Saturday 27 February 2016

Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses – what is the key?

Jehovah's Witnesses say they are the only true Christians, but they
are neither Protestant nor Catholic. The fundamental doctrinal issue
that distinguishes them from orthodox Christianity is the Trinity.
They say the doctrine of the Trinity is a pagan teaching, but they
misrepresent it, saying that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
must be three gods. They actually agree with the Trinity doctrine when
it says that the Father and the Son are two Persons, but they imagine
they need to prove this to Trinitarians. They fail to grasp how the
three Persons comprise the One Being of God, and so they come up with
the idea of a Big God and a little god—two gods. They say Jesus was
created (Arianism), that He was Michael the archangel, and that Jesus'
body was not resurrected; it simply disappeared and He rose as a
spirit creature. They say the Holy Spirit is not a person but is
Jehovah's active force or energy.

Because they say that Jesus is a demi-god, their understanding of
salvation and atonement is wrong. They say Jesus, who was a perfect
Man, died only to atone for the sin of Adam and that, when we die, our
death pays the penalty of our own sin. Only some 10,000 Jehovah's
Witnesses today can possibly claim to be born again and have a
heavenly hope. The rest say they don't want to go to heaven to be with
the Lord but they want to live forever on a paradise earth
(Restorationism). They believe if they remain faithful and obedient
till the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, they will earn
the right to be declared righteous, and that's why they have to keep
on striving, with no assurance of salvation. Only today's "remnant" of
the 144,000 can say they are in the New Covenant and that Christ Jesus
is their mediator. All must be obedient to the leaders (the Watchtower
Society and its Governing Body) if they wish to survive Armageddon. To
disagree with what the Governing Body says is to disagree with Jehovah
because He uses them as His sole channel of communication to dispense
"the truth." Only they saw "with spiritual eyes of discernment" that
Christ Jesus started to rule from heaven in 1914, an invisible "second
presence." Also, they say Christ Jesus will never return to earth but
will remain in heaven, there to rule with the 144,000 over the earth.

With all these unbiblical beliefs, where does one begin to witness to
a Jehovah's Witness? There is only one place to begin—with the person
of Christ Jesus, whose deity is the foundation of Christianity.
Jehovah's Witnesses are unable to grasp the significance of Jesus'
death and why they must be born again in order to have their sins
forgiven. Before they can put all their trust in the finished work of
Christ Jesus, they have to understand they are not saved, which means
they are presently lost in their sin. No Witness has the assurance of
salvation, which is the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who belong to
the Father through Christ (Romans 8:16). The full deity of Jesus
Christ can only be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit, whom they
relegate to commodity status, like electricity. To the Witnesses, the
Holy Spirit is a "thing," not a Person.

Witnessing to the Witnesses must be done in Christian love and with
compassion. Remember, they have been deceived and believe a false
gospel, yet many have a genuine love for God and are utterly sincere
in their beliefs. Do not be afraid of them (1 John 4:17–19), but let
them know how much you care about their eternal salvation. Share your
Christian testimony with them. Talk to them, discuss spiritual matters
with them, but do not allow them to conduct what they describe as a
Bible study, which is actually a study of their literature. Be aware
they will not read any non-Watchtower literature or attend a church
service. They say they will only accept what the Bible says, but their
New World Translation has been drastically altered to reflect their
theology, and every reference in the New Testament to the deity of
Christ Jesus has been removed. It always comes as a surprise to them
to meet people who love the Lord, display the fruit of the Spirit, and
use the Bible as the basis for their faith (Hebrews 4:12). Speak the
truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Direct all your conversation to the
person of Christ and the need to put total faith in what He has done.
Do not allow them to lead you down the path they wish you to take,
namely, considering how you can survive Armageddon to live on a
paradise earth. This is not the gospel. Above all else, pray for them.

I am a Jehovah's Witness. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?

Perhaps the most important commonality between Evangelical Christians
and Jehovah's Witnesses is our belief and trust in the Bible as the
ultimate authority inspired by God, on issues concerning God and His
expectations for us. While we may understand things differently,
Jehovah's Witnesses are to be highly commended for their dependence on
and diligence in studying the Holy Scriptures to know God and His
will. Like the Bereans, we would be wise to examine all things in
life, in light of the Scriptures. To that end, we shall examine verses
of the New World Translation (the version of the Bible published by
their Watchtower Society) to clear up some common misunderstandings.

A Rose by Any Other Name…

Christians get their name from being followers and worshipers of Jesus
Christ, first called "Christians" in Antioch during Paul's ministry
(Acts 11:26). Paul repeatedly made it clear that to be a Christian was
to be a witness to men concerning the person of Christ, to be a
witness to the words and works of Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses, on the
other hand, believe that we are to focus our worship exclusively on
God the Father (who is referred to in some Bible translations as
"Jehovah"). The name Jehovah, however, was a hybrid name created by
Christians by adding vowels to the tetragrammaton YHWH, which was the
original rendering of we now know as Yahweh. Evangelical Christians
understand Jesus to be God in all His fullness, equal in deity but
different in function from God the Father. Christians acknowledge that
one of the historic names for God the Father is Jehovah; however,
there are many other names and titles that the Scriptures use in
reference to God the Father.

Jehovah's Witnesses understand Jesus to be Michael the Archangel, and
categorically deny His deity. As we shall see, if we understand Jesus
to be anything other than God, many verses present obvious
contradictions. However, we know that God's Word is inerrant and does
not contradict itself. Therefore, we must understand the truth of
God's Word in a way that is consistent and faithful to His revelation.
You will notice that these same verses lack any contradiction if we
understand Jesus to be God the Son—the fullness of God in bodily
form—who surrendered His rights to be the suffering servant and
sacrifice for our sin. (All verses are quoted directly from the
Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation.)

God's Glory

(Verses regarding God the Father)

Isaiah 42:8 "I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I
give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images."

Isaiah 48:11 "…And to no one else shall I give my own glory."

(Verses regarding Jesus)

John 8:54 "…It is my Father that glorifies me, he who you say is YOUR God"

John 16:14 "That one will glorify me…"

John 17:1 "…Father, the hour has come; glorify your son…"

John 17:5 "So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the
glory that I had alongside you before the world was."

