Life vs death

The eternal battle between life and death is a theme that has captivated humanity for millennia.

In the Bible, this theme is central to the Christian narrative.

It is a story of life overcoming death, of hope triumphing over despair, a beginning and a hopeful end.

Spirit of bondage vs Spirit of Adoption

The concept of the Spirit of bondage versus the Spirit of adoption has provoked theological debate for centuries. Both spirits are at work in this world and it is crucial to understand their distinct natures together with their implications for believers.

Can you say: “Daddy, Daddy!”?

Krino, krisis and krima - Judged according to works

 The Grace Judgement

The concept of being judged according to one's works often raises questions and concerns among believers. Some fear that this might contradict the doctrine of salvation by grace alone. However, a careful examination of the Bible reveals that judgement according to works is not a denial of grace but rather a manifestation of God's righteous and loving character.

Romans 2:6 makes it clear that God “will render to every man according to his deeds”.

Well, there is the judgement right there, isn’t it?

Lambanō and dechomai - personal and objective

The Challenge of Resistance

Throughout history, the Gospel has faced resistance from those who cling to their own beliefs and traditions. This resistance can manifest in various forms, from outright persecution to subtle forms of opposition.

The problem has always been to encourage the bride of Christ in the face of obnoxious hostility rebelling against the Gospel.

Let's not be surprised to learn that this is by no means a modern day problem.

Wherever whosoever - looking back

Years ago we started a ministry. We shared the Gospel, prayed for people in hospital and fellowshipped the way we knew how. wwm celebrated this ministry journey of witnessing wherever and whenever the opportunity arose. The world around us was our platform as we ministered to the sick in hospital and saw countless healed, shared the Gospel in street ministries and saw many come to Jesus, witnessed at social fellowships and experienced concordance in worship. We were geared to share our experiences and the incredible power of God's grace and authority.

Ordinary people, who knew they were deeply loved by Abba and chose to walk boldly in His grace and authority. As miracles unfolded before our eyes, we marveled at the extraordinary works of our Lord Jesus Christ, exceedingly and abundantly more than what we asked or imagined. Our Gospel was the only thing that we knew - the finished work of our Jesus. We proclaimed nothing outside of His mercy, grace, patience, goodness, kindness, truth, and unwavering love.

Our Purpose

Hewn from the Rock

The Mirror

Isn't it remarkable how children often mirror their parents? A son might resemble his father, and a father may desire his son to think and act like him. Similarly, a mother often hopes her daughter will follow in her footsteps. When you observe them together, their similarities are striking.

In Genesis 1:26, God declares, "Let Us make man in Our image and likeness." This declaration implies that God intended for humanity to reflect His nature, to behave like Him, to think like Him, and to rule like Him.

The divine declaration, "I Am that I Am," is followed by the creative act of making man in His likeness. This suggests that God desires humans to embody His very essence.

Dug out

Tongues and truths

Sometimes I sit and I think … sometimes I just sit …

I will be the first to admit that sometimes I am clueless when it comes to prayer and the words I need to pray (and declare, mostly). But, there is a way out when we do not know what to pray and what to say.

1 Corinthians 14:2 reads, "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." This verse is part of a larger discussion about spiritual gifts bestowed on the ekklēsia (see this post), particularly focusing on the gift of tongues. In this post, we'll delve into the meaning of this verse from a grace perspective, exploring the relevant Greek words and their implications for our understanding of this gift.

Celebrate Hanukkah ... or Christmas?

Many feasts from various cultures and religions are celebrated during November and December. Depending on the year, Hanukkah is celebrated towards the end of November or in December. This is followed by Christmas on December 25th. Other notable celebrations from various cultures and religions include Diwali, Saint Nicholas Day, Rohatsu (Bodhi Day), Calan Gaeaf, Posadas Navidenas, Solstice Day, Mōdraniht, Yalda, Zarathosht Diso, Holy Innocents Day, etc.

Most, if not all, of these feasts are of man-made pagan or occult origins, dedicated to elusive imaginative heathen gods. Should these feasts be celebrated at all?

Favourite permissible?

A Symphony of Grace: Romans 8:14-17

If I were permitted to have a favorite book in the Bible, it would most definitely be the book of Romans. And if a favorite chapter were permissible, mine would undoubtedly be Romans chapter 8.

