MY BLOODLINE

In some, no strength

In others, no health

In many, no wealth

Weaknesses through blood are spread

The blood-curse rages

Storms blow through ages

Confused men seek sages

Yet the plague ravages

The Truth, His blood He shed

On a cross the Saviour bled

Rivulets running red

Demons at His face fled

Since then a new family

God now Fathering

Not a cursed family tree

Rather, a blessed pedigree

A superior race, a higher life

Not blood-mediated, at least not human

A new family, a new bloodline

Not of flesh & blood; so purely divine

In my bloodline, there's strength

In my lineage, there's health

My pedigree is rich in wealth

His blood flows, the blessing spreads

Won't you switch bloodlines?

Won't you join mine?

Won't you come into the light?

Won't you partake of this life?

PLEASED 👍

So, I am pleased with myself right now!

Not because of what I'm doing -- well, sometimes I think they are cool -- but because God is pleased with me. Christ's sacrifice ensures this and if it's enough for God, then it's enough for me (Romans 5:1-2; 1 John 5:13; Romans 8:1,31-34)! My actions however, are also pleasing to God, done in faith. I believe God loves my actions too (when they are done in the spirit) but they never affect what He thinks about me (Galatians 1 & 2). I couldn't please God before, but now, having His faith, I am pleasing to Him (Romans 8:8-9; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:6)!

So, no matter what, I am pleased with anyone God is pleased with, starting from myself, and I am pleased with them every time God is (which is everytime) because I am a son of God, with God's own nature.

The world doesn't know God's children because the world doesn't know Him; I love God's children because I love Him (1 John 3:1; then 1 John 5:1), and I am God's child!!! I LOVE HIM (because He first loved me (1 John 4:19)), therefore I love me (5:1)!

But my actions too:

They should please God, because I have His nature. I have been created in Christ Jesus, not just for fun, but unto good works, planned for me to do sinnnce (Ephesians 2:10)!!! I have been called out of darkness into His marvellous light, not for nothing, but to show forth the praises of the One who did this (1 Peter 2:9).

So from now on, I am not to live for myself, but for the One in whom I have been made alive. He took my death, that I may live for Him (Romans 14:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:15)!

And the consciousness of Him, of His sacrifice, is important: I am in Him, I am a partaker of His body and blood and, as He says, I do it all "in remembrance of Me" (1 Corinthians 11:23-32). Looking unto Jesus makes it possible for me to run the race aright, for I see all that He did and I can keep running with patience. I will never suffer as He did anyway, and even if so: there's a greater joy before me (Hebrews 12:1-5; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:18; 1 Peter 5:9; Revelation 2:10).

Ultimately, I am conscious of Him and of His body -- the church -- of His leading and of His will, that my actions may be a sweet smelling sacrifice unto Him (1 Peter 2:5), this is the only right -- and sensible -- thing to do anyway, considering what He has done: Romans 12:1.

Citizen Me

Hebrews 12:22-29

... 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

This is not supposed to be scary in any way, the point is this: I am now in a new kingdom, and I have a new identity and citizenship. I do not operate as I did before I was saved and so, I should not work for this world but for the next, which is my true world. Why? Well, my works will be tested; they'll pass through fire and some things will be burned up: those considered unprofitable, but those of eternal value will remain! See 1 Corinthians 3; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Galatians 6:7-10; 1 Timothy 4:6-10; 2 Peter 3:10-13 for more details.

So, why do things that do not matter eternally, when I am now able to do things of eternal importance?

why would I do things of importance in a world to which I do not belong, when I can "invest", (lay up treasures) in heaven, of which I am a citizen (Philippians 3:20-21)?

The way forward?

I'll renew my mind by the word (Romans 12:2). I'll let the mind which was in Christ Jesus be in me (Philippians 2:1-18). This is what I need to do so I can express the new man which I now am in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24).

And how do I do this? I simply keep my mind on Christ; I keep beholding Him, His image, which is mine too (Ephesians 4:24)! I look into the perfect law of liberty continually and thereby begin to do what is written in it (James 1:25). As I come into knowledge of all that is in us who are in Christ, my participation in my faith becomes effectual (Philemon 1:6) and I am assured that as I keep looking at this image of God, His spirit will transform me into that very image.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

This image is beautiful, and as I keep seeing it, knowing that it is my true image: I still am, and always will be, pleased with myself!