Philippians 2:10 "so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend
of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground"

Hebrews 5:5 "So too the Christ did not glorify himself by becoming a
high priest, but [was glorified by him] who spoke with reference to
him; 'You are my son; I, today, I have become your father."

The Savior

(About the Father)

Isaiah 43:3 "For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel your Savior."

Isaiah 43:11 "I am Jehovah and besides me there is no savior."

Isaiah 45:21 "Is it not I, Jehovah besides whom there is no other God;
a righteous God and a Savior, there being none excepting me?"

(About Jesus)

Luke 2:11 "because there was born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord…"

Acts 13:23 "From the offspring of this [man] according to his promise
God has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus."

Titus 1:4 "…May there be underserved kindness and peace from God [the]
Father and Christ Jesus our Savior."

Whose name are we to have faith in?

(said about Jesus or by Jesus)

John 14:12 "Most truly I say to YOU, He that exercises faith in me,
that one also will do the works that I do…"

Acts 4:12 "Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for
there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men
by which we must be saved."

Acts 26:18 "…and inheritance among those sanctified by [their] faith in me."

Revelation 2:13 "I know where you are dwelling, that is where the
throne of Satan is, and yet you keep on holding fast my name, and you
did not deny your faith in me…"

John 20:28 "In answer Thomas said to him: My Lord and my God!" Jesus
said to him: Because you have seen me have you believed?

John 20:31 " But these have been written down that YOU may believe
that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that, because of
believing YOU may have life by means of his name."

Acts 2:38 "Peter [said] to them: 'Repent, and let each one of YOU be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ..."

1 John 3:23 "Indeed, this is his commandment, that we have faith in
the name of his Son Jesus Christ…"

Created or Creator?

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jehovah created Jesus as an angel, and
that Jesus then created all other things. What do the scriptures say?

(About the Father)

Isaiah 66:2 "Now all these things my own hand has made, so that all
these came to be."

Isaiah 44:24 "…I, Jehovah, am doing everything, stretching out the
heavens, by myself…"

(About Jesus)

John 1:3 "All things came into existence through him, and apart from
him not even one thing came into existence." If all things came into
existence through Jesus, He could not have been created because He is
included in the "all things."

Status, Names and Titles of Jesus and Jehovah

Isaiah 9:6 "For there has been a child born to us, there has been a
son given to us, and the princely rule will come to be upon his
shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says Jehovah God, "the
One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty."

Revelation 1:17-18 "…I am the First and the Last, and the living one,
and I became dead, but, look! I am living forever and ever, and I have
the keys to death and of Hades."

Revelation 2:8 "…These are the things that he says, 'the First and the
Last, who became dead, and came to life [again]"

Revelation 22:12-16 "Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give
is with me, to render to each one as his work is. I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end…I, Jesus,
sent my angel to bear witness to you people of these things for the
congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the
bright morning star."

Revelation 21:6-7 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the
end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of
life free. Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be
his God and he will be my son." If Jehovah is the Alpha and Omega (the
first and last Greek letters), then the "first and the last" must
refer to Jehovah, so the Witnesses claim. But when did Jehovah become
dead? The only "first and last" who died and lived again is Jesus.

Hebrews 1:13 "But with reference to which one of the angels has he
ever said 'Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool
for your feet"?

Truth and Unity

Jesus' substitutionary atonement was accepted for one reason: God
accepts only His own righteousness. The righteousness of a man or an
angel is insufficient to hold up to the holy and perfect standard of
God's righteous law. Jesus was the only suitable sacrifice because He
was the righteousness of God, and as God's law required shed blood,
Jesus took on flesh so that He might be a ransom for all who believe
in His name.

Notice that if we understand Jesus to be God incarnate, then all the
above verses can be understood to be true and mutually consistent in
their claims. They can also be understood clearly with plain reason,
taken at face value. However, if we attempt to suggest that Jesus is
something less than God—Michael the archangel—then these verses are
mutually exclusive and cannot both be true, when taken in their
natural context. Therefore, the truth of God's Word necessitates that
we must come to another understanding in which all Scripture is
unified, interconnected, interdependent, inerrant and true. That
unifying truth can be found only in the person and deity of Jesus
Christ. May we see the truth revealed in Scripture as it is, not as we
would each have it to be, and may God receive all the glory.

If you have any questions about Jesus as God incarnate, please ask us.
If you are ready to place your trust in this God incarnate Jesus, you
can speak the following words to God: "Father God, I know that I am a
sinner and am worthy of your wrath. I recognize and believe that Jesus
is the only Savior, and that only by being God, could Jesus be the
Savior. I place my trust in Jesus alone to save me. Father God, please
forgive me, cleanse me, and change me. Thank you for your wonderful
grace and mercy!

Have you placed your full trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior because
of what you have read here? If so, please click on the link below

http://pstgabrielpeter.blogspot.com/2016/01/i-have-just-put-my-faith-in-jesusnow.html?m=1

Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses and what are their beliefs?

The sect known today as the Jehovah's Witnesses started out in
Pennsylvania in 1870 as a Bible class led by Charles Taze Russell.
Russell named his group the "Millennial Dawn Bible Study." Charles T.
Russell began writing a series of books he called "The Millennial
Dawn," which stretched to six volumes before his death and contained
much of the theology Jehovah's Witnesses now hold. After Russell's
death in 1916, Judge J. F. Rutherford, Russell's friend and successor,
wrote the seventh and final volume of the "Millennial Dawn" series,
"The Finished Mystery," in 1917. The Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society was founded in 1886 and quickly became the vehicle through
which the "Millennial Dawn" movement began distributing their views to
others. The group was known as the "Russellites" until 1931 when, due
to a split in the organization, it was renamed the "Jehovah's
Witnesses." The group from which it split became known as the "Bible
students."

What do Jehovah's Witnesses believe? Close scrutiny of their doctrinal
position on such subjects as the deity of Christ, salvation, the
Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and the atonement shows beyond a doubt that
they do not hold to orthodox Christian positions on these subjects.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus is Michael the archangel, the
highest created being. This contradicts many Scriptures which clearly
declare Jesus to be God (John 1:1,14, 8:58, 10:30). Jehovah's
Witnesses believe salvation is obtained by a combination of faith,
good works, and obedience. This contradicts countless scriptures which
declare salvation to be received by grace through faith (John 3:16;
Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Jehovah's Witnesses reject the Trinity,
believing Jesus to be a created being and the Holy Spirit to
essentially be the inanimate power of God. Jehovah's Witnesses reject
the concept of Christ's substitutionary atonement and instead hold to
a ransom theory, that Jesus' death was a ransom payment for Adam's
sin.

