Third Heaven Discourse

Again, it's Christmas season - the season we are reminded how God took 'baby steps' to secure man's redemption with the birth of His Son Jesus. However, this post is not about the birth of Christ, but about His Cross, being the high point of His life on earth.  In addition to what has been said in previous posts which you will find here , here , here ,  here  and here , the cross was also an eternal and irrevocable statement of God's willingness to help mankind.  Before Jesus went to the cross, some of the people of His day were not so sure He was willing to save them for several reasons which we can't get into now. One of the people with such reservations was bold enough to express his uncertainty to Jesus but Jesus lovingly and compassionately cleared his doubts (Mark 1:40-41). As if that was not enough, Jesus more than emphasized His absolute willingness to save mankind by the Cross experience. He left heaven to die for mankind of His own volition...

In previous posts, we were told that the Cross was an eternal and irrevocable statement of  love  and  judgment  by God to man and the devil respectively. We have also been told that the Cross has a plethora of  associated dividends  which are legitimately ours to enjoy now and forever. In addition, we have been told that because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, God doesn't really have a choice anymore, as it were, He  has to bless us . The moment He accepted the price, He committed Himself to deliver 'the goods'. Furthermore, the cross is the eternal receipt, as it were, that reminds God that payment has been made for everything we desire. And because payment has been made, God justly, duly and extravagantly dishes out our divine emoluments to us.  Moreover, because the said payment was an overpayment as it were, God is obliged to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think (Eph 3:20). So, when God looks at the cross of Ch...

In previous posts, we were told that the Cross was an eternal and irrevocable statement of  love  and  judgment  by God to man and the devil respectively. We have also been told that the Cross has a plethora of  associated dividends  which are legitimately ours to enjoy now and forever.  Furthermore, before Jesus went to the Cross, God didn't really owe man anything. He didn't really need to do anything for man if He didn't want to. This is simply because no price had been paid; by price I mean the requisite sacrifice and/or conditions to obtain the blessings of God.  However, after Jesus went to the Cross and paid the price for the salvation of mankind, fulfilling all the requirements stated in the law in the process, God didn't really have a choice as it were, He had to bless man. Jesus overpaid the price for us to receive anything and everything from God. When He said "it is finished", He was saying "Father, I have done my part. Ove...

In previous posts, we were told that the Cross was a loud, bold, eternal and irrevocable statement by God on both man and the devil. To man, He was proclaiming  words of affection  and affirmation saying "I LOVE YOU" while to the devil, He was  passing judgment  saying "you are defeated".  Furthermore, everything about the cross was for the utmost benefit of man. Besides what God was saying through the Cross, the Cross has an extravagance of associated dividends; and all the dividends are legitimately and incontestibly yours to enjoy now and forever.  Beyond the fact that Jesus went to the Cross to deliver them to you, God has also freely given them unto you because of the sacrifice of Jesus (2 Pet 1:3, 1 Tim 6:7). So, when you think about the Cross, don't just think about how Jesus suffered alone - it's Ok to do that - but please don't stop there, also think about what He achieved through the Cross. Think about the dividends too - your salv...

In a previous post Annals of the Cross 1 , we were told that the Cross was an eternal and irrevocable verdict by God on man.  Moreover, the Cross was also an eternal and irrevocable judgment of the devil by God. When Jesus hung on the cross, God was saying "devil you are defeated", "you have no power over my children anymore", "you have no place in their lives anymore", "they are free from your bondage", and all these were perfected when Jesus died, went to hell, defeated the devil and resurrected.  Beloved, Jesus told us that one of the things the Holy Spirit will do when He comes, and He has, is that He will reprove the world of judgment because the prince of this world is judged (John 16:8, 11). Satan - the prince of this world - was subjected to eternal damnation when Jesus hung on the cross.  So, friends, when next the devil comes to you with lies and deceptive words, remember that he has been judged by God. Remember that he...

