NEW LOCK-DOWN RULES FOR CHRISTIANS, AS YOU OBSERVE THE GOVERNMENT RULES, ALSO TRY TO OBSERVE HEAVENLY RULES AS WELL:
🔹 Wash your heart with Christ’s blood. (Psalm 73:1) 🔹 Keep a social distance from evil. (Job 28:28 ) 🔹 Avoid the crowd of wickedness and wicked men. (Psalm 1:1) 🔹 Cover your mind from being infected from the sneeze of sin and hatred. (Leviticus 19:17) 🔹 Do not shake hands with abomination. (Deuteronomy 25:16) 🔹 Do not hug or embrace hear say and false teachings. (2 Peter 2:1) 🔹 Be safe so that you will be saved. (Jeremiah 17:14) 🔹 Sanitise your life with the Word of God. (Psalm 1:2) 🔹 In case you notice any symptoms of sin, call the helpline of Christ in PRAYER. (Jeremiah 33:3) 🔹 Always remember to boost your spiritual immunity with Faith and the Power of the Holy Spirit. (Jude1:20)
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” 2 Timothy 3:12
Jesus said in John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world”. He never promised that we would escape tribulation – whether small tribulations or the great one. But He did say that we could overcome even as He overcame. He is far more interested in making us over-comers than in saving us out of tribulation, because He is far more interested in our character than in our comfort. Neither did Jesus ever say that escaping the great tribulation was a reward for faithfulness, as some teach. On the contrary, He said that those who forsook everything to follow Him would have even more tribulations than others who didn’t follow Him (Mark.10:30). When He prayed to His Father for His disciples, He said, “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil.” (John.17:15). He did NOT want His disciples to be raptured out of the world at that time, just because they were going to face tribulation.
” Perseverance is a great virtue that is emphasised throughout the New Testament.” In the 3rd-century when Christians were being thrown to the lions in the Roman amphitheatres and being burnt at the stake in different parts of the Roman empire, the Lord did not rescue them from such tribulations. The God Who shut the lions’ mouths and took away the power of the fiery furnace in Daniel’s day, did NOT do such miracles for these disciples of Jesus – for these were new-covenant Christians who were going to glorify God through death. Like Jesus their Master, they neither asked for, nor expected twelve legions of angels to come and protect them from their enemies. From heaven, God watched the Bride of His Son being torn to pieces by lions and being burnt to ashes; and He was glorified in their testimony – for they had “followed the Lamb, wherever He went”, even unto a violent physical death (Rev.14:4). The only word that the Lord spoke to them was, “Be faithful until death and I will give you a crown of life” (Rev.2:10). Even today, when the disciples of Jesus are being tortured and persecuted for His Name in many lands, the Lord does not take them away from the earth. And He will not rapture us to heaven before the great tribulation either. He will do something far better. He will make us overcomers in the midst of the great tribulation.
Jesus is far more interested in saving us from evil than in saving us from tribulation. He permits us to go through tribulation because He knows that, that is the only way that we can become spiritually strong.
Such a message is strange teaching indeed to a comfort-loving Christendom that has been coddled in their pews every Sunday for years by ear-tickling preachers. But this is the message that the apostles preached to the early churches. “They (the apostles Paul and Barnabas) strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God'” (Acts 14:22).
The little trials that we face at home and at work now, are but a preparation for the greater ones that will come in the days to come. That is why it is essential that we are faithful now. For God says, “If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses?” (Jer.12:5). In Revelation Chapter 1:9,10 John refers to himself as a “fellow-partaker in the tribulation which is in Jesus”. Every wholehearted disciple of Jesus should be prepared to partake in the “tribulation which is in Jesus”, as long as he is in this world. John did not get this unveiling while living in comfort. He received it, while experiencing tribulation at Patmos, because he had been faithful to “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Rev.1:9). He had to experience tribulation himself in order to be able to write about the saints experiencing the great tribulation from the Antichrist in the last days. God takes us through trials and tribulations first before giving us a ministry to others who are facing tribulation. Perseverance is a great virtue that is emphasised throughout the New Testament. Jesus Himself said “They will deliver you to tribulation. But the one who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt.24:9,13).
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” – 1 Timothy 6:7-8
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6)
How can I say, I am happy to walk with Jesus if I am neither content with who He is in my life, nor with His provisions for me to live in this world?
Am I content with who I am in Christ?
It is wise to never compare ourselves with anyone. God created us unique in every way in His very own image. He doesn’t looks at us as the world does. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). “I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).
Only we ourselves are responsible for fulfilling God’s purpose that He has designed for us as disciples of Jesus, and as wives and mothers. God has entrusted our husbands, children, relatives and friends to us, to whom we can minister in specific ways. We are not perfect but God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Like Paul, most gladly, therefore, we will boast about our weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in us (II Corinthians 12:9). There is now no room for us to compare ourselves with anyone, because it is Christ who dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17).
Each of us has specific gifts of the Holy Spirit to bless the body of Christ; we don’t have to long for someone else’s gift. As it is written in I Corinthians 12, God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, exactly as He desired. Since we have gifts that differ, each of us is to exercise them according to the grace given to us (Romans 12:6-8). So let us value one another, whether eye or feet in the Body of Christ. Whatever may be our function in the Body of Christ, let us do it cheerfully instead of comparing ourselves with others. That will only lead to feelings of incompetence. The woman who poured out the alabaster oil over Jesus’ feet did not worry about what others would think about her. She was forgiven much, and so she loved Him much. Her service to Jesus was out of much love!
Am I content with God’s provision for me?
Happiness does not come from getting all that we want, but in enjoying all that God has provided for us with a thankful heart. Our children not only observe our attitude towards material things, but also absorb it. Where our treasure is, so is theirs! They watch us in what we seek and how we seek it.
God has never failed anyone who has put their trust in Him, so we can totally trust Him for all our earthly needs. What Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 is absolutely true: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
We don’t have to compare our household income, the size of our home, the amount of furnishings or gadgets, our education, or anything of earthly value with anyone else’s, because Christ dwelling in our home and in the midst of our relationships is more important than any earthly possession. That, rather than material things or our qualifications, makes our home a blessing to others.
When we constantly desire more, such coveting inhibits our fellowship and relationship with others. Jealousy arises when we count others’ blessings instead of our own. Let us learn to count our own blessings so that our hearts will be filled with thankfulness! A thankful heart is a happy heart.
We also need not belittle ourselves because of something we don’t have. Our worth does not come from our earthly possessions, but from Christ who valued us so much that He died so that we could be reconciled with our Father in heaven. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever (I John 2:17).
There is nothing wrong in asking God and making our needs known to Him in prayer or even talking to Him about our heart’s desires, because He is our Father who supplies all our needs (Jehovah Jireh)!
“God has promised to supply all our needs. What we don’t have now, we don’t need now” (Elisabeth Elliot).
We can then say like Paul, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content (Philippians 4:11).
“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you [woman] of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.” (I Timothy 6:10-11).
As godly women full of contentment, we can be a great blessing to our family and our church, Christ radiantly shining in us! Such a woman is far more precious than rubies (Proverbs 31:10).
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I’ve decided to install Love. Can you guide me through the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I’m not very technical, but I think I’m ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running?
Customer: Let’s see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge, and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don’t know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and select Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Oops! I have an error message already. It says, “Error- Program not run on external components.” What should I do?
Tech Support: Don’t worry. In non technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others. Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive Self, Realise Your Worth, and Acknowledge Your Limitations.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over my Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Yes, that means Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. This Love program is freeware.
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” ( Ezekiel 36:26-27)