But if you were to ask me about my favorite verse, I'd be hard-pressed to choose just one! Every verse in this chapter is a masterpiece, painting a breathtaking portrait of God's grace and love.

However,

Due Season

We are often told that everything has its due season (and that whatever happens, happens for a reason, which I've dealt with numerous times on the blog).

We are often told that everything has its season, especially when things go wrong. And it is often by well-meaning Christians in an effort to comfort us, but it is hopeless on so many levels. It is something one would say because they wouldn’t know what else to say or do.

In this post I will explore the “due season” phrase and how it connects to our graceful position in Christ.

Artificial intelligence or natural stupidity

I asked AI to write up a post on **The Unfailing Goodness of God** to see what it would come up with.

It appears that AI supersedes the cognitive thinking and contemplation of many hundreds of thousands of men and women in this world in its logic reasoning (and awareness, if AI can be attributed to have such a characteristic) of the goodness of God.

This begs the question: How stupid does mankind have to be in order to deny such a fundamental truth? 

Without editing, here is the AI post that was created in less than a few seconds.

Law of first mention or first mention of law?

Imagine Perfection.

Imagine having more than you could ever need, living in a world without danger. Picture a life filled with beauty, tranquility, peace, love, health, and boundless contentment. Imagine a perfect love relationship with someone who couldn't love you more. Imagine the cool of a summer evening, simply being. This is paradise, this is Eden!

Would I stay in such a place? Would I give it up?

Obey or die! ... or befriend?

There is an apprehensive, fear-instilling and condemning message that most church-goers get to hear on a weekly basis - "Obey or die!" And they pay for it!

Yes, sadly the institutional church assumes the role of our local-law-enforcement-and-kangaroo-court-agency. And it derives its right to do so from a long history of traditions and like things that it do. [Mark 7:13] 

In the opening chapter of their book Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of our Church Practices, Frank Viola and George Barna ponder the question about doing church by the Book. They ask a very valid question that the institutional church subscribes to, but is rather unwilling to comment on: “We do everything by the Word of God! The New Testament is our guide for faith and practice! We live … and we die … by this Book!”

And so, we have been told and also not to question what we are told.

The Standard

We all have a certain standard.

And it has a lot to do with our upbringing and how we are influenced.

So, I looked up what the word standard means, fundamentally.

Isn’t a dictionary a great tool? It shows us what the words we are using really mean, even though we use them randomly, daily and sometimes carelessly.

The Tree-of-Life

Not long ago I was woken by the Spirit of Truth early one morning and taken on a journey, my journey …

It was a strange dream. Although, it was not a dream and I was wide awake. My vision was clear and distinct and I had no uncertainty as to what I was shown or who the Narrator speaking into my soul was.

The journey was a belief-journey, one I walked from being a child to where I found myself today ... an apocalypse ...

The revelation of commands and rewards

The religious world has an unhealthy obsession with performance (and behaviour-modification).

And performance has everything to do with following rules (commands), doing things just right and being compensated (getting rewards). It is the execution and discharge of obligations to accomplish some benefit (blessing).

Yip, the so-called church service is performance driven. Even the Christian worship must be performance based, the preacher, the choir, the music, the prayer, the annual report - all must be a dramatic execution-overdrive of prescripts, done exactly right.

To get good with God.

It is a ritual. And religion has a doctrine name for its prescriptive ritual.

The word that the institutional church uses is liturgy.

What is the deal?

Here is how it ends

Most people refrain from reading the last book of the Bible, Revelation.

The name of this book in Greek is apokalypsis. It derived its name from the first sentence in the book. And it has been severely battered and butchered to fit the case of many end-time prophets. 

Mystical. Supernatural. Inexplicable. Other-worldly.

Fear-inducing and trepidating.

Except - it is not!

Say and send away

Jesus teaches us how to exercise dominion.

Kingdom dominion!

What?!

Do we even have dominion?

Yesterday, I was reading Matthew 28 (the very few last verses of the last chapter of Matthew) where Jesus commissions us to go out and do the unthinkable. I read a note there that I scribbled way back: Jesus has all the power (authority) and He gave us delegated authority and jurisdiction to overcome our obstacles in this world.

But that is not true!

The only prophecy ever!

Back in 2014 I posted the Single Shortest Prophecy ever! 

I was talking about Jonah!