The cross was an eternal and irrevocable verdict by God on man. When Jesus - the bearer of the cross - hung on the cross, God was saying to man "I love you", "I care about you", "I am your provider", "I am your healer", "I am your protector", "You are blessed", "You are healed", "You are righteous", "You are forgiven", "You are my beloved son", "I choose you", "I accept you".  God is still saying all these to you today because the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was eternal. The Bible says Jesus offered Himself once for all.  So friends, if you would meditate more on these gracious words of God boldly and loudly declared to you through the cross, you would see Him manifest Himself more in your life . God bless you

1   Cor 6:3 KJV Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?  When I look through the pages of scripture and see the immense value and worth God has endowed on us, I am just dumbfounded!  In truth, it is not too difficult to believe or accept that God values us that much when we remember that He gave His best and His all for us with the gifts of Jesus and the Holy Spirit respectively .  Think about it, the value of a thing is judged by what you are willing to give in exchange for that thing. So, if God gave Jesus for us, invariably we are as valuable as Jesus , and that is just incredibly amazing!!! And having become His beloved sons and daughters, we are worth even more to Him now!  Further, have you considered the scripture that says " know ye not that we shall judge angels ? 1 Cor 6:3. Wow, for me, this is just mind blowing. We shall judge angels! To think that we mortals will one day judge immortal...

Friends, did you notice that though the scribes and the Pharisees set out to condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:3-11), they didn't eventually succeed in doing so?  Jesus asked the woman " ...hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord... " John 8:10‭-‬11 KJV. So, we see that the scribes and Pharisees didn't eventually condemn the woman, not that they didn't want to; they did, but they couldn't. They came accusing the woman with the ultimate aim to condemn her by inflicting the punishment for adultery on her as spelt out by the law of Moses, but they didn't succeed. Why? Because the woman was literally brought to Jesus!  It is clear that the woman didn't suffer the deserved punishment for her sin because Jesus - the dispenser of grace - was present on the scene! How awesome that the condemning dexterity of the scribes and Pharisees came up short in the presence of Jesus! And if you are in Christ the same app...

Malachi 3:6 KJV  For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.   It becomes a lot easier to understand and accept the above scripture when you consider what happened in the Garden of Eden.  After God created man, it is clear that He often came down to fellowship with man in the cool of the day. However, in the account of the fall of man (Gen 3), it seems like God was totally oblivious to the fact that Adam had just sinned, because His attitude to Adam didn't change. However, we all know better. God knew that Adam had sinned being the omnipresent and omniscient God that He is, but He didn't change His disposition to Adam. He still came down in the cool of the day as the loving Father that He is, seeking for fellowship with Adam because He is the Lord, He does not change!  Beloved, indeed, God cannot change. He said it Himself! He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Don't flatter yourself to think that you can do ...

Friends, I have already presented 3 scriptural justifications for the fact that God will still speak to us even IF we sin; you can find them here  and here  and here . This is the fourth and final. After this, I hope you are convinced beyond every iota of doubt that God doesn't give silent treatments because He is angry at the one who is or who has gone astray. No, He doesn't. Rather, He lovingly redirects the person back to Him with His voice.  Think about it. DO YOU KEEP QUIET WHEN YOUR CHILD IS GOING ASTRAY ? I am sure you don't. You talk to him or her, right? You tell him/her that he/she is in the wrong and you show him/her the right way. If you do that, why do you think God won't or doesn't? Are you better than Him?  Matthew 7:11 says "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" The issue under discussion is not exactly...

So, Jesus shows up in the temple of God one day and He sees that some people had turned the temple to a place of buying, selling and moneychanging; a place He called a den of thieves (Matthew 21:12). This was totally unacceptable. So, He absolutely goes ballistic and He " ...cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves " (Matthew 21:12).  Now, this reaction was very unlike Jesus. Nobody would have believed He was capable of such. I am sure His disciples were absolutely stunned at such a reaction from Him. It was a stark contrast to the very gentlemanly attitude they had witnessed all their time with Him, which He also exhibited when He was being crucified though that was to happen in the future. Apostle Peter, a firsthand witness of Jesus' crucifixion, captures His reaction beautifully in 1 Peter 2:23 when He said "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when h...

