Christ Our Wisdom and Power Ministries

1 Cor 1: 24, 30 .... Jesus Christ is our Wisdom, Power, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption

You are here: Home / Archives for The Love of God

The Love of God

Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalmen

by Leave a Comment

Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem!

Isaiah 62: 1-12
For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. 8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: 9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

This message is to encourage you to think of heaven and how sweet our fellowship with other members of the family of God would be in heaven. In this message you will have an idea of who will be accepted into God’s coming kingdom and who will not.

In Isaiah 62, Zion represents heaven where God resides while Jerusalem represents where the people of God dwell [Psalm 48:1-3]. Zion also represents God’s permanent or immovable throne. Kings and princes, including us believers will stand before Him in judgement in Zion. Zion is not the focus of this exhortation. An explanation of Isaiah 62:1 suffices for now.

Verse 1 in Isaiah 62 may be read as follows:

“For heaven’s sake (Zion, where God’s throne is) will I (God speaking) not hold my peace, and for earth’s sake (Jerusalem, where God’s people resides with His name) I (God speaking) will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”

Note at the time David spoke Psalm 48, David’s earthly Zion was a stronghold. It was impregnable, that is no enemy could break into it. It was like a fortified garrison, yet he conquered and ruled his big kingdom from Zion.

What about Jerusalem? Zion was where king David dwelt but his subjects lived in Jerusalem [2 Sam. 5:1-10]. Who are those that would live in God’s Jerusalem (illustrated by David’s Jerusalem)? The passage in Isaiah 62 gives us a clue by a seven-sided prophecy, four of which have already been fulfilled. The prophecies when Isaiah the above verses in Isaiah 62 can be extracted from the passage as follows:

1. The coming captivity of Israel and Judah.
2. Their liberation back to their own land.
3. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
4. The scattering of the Jews & destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and their gathering together in 1948.
5. The second coming of Jesus Christ.
6. Realization of the heavenly Jerusalem which will be an earth-wide tabernacle when God’s kingdom comes to dwell again with men on the earth.
7. The new name which the people of God would have that would grant them access to that heavenly city.

The last three in the above list have not been fulfilled, from which we see that Jerusalem has a special place in end time prophecy and it also connotes the physical abode of believers in the new earth. It has another purpose which has to do with the citizenship and special name of believers at the end of time. The focus of this message is the seventh which is: what will the general name the people of God will have at the end of time? Other scriptures also vividly tell us what our common name will be. This should not be strange because heavenly things can be illustrated by human experiences on the earth.

Have you ever wondered why some people want to perpetuate their names after their death? It is not a bad thing if it is done with good intentions. When a parent has children, he rejoices over the progress of his children. The parent is especially happy that the child is a member of his family and bears the name of that family. In the same way God has His name tag placed on all His children in Heaven. God wants to perpetuate His name on His children throughout all eternity. That is what makes them to be part of His family. These are those whom He has laboured for by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Such people have accepted His salvation and righteousness. In the above passage, God identified the members of the church as His people, both Jews and Gentiles whom He rejoices over. Let God Rejoice over You with His new Name!

Isaiah was an Old Testament prophet but in his time, he received a revelation beyond the forthcoming captivity of Israel. He foresaw not only the freedom from captivity of the people of Israel which happened nearly 200 years after his death, but also the liberation of the redeemed, both Jews and Gentiles from the grips of Satan when God’s Kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem ultimately becomes a reality on the earth. David lived before Isaiah so Isaiah saw in the spirit some fine details of what David saw. The time for this ultimate redemption is unknown. Only God knows when it will be. However, other scriptures make us understand that the time is very near. The signs of His second coming are all evident, the prevalence of iniquity being one of them. Jesus will come when God is satisfied that His righteousness will be a praise in the earth. That is perhaps why Jesus was not definite, saying only the Father knew the end of the age.
The people of God constitute the general assembly of believers, that is, those believers who have already gone to be with the Lord and those still living [Heb. 12:18-24]. Those who have gone to heaven have already fulfilled their mission on earth. God is already rejoicing over them, not weeping because they have triumphed and are awaiting their rewards in the judgement of the saints.

Someone may ask! Does God weep! Yes He does when He sees His people are being openly led into captivity. Recall that Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people who lived in His time, and we see it continue today in the Judaic world, missed the opportunity of accepting Him as their Messiah (Luke 13-34-35; Luke 19:41; Matt. 23:37-39]. Before destroying the inhabitants of the then world with water in Noah’s time, it grieved God in His heart that He made man, that is God lamented and wept in the heart. God lamented that Israel was being carried away into captivity shortly after Isaiah’s prophecy which was replicated on earth when Jesus wept over Jerusalem, saying the people of that generation would witness His prophecy come to pass. As He said it, so it happened in AD 70.

