Imitators of God

Oh how wide, how deep and incomprehensible is the love of God.

God is Love – not the love of mere feelings and emotions or mere words but great love to die for the whole world.

Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I kneel before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

So sad how selfish and totally ignorant we are of the Love of God. 

We have not come to fully comprehend the love of God because if we had we would not do the things we do, we would not speak some of the things we speak or dress some of the ungodly ways we dress.

We fail to love God back. 

We fail to imitate God in showing love.

The price has already been paid by the Lamb of God and so no one needs to die again but all we need to do is to live our lives for Jesus and yet what do we do; we live our lives for ourselves.

2 Corinthians 5:15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

We do not even spare a second to find out what is pleasing to God so that we may do it. All our time is spent on pleasing ourselves. Most of the things we do, do not even please God at all and so we grieve the Holy Spirit whom we have received from God.

Ephesians 5:10 and find out what pleases the Lord.

What wretched people we are if we trample on the love that God has shown to us. It is a bad thing to repay good with evil. Should we repay the good that God has done for us with evil?

Proverbs 17:30 If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.

Here is what we should do; we should be imitators of God.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

There are many qualities of God to imitate. As I have already shared before in my previous posts; Holiness – God says, ‘Be Holy for I AM Holy.’ For without holiness no man will see the Lord

True Holiness comes from keeping oneself pure. A pure heart that thinks no evil towards anyone. A pure heart that does not habor resentment. A pure mind that thinks pure thoughts not violent thoughts or sexual fantasies or other evil thoughts. Pure eyes that do not allow darkness in. A pure body that is not exposed for everyone to see and lust at. A body that glorifies God, when people see they pass good comments. 

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honourable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

For more reading on outward holiness click here

 Justice; God is Just and requires us to deal justly. For more reading on Justice click here

Righteousness for the nature of God is righteousness. To imitate God’s righteousness one needs to walk with God. Righteousness is a right walk with God whereby you do things that please God. 

1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

For more reading on righteousness click here

God is Merciful and if we want to imitate God we must also be merciful. Mercy pardons, it gives second chances even third or fourth. Those who show mercy will themselves be shown mercy.

God is Love. We must walk in Love, not as the world defines it but as God defines it. There is no love that leads people to sin against God, that is called deception. And loving God means loving my neighbour for anyone who says they love God and yet do not love their brother or sister is a liar.

Many people do not know this but God is a Hard Worker. Jesus imitated Our Father in demonstrating hard work in His mission. Jesus would wake up early to pray. He would even skip food so as to continue ministering because fulfilling His work was His mission.

John 5:17 In his defense Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."

We should also imitate the Wisdom of God. We do this by reading the scriptures to find out more about God and Jesus. We should also ask for wisdom in prayer.

Ecclesiastics 7:12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

God is Sovereign and no one can take His place. We should not desire the Sovereign position of God but we should celebrate it and also take our positions as heirs of God. We are God’s offspring, Royal Generation. Chosen people, ordained by God to produce good fruits. We have Dominion over the earth and dominion over our bodies.

1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

We imitate God and glorify Him with our lives. We do all of it by living our lives by the Spirit of God who is our Helper and by living by faith. The world is groaning for this.

Romans 8:19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

Do you trust in God?

God knows you by your name.

He knows even the number of the hairs in your head.

He also knows you need food and clothes and other things.

But that’s not the best part, the best part is God cares. I know this because God is Love and Love is Kind and Caring.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

No God cannot forget you!

Isaiah 49:15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

Has God not blessed you before?

Has God not provided for you before?

Has God not led you before?

What then can stop Him from doing even more?

But you have to trust in God.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

This is the biggest lesson of life; learning to trust God. And it is not an easy thing to do. Sarah laughed when she heard that she would be pregnant. The Israelites even though they had seen the wonders of God; the parting of the red sea they did not trust God but complained and grumbled against God in the wilderness.

Psalm 78:22 for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.

You cannot Trust in God and at the same time speak or act contrarily. I have actually found that when I find it hard to trust in God and I’m tempted to complain all I have to do is to look back at the string of testimonies of God’s Love in my life then I find that I’m able to trust in God. 

Sometimes just hearing someone else’s testimony is enough to help me to keep trusting in God. God cannot just say Trust me from nowhere. He wants us to consider the works He has done in the heavens, on the earth, in our families, in our lives and in other people’s lives.

Psalm 78:7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

God simply wants us to finally realise that He is not like other Gods who though they have eyes cannot see and though they have ears cannot hear. Other gods who cannot give life because they themselves do not have it.

Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.

God wants you to know without doubt that He is very real and very alive. A Real Father, A Real Friend, A Real Saviour, A Real Healer, A Real Helper……

John 15:14 You are My friends if you do what I command you.

But you cannot experience any of this if do not approach God. The cares of this life are many, we have many needs and wants. 

If you carry all of your burdens on your shoulders you get weary, you get sick, you get depressed and stressed. If you share your burdens with other people, they also get wearied and depressed or they gossip and laugh.