Friends, in previous posts,  Does God still speak if we sin? (1)  and  Does God still speak if we sin? (2) I presented 2 scriptural justifications for the fact that God will still speak to us even IF we sin. This posts addresses the third. I still have a few more to share, but my desire is that after I am done, you are convinced beyond every doubt that God doesn't give silent treatments because He is angry at the one who has made a mistake.   The Bible says in Isa 30:21 "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."  Friends, turning to the right or left is akin to going astray or making a mistake or committing sin, but as the scripture clearly reveals, you will still hear a voice (the voice of God) from behind. Even in that state of error, God will still speak to you and you will still hear.  The reference scripture also cl...

In a previous post Does God still speak to us IF we sin? (1) , I presented my first scriptural justification for the fact that sin does not stop God from speaking to you or you from hearing His voice. This post addresses the second.  Note that the aim of these posts is so you are convinced that God doesn't give silent treatments because He is angry at the one who has made a mistake. No, He doesn't. Rather, He lovingly redirects the person back to Him with His voice. Do you remember the story of Cain and Abel? I am sure you do. After Cain killed Abel, God spoke to him saying “Where is Abel your brother?” (Genesis 4:9 NKJV). Did Cain hear? Of course, He did. Cain heard and responded “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9 NKJV).  Friends, this again clearly shows that God still speaks to us when we make mistakes. I am sure you know the conversation wasn't face to face. God spoke to Cain like He speaks to us today, and he heard and responded li...

Do you know that sin does not stop God from speaking to you or you from hearing His voice?   I am very much aware that a thought like this - being highly unpopular - will set off the alarm bells of religion, but if you will stick with me a little, I will establish the scriptural justifications for my position from both the old and the new testament, and this is the first. Remember, the story of Adam; after Adam sinned, Did God still speak to him? Of course, He did. God came in the cool of the day and called out to Adam saying  "where are you?" (Gen 3:9). Did Adam hear? Of course, he still heard the voice of God. Adam responded, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10 NKJV). If you critically examine this account, it seems like God was totally oblivious to the fact that Adam had just sinned, because His attitude to Adam didn't change post Adam's disobedience. However, we all know bette...

Psalms 8:4  (KJV) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? In a previous post, we were told that  God is thinking about us , and His thoughts about us are good. They are thoughts of peace, meant to guarantee our future. Friends, you also need to know God's mind is FULL of you. The degree of God's preoccupation with you is so extreme that "one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Heb 2:6). This question was obviously directed to God but I am obliged to answer. I know what I am! I am the beloved of the Lord, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. That is why God my Father is mindFULL of me! Oh, I am so glad that God is and has been thinking about me, aren't you glad about that? I am sure you are. And you know what, it is do exhilarating to recall that His thoughts about you and I are good! They are thoughts of peace, d...

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you .... thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end". Are you bothered about how your life will turn out? Yes, you may not see the finish line, but are you concerned about how it all ends for you? Worry no more brothers and sisters. God is reassuring you with the words in the reference scripture. He is saying "I know my thoughts for you. I am determined about them. I am certain about what I think about you. Incase, you need to know, they are thoughts of peace, definitely not of evil, to give you an expected end. Your life ends well. It ends very well". Oh, your life ends very well! It does. Wake up every morning with renewed confidence and enthusiasm about life. Your life sure ends well Friends, do you have an "expected end"? God will give it to you for the expectations of the just shall not be cut short. He has thought it all out. Oh, I am delighted to inform ...

