What if…? Stories of 5 Churches Making IMPACT in their communities + The story of the 9 American Richest men in 1923 and how they all ended.
Sunday, August 11th 2024
Podcast Link –
https://open.spotify.com/show/4dM07mIhic99gToH8I6iv1
Youtube link –
https://youtu.be/DW4BvPJOq38?si=DH_l0HJrMxBfTyjx
What if…? Stories of 5 Churches Making IMPACT in their communities + The story of the 9 American Richest Men in 1923 and how they all ended.
Friends, I have been turning this title in my mind for close to a week, driven by the decay around our world. It doesn’t matter where you look – America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Island of the Seas – name it, it is broken. Everywhere you look, you hear and experience sickness and disease; wars and rumours of war; riots; bad governance; moral decay; high inflationary trends; the ineptitude of government to bring solace to the governed; deaths and the helplessness all around us.
As I considered all of these, the questions that kept cropping up on me was, “WHAT IF…?” so, what if…? What if what? What if the Church got some of the teachings, the memorising, the preaching and took the practical aspect of working and walking with Jesus into the communities with the aim of being the light and the salt of the earth? What if in the greatest darkness surrounding our world, we rise and shine because our light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us to manifest the light of God in our communities?
What if we took the tithes and offerings and donations and made our ministries into the communities for impact where the light is needed rather than keep the funds in banks where inflation is driving down the value of those funds with each ticking moment of the day? What if we go out and not manipulate people to become Christians but just show the love of Christ to the dying and decaying world and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit as he prompts to the next step and next step? As He draws men and women, young and old to Himself? Jesus said, in
John 6:43-45
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
43 So Jesus answered them, Stop grumbling and saying things against Me to one another.
44 No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day.
45 It is written in [the book of] the Prophets, And they shall all be taught of God [have Him in person for their Teacher]. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to Me—
The Father, through the Holy Spirit draws sinners to Himself but we must by all means possible be seen to be engaging.
It is unbelievable the number of churches springing out left right and centre and yet darkness continues to permeate the land. Pain, suffering, sickness and hunger continue right in the centres and even in the churches where there seems to be some element of wealth. If our light is not impacting our communities in a positive way, then it means we have missed the plot.
No wonder we are stagnant like the dead sea. we keep taking in and taking in and not letting out. You go to some churches, you see the same number of people, same faces, warming the pews, 5 years on, 20 years on, 30 years one, same old , same old face.. 200 members, some five hundred, some one thousand. If you see any element of growth, it is because somebody from another church joined and decided to remain. recycling of christians is the name of the game. If that is what we call the church of Jesus Christ, then we have put out the light. You look at activities on social media, men and women of God are throwing stones at one another. Is that discipleship? Discipleship is not theory, it is life on life. Modeling Jesus Christ in daily living like ABC and 1, 2 and 3. Early christians didn’t even have a bible. Look at the impact they made in their day. We are arguing over nothing because we are jobless. That is it. Joblessness is it. Making disciples is not book reading or bible reading. That is a small part of it.
Let’s stop this useless nonsense. We are not going to take doctrine to heaven. we are going to take souls to heaven.
Read what Jesus said here in
Luke 15:4-9
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
4 What man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and should lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness (desert) and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his [own] shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he gets home, he summons together [his] friends and [his] neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one [[a]especially] wicked person who repents ([b]changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.
8 Or what woman, having ten [silver] drachmas [each one equal to a day’s wages], if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully and diligently until she finds it?
9 And when she has found it, she summons her [women] friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the silver coin which I had lost.
Jesus is telling you and me to get the lost souls in. But the key message is that heaven does not rejoice because we preached well and have 1 million followers. Heaven does not rejoice because we have massive buildings we call churches. Jesus said and i quote from the above text
7 Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one [[a]especially] wicked person who repents ([b]changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.
As per those who exploit the poor and the vulnerable, at the fullness of time, when their cup is full, God will judge them in ways that we will all be dumbfounded. Judgment has already begun.. starting from God’s house and from there, it would hit the world in ways beyond our wildest imagination. It has started.
