Luke 15:11 and he, being Jesus, said, A certain man had two sons:

Luke 15:12 and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. And he divided unto them his living.

Luke 15:13 and not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living (licentious in festive indulgences or unrestrained by law or morality).

Luke 15:14 and when he had spent all, there arose a mighty or severe famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

Luke 15:15 and he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Luke 15:16 and he would fain or gladly have filled his belly with the husks or pods of the carob tree that the swine did eat: and no one gave him anything.

Luke 15:17 and when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you,

Luke 15:19 and am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of your hired servants.

Luke 15:20 and he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Luke 15:21 and the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son.

Luke 15:22  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

Luke 15:23 and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

Luke 15:24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

1. We have a free will.

God created mankind in his own image after his own likeness. The angels were not created in the image of God, nor after his own likeness. They do not have a free will. Mankind is the only creation of God that is in the God class that has a free will. The angels that disobeyed God were cast out of heaven forever with Satan; there is no room for repentance for them.

From the very beginning God had in mind a new species in the God class who will serve Him because they love him, who will worship Him because they love him and who will praise him because they love Him, who will fellowship with him because they love Him, etc. He did not want this new species to do anything because they were forced to, or out of duty but as it were always out of love.

2. There is no love without a choice.  

From the very beginning we can see that God had fellowship with Adam and Eve. He would come in the cool of the day to fellowship with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). He enjoyed spending time with Adam and Eve, and they just had to tend the garden, to accompany God as an assistant or protector of the garden that He planted for them. Toil and labour was not God’s plan for mankind.

But you see, love must be demonstrated, it is an active verb not a passive one. There must be a choice. God put the two trees in that garden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. All things were theirs but God told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If we love God we will keep his commandments (John 14:15). We have the choice either to disobey Him or to obey him. God is not moved when we say with our lips: I love you God! But without a single word, whenever we have the choice to either break God’s command or obey, we choose to obey; God knows that we love him.

Adam and Eve could say that they loved God but by partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they demonstrated that they did not love God. If we love God we will keep His commandments, and his commandments will not be grievous or burdensome to us (1 John 5:3). We do not want to offend or hurt the person we love. One may say why did God leave that tree in the garden? Then we would have said that God is a dictator, a tyrant; He does not want us to enjoy our life to have fun! If only we had another choice or option we would not be serving God!

All these thoughts were going on in the younger brother’s mind. He was not the first born of the family. At the death of the father, the estate would go to the elder brother. The elder brother will have a double portion of the inheritance. In other words since they were two sons of the same father; the elder brother will receive two third (2/3) of the inheritance and he will be receiving only one third (1/3). Why bother working for the father? Father had already purposed in his heart to give more to the elder brother. And why stay with father working for him; by so doing I am enriching my elder brother. Maybe if I were to collect my own one third of the inheritance now, and go far from father and elder brother I will be better off.

So the younger son came to his father: give me the portion of goods that falls to me. You know; the one third of the inheritance that I am supposed to get at your death! Our heavenly Father is not like our earthly fathers; many earthly parents would have been outraged and infuriated by such behaviour of their son or daughter. They would have said: Listen to me you foolish son! Over my dead body you will have that portion that falls to you, I am still alive and you are wishing me dead! You, wicked son! I will even erase your name from the testament and give all the inheritance to your elder brother!

But our heavenly Father is not like that, He is the most High God, who shows kindness even unto the unthankful and evil (Luke 6:35). He makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust, on the righteous and unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). To the amazement of the younger son, while he was expecting one third of the inheritance, the Father gave him half of the inheritance. The Father divided the inheritance equally between the two sons. This should have already told the younger son that he was wrong about the father; the Father loved him as much as he loved the elder brother. The Father is no respecter of persons and does not show any favouritism to any man (Acts 10:34, Galatians 2:6).

But the younger brother, though he had seen that he was wrong about the Father, still went ahead with his plans. And not many days after receiving the inheritance, he packed his belongings and journeyed to a far country. I can only imagine the Father pleading with his younger son: do not go away please; stay with the family. But you see, God is love even when we have hurt him by being unfaithful, He remains faithful for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). The younger son had made up his mind to leave the family, God pleaded with him but he would not listen to Father. He said to himself, all these years Father has been preventing me from having fun, enjoying my life! After all I am still young, I want to enjoy my freedom, and we only live once. So I will not tell Father where I am going, lest he send some of His servants or elder brother to come and plead with me to come back.

I do not want to have anything to do with this family anymore. I am free at last! I will journey far where no one related to my family can find me. I will enjoy myself and try my own ways, I no longer have to be with my brother or servants or even my Father. I will be free to do whatever I please, no one will restrain me. Brethren there is a way which seems right unto a man but the end of it are ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). And the prodigal son will soon discover that Father was true when he said that.

3. Life away from home.   

The deception of Satan, is to make us think that we will live and enjoy life away from God. That we actually do not need God! The truth is we die spiritually when we walk away from our heavenly Father. Adam and Eve thought they would do well without God. But they soon realised that they were naked, without covering. God told them the day you partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will surely die. They died spiritually and just like the leaves they used to cover their nakedness were withering away their physical lives too were withering away.

Just like when a leaf is cut from a tree though it is still green but it is already dead because it is no longer receiving the sap from the tree. When we depart from God we are spiritually dead because the spirit of the Lord is not in us, and the physical decay is only a matter of time. Many people are deceived, just like Adam and Eve were deceived, and very soon they realise that the leaves are dried up.

The younger son wasted his possessions with riotous living, or prodigal living; licentious in festive indulgences or unrestrained by law or morality. He deliberately ignored his Father’s counsels. Do not be among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh (Proverbs 23:20). Whoever keeps the law is a wise son: but he who is a companion of riotous men shames his father (Proverbs 28:7). It is God who gives us power to get wealth, if we depart from God and do not remember Him, sooner or later the money that we used to enjoy will finish (Deuteronomy 8:18). The younger son will soon discover that all his money has been spent. Now that the famine has arisen in the land what can he do?

This can be applied in other areas of our life; things may look beautiful in the beginning. But just like those green leaves that have been cut off from the tree, they are still green for a little time, and soon everybody will notice that they are withering away and drying up. We need God in our life. But the younger son, still holding on to his pride, refused to return home. He wanted to try his own ways: maybe I can make it without God! Yeah, I just have to work harder!

So the younger son decides to take a job, yeah! I will take care of myself and show father that I do not need him after all!  My friend, the world out there is a jungle. They are friends to those who can help them, the more money you have the more friends you have: the rich man has many friends but the poor is hated even by his neighbour (Proverbs14:20). The more famous you are the more pals you have. But when one does not have those things anymore all those so called friends or pals vanish. They are no where to be found. In that world system wealth makes many friends but when one falls into poverty even his neighbours separate themselves from him (Proverbs 19:4).

4.  It is time to come to our senses.

For the Jews swine are unclean they do not eat them nor even touch them. And here he was feeding the swine. The Jews used to insult the heathen nations (Gentiles): calling them pigs. Even when one puts a jewel of gold in the swine’s snout, they wallow that jewel of gold in the mire (Proverbs 11:22). They fail to realize they have something precious just on their snout. This younger son was acting like the swine for he failed to realize that he had something precious under his nose. He had it all in the father’s house. May it never be our portion in Jesus’ name!

He became even lower than the swine he was feeding, for his employer did not allow him to eat the swine but the carob pods which the swine ate. The young man said within himself: these carob pods in my country are only eaten in time of severe famine by poor people. Even in times of famine my father’s servants do not eat these carob pods, and furthermore in my country they call these carob pods the food of beasts! Have I become a beast to be eating the food of beasts? Have I come so low that I long for and gladly want to fill my stomach with the food of beasts? Even if the swine could talk they would be telling me: you are supposed to eat us not to be eating our food of beasts!

