KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:39 (KJV). “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

  We established in our previous study that every law of God is a principle to liberate us from bondage, to a fulfilled life of peace and happiness. The Lord gave the second greatest commandment, as, to love our neighbour as ourselves. Self centredness is an invisible prison that many lock up themselves in. Pastor E W Kenyon says ‘Selfishness is the mother of all sorrows’. Love for all men is the key that unlocks that invisible prison, that selfishness imposes on men. The Lord did not just call for love for all, but to love all persons as yourself. This implies you do to them what you would have them do to yourself.

The above rule or law is called the principle of multiplied goodness. (PMG) Remember, you always reap what you sow. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”— Galatians 6:7 (KJV). If you do the good things, you want done for yourself to others, you would reap a multiplied measure of it. In a similar vein if you are mean and callous, and mistreat men, you would likewise receive a multiplied measure of the kind of treatment you give out to them. The Lord even elaborated this in Luke 6:38, that men Wil give back to you, more, shaken together and running over, what you give them.  If you are having a tough time with your neighbours and associates, then you may consider the kind of treatment you are giving out to them.

Dear one, what kind of treatment do you give to others. Husband how do you treat your wife. Love her as yourself. Dear passenger in a vehicle, how do you talk to the driver? How does the driver likewise talk to the passenger? We would have a happier world if people would have heeded to this principle. There are certain people in state establishment, who use all kinds of ways, to extort money to enrich themselves and their families. Such acts, inevitably go a long way to impoverish many. They become very poor and suffer because of the corruption of someone in a place of power and authority. No one should deceive himself that, he is free to cheat and go scoot free. You would surely reap from your corrupt actions in a big way. You may reap it from an incurable sickness, your son becoming stubborn and wayward. Always consider the impact of your actions on others. Love them as you love yourself.

THOUGHTS: Others are the soils we reap multiplied goodness as we plant our love into their lives.

FURTHER STUDIES

 Luke 6:37 (KJV). “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”

 Luke 6:38 (KJV). “Give, (love) and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Italic mine)

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:37 (NET). “Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’”

God our Father is the Lord of all goodness. Every law of God is set up for the freedom of mankind. The highest commandment of God is the highest principle for every man’s liberation and peace. One of the Pharisees came to Jesus and asked what is the greatest commandment. The Lord Jesus said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  — Matthew 22:37 (NET). The Lord’s answer reveals God’s heart for mankind. God’s call on men to love Him totally reveals His love towards men. He seeks for a corresponding response of love from us.

To love God in truth, we must consider His abundant love shown to us. We’ve got to consider the greatest sacrifice of our Lord Jesus and the amazing implications to us. Through His death we are qualified to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. We have become the very righteousness of God. This and many more should move us to replicate this love with all that we are. Loving Him in reality is what makes available all that He has for us.

God created us to fellowship with Him. Love for God opens up to that individual God’s amazing goodness. “But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”— 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NET). God calls for total love. Loving Him with all that we have, and we are. This is the strongest answer to the greatest temptation of man, that is idolatry. Idolatry is simply anything that makes our hearts cold towards God. It is that thing which takes God’s place in our lives. Idolatry is a snare to mankind. Unfortunately, a great number of humanities are engulfed in it. The hearts of multitudes are occupied with all kinds of things. Even some Christians are found in it. Today God calls you to give no place to any other thing, but to allow Him to have you fully. This is your perfect freedom.

THOUGHT: LOVING GOD IN TRUTH IS TRUE LIBERTY

FURTHER STUDIES

  John 14:21 (KJV).  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

1 John 4:18-19 (KJV).  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  We love him, because he first loved us.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:32 (KJV). “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

After the Lord had corrected the scribes and Pharisees on the issue of marriage after the resurrection in the new age, the Lord taught them that, the Lord God is not a God of the dead but of the living. He sited Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as alive unto Him. This means all the saints who passed into glory are alive before Him. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”  — 2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV). These clarifications answers so many questions. It also comforts the hearts of all those who have lost loved ones. They are not in the grave but in the presence of the Lord. When we are absent from this body we go to be with the Lord.

The following are some of the questions that the above truths answers.

