আমাদের সাথে সহভাগিতা করুন
সহকর্মীদের নিকট থেকে প্রাপ্ত বার্তাসমূহ
আপনি যদি একজন সহকর্মী হন এবং "সহকর্মীদের নিকট থেকে প্রাপ্ত বার্তাসমূহ"-এ একটি বার্তা বা ছবি পোষ্ট করতে চান, তাহলে "একটি বার্তা পোষ্ট করুন"এই বাটনে ক্লিক করুন, এবং সাইন ইন করুন৷ আমরা আপনার পোষ্টটিকে অনুমোদন করলে তবেই আপনার পোষ্টটি দেখা যাবে৷
একটি বার্তা পোষ্ট করুন+2348166655055+2347010600061abelkalu789@yahoo.com Topic: idol worshipFirst we will find out the meaning of idol.• Idol: an idol is a graven image or effigy material that is worshiped.• Idolater: an idol worshiper or someone who worships idol. First, when God created man, He did not make any sort of image for the man to worship. He set Himself for man to Have Dominoin. He was the God who said come let us make man in our own image (Genesis 1:26). Man was the only thing been made by the image of God. From then, man began to bow down to Almighty God who brought him into the world. In Exodus 20: 4 God says; ' You shall not make yourself idol in form of anything in Heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters below'. Now if you study this statement very carefully, it's a command. So any man who has fell in this command is a disobedient to the commander which is God. In verse 5, it says 'You shall not bow down to them or worship them' he went further to say, 'He is a jealous God, punishing the children for their sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me'. But the very first command was in verse 4 which says ' You shall have no other gods before me. God really emphasize on this so much. He knew that the only way man can divert or turn away from Him is to have another god. First He said: do not haveSecond: you shall not makeThirdly : you shall not bow down. This three simple command is very important in man's life. That is what God hate so much. Because He knew that once man make an image, the next thing is to bow for that image and from doing that it will lead man in committing immorality and shedding of bloods.Man has finally succeeded in making an image.( exodus 32:1) in vs 4, he took all the handed to him to make an idol cast in shape of a calf, fashioning it with tool. Then he said, these are your gods O Isreal, who brought you up out of Egypt.Now people were so foolish to believe what Aron told them. If that is the case, they have carrying their god on their body all this while and still looking for a god to worship. I also learnt one thing hear, despite they were so foolish, they remembered to worship God. Many of us here presents, don't even remember to pray, fast or even worship God. In those days, their kind of worship is not centered on prayer but praises. Let's go on, in verse 9, 'God said to Moses, "they are stiff necked people". 10, " now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make a great nation". Now, God has seen that man has neglected His command. And with that it lead them to so many evil practices. He quickly told Moses in Leviticus 18:1-29, where He told Moses so many things that the Israelites should not do, in chapter 19 and 20, He did the same.In judges 17:1( Micah's idol)2 kings 17:41, 2kings 23:1(Josiah)Remember 1john 5:21•Talk on king Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:26-30) • Case study: catholic way of idol worship (Jeremiah 10:1-4, vs 8-15. Jeremiah 44:1-down., Ezekiel 8:6-12, Zechariah 10:2-3(the idols speak lies) • Case study: Genesis 1:3-5 the Muslims way of idol worship(Worshipping of sun and moon of sun and moon) The word Tammuz means the tenth month of the civil year; the fourth month of the Ecclesiastic year ( in June & July)Second, it means the Sumerian and Babylonia god of pastures and vegetation. Ezekiel 8: 14-18• counting of bids• bowing down to an image in view of Christ, spreading and hanging it on the car, house and working place.N/B: there is no place in the bible where people bow down to caved image representing Mary the mother of Jesus. There is no place in the bible where the followers of Jesus or the early Christians were worshipping or bowing to an idol molded in form of Christ. •God will banish all the idols and remove the people of impurity -Zechariah 13:2.Man is living in darkness and God will destroy anyone living in that form. When Jesus came into this world, He came in a human flesh, He never came as in form of an idol or image. •Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:7,14-22. Prayer: 1: O Lord God of Abraham, forgive me for disobeying your commands and law you gave concerning worshipping of idols and images. 2: O Lord God of Heaven and Earth, destroy anything that represents idol in my life! 3: O Lord God of mercy, separate me from any covenant my father and my mother made to any idol or image concerning my life, future & destiny! 4: O Lord God of Isaac and Jacob, restore whatever the idol from my father's and mother's house have stolen from me! 5: O Lord God, give me a new life!
