22 C
Nigeria
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Search
Subscribe
Home Blog Page 3

Faith works. That is the reason I get happy preaching about it – Keneth E. Hagin

By
Ogba Victor
-
0

Often, before you can receive anything from God, you must find answers to the questions that are keeping you from receiving. As long as questions crowd your mind, there will be doubts in your mind. And as long as you have doubts, your faith will be hindered. I know from my own experience on a bed of sickness that there were questions in my mind that had to be settled before my faith could be effective. I had to find the answers myself. That is the reason I was bedfast 16 months from ages 15 to 17.

Sometimes it would take me weeks and months to find the answer to a question, and just about the time I found one answer, the devil would bring up something else. For a long time the devil tried to tell me that God had afflicted me and was punishing me for some wrongdoing in my life. I listened to this for a while, but finally I said, “Devil, I was born this way. I was born with a deformed heart and serious internal trouble. What would be the use of God’s punishing me for something I don’t even know about? That must not be true.”

Sometimes the devil would say, “You’re sick because of something your parents did.” That is what the disciples thought of the man who was blind from birth. They asked Jesus, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). Some people misquote Jesus’ reply in verse  3 as “Neither the man nor his parents sinned. He was sick just so God could heal him.” That is not what this scripture says. It says, “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me” (vv. 3–4).

If a person stopped reading at this point, he might say, “He is sick just so God can heal him.” Wouldn’t that be a terrible thing to accuse God of? Here is a grown man, blind from birth, and God made him blind just so He could heal him? If that were true, God would not be much of a God, would He? And I would not be interested in Him. But thank God, that is not true!

Notice that Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me.” He immediately did the works of God by healing the man. When the devil saw that I was going to believe in healing anyway, he tried to convince me that it was not God’s will to heal me. He said, “Healing is real, but it is not God’s will to heal everybody. You’re one of those it is not His will to heal.” (Many people believe the lie that it is not God’s will to heal them, yet it is illogical to believe that God heals, and at the same time believe that He won’t heal you.) I rejected this argument, too. I kept searching for answers. All I knew was what I had heard preachers and other people say.

Some said, “Your sickness is God’s work. God is doing all of it.” I could not accept this explanation. Others said, “Well, maybe God didn’t commission it, but He permits it for a purpose.” That is about the same thing. I never was happy as a child. I never laughed. My daddy left us when I was 6. Being ill affected me emotionally. I was so weak I couldn’t defend myself from the other children at school. Everybody could beat me up—even the girls.

When I tried to fight back, the extra effort caused me to faint, because my heart didn’t beat right. Many times I was unconscious 45 minutes, and once I was out for an hour and a half. The school nurse and my teacher told me sometimes I would turn black, and sometimes I would be just as blue as I could be. They had to work long and hard to bring me around. Because of my physical condition and because of my getting pushed around so much, by the time I went into the second grade, I was mad at everybody. I was mad at the whole world. It twisted my thinking.

One day during the noon hour I decided to take things into my own hands. I went off the school grounds to some buildings that had just been built, and I returned with a 2×4 about 20 inches long. I slipped up behind the bully of the playground and hit him right behind the ear as hard as I could. He was out 45 minutes. I did my best to kill him. At 8 years of age, I thoroughly meant to kill him—and I was disappointed that I had not. This was one of several such incidents. I would not fight anybody openly, but as soon as they turned their back, I would knock them in the head with a hammer or whatever else I could get my hands on. I would just as soon have killed them as looked at them.

You get tired of getting walked over after a while. Of course, I was not saved then. It makes a lot of difference when the love of God comes into your heart. I was born again while bedfast, but even after that, questions arose in my mind: “Why was I born this way? Is God the author of the sufferings that are in this world today?” I remember asking myself: “Who is responsible for all of this?” “Why me?” I asked God. “Why did I have to be born as a premature baby who weighed less than two pounds? Did You cause me to be born prematurely? “Why did I have to be afflicted all my life? Why couldn’t I have had a normal childhood? Did You rob me of my childhood? “Why couldn’t I have known happiness? Are You the One who caused me to sit and watch as others ran, jumped, and played? “Now I am bedfast, and five doctors say I have to die. Why me? I didn’t have anything to do with it. God, did You?”