Mark 13:31 (KJV)  Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.  It's funny how some people want you to "come to terms with reality" when you tell them what God has said, as if what God has said is no longer relevant tod ay. The only part of the Bible that has become redundant is the law of Moses . Ironically and sadly, that's the part people are most unwilling to let go. Be that as it may, every other part of the Bible is very much relevant in our day and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16 KJV).  People sometimes act and talk like the Bible is outdated, like God didn't envisage the times we are now, as if He is surprised by some of the happenings in our world today. I hate to burst your bubble but there is nothing new under the sun (Eccle 1:9) . If you go through the Bible, I am sure you will come to the realization that everything ongoing in our world today - the...

John 1:17 KJV For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  You have a choice to make between the grace of God (that came by Jesus) and the law of Moses. You can't have both because it is not good to pour new wine into an old wineskin.  So, what are you going to choose?  Note: The choice has always and will always be yours. Nobody can force anything on you against your wish.  What will you choose?!  Is it the law of Moses that was doomed to fail from the outset (Gal 3:21), which God distanced Himself from? (it's not called the law of God, as it were, but the law of Moses) or the grace of God which God ordained for the glorification of His saints from the foundation of the world?  If you will be kind enough to allow me make a recommendation, I will say - with all the enthusiasm I can muster - choose the grace of God!!! We are in the dispensation of grace afterall! The law has been fulfilled and repealed by ...

Matt 5:4 (NKJV) Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  We started this series by establishing that the beatitudes are the  blessed believer attitudes , expedient to every Christian. Subsequently, we examined the very first beatitude, which is  the poor in spirit  and we saw the blessing Jesus placed on it. For this post, we will focus on those who mourn. What does it mean to mourn?  To mourn means to feel or show great sadness or unhappiness about something. It means to be sorrowful or to be in agony. At this point, permit me to say that there are two types of sorrow: godly and worldly sorrow (2 Cor 7:10). To mourn as Jesus asserts in the reference scripture means to exhibit godly sorrow (Matt 5:4). It also means to be repentant or remorseful.  You may be wondering, why is the attitude of mourning critical to a believer?  Well, the reason is not far-fetched. It is because the flesh is error-stricke...

Deut 9:6 (NKJV)  "Therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people."  It is the nature of God to be gracious. He is exceedingly gracious. Even under the law, He couldn't help but be gracious, how much more in the dispensation of Grace! Oh, God is grace, just as He is love. He is the personification of love, truth, mercy and grace. It is clear from scriptures that even though God gave the Israelites the law - which was meant to be the working or contractual document, as it were, in His dealings with them - He still went outside the strict and ridiculous confines of the law in His dealings with them.  Our reference clearly reveals that it was not the righteousness of the Israelites (adherence to the law of Moses) that made God give them "a land flowing with milk and honey", No, not at all. It was because of His exceeding graciousness. The...

Matthew 5:3 NKJV “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Are you "poor in spirit"? Do you desire to be "poor in spirit"? This is a rhetorical question, but I hope your response is not No. Be that as it may, by the time you are done reading this, I hope you make a commitment to developing a poor-in-spirit attitude if you haven't already because it is an attitude God places a premium on.  Being poor in spirit is one of the  blessed believer attitudes . In short, it is the first Jesus started with in the sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:3). Friends, the fact that Jesus released blessings upon the poor in spirit indicates His desire for all believers to manifest such an attitude. The account in Matthew 5 is maybe the only time in the Bible when the word "poor" is used in a positive light. So, clearly, it is something to pay attention to.  So, what does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means to be spiritually hum...

The declarations of blessedness pronounced by Jesus in the sermon on the Mount are altogether referred to as the beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12) . The beatitudes reveal certain attitudes of people for which God blesses them. It clearly reveals the specific corresponding blessing that accompanies the said attitude. The attitudes are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and those who are reviled, persecuted, and are spoken falsely against for the sake of Christ; and the blessings are in the text (Matt 5:3-12). The beatitudes may be considered an acronym for "the believer attitudes". They are notable among other attitudes or virtues in the Bible because Jesus particularly placed blessings on those who exhibit them. Bearing this in mind, they are better referred to as "the blessed believer attitudes" as it were....

