Read Bible for Yourself

My Philippians Gist Paul’s imprisonment experience in Rome is giving him a clearer view of the convicting power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he is writing to urge the church in Philippi, who have been partners with him since “the early days of the Gospel” (1:7; 4:15), to imitate the way his salvation was working out: As he walks in righteousness under involuntary restriction, the evidence of his salvation is becoming clearer both to himself and to others. Though imprisoned under false charges, his grateful joyfulness and upright conduct has convinced everyone that he is a good man put in chains not for a bad cause, but for a different cause, which must certainly be good. He is shining in the dark imprisonment environment. A Desire to Depart He is so peaceful with the Lord that he yearned to depart from the body, and therefore had no fear of the worst possible outcome that awaits prisoners. Indeed he would welcome death as a crown for his faithful service (2:17)...

Freed to Serve God When God is your Shield, you are set absolutely free to do God’s will alone. Within His protection, you only fight when and how He asks you to. Under the New Covenant He does not allow us to attack even those who attack us. In the most difficult situations, we are under obligation to affirm our faith in God as the Saviour of the world, of all people, of all nations. Abraham and His Offspring Insured Survival warfare was the order of the day when God called Abram to make him a blessing to all nations. Fundamental to the assurance that made Abraham move out of safety zone was God’s assurance of his safety, that “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse” (Gen 12:3 ESV). The Lord reiterated this assurance after Lot left Abraham for Sodom, saying, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." (Gen 15:1 ESV) For Abraham to fulfill God’s mission, he had to leave his own mission of eking out su...

My Ephesians God’s grand plan is to bring all things together in Christ, whether things in Heaven or on earth, whether Jews or Gentiles. It was Paul’s prayer therefore that those who were already in Christ, believers,  would appreciate that they have the greatest estate through time and eternity, and realize what great calling they have received to be early partakers with God in the unfolding Divine scheme. The revelation of God’s grand plan (mystery) was hidden from previous generations and even the “authorities in heaven” (2:5, 10), and is now being made manifest through the church. In view of the above, believers are to walk in compassion (not condemnation) towards unbelievers, working to bring them in, seeing that they were themselves unbelievers a short while ago. Also, believing Gentiles should not consider themselves different from or opposed to believing Jews, since Christ preached peace to either group (2:17), and both have received the same Holy Spirit. F...

My Galatians The letter is a kind of apogee of Paul’s gospel, when he could not refer to Peter and co. for authority to back his teaching that the gospel excels the law, and that it is self-defeating to hold the law as the standard when one comes to Christ. He traces the origin of his message to only his personal interaction with Christ, though at a point he returned to Jerusalem to present his message for verification (2:1-2).  He repudiated Peter’s ceremonial separation as contradictory to the gospel of Christ who embraces all nations without discrimination (2:18). Paul asserts that those to whom the law was given could not uphold it perfectly and are therefore under the “curse of the law” (3:10). Salvation has therefore always been by faith, and not by the law which came several years after God’s covenant promise to Abraham. The purpose of the law was therefore as caretaker until the empowerer came (3:18,21). If righteousness by the law could give life, there wo...

You have always had a Father, waiting ... Main Reading: I John 3:1-10 Introduction When God created man, He clearly had in mind the cream of creation that is like Him in character and power, and He has not ceased from that agenda. He is achieving it, by letting us go through the mill of the fall and restoration. Before the fall, we were creation, hardly referred to as the children of God, but at the restoration, He introduces that authorization through the NEW BIRTH or ADOPTION. John’s first letter celebrates the consummation of the Divine desire, and points out that those who have appreciated this set themselves apart with purposeful dignity and industry, knowing they are destined for nothing less that the throne of God. He is categorical that those who fail to see this produce bad character, remaining as children of the devil. This discourse is brief survey of God’s declared intent to have nothing but a Father-Children relationship with us, and how we should av...

When I begin playing to and for the Lord ... It will happen (for now, I write and sing)  In celebration of the 50,000th view of my blog, I publish all my song in circulation alphabetically (black) and translated (blue). Thanks for visiting my blog.  All our weaknesses consume Let our shortcomings disappear And let Christ shine greatly in us You alone can do this Fill us Holy Spirit Fill us, O Power Divine Fill us till we overflow Taforo yεn mmrεwyε nyina’ra Na ma yεn sintɔ nyinaa nyera Ma Kristo nhyerεn kεse yεn mu Wo nko na wutumi yε eyi Hyε yεn ma, Honhom Kronkron Hyε yεn ma, Onyame Tumi Hyε yεn ma mmoroso Asaase ne n’ade dodow Nyina’ra Yehowa dea Mu nnipa ne wɔn agyapade nyinaa Yε N’adwuma 2. Wo a woyε Yehowa dea Fa Wo ho to Yehowa so Srε W’ade nyinaa fi Ne hɔ, na ade nyinaa Yehowa dea 3. Ɛ mma ɔkɔm anaa ohia Nntwe wo mmfi Yehowa ho Srε W’ade nyinaa fi Ne hɔ, na ade nyinaa Yehowa dea All the earth and ev...