Month: May 2012

Posted in PRAYER

Intercessory Prayer

Posted on by Uplifting Christ

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About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. (Acts 12:1-5 NLT)

These are among the verses in the scriptures I really pay attention to. Acts 12 talks about how James was arrested but the church did nothing about it till he was killed by Herod. He saw it pleased the people so he went for Peter. But this time, the church did what they didn’t do when James was arrested. They prayed earnestly for Peter.

Did God answer that Prayer?

Yes! He did. When you read from verse 6, the Bible says
The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.
So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. (Acts 12:6-10 NLT).
God heard them and sent an angel to rescue him. Friends, there is Power in intercessory prayer.

I don’t know what your family is going through. I don’t know what your friends, business, Job, church, country, etc is/are going through. But I believe if you would go down on your knees to pray for them, God would answer your prayer in Jesus’ Name.

Before Jesus left, He prayed for His disciples, and all those who would believe in His Name. In John 17, Jesus said this prayer;
“My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. (John 17:9, 11, 15, 17, 19, 20 NLT).
And now, He is interceding for us at the Father’s right hand. The Father is no longer angry with us because of Christ’s position. We are blessed because of Jesus. Amen!

When the devil knows he can’t get you, he attacks those people you love. When my family was attacked, in the physical everything was going wrong. We didn’t know what to do. In fact, the storm came from all directions; from jobs to bank accounts, rent to food, etc. My mum would cry all day. It was at this point that I realised One person could make a change. I understood what I am telling you today. I stood and prayed for my family day and night. I could testify that what God has done now is far greater than what we used to be. James said that The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16 NLT).

Are you going to keep quiet and sleep when the devil is working 24/7 searching for ways to destroy you, your family, etc.?

In Luke 18, the Bible says
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? (Luke 18:1, 6, 7 NLT). Pray without ceasing

I want to encourage you today to keep on Praying, keep on interceding for people who are bound by the chains of Satan. They would be delivered in Jesus’ Name. Abraham interceded for Lot and God saved him. When you Pray earnestly, God would hear your cry.

I will close with this:
But Moses tried to pacify the LORD his God. “O LORD!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”
So the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people. (Exodus 32:11-14 NLT)

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Posted in GLORIFY GOD, GOD'S KINGDOM, SOUL FOOD

What Robe are you wearing?

Posted on by Uplifting Christ

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:11-14

Christ, the Bridegroom, is coming soon. He is coming to take His faithful brides home. He is coming yet majority of us are living lives that are contrary to what He expects from us.

my question today is:

what robe are you wearing?

I don’t like outing or going for occasions. I am a reserved type. I prefer to stay home to read my books, listen to music, surf the net, or watch movies. However, I have friends who love the “show”. They find the perfect clothes for the day (occasion).  My point is we pay more attention to the things of the flesh than those of the spirit.

The mind of the flesh is enmity against God.

From the passage, when the King saw the person who wasn’t dressed for the occasion, He ordered His men to bind him and throw him into the outer darkness. I believe this is what would happen on the last day. Most people have accepted to follow Jesus but they still have their old dirty and filthy clothes on. Such people are not fit for the King’s party. They would be rejected if they don’t put on their new clothes of righteousness.

Put on your robe of righteousness.

Many Christians are wearing their garments of anger, lying, gossiping, backbiting, fear, wrath, malice, filthy communication, fornication, etc. They want to be known as Christians but they don’t live like one. We are told to let our lights shine before men. In other words, people should be able to identify us whenever we may be.

I don’t know the kind of robe you have on today. You know yourself better than your neighbor. Would the King like your robe on that day? Or would He command His guards to bind you and throw you into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?

Many are called, but few are chosen

I will close with this:

Isaiah 61:10 New International Version (NIV)

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, 
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Posted in GLORIFY GOD

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Posted on by Uplifting Christ

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a] and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[b]? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:4-6

Last week, we heard President Obama’s view on same-sex marriage. This has been a major subject for the past days. I believe what he said defies nature. That was not God’s original idea. The other aspect that most of these people, who are happy to have had a president backing them, have not asked is; Is Obama gay? Personally, I know he is married to a beautiful woman with two lovely daughters. He is not gay and I believe people should follow his actions ignoring his view on same-sex marriage.

I watched the news and heard what he said that  “At a certain point I just concluded, for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,”. Everything is wrong with what he said from biblical point of view.

God wants every man to find his suitable helper to make him complete. However, the creation wants to tell the Creator that he knows more than the Creator. Friends, the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. God can wait. He can wait for such people to make the mistake that would take their lives. Homosexual practice is sinful in God’s eyes. Leviticus 18:22 Amplified Bible (AMP) “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Leviticus 20:13 Amplified Bible (AMP) “If a man lies with a male as if he were a woman, both men have committed an offense (something perverse, unnatural, abhorrent, and detestable); they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

In the OT, the punishment for such act was death. In the NT, Paul wrote in Roman 1:27 that “…men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion”. I would advise my fellow brothers and sisters who are caught in this act that God is the potter, and He can make things anew. Just surrender all to Jesus.

The life we live is a gift of trust. We would be held accountable on the last day. I love what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 11:9 that “Rejoice, O young man, in your adolescence, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your [full-grown] youth. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.” You have your life to live but don’t forget its Owner.

Jesus said in Luke 17 that it was the same in the days of Lot. What we witness in our days is a sign that very soon, the King of kings would return to take His children home. Let us not be troubled because it was prophesied so many years ago that it would happen before the Son of God returns. Jesus is coming soon. I don’t hate homosexuals. Christ died for ALL. His Patience means SALVATION. 2 Peter 3:9 says The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Let us not be happy because a president, some pastors, bishops, etc think(s) same-sex marriage is right. He/She is only flesh and blood. Besides, we are following Jesus, the Son of the Living God. His lifestyle is what we ought to study and practice.

I will close with this; Matthew 18:7 Contemporary English Version (CEV)  The world is in for trouble because of the way it causes people to sin. There will always be something to cause people to sin, but anyone who does this will be in for trouble.