Ephesians 4:22‭-‬24 (NKJV) that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. In the previous post put off the old man , we were told that the "old man" is only good for putting off because he is doomed and condemned to die as a consequence of sin (Rom 3:23). This is the reason why we must replace  him with the "new man". Who is the new man? He is simply the one who is saved. Obviously, the "new man" is not born through vaginal delivery or anything of such; you don't need to enter a second time into your mother's womb to be reborn a "new man" as Jesus assured Nicodemus (John 3:4-6). The "new man" is born when the "old man" believes in what Jesus has done and then experiences salvation. When ...

Ephesians 4:22‭-‬24 (NKJV) that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. You may have been born into this world a newborn baby, nevertheless, you were born an "old man". If you were born of a woman, conceived sexually or by artificial insemination, whether you were born by vaginal delivery or caesarean section, whether you experienced uterine gestation or not, you are or were once an "old man". This is a consequence of the sin of Adam. The bible says in Romans 5:19 (NKJV) " For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous." So, you were made an old man not by anything you did wrong but by what Adam did wrong .   However, you don't have to remain an "old man...

In a previous post, we were told not to fear ; that, when we are unafraid, we will effectively repel all kinds of negative occurrences (Isa 54:14). As we know, there is a difference between truth and fact. The fact is based on reality, something known to exist or have happened and have or can be sensed, in that it can or has been seen, heard or felt. On the other hand, the truth is based on the Word of God. The fact is, you may have credible reasons to be afraid based on circumstances around you; but the truth is, you have no reason to fear based on what God has said about those circumstances. God's word should be more real to you than what you see, hear or feel. If you let the Word of God control your reality, you can never find any reason to be afraid. Every word God has said will surely come to pass; it may tarry a little, but it will always be established at the end of the day. This is why it is far more real that the transient things going on around you. So, fri...

Isaiah 54:14 AMPC ...you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear.... According to Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, the right interpretation of this scripture is this:  "It is not being far from oppression that helps you not to fear, rather it is not being afraid that helps you to be far from oppression". And I couldn't agree more. Fear is a precursor to oppression or destruction. In short, it creates a negative forcefield that attracts oppression and all kinds of negative occurrences.  So, when you are afraid, you will inevitably attract oppression and the likes. No wonder the Bible encourages us time and time again with the words "Do not fear". You are never far from oppression or destruction when you are afraid. On the other hand, faith, courage, boldness creates a huge divide between you and destruction such that it becomes difficult to experience it.  Futhermore, the words "do not fear!" i...

Exo 1:12 (NKJV)  But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.  The bible records that the children of Israel so greatly multiplied and became exceedingly numerous in Egypt (Exo 1:7) that the Egyptians became greatly concerned. And when a new King came on board, who didn't care about them or their antecedent in Egypt, he expressed his trepidation to his people and initiated plans to curtail the growth of the Israelites. His people took his plans to flight and greatly oppressed the Israelites all in a bid to suppress their fruitfulness. But, unfortunately for them, and to their enhanced infuriation, the Israelites thrived in the midst of the oppression. The bible says "but the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites". Friends, this is a wonderful word of encouragement because we all experience some form of oppressio...

  Gen 39:2 (NKJV)  The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. Your situation is not the determinant of the presence or absence of God. Your circumstance is not a proof that God is with you or that He has forsaken you. It is not also a marker of your success or failure in life, Joseph's life proves that. That you are having a great time is no indication of the presence of God neither does unpleasant circumstances indicate that God is absent. Also, that you are having a terrible time does not mean you are a failure neither does having a great time indicate you are a success. Irrespective of your situation, God is always with you because He promised never to leave (Matt 28:20, Heb 13:5). Whatever your present circumstance, pleasant or unpleasant, if you are saved, then God is with you and you are a success as a matter of consequence. This is what Joseph's story clearly teaches.  ...