Thanking God for making us His children and giving us His Spirit

Romans 8:4-17: To be read

Before his crucifixion, Jesus Christ told his disciples that He will not leave them as orphan but will send them the Holy Spirit. When we were sinners, we were like nice phones with no sim card. They cannot be used for communication, even if they are expensive and look nice. They are of no use to the owner. The moment we got born again, a new spirit was placed in us and this is what enables us to communicate with God. The new spirit is what we can compare here to a new sim card in a phone. It is a new identity.

We became Children of God and heirs of God.

In the past, We grew up thinking that there are people who are more acceptable before God than others. That there are mediators between us and God that we must go through in order to get to Him. This is false because just like my children cannot send an outsider to speak to me on their behalf or to ask me something for them, so it is the same with our heavenly father, we go to him directly because we are His children and we have access before Him.



Remember  that God has blessed you like He blessed Jesus so that you can do what He has called you to do. Rejoice Child of God!

                                          1 John 1:12
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name"

THANKING GOD FOR CHRIST WHOM HE SENT TO SAVE US

Scripture Reference: John 3:16

This month of December, we have dedicated it to thanking God at Oasis Christian Center. Praising God and thanking Him, should not be done not as a habit but with a reason. We thank Him for His love for us.  This is the love that we see from Genesis where God created us (mankind) in love and gave us His nature so that we would fulfill His will for our lives.

In John 3:16, we see this love magnified. Jesus Christ said that: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 

It is sad to see how someone from childhood can live life struggling to find happiness and they end up never finding it.

This eternal life that Christ offers to us is not just unending life, but a different type of life called Zoe life, abundant life. 

Why do We need Christ? 

We need him because all of us have been separated from God because of our sinful nature inherited from Adam and Eve, whose disobedience attracted a curse on all their descendants.

Ephesians 2:3 says: "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." 

The nature of our flesh brings us to do things contrary to the will of God and it is what brings condemnation in our lives. We were looking for peace and seeking temporary joy but it brought instead negative consequences into our lives. The separation that Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden also brought spiritual death to us their descendants.

This is what caused God to send His one and only son to die for us so that whosoever will believe in Him would have eternal life.

So, even as we prepare ourselves for Christmas, it is good to remember that Jesus Christ's birth alone would not have saved people. You can believe that Jesus was a great man, but that will not save you. What brought salvation to the nations is the fact that He died and rose again.  So the question today is are you one of those who only believe that he existed or was a great man? or are you living out His life, the one that He gave you?

If you are this point in your life where you are ready to make a personal commitment to follow Christ, you can use this words as guide to your prayer and say: "Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself.

Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.

We wish you all a fantastic month of thanksgiving!!

The blood of Jesus Christ has set us apart 

Scripture Reference: Leviticus 8:24

The fact that we are today kings and priests is not a coincidence. God set us apart to be kings and priests and all this happened through the work of redemption and the blood that Christ shed for us. We have seen that life is in the blood. Today, we are going to see how the blood of Jesus Christ has set us apart to be kings and priests to God.

Leviticus 8: 23-24 says: "And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about."

Aaron and his sons were being set apart in order to be priests to God. God couldn't allow a sinner to enter into his presence.  It was for this purpose that an animal had to be punished in their place. Three things that Moses did that had significance: He applied the blood of the ram on the tip of Aaron and His son's right ear, upon the thumb of their right hand and the great toe of their right feet.

 First, He applied the blood on the right ear because from the fall of Adam, mankind seized to have a spiritual relationship with God. For this reason, it was impossible for a human being to hear the voice of God in his heart. People could only hear it with their physical ears and this mainly through prophets.

Today, because of the blood of Jesus Christ shed for us, we have access to revelations from God. It's good to note that the first miracle that Christ Jesus did while redeeming us, was to put back the ear of the soldier (that had been cut off by Peter). The blood of Jesus Christ was shed so that we can be removed from condemnation, so that we can discern and know the will of God. The bible says in the book of Hebrews 8:10 that : "This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

God wrote His laws in our hearts.

Secondly, as Moses applied the blood upon the thumb of the right hand so was Christ pierced in His hands, and blood came out- this was to give you the right to serve God. To be a priest and stand before God pure and raise your hands to Him. This also means that as a Christ believer and disciple, you should never fear laying your hands on people.

Thirdly, just like Moses applied the blood on the great toe of the right foot, so was Jesus Christ pierced on the feet and blood came out: This was so that you will stand firm and so that the gates of Hell will not prevail against you. In the past, as we see it in the book Judges 1:6 that if they wanted someone not to run away, they would cut off his big toes and this would hinder this person from standing firm. Ephesians 6:13 says that: " You must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand."

Yes, the devil will come to seek a way to destroy your life. And you have no power of your own to overcome His plans. A life full of fear, challenges and tears is not what God prepared for you. Each time you are going through tough times, believe in the blood of Christ shed for you to stand in those tough times. It is because of the blood of Christ that you have victory over all things!

The blood of Jesus Christ speaks

Blood speaks. The story of Cain and Abel displays this fact, as we see it in Genesis 4:9-10: "And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground."

The blood of Jesus Christ speaks. The word says in Hebrews 12:24 "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

If you are born again, the blood that is flowing in you speaks of the value of the blood that has redeemed you. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says " Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (Also read 1 John 1:1-7, 1 Peter 1:1-2).

The blood of Jesus Christ enables us to walk in the victory that we have received. 

1. The blood of Jesus Christ gives us victory over rebellion and sin. Let's look at Luke 22: 40-44: 

"And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and knelt down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

There was blood that was shed because of the obedience of Jesus Christ to go to Calvary. Jesus Christ overcame the temptation of disobedience by being obedient and He shed His blood for that. Because of His blood, you can stand before all temptations and say: "I will not fall into this temptation but pass over it because of the blood that the Saviour shed in the Garden of Gethsemane for me, because He overcame all temptation."