Psalm 108:12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

But if you take it to Jesus; He will give you rest. This does not mean that you won’t cry or suffer. It means that even though you may cry and suffer you will always have a reliable and faithful companion leading you to victory for life.

Mathew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

But if you continue carrying your burdens, satan will find opportunity to take the Word of God from you and Jesus will come back at a time you are carrying your own burdens because you failed to trust in God and just as the Israelites who did not trust God did not see the promised land so those who fail to trust in God will not see the Kingdom of heaven.

Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life--and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

Remember even to Trust in God, we need God's help for we can do nothing by ourselves. So then let us ask the Holy Spirit of God to help with our unbelief. When Peter was sinking when he was trying to walk on water, he called out and Jesus helped him. Another man also believed and still he asked Jesus to help him.

Mark 9:24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

God bless!

Look after him

This devotion is by Adrian - Missionary

“‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”

Luke 10:25-37

We are like the innkeeper whom God asked to look after the victims of oppression and injustices using the blessings given to us.

Following Jesus examples, may we understand that we need to be intentional in extending compassion to others not only because we are told so but because it is the right thing to do. 

Despite our own needs and challenges, we have all been blessed with something to help others; may it be our time, our talent, service or even financial assistance.

Prayer

Dear Lord, may I learn to always acknowledge how you have helped me and blessed me despite my unworthiness May you guide me to serve 

Here is link to his blog 

God bless

Love is 14 things

Love is patient

Able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

Love is kind

Desires to do good to others; goodwill and charitableness

Love does not envy

Does not get discontented or resentful because of desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable thing belonging to someone else

Love does not boast

Does not talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.

Love is not proud

Does not show a high or excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions 

Love is not rude

Not offensively impolite or bad-mannered.

Love is not self-seeking

Not lacking consideration for other people and not concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure.

Love is not easily angered

Not lacking control over one’s emotions.

Love keeps no record of wrong

Forgives and forgets

Love does not rejoice in evil but rejoices with the truth

Supports the Word of God

Love always protects

Safeguards, shields, preserves, defends, cushions, shelters, secures, fortifies, guards, 

Love always trusts

Firmly believing in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something

Love always perseveres

Always persistent in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success

Love never fails

Never lacking, never missing, always succeeds.

‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29- 31

Enoch was not found because God took him

Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away Genesis 5: 24

I believe in The Rapture also known as The Taking Away. I have heard some people say there is nothing like that in the Bible but we find The taking away happening in both the Old and New Testament. It happened to Enoch; It happened to Jesus Christ. This post is to share with you what The Rapture is all about.

The dead in Christ shall rise first and we who are still alive will be caught up together with them to meet with Christ in the air.

For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The day and hour of The Rapture is unknown

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Mathew 25:13

Not everyone will be taken. Some will be taken (Wise, Prepared with enough oil to receive the Messiah & Faithful sons and daughters of God) and some will be left behind {Foolish, Unprepared having little oil to receive the Messiah (Lukewarm) & Unfaithful to their Master}.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Mathew 24:40-42

It shall happen very fast

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52

The Rapture shall happen and then the Great Tribulation shall begin

But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins…Isaiah 26:19-21

The Rapture should not be mistaken for the other coming of the Messiah in which He shall come and every eye will see Him. This is another coming whereby He shall come after the Great Tribulation. Those who had not prepared for The Rapture or believed in it but would not have taken the mark of the beast and repented for the forgiveness of sins; He shall save.

For the message of preparing to enter into heaven click here 

God Loves the world

“For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life – John 3:16

Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus as He was teaching him about the Kingdom of God.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever and these are the same words that Jesus is speaking to the world. 

GOD STILL LOVES THE WORLD.

We should all know that God does not take pleasure in the death of anyone but that He is firm in His purpose and when we go astray; He corrects us and lets us know how we have sinned arrogantly and if we repent we spent our days in prosperity.

Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?

God is mighty, but does not despise men; He is mighty and firm in His purpose. Job 36:5

But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, He tells them what they have done – that they have sinned arrogantly. He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. Job 36:8-10.

So then the warnings and corrections of God are part of God’s love for the world. He wants us to accept His correction, to turn from our wicked ways that we may live.

We should also know that there is an enemy of God who hates the world, his only mission is going up and down the world seeking whom to devour, seeking whom to kill, steal or destroy. 

The enemy of God and the world is satan and his evil partners. Together they lead people astray and as such hell has opened its mouth wide, taking in as much as it can. Hell’s appetite is never satisfied, always hungry for more.

1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Isaiah 5:14 Therefore sheol enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revellers.

When I received this message to share; I really felt the Lord’s immense love for the world. 

We serve God who knows the end from the beginning. 

He is also a generous God; revealing the things which we ourselves cannot see beforehand by His Word, His Spirit, His Servants & His other channels.

Friends in the Lord; what we have received is very precious. We have received Eternal Life. However know there is a thief seeking to steal our very good inheritance.

Resist him and he will flee.

Esau had a good inheritance but he exchanged it for a bowl of soup- for temporary satisfaction and even though he later sought his inheritance with tears; it was too late and he was denied.

