All Power in heaven and earth

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18 KJV)

Here, some people think what Jesus is saying is that, "yes! Now we got it! Peter, I have forcefully collected that thing o. john, can you believe we now have it. It wasn't easy.". They think Jesus during his departure from the earth to hell, went there to fight to collect all the powers there. Had to battle with the witches, wizards, "babalawos", deputy Satan, Assistant Satan and then their big boss – Satan, and said "give me that power now!" and then went to the heavens and collected the powers there and came back to say "yes! All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth". Far from it!

"power" here isn't power to heal the sick: He already had that. It isn't power to turn water into wine. It isn't "dunamis" – ability to get things done. It is "exousia" - "authority". All authority in heaven and in earth is given unto me. All government in heaven and in earth is given unto me. It's a fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6
"and the government shall be upon his shoulder"
It's a fulfillment of David's prophecy
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: RULE thou in the midst of thine enemies. (Psalms 110:2)

All government/rule in heaven and in earth is given unto me.

2. Whatever "power" referred to here, must be something He never possessed before. Supernatural powers, Jesus had before His death. We all know this.
What about authority? Do we want to say Jesus had no authority before his death?
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. (Luke 9:1 KJV)

So, he had.
So, why the saying "is given unto me"? you don't get given to you what you already have. Jesus should have said "I always have all power in heaven and earth", and not "is given unto me". "is given unto me" means, it's just been given. So what could Jesus be saying?

It's simple. Jesus had power and authority. Authority he had, was because He was the only holy one who is not under Satan's rule: not being under sin.
God gave man authority over everything He created (heavens and the earth) when He said "subdue" in Genesis.  But by sin, man gave out this power to Satan, and Satan became the ruler of all under sin. the wages of sin is death, so Satan got the power/authority of death (Heb 2:14)

That's why Satan could lay claim to all the "kingdoms of the world" when he was tempting Jesus (see Matthew 4:8-9).

But Jesus, by death, freeing man from the wages of sin, and giving him the "gift of God"- eternal life, made Satan lose this authority; and man again, got the possession of ALL POWER in heaven and on earth! Alleluia!

Some have thought Jesus was speaking here as God. Oh no! God cannot be saying "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth". God cannot be GIVEN power: God is POWER. God cannot be GIVEN authority: it takes authority to be God. Jesus was speaking for man in the light of what He has just done.

Conclusively, "all power belongs to God" – Correct. "All power belongs to Jesus" – correct, but you'll understand this verse more, if you put it this way: "all authority is now given back to man in Christ Jesus". Jesus is not a sole possessor of authority: the authority belongs to man! Jesus is not a monopoly of power today. It is not Jesus and his children. It is Jesus and his brothers in government.

The Wages of Sin is Death, but…

Let me tell you one funny interpretation of this I've heard from people.

You're watching a movie. You see one wicked man, doing evils, making many cry, using some witchcraft powers, financial advantage or political influence to oppress people so much that he's led to the death of many. In fact, you're almost beginning to forget it's just a movie in that you're already taking it personal. And towards the end of the movie, somehow the wicked man dies a terrible death. And then you say "that's good for him. Well deserved! Because bible says 'the wages of sin is death'". Oops!

Oftentimes we take this verse carnally in judging people they ought to be saving. We're supposed to be channels of salvation to the wicked people around us, and not judges sentencing them to eternal punishment.

Now what is the verse actually saying?
For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Now, is this verse saying you should die for your sins? No! No!
Let's see the previous verse.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the END of those things [is] DEATH… {but did you die? If someone had killed you then, will you have had the opportunity of salvation?}
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:21-22)

So, it isn't saying anyone that sins should be killed. Rather, it's saying, the wages sin pays you is death, but God's gift is that you live forever. Which would you rather choose?

Now, observe the contrast the author used in describing both terms – death and eternal life.

One is "wages", the other is "gift".

A wage is a DESERVED pay. "for the labourer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7). "The labourer [is] worthy of his reward." (1Tim 5:14) It is something you have WORKED FOR and thus you MUST get. It is your right. Man sinned, and got paid in death. It was well deserved. And truly, death reigned over all (Rom 5:14). But eternal life through Christ Jesus is the part that is not merited, yet God gave it to us. Wont you say "Thank you Jesus"?

So the verse isn't instructive: it is descriptive, better still, narrative. It's informing you of what HAS BEEN DONE. Man (including you) had sinned already! "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)… and now, God's gift is available, to overwrite the death with eternal life. God's Grace is greater than sin! Alleluia!