I wept, “Oh, God, surely I don’t have to die! I don’t know what it is to live yet. I know what it is to be hungry, cold, and without clothes, but I have never known what it is to be comfortable and to have nice things.” (I had been so hungry as a child that the smell of food would make me fall over in a dead faint.) I said, “I always have been pushed from pillar to post. I never have known what it is to have a family. I had hopes of growing up, marrying, and having a family, but I will never know what it is if I die now. Do I have to die?”

Such questions demand an answer, but nobody really gives you an answer; they will give you some theological concept that does not amount to anything. But thank God, the Bible has the answer. We can believe God’s Word and be delivered, or we can doubt it if we want to and remain bound. I am so glad I found the answer. I found it in Acts 10:38, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

Jesus went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. That is good, isn’t it? This verse told me that Satan is the oppressor . . . Satan is the one who caused me to be born prematurely .  .  . Satan is the one who caused me to have a deformed heart . . . Satan is the one who caused my body to be almost totally paralyzed . . . Satan is the one who gave me an incurable blood disease . . . Satan is the one who kept me bound for 16 months on a bed of sickness.

But Jesus is the Deliverer! Jesus is the Lifegiver! Jesus is the Savior! Jesus is God manifested in the flesh! Hallelujah! I never was so thrilled with anything in my life as when I discovered this truth! Yes, God’s Word is truth. After I saw what the Bible said and received my healing, I crawled out of bed and said, “I am not going to die! I am going to live, and someday I am going to have a family—a wife and children.” I was 17 years old then—just a boy. I had never heard healing preached in my life.

My relatives warned me to be careful, but the Bible said it, I believed it, and that settled it. I told everyone I met what I was going to do. People did not want to believe my healing, however. They said I had stayed in bed so long that I had lost my mind. Today, I am the result of what I said in those days. I have enjoyed perfect health ever since. God gave me a lovely wife and family, and it has been Heaven all the way. Faith works. That is the reason I get happy preaching about it. I know what He has done for me.

We shared this wonderful story to help your faith grow in God. The story is found in the free eBook – Don’t Blame God by Kenneth E. Hagin. You can download the full copy at this website link.

Officials in China intensify persecution of beleaguered church

By
Ogba Victor
-
0
China persecution

A formerly 1,000-member house church that Chinese officials have ground down to a tiny remnant is facing even greater persecution, according to religious rights outlet Bitter Winter.

Though Guangfu Church in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, has kept a low profile for the occasion of its 20th anniversary, persecution has intensified for the 20 remaining people who showed up for worship on Aug. 3, Bitter Winter reported.

“A previous promise from local officials – that the church could gather freely if it refrained from legal action or media outreach – was abruptly revoked by Baiyun District’s new Religious Affairs chief, Yao Huaixiang, who declared, ‘I’m the leader now. What I say goes,” the online outlet reported.

Located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of Hong Kong, the church this year has seen authorities disrupt gatherings under the pretext of citing electrical issues and inflate costs for fire safety installations. Surveillance cameras have appeared around the church site to monitor those attending, and officials have compiled a list of 58 members whom they are threatening through phone calls, home visits and pressure on employers, Bitter Winter noted.

The threats include intimidation of children.

“Bitter Winter was told that one congregant’s disabled son lost his government assistance after the local village chief mocked, ‘Aren’t you a Christian? Let Jesus give you welfare,’” the outlet reported. “Another believer’s teenage daughter was warned that attending church could jeopardise her education. Families have been threatened with eviction, and some members have been coerced into signing pledges to stop attending services.”

Founded in 2005 by Pastor Ma Chao, also known as Pastor Mark, Guangfu Church since 2015 has been the target of harassment by several government agencies, including the Religious Affairs Bureau, Public Security and local administrative offices, Bitter Winter reported.

