Thursday, 28 March 2013

The Cross


Jesus tells us that to follow Him, we must take up our cross and walk in His steps. But what does that mean?

Bearing Our Cross Like Christ
















In Luke 14:25-33 we discover a great deal about what Jesus Christ's invitation of "Follow Me" really means. The account begins by describing how "great multitudes went with Him." And why not? Here was a teacher with incredible insights, a humanitarian providing food for the masses, and one performing miraculous healings. Indeed, Jesus must have been an incredible human magnet drawing gigantic crowds. What was there not to like? But now, He knew the time had come to tell His audience what the rest of their journey entailed.
He proclaimed: "If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me" (New Living Translation).

The passover feast


The New Testament Passover needs to emphasize remembering the death of Jesus Christ.

A Bible, unleavened bread and wine
One of the most important commemorations of each year is the New Testament Passover service. It’s a special time for us as Christians as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ being applied for us at our baptism. The memorial is also very special because of the commitment we made at baptism with God to follow Him for the rest of our lives. In addition, we share the communion of the bread and wine, which depicts the unity we so desperately need if we are to accomplish the work that Jesus commissioned His Church to do.
We will miss the main meaning of Passover, however, if we do not observe it in remembrance of Jesus Christ!

The Lesson of Foot Washing


On the evening before His death, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, then instructed that His followers would continue this practice to help us remember. What are we to learn from this simple but profound observance?

The Lesson of Foot Washing
Source: Designpics
Peter was puzzled as Jesus of Nazareth knelt down to wash His disciples' feet. Jesus and the 12 apostles had gathered in a private room. He had earlier directed Peter and John to prepare their last meal together. It was during this time that Jesus instituted the symbols of the New Testament Passover: The unleavened bread would represent His broken body and the wine would signify His blood that He would lose less than a day later.
Peter was watching, fascinated, as Jesus bent down to wash His disciples' feet. This was unusual, even strange, to see a teacher washing His followers' feet.
Peter had observed Jesus rising during supper to remove His outer garment and wrap a towel around His waist. Peter well knew this was an act customarily performed by slaves or servants. In that day, whenever guests were invited to a home, the lowliest household slave or servant washed the guests' feet. (John 1:27and Luke 7:44 refer to this custom.) In this case, since this was a private gathering, no servants were present to carry out the menial job of removing sandals and washing the feet of guests.

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

THE BLOOD OF JESUS 1


Scriptural Grounds for Pleading
the Blood of Jesus

There are many Christians who attack this form of prayer. They ask where in Scripture is there proof that we can use this kind of prayer for either protection or deliverance when we will really need it. There was no evidence that the early apostles ever pled the blood to heal, to cast out demons, or to get God’s basic protection on them.

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Only lesson for the Holy tuesday 26/3/2013


Matthew 26:1-5


26 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

HUNGRY FOR HIS WORD (1)

HUNGRY FOR HIS WORD (1)

 'Whatever... God understands you can't do that every day. I'm busy, I don't have time to do everything as it is. I already believe in Jesus. And I've already heard 'the gospel". Anyway, I read those Word4Us, so get off my case!'

This might be the case if we were talking about any other book ever written, but the difference is that the Bible is alive and powerful, because God is behind it! It's more than good advice. If you take it seriously and apply it to your life, you will end up happy - not a simple happiness dependant on what sort of a day you're having, but a happiness that's rooted deep in your soul.

God won't love you more because you read the Bible more, but you'll enjoy the benefits of it when you do. It's one way that God personally communicates with you. If you just talked at someone but never listened to what they said, you wouldn't get to know them. And getting to know God through reading His message, is part of what can make you like Him.

If you're just living off a diet of Word 4U 2Day sandwiches all the time, you won't get to know the taste of the best bit: the filling. Notes, talks and spiritual books are meant to help, but they all take second place. They rotate and centre around God's Word like planets around a sun. If this all sounds a bit heavy and dry, keep reading over the next few days as we keep looking at why the Bible's more than worth it.

What now?

What times in the day and for how long do you read the Bible? Think about how helpful it is to your relationship with God. What changes do you need to make?