BELIEVE ON

So I was discussing with a brother on Sunday & we got talking about what it means to "believe on" the name of Jesus. Really, it seems it's only the King James Version of the Bible that uses the preposition "on" in verses like Acts 16:33 & 1 John 5:13; so it can be said to be archaic English.

Still, those words communicate something that we rarely pay close attention to. The Amplified version consistently describes faith as the "leaning of the entire human personality on God". Believing on Jesus, then, means I rest my faith entirely on Him as the only way to the Father, my only hope of salvation, the only Saviour.

Increasingly, some Christians want to capitulate, avoid conflict, sound less bigoted & more progressive by saying that there are many ways to God or that a good Moslem or a "good" person may enter heaven or be recognised by God. My question to them is: do you even believe the Bible to be true?

Jesus claimed to be THE WAY in John 14:6 and went so far as to say that no man can approach the Father except by Him. Either He lied or such people are deluded. Let God be true & every man a liar. If we even begin to think otherwise, then there's no point sharing the gospel, no point begging men to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). They can just believe anything they want as long as they are "good". No! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus only!

There's another category of Christians who believe that the ticket to heaven is a combination of Jesus & good works. The Bible does say that those of us who believe should be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8&14), but nowhere did the Holy Spirit indicate them as a condition for eternal salvation or damnation. In fact, Jesus said clearly that the one who believes on Him does not come into condemnation & the reason the unbeliever is condemned is because he has not believed (not his works) (John 3:18).

This is the gospel to preach to the unbeliever, not good works! Some of them have good works, God sees them as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), but then we preach repentance from sin rather than Jesus the life-giver, the sanctifier; we can't reach them. They see no need for Jesus. On the other hand, for those that are deep in the actions of sin, they feel too dirty to come to Jesus. What satanic deceit! Oh, but when we tell them the good news: Jesus the life-giver, Jesus the arms-wide-open Saviour, they see Him, they come!

Someone may ask: what about the sinning saint? Indeed, walking in sin has many dangers listed all through the new testament, but the only sin that puts men in hell today is NOT BELIEVING on Jesus (John 3:18, John 16:9, Hebrews 3:12). Can a Christian stop believing in Jesus? Evidently so. That's why 1 John 5:13, Hebrews 3:12&13 and a host of other letters were written to Christians in different places at different times. That is why I have written this to you: "that you may continue to believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13 AMP). In other words, you believe on His name alone, BELIEVE ON (keep believing)!

On Christ the solid rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

ALL other ground is sinking sand!

SEXUAL PURITY CONFESSIONS

SEXUAL PURITY CONFESSIONS

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful to me. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. My body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for my body. God both raised up the Lord and will also raise me up by His power.

My body is a member of Christ. Shall I then prostitute the body of Christ? Certainly not! I become one flesh with anyone and everyone I play the harlot with, therefore, I do not give of myself indiscriminately. I am joined with the Lord and I am one spirit with Him. Therefore, I flee sexual immorality because sexual immorality is a sin against my own body. I most certainly know that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in me, whom I have from God. I AM NOT MY OWN! I WAS BOUGHT AT A PRICE, THEREFORE I GLORIFY GOD IN MY BODY AND IN MY SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S.

True worship is absolute consecration. All of me is all God's.

I am unmarried, therefore I care for the things of God - how I may please my Lord. I am an unmarried (wo)man, therefore I care about the things of the Lord, that I may be holy both in body and in spirit. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. God is holy, therefore, I am holy. My spirit is holy, my body is holy and my mind is renewed to these realities. I am free to serve the Lord without distraction. I am happy as I am. Therefore, I do not run with uncertainty. I do not fight as one who beats the air. I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. I run the good race in such a way that I shall obtain an imperishable crown.

I do not provoke the Lord to jealousy by playing the harlot with men and idols. I cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. I cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. All things are lawful for me but not all things edify. By one Spirit, I have been baptised into one body - the body of Christ. I discern the Lord's body so I consider not my own body. I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

So help me God, by grace. Amen.

