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A FRIEND WHO IS GOD In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is not introduced so much as a companion as an enabling power of God. He was often called the Spirit of God or the breath of God, and is noticed as making people do extraordinary things in the name of God. This characterization went on well into the Earthly days of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then He began to draw attention to the Holy Spirit as far more than an impersonal force, but as God. He told the disciples also that they knew the Holy Spirit because He had been WITH them, but would come to be IN them after His ascension.  The Holy Spirit would take from the Father and Him, the Son, and teach them, counsel them, comfort them, fill them with power to witness about Him (in message, miracles and manner of life). After the Lord's ascension, the Holy Spirit comes like a mighty rushing wind and like fire, and they are immediately transformed into bold witnesses with a community life that abhors any form of sin. Miracles also...

(Guideposts Through a Book that Needs Careful Reading) "If some did not believe, will their unbelief cancel God's faithfulness? Absolutely not!" Ro. 3:3-4 "But if our unrighteousness highlights God's righteousness... Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Absolutely not! To. 3:5-6 "Do we then cancel the law through faith? Absolutely not!" Ro. 3:31 "Should we continue to sin in order that grace may multiply? Absolutely not!" Ro. 6:1-2 "Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!" Ro. 6:15 "Is the law sin? Absolutely not!" Ro. 7:7 "Therefore, did what is good cause me death? Absolutely not!" Ro. 7:13 "Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!" Ro. 9:14 "I ask, then, has God rejected His people? Absolutely not!" Ro. 11:1 "I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not!" Ro. 11:11 # Luke2447

Paul answers three key questions as follows: 1. Could salvation come by the law (of Moses) or it always has to come by faith in God (Jesus Christ)? ANSWER: It always has to come by faith. 2. Why has Israel rejected, or appears to have rejected Christ? ANSWER: God designed it to be so as part of His grand plan to bring salvation to all nations. 3. Does Israel's apparent rejection of Christ mean it has been passed over so far as salvation of Israelites is concerned? ANSWER: No. All Israelites will be saved through faith in the blood (atoning death) of Christ, just like the rest of humanity. # NotSoNew # Luke2447

Key Passages: Genesis 6, 18 and John 11 God created the Earth and introduced humanity in it out of His great love. It has never been His enduring intention to cause suffering among humanity for it's own sake. He sends troubles always because of sins. His aim is SALVATION before JUDGEMENT. People of God need to understand our role in God's drastic moves. WHY DISASTERS God sends or allows disasters for three related reasons: 1. Because of Unbearable Sin 2. To Exact Temporary Judgment to Preserve the Earth until the Appointed Judgment Day 3. To Empower His People (Those Who Walk in His Ways) to Preach His Message UNREPENTANT SINNERS IN DISASTERS In times of disaster sinful people may react in three key ways: 1. They pretend to be upright and compliant, to buy time to return to their evil ways. 2. They throw up their hands in despair, yet refuse to call upon God for mercy 3. They wail (rather than mourn) in their 'prayers', seeking to unjustly accuse God of ...

Born at Home (Under Lockdown) ___________________ The church was actually born in a house (Acts 2:2). The disciples had fallen into the habit of LOCKING themselves up because of the fear of persecution (John 20:19). On the day the Holy Spirit came, the disciples had gathered in a house, not the temple, and throughout the New Testament, you would not hear of the church putting up even a single building! Yet the church flourished. Thriving at Home __________________ Apostle Paul, who wrote about 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament, in his letters often made mention of churches in the homes. In his letter to the Romans (16) alone, he made mention specifically of the church in the home of Priscilla, and of a collection of other Christians in a number of named households. Fully Functional at Home __________________________ What can the church in the temple do that the church at the household or family level cannot do? To answer this question well, let's ask what the church ...

"Don't even start!", I instinctively replied to the thought that seemed to have dropped into my head from nowhere. I didn't put it off completely anyway, because I sooner knew where it had come from. Take it like I'm not asking you directly, but rather any of those who had to say an 'early goodbye' because of Covid-19. Were they prepared for death, and are you? I know the question I'm asking is a taboo so far as the human race is concerned. We are all about life, and that is what we live for (Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has planted eternity in our hearts). We are wired not to factor in death, at least not by way of losing life forever. Unfortunately, the absence of ALL our ancestors from the land of the living, as we know it, tells us that death has factored us ALL in already. And there is no way any of us can beat death, until we also factor death in too. How do I mean? Prepare to die. I'm glad you are still reading, because there is only o...