2. The blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sin

Matthew 27: 29 says: "And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!"

Jesus Christ wore a crown of thorns and was mocked and disgraced so that you can be clothed with His Glory- so that He can remove all disgrace and mockery in your life.Just like a husband is honored and pleased when his wife looks good, the beauty and glory of the church causes Christ to be honored. 

The Lord endured poverty for us. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we have been healed. Jesus Christ endured it all so that you can be prosperous.

Today, just like Haman paraded Mordecai through the city square, crying out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor." so does the blood of Jesus Christ speak blessings upon your life saying "this is what is done to the man that the King has been good to."

Thank Him for His blood!!

The Victory that is found in the Blood of Jesus Christ

In your blood, there is life. When a person dies, the blood stops. And in his blood, that‘s where his identity is. Adam is the only human being that did not receive blood from another human. All of us have inherited blood from our parents.

Our Blood can also carry blessings and curses. In life, you can find people or families who never progress, never get married or always get divorced, others are prone to particular types of disease... all these are some of the ties created through blood. Many pray asking God to help them but not knowing what He has already done through the blood of Jesus Christ- which is His own blood.

Jesus Christ was born in a supernatural way, with no earthly father, but a heavenly father and hence carrying the blood of God and His DNA. He became the second Adam- with no curse in His blood, He was fully qualified to redeem us from our sin’s nature and all the curses that came as a result of the fall of Adam.

Because of His blood, we have been saved, redeemed and removed from the dominion of Satan (Ephesians 1:7-12).Jesus Christ shed His blood at various points of the crucifixion: when He was sweating in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he was wearing a crown of thorns,  as he was being beaten up, pierced - and many other times. Each and every drop of blood that He shed was for our full redemption which required that a ransom and sacrifice be paid.

After His death on the cross, He descended to the lower parts of the earth and Satan found that He had no right to keep him there. Jesus Christ commanded that now, every captive who had been held by Satan be set free.

Today, as a believer, you need to know that the blood of Jesus Christ gave you a spiritual DNA- God’s DNA. When you were born for the first time, you had the DNA of your father. Being born again gave you a new identity in Christ, that’s why curses cannot catch you. Today, you don’t need to go through people, saints, angels, Mary,  to get to God. Jesus Christ qualified you to enter into the Holy of Holies and He paid a ransom for that. His blood continuously cleanses you.

Believe what the blood has already done for you and Thank God for that!

By Nahimana Dieudonne

Walking by Faith leads to a good end

Hebrews 11: 1 and 8 says : 

      “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

      ^“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” (Hebrews 11:8)

Faith is believing God and His word. Abraham, our father and the father of faith obeyed God and left a place he had known for many years, to go to another place where God was going to show him.

Even though Abraham had obeyed God, He did not let go of Lot but travelled with him.

There are different steps that God takes you through in your walk of faith

 The First step is to make a decision to separate yourself from things that your life was founded on and move from one place to another. We chose to move from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light. Just like a lady who is getting married to a gentleman, you have to leave everything behind and cleave to Christ.

Second Step: Genesis 13

Abraham had to separate himself from Lot. They had different perspectives. Some people may be great but not born again. You have to let go of them. Lot could also represent your siblings, friends, etc... a time comes when you have to separate yourself from them and follow Christ.

Many Christians are carrying a “Lot” around. You need to let go of Him.

Third Step:

Abraham also learnt to give to God. He gave tithes to Melchizedek before that law was instituted. He understood the importance of it. You should not give because you want something back from God. You should give because you love God.

Fourth Step:

Abraham made the mistake of sleeping with Hagar and bringing forth Ishmael. He did it, thinking that God will be pleased. But He was wrong.

 Jesus told us not to judge because many people in their faith can make mistakes. It happens. This mistake did not stop Abraham from becoming the father of many nations. Moses killed the Egyptian, but that did not stop him from leading the children of Israel out of Egypt.

 Abraham was restored and God gave Him Isaac.  Even though you might have made mistakes, or been slowed down by Ishmael, there is a restoration coming. One of the things God desires for you is to live a life of rest.

Abraham finished his life being known as one who lived a life of faith.

How is your walk of faith?

By Senior Pastor Dieudonne

Sunday 13/10/2013

Scripture Reference: Mark 11:22-24

Pasteur Nahimana Dieudonne

The bible is divided in two parts: the time before Jesus Christ lived and time after He lived. In the Old Testament, people waited for the promises that God had given them. Sometimes God will give them the privilege of experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit for a short time, and then the Holy Spirit would depart from them. Today, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as new creatures, we don’t wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled- because Jesus Christ fulfilled all the promises for us and gave us the Holy Spirit to live in us. Instead, we live them out.

The story is told in the bible of the fig tree that the master went to look for some fruit on it. It looked good but He found no fruit on it. He cursed it, and the next day, the disciple found it withered. There are some lessons that Jesus wanted to teach the disciples here.

First is that faith speaks. Jesus said: “Truly[f] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Here, Jesus was teaching His disciple what prayer is.

In prayer, we don’t speak to God about the mountain or pray to God to remove the mountain for us. We speak to the mountain. When the storm raged, Jesus Christ did not call or pray to the father to stop it. But He commanded the storm to stop.

Secondly, when you pray, check that you are praying in faith. Let nothing in this world cause you to fear and stop you from having faith. The enemy that many believers have today is thinking that what we have in Christ is not enough.

Thirdly, Jesus said believe in God. In other words, be at peace and stand in faith, waiting until He fulfills what you have asked for.

Finally, a verse to remember is the prayer Paul made to the Ephesians, He said : “For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:15-21)

Amen!!