“Authorities have sealed worship venues, welded shut doors, forced evictions and obstructed Pastor Ma’s overseas theological education,” the outlet stated. “In one ruthless episode during the church’s 10th anniversary celebration, officials raided the premises, assaulted church workers and congregants and confiscated materials.”

Authorities have repeatedly detained Pastor Ma without charges. When in one instance he asked why he was arrested, an official told him openly that he had done nothing, adding, “If you had, you’d be in prison – we’re just carrying out orders,” the outlet reported.

In 2017, authorities sentenced church member Li Hongmin to 10 months in prison for printing Christian literature, including hymnals and a popular book, “Wandering Son,” and his publishing business was shut down.

Authorities have pressured members to sign a statement that they will no longer “participate in illegal religious activities nor use the internet to carry out religious activities.” Elder Zhang Zhibiao has refused to sign any pledge, resulting in officials intensifying monitoring of his movements, according to the outlet.

The remnant congregation remains steadfast, Bitter Winter reported, citing Pastor Ma’s assertion in a recent statement, “If the Lord allows, I will face it calmly. I am prepared – whether it be prison or martyrdom…Their deceit and tactics are all under God’s control. If He does not permit it, no hair on my head will fall. I firmly believe in God’s protection over His church.”

Unregistered with the government-controlled Three-Self Churches, house churches have been increasingly targeted under “Sinicisation” policies of President Xi Jinping. Increasingly, Sinicisation has become defined not as adapting religion to Chinese culture and traditions but making religion subservient to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideology.

Sermon content has become more strictly controlled, increasingly requiring CCP ideology to be included.

Xi articulated the goal to “Sinicize” all religions in 2016, a policy designed to ensure religious loyalty aligns with the priorities of the CCP. Raids and arrests targeting house church members have become commonplace, as Chinese authorities seek to dismantle groups deemed to pose threats to “political security and social stability.”

China ranked 15th on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Back to God Modern Hymn – By Pastor Ogba Victor

By
Ogba Victor
-
0
  1. Back to the God who sanctifies
    Back to the streams of heaven afar
    And though once ro-ugh we testify
    It is Him, just him who made us glad.
  2. Back to the God who loved and died
    Back to the one who melted hearts
    Oh what a wonderful day for man
    The God of heaven loved and died.
  3. Back to the God who showed his love
    Back to the Lamb upon the cross
    Twas on a tree and all at once
    He took my sins and nailed them all.
  4. Shattered are all my plans not his
    Lost are my days not his to make
    The best of hopes if me-n would trail
    Back to the God who does us good.
  5. Back to the God we once denied
    Back to the rock who did us hide
    Back to the one who is the guide
    Back to the God who is the vine.

It’s not gay to straight. It’s lost to saved – Emily’s Testimony

By
Ogba Victor
-
0

Emily still maintains she was “born that way.” But an encounter with the truth in a women’s Bible study drew her out of the lesbian lifestyle.

A young woman named Emily Thomes recounted her story in a video testimony produced by Anchored North, a Christian media ministry targeting millennials with short videos. Their video, “Love is Love,” has had over two million views in the last month.

Very early in life, Emily discovered she was attracted to other young women. “I was 15 and I started dating a girl that lived down the street from me,” she told Anchored North. “I got a hicky and my dad saw it and was livid.”

As he erupted in anger she responded defiantly. “I love her. I’m going to be with her. This is how it is,” she declared.

While it went “terribly” with her father, other friends seemed to be more accepting of her choice. When they questioned her, she realised she could either deny reality or accept it. “I decided to own it. I said, ‘Yeah, what about it?’”

Emily Thomes

Emily thought Christians who rejected her lifestyle choice were guilty of “backwoods” thinking.

She believed if someone was truly a Christian they would be on her side. Christians who opposed her she considered “legalistic.” She thought they needed to re-read what Christianity is really about — not being judgmental.

God being love means God is nice; God is chill with what I am cool with, she thought.

In her late teens she fell headlong into the lesbian lifestyle. “ I was super wild and in serial relationships with women,” she said.

