I'm not trying to 'make' heaven...

I’m not trying to ‘make’ heaven.

Nowhere in the scriptures are believers told to try to make heaven. Why should we try to make heaven when we are already sited in heavenly places in Christ Jesus?

As far as God is concerned, we are already in heaven.

It’s ridiculous to try and ‘make’ your father’s house. If you see a child begging his daddy to take him home instead of living on the streets, you better report to the police. That man is practicing child abuse. God does not abuse His children. As a true child of daddy God, heaven belongs to you and you belong to heaven.

Yes, the New Testament tells to prepare ourselves for that day. It’s like preparing for a wedding. Sure, I bought a new suit for my wedding. However, the suit does not qualify me neither does it disqualify me. I’m sure Ose would have chosen to marry me, with or without a suit. Sure she put a new wedding dress, but, even if she had jeans on, I would have still married her.

We prepare for heaven because it’s a special day. But our preparation doesn’t take us there. We don’t go to heaven because of what we do, it’s only because of what Jesus did.

I’m a citizen of heaven. So are you, dear believer in Christ. If I mistakenly go to hell, I’d be quickly deported because I’m a citizen of heaven.

One of the reasons our message is not convincing is because we are not sure of where we are going to. How can you preach when you are not sure where you are going to? Why should I follow you when you are not sure of your destination? The Christian orientation must change. Thank God, it’s changing.

By the way, heaven is a temporary resting place for believers. It’s Daddy’s house. When the time comes, we’ll get our own home, a brand new earth. When God created Adam, He didn’t put him in heaven, but on earth.

Are you saved? Relax, God won’t throw you away.  You can’t be saved and lost at the same time.

He that trusts in Him will not be put to shame.

Shadow Christianity

Have you watched Christian TV lately? If it's not the "anointing" on the prayer shawl,it's the significance of the "period" of passover,or it's the power God pours out during the festival of Pentecost. Have we gone back to the shadows?

Every year we keep listening to preachers glorify the "first fruit"offering.

what next? Animal sacrifices?

Jesus is the power of prayer, Jesus is my lamb, the lamb that takes away my sins. He is the first fruits, we'll follow Him in resurrection.

What part of "it is finished" don't we understand?

Why do we fall in love with the shadow, when we have Jesus, the substance?

FREELY RECEIVED

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Mat 10:8).
Freely you have received , freely you give. We normally quote this portion of scripture when we want to take offerings in church. Even though it may apply to offerings, Jesus wasn’t talking about offerings’ in this verse. He was talking about healing the sick and demonstrating God’s power.

Jesus said that the ability to heal the sick and demonstrate God’s power is FREELY RECEIVED and should be FREELY GIVEN.

It’s because we don’t know that the power to do miracles is freely received that’s why we “backslide” when a big man of God fall’s. We don’t seem to understand why such a “great man of God” would have sin in His life. Nobody does miracles because He’s a great man of God. Those who do miracles do it because God is a great God of grace!
That man of God is not doing miracles because he paid the price; he is doing it because Jesus paid the price! These great men are human just like you, if you doubt me ask their wives! Don’t get me wrong. I’m not writing this to glorify imperfection; I’m writing it because of you, because of me. God can use you. He can use us in spite of our imperfections.

I wish this next point would dawn on us in church. The demonstration of God’s power should be freely given. Nowadays, we are giving offerings to receive everything from God. “If you want to be healed, so a seed”, “if you want a job, sow a seed”, “if you want a wife, sow a seed”, Jesus didn’t minister like this. He didn’t tell blind Bartimaeus to sow any seed, did he? Miracle ability is received freely and should be demonstrated freely. My God is not for sale.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Rom 8:32).
Freely given us ALL THINGS. How many things? ALL THINGS. In Christ, ALL THINGS ARE FREE. Christianity is the revelation of the free things that God has given to us in Christ. There are no price tags on God’s gifts. If God’s best gift, Jesus is free, He won’t charge for lesser gifts. If you sell what doesn’t belong to you, you are a thief. Let’s not make God’s house a den of thieves.

Freely we have received. Let’s give freely. Thanks.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS?

For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Rom 10:3).

What was their problem? They were ignorant of God’s righteousness. How were they ignorant of God’s righteousness? They tried to establish their own righteousness. What is wrong with establishing your own righteousness? You won’t submit to God’s righteousness.

Did you notice that it doesn’t say that they tried to establish their sins? Their crime wasn’t sin, it was their righteousness!
What is righteousness? The good things that you do for God.

The emphasis of the Gospel is not what we do for God; it’s what God does for us! Religion, is what we do for God. Christianity is what God does for us. Their crime was that they based their faith on their righteousness instead of God’s righteousness.

It’s not your fasting, it’s not your holiness, it’s not your prayers, it’s the cross of Jesus that saves you.
We teach the unbelievers to repent of their sins, that’s okay. We should also teach them to repent of their self righteousness.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
(Luk 18:9-14)
The Pharisee fasted twice every week [nothing wrong with fasting], paid his tithes, he was not an extorter, he was not in adultery, but he wasn’t justified. Why? He trusted in his self righteousness. The publican was ungodly but he was justified, why? Because he placed his faith on God’s mercy.

What is wrong with righteousness? Nothing. I believe in righteousness, God’s righteousness. My boast is the lord. Thank.