Christian Searchlight

  *_"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."_* *Galatians 3:13–14* *_You Are an Heir of the World!_* _*God’s blessings are part of our inheritance in the new covenant of grace, which Jesus died to give us. God’s Word tells us that “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us...that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Isn’t it interesting that the Lord is very specific in mentioning that Christ became a curse for us on the cross, so that we can experience and enjoy the blessing of Abraham? He does not want us to simply experience any kind of blessing. He wants us to experience the blessing of Abraham. I think ...

Explanation 3 of Paul’s key teachings. How should believers apply them?* Propitiation: Because God is holy and demands perfection in purity and separation from sin, He must punish sin. Sin requires a blood sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22(ESV) Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. From immediately after the fall of man, the shedding of an animal’s blood has been seen as an appropriate payment for appeasing God in covering the sins of the offender.  His covenant was endorsed in blood, and the shedding of blood is required to atone for our sins against Him.  In the OT, the blood of an animal was shed as a covering for the sin. But Jesus shed His blood to become our sacrifice as a propitiation or appropriate payment for our sin. In other words the blood of Jesus did what an animal’s blood could not do. Jesus’ blood removed the sin and cleansed us from all unrighteousness. Romans 3:23-26(ESV) Fo...

  *_Spiritual Insight_* And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." *Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.* ~2 Kings 6:17 It sure makes a difference on our whole outlook in life. May God open our eyes that we might see the truth. That we might not just see the obvious physical things, but that we might see the spiritual realities. For many times in the physical realm it looks like defeat. Unless we can see it in the spiritual realm, then we know there is a sure victory. If we look only at the flesh and at the physical, we are prone many times to be filled with fear, with despair and hopelessness because it looks like things are hopeless. That's only because we're looking at the things which are seen. But Paul said, *"we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen...

*_"And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked."_* *Acts 14:8–10* _*THERE IS POWER IN HEARING THE GOSPEL PREACHED!*_ _*Have you ever wondered how the crippled man in today’s scripture, who had never walked, came to be filled with faith when he heard Paul speaking? What words generated such faith?*_ _*Let’s look at this closely in today’s reading. The Bible only says that Paul was “preaching the gospel” (Acts 14:7). It doesn’t say that he was teaching divine healing.*_ _*The Bible also states that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). So the man at Lystra was filled with faith because he heard the word of Christ!*_ _*I know that in most Bible translations, it says that faith co...

  *_The Proverbs 31 Woman and the Ephesians 5 Man: A Match Made in Heaven_* In the book of Proverbs, we read about the character and value of a virtuous woman in chapter 31. This passage describes a woman who is hardworking, diligent, and wise. She is a valuable asset to her husband and family, and she is praised and respected by those around her. Many men desire to find such a woman, but it's important to note that if a man wants a Proverbs 31 woman, he must first become an Ephesians 5 man. In Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul describes the roles of husbands and wives in marriage. He instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. A man who desires a Proverbs 31 woman must be willing to sacrificially love his wife and put her needs before his own, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. Ephesians 5:25-28 says, *"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanc...

  *_"For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.”_* *Psalm 132:13–16* *_THE MOUNTAIN WHERE GOD DWELLS!_* _*My dear reader, I want to announce to you today that God has moved mountains. He is no more on Mount Sinai, which only breeds fear and insecurity in your relationship with Him and drives you deeper into destructive behaviours with no hope of freedom.*_ _*Because of the cross of Jesus, where God’s wrath for all our sins was poured out, He has moved to Mount Zion, the mountain of grace, the place of reconciliation, relationship, and closeness with His people. On this mountain you find yourself running to God to experience intimacy with Him that gives you strength and changes you from the inside out.*_ _*In the Psa...

