KEY SCRIPTURE: 1Ti 1:14 KJV “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

Apostle Paul talked about his way of life before he encountered the grace of God in 1 Timothy 1:13 ” Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” Paul persecuted the church and had gotten a number of them killed.Remember that Acts 8 :1 reported that Paul consented to the killing of Stephen.Inspite of the severity of his sins the grace of God was available for Him. Men sin because they are sinners.They are ruled by death.Rom 5:12 KJV” Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” The only solution to death is life.This is what the Lord Jesus came to offer mankind.Salvation can never be obtained by observing any kind of religious activities, except receiving life given by our Lord Jesus Christ.

No sin is too great for the blood of Jesus to wipe away.There are certain individuals who think their sins are so deep that they can not be saved.The scripture says though your sins be as red as crimson they shall be as white as wool. Please understand that the problem of sin is the rule of death over men.Jesus came to defeat death by bringing life and immortality to all who believe.2 Timothy 1:10 KJV “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”: The Lord has absolutely dealt with death and has given us eternal life.

Rom 6:23 says the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus.Your sins could be as gruesome as can be imagined yet God freely gives eternal life.Dear one we a speaking about the Holy precious blood of our Lord Jesus whom the scriptures reveal that He is God.The bible says in Hebrews 9:22 ” And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” All that God expects of you is to acknowledge that you are a sinner and that Jesus our Lord died for your sins.Decide not to go back into that life of sin again.Believe in your heart that Jesus our Lord died and rose from the grave on the third day.Lastly confess boldly that Jesus is the Loud of your life.If you sincere made the confession that He is your Lord. Then you are born from above and that you have become a child of God.

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 1:12 KJV “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;”

Understanding the dealings of God is so amazing that makes walking with God a great delight .Our Lord Jesus remarked that “Mat 11:29 KJV Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. How was the burden of the Lord light.He did not bear the burden himself but the Holy Spirit who was in Him.Please get the way our heavenly father deals with us.Before He commands us to do a thing He first makes the complete provision.Juat consider the following statement Mat 5:16 KJV” Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Before He demands of us to shine as lights He had already made us lights.We are to shine because we are already lights of the would. It is in ournature to shine.As electric bulbs all it needs is to be connected to the national grid or a generator source.The moment the switch is turned on, the light shall shine.We are also connected to our father from whom we shine

In 2 Corinth 3 :5 &6 it says ” Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”God gave us our various tasks and it is he who has made us qualified to play our individual roles. Dear brother or sister, never complain about the magnitude of any task God has given to you.Do not complain about how much the people given to you to work with are stressing you up.Listen to the counsel of the Holy Spirit.Phi 2:14 KJV Do all things without murmurings and disputings::For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.Our strength or ability to do whatever he asks us to do is He the Lord Himself. Our confidence or faith is the only means to please the Lord receive anything from Him.

In the light of all that has been said above approach your tasks with a new attitude This time acknowledge your complete competence to fulfil that duty If you have to preach to some people stop worrying about how everything would go.Do your part through study, prayer and preparation of the message.The next is to trust that the presence of God in you would help you communicate effectively to them.If you have been appointed to do something in your secular business which appears far beyond your capabilities.Please acknowledge one more time that , God in you makes you very capable.please note that I am not saying you are God as the new age try to teach.They try to destroy the truth of a personal God who comes to take His abode in us.He is the one who enables us to meet every task.Be very conscious of the great mighty creator of all things living in our bodies.We are a temple for Him.1Co 3:16 KJV “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Our sufficiency is God Himself.Give your full strength, energy and a winning attitude towards whatever assignment you have to do.