On the day of Judgement of believers, after Christ second coming, believers will receive His new name or His name becomes their new Identity. It is His identity that you carry that will allow you to dwell with Him in heaven [Isaiah 62:2]. There will be no rebels in heaven. Anyone who does not have His identity will be transported straight to hell fire. The angels God has assigned to do this will carry out this assignment with dispatch, because before God nothing unholy can dwell. If you take the prophecy of Isaiah as a pinch of salt, how about hearing it from the resurrected Christ!

Jesus told the Church of Philadelphia in Rev 3:12
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Someone else may ask, of what use will be the name or how will God distinguish one person from another. Just as Jesus spoke to the church at Philadelphia, He spoke to the church of Pergamos:

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. When we correlate these verses in Revelation with that in Isaiah 62:2, believers will both have a first and last name (or surname). Do you want or look forward to having His new holy name for you? Pray the following prayers.

Prayer of Consecration and Commitment
Oh Lord, fill my up to overflowing measure with your Holy Spirit and power to live a life of holiness and consecration to you and you only. Lord, fill me up with your truthfulness because you are the God of truth. Expose to me every area of imperfection in my heart towards you. Let me have an unending love for you. Remove every form of pride from my heart. Bring across my way, people of like-mindedness. I will not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Let me honour those who have made you their Lord and Master. Thank you for creating me spirit, soul and body. I dedicate my body as your vessel. Make me a vessel of high prize like gold in your household ready to serve other believers. Let me walk with you with a perfect heart and make companionship with those that walk perfectly with you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer Points
1. Oh Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Soak me, drench me, and saturate me with your presence and power in Jesus’ name.

2. Gentle Holy Spirit; make me a friend of God all the days of my life in Jesus’ name.

3. Oh Lord, give me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Let my soul pant for your righteousness like the deer pants for streams of water in Jesus’ name.

4. Lord Jesus, purge my heart with your precious blood. I empty myself of every form of pride. I embrace you with my whole heart. I lay all my burdens on you in Jesus’ name.

5. Lord, make your righteousness to run deep in my heart. Holiness and godliness will be my desire all the days of my life in Jesus’ name.

6. Lord, let your Kingdom reign in every area of my life. Make me a model Christian and form the character of Jesus in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Sin of Apostasy and Reprobate Mind

by Leave a Comment

The Sin of Apostasy and the Reprobate Mind

Curled from “Living in God’s Kingdom” by Joseph Agbi [my first book]

Scripture Reading:
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them [Rom. 1:28-32; see also verses 25-27].

I stumbled on this topic when I tried to memorize the book of Romans. The soul can keep God’s law if it is trained to do so, and this is an antidote to sin. The soul naturally gravitates to the sins mentioned above because of the depraved nature of humanity after the fall of Adam and Eve. The mind determines what a man does; when a person has a reprobate mind (v28), such a person’s spirit is highly suppressed by a mind that becomes alienated from all that is righteous and God’s. That person would not want to hear or discuss intelligently about the one and only true God and about His Son, Jesus Christ. Such a person opposes the cause of the gospel and would not want the gospel to progress. Such were the cases of Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1 Tim 1:20, blasphemers who opposed Paul’s preaching, and Jannes and Jambres, two Egyptian magicians who withstood Moses before Pharaoh in Egypt [2 Tim. 3:8; Exod. 7: 11-22].

One who is reprobate has had his mind tested, but rather than love God, his mind pursues evil in preference to good all the time. Apostates have reprobate minds as they have been condemned. This is because there is no better sacrifice that can be paid for anyone’s sin since the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross of Calvary was the final sacrifice for sin. Therefore, they carry on themselves the badge of condemnation and parade themselves around as such, just as condemned prisoners are tagged.

If a man who was earlier a Christian refuses to return, having exhausted the longsuffering and forbearance of God, such a person has removed himself from the fold of the brethren, as Judas removed himself after being in the midst of the disciples of Jesus when he took the thirty pieces of silver to betray his master [Matt 26:14-16; Matt. 27:3-5]. Like Judas, the reprobate man becomes an agent of evil to perpetuate all the evils in the verses listed earlier.

When a Christian man succumbs to temptation, commits a sin which is contrary to his Faith and he refuses to repent or repents casually, not minding what the Spirit of God says, he is subjecting himself to the spirit of apostasy. This is often the case of the backslider.

