WHY SUNDAY IS IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS

Bishop Emmanuel Excel Ogbeide Wrote;

WHY SUNDAY IS IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS:
1.  Jesus rose on the first day of the week not the Sabbath: Mk 16:9
2.  All 6 appearances of Jesus happen on two Sundays, none on Sabbath. Mk 16:9; Mt 28:5-9; Lk 24:34; 

    Lk 24:13-15; Lk 24:33,36 + Jn 20:19; Jn 20:26

3. Christians are recorded assembling three times on Sunday after resurrection and before ascension, never on 

    the Sabbath. Jn 20:19 Jn 20:26 Acts 2:1 (We do not claim that these were worship services, just the early

    starting point of Sunday gatherings)
4. The only time Christians are recorded to have assembled together was on a Sunday in Acts 20:7, never does it

    say the disciples assembled on the Sabbath.

5.  The only day ever mentioned when Christians broke bread was on Sunday: Acts 20:7
6.  Christians are commanded every Sunday to give into a common treasury of the church: 1 Cor 16:1-2
7.  Jesus was declared the Son of God on Sunday: Rom 1:4; Ps 2:7 "Today I have begotten thee" was fulfilled on 
     Sunday when he rose: Acts 13:33
8.  The sign that Jesus was glorified was given on Sunday: Jn 7:39 + Acts 2:1,32
9.  The church officially began on Pentecost Sunday: Acts 2:1
10. Jesus was crowned king on a Sunday: Acts 2:33-36
11. The disciples reception of the promise of the Father on Sunday: Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-4
12. The Holy Spirit first fell upon the apostles on a Sunday: Acts 2:1-4
13. Salvation first preached by Peter on Sunday: Mt 16:19; Acts 2:1,38,40-41
14. The Keys to the Kingdom of God were first used on Sunday: Mt 16:19
15. The great "Triumphal entry" (also called "Palm Sunday") happened on the first day: Luke 13:32
16 The time between the Lord's resurrection (sheaf waving day) and Pentecost was Sunday to Sunday counting of  
     50 days. The starting and stopping time was on the 1st day.
17. First time Jesus worshiped after resurrection was on the first day by Thomas (Jn. 20:26).
18. The first time we could be born again to a living hope was on a Sunday: 1 Pet. 1:3
19. The first time Jesus had communion after his resurrection with His disciples, was on a Sunday: (Lk. 24:1, 13,
      28-35)
20. Pentecost was a Sunday - Sunday duration of 50 days. The starting point and stopping point of counting the
      50 days was a Sunday - Sunday period.

While the Sabbath was significant to the Jews, there is no New Testament significance of the Sabbath in connection with anything of Christ, Christianity, the church or heaven. Hence, christian worship was moved from SABBATH to SUNDAY

See By Faith, Not By Sight

Max Lucado wrote:

On the wall of a concentration camp, a prisoner had carved the following words:

“I believe in the sun, even though it doesn’t shine.

I believe in love, even when it isn’t shown.

I believe in God, even when he doesn’t speak.”

What hand could have cut such a conviction?  What eyes could have seen good in such horror? There’s only one answer:  Eyes that chose to see the unseen.

Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 4:18: “We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see.  What we see will only last a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever.”

We can see either the hurt or the Healer.

Mark it down. God knows you and I are blind.  He knows living by faith and not by sight doesn’t come naturally.  He will help us.  Accept his help.

Either live by the facts or see by faith!

YOU COULD NOW BEGIN TO CHECK YOUR ACTIONS

Do you know that whatever you do everyday counts? 
Considering the 57 Cents story, who on earth will ever think that 57 Cents saved by a little girl could be used to purchase a big cathedral for the people of God? Nobody knew, but God is working silently in every step we take and in whatever we do.
So, it is very important to check whatever we do daily because the Bible says, a day is coming when everybody will give account of whatever they have done here on earth (Romans 14:12), and Jesus said in Matthew 12:36, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."
Don't ever think that anything is wasted, the little help you give to somebody, the contribution that you give in your various churches, even the words of encouragement that you post on this site all count, because people read them and are blessed.
Therefore, as you begin to check your actions on daily basis, May God grant you the heart and the desire to do his will, in the wonderful name of Jesus. Remain blessed.
Jesus loves you and I do too.

IF GOD ANSWERED THE DEVILS' PRAYER...

Do you know that God answered the devils' prayer?
If God answered the devil's prayer, what makes you think He will not answer your own prayer?

Matthew 8:28-32 says, "And when Jesus came to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God? have you come here to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons besought him, saying, If you cast us out, allow us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they came out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters."