At nursing school, she became engaged to another young woman. “I kind of slowed down a little bit for her because she had two kids,” she told Anchored North.

At 22 she was invited to a women’s Bible study. “I expected them to bring up my lifestyle really early and I could use that as justification for not coming back, so I agreed to go.”

As Emily listened to women in the circle talking about having a personal relationship with God, it unsettled her. “I had nothing like that and it bugged me…I didn’t feel okay anymore.”

What if it is all true? she wondered.

Her mind began to swirl with questions about her sexual identity. Are you sure this is who you are?

She looked up verses about homosexuality and stumbled upon 1 Corinthians, chapter 6:9

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

The implications of the passage struck close to home. “Those who practice homosexuality – which was me – and also drunkards and a bunch of other things that I had been…”

Emily recognized she had been outside the will of God and it scared her.

When she read verse 11 she had an epiphany. “It says, ‘And such were some of you. But you were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified.’”

“I realized there were people in the same place and they were saved and they were changed and that God could do that for me too and I needed that. I could hold on to my sin and reject God or I could turn to him.”

All the debt that I had racked up living like I lived didn’t have to be mine if I could trust Him, she reasoned.

The truth in those verses stared at her in black and white. She realized she had twisted the Scripture to suit her desires.

The Word and the Spirit touched Emily’s heart and she was born again. “That day it was like my eyes were really opened. I was amazed at the grace He had shown me.”

After she began to walk with Jesus a gay person told her, “I was born this way.”

“Okay, yeah, me too,” she replied. “You’re not born with right affections. That’s why Jesus had to come. You feeling the desire to sin just proves your need for grace like me.”

“It’s not gay to straight. It’s lost to saved. God calls us not to heterosexuality, but to holiness. Even though the world would paint a totally different story of what sexuality is and isn’t, God’s word is clear and he can save and he does and he will.”

If you want to know more about a personal relationship with God, go ahead and reach out to us

Understanding Prayer as an intercourse with God

By
Ogba Victor
-
0

In a marital union, it is essential for a husband and wife to engage in regular intimacy and intercourse to cultivate love and strengthen their bond. This connection not only deepens their relationship but also provides the opportunity to create children who share their DNA and often resemble them.

It is impossible for parents to have children with their own DNA without intercourse. However, they can still have children without intercourse through adoption or other means, such as having children out of wedlock. Additionally, without regular intimacy, the bond of marriage can weaken and may lead to cracks in the relationship or even a failed union.

Paul uses the church as a metaphor for the bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:25-27. If the church is indeed Christ’s bride, it needs to regularly engage in a relationship with its husband, who is Christ. This strong, regular bonding will foster deep feelings of love and passion in the hearts of both the church and her Lord. And we understand that the church is not simply a building, but rather the men and women who worship God in truth and spirit.

Another beneficial result of regular intercourse with Christ is the ability to produce men like Christ—those who carry His DNA and likeness and embody His passion, personalities and power.

The church and her ministers must be careful not to abandon their prayer connection and intercourse with Christ. Otherwise, we risk filling our churches with those who do not belong to God—like children of another father—who carry a different identity and resemblance. As we have already seen in many of our churches today, these individuals cannot truly be called God’s sons and daughters. We must take this matter seriously and recommit to our spiritual foundation.

What does this mean for a minister? Christian ministry is God’s tool and gift for producing Christlike believers who possess the DNA of God within them. Therefore, whether we are pastors, evangelists, teachers, prophets, apostles, or music ministers, we must cultivate a strong prayer bond with Christ. This connection is essential for our ministerial fruits to be Godlike and Christlike.

5 Problems with Roman Catholic Confession of sin to their priests

By
Ogba Victor
-
0

Growing up in Rome and watching people pray their way up the “holy” steps, watching them wait to confess their sins to men and many things like this, has caused me to grieve for people who are in the Roman Catholic Church. Any religion that is built on the backs of the poor and that propagates works-based righteousness should bring tears and concern to those who have experienced true grace. It is important that we as believers understand the truth of why Catholic confession is not Biblical, not to win an argument but in order to rescue souls. So here are five problems with Roman Catholic confession.