‘WATER’ - THE SOURCE OF LIFE (SALVATION) Our study today is going to be based solely WATER and is essence in human life both fleshly and spiritually. In the fleshly terms, water is a natural resource vital for the survival of humanity and all species on earth. As a good of creation, water is destined for all human beings and their communities. Human beings cannot do without water since it corresponds to their primary needs and constitutes a basic condition of their existence. Water is a giver of life and an essential element for life. Water plays a central and critical role in all aspects of life, analyzed as a social good, an economic good, an environmental good and a spiritual good. Many people are dead due to the lack of access to safe water. This is just to mention few benefits, since we all know how important water is to our daily living. These importance of water are not only physical. In the spiritual reams, life is given through water. When we look at the chronicles of spiritual life (eternal life), water was the source. Starting from the Book of Genesis, water was used to save Noah and his family (Gen. 8). Also, water was the first point of contact to salvation to the Israelites. In Ex 14:16 the children of Israel were saved by water, when been pursued by the Egyptians. God commanded Moses to stretch his rod on the sea and it was divided for the Israelites to walk on the bare land to be saved. When the Israelites crossed the sea, God gave them the Law and added the Sacrifice system of Atonement. But before one could lead the sacrifice, he should be clean. So in Lev. 8:5-7 Moses said unto the congregation, this is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and WASHED THEM WITH WATER. And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. So without being washed with water, Aaron and his children wouldn’t have been able to put on the garment of Priesthood. Neither will they be talking of been eligible to serve in the Tabernacle of God. The children of Israel’s sacrifices were accepted after God washed the one leading them on their behalf. This means that before one can be clean, he must bath by using water. We could see that the explanations above are directing to things that were recorded with visible evidence. But to the new generation whose time God want to reveal the spiritual salvation by water, He spoke to the Prophets. Isaiah said (Isa 12:2-3) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall we draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in Isa 41:18 God said, I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. This was a prophecy about how God want to save our thirsty souls from death by using water. Isaiah added in chapter 27:2-3 that we are a vineyard of red wine which the Lord do keep and water it every to keep us from any hurt day and night. Zacharias (13:1) also prophecy that, in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. As for Zacharias, he has made is clear that God will use water to wash us from all our sins, just as Isaiah was also talking about salvation being a relief as water relief a thirsty man. In John 4:10 Jesus said unto the woman of Samaria, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee LIVING WATER. It is therefore clear that, water is the source of our salvation. That is why Peter said (1 Peter 3:20-21) when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Peter was referring the salvation of Noah and his family to our salvation and said that, the salvation in the time of Noah is like unto Baptism which now saves us. He added that, this baptism is our own baptisms in churches (the washing away of bodily dirt) but the baptism of Jesus Christ saves us. Therefore, if we believe that Jesus was baptized to take ours sins (which was a replica of the salvation of Noah and his family), our dried souls will be cleared of the thirst caused by sin. The water of salvation, when taken, clears thirst eternally (John 4:10). That is why John wrote that Jesus came to save us by Water (Baptism), Death (Blood) and Resurrection (Spirit) (1 John 5:6) The baptism of Jesus is the water that gives eternal life which the Prophets spoke about (Heb. 10:7). When this water baptism is accepted, it washes sins away thoroughly, and there will be no thirst of sin anymore. This is the reason why those who truly believe in Jesus don’t beg for forgiveness of sin, because they have drink water from the well of salvation and thirst no more (Isa 12:3). Those who are thirsty in the spirit are those that have sins to beg for. They have not seen the fountain opened in the house of David to clean them from sins once and for all (Zach. 13:1). Jesus is the fountain opened in the house of David, so anyone who believes in Him is washed by this fountain. This fountain was established when Jesus was baptized. It is important to note that without the baptism of Jesus no one would be saved. Jesus was condemned to death because he took our sins in His baptism. So if some theologians say that the baptism of Jesus was to introduce Him to the world and not to take sins and that our sins were taken on the cross, I will say that idea is a total fallacy. This is to the contrary as far as salvation is concern. Why was Jesus condemned to if He was not carrying sins? Please don’t be deceived by any religious leader, because the Water Baptism of Jesus has washed us of all sins (past, present and