💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES SUNDAY JANUARY 5TH. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨TOPIC :✨YOU RECEIVED SOMETHING WHEN YOU BELIEVED✨

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES SUNDAY JANUARY 5TH. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨

TOPIC :✨YOU RECEIVED SOMETHING WHEN YOU BELIEVED✨

SCRIPTURE📖 :For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

The most beautiful part of the Gospel is not only that Jesus bore our sins and sacrificed Himself for us, but that He gave us something in return—eternal life. One of the most well-known verses in the Bible is John 3:16 and it says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

This means anyone who believes in Jesus Christ receives eternal life. It’s a guarantee! The moment you believe in Jesus, you have it. You don’t have to wait for it or hope for it; you have it immediately. John 6:47 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” It’s not a promise of something to come in the future. If you believe, you already have it!

Often, I ask people, "Do you believe in Jesus?" and some would say yes. Then I’d say, "Did you receive anything when you believed?" I found that most weren’t sure. They weren’t taught that something extraordinary happened as a result of their believing in Jesus. The Master was clear: “...He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

1 John 5:11-12 says, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Notice the tenses: if you have Jesus Christ, you have eternal life. So, don’t pray for eternal life. The 13th verse is absolutely remarkable; it says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life...” (1 John 5:13).

God wants you to know that you have eternal life. This knowledge changes everything. When you know that you have eternal life, it impacts the way you live. You no longer live in fear or uncertainty but in confidence and victory. Hallelujah!

                             PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank you for the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. I walk in the consciousness of this life, living boldly and confidently, knowing that I am secure in Christ. Thank you for this precious gift that changes lives and empowers men to live in victory, prosperity and health every day, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 5:11-13 NIV; John 3:36 NKJV; John 5:24

 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 5:1-20 & Genesis 12-14

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 3:1-9 & Genesis 5 1

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES SATURDAY JANUARY 4TH 2025. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨TOPIC :✨HIS SACRIFICIAL LOVE✨

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES SATURDAY JANUARY 4TH 2025. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨

TOPIC :✨HIS SACRIFICIAL LOVE✨

SCRIPTURE📖: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Our opening scripture brings to mind the words of the Spirit through the apostle Paul in Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Think about such sacrificial love. He was condemned in our place. No wonder the Bible says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1).

 The word translated "condemnation" also means "judgment"; Jesus Christ was judged for us. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (NIV) says, "…God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them…." Did you notice that? God isn’t counting men's sins against them because He laid their sins on Jesus. Jesus became the sin-bearer.

1 Peter 2:24 further makes it clearer; it says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live untorighteousness….” It’s the reason when we pray for sinners, we pray that they’ll come to terms with the revelation that God has given: Christ bore their sins and they don't need to live in sin anymore. Hallelujah!

2 Corinthians 5:14 says, "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead." This is absolutely legal and logical: He died for everybody; therefore, everybody died. Verse 15 says, "And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." Don't live unto yourself but unto Him. This is the right response to His sacrificial love. Hallelujah!

                          PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank you for the priceless sacrifice of Jesus Christ who bore our sins and took our judgment upon Himself. Thank you for reconciling the world to yourself, and now we have the ministry of reconciliation, to share this glorious truth with others, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 4:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:20

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 4 & Genesis 9-11

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 2:13-23 & Genesis 4 

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES FRIDAY, JANUARY 3RD 2025. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨TOPIC:✨STAY IN THE WORD✨

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES FRIDAY, JANUARY 3RD 2025. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨

TOPIC:✨STAY IN THE WORD✨

SCRIPTURE 📖:Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:1-3)._*

Someone asked the question: “How powerful are curses or blessings spoken by parents over their children?” Such curses or blessings, according to the Bible, have impactful implications; they could be quite powerful. When you study the Bible, you’d find blessings by parents and curses by parents and how they came to pass.

Being born again, it’s important to understand that we’re called into a life of blessings by God. We were called to inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:9). If, however, you had a problem with your parents before you were born again and they pronounced a curse on you, now that you’re born again, that curse will no longer have any effect. You should nevertheless go and reconcile with them. That’s important. If reconciliation is impossible or difficult, consult your pastor. Your pastor can counsel you and guide you on what to do next.