THOUGHT: DECIDE TO BE THE BEST IN EVERYTHING YOU DO

FURTHER STUDIES

Phi 4:13 KJV” I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

1Jn 4:4 KJV” Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 1:12 KJV “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;”

One of the greatest insights a child of God can have is the acknowledgement of the fact that it is a great privilege to be appointed to serve God.Serving God is the highest honour on earth to be given to any man.God is the Monarch of the universe and He is the highest paying and the most noble engagement to be accorded any one.2Co 4:1 KJV “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;” He says it is an act of mercy to be called to serve God.He says further that as a result of such mercy or privilege being given to us he does not faint or surrender to any negative pressuresLet’s consider another statement Paul makes about his service.Rom 11:13 KJV” For I speak to you Gentiles, since I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” Once again Paul expresses the great joy of service.He says I magnify my office.To magnify has the following meanings.It means to praise or to esteem very high, to give it the highest attention,or to celebrate, to hold in honour, to adorn with lustre and also to render it excellent.It is no wonder he excelled so much in ministry.

Dear child of God every area of service God has called you to serve must be seen in the light of what has been described above.You must attend to it with great joy and pleasure.Sadly, many children of God have no appreciation at all about what God has asked them to do.Many also think that since I am not a preacher then I am not a minister.Please do not deceive yourself. Why would God judge each one of us , if he did not give us a task to do on earth for him? Amo 6:1 KJV” Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!” The scripture says woe to them who are doing nothing in the house of God.Woe is an expression of grief or calamity on such a person.You are in serious trouble if you are not in any service of any kind in the house of God or in service to God.

Dear one, you do not have to be a pastor, prophet, apostle evangelistic, or teacher to be a minister.The word minister simply means a servant or a slave. You are God’s slave but this time, a love slave because you joyfully serve him.Joyful service endears you to the blessing of all thingsDeu 28:47 KJV” Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;” God always loves those who are cheerful about whatever they do for Him.2Co 9:7 KJV” Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” This is the joy of life, and that is for God to rejoice over you.This is the reason for creation and especially creating human kind.Rev 4:11.Make your life meaningful, rewarding and exciting by your joyful engagement in serving God.Indeed God has counted you worthy to be placed in His service.

THOUGHT;SERVING GOD IS THE GREATEST EMPLOYMENT

FURTHER STUDIES

Joh 8:29 KJV” And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

2Co 9:8 KJV” And God can make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1Timothy 1:11 KJV” According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

Apostle Paul in the previous verses reveals that the law works in those who have rejected the gospel, and so death works in them.The gospel shows us that. , the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus.The man without christ according to the gospel is dead unto God.That is the reason the sinner does the works of sin or the works of death.The gospel , God’s power to save, heal and to stabilize man in every way comes as a result of believing the gospel.Rom 1:16 KJV” For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Apostle Paul says this good news is committed to his trust.He says woe is he if he does not preach the gospel 1st Corinth 9:16.Paul by his commitment to the gospel demonstrated that he had indeed been entrusted with the gospel, He testified of his position concerning the preaching of the gospel in Rom 1:14,15 as follows:I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Apostle Paul faithfully accepted the trust God the father placed in him, and so went about sharing the gospel everywhere he went.Dear one, now Paul is no longer around , you and I now have the button to run with it as fast as we could.Our world is more sophisticated than it ever was Technology is at its peak.We have more simple avenues to reach multitudes than we’ve ever had.We have to maintain a faithful walk with the Lord and use every good means to save as many as we can. If you are a child of God, stop showing just your face on social media and use that opportunity to share a thought about salvation, even how you were saved.You have no idea how many lives would be touched with your personal testimony .Tell us how your life was, before accepting Jesus.Secondly talk about how you were saved.Thirdly talk about your present state, the great change that has taken place in you. Please, we do not have enough time ,Say as Paul said, woe is me if I preach, not the gospel.”.The first disciples of Jesus were so successful, although they lived under a more crude and hostile environment than ours , yet they conquered.Act 17:6 KJV “And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;” What a testimony.May it be said of us that we are the men that have turned our world upside down for Jesus

THOUGHT: WE HAVE RECEIV3D SO MUCH, AND WE SHOULD’T FAIL THE LORD

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 28:19 KJV “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”

1Co 9:16 KJV” For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gosp

KEY SCRIPTURES: 1Ti 1:9 KJV” Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,”

We continue with our study of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. .In the previous vers he wrote that there are occasions when the law may be applicable, that is when it is applied in a lawful or acceptable way.We discussed about one acceptable way that the law could be applied.This was in the upkeep of the ministers of God as was done under the old covenant.

