Help in Thessalonica!

This afternoon, the Lord laid it upon my heart to pray together with my husband and a friend. As we began to sing praises, the Holy Spirit directed me to Philippians 4 verse 16, a portion of the scripture I have never read before. It simply says 'Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once'. You see, Thessalonica in this scripture represents a place of need. You know Paul travelled a lot and so there was no way he could always carry all his supplies with him. He needed to rely on heaven sent help. Most of us are in 'Thessalonica' today, we need help with our finances, our business, our health, our marriage, our children, some of us need a clear vision for our lives... the list is endless but the message is one, 'There is help in Thessalonica'. The enemy is looking at you in Thessalonica and he thinks he's got you in a corner. Tell him God is sending help your way. You will have surplus even in the midst of famine. Remember the story of Daniel (Daniel 10), where Daniel had prayed to God and because he was so precious to God, an angel was sent to grant his request. The angel was held by the spirit prince of Persia for twenty one days until the archangel Michael came to rescue him. Only then was he able to deliver Daniel's message. Please say this prayer if you believe, ask God to send help to you right there in Thessalonica, also pray that your helpers will not be held bound by the enemy. The helpers will not only feed your physical body but help you grow spiritually. I decided to post this message on the blog because as I was praying, I saw a sea of heads, a multitude, all knelt down with their hands raised to heaven. I also saw a large banner that read 'Help in Thessalonica'. I believe a lot of people out there need to hear this message. God just located you! SHALOM.

Give us Barabbas!

Jesus was on trial. The people took him to Pilate, the Roman Governor at the time. After Pilate found him innocent, he presented him to the people saying 'This man is not guilty of any crime, would you like me to release him? But they shouted back, No! Not this man. Give us Barabbas! Give us Barabbas! ... & so Pilate released Barabbas, the robber & Jesus, the saviour of the world was condemned to die a shameful death on the cross. Today, the shame belongs to the Devil. He lost the battle the moment Christ laid down his life. It was God's master plan. No wonder the bible says in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 7-8 '... If the princes of this world knew, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory'. Barabbas could not have paid the price for our salvation, it had to be Jesus. Some things happen to us that we never fully understand until much later, when we see the fuller picture. When Joseph was on a slave march to Egypt, after his brothers sold him, he never knew what God's master plan was for him in Egypt until Pharaoh put him in charge of the whole of Egypt. Haters of God conspired against Daniel and it landed him in the lions den but he came out alive because it was God's master plan. His accusers were thrown in the same den together with their wives and children and none of them was spared. David was overlooked by his father as a Shepard boy in the fields but God sought him out and made him king over the nation. Haman wanted to have Mordecai killed but in the end, he hung in the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Some astrologers wanted Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego dead because they would not worship idols. They were thrown into the flaming furnace, came out alive and in the end, the king promoted them. The lesson is this, once we stay plugged into God's will, even our enemies will be working for us unknowingly. They will mean things for evil, it will turn out to be for our good because the bible says 'all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8 verse 28)'. Sometimes, when things don't go according to your plan, it is because what you have in your plan is not in God's master plan for you. If you understand what this means, the next time the people demand for Barabbas, you will be glad, knowing it is God's master plan.

Self destruct mode

Have you ever seen a movie where a robot activates the self destruct mode and the clock goes tick, tick, tick... all the way to zero & time up! The robot explodes. It is the same when we chose to live our lives without Jesus. Even robots activate the self destruct mode when they see that there is no other choice but you see, with you, you have got a choice. You don't have to pay the price for your sins because Christ already did. 1 Peter 1 verse 18 says 'God has paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors'. Every single day you spend without Christ, the clock ticks, ticks, ticks... and when your time is up, what awaits you is not a pretty sight. Romans 6 verse 23 says 'The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'. Every day presents you with a fresh opportunity to give up your emptiness. Romans 12 verse 2 says 'Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. If you have made a decision to activate the Christ mode, then 1 Peter 1 verse 23-25 says 'For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As scriptures say, "People are like grass, their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades but the word of the Lord remains forever". And that word is the gospel that is preached to you.

The Jesus I met

Born of a virgin, he walked on the surface of the earth. He turned water into wine, healed the sick, raised the dead, the blind could see, the lame could walk, the deaf could hear, he set the demon possessed free, cleared the temple. He spoke in plain language, he spoke in parables. He walked on water, he fed over five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fishes. He said to the Jewish leaders, 'destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up'. Judged by the men he created, he walked all the way to Calvary, carrying my burden, bearing my shame. He was mocked, striped, beaten, spat upon, humiliated and yet all he could think of was me, my salvation! With a crown of thorn upon his head, he walked all the way to Calvary. I was made whole with every stripe, justified by every act of injustice. Not a price he had to pay, not a burden he had to bear, not a soul he had to save but he chose to. All the way he walked to Calvary, nailed to the cross, pierced on the side, he prayed to the father to forgive me, and then he laid down his life that I may live. John the baptist testified about him (John 5 verse 33). Moses wrote about him (John 5 verse 45). Abraham saw him and was glad (John 8 verse 56). Israel sought him and found him (2 chronicles 15 verse 4). Paul encountered him and he became a changed man(Acts 9 verse 4). He was the fourth man in the flaming furnace, with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and not a hair on their head was singed, and their clothing was not scorched (Daniel 3 verse 27). He walked with Cleopas and his heart burned within him as he explained the scriptures to him(Luke 24 verse 32). He was a guest in Zacchaeus' home (Luke 19 verse 5). He has gone to prepare a place for me in heaven and he will be back for me. Today, he stands at the door of your heart and knocks. If you hear his voice and you open the door, he will come in (Revelation 3 verse 20). He wants to meet you, but only if your arms are open to receive him. Mathew 24 verse 50 says "He will return unannounced and unexpected".

