GOD'S WORD ON YOUR ADDICTION

'And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.' - Galatians 5 vs 24

Greetings dearly beloved in CHRIST. Be blessed and changed as you read the contents of this Publication. AMEN.

Let's take a look at our opening Bible verse again;

'And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.' - Galatians 5 vs 24 {KJV}

Think about this. We are informed that we who are in CHRIST, our flesh and it's evil affections and lusts have been crucified. The word "flesh" is not talking of our skin, no! The word "flesh" speaks of "our human nature".

Let's look at our opening Bible verse in another Bible translation;

'And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.' {AMP}

Beautiful.

Remember this, the life of the just (the Believer in CHRIST) is regulated by faith. In other words, we live by faith;

'...For we walk by faith, not by sight...' - 2 Corinthians 5 vs 7 {KJV}

Dearly beloved, if we relate with the WORD OF GOD with our senses, then the Truths of the Gospel will never make sense to us, hence they will have no power in us. The Truths of the Gospel is to be received and handled by Faith. It's only in the realm of Faith that the Gospel Truths are able to save, change, transform and preserve. - Selah

Now back to our Bible reading, it says that,

OUR HUMAN NATURE AND IT'S EVIL AFFECTIONS AND LUSTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED

Take note, to crucify means to put to death. So we are told that our human nature and it's evil affections and lusts have been put to death. You must accept this! Don't accept the glaringness of your mistakes, errors or weaknesses. Rather, choose to believe the Truth of the Gospel than the facts of the senses. This way, you will attain transformation in CHRIST. Remember, the word of GOD is GOD's only agent of transformation. GOD only transforms men through HIS word.

So you say to yourself,

My human nature with all it's weaknesses have been put to death, I am able to walk in perfection, I am able to do right always, I am able to think only good thoughts, my human nature and all its affections and lusts have been put to death by CHRIST's death; therefore, I am a brand new man doing brand new things pleasing unto GOD. Say, I am a doer of Righteousness, I cannot make a practice of evil, there is no evil in me, the human nature and it's evil abilities is absent from my being, the nature of GOD is my nature, I walk in Love, I walk in the Newness of Life in CHRIST. Hallelujah!

Dearly beloved, never accept the realities of the human nature, never accept the presence of the human nature in you, only hold on to the Truth which says, your human nature and it's affections and lusts have been put to death. This is Truth, hold on to it as Reality - that's where the power to change is. Glory to GOD.

'But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' - 2 Corinthians 3 vs 18 {KJV}

As we continually hold on to the Truths of the Gospel, it brings about transformation in us. Then we realize, the addiction is no more, the evil desires are no more there, the promiscuity is no more, the sensual urges are no more present in you; we find out that we are becoming godly day by day. Glory to GOD.

Stick to the Truth dearly beloved, don't recognize the facts of the senses (what you see in yourself), don't recognize what you feel about yourself, stay with the WORD OF GOD, and you will be changed, with time. AMEN.

GOD is with you.

- Jenning U. Angel

THIS JOURNEY OF FAITH: RECEIVING THE WORD, EXCITED ABOUT THE WORD, PROVED BECAUSE OF THE WORD

'But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it...' - Matthew 13 vs 20

Greetings dearly Beloved in CHRIST. I trust GOD that these words shared in this Publication will strengthen your Faith in CHRIST. AMEN.

Okay. Let me begin by saying that, you have not believed the WORD if you have not endured tribulations, believing and trusting that WORD. In other words, you don't truly believe in a Revelation you are excited about if you have not endured tribulations, believing and trusting that Revelation without doubts or compromise. - Think about it

I trust GOD to strengthen your Faith in HIS WORD  by the words shared in this Article. AMEN.

Okay. We will be having this discussion from Matthew 13 vs 20 - 21, which talks about the Parable of the sower, concerning the seeds that fell on stony places. Our opening Bible passage shows us a category of Believers who heard/received the word with Joy, when the WORD was preached or taught, or studied (personal study), they received the TRUTH with Joy, they were excited about it - and that's glorious! Okay, let's see our opening Bible verse, accompanied with the next verse;

'But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.' - Matthew 13 vs 20 - 21 {KING JAMES VERSION}

Now, I have categorized this parable into three (3) categories of a Believers Faith, as seen below.