The young man said to himself: wait a second! No, no, no! I must come back to my senses! My father’s hired servants have bread, clean food, not the food of beasts, enough to eat and spare. They eat in excess and have leftovers, and here I am in a country where no one even gives me food, not even the unclean food, and I am even thinking about eating the food of the beasts. My father’s hired servants would be laughing at me: what is wrong with this boy? Can’t he swallow his pride, come home and have some decent food? Why is he so arrogant and does not want to admit his mistakes?

5.  No matter what your motive is: come home!

Sometimes we need to hit the bottom of the bottomless pit before we come to our senses. Some of us, the reason we come to God, it is not because we love him but we are facing a famine in our life. Let us be honest for a second! Sometimes we come to him because we have tried our ways and we have majestically failed. Life has beaten us up and we are all wounded, bruised and broken-hearted; the world has rejected us, our so called friends have deserted us, our lovers or loved ones have left us or let us down; and we have no one else to turn to but Father God.

But Father told us through Jesus: come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Roll or cast all your care upon me because I care for you (1 Peter 5:7). God cares about what happened to us, what is happening to us and what will happen to us. No matter if we are responsible for our own mess or not. He says: come! Yes come home, all who labour for in his plan he intended for mankind to tend the garden not to labour. There is no restriction in his call: all are invited no matter what our problem is: come!

The young son came mainly because he was hungry, because the famine that was in the land, was now in his life. He had lost everything including his so called pals. He was hurting, rejected and lonely, looked down upon.  Many people sometimes they need to be in deep financial trouble before coming home, some it is because they have been looking for a spouse, some because they want God to intervene in the marriage, some because they are in need of healing or want to be pregnant, etc. Whatever our motive is God is saying: come. For he that comes to the Father through Jesus, He will by no means cast out (John 6:37).

6. Will Father forgive me and receive me home?

This is the tough question that each one of us has had in mind or still has in mind today. If there is something that God can handle it is our sins. He has been handling them from the day our father Adam sinned. There is nothing that we have ever done that God will tell us: you are so far gone, I cannot help you! Though Jesus in our main scripture used a son to illustrate God’s plan but this is valid for both sons and daughters of God.

The prodigal son or daughter might be thinking: if Father knew what I have done when I was away from home, he might change his mind about me. He might say: when I said come to me all people; I did not mean it, your sins are too big. These are questions that need addressing.

There is no sin that one has committed that is too big for God to forgive. Many times it is the voice of Satan in our heads, telling us God will never forgive you. Your sins are too many. Where will God start? The list of my offences is too long! But God is telling us: for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Jesus that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Jesus might be saved (John 3:17).

Jesus made the provision for our sins, hence whoever believes on Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe, is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of Jesus the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). God is not trying to send anyone to hell; he made the provision for the entire world to go to heaven, to be close to him. We send ourselves to hell when we do not respond to his offer and decide to stay in our mess. He is not condemning us either; our own conscience is accusing us and Satan too is accusing us (Romans 2:15, Revelation 12:10).

But even if Satan and our conscience or our own heart are accusing us; God is greater than our conscience, if only we allow God to come into our life he will be greater in our life than the accusations and condemnation of the enemy (1John 3:20, 1 John 4:4). Let us not be arrogant and stay in our mess, but let us come home, and he will be able to help us.

7. What shall I do to be accepted back home?   

It is so simple to be accepted back home. The Jews believed that to be forgiven and restored in the fellowship one must make good what he has done wrong.  If one had stolen anybody’s goods he must first restore everything before being forgiven. But what if you cannot make good what you have done wrong? Is there no forgiveness? For the younger son has wasted his father’s possessions, the father worked his entire life to have it. There is no way that the son would be able to restore the money. Sometimes a person has committed murder even an abortion; how can he or she make it good? One cannot bring that person or baby from the dead. Sometimes a person has been unfaithful or walked out on a woman’s life, leaving her with children. How can they make that good? There is no machine to travel into the past and undo things.

Sometimes it is impossible to make good what we have done when we have hurt or wronged someone. Even if we go and see them in person to apologise; some will not want to accept our apology. But we must do our utmost to ask the people we have wronged or offended to forgive us. Let them know that we are truly sorry for the way we treated them. If they do not want to forgive us, we have done our part. But the starting point is God. Though we might have wronged or offended people, but the first person we have wronged and offended is God. We will never be able with our human efforts to make good what we have done wrong to God; but it is fine, he does not expect us to do so.

He is just asking us to do two things: repentance toward God the Father and put our faith in his son Jesus (Acts 20:21). It is God’s law that we had violated and it is to him we must repent. And put our faith in his son Jesus. The finished work he has done on the cross, when he died, he died for our sins, and His blood was shed for the remission of our sins; for without the shedding of blood there is no remission or forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). The blood of Jesus cleanses us as white as snow.

The younger son started to repent toward the father saying: I will arise and go to my father and say to him “Father I have sinned against heaven and before you” (Luke 15:18). Repentance does not merely mean to be sorry or feel remorse for what we have done, that is not the biblical repentance. It goes beyond that: it is to turn around, a 180 degree revolution; if one used to steal one steals no more, if one used to do evil now he does what is good. And furthermore it is the renewing or changing of the mind, though we feel remorse and have decided to turn our back from our old ways, and in our heart we no longer desire to go back and do those things that are displeasing to God.

Hence the prodigal son had true repentance: he decided to arise from his mess and go to his father, to turn his back to the world and the ways of the world and went to the Father. This also tells us, that no matter where you are; God hears your prayer you do not have to be in church for God to hear your prayer. For the Lord searches the hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If we seek Him, He will be found by us (1 Chronicles 28:9). So he knows if it is a genuine repentance or just lip service. For repentance must come from the heart, nobody is forcing anybody to say anything but one realises the need of the saviour in his life.

What can I say in my case? I have been out there so long; I need to come home to the Father through Jesus. You can say this prayer:

Let us Pray :

Father God, here I am, just the way I am, I repent of my sins (you name the sins you can remember). I have made up my mind to forsake my old ways and the world, and then follow you, to leave my past life behind me and follow you. I believe you sent your son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me; he shed his blood for the forgiveness of my sins. I thank you for washing me with the blood of Jesus and making me as white as snow. I believe that all my sins are now forgiven. I believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead on the third day. When he died I died with him to my sins and sinful nature, the old me has been crucified with him and buried with him. I believe that on the third day I arose from the dead with him, now the spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead is in me. I am now a son or daughter of God, God is my Father, I believe that I now have a right standing with God, for he has made me the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. God is my Abba Father. The Father’s wrath is no longer my portion, but I am at peace with my Abba Father. I thank you Father for imputing the righteousness of Jesus to me. I am no longer a sinner but a righteous person. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

8. Welcome home!

The very moment anybody prayed that simple prayer God said: welcome home son or daughter! Quit saying I am not worthy to be called your son or daughter. You are accepted in the beloved Jesus (Ephesians 1:6). Though we were not a people but now we are God’s own special people, because we have received Jesus in our life. If God was still thinking we were not worthy, he would not have sent his Holy Spirit into us. Eternal life does not start when you die; it starts the very moment you are born again, as it is written: whosoever believes in Him, Jesus, should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him, Jesus, should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:15-16). Whosoever eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:54).

What does it mean to have eternal life? Does it only mean to receive Jesus into our life as Lord and Saviour? Jesus gives us the definition of eternal life; saying: And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent (John 17:3). What does it mean to know Only God the true God and to know Jesus Christ whom He has sent? Does it mean to merely be born again? It is more than just making a confession and believing in your heart. John gives us the answer, saying: And by this we do know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments (1John 2:3). So it is about doing what God commanded us in His word. The reason why God so loved us and gave His Son, is so that we in turn can learn from Jesus, and love our fellow humans like Jesus loved us. In other words the reason for John 3:16 is 1John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him, Jesus, should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).  By this we have known the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers (1John 3:16). God wants Christ Jesus to be formed in each one of us, that is the reason He gave His Son. He wants us to grow into the full stature of Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4). Paul says: My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you (Galatians 4:19). Every born again Christian must become a disciple of Jesus; this is the commission Jesus gave us (Matthew 28:20).