future). That is why the next day after the baptism of Jesus, John saw Jesus coming unto him, and (John) said to his disciples; behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Why do you think John made that declaration if Jesus has not taken our sins in his baptism? Without the linkage of water (Jesus Baptism) to salvation no one will be saved. Am not saying we should link this to our church baptism (Peter said church baptism is washing of bodily dirt but that of Jesus washed our soul from the sins we inherited from Adam (1 Peter 3:21-22)). That was why when Jesus was baptized Heaven opened and God said this is my beloved Son in whom am well pleased (Mtth. 13:17). Apart from Jesus, has God told someone that He is pleased with that person’s baptism? We refer to baptism as being born again as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3. So if we are washed with water in our various churches and we still remain sinners, then we are not born again and our church baptism of water is therefore not perfect. It was not what Peter is referring to. Peter knowing how man will misinterpret his statement sharply added that baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21c) This means that those who believe in the baptism of Jesus (water) has washed their conscience with all sins and are saved. So if you have guilt of sin in your mind, it means your conscience is not washes with the baptism of Jesus. Therefore we must have faith in Jesus that He was baptized to take away our sins to clear our conscience of the guilt of sin that makes us beg for forgiveness every moment. Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 5:7 we should do away with the old mindset that we are sinner, which we are not because of Christ. The water as the source of salvation has been fulfilled in the baptism of Jesus Christ. God has fulfilled His promise made to Abraham and revealed to the Prophets to declare to the new generation (us). Therefore if we believe in the water which stands the baptism of Jesus, it will clear our heart of every bit of sin and we will not feel thirst of condemnation of sins anymore. Bless are those who are hungry for righteousness for they drink from the well of salvation and shall not thirst. AMEN.
WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOUR? This question is very important for all believers to meditate upon. It really has a mystery untold about the parable of the man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho recorded in Luke 10, who was saved by a Samaritan referred as a neighbour. From the book of Luke 10:30-35 which reads:- 30. And Jesus answering said, a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half death. 31. And by chance there came a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32. And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed on the other side. 33. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him. 34. And went to him and bounds up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine and set him on his donkey and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him take care of him and whatsoever thou spends more, when I come again I will repay. This parable has been passionately used by many preachers to explain who a neighbour is. In so doing the interpretation has been to love one another and to show kindness to fellow man. However, the main question which ignites the follow up question “who a neighbour is” has been ignored. Earlier verse 25 of Luke 10 which contains the first question says “And behold, a certain Lawyer stood up, and tempted Him (Jesus) saying MASTER WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE”? The answer to the question called for the second question from the Lawyer in Luke 10:27 to justify himself by asking “WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR” (Luke 10:27). However, the answer to the second question was not straightforward. It led to the parable of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. This man fell into the hands of thieves and was left half death who needed help to be saved. So it is clear that the parable is all about eternal life since the question asked was on salvation and not human survival. In this context, a neighbour is the one that saves a life from eternal death. To proof this, we have to note some characters used and how those characters relate to salvation. It will help us to understand that the parable is not talking about human love but eternal redemption. First of all, Jesus mention of a man traveling from JERUSALEM to JERICHO. In the Bible, Jerusalem means the CHOSEN CITY OF GOD (1Kings 11:32), the HOLY CITY (Num. 11:1, Isa 52:1), the CITY OF TRUTH (Zech. 8:3) while Jericho means a FALL CITY or CURSED CITY (Jsh 6:26). The use of these two cities in the parable symbolically reflected the fall of man from the Glory of God. That journey shows how Adam left the Garden of Eden (Jerusalem) to the wilderness (Jericho) due to sin. So the man in the parable moved from the present of God to the land of curse. Therefore, life in Jerusalem shows the Grace of God, whilst living in Jericho is living under the curse of sin. That is why Joshua said any man who will build the City of Jericho is cursed before the Lord (Jsh 6:26) and Daniel Said open your windows to Jerusalem. This journey from Jerusalem to Jericho is best explained when Daniel was in