RECEIVING THE WORD

This is when a Believer receives the WORD (either by teaching or by personal study), and He is so excited about the Word as the WORD is taught, it seems He's getting a Revelation of the WORD, and He is excited about it, He shouts in Joy and elation at the hearing of the WORD, He's receiving so much insight and revelation at the hearing or study of the WORD, and this Believer is excited and elated. Glory to GOD.

EXCITED ABOUT THE WORD

They from a point of rest and ease, no challenge as of yet, they declare the WORD with Power, they confess the WORD with all faith and excitement, and they feel high and good, they are on top of the world, they affirm that they have the WORD in them;  it can even be boastful, they are full of the WORD they think and feel, they even teach it to others, and people affirm "Great Sermon" "Powerful Message" "Deep Truth" "Powerful Revelation". Okay. That's quite okay.

PROVED BECAUSE OF THE WORD

Now, this is the main place, this is the examination hall where all that excitement is proved; this is the arena, where the Believers are tried to see whether the WORD is truly in them. The Word says, 

'...for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.'

The verity that you believe in the WORD (a Revelation of the WORD) is seen when you are able to Trust the WORD (that Revelation) in the midst of persecution, trouble and pain; your being affirmed a Believer of the WORD is assented to when you can endure persecution having Faith and Trust in that same WORD which you have initially claimed to believe and were excited about, that is when you truly Believe that Revelation. - Selah. But sadly, many Believers suddenly become babes in Faith at the sight of trouble; suddenly, they don't seem to have believed in anything all along; indeed as the Word says, the WORD which they boasted about didn't have root in them; in other words, the WORD wasn't truly in them - trouble came to them and proved it that the WORD wasn't in them. - Selah. This is the category of persons that this particular parable speaks of, seeds that fell on stony places!

Remember this,

"You have not believed a Revelation you received if you have not endured tribulations, believing and trusting that Revelation." - Jenning U. Angel

Dearly beloved, know this minute, that tests and trials are sure to come at you, and the reason for their coming at you is because of the Word of GOD in you;

'...for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.'

• because of the word

Therefore, stand strong and firm in the TRUTH which has been revealed to you in CHRIST, knowing that the evil day cometh, and that day will prove you whether indeed, the Word of GOD is in you. Don't fail on that day. So brace up now! When that trial is over, when the tests are gone, you have earned yourself Faith plucked out of fire, true Faith! And your trust in the Word of GOD will even get into a higher dimension in CHRIST. Hallelujah!

GOD is with you.

- Jenning U. Angel

SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM DAVID

'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' - 1 John 1 vs 8

Greetings dearly Beloved of GOD in CHRIST JESUS. Be blessed and lifted by the words which you now read. AMEN.

In this article, we are learning a very important attribute from the man David. Something made David stand out from the rest of the kings of Israel, and that attribute of David brought upon Him the great mercies He enjoyed from GOD.

In our opening Bible Passage, it is clearly stated that if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. In other words, if we are self righteous, living pretentiously as though we can do no wrong, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. - Selah. See this;

'The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.' - Psalms 34 vs 18 {KJV}

• a broken heart
• a contrite spirit

The above words as seen in the above Bible passage speaks of someone who is sincerely displeased about His own actions. The word 'contrite' means to be sincerely remorseful or sorrowful about ones self action; it means to be apologetic about your own action or actions. The Psalmist in another place said it again;

'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.' - Psalms 51 vs 7 {KJV}

A BROKEN AND A CONTRITE HEART, GOD WILL NOT DESPISE

The Prophet Isaiah spoke about the contrite in heart;

'For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' - Isaiah 57 vs 15 {KJV}

• to revive the spirit of the humble
• and to revive the heart of the contrite ones

The Prophet Isaiah speaks about the contrite spirit again in another place;

'For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.' - Isaiah 66 vs 2 {KJV}

BUT TO THIS MAN WILL I LOOK, EVEN TO HIM THAT IS POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT, AND TREMBLETH AT MY WORD

The word 'poor' as used in the above passage does not depict financial poverty, but it's used as an adjective to describe a person having a contrite heart or a humble heart/spirit. Okay.

