The Lord Loves The Gates of Zion

https://youtu.be/ABDyIwZtX3c

Grace and Peace

"Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" 2 Peter 1:2 If you need peace(and im not talking about lack of peace or civil unrest), and Grace, it only comes by the knowledge of God and Jesus. We can't pray for it; no laying of hands either. Just like faith, it comes by the hearing of the word. Isaiah 26:3 says "thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusted in thee". So how do you 'stay your mind' on him? Right now your mind is on him because you are reading this and thinking about it. When we meditate on his word and his unconditional love, we allow him to minister to us. Let the knowledge of his love, and his glorious riches that are in Christ soak your heart and mind, free from any worth or guilt. Just as you are right now, you are accepted.

Riches in earthly vessels

Riches In Earthly Vessels How do you see the world and the people in It? Do you see them as sinners, and enemies of God? Or do you see them with the eyes of God? God's view of the world is this: "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us". God doesn't see enemies in people - And I'm not talking about Christians! For God so loved the world that he gave... John 3:16. If we have disdain for people, it affects how we present the gospel. But a heart that has received love from God and is born of God, can only see innocense in people, riches in earthly vessels.

Where Can I Escape from Your Presence

Where can I escape from your love Lord? It surrounds me everywhere. You have searched my heart and you see righteousness! No place, or time can remove me from your amazing love. No heights nor depths can shield me from you. No angel or death can separate me from you. Neither can life, nor the world to come. If I fly on the wings of dawn with the speed of light, there you will be. No imagination or lofty thoughts can temper with the peace in my heart. You are exalted in your goodness and steadfast love. Your love renews my strength, and like the eagle I can soar. Your thoughts are a source of inexplicable peace. Like the shining light, they prosper me. As you lead me forth, with peace and joy, my path shines brighter as one walking towards a light. Without any strings you made available to us your quality of life. Amen!!

Understanding Your Salvation, Knowing Your Identity

Understanding What It means to be Saved is a simple issue, yet it has been complicated by the Church

If you are already a Christian, and you are not sure where you stand, this message is for you. Many times we run after this preacher, or that "General" as some may call them, without actually examining their teachings. If a preacher or a General doesn't have a clear, simple and consistent teaching on Salvation, you should be alarmed. You see, salvation is not something you earn by your works. That's what the scripture says.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9. Verse 9 says

not by works, so that no one can BOAST

Boasting is pride. The definition of pride in the New Testament, is when you boast of your works. When you think that God is pleased because of your works, that is the pinnacle of pride. So humble yourself before the Lord and accept His offer of free gift. Humbling ourselves in this instance means, accepting what God has to offer; believe in Christ. When you receive him, you are given the power to become the son of God. Don't allow pride (self righteousness and religion) to take over your life. Before we come to Christ, we are created or made after the old man Adam. We have been created in his likeness. Adam, though he was made in the image of God, was deceived and chose pride/self righteousness. The scripture says they were made in God's image, pure and simple(read Genesis 1 -3). But when the devil made a proposal that, in order to become like God, they need to perform (eat of the tree), they fell for it. You see, they could have just said "wait a minute, we are already made according to God's image". That should have settled the issue. The devil attacked them at the heart of the problem: their identity. Once their eyes are taken off of who they are, it's a free fall. That dialogue changed the dynamics of their relationship with God. They had a relationship that was based on God's word:

Let us make man according to our image

. They were made in God's likeness, to function like God. But they were deceived into thinking that they were not, and they need to perform or eat of the tree TO BECOME like God. Once they chose self righteousness/works/pride, they rejected God's offer. But thank God for the Good News. Jesus came in the image of the first man, Adam. He then fulfilled the requirement of the Law, and then died, thereby killing the first Adam. When He rose from the dead, He rose a new man. He rose as the second Adam. A man that is not subject to pride, or self righteousness.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new

. If you are in Christ, you have become the righteousness of God. You are a son of God, born of God. You are not born of the flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, like the first Adam. This is the strong foundation that we stand on. Our faith does not stand on shaky ground or sinking sand. Our house is built upon the Rock. James Akot Dallas, TX

Aint No More Judgment Here!