  *Grace's Answer - Description of Events in the Acts of Apostles  The Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost: The eleven disciples were told by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, when they would be clothed with power from on high (Luke24:49). They had no idea how long they would have to wait. They stayed for ten long days anxiously expecting something to happen. The disciples still thought that Jesus was going to deliver Israel from the Romans. (Acts 1:6)  Now that Jesus had ascended into heaven, they fasted and prayed and sang songs of worship in the temple daily, hoping for some sign to tell them what they were to do next. Jesus had said they would be baptised by the Holy Spirit not many days after He went back to heaven. (Acts 1:5) But none of them had any idea what that meant. All they knew was that Jesus had promised them power from heaven. Acts 1:8(ESV) “But you will receive power  when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,  and you...

  *Moving beyond your Comfort Zone*  Fear is an evil spirit from Satan. Satan is the one who destroys destinies by making the situation look so impossible that individuals believe they can’t succeed. But God is the God of the impossible. 33 2 Timothy 1:7(NLT) For God has not given us  a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Jabez also wanted to reject independence and self-confidence caused by sinful pride. He did not want to lag behind what God had planned for him, nor rush ahead in his own achievements. He needed God’s empowerment. Zechariah 4:6(NIV) … ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. Devine Protection: “That you would keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” Jabez wanted God’s presence to surround Him. He wanted to be held by God. He wanted to feel protected and safe. He wanted to be filled with God’s peace.  The motivation for Jabez’s prayer was so that he could leave h...

  *True Riches (The Capital That Buys Money)  (As a Believer, you will never be able to reach the corridors of dominion in poverty. Choosing to live a purposeful and meaningful life requires a determination to distance yourself from lack and want. When a person is called by God, they must possess certain virtues to fulfill their calling, which include a mandate, a platform and access to human and material resources. Seven capitals (currencies) that can buy money: 1. Meekness. (Matthew 5:5, Job 28:5, Ecclesiastes 5:9) Meekness is a healthy blend of humility and teachability. To be meek means to be submissive and easily agreeable.Meekness can also be viewed as the opposite of a “know-it-all” attitude. You will be endeared to men when you sustain the quality of meekness. _ 2. Competence (Skill). The voice of competence is recognizable to leaders who understand its language. Those who possess competence are summoned by its call and they respond accordingly. (Proverbs 18:16) _ 3. C...

 

  *_“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”_* *John 15:4–5* *_EFFORTLESS CHANGE!_* _*I’d like you to picture a strong and healthy tree. A strong and healthy tree does not worry about producing fruit or getting rid of the dead leaves on it. As long as it receives the right amount of sunshine, water, and nutrients, it will have healthy sap flowing in it that is brimming with all the right nutrients and that naturally pushes out all the dead leaves. And as long as its inward life—its healthy sap life—keeps flowing, new leaves will spring forth on this tree and good fruits will naturally grow and flourish on all the branches.*_ _*My friend, as you begin to receive the sunshine of God’s favour and take in the water of His Word, as you begin to feed on Jesus’ forg...

  *_Unity in Christ: Avoiding Division and False Accusations in the Church_* Imagine a man who claims that he can identify false doctrine even if the church is preaching 90% truth. He cites the example of Apostle Paul and his teachings on truth, using it as an excuse to leave his current church and start a house church. He has gathered people who have left their own churches for various reasons, including church hurt.  However, it's important to recognize that this man's approach is misguided, as it undermines the unity of the body of Christ and can further exacerbate church hurt. The Bible teaches us to work towards unity and reconciliation, even when faced with disagreements or hurt within the church.  Firstly, let us consider the nature of truth. Yes, the apostle Paul spoke about preaching the truth. But he also spoke about the importance of unity in the church, and the need to avoid causing division (1 Corinthians 1:10). If this man truly believed that there was false...

  _*The Three-Fold Work of the Trinity in Our Redemption*_ Salvation is a precious gift that we receive from God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is important to understand that our salvation is not a product of our own efforts, but rather it is a result of the work of the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father, in His infinite wisdom and love, has chosen us to be His children and has prepared our salvation from the foundation of the world. As it says in Ephesians 1:4, *"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love."* The Son, Jesus Christ, has paid the price for our salvation by shedding His blood on the cross. Romans 3:25 says, *"whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed."* The Holy Spirit, who indwells every believer, plays a vital...