The things and the pleasures of this world are temporary and coming to pass. 

Hold on to what is imperishable. 

Hold on to the Word of God. 

Lay hold of eternal life for which you were called. 

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Lay hold to what is worthy and just.

It is not too late to repent!

Jesus is still the same; He is still seeking the lost to this day for Only Him is the Good Shepherd.

The lost are not only those outside the church even in church there are many who are lost. 

I myself was in the church and lost that is why I take every chance to share my testimony and share the Word of God with others especially those in the church. 

Jesus said not everyone who says unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of God. Mathew 7:21

Repentance Prayer Guide

Heavenly Father I pray in Jesus Name

You are mighty but you do not despise men, neither do you take pleasure in the death of anyone. Thank you for your Great Love. Thank you for calling me to repentance.

Oh Lord I’m a sinner. Please forgive my sins even my hidden faults. I ask for mercy. I ask that you cleanse and wash me from all evil.

Lord anoint me with your Holy Spirit and Fire. Help me to do your will from now on and forevermore to the Glory of your name.

Amen

 ….. I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”Luke 15:10

Justice

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 4:8

But what is justice?

I’m aware that there are many heroes of justice like Martin Luther King; however in this article I want to focus on Jesus.

Of Jesus it was prophesied saying He will rule on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:7

Justice is the way of Peace (Shalom)

Isaiah 59:8 the way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths.

There are people who love violence and use intimidation and force to abuse others. There are people who rape others; men who rape women and children also women who rape man and children using force and intimidation. Others are kidnappers. Others are forced into marriages.

There are others who use violence to stay in power at the workplace or in politics even murdering those who oppose them.

Justice is the way of light.

Isaiah 59:9 so justice is far from us and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness…

Acts of darkness are many, they include satanism, juju, magic, witchcraft, deception/falsehood, trickery, manipulation and so much more.

There are people who have suffered in the hands of people who practice these acts.

Some people have mysteriously lost their money after someone used witchcraft to steal from them. Many people especially nowadays are victims of false ministers who use strange and demonic spirits to lure them to their churches. They ask people to provide information about themselves- names, contacts etc and then they make incarnations on these and on the offerings also, so that those people cannot see the light but are held in bondage and keep going to those false ministers who are only interested in making money.

Some people go to witch doctors to receive medicine to administer to their spouses so that they become like their puppets.

Some people are dead, sick, broke, unmarried because someone got envious and jealousy and so used black magic to curse their lives.

This way is a way of darkness and justice does not dwell in darkness.

Justice is the way of Integrity

Isaiah 59:4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.

Integrity has to do with honesty, reliability & uprightness.

A person without integrity does not mind taking a bribe; in fact he/she demands bribes.

A person without integrity cheats. They can cheat in an exam. They can cheat on their spouse intentionally. They can use dishonest scales in conducting their business.

They can use any method to make money even if hurts another person and so the poor and needy are denied justice.

A person without integrity can prostitute themselves to a married man or women and destroy a family in the process.

Justice is the way of Truth & Righteousness.

Isaiah 59:14 so justice is driven back and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.

This is where it becomes sensitive. In my opinion it is not Justice if it is outside God’s Word. The Word of God is true and His decrees are righteous.

However some are fighting for justice outside of God’s Word. There is much talk on rights for women to abort unborn children.

There is talk on rights for children to disobey their parents without receiving punishment from their parents.

Homosexuals are also fighting for rights to marry.

Let me just say, I don’t know anything about rights but what I do know is any way outside the Word of God is an unrighteous way. It is the undoing of the Gospel. It is outright rebellion to God’s Truth.

May God help us and give us the Grace to administer justice to:

Rape victims

Domestic violence victims – men, women & children

Victims of forced marriages

Poor & needy; widow & orphan & elderly who have no one left to care for them

Political prisoners & falsely accused

Victims of false ministers

Victims of witchcraft & other satanic manifestations

Corrupt systems

Victims of Fake products- Swindlers & Fake jobs – modern day slavery

Overpriced goods and services

Unborn children

Persecuted Believers

Justice and Mercy

There is a better way to administer justice. It is the way of Justice & Mercy.

It is true that Our God is Just.

It is also true that Our God is Merciful.

So we discover that where Justice renders a full sentence and full punishment; Justice and Mercy will render only a fraction of the sentence and punishment for Our God does not always pay us what our sins deserves but He forgives and shows mercy so also those who forgive and show mercy will themselves be forgiven and shown mercy.

Isaiah 56:1 This is what the Lord says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

God’s salvation is Jesus Christ the Messiah and Saviour of the world who lowered himself and gave up His life on His own accord so that by so doing those who believe are saved. It is the same Jesus Christ who will be revealed again to us who are waiting for His glorious return to save us from the coming destruction – the great tribulation. He will accomplish this by His Holy Spirit whom we have been sealed with unto the day of redemption in an event known as The Rapture; the taking away of the saints to meet with Jesus in the sky and to dine with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Click here to learn about righteousness. Better yet search the Scriptures and may the Holy Spirit give you revelation.

God bless!