Monday, 25 March 2013

LESSON FOR HOLY MONDAY

The only lesson for today's holy monday shall be taken form the book of 1 Corinthians 1:4-13

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—
6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 I appeal to you, brothers,[a] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

THE PASSION WEEK





This psalm is a typological of the death of Jesus Christ. This means that David used many poetic expressions to portray his immense sufferings, but these poetic words became literally true of the suffering of Jesus Christ at His enemies’ hands.

Friday, 22 March 2013

Thursday, 21 March 2013

YOUR THOUGHT - YOUR LIFE


“…as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” - Prov.23:7
Your thought is the exact measure of your life.
No one ever gets better than his thought.
Your thought is the seed of your life.
So, think well and rise high.
Your thought is the pattern for your destiny, the thoroughfare to your destination.
Think through and Break through.
Many are working very hard but few are thinking right and well.
O that people will think right the way they are working Hard.
The large populace doesn’t have problem working hard;
They only have difficulty thinking right.
The easiest thing to do is work hard and the hardest is to think right.
Align your thoughts with your works.
Stop betraying your good (hard) work with your poor thought.
Your thought is the fountain of your Life.  – Prov.4:23.
Only what is allowed a thoroughfare in your mind goes through in Life.
Gen.11:1-6
Your restoration and all limitation of life is thought limited. 
Never expect life to give to you beyond what you think.
Tame a man’s thought and tame his Life.
Your mind is the hardest to tame but the most pleasant to spring of Life.
Therefore. enrich your thought and expand your Life.

Friday, 15 March 2013

only lesson for today 15th March 2013



JOB 6 : 1-13
1 Job responded:
2 Oh, that my grief were actually weighed,
    all of it were lifted up in scales;
3 for now it’s heavier than the sands of the sea; therefore, my words are rash.[a]
4 The Almighty’s arrows are in me;
    my spirit drinks their poison,
    and God’s terrors are arrayed against me.
5 Does a donkey bray over grass
    or an ox bellow over its fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or does egg white[b] have taste?
7 I refuse to touch them; they resemble food for the sick, He wishes to die
8 Oh, that what I’ve requested would come
        and God grant my hope;
9     that God be willing to crush me, release his hand and cut me off.
10 I’d still take comfort, relieved even though in persistent pain;for I’ve not denied the words of the holy one.
11 What is my strength, that I should hope;
    my end, that my life should drag on?
12 Is my strength that of rocks,
    my flesh bronze?
13 I don’t have a helper for myself;
    success has been taken from me

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Bible lesson for wednesday 13th march 2013

job1-7 “Call for help, Job, if you think anyone will answer!
    To which of the holy angels will you turn?
    The hot temper of a fool eventually kills him,
    the jealous anger of a simpleton does her in.
I’ve seen it myself—seen fools putting down roots,
    and then, suddenly, their houses are cursed.
Their children out in the cold, abused and exploited,
    with no one to stick up for them.
Hungry people off the street plunder their harvests,
    cleaning them out completely, taking thorns and all,
    insatiable for everything they have.
Don’t blame fate when things go wrong—
    trouble doesn’t come from nowhere.
It’s human! Mortals are born and bred for trouble,
    as certainly as sparks fly upward.

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

THE CREED


THE  CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty
 Creator of heaven and earth,and in Jesus Christ, his on Son, our Lord.
 Was concieved by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven.
 And is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
 I believe in the Holy Spirit, the celestial church of christ , the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.......

Amen.


when last did you say the creed

UNUSUAL FAVOUR



CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST
PROMISE-LAND PARISH
INVITES YOU TO THE 3RD APOSTLE NIGHT IN 2013
TAGGED : Unusual Favour (ESTHER 8:1)
On the 15th March 2013
10pm ...
HOST : PRO YEMI OLUTAYO

Friday, 8 March 2013

nigbati fere oluwa yio dun (CCCHYMN 580)

        nigbati fere oluwa yio dun ti ise ki o si mo

AN EXPERIENCE OF RAPTURE AS SHARED BY A SISTER:
I saw myself and another sister walking side by side jesting normally..
A man was walking at the other side; suddenly the man turned and said
hey,the rapture has just taken place 30 seconds ago, and looking at the time it
was 1.00.30s AM. The man proceeded by saying go in...
the left direction
you will find other Christians there, do not go in the right direction.
They are taking the mark already. Go now I give you one minute.. I asked him what about you?