He is in danger of hell fire. That is for sure. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a footstep. God is not in the business of excusing sins. He is in the business of forgiving those who repent and seek forgiveness. Do not take Him for granted, neither let anyone take advantage of you when you slip, nor give room to the devil by hardening your heart. Sinners' Response We know those who are in the business of bold or intentional sinning. They repeat it as a way of life. Some insist it is necessary for survival. Some insist they have been cursed with it, and there are even those who claim to have been abandoned and indeed appointed to it by God. These are called SINNERS, as we were. They err terribly in those claims. We Know What is Right and What is Wrong God in whose image we are created is holy. And so are we even in conscience right from our creation long before the Law was given through Moses. He held Adam accountable, as He did Cain, Enock and indeed every individ...

(THE GOSPEL vs ELECTION) It is alarming how the teaching and mis-teaching of the many versions of Election/Predestination often get prioritized over the preaching of the Gospel entrusted to us. It is like we want to write our examinations with apɔ or answers from illegally obtained marking schemes! Apostle Paul's summary of the matter should be enough to tell you all that it's about for now: "In regard to the Gospel they [Israel] are enemies for your [gentiles] sake, but in regards to election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers." (Romans 11:28) My caption is the advice the Lord Jesus Christ gave to Peter when he tried to pry into the (PRE)DESTINY of the disciple whom the Lord loved, in John 21:22: "If I want him to live until I come back, what concern is that of yours? Follow me!" But some wouldn't listen to the Lord's admonishing and they ended up spreading some wild speculation around that John would never die. Is it any str...

“Coming events cast their shadows before” is an adage that sits well with the Bible, wherein things set down are for our examples, for our warning and were foreshadows of the reality to come (1 Co. 10:11). Human suffering has always been used by God to warn of His coming judgment. This judgment has hung over our heads since the day of mankind’s first sin in the Garden of Eden. God uses suffering to hasten and secure our decision to escape it. And He has provided the way of this escape. Readings: Exodus 12:1-13, 1 Corinthians 5: 7-8 The Gift of Eternity, Not Years ______________________________ Left alone, all we humans will remain astray, going on in our pointless ways of eking out nothing but a temporary existence of years (969 for Methuselah, 120 in the days of Noah or 70 as lamented by the Psalmist). But God wants to preserve us well beyond that, and is therefore not so impressed with our shortsightedness. We are His creation, and His purpose is to give us eternity. (For a fo...

(Economy African Cereals and Tubers Edition) 1. Gari (roasted milled cassava) ________________________________ Champion - can be prepared to be eaten with soup, stews or sugar. Stores quite well and has earned a lot of respect across West Africa. 2. Kyekyire (milled/powdered roasted dry corn) ________________________________________________ 1st Contender - can be prepared and eaten with sugar, soup or stews. Is usually in contention with tom-brown (which is not locally produced). Significantly durable, but usually priced higher than gari. 3. Akple (milled/powdered dry corn) _____________________________________ 2nd Contender - can be prepared to be eaten with soups, stews or sugar, but may need regular drying to stay healthy. People prefer to keep dry corn to transform into Kyekyire or konkonte as the need arises. 4. Kokonte (milled/powdered dry cassava) ___________________________________________ High ranking - to be prepared and eaten with soup or stews, but not...

"Make your call and election sure" 2 Peter 1:10 Election Election as is used in the Bible refers to the choice of God, and is related also to a call, which in today's language will mean appointment. The general tone of election in the Bible refers to how God chose Israel (or from among Israel) as a pioneer nation people in beginning to teach the saving knowledge of God, and how He has chosen the latter generations through whom to manifest Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 20:5, Acts 13:17, Romans 11:28). Calling A call or calling in the New Testament refers to specific personal appointments to operate in the complimentary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and it is important that a person knows this and plays his or her indispensable role in the Body of Christ (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 1:1; 12:8-11, Ephesians 4:11 - 12). The Importance of Knowing And Holding Your Calling - the Case of Moses and Aaron in Exodus 32 Moses and Aaron were in leadership of Isra...