We understand that when things go south and are horrible, God calls His church to account and not the government. We are preservatives, not the government. What we do and how we do it outflows into the government system, not the other way round. The government usually takes cue from the church consciously and subconsciously. If the church is falling and failing, then the government and the society at large falls and fails. That is the divine order.
The church is not meant to be isolated from society. The church is to permeate society for good. When that is not happening, decay in our society is inevitable. We are to be in the world as light and salt and not of the world system. You can’t even differentiate between the church and world anymore. So many churches have become the world system. propagating more error to the world system like we have never had it before.
As I meditated on the what if question, and the role of the fivefold ministry, our giftings and callings, I realized that if we are not making positive impact in our immediate community for Christ, we have undermined the gospel of Christ because all the ministry gifts are given to us to minister to the world around us. The house of God is a training ground for the larger impact in our communities. If we don’t, we will be trampled underfoot by men because we are not fulfilling divine purpose. Going to church gathering, fellowshipping should transcend to our communities for righteous impact by good works so that glory, thanks and honour go back to our father.
We are not to be a liability to our world but a solution centre. Over and over again we see examples in scripture through the life of Abraham, Joseph, David, Daniel and Jesus Christ Himself.
As I meditated on the way forward, the scriptures that came readily to mind were as follows:
Matthew 5:13-16
New International Version
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Acts 10:38
New International Version
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Isaiah 60:1-4
New International Version
The Glory of Zion
60 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
Luke 4:14-21
New International Version
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Matthew 24:9-13
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
9 Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
10 And then many will be offended and repelled and will [a]begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.
11 And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error.
12 And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,
13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.
It is during the reflection that these stories of the five churches making impact in their communities came to mind. The stories are fiction that came by inspiration. I hope these stories will give you and I the needed impetus to make a difference in our world beginning today in Jesus’s name, Amen!
First Church (1st ) : The Church in the Valley – Farming and Feeding program
A church called church in the valley, in a poverty-stricken community, headed by Pastor Bosan decided to bring transformation in the area of hunger alleviation.
In the heart of a poverty-stricken community, nestled between rolling hills and dusty streets, stood the humble Church of the Valley. For years, the congregation, led by Pastor Bosan, had watched as their neighbours struggled to make ends meet, often going to bed hungry at night. The pastor and his flock knew they had to do something to help, and so they decided to take on the challenge of alleviating hunger in their community, to be the light and the salt as Jesus had instructed in the sermon on the mount. It is time to practicalize the teaching of Jesus to our world.
The strategy on what to do was revealed to them by one of the members, who was a prophetess by calling during a church wide 3-day prayer and fasting.
Their efforts began with small food drives and soup kitchens, but soon grew into a full-blown movement as other churches in the country joined in. The Church of the Valley became a beacon of hope for those in need, and their membership grew from 150 to 6000 as people from all walks of life flocked to the church seeking help.
The church bought a farm land and started growing vegetable, and poultry farm, employing the community members and teaching them the basics of agriculture, volunteer trainers were appointed from the church who had background in agriculture and those who had thriving farming businesses.
Pastor Bosan and his team targeted non-Christians, knowing that the need for food and support was not limited to any one religion. They worked tirelessly to build relationships with their neighbours, listening to their stories and offering a helping hand. And as they did, the community began to transform.
One by one, families were able to break the cycle of poverty and hunger, thanks to the support of the Church in the Valley. Children who had once gone to bed hungry now had full bellies and bright futures. Parents who had once felt hopeless now had the means to provide for their families. And as the community prospered, the church grew with it.
Years passed and the movement spread to all 773 churches in the country. The once poverty-stricken community was now thriving, and the Church in the Valley was at the forefront of the transformation. And as the pastor looked out over the congregation, he knew that the work they had done was not just about feeding the hungry, but about bringing hope and change to a community that had once been forgotten.