1- Priests can’t see the heart

The stories of Saul and David are fascinating, particularly when we examine their confessions after being confronted with their sins. At first glance, many people might see their confessions as quite similar. Saul said, “Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord,” while David simply stated, “I have sinned against the Lord.” One might argue that Saul’s confession is better worded, but ultimately, both had received a clear message from God, who knows their hearts and understands which one is truly repentant. 

Priests cannot see into the hearts of men, and they are not reliable judges of genuine repentance. Even if they were able to discern if someone were lying by looking into their eyes, they do not have that capability in the context of Catholic confession. Humans are not good judges of what occurs in someone’s heart, nor are they effective at gauging the severity of sin, as we tend to minimize sin while exaggerating human goodness.

2 – Only God can forgive sin

The Pharisees hated that Jesus forgave sins (Matt 9:3). They understood that only the creator of the universe had the authority to do so. When Jesus healed a paralysed man and declared that his sins were forgiven, the Pharisees were furious and ready to condemn him.

It’s astonishing to consider that the Pope might believe he has the power to absolve someone of their sins, assign them tasks, and then send them on their way, free from guilt. In reality, the only one with the authority to forgive sins is God himself (1 John 1:9). Thankfully, He does not leave it up to us to judge whether someone deserves forgiveness or not.

3 – It encourages easy-believism

After speaking with many Catholics, I find it fascinating to see how many rely on three things for their salvation: baptism, the Mass, and ultimately, confession. The belief that one can simply confess their sins and perform a few Hail Marys, while genuinely feeling remorse, fosters a mentality that downplays the severity of sin, suggesting it can be overcome through personal efforts.

It’s important to recognise that it doesn’t take just a few Hail Marys to atone for serious sins, such as abortion; even a thousand wouldn’t suffice. True redemption comes through the shed blood of Christ and a heart that genuinely repents of sin, seeking His forgiveness. This requires an acknowledgment of sin’s gravity, understanding that it deserves eternal punishment in Hell.

4 – It propagates sin

The Roman Catholic Church may not appreciate this, but the practice of easy confession can lead people to become indifferent to their sins. Instead of communicating directly with God, individuals find themselves speaking to a human being who listens to confessions all day. Often, the priest doesn’t know the individual’s face, and the penance given is usually straightforward, making it seem easy to attain forgiveness.

I’ve heard many Catholics say things like, “I’ll just go confess to the priest next week,” as they discuss their sins. When you minimise sin to the point where it no longer feels like a serious matter—believing you can simply pay for it in purgatory and compensate through good actions—you are perpetuating a harmful mindset. If, in the moment of temptation, the thought is, “I can do this and just confess to the priest later to be okay,” we risk creating a system that encourages further sinfulness.

5 – It damns people to hell

Ultimately, Roman Catholic confession can lead people to downplay the seriousness of sin and put their faith in a system instead of a Saviour. It prevents individuals from communicating with the only one who can truly forgive them and instead makes them speak with someone who cannot offer genuine salvation. My heart breaks for those who find themselves trapped in this deception.

I have often shed tears while walking in “churches,” witnessing people lined up to confess their sins, only to be offered easy, worldly solutions to issues that are spiritually serious and could lead to eternal consequences. They are seldom informed about the reality of hell, but rather are offered a false sense of security through the grace of Jesus Christ. It is essential that, as believers, we understand the difference between the true gospel and a false one so that we can guide people toward a genuine relationship with their Creator, rather than a works-based religion.

The Quickening of the Spirit – How God makes Praying Generals

By
Ogba Victor
-
0

It is God who begins the journey of all praying generals. A praying general is a Christian whose prayer altar burns high on behalf of his generation. For we know that no army general is employed by the State to fight his own battle. Kingdom generals make use of their God given office to serve God’s plan for their generation.

