GOD’S LOVE IS ETERNAL
May 11, 2022 by Elder/Minister DeBorrah K. Ogans
Filed under Church, Featured Articles, Jesus Christ, Prayer
~ GOD IS LOVE!!! ~
KNOW THIS; GOD IS ALSO A GOD OF WRATH!!!
Nineveh was the capital of the ancient powerful Assyrian Empire. They were known for their brutality, disrespectfulness, carnality, cruelty and violence.
Jonah was called by God. He was sent to the city of Nineveh by GOD. Jonah means “Dove!” He was to preach to them. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. So, he instead tried to flee to Joppa aboard a ship. But the Lord sent a great wind that caused a furious tempestuous storm upon the sea. Jonah knew he was the cause. The mariners on board finally threw Jonah overboard at his request. God had prepared a “Great Fish” that swallowed up Jonah. He was in the belly of the fish for (3) three days. Jonah fervently prayed in the belly of the Great Fish. The Great Fish finally spit Jonah out on dry land. He then reluctantly went to the great city of Nineveh after traveling (3) three days. Jonah preached to the inhabitants as well as to the King of Nineveh telling them to REPENT! He told them frankly if they did not REPENT they would be overthrown after (40) forty days. Well the King as well as the people of Nineveh believed Jonah’s message from GOD. He then proclaimed a fast and along with the people he too put on sackcloth, cried out to GOD and they repented. (See details in the Book of Jonah)
But years later again Nineveh backslide and once again returned to their old ways. It is in the Book of Nahum where it records the final destruction of Nineveh.
“GOD IS JEALOUS, AND THE LORD REVENGETH, AND IS FURIOUS; THE LORD WILL TAKE VENGEANCE ON HIS ADVERSARIES AND HE RESERVETH WRATH ON HIS ENEMIES.
THE LORD IS SLOW TO ANGER, AND GREAT IN POWER, AND WILL NOT acquit the wicked…” NAHUM 1 (See the details in the Book of Nahum)
RELIGION: How it Helps or Impairs Mental Stability-Part 1
September 14, 2012 by Minister/Elder DeBorrah K. Ogans
Filed under Politics, Religion
Life is a cavernously deep expeditious journey. It is a complex menagerie of diverse emotions, feelings, thoughts, interactions, relationships and occurrences. How long or short will each of us be here no one really knows. As we grow we encounter a multiplicity of experiences that cause us to look deeper into what life is really all about. Each day is a new opportunity to discover something new no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential. As we grow it becomes evident that there is so much more to life than meets the eye. We embark upon a remarkable quest of discovery; but where does or will it all lead? We discover that we are also spiritual beings…
How do we get to know GOD?
The spiritual journey leads us to the realization of our Creator. God the Father the Great “I AM.” The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! This is what we as adherent believers believe. (I realize that not everyone believes the same.) As we begin to relate to the Lord properly He will free us more and more from the things that misrepresent Him. As we grow spiritually our spiritual eyes are opened and we become more conscious of why we do what we do. Our conscience becomes much more sensitive to the things that are contrary to His Will and His Way. Our desire should be to live to please Him as we grow spiritually. Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ is an ongoing continuing life process. The Canonical Gospels which we know as the WORD contains a wealth of the history and origins of mankind. This is why it is so important to spend time in HIS WORD! Here we are able to ascertain the invaluable, priceless and precious TRUTH!
Know who you are in the Lord!
Through a plethora of life lessons we begin to grow. We all have areas in which we are lacking, It is within our deficiencies we can discover a need for something greater than ourselves for survival. How do we cope with life, living and the anxieties that come along with it! As we become aware the discovery of a supernatural existence greater than ourselves and the ongoing need for spiritual growth and balance becomes apparent! It is a continual learning process.
God did not create us to be or become robots. Each of us is uniquely different with varying temperaments. He has given us the free will to choose… The world also offers many choices as well. It’s important to know the difference and then choose wisely. There are both good and bad consequences for our choices. Sin is what separates us from God! God is the Creator and Maker of mankind an ultimately knows what is best for us. Know who you are in the Lord! It is our choice to draw closer to Him or look to the world and society for direction. The ways of God and the ways of the world often conflict here lays the inner conflict…
God sent us His only begotten Son; JESUS CHRIST to redeem us from the curse of sin. Sin separates us from GOD! Jesus came as an innocent babe wrapped in sinless flesh. He overcame sin in the flesh. He went through all the stages of life, yet He never sinned! He was crucified, died and was buried and then He arose with ALL POWER! He came to point us back into the right direction that once again unites us to our Creator. The Narrow Path is the Way that leads to Him. It is the godly spiritual path with fewer travelers. Jesus was the Door back to the Father. Jesus is the only perfect example! Living for the Lord is meant to be a way of living daily. No one knows exactly when, but we do know that the LORD is going to return for HIS CHURCH!
GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR RELIGION TO BE A CRUTCH!
Why is there so much confusion about religion! What is religion?
Religion consists of cultural views, beliefs and various systems worldwide. Religion in itself is not bad but for many it means different things. It takes on many forms depending on the particular culture! Christianity, Islam Buddhism and Hinduism are considered the four major religions. There are thousands of religions throughout the world. Within those religions are varied and diverse practices and an assortment of ritual. What, whom, why and how we choose to worship is where the problem lies. What we believe varies… Know who you are in the Lord! We must become aware of the mixture of misconceptions in order to know what true godly religion really is according to the Word of God.
This is what Wikipedia has to say about religion: “
“The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with faith or belief system, but religion differs from private belief in that it has a public aspect[citation needed]. Some religions have organized behaviors, clergy, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural), and/or scriptures. The practice of a religion may also include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a god or gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. However, there are examples of religions for which some or many of these aspects of structure, belief, or practices are absent.”
Technically by the worlds standard you can elect to worship just about anything. For some religion is just a commitment to an organized institutionalized system of beliefs and doctrines. The beliefs vary and often adapts and changes as the world changes…
CHRISTIANITY & RELIGION
Christianity goes beyond just being a religion. It is also the main focus within the context of this narrative. Religion is an essential important fundamental aspect of Christianity. Let’s take a look at The WORD of GOD’S definition for religion! “If any one considers him religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that GOD our FATHER accepts as PURE and FAUTLESS is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to KEEP oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1. These verses are quite self explanatory.
Christianity is a way of living, it is meant to be a daily lifestyle! Know who you are in the Lord! Being a Christian simply means to follow Jesus Christ and daily embrace His teachings. Jesus is the promised Messiah! He is the Holy Lamb of God that sacrificed His life for the sins of the world… We who are called believers, through FAITH believe the Bible to be the intrinsic infallible Word of God! Christianity is monotheistic. We believe in one GOD! The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are ONE! We are supposed to actually apply the principles of God’s Word to our daily lives. It is the barometer by which we determine right and wrong! Yes! It was divinely inspired by dedicated followers of God. As mentioned earlier the aspects of pure religion are explained in the Book of James. James was actually one of the brothers of our Lord Jesus. For many religion is about conforming to the beliefs of the masses without really personally taking the time to know what is actually in the Bible. Sometimes often embracing the traditions, doctrines and beliefs of a denomination over the Word of God!
GOD’S WORD IS ALIVE! It can sometimes be so simple we miss the intended message. The closer you or I draw to GOD the more we can increasingly understand the simplicity and powerfulness of HIS WORD. His Holy Spirit further opens our spiritual eyes and illuminates His Word so we can better comprehend the intended message. His Holy Spirit is the eternal inner Teacher and spiritual interpreter that reside within us as believers. To lead us to ALL TRUTH! Listen closely to what Jesus said; “I have much more to say to you, more than you can hear now bear. But when He the Spirit of TRUTH, comes He will guide you to ALL TRUTH. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what he hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is mine and making it made known to you. ALL that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the SPIRIT will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” John 16.
During Jesus’ last days on earth He talked quite candidly with His disciples. He warned them that they would be misunderstood, mistreated and persecuted. He also told them they would not be accepted by the world. But most importantly He assured them that they would not be alone! He has given us His Comforter, His Holy Spirit to be with us always! This is why it is so important to know HIS WORD for yourself! We can call on the LORD anytime and anywhere 24/7! God is omnipresent. Everywhere we are or go He is there! Think about this for a moment; when JESUS left the earth and ascended to Heaven there was not an actual physical Christian Church as far as a building. Jesus Christ nor His Apostles/Disciples built buildings for worship. The disciples and His followers met in homes, they knew then as we should know now that they themselves were the CHURCH! GOD’S CHURCH is universal! The Apostles/Disciples knew and learned from Jesus that their body was actually a Temple…
Please Read: Religion: How It Helps Or Impairs Mental Stability – Part 2
“The Bride/The Church” – Premarital Conflict
December 26, 2009 by Minister/Elder DeBorrah K. Ogans
Filed under Christian Living, Church
The Bride
The Church is currently experiencing premarital conflict! The Lamb of the marriage supper is being overlooked. A few of the invited guests are parading themselves as the Groom. The fruits of the flesh are attempting to join the banquet. The bride should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. The fine linen is the righteousness of the saints according to the Book of Revelations. The Church is the bride of Christ. Jesus will return for His Church of this we can be assured. But how close to being ready are we? Collectively as well as independently? The signs of the time are quite apparent. We are encountering a multiplicity of phenomenal events. Earthquakes in divers places, heinous crimes, escalating multiple shooting incidents in schools, places of worship, same sex relationships, blatant adultery, questionable political elections but what does it all mean? Time is winding down.