The Holy Spirit is God, and He is eternal, and is the Spirit of life and is the eternal Spirit of life, so since you receive the Holy Spirit who is the eternal Spirit of life, the moment you are born again, you automatically receive eternal life also. Eating the flesh of Jesus in this context means coming to Jesus through His Word, and becoming a doer of that word, for His meat is to do the will or word of the Father who sent Him, and to finish His work (John 4:32-34); and drinking His blood is believing His Word, for the life of a person or an animal is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11), Jesus who is God and has eternal life, when you believe His Word and become born again, you are washed by His blood so His eternal life is now your eternal life, and the word of salvation that He spoke and you believed, are Spirit and Life (John 6:63), thus you received eternal life when you believed the words of Jesus, and gave your life to Christ and He washed you in His blood.

So those of us who are born again, have already received eternal life, and that life is in Christ Jesus. We are just waiting for Jesus to come and to raise up our mortal bodies from the dead at the last day (John 6:54). It is unsaved people that worry about the coming of the Lord, not us, they are the ones who will be caught by surprise on that day. Paul tells us: But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (1Thessalonians 5:4-6).

Both Jews and Gentiles, which means nations who are not Jews, if they do not receive Jesus as their Lord and saviour now, and receive eternal life now, they are going to hell when they die, and if they are alive on the second coming of Jesus, it is too late, for then Jesus is no longer coming to save, but to judge. Paul tells us: Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And to those who look for Him He shall appear the second time without sin to salvation (Hebrews 9:28). It is now that God commands all human beings to be born again, for Jesus paid the price for them to receive eternal life now, both Jews and Gentiles, but the second time Jesus comes, is to transform the body of the born again believers to a glorious body, and to destroy death forever which is the last enemy, not to preach salvation of the souls again, it will be too late. As Paul explains: “The first man, Adam, became a living soul,” the last Adam (who is Jesus) was a life-giving Spirit; but not the spiritual first, but the natural; afterward the spiritual. The first man was out of earth, earthy; the second Man was the Lord from Heaven. Such the earthy man, such also the earthy ones; and such the heavenly Man, such also the heavenly ones.

And according to the bible, as we bore the image of the earthy man, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. And I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory (1Corinthians15:45-54). The last enemy made to cease is death (1Corinthians 15:26). O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory (1Corinthians 15:55)?”

That is why it is so crucial that you get your loved ones saved, so they can receive eternal life now, it is the greatest free gift you can ever give them, it will determine whether they spend eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. There is not an intermediary place where people wait, if you die without Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are going straight to hell, but if you receive Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, that very moment you already have eternal life, and are already seated in the heavenly places with Jesus, you do not need to die yet, to be enjoying heaven (Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2). Jesus said: As You, Father, have given Me, Jesus, power over all flesh, that I should give eternal life to as many as You have given Me. And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent (John 17:2-3).

It is so easy to receive eternal life, just believe in God through Christ Jesus, who came to die for your sins. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). Why should anyone die and go to hell when God wants to give them the free gift of eternal life right now! And this is the promise that He, God, has promised us, even eternal life (1John 2:25). And this is the record, that God has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in His Son Jesus (1John 5:11). Not that God will give us eternal life, but the moment we receive Jesus as Saviour, He has given us eternal life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God (1John 5:13). And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life (1John 5:20).

God sent His Holy Spirit into us too, so that we can be confident to cry out to him Abba Father (Romans 8:15). Furthermore the Holy Spirit is in us, to remind us constantly that we are righteous, God has imputed the righteousness of Jesus to us (John 16:8-10). The prodigal son wanted to finish his sentence, but the father stopped him before he could say: make me one of your hired servants. No we are sons and daughters of God now. We do not need to think that our Father will demote us or will punish us when we come home, or that he will try to humiliate us, to treat us like hired servants to shame us. There is no such thing with God.

The Father has been waiting for us. He is eager to see us home. He sees us from afar and he runs to us, he has compassion and falls on our neck and kisses us (Luke 15:20). It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). When we were still sinners, Christ died for the unjust. God has been waiting for us to respond to the sacrifice of his son Jesus. He has been standing at the entrance of his kingdom, waiting for whoever will come home. Before we call, he will answer us, and while we are still speaking, he will hear us (Isaiah 65:24).The prodigal son was still speaking and the Father had already heard him, and did not allow him to finish his rehearsed speech.

9. The restoration of our son-ship or daughter-ship.

Sometimes believers think that God will bring us through a process before placing us as sons or daughters in his house, and restoring our authority. These things must be settled very quickly, the enemy always wants us to feel unworthy of being sons and daughters of God. He is always accusing us about our past, what we did. The very second we give our life to God, He adopts us as sons and daughters; God restores all our birth rights. It actually grieves God when we do not believe and accept what He has done for us, it grieves his Spirit.

9-a The robe of righteousness and priesthood.

The Father said to the servants, bring out the best robe and put it on my son or daughter (Luke 15:22). Not just any robe, but the best robe! It is the robe of righteousness, the garments of salvation that the Lord clothes his children with. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the  robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10).

The very moment we are saved, the bridegroom Jesus married us. And the Father clothed us with the robe of righteousness, our garments of salvation, for salvation is a wedding ceremony. We are no longer clothed with our filthy rags, but with the best robe.

But when we were still in the world, we were all as an unclean thing,  and all our righteousness was as filthy rags; and we all did fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6). Adam and Eve when they put on those leaves to cover their nakedness,  were only deceiving themselves, for all our coverings of self- righteousness, is as filthy rags, just like the leaves were fading, so did Adam and Eve. No other righteousness is acceptable to God, but the righteousness of His son Jesus that He imputes to those who believe in Him. If anyone comes to the marriage of the Lamb without that robe, he will be kicked out of the party by God.

The Father will tell that person: friend how did you come here without the wedding garment? And then the Father will instruct his servants saying: bind this person, who has come without the wedding garment, hand and foot, and take him away, cast him into outer darkness (Matthew 22:12-13). But you and I, because we said yes to Jesus, God immediately put that best robe on us. We are allowed to come to the marriage of the Lamb.

The Father instructed the servants, put the ring on my son’s or daughter’s hand (Luke 15:22). Our Father is the King of the Kingdom. When we come home, He betroths us to his son Jesus, who is the King of Kings. We became royalty too. We became a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). The robe that was first put on us, was not only the robe of our new righteousness in Christ Jesus, but furthermore it was the robe of our priesthood (Exodus 28:4). God made us priests of the new priesthood and our bridegroom Jesus is the High priest of the order of Melchizedek.

9-b Crown of royalty and signet ring of authority.

When we were married to Jesus, on the day we said yes: our bridegroom Jesus crowned us, he put a crown on our head (Songs 3:11). For this was the tradition of the Jews in the days of old. The bridegroom would have a crown on his head, and when he was joined to his bride, he took a crown which the parents gave him, and set it on the head of his bride, hence the two of them were crowned, when they left that wedding ceremony.

Solomon, who is the type of Jesus our bridegroom, for Solomon means peaceful and Jesus is our prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), Solomon was crowned on the day of his wedding by his parents (in his case it was his mother, since David his father was dead [Songs 3:11]). David could boldly say that God had made him a little lower than Elohiym (God the creator) and had crowned him with glory and honour (Psalm 8:5). That is what happens the very day we say yes to Jesus. The crown that the Father gives his son to put on the head of his bride, signifies that you are just a little lower than the King of kings; you have become a king or queen. You are royalty now. You are now Joint heir with the bridegroom, for the two shall become one. What belongs to him, is also yours (Romans 8:17, Ephesians 5:31).