Today I am remastering that post and renaming it The only prophecy ever!

Why?

Because lately I have been looking into some archaeological videos, finds and documentation discovered in one of the greatest Assyrian empire cities of all times, Nineveh.

And …

And the prophecy I shared is one of the greatest revelations of who God is and the best up-front statement of the truth you can hope to hear, ever.

It was so monumental that it moved the wicket hordes of the capital empire city of Assyria to agree and accept the only good news there can ever be.

The endeavour itself was epic!

What is the story?

Who was the prophet?

Why was there a prophecy?

What makes it so significant?

Let me answer some of these questions to myself and you can decide whether you agree or not.

Called

There is a truthful expression going around that I have quoted before.

It goes like this:

GOD DOESN'T HAVE A CALLING ON YOUR LIFE ... YOUR LIFE IS HIS CALLING

I like expressions, especially when they are true.

And when they counter some of my religious persuasions, I like them even more!

To be called or not to be called. That is the question! 

Calling - wanted dead or alive?

Peter the stone and epiginōskō

The Transformation of the Rock-Man

This morning, I found myself drawn back to the epistle of Peter, the letter of the rock-man himself. Steady, hard, and unshaken, his words resonate with a rugged authenticity.

It's astounding how this tough fisherman, whose name means "rock," could be so profoundly transformed by the kindness, love, and grace of Jesus. In the Bible, we encounter Peter as a man of strong convictions, a quick thinker, and a passionate defender of his beliefs.

Beyond Love - Abba Ahabah!

During an anthropology research trip undertaken in 2015 I had a divine revelation experience that I will never forget … ever!

I remember that our research trip took us into the most remote areas of the Northern Cape Richtersveld desert, looking for Nama communities who still practiced the rite-of-passage custom of initiation.

… and Father, speaking to me ever so clearly, shared His inner-being.

It was His 'ahăḇâ-revelation.

Superlatives and antithesis

This morning I made a self-discovery.

In my efforts to better understand certain phenomena, facts, theories, notions and suppositions in life, I rely heavily on applying superlatives and antithesis.

Yip!

I tend to reason in extremes.

You may say that something is not as it should be … and you may be right … or you may be wrong.

The Aleph Tav and Grace

Charitoō

There is a mystery hidden in plain sight. Yet, no one sees it.

It is a Mystery so profound that it changes our understanding. It is so intense that our concept of grace is forever awakened. It redefines the very meaning and essence of humanity. It is a Mystery so great that it brings life where only death and despair once roamed. It is momentous, outrageous and ridiculously profound in its display. 

It stands above all, everything and anybody …

Paranoia ... or metanoia

So much deception and make-believe (brainwashing) going around today!

And so much perspective is lost!

It is scary.

But, what we believe boils down to simple agreement (being fully persuaded) or disagreement (or being doubtful).

Yip, I am ranting on again. But allow me to explain before I say anything further about our subject of paranoia versus metanoia.

And, dare I ask you to walk with me for a while …

Elijah's miserable run

There is nothing we can do on our own to ensure the outcome of our lives. Nothing we can do to secure our salvation into everlasting life. Nothing we can do by ourselves to secure power, authority ... or even signs and wonders ... not even walking in the prophetic ... not even abstinence or spiritual warfare or compliance or non compliance.

There is only one Way.

One Life!

I have a few favourite stories pointing straight to Jesus, Yah'shua Himself. One of them happens to be the story of Elijah, the guy whose name means Elohim is Yahveh or God is YHVH.

Today I share this incredible story of this great prophet on the run.

Truth remains Truth

I was recently criticized.

I was politely reprimanded to convey the truth with caution.

In communicating the truth, I needed to be sensitive, thoughtful and diplomatic. I must take care not to offend those who are deceived, ignorant or even indifferent to the truth.

Communicating the truth must all be done in love …

Why am I ranting on about this?

Undaunting confidence

Why should we have absolute confidence and courage to take on any and every situation that presents itself in our lives?

Well, some of us do and some don't.

And some are uncertain and don't know how.

In this post I am reassuring myself to do exactly that. I am also reinforcing the reasons why, presenting myself with the very evidence that makes this an open-and-shut case!

Words have meaning and power. And like the wise Solomon explained, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words. Proverbs 18:21 AMP

Let's get into the confidence matter