In earlier times a marriage betrothal represented a respected covenant. A covenant is something you keep not something you merely repeat. The Church’s responsibility has not changed in spite of what’s going on. The Bride should be in preparation for a wedding celebration. Everyday should be lived in anticipation of our Lord’s arrival.
God has placed His heirs in various places to prepare for this great event. Man can not number the guest list. It is so vast and contains such an array of guests that He has elected an international, interracial, multi cultural, conglomeration of folks. Their level of responsibilities differ greatly. Yet the overall objective should not take any attention away from this glorious blessed event. Peter tells us “but you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to GOD, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” I Peter 2: 9-12 NIV. How prepared are you for His coming?
Preparing for a wedding involves much joy as well as fear and trepidation. But we can be assured that this wedding is in the will of God. The bridesmaids and groomsmen should not become confused. Their objective should be to assist in fostering a healthy spiritual environment for the ultimate feast. The instructions to prepare for this event have been given to us by GOD. He has even left His Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us to all truth. The truth is the bridal path. The CHURCH has only one Groom. No one can take the place of Jesus.
The participants of the bridal party have the obligation to come together. Not to distinguish who has more authority, but to work towards an effective Spirit-filled occasion. There are so many details involved that no one should worry about the significance of their participation. Staying focused will really help everyone from getting off track. Just remember we are all invited. Those who RSVP and plan on attending have one requirement – YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
The mind of Christ dwells in the hearts of each of His children. When we begin each day living in His presence we will not become sidetracked so easily. God has at His disposal everything we might possibly need. He knows what, when and who we need to fulfill our duties. Man does not live by bread alone but by what? THE WORD OF GOD.
Our Sunday, daily, weekly, monthly and annual rehearsal celebrations should consist of a delicacy of sacrifices of praise and spiritual food. The Holy Spirit stands invisibly positioned to confirm the Groom’s approval. We must truly desire to worship and respect God with our worship. To effectively do this, we must not allow personal agendas to permeate the worship. Praise is not always jumping up and down and running around. It is a combination of still quiet moments as well as hand clapping, dancing, shouting and praying without ceasing. The true worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Rebuke the things you know are not of God! Absolutely no junk food allowed! The main entrée is His Word whether it be in praise, song, sign language or the spoken word. The one thing we must keep in mind is WHO THE BRIDE BELONGS TO!
It is interesting to see how so many seem to think that their place of worship is the best place to be. You cannot limit God to your local place of worship. It is not always about being where you necessarily want to be. Sometimes He has you there to show a contrast. Jesus nor His disciples were not always welcomed where they were. For however long or short season He may have us in a particular place our focus must be upon Him. Don’t try to limit God to where you are. His world is vast. He is omnipresent! Your body is the temple where the Lord resides. Everywhere you are He is there.
Ask yourself if you’re ready for Him to return today? Have you been preparing? Is He abiding in your heart? Is He really welcomed in your home? Do you really worship Him in Spirit and in truth? Are you where He wants you to be or are you where you want to be? It is God’s will that is the desired avenue to the bridal path.
“Now as the church submits to Christ so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself. As a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any blemish but holy and blameless. In this way should husbands love their wives as their own body…” Ephesians 5:22-28 NIV. Have you truly submitted to His will in your life?
We must get our lives in order. God is a God of order. He does have a plan for each of His children. We are to live out the principles in the scriptures and make them the blueprint for our lives. When two or three are gathered together in one accord IN HIS NAME God has promised to be in the midst. Jesus has already been lifted up on the cross. His Word will draw all of the bridal participants. He has made the ultimate sacrifice for us. He has redeemed us by His precious blood! BLESS HIS HOLY NAME! Know and Trust and never doubt that you are SAVED by HIS GRACE and Heaven is your Eternal destination. We must relinquish control of His Bride to the Holy Spirit! CHRIST is coming back for HIS CHURCH. A Church without spot or wrinkle. Get ready! LIVE EVERYDAY “To God Be The Glory!” COME LORD!
P4CM Presents Ready or Not by Featured RHETORIC Poets Ezekiel & Janette..ikz