But one can be a king without authority. One can have the crown on his head, but have no authority. He only approves or advises the members of His government what they should be doing, but he has no real power. The army and the servants, though they know he is the king, go to war when the prime minister sends them, not the king. The king just puts his signature. Not only does God make us royalty, but he also gives us the authority; so all of God’s servants, including his army, know their authority has been restored.

That is why the Father put the ring on the hand of the son. It is a ring of authority, which has the seal of the King of Kings. When you put that seal on any decree, the servants of the father must carry that decree out. It was the kind of ring that pharaoh put on the hand of Joseph, Pharaoh said to Joseph: you are just a little lower than I, you will rule my kingdom, only in the matter of the throne will I be greater than you, all my servants must obey what you say (Genesis 41). It is also the same kind of signet ring that the king gave to Mordecai (Esther 8:2).  Mordecai issued a decree for the Jews to defend themselves and kill all their enemies, and it was done in the entire kingdom.

The Father has restored our authority, he is now telling us: you shall decree a thing, and it shall be established (Job 22:28). For where the word of a king is, there is power, and who can question saying: what are you doing (Ecclesiastes 8:4)? Your words have power now! They are not just mere words, but decrees and the entire Kingdom of God is backing them up. Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).

Wherever you go the Kingdom goes, the hosts of heaven are going with you, the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are going with you; for the Kingdom of God is now within or inside you (Luke 17:21). The Spirit of God, who came to dwell permanently inside you, is the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son. You are now in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father.

When Jesus was on earth, God bestowed the kingdom upon him, and wherever Jesus went, the Kingdom of God, its manifestations and its authority went too. On the day of our espousal when He crowned us, and put the ring on our hand, he also bestowed the kingdom and its authority upon us. Jesus said: I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon me (Luke 22:29). Behold I give you power and authority, or the legal right; it is a delegated authority and power; to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19).  You shall tread on the lion and the cobra; the young lion and the dragon or the sea- monster or the serpent, you shall trample underfoot (Psalm 91:13).

The dragon is the picture of Satan himself, the one who used to enslave us. The one who makes us slave to sin. Now sin has no more dominion over us, for the divine empowerment or grace has been given to us to live a life above sin (Romans 6:14). We have power, not only to trample Satan, the dragon underfoot, but to crush all his cohorts and his kingdom of darkness. We overcame Satan by the blood of our Lamb Jesus, and by the words of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). What manner of love is this, that the Father has bestowed his kingdom upon us?

9-c Restoration of our inheritance.

And then finally the Father instructs the servants to put sandals on the feet of the son or the daughter, who comes home (Luke 15:22). The inheritance in the olden days among the Jews, was mostly lands, cattle and herds and some houses. The prodigal son, before leaving the father’s house, sold his inheritance to get the money out of it. In those days, when you sold your possession; you went to the gate of the city and took witnesses with you. The seller would take off his sandal and give it to the one buying the inheritance or possession (Ruth 4). It symbolizes that the seller has renounced any right to that inheritance, it is no longer his; he has no more right to set his foot on the piece of land, it now belongs to the buyer or the redeemer.

The prodigal son had lost all entitlement to his father’s inheritance since he sold it, took off his sandal and gave it to whoever was buying it. Adam and Eve in the same manner, lost their inheritance, when they disobeyed God and partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil; they sold it or turned it over to Satan. But our bridegroom Jesus, when he died he went to hell, the headquarters of Satan, he set all the captives free, opened the prison gates defeated Satan; having spoiled the principalities and powers of darkness, he made a public show of them, triumphing over them (Colossians 2:15). Satan and his cohorts were evicted from our properties.

We still needed to pay to get our possessions or inheritance back. But Jesus our redeemer fully ransomed us. Not just our lives, but also everything that belonged to us, he redeemed. Just like Boaz, in Ruth 4, redeemed everything that was Ruth’s. Therefore, the Father can ask the servants to put the sandals back on your feet, because the one to whom you are married, Jesus, has redeemed it for you and it is yours.

So do not listen to people who tell us, that because we used to live in sin, or had made mistakes in the past; it has forfeited our inheritance. That is the lie of the enemy. Our redeemer redeemed everything pertaining to our inheritance, and gave it back to us. He now says to us: all things are ours or belong to us, and we belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God (1Corinthians 3:22-23).  He has given us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). Let no man beguile you or deceive you or elude you by craft, like the serpent beguiled Eve, and she ate of the fruit (Genesis 3:13).

Eve did not know what God had provided for them, who she was in Christ, the delegated authority they had. Let us not be like Eve, for men will beguile us or elude us by craft, hence cheat us of our reward, what God had done and provided for us, with their false humility (Colossians 2:18). Saying I am not worthy! The Father interrupted the prodigal son’s speech before he even says to the father, I am not worthy to be your son. God has restored us in our son-ship. It is the devil’s strategy to put false humility in our heart, to cheat us from the reward that we have in Christ. All the promises of God in Christ Jesus are yes and amen! (2Corinthians 1:20) Find out in the bible what Jesus has redeemed for you, and claim it, let the will of the Father found in heaven, be done on earth.

10  Rejoice with me brethren, with the Father and his angels.

The Father asked that the fatted calf should be killed and organised a feast; he invited the people and all his servants in the kingdom to come and rejoice with Him. For this his son or daughter was dead in sin, and is now alive in Christ. His son or daughter was lost and now is found (Luke 15:24). Even if some citizens of the kingdom or some of His servants were not happy with the fact that we came home, they have to comply with the decision of the Father, they have no choice. We are accepted in the beloved Jesus (Ephesians 1:6).

Let us stop looking for people’s approval or acceptance, the truth is: some people will not be happy about our coming home. They will be like the elder brother (Luke 15:25). They are unforgiving, yes we lived a shameful life, and we have disgraced the father and the family, but now we have repented and come home. There should be room for forgiveness! But even if there are some elder brothers or sisters who are not happy, that not only has the Father welcomed us home, but has restored our son-ship! Leave them alone, the only thing that matters is your Father’s opinion and acceptance.

I will rejoice with the Father, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit, with the angels in heaven and with some brethren who are happy to see me back home. The Father loves me so much, That He sent my bridegroom Jesus to come and die on the cross. What manner of love that a man should lay down his life for another. Behold the kind of love, the Father has bestowed upon me (1 John 3:1). Now I am called a son of God or a daughter of God, I will not allow anybody, who is not happy with what God has done in my life, to influence the way I feel. I will rejoice with the Father because He has organised a party just for my coming home!

Brethren may God keep you and bless you, may He give you the full revelation of what he has done and provided for you, and may you never be cheated or beguiled again of your reward, which is in Christ Jesus. May the saving grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all, Amen!

11 – Once saved, always saved is it true?

IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE?

HAS JESUS BLOTTED OUT YOUR NAME FROM HIS BOOK OF LIFE?

Once saved not always saved. God saved His people from Egypt, and then some of them chose to commit sins leading to death, which are: idolatry, sexual immoralities and heresies (teachings that deny the Christ and the leadership of Moses like Dathan and Korah did). Those people were deceived like Christians today are deceived, like the Christians of Corinth were deceived according to

1Corinthians 6:9-10

1Corinthians 6:9  Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1Corinthians 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

And 1Corinthians 10:1-13

1Corinthians 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1Corinthians 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

1Corinthians 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

1Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1Corinthians 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

1Corinthians 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

1Corinthians 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

1Corinthians 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

1Corinthians 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

1Corinthians 10:10 Neither murmur you, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Paul told them unless they repent and stop practicing those sins leading to death they will not enter the kingdom of God, and God will destroy them, though He once saved them, just like He destroyed some of the Hebrews He saved out of Egypt, who did not depart from those sins.

God assured Moses that those of His children who do not practice the sins leading to death of 1Corinthians 6:9-10 & 1Corinthians 10:1-13 He will not blot out their name, but those who sin in that manner, unless they repent and forsake their wicked ways, He will blot out their names.

Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book”. Exodus 32:31-‬33 ‬

Jesus also tells John to say to the church:-

You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.  He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:4-‬6

‬

The white garment is the garment of righteousness, even those who practice righteousness, Jesus will not blot their names from His book of life like God said to Moses. But those who do not practice righteousness as Paul taught us in 1Corinthians 6:9-10 & 1Corinthians 10:1-13 will not inherit the kingdom of God. Because they are staining their white garment of righteousness, Jesus Christ will have to blot their names from His book of life like God said to Moses unless they repent.

He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit of holiness is saying to the churches.

We need to endure to the end to be saved according to Jesus as He taught us:

and because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:12-‬14‬

On Thursday 12^th February 2015 as I was on my knees praying, the Lord gave me Revelation 3, and told me to give the right understanding of salvation to His children. Some Christians have a wrong understanding of salvation. It is not entirely their fault; the preachers are mainly to be blamed. They say to a person or a congregation: “repeat this simple prayer after me and you will be saved!” So people repeat that prayer after that preacher and they think that is it! The way they think in their mind is that: there is a wedding feast that is going to happen. I received and accepted my invitation card on the day I gave my life to Christ, and on the wedding day, the guy at the door, when I show him my invitation card, will check and see my name on the guest list, and let me into the wedding feast.

It is partly true what they are saying. Jesus says: The kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who made a marriage for his son. And he sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they would not come. Again he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage. But not caring, they went their ways, one to his field, another to his trading. And the rest took his servants and treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard, he was angry. And he sent out his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the exits of the highways, and as many as you shall find, invite them to the marriage. So the servants went out into the highways and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. And the wedding was filled with reclining guests (Matthew 22:2-10).

That is why I say that they are partly true! They are those who received and accepted the invitation the day they were born again. The King is God the Father and His Son is Jesus Christ. Jesus said to his disciples: Yet do not rejoice in this, that the evil spirits are subject to you, rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20). So you and I, the very day we received our invitation, and accepted it to give our life to Christ, our name was written on that guest list of the wedding of the Lamb. So people will now say: “you see, once saved always saved!” Wait a minute! On that same invitation card you received and accepted for the wedding feast, was also written the dress code to be accepted into the wedding feast.

Jesus continues His illustration of the wedding feast and says: And the king coming in to look over the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few chosen (Matthew 22:11-14). Now the dress code at the wedding of the Lamb, is the white robe of righteousness. John in his vision of heaven tells us: After these things I looked, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-10).

That man, though he had once received his invitation and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and had his name written in the Lamb’s book of life, yet because he did not have his wedding garment, or he stained his wedding garment, even his white robe of righteousness, he was bound and cast out of the wedding feast. Jesus erased, obliterated or blotted out his name from that guest list. As it is written: And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things. I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found your works being fulfilled before God. Remember then how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. And they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. The one who overcomes, this one will be clothed in white clothing. And I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Revelation 3:1-6).

Backslidden Christians are spiritually dead, even though they have a name that says they live. Paul says: examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith, prove your own selves. Do you not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are reprobates (2Corinthians 13:5)? When Jesus says many are called but few are chosen in Matthew 22:14; He calls everybody; yet it is the responsibility of each one of us to make our calling an election. Peter says: Therefore, brothers, rather be diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2Peter 1:10-11).

After we have received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour there are some sins which we should not practice as they will stain our white robe of righteousness and make us spiritually dead. The apostles said to every one of us who received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, there are some sins we should not do. And they wrote these things by their hand: The apostles and elders and brothers send greeting to 0the brothers, from the nations in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Because we have heard that certain ones who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the law! (to whom we gave no such command); it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also announce to you the same things by word. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which, if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Be prospered (Acts 15:23-29).

John, the apostle, says: If anyone sees his brother sin a sin not to death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for those that do not sin to death. There is a sin to death, I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not to death. We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and all the world lies in evil. And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the everlasting life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Amen (1John 5:16-21).

The sins leading to death are the sins which have their roots in idol worship; by practicing them you worship that demon and Satan, thus rejecting Jesus Christ. Paul lists those sins to death for us, saying: Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit The Kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1Corinthians 6:9-11). Those who are not saved do not have their names in the Book of Life, and Christians who are practicing the sins to death, that Paul has just listed, will have their name blotted out of the Book of Life, unless they repent and forsake them. They have deceived themselves thinking they were alive spiritually whereas they were dead. John says: And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life [either because he never made Jesus Lord and Saviour of his life; or because, though he made Jesus Lord and Saviour, yet he practiced the sins to death and had his name blotted out of the book of Life], he was cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15).

Christians, who practice the sins leading to death, will be standing outside and knocking at the door of the wedding feast. Jesus tells us: Strive to enter in at the narrow gate. For I say to you, many will seek to enter in and shall not be able. And once the Master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and He shall answer and say to you, I do not know you; where you are from; then you shall begin to say, We ate and drank in Your presence, and You have taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I do not know you; where you are from. Depart from Me, all workers of unrighteousness or workers of iniquity! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrust out. And they will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and will recline in the Kingdom of God. And behold, there are last ones which will be first, and there are first ones which will be last (Luke 13:24-30).

Paul says that there are some who have erred concerning the faith. Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal: “The Lord knew those who are His.” And, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity!” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. Therefore if anyone purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified and useful to the Master, prepared for every good work (2Timothy 2:18-21). You can deceive everybody, including yourself, that you are still in the faith while practicing those sins to death; but God knows that you are not His because you have not departed from iniquity, you are still a worker of iniquity. You will have your portion with the unsaved people, though you once received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, in the lake of fire! It is not because you were the one who heard the gospel and received Jesus first; but it is about no longer being a worker of iniquity, after you have received Jesus.

People are not being taught the truth in churches, and some Christians are spiritually dead, yet they think they are alive. They will have a bitter surprise when they arrive at the gate of heaven. Jesus says: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he who shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Matthew 24:11-14). We need to practice righteousness for the rest of our life, and if we sin, let us be quick to repent and forsake that sin; but let us avoid the sins to death! Let us purpose in our heart to serve the Lord Jesus, all the days of our life in spirit and in truth; For he that wants to love life and to see good days, let him restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile. Let him turn aside from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayers. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil (1Peter 3:10-12).

Jesus says to John in the book of Revelation to write to the churches saying: He who overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:7-8). Blessed are those who do His commandments, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city [the heavenly Jerusalem]. For outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie (Revelation 22:14-15). You and I, as born again Christians need to endure to the end by keeping the commandments of the Lord, especially avoiding the sins to death, if you want to enter the gate of the heavenly Jerusalem, and have the right to eat of the fruit of the tree of Life.

Thus once saved, not always saved! We need to endure to the end, to be saved. We need to practice righteousness and holiness if we want to see the Lord Jesus and be with Him in His kingdom of Heaven. Paul says: make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all, and holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:13-14). John saw the vision of the new Jerusalem. And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, even the Lamb. And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. And the nations of those who are saved will walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it. And its gates may not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no way enter into it anything that defiles [that is unholy], or any making an abomination or a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:22-27).

12-  What do I do now that I am born again?

Jesus uses the expression being born again in John 3; Paul uses the expression new creation in his writings. But it is to convey the same idea. When we are born again or we become a new creation, old things are passed away and behold all things are new and all things are of God. But the problem is that our mind is not renewed yet. And we need to renew our mind.

Just like a baby, when he is born, he is born complete with all his organs and limbs, Paul also told us in Colossians we are complete in Christ. But just like a new born baby when he is born, God says in Ezekiel that he is covered with blood and his umbilical cord is not cut yet. Someone who is mature or a midwife needs to cut the umbilical cord, they need to rub salt on his body to stop the corruption and putrefaction and infections of the world, and they need to wrap the baby in swaddling clothes to make his leg straight, which is to straighten his spiritual walk, and they need to wash off that blood. All those things God did for Israel through Moses his prophet when he brought them out of Egypt.