1. If the Christian goes to be with the Lord, then he is not sleeping in the grave as some sects teach.

2. Since the Christian goes to be with the Lord then he can’t come around and show himself to family and friends as ghost. If this is the case what is the encounters with ghosts or spirits of the dead that some have experienced? Please let’s get it straight. Any experience that contradicts the Bible is a scheme of the devil to deceive men. How can a man or woman in the presence of God come around the earth at his or her own will to show himself or herself to people? A spirit can only do that at the permission of the father as in the case of the transfiguration. Matt 17:1-4.What then are these spirits that manifests as ghost? Please note that Satan is called the father of liars, John 8:44. He is that old serpent who deceives the whole world. Rev. 12:9. Satan’s aim is to discredit the Bible or holy scriptures. If the devil and his demons can manifest as angel of Light (2 Corinth 11:14), then they could manifest as spirits of the dead to deceive the unlearned.

IF a man dies without knowing Jesus as his Lord, he is taken to hell. Luke 16:23. If he is in hell he can’t come as a ghost to frighten men.

THOUGHT: The spirit of a man is immortal and lives on for ever.

FURTHER STUDIES

  Mark 9:46 (KJV). “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

  Matthew 22:32 (BBE). “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:29 (KJV). “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

IT is said, to ERR is human. Humans are prone to making mistakes. Certain mistakes could be very dear. Some errors may even be fatal. The Lord explained in our key scripture why men err. Error is simply a deviation from the truth. The Pharisees asked questions bordering the continuation of marriage in the new age. The Lord said these people talk this way because they do not know the power of God or the word of God. Knowing the truth always sets men free, John 8:32. The Lord reveals that knowing the word of God brings one into the power of God that liberates

WHY then are there so many talkers of the word of God, without experiencing the power of God?  This is where the problem is. There is a big difference between being informed about a thing and knowing it. To know is to be one with the thing. To be informed is to be introduced to a thing. To know is to be committed to the information. The act of commitment to an information is what is called believe. Why are there so many who are informed yet only a few know the issues? In matters relating to God, commitment means to the natural mind as ‘risking’ one’s entire being on something he can’t see, feel or reason out. This is the reason Jesus explained that, it takes one to become like a little child to experience God. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:3. There is the need for one to empty himself of all pride and human reasoning (common sense) if he would know God and therefore the power of God.

These truths suggests that the crisis and confusion(error) men find themselves are self inflicted. They have decided to reject the knowledge of God or the word of God. (Romans 1:18-28) This has brought gross darkness to humanity. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:” Romans 1:26 (KJV). Europe has rejected God and so sits in darkness. Africa have not rejected God, yet the poverty mindedness has led Africans to confuse the worship of God, as means of financial gain, and therefore are also in error. Worshipping God is not about what we get, but God expressing His nature of love, through us to His creation. This is what the Lord Jesus came to teach and to demonstrate. (Note: God blesses the vessels he uses)

THOUGHT :’Risk’ to know the truth, and you would  be free indeed.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 1:21-22 (KJV). Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

John 8:31-32 (KJV). Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:22 (KJV). “When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.”

The Lord cautioned His disciples in Matt 10:16 that He is sending them as sheep in the midst of wolves, and that they should be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. The serpent has a great surviving instinct. We need such wisdom to stay in a world highly controlled by the wicked forces of darkness and administered by evil men as well. How can one have such wisdom to prevail? Considering our Lord Jesus, He lived in the midst of sinners or evil men, yet they never got Him into the evil net they cast to ensnare Him. They always wondered at the level of wisdom He exhibited. The secret of His excellent answers was by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord depended fully on the Holy Ghost. A consistent prayer life is the prime way to fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Fellowshipping with the Spirit, gives Him the ability to direct and influence our lives. The are occasions when the Spirit is able to move one to either wait before taking an action or going a step before time, to avoid calamity. When one has learnt to relate with the Spirit, he or she would not respond to issues out of his own emotions or intellect, but trust the Holy Spirit to speak and answer through Him. The Lord assured His disciples including us, in Luke 21:14 & 15, that, when our opposers would be demanding answers from us over all kinds of wrong accusations, we would not worry about what to say, but rather, He would give us answers that would amaze them.

We are able to receive such counsel from the Spirit of God, by first refusing to be afraid or agitated at what we hear. Fear would make you deaf to the voice of the Spirit. We must rather be confident that the Lord would take over and answer our accusers through us. One way to do this, is to operate with the principle of  James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” — James 1:19 (KJV)

The verse above could be expressed as follows

1.Be swift to hear. Listen very well

2.Be slow to speaking back.