How do the Jehovah's Witnesses justify these unbiblical doctrines?
First, they claim that the church has corrupted the Bible over the
centuries; thus, they have re-translated the Bible into what they call
the New World Translation. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
altered the text of the Bible to make it fit their false doctrine,
rather than basing their doctrine on what the Bible actually teaches.
The New World Translation has gone through numerous editions, as the
Jehovah's Witnesses discover more and more Scriptures that contradict
their doctrines.

The Watchtower bases its beliefs and doctrines on the original and
expanded teachings of Charles Taze Russell, Judge Joseph Franklin
Rutherford, and their successors. The governing body of the Watchtower
Bible and Tract Society is the only body in the cult that claims
authority to interpret Scripture. In other words, what the governing
body says concerning any scriptural passage is viewed as the last
word, and independent thinking is strongly discouraged. This is in
direct opposition to Paul's admonition to Timothy (and to us as well)
to study to be approved by God, so that we need not be ashamed as we
correctly handle the Word of God. This admonition, found in 2 Timothy
2:15, is a clear instruction from God to each of His children to be
like the Berean Christians, who searched the Scriptures daily to see
if the things they were being taught lined up with the Word.

There is probably no religious group that is more faithful than the
Jehovah's Witnesses at getting their message out. Unfortunately, the
message is full of distortions, deceptions, and false doctrine. May
God open the eyes of the Jehovah's Witnesses to the truth of the
gospel and the true teaching of God's Word.

Friday 26 February 2016

What are the New Heavens and the New Earth?

Many people have a misconception of what heaven is truly like.
Revelation chapters 21-22 gives us a detailed picture of the new
heavens and the new earth. After the events of the end times, the
current heavens and earth will be done away with and replaced by the
new heavens and new earth. The eternal dwelling place of believers
will be the new earth. The new earth is the "heaven" on which we will
spend eternity. It is the new earth where the New Jerusalem, the
heavenly city, will be located. It is on the new earth that the pearly
gates and streets of gold will be.

Heaven—the new earth—is a physical place where we will dwell with
glorified physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). The concept that
heaven is "in the clouds" is unbiblical. The concept that we will be
"spirits floating around in heaven" is also unbiblical. The heaven
that believers will experience will be a new and perfect planet on
which we will dwell. The new earth will be free from sin, evil,
sickness, suffering, and death. It will likely be similar to our
current earth, or perhaps even a re-creation of our current earth, but
without the curse of sin.

What about the new heavens? It is important to remember that in the
ancient mind, "heavens" referred to the skies and outer space, as well
as the realm in which God dwells. So, when Revelation 21:1 refers to
the new heavens, it is likely indicating that the entire universe will
be created—a new earth, new skies, a new outer space. It seems as if
God's heaven will be recreated as well, to give everything in the
universe a "fresh start," whether physical or spiritual. Will we have
access to the new heavens in eternity? Possibly, but we will have to
wait to find out. May we all allow God's Word to shape our
understanding of heaven.

How can I gain a passion for winning souls?

Winning souls is, essentially, the process of evangelizing or
witnessing, which is simply communicating the message of salvation to
unbelievers. Jesus Christ told His followers they would be His
witnesses to "the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8) and to "go and make
disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19), which is the essence of
winning souls. As our Father in heaven does not want anyone to perish
(2 Peter 3:9), all Christians should be eager to heed this call and
have a passion for winning souls.

Witnessing, however, is less about what we do for the Lord as it is
about what He does through us, and this requires a surrendered heart
filled with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the same Holy Spirit who
empowered Christ while He was ministering on earth can empower us as
well. First, however, we need to understand our role in building the
body of Christ. As the apostle Paul explained to those in Corinth, we
are God's servants who work in unity with one another to produce a
harvest. One will plow the soil, another may plant the seed, and
another laborer will water it, but only God can make that seed grow (1
Corinthians 3:7). Thus, even though we each may have individual roles,
we nonetheless have a unified purpose of winning others to Christ, for
which everyone will receive his own reward according to his own labor
(1 Corinthians 3:8).

But how can we gain a passion for spreading this good news and winning
souls to Christ in these difficult days when there are so many who
oppose our work every step of the way? It starts by having Jesus
Christ front and center in our own lives. Indeed, our passion for
winning souls will increase as our passion for Christ Himself and our
walk with Him become stronger. Two of the best ways to strengthen our
Christian walk are to read His Word daily and to pray continually.
When we fill our hearts and minds with Christ, we can't help but to
have a passion for sharing Him with others.

The most enthusiastic laborers are those who have a heart that is on
fire for Christ, and this should actually be easy when we consider the
magnitude of what our sinless Savior did for us at Calvary. His
willing acceptance of death on our behalf cured us from our terminal
disease (sin) and saved us from an unfathomable eternity in the lake
of fire. Yet we know what happens to those who die apart from Christ.
And this hopeless eternity apart from God, let alone in the fiery
darkness of inextinguishable hellfire, should motivate us to win as
many souls to Christ as possible, especially when we consider the
brevity of life that the apostle James aptly calls "a mist that
appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14). Once we
cross the eternal horizon, there is no going back, and the time for
winning souls will be over. Thus, not only is the harvest great and
the workers few, but, on top of this, our time is very limited.

In these challenging times, we certainly don't have to look far to see
many in despair, yet, even in the midst of this chaos, Christians can
find solace in God's Word. If a Christian finds himself in one of
life's trials, for example, he knows our sovereign Lord either put him
there or is allowing him to be there. Either way, the Christian can
make sense of this turmoil by realizing God has a purpose for our
trial, for we know that "in all things God works for the good of those
who love Him" (Romans 8:28). Further, if life occasionally doesn't
make sense to us, that's okay, for we know to trust in the Lord with
all our hearts and to not rely on our understanding of a situation
(Proverbs 3:5–6). Enduring life's hardships that inevitably come our
way is a lot easier when we know that God is in control.