Second Church (2nd): The Church on the Mountain – Empowerment Program
In the bustling city of New Hope, nestled in a wealthy neighborhood, stood the Church on the Mountain, a beacon of hope and faith for its members. Pastor Mark, a man of unwavering conviction and compassion, led the flock with a vision to empower the youth of the city. He believed that by providing mentorship and guidance, the young people of New Hope could achieve greatness and make a positive impact on their community.
To bring this vision to life, Pastor Mark organised quarterly seminars, featuring influential business owners from the church as speakers. These Christian leaders shared their experiences, imparting wisdom and knowledge to the young people in attendance. The seminars were a resounding success, with attendees leaving feeling inspired and motivated to pursue their dreams.
One such attendee was Emily, a bright and ambitious young woman with a passion for fashion design. She had always dreamed of starting her own clothing line, but lacked the resources and knowledge to do so. That all changed when she attended one of the seminars and met Sarah, a successful business owner and member of the church. Sarah took Emily under her wing, mentoring her in the ways of the fashion industry and providing her with the resources she needed to get started.
Thanks to the mentorship and support of the church, Emily’s clothing line took off, and she soon found herself dressing the city’s elite. She never forgot the lessons she learned from Sarah and the church, always using her platform to give back to the community that had given her so much.
As the years went by, the Church on the Mountain continued to thrive, with more and more young people coming forward to be mentored and empowered. Pastor Mark’s vision had come to life, and the city of New Hope was a better place because of it. The church had become a hub of hope and opportunity, a place where dreams could be nurtured and brought to life.
And so, the legacy of the Church on the Mountain lived on, a testament to the power of faith, mentorship, and the unwavering commitment of its leaders to bring about positive change in the world.
This strategy of reaching the lost increased the membership of the church on the mountain from 300 hundred to 3500 members within a year because so many both Christian and non-Christians joined the church, began a discipleship program life and life beyond the four walls of the church.
This model of empowerment was so successful that 773 other churches around the country adopted the model and it became a model that transformed the country on the islands.
Third Church (3rd) : The Church on the Plain – Healthcare program
In the heart of the city, where towering skyscrapers and bustling streets seemed to never sleep, there stood a church unlike any other. Known as the Church on the Plain, it was situated in the most densely populated areas, surrounded by people from all walks of life. The church was led by Pastor Jessica, a woman of unwavering faith and compassion, who had a vision to bring transformation to the community.
For years, the church had been a beacon of hope, providing a safe space for the community to gather, worship, and find solace in the word of God. But Pastor Jessica knew that more needed to be done to truly make a difference. She believed that the church should be more than just a place of worship; it should be a place of healing, hope, and transformation.
One day, Pastor Jessica had an epiphany. She realised that the church could become a hub for medical care, providing free services to the community who often struggled to afford basic healthcare. With the help of a team of dedicated medical doctors and nurses who were members of the church, the vision for a clinic and hospital began to take shape.
The church members rallied around the cause, donating their time, resources, and expertise to make the vision a reality. They worked tirelessly to convert the existing church building into a state-of-the-art clinic and hospital, complete with modern medical equipment and experienced staff.
As the project progressed, the community began to take notice. People from all over the city were drawn to the church, not just for spiritual guidance, but for physical healing as well. The clinic and hospital became a beacon of hope for those who had been marginalized and overlooked by the mainstream healthcare system.
Pastor Jessica and her team worked tirelessly to provide the best possible care to their patients, regardless of their background or financial situation. They believed that every person deserved access to quality medical care, and they were determined to make that a reality.
As the months passed, the church on the plain became a place of transformation, not just for the community, but for the medical professionals who worked there as well. The doctors and nurses, who were once just colleagues, became like family, united in their mission to heal and serve.
Discipleship life-on-life was taking place, as the medical professionals and the community came together to serve and be served. The church on the plain had become a place of true transformation, where the love of God was manifest in the most tangible way possible – through the healing power of medicine and the compassion of those who served.