Just as God will judge us concerning what we think in the privacy of our hearts, we must be careful how we behave in the open so we do not bring reproach to the name of Christ. Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Prayer Points
1. I refuse to be manipulated by the enemy. Satan you have no control over my mind, my will, my emotions and my intellect. I refuse to succumb to all your evil suggestions in Jesus name.
2. Holy Spirit, flood my soul with your word. Let your word direct my thoughts and actions in the name of Jesus.
3. I am an overcomer in the name of Jesus. Satan, I overcome all your temptations in the name of Jesus.
4. You stronghold of besetting sin, be broken in the name of Jesus. You have no hold over my life anymore in Jesus name.

One Word Only

by Leave a Comment

One Word Only                                   

  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus….Phil 2: 5-8

 If you were to be described by somebody, which one word would best describe you? This looks like an easy question to answer, but with a good thought, it becomes increasingly difficult to choose. This brings to mind the story of some blind men who went to visit an Elephant. One touched the Elephant by the tail and said it looked like a snake, another touched the trunk and said the Elephant looked like a continuous wall and they went on and on with the description.

 Would our description be, Oh! She is so sweet; or Oh! He is so kind; or would it be arrogant, wicked, generous, humble, bitter, proud, caring, wise, gentle, or should I dare say good………. It will be amazing to know which is yours and mine too!

Two renowned politicians where asked a similar question recently by ‘Readers Digest’, but this time, to paraphrase the question, “Which one word is your favourite? One of them answered immediately without much thought and said ‘Indomitable’, that is unconquerable.  This is a very nice word on its own, and I like it very much myself. The second gave a deep thought, paused for a little while before he gave his own answer. He said his favourite word was ‘grace’. I even liked the second answer better because; it is by grace we can even become indomitable.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (1Corinthians 10:26). God owns everything, both you and I, and all that we own. Is that not wonderful! With all these information, where is the place for pride or arrogance?

Back to our passage, Jesus Christ is God Himself. He emptied Himself of His heavenly glory and came to earth in the form of man. We know the story does not end there. He sacrificed His life for all by dying, not the regular death, but the type of death meant for criminals even though He was not one of them. Jesus Christ died on the cross to bring man back to God. It is difficult to describe this by just one word! Is it love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, or was He just being good or showing grace to mankind? No little wonder God has so many names. It depends on where He has met your needs, then that name of His becomes more real and personal to you. It is our prayer that the Lord would reveal Himself to us in our daily walk with Him in Jesus name.

If you are a true follower of Christ, that one word should be an attribute that can be used to describe your Lord and master, Jesus Christ. I sincerely pray that the beauty of God be seen in everyone who professes to be a child of his.

Prayer Point

Oh Lord, make me a reflection of your beauty in Jesus Name. Amen.

Author: Esther Agbi

WHY JESUS’ BIRTH WAS SPECIAL

by Leave a Comment

WHY JESUS’ BIRTH WAS SPECIAL

Written by: David Agbi

We have seen many births in our time. The joy of a baby entering into the world is satisfying for everyone involved. Although it is exciting, many babies had come and gone by the time Jesus was born and this was a common thing to happen. So what made Jesus’ birth so special?

In Isaiah 7:14-15, Isaiah tells King Ahaz that a virgin will conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. This prophesy was fulfilled when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she was going to have a son and should call his name JESUS. The prophesy said so long ago was finally fulfilled when Mary, a virgin, married Joseph and called her newborn son JESUS. The Holy Ghost also enveloped her and her son would be called the Son of God [Luke 1:35]. If that was said to you, would you believe? That is the controversy in today’s world.

Another thing that made Jesus’ birth so special was the shepherds along with the wise men. They are both interesting stories. The shepherds, talked about in Luke, were in their fields when an angel came and told them about Jesus being born. After this, they visited Baby JESUS, told others and praised God. In the wise men’s case, talked about by Matthew, coming from the east (Orient) asked King Herod where the King of the Jews was. Herod was furious and told them to find the child, that he may come worship him (so that he could kill him later). They followed the star to where Jesus laid and they worshipped him, and brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Being warned not to return to Herod, they went their own way; God was protecting Jesus! In both cases, they came to see him and they had exceeding great joy.

The other thing that made Jesus’ birth so special was how he was born. Joseph, who was thinking on putting Mary away privately, had an angel visit him saying not to be afraid of taking Mary as her wife and that which was conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost [Matt. 1:20]. Also, Jesus was born in a manger, for there was no room in the inn. He was born not only in a manger, but he was born where animals would stay. This is very spectacular; the Son of God being inside a small baby and taking on the form of man! Jesus’ job of coming down was to save the people from their sins and this could only be done by someone with no sin (we are all sinners except for Jesus).