It will be wickedness next time, to recite only the death part of this verse just because you are displeased and so get judgmental. Recite it in full! Let men also know they don't have to die for their sins. That you're wicked doesn't mean you should pay the price for your wickedness: for you Christ died. Alleluia!

5 Mistakes people often make in mixing up Law and Grace

Avoid mixing up Law and Grace!
The two aren't compatible. Today we see many who are preaching the Law GRACIOUSLY. But Paul said:
"…whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4 KJV). That is, you cannot be under Grace and under the law at the same time. Several people have tried to pack chunks of law and tried to digest it with a Grace tongue.

Below are some mistakes people often make.

1. Taking the laws flexibly

It is called COMMANDMENT! Commandments CANNOT be flexible! If it's flexible, then it can't be a commandment any longer! Don't re-interpret the laws to mean what you like! It isn't flexible!

"ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left" (Deuteronomy 5:32 KJV)

It's either you have obeyed all of them totally or no work done. No special consideration for anyone! If he says "sell ALL you have and give to the poor, take up your cross and follow me", he means just that! Don't think you'll be considered if you sell ALMOST ALL. As far as the law is concerned, you have not done anything, until you have done EVERYTHING inflexibly

2. Taking the law subjectively

The laws aren't subjective, they are objective. They are universal. Detach your personal opinion! They mean just exactly what is written. If it says "if your eye offend thee, cut it off", don't reinterpret! Simply cut it off! Don't tell us how you think it should be! God doesn't need your idea, He needs your outright obedience!

Whether convenient or not, obey! In fact, one quick way to know if you're preaching the Law undiluted is that your preaching is very strict and hard. Otherwise means you have watered down and twisted the law. The law is purposefully made "hard" because God does not want you to succeed in the vow you have made to keep it and be justified. Yes!

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the murmurs and excuses of] every mouth may be HUSHED and all the world may be held accountable to God. For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character]. (Romans 3:19-20 AMP)

So I beg you preacher, stop carving out a "keepable" version of Matthew 5, because that will be your own bible. If it's unkeepable, present it that way. For example, Matthew 5:48 legalistically interpreted means, "be as perfect as God", and not "keep striving towards perfection".

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
(Deuteronomy 4:2 KJV)

3. Taking the law RELATIVELY

Some have thought God will bend the law for their generation, country, location, or personal situation. Sorry! You cannot find such "kindness" under the Law. You ought to have migrated to Israel the holy land if you were really serious about making heaven. God's commands aren't joke. No disobedience is understandable.

4. Taking the laws questionably/reasonably

Commandments aren't what you question: you simply DO!

Be ye DOERS of the LAW, not QUESTIONERS, not interpreters! You don't ask, "why is that law of Sabbath like that" under the law. THOU SHALL DO NOTHING ON SABBATH: IT IS HOLY. Simple! The freedom of understanding why Sabbath is is only available under grace.

5. Excusing for ignorance

"I didn't know it's actually a sin to do that o, so I shouldn't be blamed". Under the law, ignorance is not an excuse!
Have you read in your bible that wearing clothes of mixed fabrics is sin? (Deut 22:11) you're commanded to sew tassels on your cloth. Do you know these (Deut 22:12)? Yet you thought you'll keep these laws to have life? You're as foolish as that rich man that came to Jesus asking "what good thing" to do to enter into life.

Conclusion
Under the law, it is not flexible, not subjective, not relative, not questionable. This is because, all were at best "servants", not sons. Sons don't have right to question things. He's to simply do, or he's in trouble. Let's know when we're preaching Grace and when it's Law: mixing up is not permitted.

Holiness 2 Yes! We are holy

Any and every believer is already holy by virtue of the fact that he's been SET APART by God for Himself. God has already called us OUT of the multitude: we are holy unto the Lord. Living the 'APART life' is a different thing and it is called holy living. It is not BEING HOLY: it is LIVING HOLY.

For THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS HOLY (sacred to Him) and THAT [TEMPLE] YOU [THE BELIEVING CHURCH AND ITS INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS] ARE. (1 Corinthians 3:17 AMP)

You cannot accept that you are God's temple and disagree you are holy. God cannot have an UNHOLY TEMPLE. He is the one who SANCTIFIES His temple.

This brings us to some popular misconceptions about sanctification. To sanctify means to make holy: to "holify"something. Whatever process it takes to make a thing holy is sanctification and the state is called sanctity or holiness.
Now if every believer is HOLY, it means they ALL have undergone the sanctification process. Therefore there is no unsanctified believer.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, THROUGH SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2 KJV)
So you cannot be "Elect" or chosen without sanctification. His choice of you made Him call you APART.

