What does it entail and what benefit does one gain by living a life of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we living in the faith to simply receive such benefits? For if this is the sole reason of our faith then it is prudent to note that such a faith is futile. It is no small matter that the Christians of old suffered severe persecution, such that would make the hardest of men reflect on how such persecutions were carried out by our fellow human beings. By such sufferings these men and women have reaped eternal benefits by rejecting worldly and material benefits that some may view as 'blessings' from God, such was their rejection that they gave their very lives to attain a crown of glory.
It may also be prudent to state that a Christian may not partake in the benefits that faith in the Lord Jesus will bring unless suffering precedes such a benefit. Consider the words of Jesus "if anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up His cross daily and follow me" Luke 9:23, but what does it imply "to pick up His cross daily" it implies carrying a great burden, it implies struggles over the flesh and over life and the worldly pleasures that please the senses. It also implies that to follow the Lord in faith will cause us to grow weary due to the endless temptations and trials that we will undoubtedly encounter along our journey. If we desire Him who loves us then we must be willing to suffer and put an end to the love of our self. We must kill our desires by resisting all forms of evil and sin, rather than falling a victim to such desires we should beseech the Lord through prayer, fasting and weeping so that He may assist us whilst carrying our cross. If our life as Christians consist of abundant benefits then we must ask ourselves, are we living a life of faith in the Lord Jesus, or are we living a secular life hidden behind a curtain of cliches? Oh wretched men that we are! We speak so eloquently about the Lord but our focus is on wealth, cars and property, our lips confess one thing but our hearts another and we deceive ourselves into believing that such blessings come from the Lord.
Desire those blessings that will allow you to empty your heart so that there is room for the Lord to dwell within, desire trials and sufferings always beseeching the Lord to assist you. How can we claim to be sanctified if we are yet living in our sins? Does a pig not lay in its filth completely satisfied in filling itself with waste? How then if we continue to live with a depraved heart can we claim to be sanctified? But be ever watchful, as the Lord states that "no one knows the day nor the hour" and "He will come like a thief in the night", keep yourself protected by prayer, fasting and giving of alms, reading scripture and always ensure that the Body and Blood of our Lord is taken regularly as by so doing He will "abide in you and you in He".
Before benefits through faith are provided, suffering must occur, the Lord Himself suffered before being glorified with the Father so that through His sufferings we may suffer and be glorified with Him.
Amen.
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Apologies
I have been quite busy as of late and I apologise for not updating the blog, please pray for me earnesty that the Lord allow some time for me to work on this ministry. God willing the blog will be updated in the next few days, may the Lord keep you all safe and bless you with His divine grace.
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
The Holy week part 4
What have we seen, what marvels have our eyes looked upon and what wonders have altered our minds and renewed our hearts? The Christ, creator of Heaven and Earth is hung on a Cross along with common thieves, likened to a common thief but despised by those in the world even more so. Darkness abounds on earth as the sun has hidden itself in shame, darkness is parading unashamedly in the spiritual realm believing it has ridden the world of the Son, but darkness is labelled as such because it cannot see, although it resides in the spiritual realm it can by no means comprehend the light.
Hung on a Cross, naked and humiliated, through much agony and anguish our Lord still manages to inspire and guide us onto a virtuous path, as if to say that being hung on the Cross isn't sufficient a lesson in humility, He astonishes those who ridicule Him by murmuring "Father forgive them, they know not what they do" Luke 23:34. Left desolate and ashamed, He portrays true virtue and displays sincere love by asking His Father to forgive them this most grievous of sin. "Father forgive them, they know not what they do", what is it that these men and women know not? Isn't it clear that their actions condemn them? Although they are physically responsible for the events unfolding, our Lord is able to see that there is in fact more to the story and this is why He utters "they know not what they do".
Jesus being perfect God and perfect Man was aware that every evil being that dwelt within the spiritual realm were influencing these people whose eyes were blinded and ears were shut. Jesus in His humanity was suffering incomprehensibly, His Divinity was fully aware, alive and functioning (from everlasting to everlasting) and ultimately His loving compassion for those being led astray by satan was the motive for His request to the Father.
Woe unto us if we cannot forgive those for the slightest of offences, consider that when Christ spoke "forgive them Father, they know not what they do" that His request was also on our behalf and for our benefit, for we too, openly put Christ to shame with our many sins and transgression. For each of us was responsible for Christ's crucifixion, as we read in Romans 5 -
6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a wicked man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Therefore consider the implications of your actions should you not forgive those who offend you, considering that we were partakers of the injustice which occurred at Golgotha. It is written that only those who forgive shall receive forgiveness from the Father (Matthew 6:15) so be quick to reconcile with one another so that our Lord does not come at a time where hate is found dwelling in your heart. The Lord, with very few words, taught us that works of righteousness must overcome all darkness, all evil, all bitterness, all envy and all works of wickedness.
We will continue with the theme of the Holy Week God willing within the next week.
God bless.
Hung on a Cross, naked and humiliated, through much agony and anguish our Lord still manages to inspire and guide us onto a virtuous path, as if to say that being hung on the Cross isn't sufficient a lesson in humility, He astonishes those who ridicule Him by murmuring "Father forgive them, they know not what they do" Luke 23:34. Left desolate and ashamed, He portrays true virtue and displays sincere love by asking His Father to forgive them this most grievous of sin. "Father forgive them, they know not what they do", what is it that these men and women know not? Isn't it clear that their actions condemn them? Although they are physically responsible for the events unfolding, our Lord is able to see that there is in fact more to the story and this is why He utters "they know not what they do".
Jesus being perfect God and perfect Man was aware that every evil being that dwelt within the spiritual realm were influencing these people whose eyes were blinded and ears were shut. Jesus in His humanity was suffering incomprehensibly, His Divinity was fully aware, alive and functioning (from everlasting to everlasting) and ultimately His loving compassion for those being led astray by satan was the motive for His request to the Father.
Woe unto us if we cannot forgive those for the slightest of offences, consider that when Christ spoke "forgive them Father, they know not what they do" that His request was also on our behalf and for our benefit, for we too, openly put Christ to shame with our many sins and transgression. For each of us was responsible for Christ's crucifixion, as we read in Romans 5 -
6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a wicked man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Therefore consider the implications of your actions should you not forgive those who offend you, considering that we were partakers of the injustice which occurred at Golgotha. It is written that only those who forgive shall receive forgiveness from the Father (Matthew 6:15) so be quick to reconcile with one another so that our Lord does not come at a time where hate is found dwelling in your heart. The Lord, with very few words, taught us that works of righteousness must overcome all darkness, all evil, all bitterness, all envy and all works of wickedness.
We will continue with the theme of the Holy Week God willing within the next week.
God bless.
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