The community thrived, and the church on the plain became a model for other churches to follow. The power of faith, combined with the power of medicine, had brought about a true revolution in the heart of the city. And as the people of the community looked to the future, they knew that they had a place to turn for hope, healing, and transformation – the church on the plain, where the love of God was alive and well.
Discipleship classes were also organised within the premises of the healthcare facility. The church membership of the church on the plain grew from 500 members to over 10,000 within 3 years. They had to build another facility because of the new converts that were been added to the church as a result of this outreach.
Fourth Church (4th) : The Church of the City Capital – Housing program
The Church of the City Capital had always been a beacon of hope for the community. With a middle-income congregation and a pastor who was a building engineer, the church had always been known for its practical approach to serving the community. But Pastor Edward had a vision to do more. He wanted to bring about transformation in the area of housing, to provide safe and affordable homes for those who needed them most.
One Sunday, during the church service, one of the members, John, approached Pastor Edward with an idea. “Pastor, I’ve been thinking…”, he began, “what if we could build low-income housing that can withstand wear and tear without the need for expensive cement? And what if we could do it in just 7 to 14 days?”
Pastor Edward was intrigued. He had always known John to be a creative and innovative thinker, but this idea seemed too good to be true. “How would we do that?” he asked, his mind racing with the possibilities.
John explained that he had been doing some research and had come across a unique building material that was not only affordable but also durable and eco-friendly. It was a type of interlocking brick that could be used to build homes quickly and efficiently. “We could train our members to build these homes and provide them to those in need,” John said.
Pastor Edward was sold. He saw the potential for this idea to not only provide safe and affordable housing for the community but also to bring the church members together in a shared mission. “Let’s do it,” he said, his voice filled with excitement.
And so, the Church of the City Capital embarked on a new mission: to build low-income housing using innovative and sustainable materials. It was a daunting task, but with the help of John and the church members, they were determined to make it happen.
As the weeks and months passed, the church members worked tirelessly to build the first set of homes. They faced many challenges and obstacles along the way, but they persevered, driven by their faith and their desire to serve the community.
Finally, after 7 weeks of hard work, the first set of homes was complete. The community came together to celebrate, and the impact was immediate. Families who had been living in substandard housing or even on the streets now had a safe and secure place to call home.
Determined to go ahead, Pastor Edward used the tithe fund which he has accumulated over the years to embark on the project. With the support from other members, the project was launched. Those in need of housing units were identified drawn from the community. The focus was targeted to non-Christians first and then to Christians. Within 2 years, over 2000 low-income housing were delivered. More than 60% of the beneficiaries were non-Christians. The church grew in leaps and bounds. From 750 members, the church grew to 20,000 members in 2 years. All the new members were first-time believers, mostly from other faiths. This model was adopted by 773 churches nationwide.
The Church of the City Capital had once again proven itself to be a beacon of hope for the community, and Pastor Edward knew that this was just the beginning of a new era of transformation and growth for the church and the community it served.
Fifth Church (5th): The Church of the North Star Desert – Educational Program
In the small, rural town of Northfield, nestled in the heart of the desert, the Church of the North Star Desert stood tall and proud. For generations, the church had been the cornerstone of the community, providing a place of worship, comfort, and guidance for its residents. But as the years passed, the town began to change. The once-thriving factory that had provided jobs for so many had closed its doors, leaving many residents without work and struggling to make ends meet. The church, led by Pastor Ibrahim, knew that something had to be done to bring transformation to the community.
One day, a group of concerned townspeople gathered in the church hall to discuss the future of Northfield. The conversation soon turned to the topic of education, and how the lack of opportunities for young people was perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Pastor Ibrahim stood up, a fire in his eyes, and proposed an ambitious plan to bring education to the community.
“We will start with primary and secondary schools,” he declared, “and then, with the help of our generous donors, we will build a university. A place where young people can come to learn, grow, and prepare themselves for a bright future – Free of Charge.”
The room erupted into applause, and the people of Northfield knew that they had found their path forward. Over the next few years, the church and its supporters worked tirelessly to make the pastor’s vision a reality. They built classrooms, hired the best teachers, and offered education free of charge to anyone who wanted to learn.