The lost souls around us can find this same comfort when they put
their faith in Christ. However, as Paul explained, "How, then, can
they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they
believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they
are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who
bring good news'" (Romans 10:15). The peace of God, which transcends
all understanding and guards our hearts during these difficult times
(Philippians 4:7), can guard theirs too, once they let Him in.

There can be no better calling than working on behalf of the One who
died so that we may live. Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do
what I command" (John 15:14), and His command was that we obey Him and
that we love each other as He loved us. Clearly, then, our love for
Him is best exemplified when we passionately and tirelessly work to
share His gospel with others.

What can I do when I don’t feel any love for God?

First, an important question: are you born again? Have you trusted the
Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation? If so, the enmity between you
and your Creator is gone, and you have entered a secure and loving
relationship with God. If you have no faith in Christ, then you have
no relationship with God (John 14:6).

Feelings come and go, and you may not always "feel" love for God.
Hearts tend to grow cold, and even the most on-fire Christians can
struggle with maintaining their love and service to God. The church in
Ephesus had to be reprimanded by Christ: "You have forsaken the love
you had at first" (Revelation 2:4). A lack of feelings of love,
however, does not mean the relationship has ended. God does not
change; His love is constant.

As cliché as it may sound, don't give up! Know that God loves you and
desires for you to have an abundant and peaceful life within the
parameters of His will. God is a loving, compassionate Father who
looks upon you in great love. Second Corinthians 1:3 describes God as
"the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." He loves you
and desires to help you through this trying time of feeling
disconnected from Him.

Our relationship with God is based on love. He loved us and sent His
Son (John 3:16), and our response to His love is to love Him in return
(1 John 4:19) and serve Him. Not service out of obligation, but out of
true love for Him and who He is. God's will is not that we give of
ourselves "reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful
giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). So how do you become that "cheerful giver"
who gives your heart freely to God?

Reflect upon your walk thus far

Should Christians feel warm and fuzzy toward God at all times? No. We
all have valleys and deserts in our walk and feel all kinds of
emotions at various points in our lives—just like we do in other
relationships. In rekindling your affection for God, start at the very
beginning. Reflect on where and how your walk with Him first began.
When were you saved? Why were you saved? What did you feel when you
first began to discover who God was? How has Jesus made Himself known
to you in your daily life since? What things in life has God brought
you through? Consider past victories (1 Samuel 7:12) and those times
when you felt a deep desire and longing for God in your life.

Pray

Spend some quality time with God. Get to know Him more. To know Him is
to love Him. Ask God to increase your desire for Him. Ask Him to fill
you with His Spirit and rekindle your appreciation of His character.
Continue submitting to the Holy Spirit and confess to God that you
cannot overcome these struggles on your own—none of us can. When we
ask for His helping hand, He always hears us! Psalm 18:6 says, "In my
distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his
temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."

Read Scripture

During the times when you feel nothing toward God, it helps to read
His Word to remember how He feels about you. Dig into Scripture as
much as possible while dealing with these feelings of disinterest.
God's Word is truly "a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm
119:105). Try reading a psalm a day. The book of Psalms is very
encouraging and has many prayers that you might really identify with,
given your current situation. It is in the Word that God reveals
Himself and His will for you.

Seek Christian counseling

This is especially important if you are angry or upset with God for
some reason. It is difficult to feel love for someone while you are
angry at him. If there is an anger problem, how long have you felt
this way? Can you attribute your feelings to a specific situation?
Does anything help relieve your feelings or temporarily change your
perception? Biblical counseling can help you work through specific
issues. Through the healing process, guided by a pastor or other
counselor, you should be able to let go of the anger and hurt, and
your perception of God should change for the better.

Find a godly mentor

Surely, there is someone you know who loves the Lord and whose
Christian joy is evident. Ask this person to meet with you regularly.
Spend time together, study the Bible together, pray together. Ask
questions about your mentor's spiritual walk and how you can love the
Lord more. This friend can encourage you on your journey.

Plug into your local church

God intends for the Christian life to be lived corporately. That's why
He calls the church the "body" of Christ (Romans 12:5). There are many
opportunities to serve the Lord through your church and many people
who can exhort, support, and encourage you.

God will continue to love you dearly! "I pray that you, being rooted
and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's
holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love
of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may
be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians
3:17–19).

Does God have a sense of humor?

Perhaps the best indication that God does have a sense of humor is
that He created man in His image (Genesis 1:27), and certainly people
are able to perceive and express humor. The American Heritage
Dictionary defines a "sense of humor" as "...The ability to perceive,
enjoy, or express what is comical or funny." According to this
definition, then, God must show an ability to perceive, enjoy, or
express what is comical. The difficulty is that people perceive what
is comical differently, and what sinful man perceives as funny would
not amuse a holy and perfect God. Much of what the world calls humor
is not funny but is crass and crude and should have no part in a
Christian's life (Colossians 3:8). Other humor is expressed at the
expense of others (tearing down rather than building up), again
something contrary to God's Word (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29).

An example of God's humor is the instance in which the Israelites were
using the Ark of the Covenant like a good-luck charm in taking it to
battle, and the Philistines ended up capturing it and placing it in
their temple before their idol of Dagon. They came into the temple the
next day and found Dagon flat on his face before the ark. They set him
back up. The next morning, there he was again, but this time he had
his hands and head cut off as a symbol of his powerlessness before the
God of the ark (1 Samuel 5:1-5). God's putting Dagon in a position of
submission to His ark is a comical picture.

This incident is an example of God laughing at the foolishness of
those who would oppose Him. "See what they spew from their mouths—
they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, 'Who can hear us?'
But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations" (Psalm
59:7-9). Psalm 2 also reveals God laughing at those who would rebel
against His kingship (verse 4). It is like the comical picture of a
kindergarten-aged child being upset at his parents and running away
from home...all the way to his neighbor's house. But there is
obviously a serious side to this as well, and although the picture of
weak and silly man trying to match wits with an almighty and
all-knowing God is comical, God takes no delight in their waywardness
and its consequences but rather desires to see them turn around
(Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 23:37-38).

A person does not crack jokes in the presence of one who has just lost
a close loved one; silly jokes are out of place on such occasions. In
the same way, God is focused on the lost and is looking for those who
will care for their souls as He does. That is why our lives (while
having times of refreshing and humor) are to be characterized by
"soberness" (seriousness about making our lives count for Christ) (1
Thessalonians 5:6,8; Titus 2:2,6).