This time we look at a general application of the law.The law is generally applicable to any one who rejects the provisions of God’s grace.We partake of the provisions of God’s grace when we believe on the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans 2:6- 9 the bible says the followingRom 2:7-8 KJV “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,.” Now to those who received the word and live by it receive God’s grace and blessings.
But to the disobedient and unlawful indignation and God’s wrath.This is the judgement of the law.Which one do you choose? To live by faith and experience the provisions of God’s blessings of peace and life ( Rom 5:17 KJV For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) or be disobedient and suffer the reign of death..

It is a terrible thing to live by the law or to live under the influence of the law.1Co 15:56 KJV “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” The law is the strength or power of sin.Sin is also the sting of death.Our key scripture speaks of the profane,the lawless, disobedient;ungodly, sinners, murderers and what have you are all under the power of death.Dear child of God please know that anyone without Jesus is miserably ruled by death.Rom 5:12 KJV Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:The works of sin are just the vernom of death working in their life.We mist strive in prayer and aggressively reach out to them to get them free or saved.

THOUGHT: FIGHT FOR SOULS TO FREE THEM FROM DEATH

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 8:2 KJV” For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Rom 6:23 KJV” For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 1:8 KJV “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;”

In John 1:17 the Holy Spirit writing through apostle John said the law was given by Moses, yet grace and truth came by Jesus.In Galations apostle Paul said the law was a school master that led us to grace which comes or operates by faith.The scripture even says sin shall no longer have dominion over us because we are not under the law Rom 6:14.All these suggest to us that the law lacks so much good or in a sense grossly deficient in delivering one from the power and influence of sin.In our key scripture the scripture said the law is good if one uses it lawfully. This means the law can be applied in instances if only it is lawful to do so. How can the law be used lawfully? I believe that for us to answer this issue, we ‘ve got to look for an instant in the new covenant that the Holy Spirit appeals to the law for its function.

In 1 Corinth 9:7-8, it says” Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?1Say these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?” In this very matter apostle, Paul appeals to the statements made from the law.What is the issue at stake? This concerns the upkeep of the pastor. He even said the levites who minister on the altar must live by the altar so should the minister of the gospel live by the gospel.He says in 1 Tim 1 :8 ,that, the law could be applied lawfully .In this instant it is just lawful that the minister must live of the gospel.Under the law the levites lived through tithe and offering.If it is lawful that he lives of the gospel then the lawful way for the minister should be the way of the law, that is tithe and offerings..This application is clear as rain and sunshine

I am very much aware of the many who have tried to condemn tithes as under the law and an offence for pastors to take tithe.Please the real import of tithe is not only about the man of God who would be enriched but the blessing of favour that would come to the man who pays his tithe.Jesus said in comparing the giver and the receiver, the giver is more blessed than the receiver.The real problem of people who attack the paying of tithe is because some pastors have become so rich..Please be mindful of what the Lord said about those who have left all to serve him.Mar 10:30 KJV” But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Stop attacking these men who are making great impact in the lives of multitude and ask, are they bearing fruits of sin or just because they have great wealth.There are some who live very carnally which is unacceptable, ,but a great number of them have the plight of the people at heart and have all kinds of relief programs to answer such needs.

THOUGHT: THE LAW IS GOOD IF USED LAWFULLY

FURTHER STUDIES

Mal 3:10 KJV Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Mal 3:12 KJV And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 1:6 KJV “From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;”

Apostle Paul stated in verse 5 his reasons for instructing Timothy to prevent people from teaching wrong doctrines in the church. He said his reason for making that request is because of his love, presumably for Timothy and the people who may be erring. He added that this love motivates three virtues, which are
1 pure heart
2 Good conscience
3 faith unfeigned.
He said people who ignore these virtues enter into error. Dear reader, we live in a period where deception and wrong doctrines abound. Just as apostle Paul said, people who fall into various degrees of error have forsakened these virtues. Neglecting these three virtues makes people very subjective because they are told to accept whatever is said without asking any questions. The second ground where people find themselves in error is because they develop itchy ears. That is, they want something that excites their ego. For example, if certain congregations are told that they would be given a prayer formula that would kill all their enemies, they would quickly jump and scream hallelujah without asking what the scriptural bases for this kind of prayer are. Who constitutes their enemy? Is your enemy your neighbour who picks a quarrel against you over the least thing you do? A man with itchy ears has certainly thrown away a pure heart, a good conscience and definitely would not have a sincere or an unfeigned faith. Thirdly, people enter into error because they do not diligently search and study to know the truth.