FRIDAY 8th MARCH 2013

THE ONLY LESSON FOR TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL SERVICE (FRIDAY 8th FEB 2013) SHALL BE READ FROM THE BOOK OF
 GEN 7:10-24



10 And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.
17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. 21 Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
24 The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

May God bless the reading of his words.. AMEN 

Thursday, 7 March 2013

MARCH NEW MOON SERVICE

Tonight, Its an obligation for all CELESTIAL member to observe the NEW MOON SERVICE. I will like to give an insight to the devotion that would be read tonight Genesis 7 vs 1 - 9.


Here is, I. A gracious invitation of Noah and his family into a place of safety, now that the flood of waters was coming, Gen. 7:1.

1. The call itself is very kind, like that of a tender father to his children, to come in doors, when he sees night or a storm coming: Come thou, and all thy house, that small family that thou hast, into the ark. Observe, (i.) Noah did not go into the ark till God bade him; though he knew it was designed for his place of refuge, yet he waited for a renewed command, and had it. It is very comfortable to follow the calls of Providence, and to see God going before us in every step we take. (ii.) God does not bid him go into the ark, but come into it, implying that God would go with him, would lead him into it, accompany him in it, and in due time bring him safely out of it. Note, Wherever we are, it is very desirable to have the presence of God with us, for this is all in all to the comfort of every condition. It was this that made Noah’s ark, which was a prison, to be to him not only a refuge, but a palace. (iii.) Noah had taken a great deal of pains to build the ark, and now he was himself preserved alive in it. Note, What we do in obedience to the command of God, and in faith, we ourselves shall certainly have the comfort of, first or last. (iv.) Not he only, but his house also, his wife and children, are called with him into the ark. Note, It is good to belong to the family of a Godly man; it is safe and comfortable to dwell under such a shadow. One of Noah’s sons was Ham, who proved afterwards a bad man, yet he was saved in the ark, which intimates, [1.] That wicked children often fare the better for the sake of their godly parents. [2.] That there is a mixture of bad with good in the best societies on earth, and we are not to think it strange. In Noah’s family there was a Ham, and in Christ’s family there was a Judas. There is no perfect purity on this side heaven. (v.) This call to Noah was a type of the call which the gospel gives to poor sinners. Christ is an ark already prepared, in whom alone we can be safe when death and judgment come. Now the burden of the song is, HYMN 276 stanza 1 “Rejoice with us brethren in Christ, for the goodluck we possess.”
"Eba wa yo ara ninu Kristi fun ori rere ta ni"

The Missing Jesus - Part II

                                 The Missing Jesus - Part II
TEXT: His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And
when He was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem according to the custom
of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus
lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and his mother did not know it; but
supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey and
sought Him among relatives and acquaintances. So when the did not find Him,
they returned to Jerusalem seeking Him. (Luke 2: 41-45)

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

The Missing Jesus - Part I


                    The Missing Jesus - Part I
TEXT: His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And
when He was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem according to the custom
of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus
lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and his mother did not know it; but
supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey and
sought Him among relatives and acquaintances. So when the did not find Him,
they returned to Jerusalem seeking Him. (Luke 2: 41-45)

what is God saying


Friday, 1 March 2013

Get fired up for MARCH

HAPPY NEW MONTH FRIENDS.....Get fired up for MARCH by reading this timely article...




How do people normally prepare to die? People say when you are about 40 years of age, start writing your will. Have a statement that expresses your intentions, especially on your assets after your demiss. Unfortunately many never live to see 40 and most people died before they ever wrote their will. One thing is certain anytime anyone wants to start making any preparations for death, its a real struggle, cos your very life hates the thought of dying. Nobody wants to die. Nevertheless, the young man who left his house in the morning, entered his car and drove into a fire explosion on the highway, never saw death coming, but still he would never return...