The university, named Northfield College, quickly gained a reputation for excellence. Students from all over the world came to study in the picturesque town, drawn by the promise of a world-class education and the chance to learn from some of the best teachers in the world. And as they graduated and returned to their homes, they took with them the values of compassion, empathy, and service that they had learned at Northfield College.
As the years passed, Northfield underwent a transformation. The once-struggling town was now thriving, with a vibrant economy and a community that was proud of its accomplishments. And at the heart of it all was the Church of the North Star, standing tall and proud, a beacon of hope and a symbol of the power of education to change lives.
The church in the north grew by 100,000 members in 5 years from little over 1000. 773 churches are adopting the model and a movement began that continues till this day
Lets explore
The story of the 9 American Richest men 1923 and how they all ended.
Luke 12:20-22
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
20 But God said to him, You fool! This very night they [the messengers of God] will demand your soul of you; and all the things that you have prepared, whose will they be?
21 So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relation] to God [this is how he fares].
22 And [Jesus] said to His disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled [with cares] about your life, as to what you will [have to] eat; or about your body, as to what you will [have to] wear.
In concluding this title today, I like to bring you a true story that happened in the United States in the early 1923 to 9 very rich men that were richer than the states of America and get a picture of how they all ended for learning, meditation and application:
In 1923, nine of the wealthiest people in the world met at Chicago’s Edge Water Beach Hotel. Their combined wealth, it is estimated, exceeded the wealth of the government of the United States at that time. These men certainly knew how to make a living and accumulate wealth.
Attending the meeting were the following men:
- The president of the largest steel company,
2. The president of the largest utility company
3. The president of the largest gas company
4. The president of the New York Stock Exchange,
5. The president of the Bank of International Settlements, 6. The greatest wheat speculator,7.The greatest bear on Wall Street, 8. The head of the World’s greatest monopoly 9. A member of President Harding’s cabinet.
That’s a pretty impressive line-up of people by anyone’s yardstick.
It was said to have been both a celebration of their success as well as an opportunity to plan their future exploits and dominance. These were the captains of their respective industries and some of the most successful businessmen of the era.
Yet, 25 years later, where were those nine industrial giants?
Let’s examine what happened to them 25 years later.
- The President of the then largest steel company (Bethlehem Steel Corp), Charles M Schwab, lived on borrowed capital for five years before he died bankrupt.
- The President of the then largest gas company, Howard Hubson, went insane.
- One of the greatest commodity traders (Wheat Speculator), Arthur Cutten, died insolvent.
- The then President of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, was sent to jail.
- The member of the US President’s Cabinet (the member of President Harding’s cabinet), Albert Fall, was pardoned from jail just to be able to go home and die in peace.
- The greatest “bear” on Wall Street, Jesse Livermore committed suicide.
- The President of the then world’s greatest monopoly, Ivar Krueger, committed suicide.
- The President of the Bank of International Settlement, Leon Fraser, committed Suicide.
- The president of the largest utility company, Samuel Insull, died penniless.
What they forgot was how to “make” life while they got busy making money!
Money in itself is not evil; it provides food for the hungry, medicine for the sick, clothes for the needy. Money is only a medium of
exchange.
We need two kinds of education:
a) One that teaches us how to make a living and
b) One that teaches us how to live.
There are many of us who are so engrossed in our professional life that we neglect our family, health and social responsibilities.If asked why we do this, we would reply that “We are doing it for our family”.
Yet, our kids are sleeping when we leave home. They are sleeping when we come back home!! Twenty years later, we’ll turn back, and they’ll all be gone, to pursue their own dreams and their own lives.Without water, a ship cannot move. The ship needs water, but if the water gets into the ship, the ship will face existential problems. What was once a means of living for the ship will now become a means of destruction.
Similarly we live in a time where earning is a necessity but let not the earning enter our hearts, for what was once a means of living will surely become a means of destruction for us as well.