Do you see how God granted the devil his request? And if He will listen to the devil and grant him his request, why do you think God will not listen to you, his very own child, and give you your heart's desire when you pray to him? Jesus said in Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

When you pray, believe and trust God, because your prayers are answered in the most precious and powerful name of Jesus. You are so much blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

WHAT SALVATION REALLY IS - A Shocking Discovery

Do you know what salvation really is? Please, don't take this lightly.
The response received most of the time from various people about these Gospel messages has made me to ask God this question, "Why is it that no matter how the Gospel is being preached, people still find it difficult to accept Jesus and be saved?" And the answer I got will surprise you. I have just discovered that the reason many people do not care about getting saved is that they don't actually understand what salvation really is. For if they were able to understand what salvation really is and its main purpose, nobody will be begging anybody, and almost everybody will be running to Jesus Christ for salvation.

A man wearing slippers and a tattered shirt, riding a bicycle, approached a man who just came out of his luxurious Limousine car. After a brief interaction, the man with slippers said, "I just want you to know that you need Jesus so that you could be saved. The luxurious limousine man stood for few seconds, looked at the slippers man from head to toe, and said to him, "I think you need that Jesus more than me," and walked away. Certainly, just as this luxurious man, many people think that salvation is just being saved from sin so that they can begin to live a better live both here and in heaven. But if living a better life has been the only main purpose of salvation, then those who are now living luxurious lives will have no need of salvation, since they are already living a better life.

So, what then is salvation, and from what are you saved?
SALVATION IS, TO BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD. The Bible says that a day is coming when God is going to be annoyed, and will pour down his wrath upon people who refuse to accept the only means of salvation which He has offered, the Lord Jesus Christ, as seen in Romans 1:18 which says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." And Hebrews 2:3 says, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;" In fact, New Living Translation says, "So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?"

Do you see how salvation then means, to be saved from the wrath of God? Yes, Many people have not yet known this, and do not understand that this same God who is so good, compassionate and full of grace and so loving that he sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, has also set aside a day as seen in Acts 17:31, "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." And if you don't know what the wrath of God will look like, just read the words of Jesus concerning that very day in Luke 23:30, " Then people will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’, and to the hills, ‘Cover us up!" Yes, on that day, people will be begging the mountains to fall on them so that they could die in order to escape the terrible situation, but the mountains will refuse to fall on them. Honestly, that day is coming, and the only way to be saved is by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ now. Romans 5:9 says, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

I pray that this message will touch as many souls as possible, who are still ignorant of the main purpose of salvation, so that they could accept the Lord Jesus Christ in order to escape this terrible and fierce wrath, and find peace with God our loving Father and eternal creator.
Jesus loves you and I do too.

OBEYING GOD IS NOT AN OPTION

Obeying God is not something that someone will choose to do or not, but it is something that we must do in order to have peace with God, enjoy everyday life, and live well.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says, "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God."

Let's obey him today that we may find peace with him and live a happy life.

Jesus loves you and I do too.

IRON SHARPENETH IRON

Do you know that in order for the iron (knife or spade) to be very sharp, it requires another iron (the file) to sharpen it? Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Yes, we need to encourage each other as seen in Hebrews 3:13 which says, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." And that's why we need to encourage each other.


Also, I just want to thank all of you who are sharing the word of God on this site, because by these, many believers are strengthened. To God be the glory.

Thus, for everyone doing it now, Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." And those of you who have not yet started, learn how to do it, and you will find out that you yourself will be strengthened as you continue to share the word of God. May the Lord God Almighty bless you all as you do this.
Jesus loves you and I do too.

WHAT YOU GET IN RETURN

A man and his son went 4 a hike on the mountain. Suddenly the son slip and falls,so he screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhh!!!" to his surprise he hears a voice reapeating somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhh!!!". Curious,he yells: "who are you?" he recives the answer: "who are you?" Angered at the response,he screams: "coward", he recive the answer: "coward". He looks to his father and asks: "whats going on?". The father smiles and says: "my son,pay attention", and then he screams: "i admire you!". The voice answer: "i admire you!". Again the man screams "you are my champion", the voice answer "you are my champion". The boy was surprised,but does not understand. Then the father explains "people call this ECHO,but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart, if you want more competence in your team,improve your competence..."

-This relationship applies to everything in aspects of our life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it. SAY and DO good...
Life gives it back to you the way you give it out.
-The greatess among all is psalm 111:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever"

-Why not put in your best into what ever you are doing this week and the remaining part of the year, and watch out how your life will change for the best...

The Superiority of the Bible over Science

WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD, AND NOT SCIENCE

The Bible will tell you a thing before it happens, but science will always look for ways to explain and prove what has already happened.

Whatever the Bible says is very sure and certain, and they will surely come to pass, but science is based on experience, which comes from experiment, observation and inference.

Scientific theories are changing from time to time as new ones are discovered, but nobody have been able to change whatever the Bible says. Yes, the word of God is the unchangeable changer, does not change and yet can change every situation.
Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89
Thank you Lord for this precious gift of your word.

Words: Power Tools

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things - (Matthew 12:34-35, NCV).