Persia, outside Jerusalem. The Bible said Daniel knowing that Darius, King of Persia has signed writings against him, went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime (Daniel 6:10). Daniel prayed to God for safety when he was outside Jerusalem. So anyone outside Jerusalem needs salvation, and this means the man in the center of the parable who has fallen from the presence of God and left half dead needed salvation. However, the parable projected how the half dead man was saved and in line of his salvation the following three key personalities came into being which we must know more about. (a) The Priest who saw the half dead man first and passed by (Luke 10:31) (b) The Levite who also saw the man and passed by the other side (Luke 10:32) and (c) The Samaritan who saved the man (Luke 10:33). Priest represents Aaron who was made priest to lead the people of Israel before God through their sacrifices. But because this sacrifice could not save the people as it lasted a maximum of one year (Heb 10:1). So the parable said the priest passed by the other side. The Levite as stated in the parable is John the Baptist who also could not save man but said he came to prepare the way for the messiah. The Samaritan therefore stands for Jesus Christ who came to save all men from eternal death. So as Aaron the Priest was used to lay the path of righteousness onto salvation through animal sacrifice, John the Baptist came to present the sacrificial lamb (Jesus Chris) before the presence of God for the one time salvation of all men. Therefore by knowing that, the animal sacrifices was just a shadow of good things to come as read in Heb. 10:1, we now relate the parable to our salvation by been seen as the half dead man due to the sins we inherited from Adam and lost the Glory of God. As the Samaritan dressed the wounds of the half dead man, paid for the present medical bills and deposited additional money for future excess medical expenses should the need be; in the same way, Jesus Christ saved the world by taken all sins (John 1:29) (which are our past, present and future sins) in His Baptism and paid for all with His blood on the Cross. Therefore the Samaritan in the parable is our Lord Jesus Christ who is the saviour of the world. So to answer the Lawyer’s question “who my Neighbour”, the answer is Jesus, the Samaritan. He is the one who has saved our lives and forgiven our sins. So Jesus is our Neighbour who saved us from the sin of Adam that we connected to through birth. AMEN.
Eph.5:1; " Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children:" This verse of the Epistle of Paul is teaching us to imitate God as we who are born of the righteousness of God, the water and of the Spirit; Jn.3:5, the faith of the baptism of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit; In Matt.5:44-45, our Lord said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he make his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." The old king James Bible says "Be followers of God as dear children;" But the Greek language translates "followers of God", as " imitators of God" as beloved children. We all know that to imitate is to copy another person's attribute or another person's actions. It is clear this teaching that we should copy our heavenly Father's attribute; But without obeying and doing the word or following the voice of God the Holy Spirit in our heart or the voice of the good conscience, we cannot imitate or follow the actions or attributes of our Father which art in heaven. So Matthew by the will of God teaches us in Matt.5:45 what we must do as beloved children of God in order to imitate God our Father which art in heaven. If believers are not born of again in the heart, the human spirit, according to the gospel of water and the Spirit, the baptism and of the Holy Spirit, they cannot be the beloved children of God and, would not be able to imitate or be followers of God. So if believers are not born of God in the heart, then their sins are not remitted from their heart, and cannot have the power or the ability to be followers or imitators of God because of weakness of the flesh as they are spiritually dead and separated from God because they cannot have fellowship with God even if they want to do so. The word of God tells us, " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."; Phil.4:13. No human being on this earth can serve God without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; Except he/she in the gospel of water and the Spirit. Hence the Lord said in Jn.3:5, " Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Now the kingdom on earth is received in the heart, the human spirit. We cannot serve God in a familiar spirit, the spirit of unrighteousness, because the word of God sys, " there is no fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness"; 2 Cor.6:14. In Matt.5:45, he tells us that God makes his sun to riseon the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. This is quite plain in that all the blessings that the children of God enjoy, the children of the evil and the unjust also enjoy. Another attribute of God; Luke 6:36, "Therefore, be merciful, even as your Father also is merciful. Jesus also told us in the sermon on the mount; Matt.5:7, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Now to cap it all, Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Pet.3:13"; And who is he that