3.Be slow to getting angry. Control yourself, by trusting the Holy Spirit to give you the right answers

AS WE live this way, we would avoid a lot of traps and problems planned to ensnare us. Always say the truth, but in love. Don’t comment on things and people you have no knowledge about. You would stay out of trouble, if you hold to these principles.

THOUGHT:  THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER ERRS. TRUST IN HIM ALWAYS.

FURTHER STUDIES

 Matthew 10:16 (KJV). “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”

Luke 21:15 (KJV). “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:20 (KJV).  “And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?”

The Pharisees asked Jesus whether it was right to pay tribute to Caesar or not. The Lord asked for a coin, and asked further, whose image was on the coin? They answered, Caesar’s. The Lord then responded, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

The Lord drew the analogy of Caesar’s image on the coin that meant it must be given to him. He also said God’s image on anything means that thing must be begiven to Him. Who has God’s image? All men including you. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness….” — Genesis 1:26a (KJV) Everyman, according to the Lord Jesus must give himself to the Lord God. Until a man gives himself to the father, he or she lives a disoriented life.

The word says any one without Christ is dead in His sins. This kind of death means you are SEPERATED from the life of God. The absence of life means the rate of decay becomes so fast. Dear one if you have not decided for Jesus, then death is reigning in you. “Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” — Romans 5:14 (KJV)

Our Lord Jesus came to break the power of death over humanity. “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:” — 2 Timothy 1:10 (KJV)Dear one, your decision to make Jesus Lord over your life means you have passed on from death to life. You can make that decision today.

PRAYER

Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge my sins before you. I repent of my sins and make Jesus Lord of my life. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 John 5:11-12 (KJV). ¹¹ And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 1:12 (KJV). “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:21 (KJV).“They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Man by virtue of his make up, is spiritual and physical. He goes into error, and subsequently destroys himself when he refuses to maintain a balance. Some people have ignored the reality of the spiritual and so they live fully to please their senses. Such people end up doing abominable things to their own destruction. There are those who live their lives as if they are not men. They make spiritual out of every thing. They likewise suffer certain setbacks, that could have easily been avoided. The Pharisees in their pursuit to get the Lord to err in His words against the emperor, asked Him, whether it was right to pay tribute to Ceasar?

The Lord asked them to bring a coin to Him He asked about whose image was on the coin? They answered Caesar’s. He told them to give to Ceasar what was Caesar’s and to God what was His. Some people take this answer of the Lord out of context and claim, that we do things that are, even contrary to God’s word. Giving to Ceasar does not mean doing anything that opposes the word of God. You can’t give anything to the idol worshippers, in the name of giving to Ceasar. God is Supreme, and in anything we do or say, we must first give regard to what He has said.

AS much as this scripture requires of us to honour various authorities over us, it basically means, we must always keep a balance between the spiritual and the natural. This means we attend to anything physical that makes living on this earth worthwhile, and also do our spiritual activities as it’s expected.  You must give rest to your body when it needs it. You must eat when you are hungry and it is time for meals. You don’t pray to be satisfied with food or for your body to recover from fatigue when you are supposed to rest. You must pray and fast when it is needed. You don’t pray for a hungry man to be satisfied with food, rather you feed him. In all these because God is supreme, the spiritual must always come first, so that, your natural results will be the best. (Matt 6:33)

THOUGHT:   Balance is the key to a fulfilled life.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matthew 6:33 (KJV). “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 1 Timothy 4:8 (KJV). “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:12 (KJV). “And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.”

In our last study we saw that the Lord Jesus talked about the king who asked his servants to go for anyone they could contact to come to the son’s wedding. The king came to the feast and as he passed through the celebrants, he came across a man who did not have on a wedding garment. The king asked him, how come you are here without a wedding garment? He asked that, he be thrown into outer darkness.