So take a moment and ask yourself………. Has the water entered my ship? I hope Not!
And as for the Wall Street Bear, Jesse Lauriston Livermore, famous speculator in the stock and commodities markets, his end is perhaps the most tragic of all. A week after Thanksgiving in 1940, Jesse walked into the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York, had two drinks at the bar while scribbling something in his notebook, then proceeded to the cloak room where he sat on a stool and shot himself in the head. He was 62 and left behind $5 million, down from the $100 million fortune he had amassed just ten years earlier.
And the note he had scribbled?
“My dear Nina: Can’t help it. Things have been bad with me. I am tired of fighting. Can’t carry on any longer. This is the only way out. I am unworthy of your love. I am a failure. I am truly sorry, but this is the only way out for me. Love Laurie”
There are four major lessons we can take from this story:
- Those who are on top now are not certain to finish in that position and are not guaranteed everlasting success or happiness.
- Be careful whom you choose to idolize.
- The life of a professional speculator is an unpleasant one, filled with highs and lows but ultimately unsatisfying and, in all probability, mentally ruinous.
- The greatest lesson of all is Jesus’s story we just read in
Luke 12:20-22
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
20 But God said to him, You fool! This very night they [the messengers of God] will demand your soul of you; and all the things that you have prepared, whose will they be?
21 So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relation] to God [this is how he fares].
22 And [Jesus] said to His disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled [with cares] about your life, as to what you will [have to] eat; or about your body, as to what you will [have to] wear.
From these stories, what have you learnt? What would you apply going forward in your life, your church and your country? Start doing it NOW going forward.
Message from Jesus to all of us today is this:
John 9:4
King James Version
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
I end with this – There is a financial storm coming that will make money worthless. What will count is the value you have added to the kingdom. Worst of all, this whole earth will be burnt off in one day! What would be left is the word and God’s kingdom. Jesus said, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away – Matthew 24:35 Selah!
Hear and read Peters account in
2 Peter 3:9-13
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
9 The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish (pass away) with a thunderous crash, and the [material] elements [of the universe] will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are thus n the process of being dissolved, what kind of person ought [each of] you to be [in the meanwhile] in consecrated and holy behavior and devout and godly qualities,
12 While you wait and earnestly long for (expect and hasten) the coming of the day of God by reason of which the flaming heavens will be dissolved, and the [material] elements [of the universe] will flare and melt with fire?
13 But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise, in which righteousness (uprightness, freedom from sin, and right standing with God) is to abide.
Question for you. You reading, watching or listening to this message:
Do you know Jesus Christ?
Does Jesus Christ Know you?
Jesus said, in John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes…” “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Romans 10:8-10
New King James Version
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Is Jesus your “personal” Savior? Many people view Christianity as attending church, performing rituals, and/or not committing certain sins. That is not Christianity. True Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior means placing your own personal faith and trust in Him. No one is saved by the faith of others. No one is forgiven by doing certain deeds. The only way to be saved is to personally accept Jesus as your Savior, trusting in His death as the payment for your sins and His resurrection as your guarantee of eternal life (John 3:16). Is Jesus personally your Savior?
If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, say the following words to God. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. Only believing in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for you can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. “God, I know that I have sinned against You and deserve punishment. But I believe Jesus Christ took the punishment I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I receive Your offer of forgiveness and place my trust in You for salvation. I accept Jesus as my personal Savior! Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life! Amen!”
Join a bible believing Church where you can grow and you can start a discipleship work with Jesus for 40 days via our website at otakada.org
May God help us all to make a difference in our world as we make disciples – life on life in Jesus’s name, Amen
Shalom!
Ambassador Monday O. Ogbe
God’s Eagle Ministries (GEM)
*_Where we are seeding the Nations with God’s word and God is transforming lives through His timeless TRUTH One content at a time. We are One in Christ Jesus Let’s Stay ONE Evangelism Discipleship Counseling Healing Deliverance Restoration and Prayer without WALLS BORDERS and DENOMINATIONS!_*