Thursday 25 February 2016

If God knew that Satan would rebel, why did He create him?

This is a two-part question. The first part is "Did God know Satan
would rebel?" We know from Scripture that God is omniscient, which
literally means "all-knowing." Job 37:16; Psalm 139:2–4, 147:5;
Proverbs 5:21; Isaiah 46:9-10; and 1 John 3:19–20 leave no doubt that
God's knowledge is infinite and that He knows everything that has
happened in the past, is happening now, and will happen in the future.

Looking at some of the superlatives in these verses—"perfect in
knowledge"; "his understanding has no limit"; "he knows everything"—it
is clear that God's knowledge is not merely greater than our own, but
it is infinitely greater. He knows all things in totality. If God's
knowledge is not perfect, then there is a deficiency in His nature.
Any deficiency in God's nature means He cannot be God, for God's very
essence requires the perfection of all His attributes. Therefore, the
answer to the first question is "yes, God knew that Satan would
rebel."

Moving on to the second part of the question, "Why did God create
Satan knowing ahead of time he was going to rebel?" This question is a
little trickier because we are asking a "why" question to which the
Bible does not usually provide comprehensive answers. Despite that, we
should be able to come to a limited understanding. We have already
seen that God is omniscient. So, if God knew that Satan would rebel
and fall from heaven, yet He created him anyway, it must mean that the
fall of Satan was part of God's sovereign plan from the beginning. No
other answer makes sense given what we've seen thus far.

First, we should understand that knowing Satan would rebel is not the
same thing as making Satan rebel. The angel Lucifer had a free will
and made his own choices. God did not create Lucifer as the devil; He
created him good (Genesis 1:31).

In trying to understand why God created Satan, knowing he would rebel,
we should also consider the following facts:

1) Lucifer had a good and perfect purpose before his fall. Lucifer's
rebellion does not change God's original intent from something good to
something bad.

2) God's sovereignty extends to Satan, even in his fallen condition.
God is able to use Satan's evil actions to ultimately bring about
God's holy plan (see 1 Timothy 1:20 and 1 Corinthians 5:5).

3) God's plan of salvation was ordained from eternity past (Revelation
13:8); salvation requires something to be saved from, and so God
allowed Satan's rebellion and the spread of sin.

4) The suffering that Satan brought into the world actually became the
means by which Jesus, in His humanity, was made the complete and
perfect Savior of mankind: "In bringing many sons and daughters to
glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything
exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through
what he suffered" (Hebrews 2:10).

5) From the very beginning, God's plan in Christ included the
destruction of Satan's work (see 1 John 3:8).

Ultimately, we cannot know for sure why God created Satan, knowing he
would rebel. It's tempting to assume that things would be "better" if
Satan had never been created or to declare that God should have done
differently. But such assumptions and declarations are unwise. In
fact, to claim we know better than God how to run the universe is to
fall into the devil's own sin of promoting himself above the Most High
(Isaiah 14:13–14).

Wednesday 24 February 2016

ADVERT - ALLIANCE IN MOTION GLOBAL INC. www​.allianceinmotion.com

About Us:

www​.allianceinmotion.com

ALLIANCE IN MOTION GLOBAL INC

Is a direct sales MLM company formed by the triumvirate - owners Dr.
Eduardo Cabantog, Francis Miguel and John Asperin in September 2005.
The company was conceptualized to provide exceptional products and
services to the market. Presently, the company holds offices at Units
301, 319 & 320 AIC Burgundy Empire Tower, ADB Ave. cor. Garnet &
Sapphire Sts., Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines respectively.


The company distributes and markets top-of-the line food supplements
manufactured by Nature's Way USA, and premium blended beverages. AIM
Global is the only direct sales company accredited by Nature's Way USA
as its exclusive distributor for Direct Sales in the Philippines.

AIM Global is considered one of the top companies in the MLM industry
and is a staunch advocate of direct sales entrepreneurship. Its
dynamic "pro-distributor" marketing plan has attracted and benefitted
hundreds of thousands of distributors. The business has provided
opportunities for distributors to gain financial independence and have
provided a better future for their families.

Over the years, AIM Global has built a strong presence with 3 branch
offices in Cebu, Davao, General Santos City and 104 Business Center
Offices in the country, currently at hand. The move to go global has
opened vast opportunities for the company. And in just a few years,
AIM Global has established international offices in Singapore, Korea,
Taiwan, Hawaii and Dubai. The company opened its doors in the African
continent and established its offices in Nigeria and Ghana and
recently has set up its Business Center in Kuwait. Offices in Macau,
Malaysia and Indonesia will follow suit in the coming months.

As a pro-distributor marketing company, AIM Global is devoted to
providing the distributors - the lifeblood of the company, a brighter
future. The company has partnered with 300 schools, clinics and
hospitals nationwide to provide scholarships and medical programs
designed to help our distributors and their families avail of
affordable, quality education and medical services.

The company acknowledges the dedication and hard work of its top
distributors and rewards them with all expenses paid travel incentives
to further inspire them to excel in the direct sales business.

At present, the company's leaders and distributors travel around the
country as 'ambassadors', promoting the good news of health and
prosperity that could be gained from AIM Global result to economic
progress.

• Our Statement
"We are always on looking for more innovative approaches, more ways to
improve and study industry trends and systems that will help our
business lead to prosperity and more success."

• Mission
Our methodology begins with our lasting mission of asserting our
purpose as a company and serves a benchmark for our actions and
decisions.

• To empower the world.
To encourage confidence, optimism and happiness.
To create worth and make a distinction.

• Vision: Our vision serves as the outline of our methodology and
directs every aspect of our business by unfolding what we need to
achieve in order to continue sustainable and quality growth.

• Distributors: To have a great place to work where distributors are
inspired to be the best that they can be.

• Products: Bring to the world a portfolio of quality revolutionary
products that anticipate and satisfy people's health desires and
needs.

• Partners: Nurture a winning network of customers and distributors,
together we create joint, long-term value.

• Efficiency: Be a highly exciting and dynamic organization that will
be flexible to furnish the trending needs and desires of the market.
Proud Member of MLMIA


Network Marketing Association The Multi-Level Marketing International
Association (MLMIA), is "The Association for Network Marketing -
Worldwide." A professionally managed not for profit trade
organization, it is strongly committed to the advancement of the
rapidly growing Network Marketing industry.