Garments are symbolic of a person’s way of living. There are some who have answered the call to be in the family of the saints yet have different lifestyles. Although many were being called into the party they had to wear a special garment prescribed by the king. . “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”— Revelation 3:4 (KJV). White garment symbolizes holiness of life. “Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.”— Ecclesiastes 9:8 (KJV)

Dear child of God, do not deceive yourself. Answering the call to follow Jesus is not all that is required, you would have to walk in holiness. Now get the truth about holiness. The day you gave your life to Jesus, you were washed by the blood of Jesus, sanctified by the Spirit and justified by Jesus ‘ resurrection from the dead. Through these acts you have been made holy, and so you must live a holy life. Understand what has taken place in you by virtue of your regeneration into Christ. A sinful life is no more part of you. Sin is not in you. It always comes from outside. Refuse sin anytime it attempts to take a hold of you. Keep your garment white.

CONFESSION

I am circumcised with Jesus, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. ,The Lord Jesus through His death condemned sin in my flesh, so with my mind I acknowledge a newness of life. I therefore live to glorify God always.

FURTHER STUDIES

 Colossians 2:11 (KJV). “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:”

  1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV). “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:10 (KJV). “So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.”

The Lord gave another parable about the kingdom of God. He said a king made a dinner for his son’s marriage, and bid a number of people to come. These people were adamant and refused to go. The king was not happy with the number of persons present. He instructed his servants to go to the highways and gather in people both good and bad. This parable is referring to the house of God. The gathering of the people of God is for a  feast. This feast is made up of, a meal of salvation, a meal of instruction in wisdom, a meal for healing, a meal for deliverance and many more IT is always a great disservice to any child of God to abstain from the gathering of the saints. (Heb 10:25)

God always wants His house filled to capacity. “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”— Luke 14:23 (KJV). In this parable, the Lord asked his servant to go and compel every kind of person to the dinner, so that His house would be full. Compelling people means forcing them to come alongside. God is asking every child of God to go out there and ‘force’ people into the house of God. We should not be shy doing this for God.

WHY would people refuse to partake of great meals that has been set up for them? Why would people give very flimsy excuses for not coming into the house of God.? Many of these people are ignorant of the evil forces that force them not to go into God’s presence for wisdom, salvation, divine security and many more. 2 Corinth 4:4, and Ephesians 2:2&3. I have prayed for different kinds of people, while certain voices speaking through them say, they have been keeping them from coming into God’s house. Pray for soul, speak to them and compel them into the house of God. God wants his house to be full.

THOUGHT: God’s church is the pillar and ground of truth, get men there.1st Timothy 3:15

FURTHER STUDIES

2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV). “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Luke 14:21 (KJV). “So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:42 (KJV).  “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”

Our Lord Jesus have been attacked throughout history till today, yet He remains the one single personality who has affected countless millions throughout history till date than any other. Some even say he is a myth, yet any one who bows to His Lordship receives a real meaning to life.  He is the chief cornerstone to the proper construction of any life. No building can be raised perfectly without the cornerstone He is the way, the truth and the life. In Him is life, and the life is the light of men. Without Him every man would continue to grope in darkness. Dear one, do not allow your life to be misled by anyone.

Over the years countless numbers of people of all walks of life, have encountered the resurrected Lord at various moments of defeat and failure. They realized He is the stone that the builders that they could not reject. To those whose hearts are in turmoil because of various challenges in this life, Jesus is the calmer of storms and would fill your heart with peace. If you have characters that is a reproach to yourself, He will help you fix it. He is the greatest physician and would answer your health questions. He is the great I am. Whatever you are crying for He says He will be that thing for you. All that you require is to bow to His Lordship over your life.

The scriptures warn us against being taken captive or deceived from the truth. Jesus is the fulness of the Godhead bodily. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” — Colossians 2:8 (KJV). The above verse shows us how men deceive others The process of deceit is always the same. One way that one could be deceived is through philosophy. Philosophy is an expression of human wisdom. It could also be said to be common sense. According to the Bible men through common sense cannot know God. 1st Corinth 1:21-23. The other means of deceit is just vain deceit. How deceptive to claim the Bible was written by Europeans to deceive blacks.  Archaeological findings have firmly established the Middle East as the origin of the Bible. A more sure grounds for its reliability, is the Bible’s transforming power. No one who has truly submitted to its teaching has not received a real change of life.

THOUGHT: Jesus has truly liberated men because He is the truth

FURTHER STUDIES

 John 14:6 (KJV). “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Psalms 118:22 (KJV). “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”