There are many other reasons why Jesus’ birth was so special. Imagine how the world and heaven must have rejoiced at the birth of a child! So for all that are wondering why Jesus’ birth was special, look at all the evidence. For the Son of God to come down in the form of a man and growing like a normal person is very dumbfounding for many people. There is a lot of controversy between if Jesus was really God and if his birth was not really spectacular. I for one, think his birth was not only a reality, but also think he is the Saviour. No matter what side you stand, remember what Jesus said “Blessed are they that have not seen, yet have believed”[John 20:29]!

Door Number Two?

by Leave a Comment

Door Number Two?

 Gen. 13:11

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

 It is sometimes very difficult to make choices, probably because nobody wants to make mistakes and be in a situation of ‘Buyer’s remorse’. I am so glad to be living in this part of the world where you can return your merchandise even as long as 3 months after purchase if you don’t like it. Well, I will quickly add, not with all items! When you don’t have the option of returning the purchased goods, you have to think real hard and well to make sure that you actually want the item since the sale is final. Some of the Game Shows on TV would give you an idea of what I am talking about, such as those with prices associated with closed doors. You have been shown the different prizes, but which of the doors can you find exactly what you desire? Is it door no.1 or door no. 2 or even door no. 3?

 Lot was Abram’s nephew. Abram took Lot along when he heard the call of God. That was a very brief introduction of Lot. Abram and Lot both prospered to the extent that their herd’s men were frequently having fights over issues, so Abram wanted to stop the conflict by parting ways with Lot.  

 The Bible passage above tells us that Lot chose all the plain of Jordan. Why, you may ask? The preceding verses tell us that it was well watered and that it was like the garden of the Lord, probably like the Garden of Eden!

 Lot chose what he could see. That would have been what most people would choose; greener pasture for his animals. He did not want any ‘Buyer’s remorse’. Lot’s choice was not a bad one anyway, but was it a godly choice? Lot chose for his immediate benefit which most of us do every now and then. He forgot that he was being blessed by association. Tagging along with Abram brought blessings to him. He forgot to ask his uncle who was older than him to choose first.  He probably did not inquire from God if that was what God wanted for him. That was a very big decision, and he was moved by sight and chose hastily. Are you always moved by sight? Do you make hasty decisions in very important issues or do you inquire from the Lord? To inquire is good, but do you wait for the response? You and I have a lot to learn from King David.

 2 Sam.5:19

King David enquired of the Lord, saying, shall I go up to the Philistines? Will thou deliver them unto my hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the philistine into thine hand.

 The Lord will teach us not just to inquire from him but to wait for the response before we set out on things we need to do.

 (To be continued)                                          

 Prayer

Oh Lord, teach me not to make hasty decisions based on my own judgement.

 Oh Lord, grant me the grace to wait and hear from you always in Jesus name.

  Author: Esther Agbi

Lower Than Angels?

by Leave a Comment

Lower than Angels?

 Author: Esther Agbi

 Heb. 2:7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour, and did set him over the works of your hands.

 Many people have read this Scripture that says God made man a little lower than Angels.

There is another reference to Angels in Heb. 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent

forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation? Taking a closer look at both passages of Scripture, one draws the conclusion that they are both inspired words so they are true. Angels are made to minister to those who have been bought with a price, the precious price of the blood of Jesus. Juxtaposing these Scriptures with Gen. 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

The question that borders the mind then is; If God made man in His image, man should not be in any way lower than angels! .Angels were not made in the Image of God. They were just created by Him for a purpose; one of the purposes is to minister to the saints.  How then is Man lower than Angels? Servants are servants, serving the master. The servant does not occupy the same position as his Master in any respect. Jesus Himself testifies in John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. The Redeemed man has been elevated to be friends with Jesus and even co-heirs, and also to be seated in heavenly places with Him.

We know that Jesus who is God Himself came down to earth in the form of man, but

Heb. 2:9 clearly explains that Jesus was also made lower than the angels temporarily. Why?  For the purpose of death! Angels are spirit beings and spirits don’t die. They are immortal beings, living from everlasting to everlasting. So for the purpose of death, man is made lower than angels. Man must die before he can be transformed to an immortal being, except the case of rapture where the living who are in Christ are changed to immortality without passing through death.

This shows how Christians are so special in the sight of God and also crowned with glory and honour. Isn’t that wonderful!

 Prayer

  1. Oh Lord, help me to see myself the way you see me, wonderfully and beautifully made!
  2. Oh Lord, help me to live life that would bring others to Christ.