So what would happen?
In my own opinion, the best way to know how prepared you are for death is to assume you just died now . Do this from time to time and ask yourself the following questions... What would happen? What would happen to your business? The books you have been writing in bits? The land you secretly bought with no ones notice? The $5000:00 you are due to collect from your debtor? The machine you ordered from Germany? The office documents you kept so securedly or the property documents you hid from everyone? What should happen to the business you just started? Who would ensure the secret desires and dreams of your heart over your children? How about your debit card? What of your burial ceremony? Where? How? and most importantly, what would happen to you when your body leaves you?

SO HOW SHOULD YOU PREPARE?
DO IT NOW! Oh, I will take my wife out on a special treat one day! I will write a book on Enterpreneurship, I will find time to teach my children how to make it in life, I will dedicate my life to Christ and serve God wholeheartedly, I will bla, bla, bla, ... For those who died on the road, or by a stray bullet ... they will never do these things. Do it Now! Some of these things you are planning to do later, you would do today, if only you were told the day you would suddenly die tomorow. Since no one will tell you your death day, why not do it all the same or you may never do it. One of my big brothers told me this painful testimony, that on the death bed of my father he groaned, “there is still one thing that i really wanted to do ...” and he died. Up till today, nobody knows what that thing is. Do it now!
Do you want to write your will? Do it now. Do you want to take your wife on a special treat? Do it now, Want to write a book? Do it now. Want to stop that sinful habit? Do it now! Want to give your life to Christ to run His intended plan for your life? There is no better time than now.. Only the things you have done would remain when you’ve long gone. People who do it now are still remembered long after they have gone.

>>IN ALL YOU DO, PICK A SUCCESSOR: Be it business or Ministry, whatever, steadily develop a system that can work out its original intent and fufill its plan, goals, mission and objectives, with or without your presence. There is no way around it, you must develop trust in someone, that is the only way to live on... Teach your children the legacies you want them to furge on. Communicate to your staff in clear terms, the vision bubbling in your spirit and the goals you are all out to achieve.

>>PUT YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER: Let your wife and children know what each of them would need to know when you are gone. Invest in building a good measure of trust in your wife and children. These may include certain documents and agreements. Its better when they have an idea of your debts and debtors. Discuss occassionaly your opinions about burial, when, how, where, e.t.c you’ld like to be buried. These things go a long way in helping your family to ease their pain by satisfying your wishes long after you are gone. Prepare your house to run without you.
>>GET READY TO FACE GOD: In all the preparations a man can do to die, this is the most crucial because, this is what would concern him when others are eating and drinking at his funeral. Dear reader, Life after death is real! the divine judgement is real! Heaven is real! Hell is real! And even if you would not make any preparations for your death, prepare very well for where your spirit will depart to when your body leaves you. God had made all arrangements for everyone to end well in this regard. Jesus came to pay the penalty (death) for our stubborn sins and now He calls out to us all, while we still have life to take advantage of that sacrifice , repent of our ways and plug in to his own new way and provision for righteous living. Rarely would anyone die without hearing this truth. If you would turn, turn Now. I pray that you would not remember this tract when you had used up your last minute and the mercy of God has departed from you.
Attending a “wake keep” or funeral service or simply looking at the corpse of a loved one in a casket is always a unique experience for me anytime such unplanned events happen. I quickly take advantage of the moment to think deep about my journey so far in life and the futility of it. First, I quickly run an intensive check on the state of my relationship with my maker and my God considering wether God is pleased with me and if He would recieve me to Himself if i passed out. Then I quickly summarize the value and the impact of my life to my environment (family, neighbours, society, e.t.c), taking into consideration all the above listed and then imagine that I was the one in the casket. Take a good look at the corpse in the casket, still, never to move, never to talk, never to see, feel, hear or function, gone and gone forever to the destiny his lifetime would send him to irrespective of how many people are wishing him sweet rest.

Dear reader, how far have you prepared for your last day on the earth? How are you living your life in preparation to face eternal judgement? What are you doing now that death must not catch in your hand? How are u planning to leave this earth? Have you allowed Jesus (The only Advocate) to be your Lord and your saviour? Have you handed over your life for Him to rule? Are you preparing for that day?
Jesus died at 33! Perfectly ready! How ready are you?
Segun Coker