To know more about MLMIA, visit http://www.mlmia.com

Tuesday 23 February 2016

Does God killing people make Him a murderer?

The Old Testament records God killing multitudes of people, and some
people want to believe this makes Him a murderer. The misconception
that "killing" and "murder" are synonymous is partially based on the
King James mistranslation of the sixth commandment, which reads, "Thou
shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13). However, the word kill is a
translation of the Hebrew word ratsach, which nearly always refers to
intentional killing without cause. The correct rendering of this word
is "murder," and all modern translations render the command as "You
shall not murder." The Bible in Basic English best conveys its
meaning: "Do not put anyone to death without cause."

It is true that God has intentionally killed many people. (God never
"accidentally" does anything.) In fact, the Bible records that He
literally wiped out entire nations including women, children, cattle,
etc. In addition to that, God killed every living creature upon the
face of the earth with the exception of eight people and the animals
on the ark (Genesis 7:21-23; 1 Peter 3:20). Does this make Him a
murderer?

As already stated, to kill and to murder are different things. Murder
is "the premeditated, unlawful taking of a life," whereas killing is,
more generally, "the taking of a life." The same Law that forbids
murder permits killing in self-defense (Exodus 22:2).

In order for God to commit murder, He would have to act "unlawfully."
We must recognize that God is God. "His works are perfect, and all His
ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is
He" (Deuteronomy 32:4; see also Psalm 11:7; 90:9). He created man and
expects obedience (Exodus 20:4-6; Exodus 23:21; 2 John 1:6). When man
takes it upon himself to disobey God, he faces God's wrath (Exodus
19:5; Exodus 23:21-22; Leviticus 26:14-18). Furthermore, "God is a
just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If [man] does
not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes
it ready" (Psalm 7:11-12).

Some would argue that executing the innocent is murder; thus, when God
wipes out whole cities, He is committing murder. However, nowhere in
Scripture can we find where God killed "innocent" people. In fact,
compared to God's holiness, there is no such thing as an "innocent"
person. All have sinned (Romans 3:23), and the penalty for sin is
death (Romans 6:23a). God has "just cause" to wipe us all out; the
fact that He doesn't is proof of His mercy.

When God chose to destroy all mankind in the Flood, He was totally
justified in doing so: "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5).

During the conquest of Canaan, God ordered the complete destruction of
entire cities and nations: "But of the cities of these peoples which
the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing
that breathes remain alive, but you shall utterly destroy them: the
Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the
Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the LORD your God has commanded you"
(Deuteronomy 20:16-17). And Joshua did what God had told him (Joshua
10:40).

Why did God give such a command? Israel was God's instrument of
judgment against the Canaanites, who were evil, almost beyond what we
can imagine today: "Every abomination to the LORD which He hates they
have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters
in the fire to their gods" (Deuteronomy 12:31). Their utter
annihilation was commanded to prevent Israel from following their
ways: "Lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations
which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the LORD your
God" (Deuteronomy 20:18; also Deuteronomy 12:29-30).

Even in the dire judgments of the Old Testament, God offered mercy.
For example, when God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, God
promised Abraham that He would spare the whole city in order to save
ten righteous people there. Though God did destroy those cities (ten
righteous people could not be found), He saved "righteous Lot" and his
family (Genesis 18:32; Genesis 19:15; 2 Peter 2:7). Later, God
destroyed Jericho, but He saved Rahab the harlot and her family in
response to Rahab's faith (Joshua 6:25; Hebrews 11:31). Until the
final judgment, there is always mercy to be found.

Every person dies in God's own time (Hebrews 9:27; Genesis 3:19).
Jesus holds the keys of death (Revelation 1:18). Does the fact that
everyone experiences physical death make God a "killer"? In the sense
that He could prevent all death, yes. He allows us to die. But He is
no murderer. Death is part of the human experience because we brought
it into the world ourselves (Romans 5:12). One day, as John Donne put
it, "Death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die." God, in His
grace, has conquered death for those who are in Christ, and one day
that truth will be fully realized: "The last enemy to be subdued and
abolished is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26).

God is faithful to His word. He will destroy the wicked, and He holds
"the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their
punishment" (2 Peter 2:9). But He has also promised that "the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23b).

Monday 22 February 2016

How should a Christian deal with feelings of guilt regarding past sins, whether pre- or post-salvation?

Everyone has sinned, and one of the results of sin is guilt. We can be
thankful for guilty feelings because they drive us to seek
forgiveness. The moment a person turns from sin to Jesus Christ in
faith, his sin is forgiven. Repentance is part of the faith that leads
to salvation (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 3:19).

In Christ, even the most heinous sins are blotted out (see 1
Corinthians 6:9-11 for a list of some unrighteous acts that can be
forgiven). Salvation is by grace, and grace forgives. After a person
is saved, he will still sin, and when he does, God still promises
forgiveness. "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the
Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1).

Freedom from sin, however, does not always mean freedom from guilty
feelings. Even when our sins are forgiven, we still remember them.
Also, we have a spiritual enemy, called "the accuser of our brothers"
(Revelation 12:10) who relentlessly reminds us of our failures,
faults, and sins. When a Christian experiences feelings of guilt, he
or she should do the following things:

1) Confess all known, previously unconfessed sin. In some cases,
feelings of guilt are appropriate because confession is needed. Many
times, we feel guilty because we are guilty! (See David's description
of guilt and its solution in Psalm 32:3-5.)

2) Ask the Lord to reveal any other sin that may need confessing. Have
the courage to be completely open and honest before the Lord. "Search
me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

3) Trust the promise of God that He will forgive sin and remove guilt,
based on the blood of Christ (1 John 1:9; Psalm 85:2; 86:5; Romans
8:1).

4) On occasions when guilty feelings arise over sins already confessed
and forsaken, reject such feelings as false guilt. The Lord has been
true to His promise to forgive. Read and meditate on Psalm 103:8-12.

5) Ask the Lord to rebuke Satan, your accuser, and ask the Lord to
restore the joy that comes with freedom from guilt (Psalm 51:12).

Psalm 32 is a very profitable study. Although David had sinned
terribly, he found freedom from both sin and guilty feelings. He dealt
with the cause of guilt and the reality of forgiveness. Psalm 51 is
another good passage to investigate. The emphasis here is confession
of sin, as David pleads with God from a heart full of guilt and
sorrow. Restoration and joy are the results.