Friend to Friend
Words are power tools that, in the right hands and used correctly, can build and encourage. However, in the wrong hands and used incorrectly words can destroy or, at the very least, cause confusion. Life is filled with men and women who have been hurt and even defeated by words spoken in anger or words rising out of a wounded and bitter heart. In fact, many people are guilty of speaking damaging words with the ulterior motive of flaunting power or demonstrating control. It is so easy for my mouth to be in motion before my mind is in gear, and the result is rarely good or godly. The words we speak can clarify or complicate a situation. I have watched my husband, Dan, defuse an emotional bomb and avoid a potentially explosive situation with a few carefully chosen and quietly spoken words of wisdom. I have also observed him in the art of confrontation – and with Dan, it really is an art. In fact, one person told me that she was halfway home before she realized that she had just been corrected by Dan.

Church bulletins are prime examples of the confusion that misused words can cause. Here are a few real and interesting examples:

"This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north end of the church.  Children will be baptized at both ends."

"Tuesday at 5 p.m. there will be an ice cream social. All the ladies giving milk - please come early."

"Wednesday, the Ladies Literary Society will meet. Mrs. Johnson will sing, 'Put me in My Little Bed' accompanied by the pastor."

"Thursday at 5 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All those wishing to become little mothers will please meet with the minister in the study.”

"This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Brown to come forward and lay an egg on the altar."

"The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind, and they can be seen in the church basement on Friday afternoon."

Yes, these illustrations are humorous, but there is nothing funny about the grief that careless words can cause. Unless strained through discipline and holiness, words can impart false perspectives and untruths. However, the right word, spoken at the right time and in the right way can bring order in the midst of confusion, light on a very dark path as well as wisdom and insight.

I believe God gives us spiritual “radar” so we can assess a situation and speak the right word for that circumstance. In fact, Paul writes, “Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone” (Colossians 4:6). We just need to check the “radar screen” before we speak. 

Solomon offers great wisdom concerning the use of words, “Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3, GWT). If we do not learn to use and control our tongue, it will use and control us. While it is true that we need to choose our words carefully, it is just as true that the tongue is a spiritual thermometer that reflects the condition of the heart.

I am not a good patient and tend to think that most medical rules apply to everyone else in my life – but not to me. After all, I am a woman and I am a Southerland. According to my husband, it doesn’t get much tougher than that. Two years ago, I was slammed with a high fever and blinding headache that sent me to bed for days, something highly unusual for me. I called my doctor. When he heard my symptoms, he told me to come in immediately and even though his waiting room was full, he would make room for me in his already crammed schedule. His urgency was not encouraging.

The minute I walked in his office, the receptionist waved me back to the patient area where a nurse promptly escorted me to an examination room, hurriedly recorded my symptoms, took my temperature, glanced briefly at my tongue and quickly left the room. Minutes later, the doctor and a nurse walked in and stood on the opposite side of the room, almost smiling at me. At this point, I realized that whatever I had was evidently highly contagious and probably fatal. I felt so awful that the latter was most appealing.

“Mary, I am almost certain you have viral meningitis,” the doctor said. Seeing the blank look on my face, he explained, “Your abnormally high fever of 104 and severe headache are classis symptoms of meningitis, but we need to run some tests to verify my suspicions. Oh, and by the way, how long have you had the solid white coating on your tongue?” I was stunned! What coating? Why is the color of my tongue even important in determining my illness? The doctor continued, “The health of the tongue is a very strong indicator of the health of the entire body.” 

The same is true when it comes to the words we speak. “The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things” (Matthew 12:34-35 NCV). If my words are boastful, my heart is insecure. If my words are filthy, my heart is impure, and if my words are critical, my heart is filled with pride and anger. In other words, the problem is not really my mouth, it is my heart. As my mama would say, “What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket!” 

A minister was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed a little boy who had wandered into his yard and was carefully watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would eventually get bored and leave, but he didn't. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, "Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?” The little boy grinned and replied, "Nope, I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."

The subject of taming the tongue is a hard one. Since communication is a gift from God, He has a plan for the right way to use it. My problem is that I tend to think my plan is better. I know. I can be arrogant … and stubborn. Someone recently sent me this prayer: “Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth.” Amen!

It has been estimated that most people speak enough words in one week to fill a large 500 page book. In the average lifetime, this would amount to 3,000 volumes or 1,500,000 pages. Let me ask you a question. What kind of book did you write today for your children – your spouse – your friends and co-workers? Did you use words to encourage someone today? Join me in a fresh commitment to carefully choose and lovingly speak words of life.   

Let’s Pray
Father, I can be so careless with the words I speak. Please forgive me and help me learn how to control my tongue. Create in me a clean heart, God, so that I can speak words filled with grace and love. In Jesus’s name, amen. 

Now It’s Your Turn
Read Colossians 4:6. “Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.”

How would you describe words that are “gracious?”
How can our words be “effective” in the lives of others?
What do you think Paul means when he says that we can have the “right answer for everyone?”

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary’s E-Book Bible Study, God’s Answer to Stress, and discover the peace of God – even in your most chaotic moments.

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