Just like a baby on the day he is born, does not see the world around him, for his eyes are still closed, he cannot feed himself, he cannot talk, and he cannot walk, but at least he can hear. So someone needs to teach that baby how to use what has been freely given to him. When his eyes  open someone needs to tell him what the things he is seeing are, someone needs to tell him what their names are, someone needs to breastfeed that baby like Paul and Peter say, someone needs to teach him how to hear the voice of God like Eli did for Samuel in 1Samuel, someone needs to teach that baby how to eat solid food, like Paul and Peter explained, someone needs to teach him how to walk, how to conduct himself, how to fight like Paul explains in Ephesians.

In Ephesians 4, Paul tells us that is why Jesus gave those five offices in the body of Christ; Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to bring us up to the full stature of Christ, so that we might grow, not only in Christ Jesus, but we must grow into Christ, and become like John says in 1John and Paul in Corinthians, As Jesus is, so are we in the world, as the resurrected Christ is, so, are we in this world.

Many Christians have suffered shipwrecks, because they have refused to follow the advice of the disciples of Jesus, like Paul and Peter, and they have twisted the scriptures, because they did not understand them, or even in Hebrews, Paul says, they have remained eternal babies and at that time they were supposed to be mature and teach others, they still needed milk. And in church we have people who have been in church for 20 years and more, but when we look at the standards that Peter and Paul gave us, they are still baby Christians who are still breastfed, still carnal.

In Numbers 10 and 11, Moses said to God that he carried the entire nation of Israel as a guardian nurses a baby, as though he was the one who begot the entire nation of Israel. Paul also used the same expression; I have begotten you in the Lord. The truth is, that it was God who begot the nation of Israel, and it is God who begets every born again Christian, but God gives the charge of that new born again Christian to a discipler, who will have to bring him up. Like Moses did for the entire nation of Israel, like the prophets did, like Peter did for Mark whom he called his son in the Lord, like Paul did for Timothy and Titus whom he called his sons, and in turn the disciple will also become a discipler. That is how Christianity spread in the first century.

I never argue with people who want to go their own way, who refuse the advice of the discipler, or who despise the discipler. Paul said to Timothy his son in the Lord, if people are rejecting what you are saying to them and are only trying to argue for the sake of arguing, leave them alone. Since you demonstrated everything from the scriptures and they could find it for themselves like the Christians of Berea did, but though they found it in the bible they decided to reject it, do not waste your time with them my son Timothy, but what I, Paul have committed to you, what you have seen in me, how I have followed Christ, imitate me as I imitate Christ, and give the same teachings to people who are willing to learn, and put these teachings into action.

John says the same thing in 1John, the fellowship or relationship they had with Jesus, with God and with the Holy Spirit, what they heard from Jesus, what they were taught, what they had seen and what they had handled. They want to pass it on to you, so that you will have the same relationship with the Godhead, so that you will also be able to do the same work of Jesus, like they, as disciples of Jesus did, and even do greater works (John 14:12-14).

So those who listened to the teaching of the disciples of Jesus, and imitated their lives, did the same miracles and wonders, like Steven, who was serving on tables, or today working in the kitchen department in church, like Philip who went to Samaria, etc. All these bible studies of “My Weekly Milk” have been designed to do just that, to bring every Christian up from the day they are born again, to their full maturity where they know how to use everything they have been born with, and that they can go and disciple someone else.  For this is the commandment of Jesus: to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).

It saddens the heart of Jesus to see born again Christians, who have been in the Lord for 20 years, and are still in their spiritual diapers! Jesus gave us a parable to tell us what He wants from every born again Christian, saying: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; [that certain man is God, you are the spiritual fig tree which is one of the symbols of Israel: a tree of righteousness the planting of the Lord, so that He might be glorified through the fruit that you are bearing (Isaiah 61:3)] and he [God] came and sought fruit thereon, and found none [just like in Mark 11 when Jesus came to that fig tree, expecting to find fruits on it; but found none, but leaves, leaves represent our profession: we say we are born again, spiritual Israel, children of God, but in our actions we deny who we are in Christ, and the power of His resurrection in us. Jesus cursed that fig tree that was not bearing fruits and deceiving people by giving them false hopes and it withered up from the root].

Then said he [God] unto the dresser of his vineyard [the dresser of the vineyard is Jesus and Jesus through His disciples like brother Gery and you who are reading these bible studies], Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why does it cumbers or use up the ground? [so the plan that is in the heart of God, is that from the day you are born again, and within three years after you have been born again, you and I are supposed to preach the gospel, disciple other people, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. If you and I are not doing that, we are spiritually cumbering or using up the ground, and Jesus is not happy with where we are spiritually] And he [the dresser of the vineyard] answering said unto him [God], Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it or fertilize it; And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that You shall cut it down (Luke 13:6-9). Paul understood the plan of God and was not happy with the Christians who stayed in their spiritual diapers all their life, and was not happy either with Christian leaders who encouraged born again Christians to stay babies, or hindered their spiritual maturity.

Paul writes to you and me, saying: we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe; But strong meat belongs to those who are of full age or mature, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14). Paul as a dresser of the vineyard of God through Christ Jesus, understood that God was not happy at the state of the church, for in three years every born again Christian was supposed to be doing the same works Jesus did: preach the gospel, make disciples, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. It took Jesus three and half years to do that in the life of His disciples and He left them, went to heaven and told them: The works that I do, you will do and greater works than these shall you do because I go to the Father (John 14:12).

From the day you are born again, you can already preach the gospel by just sharing the testimony of your conversion to Christ with the people around you, or the testimony of your healing to the people around you, that is what the blind man, who was healed by Jesus in John 9 did, that is what the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob did in John 4 and that is what Jesus told the man who used to be demon possessed with a legion, saying: Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis (in ten cities) how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel (Mark 5:19-20). You actually do not even need to know any scripture to start preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. The very day you are born again: go and tell everybody what God has done for you. We overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb of God Jesus and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). People will try to find excuses: I am not an evangelist! This man who used to be demon possessed with a legion, went into ten cities to share his testimony, the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob went to her city to tell them her testimony of her encounter with Jesus, how He revealed the secret of her heart.

When Jesus had His twelve disciples, after nine months He sent them to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, as they had heard Him preach, to heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse lepers and raise the dead as they had seen Him do (Matthew 10). The second set of disciples Jesus had, the seventy two, He had them for six months and then sent them out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, to heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse lepers, raise the dead (Luke 10). Every born again Christian is to preach the gospel of the kingdom, teach the gospel which involves making disciples, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, casting out devils and raising the dead. And after the three years that Jesus had been with them, He was ready to go to heaven and leave them in charge of running the vineyard of God. Who then is a faithful and wise servant [now that you are born again you are a son or daughter of God serving in your Father’s vineyard following the footsteps of your elder brother Jesus], whom his lord has made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes, shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mathew 24:45-51).

But the disciples did not get it yet, that Jesus had appointed his kingdom upon them, just like the Father appointed a kingdom upon Him, and expected them to do the same thing He did (Luke 22:29). So a man brought his child who was epileptic and the disciples could not cast out that demon in Matthew 17, Jesus was not happy with them, because He had invested three years with them and they were still not doing all the works of Jesus! He scolded them: O faithless and perverse generation [a perverse person is someone who twists the word of God for his selfish ambitions or an excuse to avoid taking his or her God given responsibility], how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me (Matthew 17:17). So Jesus had to dig around their spiritual fig tree to fertilize it again, and six months later, after a total of three and a half years, He ascended to heaven, leaving the disciples in charge of running things here on earth on His behalf. Do not be discouraged, if after three years in the Lord you are still having some problem bearing fruit. Purpose to dig around your spiritual fig tree, you are that fig tree, and fertilize it with these bible studies of “My Weekly Milk” for they have been designed for the very purpose! And go and do them, for faith without works is dead and useless (James 2:17).