Finally, if sin has been confessed, repented of, and forgiven, it is
time to move on. Remember that we who have come to Christ have been
made new creatures in Him. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians
5:17). Part of the "old" which has gone is the remembrance of past
sins and the guilt they produced. Sadly, some Christians are prone to
wallowing in memories of their former sinful lives, memories which
should have been dead and buried long ago. This is pointless and runs
counter to the victorious Christian life God wants for us. A wise
saying is "If God has saved you out of a sewer, don't dive back in and
swim around."

Saturday 20 February 2016

Witnessing to Muslims - what is the key?

As a preface to this article, please see our article on "What is
Islam, and what do Muslims believe?" Through the gospel of Jesus
Christ, God offers—and true disciples of Jesus have received—that
which everyone in the world, including every Muslim, needs and many
long for: forgiveness for their sins, a loving heavenly Father with
whom they can communicate personally, and assurance that eternal
happiness awaits them beyond this life. The key to witnessing to a
Muslim is getting him to understand that Islam does not offer these
things and that Christianity most certainly does. In fact,
Christianity is the only religion that does.

Muslims use much of the same terminology that appears in the Bible:
sin, salvation, heaven, hell, one God, law, and punishment. What is
missing from their lexicon is the word "savior." The Muslim does not
believe that he needs a savior because he believes he alone must atone
for his sin by his works. Islam teaches that man is born sinless and,
therefore, does not have a sin nature from which he needs to be saved.
His sinlessness was corrupted by external influences and can,
therefore, be 'cleaned up' by works and efforts that please Allah. The
Qur'an tells the Muslim that his good deeds can cancel out his bad
deeds (Sura 11:114), but no one knows how many good deeds are enough.
Muslims believe they can ask Allah for forgiveness from sins, but
Allah may or may not forgive them. There is, therefore (and this is
the key), no assurance of salvation for Muslims.

Muslims believe one must be sorry for sin and repent of it, but the
idea that payment for sin is required by a holy God is not part of
Islam. It's important to begin with the idea that being sorry for sin
will not help the Muslim when he stands before a holy God on Judgment
Day. Ask the Muslim if a murderer will be allowed to go free if he
says he's sorry in court. Most Muslims would agree that if the judge
is a good man, he must make sure justice is done. Being sorry won't
keep the murderer out of prison. Then ask the Muslim if he believes he
will go to heaven. Muslims believe in the Law of Moses, so ask if he
has kept each one of the commandments perfectly. Once he admits he has
lied at some time in his life or lusted after a woman in his heart,
ask him, if an earthly judge can't pardon a murderer just because he
is sorry, how can Allah forgive him when he has just admitted to being
a liar and/or an adulterer in his heart. If he's at all honest, he
will admit this is impossible. At this point, you can say that God
made it possible for him to go to heaven even though he can't get
there on his own. Preach Jesus Christ as our substitute for sin, our
Savior from sins we cannot atone for ourselves, but do not say that He
was the Son of God or allude to the Trinity as these ideas are
anathema to Muslims.

Again, the key to witnessing to Muslims is their lack of assurance.
Islam teaches that Allah was the source of both the Bible and the
Qur'an, so they are willing to listen to passages from the Bible.
Passages that speak to the wickedness of man's heart (Psalm 14:1-3;
Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18), the holiness of God (Exodus 15:11; 1
Samuel 2:2; Joshua 24:19; Psalm 93:5) and His hatred for sin
(Deuteronomy 25:16; Proverbs 6:16-19) will drive home the need for a
Savior. As long as the Muslim believes he can atone for sin himself,
the message of the gospel will be foolishness to him. If he comes to
understand that "no one will be declared righteous in his sight by
observing the law" (Romans 3:20), the door is open for the light of
the gospel to shine in his heart.

Of course, no one comes to the knowledge of the truth solely by good
apologetics. The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit
because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14), and the
Holy Spirit is the only one who can open the eyes of the spiritually
blind. Therefore, any witnessing efforts should be bathed in prayer
that hearts and minds will be opened so that when we speak the truth
in love to a Muslim, it may please the Lord to grant him or her
salvation through Jesus Christ.

I am a Muslim. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?

People often follow the religion of their parents or culture, whether
Muslim, Buddhist, or Catholic. But when we stand before God on
Judgment Day, each person must give account for himself—whether he
believed in God's truth. But among so many religions, what is the
truth? "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6).

True Christians are followers of Jesus. How could Jesus claim to be
the one and only way to God the Father? Let's find out in the
Scripture, the Bible.

Jesus' life, death, and resurrection

The Bible records how Jesus fulfilled prophecy when He was born to the
virgin Mary. He grew up unique from any other human because He never
sinned (1 Peter 2:22). Crowds flocked to hear His teaching and marvel
at His miracles. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and walked on
water.

Of all people, Jesus did not deserve to die. Yet Jesus prophesied that
He would be crucified and raised from the dead (Matthew 20:18-19). His
words came to pass. Soldiers beat Jesus and put a crown of thorns on
His head; people mocked and spit on Him; nails pierced His hands and
feet into a wooden cross. Jesus had the power to save Himself, but He
gave Himself, willingly dying on the cross (John 19:30). Three days
later, Jesus rose from the grave!

Why the cross?
As a Muslim, you may ask, "Why would Allah allow His Prophet Isa to be
mistreated and killed?" Jesus' death was essential because . . .

• Every person is a sinner: "For all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Whether dishonoring parents, telling a
lie, failing to love God best, or disbelieving God's Word, we each
have sinned against the holy God.

• The punishment for sin is death: "For the wages of sin is death"
(Romans 6:23a). God pours out His wrath against unbelieving sinners by
separating them forever in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9). As the just
Judge, God will not overlook sin.

• We cannot save ourselves by good works: "For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). This
is a key difference between Christianity and Islam. Islam teaches that
a person can earn paradise by keeping the Five Pillars. Even if
possible to outweigh bad deeds with good deeds, the Bible teaches that
"all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6b). Even one
single sin makes a person guilty of breaking all God's law (James
2:10). Sinful humans can do nothing to merit heaven.