Some years ago, a fellow minister friend of mine asked me to accompany him to see an elderly prophet who was in one of the orthodox churches. We went to see this elderly prophet. In his spiritual directions, he asked that my friend get a sheep for some sacrifice. After leaving his place, I asked my friend why a sheep was sacrificed. Is the blood of Jesus not enough to meet any demand of the spirit realm? I told him directly that this is an error and I would have nothing to do with that man. Dear brethren, what saved me from falling into that trap of the devil? I held to a pure heart. I was not seeking an undue advantage. Secondly, I maintained a good conscience and kept faith in the truth of scripture. And lastly, a sincere faith in God. I need not cut corners to seek blessings of any kind. Sadly, many preachers have become occultists all in the name of BREAKTHROUGH. Breakthrough is not necessarily about having a good car with wealth, no. Breakthrough is about lives being transformed for Jesus, the sick and oppressed are set free, souls are won into the kingdom of God, and the name of the Lord is glorified. This is what a breakthrough is about.

Once again, a people or a particular doctrine or faith would be in serious error if followers are threatened not to question their teachings. If a faith teaches that a man can beat up his wife and that cannot be questioned, then such a faith is in serious error. If the faith teaches that former members who decide to abandon the faith should be killed, poisoned or persecuted, yet this directive is not questioned. If your faith teaches that people who sacrifice their lives for their faith will marry many virgins in heaven, yet flesh and blood do not go to heaven. They are told not to question such teachings. These teachings would only be possible to be accepted if the proponent of this teaching ignores a pure mind, a good conscience and an unfeigned faith. They need to question these things to avoid deception.

THOUGHT: BE FAIR TO THE TRUTH TO AVOID DECEPTION

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 11:5 KJV “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”

Act 23:1 KJV “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV” Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.

We are of the Spirit and are made of the Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9). Man is a Spirit who has a soul and lives within a body (1 Thess 5:23). Our Spirit is created after God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:23. The scriptures say further in 1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit”. We are one with Christ. Our recreated Spirit is the very Spirit of Christ. (Gal 2:20). The word says in Romans 8:10, that, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness”. Christ lives in us.

The Spirit of Christ is our true identity. When the Christian says I, he or she is not referring to the former self, that is, Mr A or Madam K. 2 Corinthians 5:16 KJV says,” Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more”. We do not know any Christian after the flesh. We do not know ourselves after the flesh. We know ourselves after the Spirit, which we are. The error most Christians make is that when they say ‘me’, in their mind, they are referring to that old human being with all the human weaknesses.

Any Christian who sees himself or herself as the human being that he or she has always been is bound for failure. He is failing to apply the scripture that says, “we know no man after the flesh.” The man who is not born again is not in Christ and does not come into the sphere of people the Bible is talking about in 2nd Corinthians 5:16. Remember that that which releases the power of the Spirit to function in you is when you acknowledge that you are one with the Spirit of Christ. From now on, when you say I, know that you are referring to the new man, who is one with Jesus and has all the potential of the Lord Jesus. See yourself as very superior to the ordinary individual. Say to yourself, I am a superior breed. God has given birth to me, and I am a kind of the first fruit of His creatures (James 1:18)

CONFESSION

I died with Jesus but have been resurrected with His life. The very life force that powers my body is the Spirit of Christ. I have His abilities, I have His wisdom, He loves through me, touches men through me, Oh what a life.

FURTHER STUDIES

Galatians 2:20 KJV” I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”.

Colossians 1:27 KJV” To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”