Now, from the Bible passages we have read above, we see clearly that GOD is drawn to men who acknowledge their wrong, GOD is drawn to men who sincerely accept their sins and errors and look up to HIM for Help/Salvation. - Selah. And this attribute was exceptional in the life of David. David never struggled with His errors, David never argued at the sound of rebuke, He owned up to His sins, and in sincerity looked to GOD for Help. Little wonder He was greatly helped by GOD and He enjoyed so much mercy which was not the pattern  of the Old Testament. Simply because, He was a man with a contrite and broken heart, He was a man whose heart sincerely acknowledged and owned up to His sins and errors. - Think about it

'Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.' - Psalms 51 vs 50 {KJV}

The above statement are David's words. In His lamentation to GOD for an error He committed at that time, He thus said. He never for once argued with GOD or HIS Prophet when He was rebuked, rather, at the sound of rebuke, David owned up, David's heart was that sincere.

What about you my friend? Do you always try to see reasons why the sins and mistakes you have made were not your fault, or you are just like David who owns up to every of His wrong doing? - Think about it

Now, pay good attention to the story you are about to read. GOD is with you.

'And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.' - 2 Samuel 12 vs 1 - 13 {KING JAMES VERSION}

Waow! If you read these passages carefully, then indeed, there was so much for you to learn in the passages. Now, did you notice David's response to the Prophet? David didn't try to explain to the Prophet how it was His weakness that got a hold of Him! David didn't try to make the Prophet see reasons with Him how that it wasn't His fault that He had done what He did, no! David owned up to His error! That is the attitude of a man that will enjoy GOD's mercy! That's the attitude of one who despite His sins, errors and mistakes, yet will live in the Peace of GOD. The king Saul wasn't like David in this regard. See this; (Read Patiently)

'Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,

It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.

And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.

And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?

And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?

And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the Lord.

Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.' - 1 Samuel 15 vs 1 - 35 {KING JAMES VERSION}

You see, Saul argued with the Prophet, Saul tried to make the Prophet see and understand that that error was not His fault; even when Saul finally acknowledged that He had sinned (verse 24), yet He was full of excuses. He gave an excuse why He sinned. But you see, a contrite spirit doesn't give an excuse why He has committed a sin, a contrite spirit is completely broken and submissive to GOD in complete acknowledgement of sin committed. So you see, Saul wasn't of a contrite spirit as we see in David. That act of Saul's disobedience led to His death, but though David's atrocity was worse than that which Saul committed, yet He lived and didn't die as a result of His sin. The Prophet said to Him (David);

'...And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.' - 2 Samuel 12 vs 13 {KJV}

'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' - 1 John 1 vs 9 {KJV}

The word 'confess' used there is given in the original greek as 'homologeo', and homologeo means 'to assent, to acknowledge, to admit'. Hence, the above Bible passage states that;

'If we admit our sins, we will experience forgiveness.'

And this was the exact experience of David. And this will become the experience of any man who is of a contrite spirit void of excuses and reasons like we saw in Saul. - Think about it

There's so much to learn in this Article, and as you have learned, go and do likewise!

GOD is with you.

- Jenning U. Angel

SOME WORDS TO RECALIBRATE YOUR LOVE WALK IN CHRIST

'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you...' - Matthew 5 vs 44

"It can never be called Love when it is shown to the deserving!" - Jenning U. Angel

'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you...' - Matthew 5 vs 44 {KJV}

• your enemies
• them that curse you
• them that hate you
• them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

Love is clearly seen, when shown to these categories of persons!

Let's continue reading.

'That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' - Matthew 5 vs 45 {KJV}

Here, we clearly see that GOD's Love reaches beyond the deserving to even the undeserving.

• HE makes HIS sun to rise on the evil and on the good
• HE sends HIS rain on the just and on the unjust

'If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.' - Matthew 5 vs 46 {MSG}

If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that.

This clearly explains to us that Love cannot be called Love when it is shown or done to the deserving.

Marriages and Relationships will blossom with an understanding of this.

I say again,

'It can never be called Love when it is shown or done to the deserving.'

GOD is with you.

- Jenning U. Angel