• God sacrificed His Son for sinners: "For God so loved the world that
he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God knew mankind's sin kept
them from heaven. God knew the only way the sin debt could be paid was
by a perfect One paying the price of death. God knew He alone could
pay such an infinite price. So God's eternal plan was to send His Son
Jesus to die in the believing sinner's place.

Becoming a Christian
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31b).

As a Muslim, you may say, "Oh, I believe in Jesus. I believe Isa was a
true teacher, a great prophet, and a good man."

But you cannot say Jesus was a true teacher and yet deny His teaching
that He is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6). You cannot
believe Jesus was a great prophet and yet reject His prophecy that He
would die and rise again in three days (Luke 18:31-33). You cannot
admit Jesus is a good man yet disbelieve His claim to be the Son of
God (Luke 22:70; John 5:18-47).

You cannot consider becoming a Christian without realizing that
Christianity excludes all other religions (Acts 4:12). The inescapable
conclusion of Christianity is this: either Jesus bears your sin on the
cross or you bear your sin in hell. "Whoever believes in the Son has
eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's
wrath remains on him" (John 3:36).

As you search the Bible, may God awaken your heart to turn from your
sin and trust in Jesus. You may respond with a prayer like the one
below. Remember, the prayer does not save you. God alone can save! But
the prayer may be your expression of the faith God gives you in the
Lord Jesus Christ.

"Dear God, I grieve that I have sinned against You. As a sinner, I'm
worthy of death in hell. But I believe You sent Your Son, Jesus, to
die on the cross for sin and rise from the dead in victory. I now turn
from following my own sinful desires and from trying to reach heaven
through my own works. I trust in the Lord Jesus alone as my Savior
from sin. I love You, Lord, and submit myself to follow You by Your
Word, the Bible. Amen!"

Friday 19 February 2016

Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?

The Muslim and Christian views of God have some similarities.
Christians believe in one eternal God Who created the universe, and
Muslims apply these attributes to Allah. Both view God as
all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present.

A vital difference between the Islamic and Christian views of God is
the biblical concept of the Trinity. In the Bible, God has revealed
Himself as one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit. While each Person of the Trinity is fully God,
God is not three gods but three in one.

God's Son came in the form of man, a truth called the incarnation
(Luke 1:30-35; John 1:14; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 4:1-3). The Lord
Jesus Christ conquered the penalty and power of sin by dying on the
cross (Romans 6:23). After rising from the dead, Jesus went back to
heaven to be with His Father and sent the Holy Spirit to believers
(Acts 1:8-11). One day, Christ will return to judge and rule (Acts
10:42, 43). Those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus will live with
Him, but those who refuse to follow Him must be separated in hell from
the holy God.

"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John
3:35-36). Either Jesus bears the wrath of God for your sin on the
cross or you bear the wrath of God for your sin in hell (1 Peter
2:24).

The Trinity is essential to the Christian faith. Without the Trinity,
there would be no incarnation of God's Son in the Person of Jesus
Christ. Without Jesus Christ, there would be no salvation from sin.
Without salvation, sin would condemn all to an eternal hell.

So, do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? A better question
is, "Do Christians and Muslims both have a correct understanding of
who God is?" To this question, the answer is definitely no. Because of
crucial differences between the Christian and Muslim concepts of God,
the two faiths cannot both be true. The biblical God alone addresses
and solves the problem of sin by giving His Son.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to
save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:16-18).

What does it mean to pray in Jesus' name?

Prayer in Jesus' name is taught in John 14:13-14, "And I will do
whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the
Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
Some misapply this verse, thinking that saying "in Jesus' name" at the
end of a prayer results in God's always granting what is asked for.
This is essentially treating the words "in Jesus' name" as a magic
formula. This is absolutely unbiblical.

Praying in Jesus' name means praying with His authority and asking God
the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His
Son, Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name means the same thing as praying
according to the will of God, "This is the confidence we have in
approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he
hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that
we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). Praying in Jesus' name
is praying for things that will honor and glorify Jesus.

Saying "in Jesus' name" at the end of a prayer is not a magic formula.
If what we ask for or say in prayer is not for God's glory and
according to His will, saying "in Jesus' name" is meaningless.
Genuinely praying in Jesus' name and for His glory is what is
important, not attaching certain words to the end of a prayer. It is
not the words in the prayer that matter, but the purpose behind the
prayer. Praying for things that are in agreement with God's will is
the essence of praying in Jesus' name.

ADVERT - SAM DEBBY LAUNDRY & CLEANING SERVICES

Sam Debby Laundry & Cleaning Services

I found out that social media is one of the best place to do advert as
to reach wide range of the Nigeria audience especially when it comes
to offering services like laundry.

Many Nigerians and cooperate individuals such as banker,
teachers,lawyers, engineers and even student especially law student
who need their clothes to be well washed,starched and well iron with
the best washing detergent find it difficult to get to do their
laundry as they are too busy with one thing or the other.

Many Nigerian finds it difficult to go to the laundry man and always
want to run away due to high price, but we at Sam Debby Laundry &
Cleaning are committed in satisfying you in a less financial way and
mobility.

For Example We Offer:

*LAUNDERING
*DRY CLEANING
*HOME SERVICE
*CLOTHE DYEING
*OFFICE CLEANING
*RUG CLEANING
*INDUSTRIAL CLEANING
*HOME PICK & DELIVERY
*QUANTITY DISCOUNT
*TOTAL FABRIC CARE

ADDRESS: Our Head Office Is Located @ 7, Akintunde Williams New
Oko-Oba Opposite Mama Cass Oko-Oba, Lagos. You can call us on
07032105245 or 08022794271. Facebook/Email: gbengayeni@yahoo.com

Thursday 18 February 2016

ADVERTISEMENT - M&B Pick A Pot Service

M&B PICK A POT SERVICE is one catering services company that I find
myself compelled to write about majorly because of


* the excellent way they go about rendering their services,

* giving utmost satisfaction to their customers,

* integrity displayed in their dealings,

* uniqueness in the dishes prepared

* more so they don't disappoint in any way

* they offer variety of services ranging from catering for weddings,
seminars, birthdays and any other social events


Well. . . a trial should convince you


They are located at - 7, Akintunde Williams New-Oko-Oba Opposite Mama
Cass, Oko-Oba. Lagos

or call 07032105245, 08022794271 for further enquiries