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning CHOSEN you to salvation through SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV)
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all THEM WHICH ARE SANCTIFIED. (Acts 20:32 KJV)

So the believers are generally called "them that are sanctified"

Can you see that sanctification is not when after salvation you pray and pray and try your best to sin no more? Sanctified is rather who you are!

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, BUT YE ARE SANCTIFIED, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Yes, there are believers who commit sin! But God does not change the name He calls you even when you don't seem to live up to the honour of that name. He kept calling Abraham father of many nations even when He had no child. He'll maintain that name until you finally realize it and you're transformed by the renewing of your mind. The earlier you accept His verdict, the earlier you live up to it. He believes in you: you are HOLY unto Him.

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV)

Finally, you are not your own. Your Owner says you are holy. "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?". This holiness is not your own. Glorify God for it and live worthy of it.

But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and MADE US HOLY  (1 Corinthians 1:30 BBE)

But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free. (1 Corinthians 1:30 GNB)

You are God's children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and HOLY. (1 Corinthians 1:30 CEV)

DID GOD “HARDEN” THE HEART OF PHARAOH? II What Actually Happened

In the previous post, we expounded on how it isn't God that hardens men's heart; how He never did that to anyone in history and will never do!
And that Pharaoh's isn't an exceptional case!
Forgotten John 3:16?

For God so loved some of the world except pharaoh?
God so loved Israel nation alone?
God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten son that WHOSOEVER… (no exception) believes…

But did Pharaoh believed?
No!!
(In the midst of troubles, pharaoh knows how to run to Moses, but at any respite, the true state of his heart - unbelief, shows. And regrettably we have such people amongst us too. Hmm..)

So was God to be blamed for his perishing?
No!!

Many want to know why pharaoh and the Egyptians perished in the sea but no Israelite was lost. You think God is a racist? It's not because God was against anything called Egypt. God is God of ALL who loves ALL and rich to ALL that call
[Is he] the God of the Jews only? [is he] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Rom 3:29

If In the same Egypt today, we have Christians, and Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever, our unchanging God, then it must be that generation of Egyptians that's having problems.


Pharaoh and his army perished because of UNBELIEF.
Yes! Just Unbelief!
He never for once tremble to finally concede the Lordship of Jehovah and be saved. He constantly take the word of God by Moses for granted.

Hebrews 11 says
it all
It was FAITH that made the Israelites ABLE to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up. (Hebrews 11:29 GNB)

If any Israelite had not walked in that faith of the spoken word, such would also have perished because the destruction does not know the blood of an Israelite to be different from that of an Egyptian. The same was the case of the Passover destruction. "he that destroyeth the firstborn" cannot taste one blood and discover it tastes different from another. He destroyed all that did not BY FAITH keep the Passover (Hebrews 11:28)


In all of God's dealings with men, there had been only one problem, and it is hardening of heart. God cannot help this. So bad that Proverbs says

He, that being often reproved HARDENETH [his] neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Pro 29:1

Was pharaoh ever reproved? Yes! In fact,"OFTEN REPROVED".

So he says
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, HARDEN not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:7-8 KJV)

James explains what happened to Pharaoh this way
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man (James 1:13 KJV)
Let no man say when he is hardened "I am hardened of God" for God cannot be hardened to destruction neither hardeneth he any man

And he goes further to say
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of HIS OWN LUST, and enticed. (James 1:14 KJV)

That is, it's one's LUST that brings about what leads him to sin… did pharaoh ever lusted?

Yes!!

After he had allowed the Israelites to go, a thought came to him, he imagined what great wealth he will realize by attacking them, and knowing the Israelites never prepared for any such attack, they will be helpless: it will be an easy ride. He COVETED their riches. His mind was on the spoil. How do I know?

Moses said it!

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide THE SPOIL; MY LUST shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. (Exodus 15:9 KJV)

The Hebrew word used for "destroy" in that verse is a word that means to "occupy by driving out previous tenants", to "repossess" to "seize", to "rob", to "impoverish". It was all about his LUST for their wealth. Remember, "every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own LUST, and enticed."
Seest thou a man too greedy of gains, destruction awaits him.

"Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:15 KJV)

He was hardened by his lust, the deceitfulness of sin. Oh sin is deceitful! (Pro 28:26; Isa 44:20; Oba 1:3; Rom 7:11; Eph 4:22; Jam 1:14). It appears catchy and safe, but don't ever go for it! It is deceit. You tell a man to receive Jesus, but he being deceived by his riches, wealth, accomplishments, social and academic status, feels there is no need for that. God never authors evil and let no man say when he sees evil, "the Lord has done this"

Holiness 1

Holiness does not necessarily mean doing good works (it produces good works though).

To be holy simply means to be "set APART", to be DIFFERENT, from others. To be sanctified simply means to be made holy, that is, set apart.

Whoever sets apart is the determinant of holiness. May be God, may be man.

Holiness is not primarily about the object, but ALL ABOUT the subject. How the holy object looks, does or conducts is NOT what determines whether it is holy or not. It's ALL ABOUT what the subject says. However if a thing is holy, it can affect conduct.

That's why the opposite of "holy" in the Bible is "common".

Eze 22:26 Her priests have violated my Law and profaned my sacred things. They didn't differentiate between what's sacred and what's common. They didn't instruct others to discern clean from unclean things. They refused to keep my Sabbaths. "'I'm constantly being profaned among them.

The first mention of the word "holy" in the Bible is in Exodus.

*[[Exo 3:5]] KJV* And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is HOLY GROUND.

What makes the ground holy? Is it that ground is always doing good works? In fact, the mountain must have previously been stained by footprints and dungs of animals in the jungle. So how did the ground suddenly become holy?
Because God is now on it, and He has set it apart FOR HIMSELF.

You get the idea?

We pick a book believed to contain the word of God, we set it apart. It becomes HOLY BIBLE.

Some other people set theirs apart too and call it HOLY QURAN.

Does it mean that the Quran is good? Does it mean it doesn't contain blasphemous words? Does it mean Quran or Bible is rapturable? It is holy because we set it apart.

Similarly, a man becomes HOLY the day God by His Spirit steps in into Him to dwell. He is set apart by God. Therefore God tells him to remove stains because he is ALREADY holy, (and NOT IN ORDER TO BE HOLY).

*[[Act 10:15]] ISV* Again the voice came to him a second time, "You must stop calling unclean what God has made clean."

Hopelessly Saved!

*[[Joh 4:13-14]] KJV* Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall NEVER THIRST; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Some say this water is symbolic for the "spirit within", some say it's salvation. Both are good by me anyway.

But did Jesus say the drinker shall Never thirst again?
wow!
means "shall never run out of supply"
wow!

And this water is salvation...

hmm...

And the drinker can never run out of supply...

meaning my salvation cannot fade off...

or let's say the water means "Spirit within",
the Spirit within can never leave me
wow

or what do you think that water represent?
the word of God?
then it means the word of God will always abide in me and NEVER leave. What assurance of salvation is more than that?

Or what does it mean?
At least I know it cannot be something negative. And it must be something that woman lacked at that time the word was told her. Also it cannot be good husband, happy home, good job, prosperity or other physical things because this talk is spiritual.

no matter how you interpret it, you'll keep getting more assured.

but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

And know this, you have drunk that water!

When?
*[[1Co 12:13]] KJV* For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all MADE TO DRINK into one Spirit.

You drank this thing!
or rather you were made to drink...

And now your belly is full...

And you cannot vomit it.
Your belly must be swelling everyday because it springs up unto everlasting life always.

Just like they do in cults, they make their members swallow some things or drink, and they are told that they have sworn an oath with the devil and no turning back: all deceit albeit. Ours is sure and true. God can deliver you from them, but who can deliver you from God's oath. once saved by Jesus, it's an eternal mistake. You're immediately sealed (Eph 1:13) so you can be irretrievably lost in Christ. You're joined, married or rather, ALLOYED to the Lord (1Cor 6:17), and the Lord will never divorce. In God's law it's the man that divorces, not the woman. He's the man, you're the woman. Jesus has bought your soul, spirit and body. The earlier you resort to your fate, the better for you. Start planning to put on the new man now. Start learning to walk in the Spirit: praying hours in tongues, learning to preach Bible and not only to read, getting ready for persecutions etc because you're SURE going to land in heaven before Him. Lest when He's rewarding others, you're just watching and regretting by then. Your destiny is sealed already since you cannot vomit the water of life you already were made to drink. Yes like Paul does say, you too are now a prisoner for Christ: crucified with him bearing His mark on your body. Oh!
You're gone forever! Hell finally lost you. Say bye to the world quickly. The Lord wants to use you. Think more about your new home because you're now married undivorceably. HOPELESSLY SAVED!