Daily burden

A believer without any burden for the church of Christ may need to go on his knees and ask for one. If you are so happy with the fact that your soul has been saved but you are not sad about that brother or sister that is lost then you are being selfish. What is your prayer pattern like, God thank you for blessing me and for saving me, please bless me some more! What about praying for others, that childless couple, that sick little boy, that homeless lady, that man that can hardly feed his family, that wife beater, that drug addict, that wicked landlady, that abusive step father ..... We put on our best clothes on Sunday, stick our neck really high as we head to church, feeling like God's best but never inviting someone else to church. We come back from church and we never share the experience with nobody. The church is not a cult where things must be kept secret, the bible says freely have we received, freely we must give (Matthew 10 verse 8). The next time you lift those hands in church to say Hallelujah, ask yourself how many people you have lifted up, the next time you open your mouth in church to say 'I love you Lord' ask yourself how many people you have shown love to. The next time you place your needs at his feet, ask yourself how many needy people you have helped. The next time you ask God for your daily bread, ask yourself about your daily burden. Take a look at Paul, a man who had been beaten on several occasions, stoned, shipwrecked, spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea, traveled on many long journeys, faced danger from rivers, robbers, his people, the Jews, the Gentiles, and even from men who claimed to be believers but you know, all that did not take away the burden he had for the churches (2 Corinthians 11,verse 24-28). He called it a daily burden! In Philippians 1 verse 21, Paul said 'Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty, life versus even more life! I can't lose'. What can you say is your testimony today. Not all of us are as bold as Paul and would want to stand in front of Kings to preach Christ but there are subtle ways by which you can play an active part. Right on your knees you can start praying for loved ones who have not recieved Jesus as Lord. You can draw up a list of people to pray for even in your closet. You can decide to support a ministry, either by giving your time or even your funds. You have got to be a part of the good work. God did not put us on earth for sight seeing. There is a lot more and we have got very little time. A Christian without burden is like salt without savour. Jesus said in Mathew 9 verse 37 'the harvest is great but the labourers are few'. Becoming a labourer for Christ is a conscious decision born out of the burden you have to see souls harvested for him'. You should not be able to contain your love for Christ, it should overflow. In the same book of Mathew, chapter 9 and verse 38, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields'. You are a city set on a hill and can not be hidden (Matthew 5 verse 14). What is your daily burden? Please pray today, that the Lord will use you as a worker in his fields, give you a burden for the church and the grace to do something about it.

A call to be fruitful

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when he noticed a fig tree, he stopped to have some of its fruits but found only leaves and he said to it, may you never bear fruits again! and immediately the fig tree withered up (Mathew 21 verse 18-19). As Christians, we are called to be fruitful. In John 15 verse 16, Jesus says 'You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain'. It's funny how nowadays someone hears you talking about Christ and the next thing they ask you is 'Are you a pastor now?' the truth is this, preaching Christ, or sharing his love is not only the job of pastors, we have all been ordained by Christ himself to share his love. Read the parable of Jesus in the book of Luke, chapter 13 and from verse 6. A certain man had planted a fig tree in his garden and for three years, he found no fruit on the tree. So he says to the dresser of the vine yard, why should this tree remain if for three years it did not bear any fruit, it's just taking space in the garden, cut it down! Today, God has planted us here and for a reason, he has planted you in your church and for a reason. Search your heart, if you are good with children, make yourself available to help in the children's church, whatever you think you can do and do well. Be a worker in the house of God. Beyond the walls of the church, continue to bear fruits by impacting lives for Christ. Share his love in your home and make good use of every opportunity you have out there. Psalm 40 verse 10 says 'I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness'.

Lord, is it I?

Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Christ. Whenever he walked or sat with the disciples, he acted like he was indeed one of them but when he got to the camp of the leading priests and elders who wanted to have Christ arrested, he also danced to their tune. It's sad we find Christians like that today, who are only 'Christians' on Sundays and maybe during prayer meetings and bible studies. No wonder the bible says God searches the hearts of men and examines our secret motives (Jeremiah 17 verse 10). The disciples asked Jesus a question as they sat round the table, after he told them that one of them would betray him, they all asked one after the other, Lord, is it I? You might want to ask the same question today. A true Christian is no Chameleon, it shouldn't matter if you are alone or with a multitude. Will you deny him when next you sit at the table with your friends? Will you betray him at that family dinner? Will you deny him when you are with your colleagues? Judas betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver and he regretted it. The silver became to him like ashes, he threw them all out and hung himself (Mathew 27 verse 5). Today we betray him for different reasons. The truth is this, no reason will ever be good enough. Ephesians 1 verse 18 says. 'I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance'. Note that it says confident hope. We have got to be bold and unashamed of Jesus. 1 Timothy verse 1 addresses all believers to be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. If Christ was ashamed of you, he never would have gone to the cross.