever the Holy Spirit has led the righteous ones, the evil one has tried his best to render the hope that we hold firmly as hopeless. However we give praise to God and our Lord Jesus Christ for his mercies and comfort. He continues to comfort us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. The more accusation we face for Christ, the more God continues to strengthen us by the power of the Holy ghost to continue therein. We have placed our confidence in him and he will continue to empower us.

Our primary aim is to stand firm in what we do by not looking left or right and hope that someday you will fully understand us, even if you do not understand us now. With confidence and a clear conscience, the righteous know that when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we will be proud of you, our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

TO THE WOLVES AND WEEDS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

2 Chronicles 28:1-4 introduces us to the reign of King Ahaz who was 20 years old when he became king and reigned for 16 years in Jerusalem. We were also told how he did evil in the sight of God unlike his ancestor David. Instead he cast metal images for the worship of Baal. He offered human sacrifices in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, even sacrificing his own sons following detestable pratices of the pagan nations that the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. The same can be said of the wolves and weeds that have sprung up in Celestial Church of Christ and the body of Christ in general.

The Lord of Host promised in Isaiah 3:11 "Woe to the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him."

To those Shepherd, Senior Pastors and General Overseer(s) who thru their evil pratices have scattered the flock, the Lord of Host said in Isaiah 5:8 "What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field, until you live alone in the Land.

The Lord of Heaven's Armies has sworn a solemn oath: that those houses will stand deserted and those beautiful mansions will be empty (IN JESUS NAME)

Remember the Lord of Heaven's Armies allowed the King of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus. My advice is that you change because your days are NUMBERED!

RESTORATION OF TRUE STEWARDSHIP

2 Chronicles 29 tells us about King Hezekiah who reigned after King Ahaz. He did what was right in the sight of God just like his ancestor David by urging the Levites to purify themselves and removing all the defiled things from the santuary. Likewise I urge all brethens to purify ourselves by repenting of our sins and asking for the tender mercies of the Lord of Host to cleanse us with the "BLOOD OF CHRIST". Let us remove all those things that defile the Holy Spirit from residing in our  inner santuary(Heart). Then let us follow the example of the Levites stated in 2 Chron 29:12-14 who purified themselves before cleansing the Temple of the Lord. When the inner man is clean, the Light of God takes residence in us and glows outwardly for the world to see. Those in the dark will be attracted to the Light of God that is "CHIRST IN US"

God Bless!

ENDURANCE

HEBREW 6:11-12

11And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

This writeup is for the christian brothers and sisters who are experiencing great difficulties because of their Christian commitment, and they are in need of endurance, which is the ability to bear up patiently under difficult circumstances. Life is not easy under the best circumstances, and commitment to Christ in a hostile world brings its own share of suffering.

For since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. We are like runners in a race. We need to stay on the path of obedience. Like true children of a loving father, we are to receive the Lord's discipline in order to grow in HOLINESS.

Have you learnt how to bless those who curse you? How to be patient with those who abuse you? How to endure and stay faithful in all the persecutions and hardship you may be facing?

2 Tim 4:5 encourages us to keep a clear mind in every situation. Timothy also implores us not to be afraid of suffering for the Lord. We are to preach the Good News and FULLY carry out the ministry God has given us to do. What is your calling within the fold and the body of Christ as a whole?
Endurance will develop our strength of character and character will strength our confident hope of SALVATION which will ultimately lead to us growing in MATURITY. Whatever the world may throw at you will be rendered ineffective. GOSPEL TRUTH. Because your faith has grown deep in CHRIST.

CONCLUSION

JAMES 5:11
11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Like Job, we must endure suffering to learn how kind the Lord is at the end.

God bless

Jesus Christ, the bread of life

The book of John chapter 6 told us how our Lord Jesus Christ feed five thousand people. The people who experienced this miracle exclaimed "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!" The people wanted  to force Jesus to become King by taking advantage of him politically, hence failing to see the real meaning behind the miracle. The same can be said of the people who flock to the church today, most give physical needs more priority over spiritual needs. A worrying trend.

Jesus Christ said in John 6:26-27
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

But the people did not get it. Same as most Xtains of our age.

John 6:30-31
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[a]”

CONCLUSION
Jesus most profound gift was or is not physical bread, but eternal life which the Father authorized him to give. Physical bread is perishable, the gift of JESUS, who is himself the bread of life will last forever.

This is what CHRISTIANITY is all about. Anything else is secondary.

God bless