If you were already born again and then your parent cursed you, generally, that curse will not work. However, if your actions were contrary to the Word of God, you could face real trouble. This is because being outside the Word of God places you in a vulnerable position where such a curse could have an effect on you. Remember the Israelites in Egypt: when the death angel was to come into Egypt, God instructed them to mark their doorposts with blood. This marked them out from the Egyptians, protecting them from harm.

Similarly, staying within the Word of God and functioning according to God’s principles keeps you protected. If you live outside the Word, you open yourself to potential danger; you break the hedge as it were. And the Bible says, *_“...whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him”_* (Ecclesiastes 10:8). 

God wants us to live in peace, for He has called us to peace, especially with our parents. The Bible teaches us to honour our parents as stated in Ephesians 6:1-3, which is a quote from Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16. This commandment comes with a promise: that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. Christian parents should also never curse their children but bless them.

                                PRAYER

*_Dear Father, I choose to live in the light of your Word, honouring my parents and those you’ve placed in my path as leaders and walking in peace and in the blessings that come from doing your Word, in Jesus' Name. Amen._*

                      FURTHER STUDY:

*Colossians 3:20* Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

*Exodus 20:12* Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

*Deuteronomy 5:16* Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

*1 Peter 3:8-9* Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: *9* not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN : Matthew 3 & Genesis 6-8

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN : Matthew 2:1-12 & Genesis 3

If you are not yet born again, we invite you to make Jesus Christ the LORD of your life by praying thus:

*_“O Lord God, I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. I believe He died for me and God raised Him from the dead. I believe He’s alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, I have eternal life; I’m born again. Thank you Lord for saving my soul! I’m now a child of God. Hallelujah!”_*

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND 2025. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨TOPIC :✨THE FULL PICTURE OF THE GOSPEL MANDATE✨

💎✨RHAPSODY OF REALITIES THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND 2025. PASTOR CHRIS.💎✨

TOPIC :✨THE FULL PICTURE OF THE GOSPEL MANDATE✨

SCRIPTURE📖 :And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen (Mark 16:20).

When you study the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—you’d observe different perspectives to the Lord’s instruction with respect to the preaching of the Gospel. However, one theme stands out: The Gospel is to be preached to every man, woman, boy and girl; it’s for all nations.

Mark gives us a clear structure for our mission as read in our opening scripture. The disciples went forth and preached everywhere; they did their part, and the Lord did His part by confirming the Word they preached with signs. This makes our responsibility clear: We preach the Word, and it’s the Lord’s responsibility to confirm it with signs following.

In Luke 24:46-47, we see another significant aspect of the Master’s instructions. Luke, who had a deep understanding of the events surrounding Jesus' ministry, adds a crucial point about the content of the Gospel that we’re to preach: repentance and remission of sins, “...Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” 

While Matthew emphasized teaching all that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20), and Mark focused on preaching the Gospel which the Lord confirms with signs (Mark 16:19-20), Luke gave us the full picture. The Lord’s message was not just to teach or preach but to declare repentance and remission of sins among all nations.

The early disciples initially kept the message within the Jewish community. They may have thought the Gospel was only for the Jews scattered among the nations, or perhaps they misunderstood the global scope of the Lord’s command. But the Gospel was always meant for all nations, for every creature (Mark 16:15). This revelation became clear through discussions like those recorded in Acts 15, where they finally embraced the full scope of the Lord’s mission.

Today, we carry that same mission, teaching all that Jesus commanded, preaching the Gospel to every creature and to all nations, declaring repentance and the remission of sins in His Name. And the Lord continues to work with us, confirming His Word with signs following. Praise God!

                               PRAYER 

Dear Father, thank you for confirming your Word with signs, blessings and miracles as we, your children, all go forth and preach your Word today. Many receive salvation and are converted as your Word comes to them in the power of the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY

Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 15:7-9; Mark 16:19-20

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Matthew 2; Genesis 3-5

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

Matthew 1:15-25; Genesis 2