Seun Osoniyi

SHALOM NIGERIA!

FORGIVEN

I feel so free
I am so free

Even when I felt heavy
Felt like I was under a thick dark cloud
Seemed like the Father's smile had faded
I had messed up; nothing seemed to make sense
Even then Your hand was there

Your face was shining on me
I just didn't know it
Even then Your arms were wide open
Your gaze was fixed on me

Then when I fixed my gaze on you
Everything else faded away
I looked into Your Word
Light dawned!

When I turned my attention to Your love
When in You I rediscovered my reason for being
When in You I found succour
When in Your warm embrace I found grace
Better still, grace found me.....

Then I knew I was free all the while
Then I felt the freedom that was mine
Then the day dawned , the Daystar arose
I am a son, never stopped being one
I am an heir, all things are still mine
Celebration time, jubilation galore
I'll be rejoicing all the day, I'll still be singing when the evening comes

Your grace has found me just as I am

HOMO SAPIENS DIVINUS NOW!

I was meditating on God's Word, that's when I saw Homo sapiens divinus (the best scientific name for the new creation in my estimation). Alas, when I decided to write on it & I was going to check google for pictures that might portray the concept; I discovered something I'd never known or imagined; that's why I'm writing this follow-up post.

There is actually an entire subculture in relation to Homo sapiens divinus. Ranging from fiction to science to new age/human consciousness religions; there are different lines of thought about either Homo sapiens divinus or Homo divinus. Now, all of them have a right to believe what they choose to believe. Some believe that Homo divinus is the progenitor of Homo sapiens. Some believe that is what Adam & Eve were; that they were given God-consciousness and, after the fall, produced Homo sapiens. Some cults believe man will evolve (in consciousness) to become Homo divinus, albeit a different kind from the original. The only actual reference to the term "Homo sapiens divinus" is fictional.

Now, what does that have to do with you, my friend? If you're reading this, and you are a child of God by virtue of believing in Jesus Christ; hear what the bible says about you:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are OF GOD.....(2Corinthians 5:17 & 18)

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have ETERNAL LIFE.....(1John 5:12 & 13)

You're a new creature, a new species, a new kind of being. All things in you have become new, and all these new things are of God! You have a new kind of life that Homo sapiens sapiens does not have because it is only available in the Son of God (Jesus). This life makes you a son of God, just like Jesus. Now He has it & you have it; it's eternal life, the God-kind of life, the nature of God, the DIVINE life. That is why you're no longer Homo sapiens sapiens like Joe next door; you are Homo sapiens divinus now. Mark it: DIVINUS.

I write to you who believe in Jesus, that you may know that you have a higher life, and that you may truly live this higher life here on earth. It's not an existence that ended with Adam & Eve or that will begin after death alone. No, my friend! It's a present tense reality!

I write to announce to the entire world: Homo sapiens divinus is not just the fictional group of humans in the Assassin's Creed game; Homo sapiens divinus is real!

I write to announce to the scientific world; to evolutionists, creationists & creation-evolutionists alike: Homo divinus may or may not be a progenitor of Homo sapiens; but greater than Homo divinus is here. Homo sapiens divinus has come into being! It happened 2,000 years ago when the Galilean Jew named Jesus died for you & rose again. Everyone who believes in Him today becomes Homo sapiens divinus, not by virtue of anatomical or physiological change; but by the power of a superior (spirit) life! You can too, yes you can!

I write to announce to all the new age, human consciousness & transcendental meditation religions & groups: there may or may not be a Homo divinus coming, but Homo sapiens divinus is already here! He is not merely a future concept, a unifying of minds or a fully self-aware human. No sir! He is a present day being that possesses the nature of God, is indwelt by divinity & has the mind of Christ! We are Homo sapiens divinus. Join us, you can; yes you can!

I write to remind you, my fellow Homo sapiens divinus, of who you are. When the world & the surrounding circumstances threaten your existence & challenge everything you hold dear; when the storm comes & the rain beats down hard on you, let the soul of an overcomer rise within you; remind yourself who you are. You are a human born of God (Homo sapiens divinus); you have overcome the world!!! There aren't enough exclamation marks in the world to shout-write it!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.