  *_“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”_* *John 3:14–15* *_ONLY BELIEVE!_* _*Do you know why Jesus chose the cross? He went to the cross so that whoever believes in Him can receive the gift of eternal life.*_ _*Whoever believes. That is all you need to do to step into the inheritance that was purchased for you with the blood of the Son of God. Believe in HIM. Believe in Jesus. Believe in what He has done for you at the cross. Believe that all your sins have been imputed to Him and all His righteousness has been imputed to you (2 Cor. 5:21). Believe in the divine exchange. Believe in His love. Believe that all your sins have been punished at the cross and that through Jesus you have received the gifts of righteousness and eternal life.*_ _*Look at John 3:15 again. Tell me, who qualifies for salvation? The Word of God doesn’t say, “Whoever obeys Him perf...

  Enlarging our Boundaries:  Moving beyond our comfort level is what God expects of each of us. This is how we grow. Asking God to enlarge our boundaries for God’s glory is a good thing. Scripture instructs us to ask God to bless our territory.  Listen to the prayer of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10(NIV) Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying,“I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”And God granted his request. “Jabez” sounds like the Hebrew word for “pain”. How would you like to be named, “Pain”? I think that would be a setup for getting bullied in school. Perhaps his name is what prompted Jabez to pray such a prayer. A closer look at the content of Jabez’s prayer gives us an effective example for our own circumstances. Jabez makes four requests of God. Devine Grace: ...

  𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗔 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗢𝗗 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟? In order to address the question of a loving God sending someone to hell, we need to define a few terms and correct a few wrong assumptions. Our definitions must be biblical, and our assumptions must be correct. We must first define the term loving God. This phrase assumes some things about God, and answering the question at hand according to flawed assumptions leads to wrong conclusions. Our culture defines a “loving God” as a completely non-confrontational being who tolerates anything we want to do. But that is not a biblical definition. First John 4:16 says that God is love. That means that He does not possess love as we do; He is the very definition of love and therefore cannot do anything that is unloving. The law of non-contradiction states that something cannot be both true and untrue at the same time. So, if God IS love, then He cannot be at the same time unloving. So the first fallacy present in ...

 

  _*Biblical Warnings: Learning from Paul's Examples*_ In his letters to Timothy, Paul warned him about six individuals who were opposing the Gospel or causing him harm. These individuals are Alexander the coppersmith, Hymenaeus, Philetus, Demas, Hermogenes, and Phygellus. Paul warns Timothy about Alexander the coppersmith in 2 Timothy 4:14, saying, *"Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works."* It is believed that this individual may have been responsible for Paul's arrest and eventual execution. In 2 Timothy 2:17-18, Paul warns Timothy about Hymenaeus and Philetus, saying, *"And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some."* In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul speaks of Demas, saying, *"For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departe...

  *_Investing in Children: A Biblical Perspective_* 2 Corinthians 12:14 *"For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children."* This verse speaks to the responsibility of parents to care for and invest in their children without expecting any returns or repayment. As parents, it is our duty to raise our children in the fear of the Lord and to provide for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This is not a task to be taken lightly, as it requires sacrifice and selflessness. However, we should not view this as a burden or a transactional relationship. Our investment in our children should be motivated by love and a desire to see them thrive and fulfill their God-given potential. Proverbs 22:6 says, *"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."* This verse emphasizes the importance of laying a foundation of faith and values in our children's lives, which will bear fruit in th...

  *_"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds."_* *2 Corinthians 10:3–4* *_PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS!_* _*As you meditate on Bible promises that proclaim God’s truth over your life, you are already beginning to win the battle for your mind. It’s not a coincidence that Jesus was crucified on Golgotha, which actually means “Place of a Skull” (Matt. 27:33). Your breakthrough has to begin in your mind first.*_ _*This battle for your mind is not waged externally. Our weapons in this battle are not physical or tangible. Our weapons are the weapons of right believing and they are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds that have kept us bound. These are strongholds that can only be utterly torn down by rightly believing in the truth of God’s Word.*_ _*The devil can only sow wrong thoughts in your mind but he cannot control what you believe! When you start to b...

  IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MAN ONCE TO DIE(SEE WHAT IT MEANS) !!! Hebrews 9:27 [27]And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, This passage of the Bible above have been misunderstood and also have birthed a misinterpretation. The common idea many habor about this text is that,it is revealing a God's future judgement to the sinful man. Well,this idea has a partial truth but not completely true. The piece of truth here is that,it talks about judgement for the sinful man but the falsehood is making this text to bear a future fulfillment. This scripture have been fulfilled by Christ Jesus. Now,this passage is not teaching us the purnishment or judgment which the sinful man would recieve eventually when he dies. In the plan of God for man's salvation,God purposed that man would only die once for his sin after which reconciliation would follow,that is God's reconciliation with man. It is appointed unto man once to die is revealing to us what the death of ...

 

  *The Bride of Christ* _The Church, The Body of Jesus_ Ephesians 1:23 “And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of the One filling all in all.”_ Ephesians 5:23 “for the husband is head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church, He Himself Savior of the body.”_ Ephesians 5:25 to 27 “Husbands, love the wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water by the word, so that He might present to Himself the church in glory, not having spot or wrinkle or any of the such things, but that it would be holy and blameless.”_ The Resurrected Christ Himself fixed His eyes dearly on His Bride, the Church. On earth, in His Glorified newness, the Resurrected Christ Himself appeared to the women first as recorded in Matthew 28:8 to 10 and John 20:14 to 16. That is such a beautiful picture of the Love of Christ ...

  The Great Commission: Ultimate Purpose of Christian Leadership The great commission is a direct mandate to provide leadership for nations, instructing them to live according to the principles of the kingdom of God. It clearly places the responsibility for producing the quality leaders that the nations of the world need upon the shoulders of the Christian church!  Moreover, the world is in a dynamic state of change, and leadership demands that Christians be initiators, creators, and managers of change rather than victims of change. Contemporary Christian leadership must focus on designing and developing definite strategies for diverse areas of human need: Children ministries; Youth/Student ministries; Women ministries; Ministries among Professionals; Laity training; Missionary movements; Ministries to the rural areas; Ministries to the influential & people in secular authority. Leadership development is essential at each of these levels if the fulfillment of the Great Com...

  *_ "The Law of Success”_* *_1. Definiteness of Purpose:_* The first lesson is that success starts with having a clear and definite purpose. A person should have a specific goal in mind and should work towards it with persistence and determination. Without a clear goal, a person is unlikely to achieve success. *_2. Self-Confidence:_ Importance of self-confidence in achieving success. A person should have faith in their abilities and trust themselves to succeed. Without self-confidence, a person is likely to give up or be easily discouraged when faced with obstacles. *_3. Mastermind Alliance:_The power of collaboration and the importance of surrounding oneself with like-minded people who share a common goal. A Mastermind Alliance is a group of individuals who work together towards a common purpose, and we note that this kind of collaboration can lead to greater success. *_4. Applied Faith:_Fith in oneself, others, and a higher power is crucial for success. Applied faith involves t...

 

*_"Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them."_* *Luke 24:30* *_PARTAKE OF THE TREE OF LIFE!_* _*In Luke 24:30–31, the resurrected Christ partook of the holy Communion with the two disciples at the village of Emmaus. What a divine honour the Lord Jesus has put on the breaking of bread, on this wonderful sacrament He has given to the church.*_ The book of Acts tells us that the disciples “came together to break bread” on “the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). Shouldn’t we emphasize what our Lord Jesus made central?*_ _*We know that God made Adam and Eve complete except for one thing: their spiritual eyes were not opened. God wanted their spiritual eyes to be opened by the Tree of Life, but instead they partook of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and their eyes were opened to see their nakedness. Their eyes were opened to see their failures and shortcomings, their lack and their inadequacies, th...