Some of the ways some of us born again Christians try to avoid their God given responsibilities, is by saying: I am not an evangelist thus I cannot witness to people, God did not give me the “anointing” of the evangelist, or did not give me the “deep” knowledge of the word of God to convince people! So I would rather give my money to the television ministry to pay for the time on air, so that one day an unbeliever will turn on Christian television and listen to preaching on that Christian Channel, and give his life to Christ! If there is one thing that Covid19 has taught us, it is that churches should use the media to reach out to the people in the comfort of their homes.

The gospel is free but it takes money to preach it whether on TV or on radio or Zoom or any other platform, it costs money; therefore we ought to support those preaching the word of God. Many people have been saved and healed watching a message on Christian television and today some of our healing crusades we presently do on Zoom, and people have been healed, saved and delivered.

At the same time we should never abdicate our personal responsibility to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Visit your neighbour, your relatives and your colleagues and share your personal testimony of what God did in your life. Take some time to pray for them and comfort them. Jesus commands all of us to go, preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse lepers and raise the dead, freely we have received, freely give (Matthew 10:6-8)

The other excuse people will give is that: I am not a teacher, thus I cannot teach the word of God to anybody or disciple anybody! Well now you and I have no more excuses, that is what Paul was telling them in the book of Hebrews: he had written many letters to them, so that they should have read those letters and taught their disciples exactly what Paul taught them, and pass those letters of Paul around to every convert they made. Paul did all the job of writing those letters, so that they could just teach the same things Paul taught. Paul charged the Colossians, saying: when this epistle or letter is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you likewise read the epistle or letter from Laodicea (Colossians 4:16). Never say in your heart that this particular topic of the bible study is not for me, therefore I will not read it, you ought to read it, not for your own sake, but for the sake of the people you are discipling. Christianity starts when we stop being selfish and we actually start thinking and caring about other people.

I was not yet married when God started to teach me all the scriptures about marriage. I said to God: I am not interested in knowing those scriptures on marriage! But for the sake of the people God sent my way to disciple, though I was not yet married, I learned the counsel of the Lord on marriage, so that I could help the people I was discipling on the subject of marriage. Jesus was never married on earth, neither was Paul, but they are the ones who wrote more on marriage in the New Testament, Peter who was married, only wrote a few lines on marriage. I will tell you the truth: at times when I was reading my bible, I felt like some subjects were boring, but only when someone came to me with a real case, and the Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance that chapter of the bible, I had felt bored while reading it, that I got excited about that chapter, because I had discovered that it has a real physical application in people’s lives!

Paul says to Timothy, who was his disciple through Christ Jesus: you therefore, my son (my disciple), be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men and women (anthropos = human being), who shall be able to teach others also (2Timothy 2:1-2). The word of mouth is never very accurate, and most of the time after the fifth person to whom it is passed on, 90% of the original message is lost or distorted. That is why Paul put the summary of all this teaching in those letters he wrote, which are in the New Testament, so that the disciples, by reading his letters and the Old Testament, would be able to have a better understanding of what the will of God is, for they had the Old Testament but the New Testament was not yet written. So Paul is saying to every born again believer that they are supposed to be teachers of the word of God, not just Paul or Timothy, or some elders in the church. It is their responsibility to read the letters of Paul and read their bible and go and teach the people they have converted to Christ! Both men and women are to teach the gospel.

So Paul said to Timothy to commit the same things to faithful “antropos” that Greek word means human beings, who shall be able to teach others also, the question is: are women human beings? If your answer is yes then women are allowed, according to the written word of God, to teach! The question is: black people, are they human beings? Are white people human beings? Are yellow people human beings? Are red people human beings? Are brown people human beings? Are mixed race people human beings? Slaves, are they human beings? Are sons of slaves human beings? If your answer is yes, then they are allowed by GOD to teach the word of God and to perform the very miracles of Jesus.

William Seymour, a son of a slave, who was not allowed to sit with his white Christian brothers and sisters in the bible college classroom, but was only allowed to listen to the lectures through the window of the classroom from outside. He was the one God used to bring the Pentecostal revival of Azusa street in the beginning of the 20^th century, and his white Christian brothers and sisters, who once did not even allow him to sit in the same classroom with them, were now coming to his meetings to be taught the word of God, and to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues and to be healed. Maria Woodworth Etter and Kathryn Kuhlman were two women also in the 20^th century that God used mightily to save thousands of souls; teach His word and heal the sick, raise the dead. What is your problem with women preaching and teaching the word of God? Whatever reason you might have to forbid women to teach or preach the word of God, is from your flesh, not from the Spirit of God. It is based on traditions of men that have made the word of God of no effect (Mark 7:13).

In patriarchal societies, women are marginalized and their voice not heard. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond (slave) nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Think of it this way: you have your nice house and you are in that house with your spouse and children. And in the middle of the night, your house is on fire. In front of your house there is a house in which seven sisters live. You and your family are about to die in those flames, will you not be happy for those seven sisters to take an axe and come and knock down your door to get your children out of the house, take buckets of water and try to put out the fire? If you cannot come out of that house, will you not be willing to let your children down through the window, for one of the seven sisters to catch? Or will you be so stupid to say to those seven sisters: I do not need your help; I believe only men can help me, only men can be firefighters, so I will wait for the firefighters to see the smoke ascending from my house from afar off, and they will come with their vehicle and put out the fire, my family and I are going to wait for them in these flames! Well it is how some Christian leaders act, the house is burning, people are going to hell fire right now, every second, we need everybody to preach the gospel to save those souls: children, adults, male and female. Everybody that can throw a bucket of water, even the water of the word of God (Ephesians 5:26) on that house on fire, is welcome to come and help! Everybody who has an axe, male or female, is welcome to come and help us knock down that front door, to get my family members out of the house in flames.

Paul tells Timothy his disciple: Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that you might charge some, that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do (1Timothy 1:2-4). I told you we are Christians of Berea and whatever brother Gery says, do not take it for granted, but go back to the scriptures and see if what I am saying is in line with the written word of God, if not discard it! Do not be intimidated by anybody; the word of God is our final authority, not a man or an opinion of man! Martin Luther, whom God used to bring the protestant reformation understood it. In His days, saying something that the Roman Catholic church and the pope had not said, was heresy and you would be excommunicated from the church, and sent straight to hell. There is no repentance for you, because you said something that the church did not agree with, and you would also be sentenced to death without the shedding of blood, which meant death by drowning or you would be burned alive at the stake!

But Martin Luther rejected the authority of the Pope, and was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church, and was sentenced to death, everybody who met him was asked to kill him! But Martin Luther stood on the written word of God, he was not against the Pope or the Catholic church per se, but was against them teaching things that were not in line with the written word of God. When the Pope says he is the representative of Christ on earth, and whatever he says is gospel, and everybody must agree with him or die, because supposedly Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter, who according to the pope is the foundation of the church, and Peter passed it on to the popes. But Martin Luther read the bible for himself, and discovered that neither Peter, nor any pope was the foundation of the church, but Christ Jesus, and it is only what Christ Jesus says, and what the written word of God says, that has the final authority. Martin Luther discovered that: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 3:11).

A doctrine simply means teaching. Paul charged Timothy his disciple not to teach other doctrines, but what he heard from Paul or read in the letters of Paul. Because Paul demonstrated everything he said, using the written word of God. And if anybody else comes to try to teach fables, you need to tell the person to prove what he is teaching by the written word of God. If he is not able to do so, then discard what he said to you, whoever he might be! Today we celebrate Martin Luther among the Protestant, Pentecostal and Charismatic, but the truth is: if Luther was still alive today, many of us would also kick him out of our churches, and try to kill him. Because what the Roman Catholic church did in merchandising forgiveness of sins and the salvation of the soul, and making it to be by works and not by grace through faith, for it is a gift of God, Jesus had to die for us to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Today the modern Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are merchandizing the other aspects of the salvation package: healing, power, miracle, “anointing”; we are now selling all kinds of things on                                                                                                                                 . And as you read and study these “My Weekly Milk” letters, you will be set free of those financial manipulations that are going on in the modern church.