will harm you if ye be followersof that which is good? Again this is quite plain, because if we are followers, imitators of God, the Lord said through Peter that the world will not harm us, his children who imitate him. Now we may say that we are humans and have weaknesses. Do we not know that all of our weaknesses were cut away from us and handed to Jesus in his baptism and put upon Jesus' head? The Lord took care of all our transgressions, iniquities and peace according to Isa.53:5"; "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was buised for our iniquities; the chasetisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stipes we are healed." These were all fulfilled in the baptism of Jesus , his blood of the cross, his resurrection and our baptism with the Holy Ghost and Fire of all believers in the gospel of water and of the Holy Spirit; Hence we should always bless our Father in heaven with thanksgivings for giving us victory over sins by giving us his only begotten son, Jesus Christ our saviour and the power of the Holy Spirit instead of prayers of repentance and the forgiveness of sins which profit nothing. Hence in Eph.5:2, we are taught; " And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
Eph.5:1; " Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children:" This verse of the Epistle of Paul is teaching us to imitate God as we who are born of the righteousness of God, the water and of the Spirit; Jn.3:5, the faith of the baptism of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit; In Matt.5:44-45, our Lord said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he make his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." The old king James Bible says "Be followers of God as dear children;" But the Greek language translates "followers of God", as " imitators of God" as beloved children. We all know that to imitate is to copy another person's attribute or another person's actions. It is clear this teaching that we should copy our heavenly Father's attribute; But without obeying and doing the word or following the voice of God the Holy Spirit in our heart or the voice of the good conscience, we cannot imitate or follow the actions or attributes of our Father which art in heaven. So Matthew by the will of God teaches us in Matt.5:45 what we must do as beloved children of God in order to imitate God our Father which art in heaven. If believers are not born of again in the heart, the human spirit, according to the gospel of water and the Spirit, the baptism and of the Holy Spirit, they cannot be the beloved children of God and, would not be able to imitate or be followers of God. So if believers are not born of God in the heart, then their sins are not remitted from their heart, and cannot have the power or the ability to be followers or imitators of God because of weakness of the flesh as they are spiritually dead and separated from God because they cannot have fellowship with God even if they want to do so. The word of God tells us, " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."; Phil.4:13. No human being on this earth can serve God without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; Except he/she in the gospel of water and the Spirit. Hence the Lord said in Jn.3:5, " Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Now the kingdom on earth is received in the heart, the human spirit. We cannot serve God in a familiar spirit, the spirit of unrighteousness, because the word of God sys, " there is no fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness"; 2 Cor.6:14. In Matt.5:45, he tells us that God makes his sun to riseon the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. This is quite plain in that all the blessings that the children of God enjoy, the children of the evil and the unjust also enjoy. Another attribute of God; Luke 6:36, "Therefore, be merciful, even as your Father also is merciful. Jesus also told us in the sermon on the mount; Matt.5:7, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Now to cap it all, Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Pet.3:13"; And who is he that will harm you if ye be followersof that which is good? Again this is quite plain, because if we are followers, imitators of God, the Lord said through Peter that the world will not harm us, his children who imitate him. Now we may say that we are humans and have weaknesses. Do we not know that all of our weaknesses were cut away from us and handed to Jesus in his baptism and put upon Jesus' head? The Lord took care of all our transgressions, iniquities and peace according to Isa.53:5"; "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was buised for our iniquities; the chasetisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stipes we are healed." These were all fulfilled in the baptism of Jesus , his blood of the cross, his resurrection and our baptism with the Holy Ghost and Fire of all believers in the gospel of water and of the Holy Spirit; Hence we should always bless our Father in heaven with thanksgivings for giving us victory over sins by giving us his only begotten son, Jesus Christ our saviour and the power of the Holy Spirit instead of prayers of repentance and the forgiveness of sins which profit nothing. Hence in Eph.5:2, we are taught; " And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
Copyright © 2021 by The New Life Mission