"If you go to Burger King and ask very politely for a double exhaust system for your car they would stare at you with one eye and with the other eye they will scan the area for a candid camera. You don’t buy car spares at a Burger King – WRONG SHOP. In the same way we don’t get condemnation, judgment, tests and temptations at the throne of God. The throne of God is a throne of Grace where you only obtain mercy and help in a time of need. If you are looking for judgment and tests and harsh words – WRONG THRONE ROOM!! God doesn’t have some hidden condemnation safely put away in a secret drawer in the throne just for you. Bertie Brits "

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 KJV

God's judgment has been poured down already! We have been already judged - in Christ! Christ was the perfect sacrifice. The scripture says:

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Isaiah 53:10 KJV

Christ literally took our place. He literally died for every sin that was ever committed, and every sin that will be committed. In one sacrifice, He covered the sins of the earth. The wrath of God was fully directed at him on the cross; thats why Jesus cried out:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matthew 27:46 KJV

God turned His back on Christ that day, so that He will never turn His back on you. Christ became "a man of sorrows" that day:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3 KJV

The Grace of God is not a cheap thing as some would imply. The Grace of God costs Him Christ Jesus. Christ had to suffered immensly to change the dynamics of our relationship with God. The reason you could only find love, mercy, and acceptance in the throne room is because of that sacrifice. God is not turning a blind eye to sin. And no one will be treated differently, unless they rejected this offer. There is no other way of relating to God except through this offer: God became man and included us in the God-head. Christ sits today in the heavenlies in a human body. That body is not subject to the Old Man (first Adam). That Old Man died. Therefore, we cannot relate to Christ as a Jew anymore.

16 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.2 Cor 5: 16-17 ASV

Christ sits on the throne today as a lamb that has been slained; forever in a human form. Nothing will ever change that. And therefore, nothing will ever separate us from the Love of God. We are forever joined unto the Lord. We are forever represented in the throne room. Meanwhile on the other hand, the Holy Spirit will remain in us forever. Nothing will ever change that. Jesus said "I will remain with you to the very end of the age". He does not come and go willie nillie. Take a moment to let this sink in: Christ sits in heaven in a human form forever: the Holy Spirit lives in us forever. God the "Holy Spirit" dwells in us on earth; while "God the Son" in a human body sits on the throne forever. God fulfilled Christs' prayer in John 17 where he said,

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:20-21 KJV

God made a powerful covenant that cannot be broken. The first covenant was with man based on his performance. This last covenant was made with no human participation - except for God coming in a human form in Christ. So basically, God was in both ends of the equation. If you had a scale to measure the weight: the weight on the left will be equal to the right.

The weight balances itself out; for God is on both ends of the scale. Justice is served. God has passed His judgment. Death is defeated. The storm is over. The war is over. Come back home. Come back and enter the Rest that is in Christ. His yoke is easy. He sealed the deal, and He's not going to let man falter with it and mess it up like the first covenant. If you believe, you are forever grafted into His Kingdom. He seated us in His throne room in the heavenlies (Eph 2:6). This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen! James Akot

Set Fire To The Rain

So we're going to Set Fire To the Rain....or, to the old records. Lets go:

We all have our shortcomings and stuff that we are not proud of. Thats just the simple reality. However, we don't have to host a 'pity party' so to speak.

So I'm here to declare to you, that "there's a side to you" that no one knows. You may not be aware of it yourself. You are very valuble in the eyes of God. You literally caught His attention and took His breathe away. It caused Him to send Jesus to die for you, so that you won't have to perish. Maybe in your eyes, or in the eyes of others, you're nothing but a liar. Thats what they may know about you. But I'm here to set those records on fire. In reality, they've already been set on fire 2000 years ago by Christ. I'm only declaring what took place. It's not about religion; or what you must do; or about judging others and comparing yourself to them. Its about what He has done for you: he destroyed your records:

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:13,14 KJV

The Message Version says the following:

When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. Col 2:13-15 The Message

As you can see, Christ erased everything. Now you are joined with God as one. You can almost close your eyes and feel him here - forever. This opportunity is offered to everyone. The Heavens had rain down righteousness, and it has filled the earth.

“Open up, heavens, and rain. Clouds, pour out buckets of my goodness! Loosen up, earth, and bloom salvation; sprout right living. I, God, generate all this. Isaiah 45:8 The Message

God has set fire to our record - he threw Christ into the fire of his wrath and He was pleased to see Christ suffer:

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Isaiah 53:10 KJV

When Christ died, we were in Him - for Christ represented us. We died. He died once. By his death he perfected us forever (Hebrews 10:14) It was a one time sacrifice that was good for all times. This sacrifice cost alot. It was a very expensive sacrifice that it cannot be attained or maintained by our efforts. Set your works on fire (Christ already did that, receive His work) and let the rain (His righteousness) be yours!