A disciple is a son or a daughter, in the physical, no responsible parent gives his child to his grandparent to bring him up! You gave birth to the baby, you take care of your baby, do not dump the baby on someone else! But the grandparents are always there to help the parent of the new born baby, to give their input, their experience, especially when it is the first child. But with time when they have their second child, and many other children, they know well how to bring up children. The purpose of all these bible studies is to equip you, so that you also will have your disciples and you will teach them no other doctrine, but what you have read in these “My weekly Milk” letters, as long as they line up with the written word of God! You will not waste your time trying to know everything about the end time teaching, when the coming of the Lord is going to be? For Jesus forbade us to waste our time trying to know deep things on the end times.

After His resurrection, the disciples asked Jesus that end time question. When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?[meaning when is that end of the age come, when you will restore the physical kingdom of God on earth?] And He, Jesus, said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power [In other words: it is none of your business to know when the end of the age will come, only the Father knows it not even Jesus, the moment you are born again you have received eternal life so for you: end of the age or no end of the age it makes no difference, for you are no longer going to burn in hell fire]. But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me [but now that you are born again you must be concerned about receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, for power in your witnessing, be concerned about knowing the word of God, so that it abides richly in you in all wisdom, so that you will be able to teach and admonish the people you disciple (Colossian 3:16), be concerned about preaching the gospel to get many people saved from that hell fire right now, your attitude toward soul winning should be as though the end of the world is tomorrow, heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead to prove to people, that Jesus whom you proclaim is alive. He is not dead, He is the one performing the same miracles through your hands, so that if they did not believe your words, they will believe you for the sake of the miracles Jesus is working through your hands to give their life to Christ (John 10:38)] both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:6-9).

As a family, it is your responsibility to preach the word of God to your children, it is your responsibility to teach them the same bible studies. The Jews from the age of 4 years old to 12 years old studied the bible, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. And from the age of 12 they were considered as adult. And that is what you see in the life of Jesus, the bible says: when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, your father and I have sought you sorrowing. And He said unto them, How is it that you sought Me? Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s business (Luke 2:42-49)?

Jesus went through the same bible training every Jewish child goes through from 4 years old to 12 years old. His parents were not priests or prophets or Sadducees or Pharisees. They were normal carpenter and housewife. But God commanded every Jewish family: This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success (Joshua 1:8). Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life: but teach them your sons, and your sons’ sons; Specially the day that you stood before the LORD thy God, in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children (Deuteronomy 4:9-10).

When God spoke to the Children of Israel from Mount Sinai or Horeb they all heard his voice, children and adults heard the same word. God did not say to them: leave your children at home for this word is not for them only for adults! It is our responsibility to teach the full counsel of the written word of God to our children. Joshua said to the people: if it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15). Now do not bank on the Sunday school teacher to teach your children the correct way to serve the Lord, do not even blame the pastor for not teaching your children the full counsel of the written word of God. it is your responsibility. In some churches there are all kinds of things that go on: the children of the leaders are like the worthless sons of Eli, who practiced fornication with church sisters (1Samuel 2:22). Or the pastor of your church might not have a good understanding of the word of God. You have the “My Weekly Milk” letters teach them to your children. So that your children know exactly what the will of God is. It is your house, God did not give your house to the pastor or any church leader, but to you.

The difference between the 12 year old Jesus and the other 12 year old Jewish children, is that Jesus had the spirit of God in him. And your children who are born again, also have the Spirit of God in them like Jesus. The 12 year old Jesus was not telling the stories of the bible, but He was asking real questions. And that twelve year old Jesus said to his parents that he must be about His Father’s business! Children can teach the word of God, heal the sick, give prophecies, and have dreams and visions. When I was growing up in our cell church, my pastor did not have a word of God for the little children and a word of God for adults. We were all in the same room, children and adults and he explained to us the same teaching. And at 12 years old I was laying hands on the sick and they were healed, I was giving prophecies, I was sharing scriptures and giving exhortations. We sat with our parents quietly and listened to the word of God.

If parents teach the word of God and pray as a family every morning and every evening, children already know that when it is prayer time and bible time, they are supposed to behave well. It means if they do that for a week they will do that fourteen times every week, it will be drilled into them as a discipline because the word disciple comes from discipline. So when the children come to church or to a weekly gathering, they know it is time to pray and share the word of God, they have to behave well and listen to what is being said. So we do not have to send children into children’s church or leave them at home, because we think they will disturb the meeting.

The truth is, everybody that has applied Joshua 1:8 in their family, to study the bible and pray as a family, a prayer of agreement, as we explained in the Abecedary of Prayer bible study in the morning, and in the evening: no matter how unruly their children were, in a short time the children start behaving, and what is even amazing unknowing to them, the children when they are in school, understand that it is study time and they are supposed to behave and listen to what the teacher is saying and their results at school also improve, and they truly become the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. What people do not understand is that some of the promises of God are conditional. Moses said to the people: the LORD shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; [this is the condition to have the manifestation of that promise] if that you hearken unto the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, to observe and to do them (Deuteronomy 28:13). Moses says again: You [Lord] through Your commandments have made me wiser than mine enemies: (why?) because they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: (why?) because your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, (why?) because I keep Your precepts (Psalm 119:98-100).

All the promises of God in the bible God already said yes to give them to you (2Corinthians 1:20), now you do your part on earth to have their physical manifestations. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel were found ten times better than their peers in all the subjects the king examined them in (Daniel 1:20); because they observed the commandment of the Lord, including in the discipline of reading the bible and praying. And throughout the book of Daniel their enemies knew that the only way they could stop those four Hebrews, making their way prosperous and keep on having good success, was if they were able to have them disobey the commandment of their God, stop reading the bible and stop praying day and night to their God. They went to great lengths to threaten their lives in the burning fiery furnace, or in the lion’s den, just to have them stop praying day and night, reading the word of God, and disobey the commandments of the Lord (Daniel 3; Daniel 6).

That is why Jesus told us: you are now saved, you have a God who is your Father and cares about you and all you needs, (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:32-33). If you do not pray in the morning to God, it simply means that you do not need Him in your day! That you can face that day on your own and you do not need His help! Please do your best to pray and pray as a family in the morning, and read your bible in the morning. Give God the pre-eminence in your day and every day. Paul tells us: Jesus is before all things [let him be before your daily activity, put Him and His Word first in the day and last in the day, just as He is the author and finisher of your faith, let Him be the first person you talk to in the morning, and the last person you talk to in the night], and by Him all things consist [He is the one who is keeping everything that is yours together, without Him things will start falling apart in your life, and all your labours would be in vain (Psalm 127)]. And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence (Colossians 1:17-18).

Some people have been unfruitful for years and these “My Weekly Milk” letters will help them dig up around their fig tree and fertilize it, so that it will start bearing fruit and bring joy and glory to God the Father who planted them as a tree of righteousness. As Jesus explains to us, that if we abide in His word and teaching we will bear fruit and no longer be barren and bring glory to God, saying: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples (John 15:7-8). A disciple of Jesus bears fruit, he does not just use up the ground, he preaches the gospel, teaches other people how to be disciples of Jesus, heals the sick, casts out devils, cleanses the lepers, raises the dead. I, Gery who am writing these “My Weekly Milk” letters, do not consider myself to have arrived yet, I still have a long way to go; but the little knowledge of the word of God I have, I decided to put it into practice, and I keep pressing on until I will be where Jesus wants me to be, to be able to represent Him effectively to the world around me (Philippians 3:12-14).

God bless you all, and my prayer is that you and I will take it upon ourselves to become disciples of Jesus, not just mere converts and church goers.  That we will be diligent to study our bible and bible studies every day, and become doers of them, not just hearers, and that we will pray to God every day in the name of Jesus, and we will find a local church, a Pentecostal church to worship in, for God commands us to do so in Hebrews 13.

God Bless you,

Gery Malanda.