How God brings us into the secret place is through the process of quickening. Quickening means to bring to life what was dormant or dead; it signifies causing something to begin to happen. For instance, consider a child’s toy car that must be quickened by first compressing the spring. After doing so, you can set it down and watch it roll on its own. Sometimes, it may just need a little push. Similarly, older generators often require a person to start the rotor until it can operate independently.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)

So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Psalm 80:18

The passage in John 6:63 emphasizes that only the Spirit of God can give life to people. A person may be spiritually dead in areas like prayer, but it is only the Spirit that can bring him to life. Additionally, Psalm 80:18 highlights our need for quickening in order to call upon the name of the Lord.

According to human nature, it is rare to find individuals who pray purely out of love for prayer itself. Instead, God provides reasons for people to pray, often in the form of harsh situations, difficult times, troubles, illnesses, and various needs. These challenges typically persist until the person being drawn to prayer comes to understand its significance and practice it effectively.

  1. The Quickening of Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36-38)

The Bible tells us about Anna, a widow who was married for only seven years. After her husband’s passing, she dedicated the rest of her life to praying and seeking God’s presence in the temple. How did God cultivate this willingness in her? First, He allowed her to experience loss—the loss of her beloved husband. If her husband had been alive, she might not have devoted such time to God. It was God’s guiding hand that initiated her journey as a church worker and a prayer warrior.

  1. The Quickening of Hannah

It was God’s choice to block Hannah’s womb, not because Elkanah loved his co-wife more, but as part of God’s unfolding plan. God was trying to bring forth a woman who would be dedicated to nurturing a reformative servant. What God sought was Hannah’s attention, drawing her into prayer. He achieved this by giving her a reason to seek Him with all her heart. Hannah was transformed by this divine prompting from God.

  1. The Quickening of Apostle Arome Osayi

Apostle Arome was born a strong stammerer. The only way he could communicate effectively was through long prayers to God. This was how he found relief and loosened his tongue. However, this was just the beginning of his journey to praying without ceasing.

When he was around 17 or 18 years old, his two siblings fell victim to witchcraft. One sibling went mad during that time, while the other was brought home from school suffering from an affliction. It became clear to him that he had to either begin praying earnestly or succumb to the dark forces threatening his family. He turned to God and committed himself to prayer, becoming a fervent prayer warrior until both his mind and spirit were trained to pray diligently.

  1. The Quickening of Ogba Victor

My journey to prayer began with my praying mother, but what truly drew me into the prayer chambers of God were the incessant satanic attacks I faced. I was young when I started to see demons and became embroiled in many battles against dark forces. Even the powers of darkness sought desperately to initiate me into their kingdom. I had to choose between praying or submitting to darkness, and I chose the path of prayer. The battles of my childhood gave me the push I needed to fully commit to the channels of prayer offered by God.

Conclusion

It is important for believers to pay close attention to the battles around them and to pray through these challenges, as they may be the guiding thread drawing them into the secret place. These battles could be sicknesses, childlessness, spiritual warfare, etc. It is worth noting that no amount of prayer can compel God to act, nor can cries of anguish cause Him to withdraw His Spirit, which has been sent to lead us into that secret place.

The abuse of grace; where we have failed God

By
Ogba Victor
-
1

“Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it! Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.”

Zechariah 4:7-9

Zechariah 4:7-9

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:1-3

In my other article about grace I summarized grace and everything it is about. The link to the article is below.

Read: Understanding the true meaning of the word – ‘Grace’

In Zechariah 4:7-9 we saw a man whom God gave grace to complete the building of the Second temple. Zerubbabel utilized the grace of God and built the temple. One thing I would point out in this story is that- grace doesn’t take a way human effort. God’s grace for Zerubbabel’s temple did not send Zerubbabel home to sleep or rest while He (God) did the magic alone. No!; but rather, with that grace, Zerubbabel’s hands finished the temple of God according to the prophesy.

What if Zerubbabel had gone home and stopped building the temple, what if he was waiting on grace to build the temple instead of making genuine efforts to accomplish the task? That grace will stop working on him obviously. Perhaps God would have left him and would then choose another builder and pour out grace on his obedient servant.

Surely, grace doesn’t totally remove human the effort but compliments it in a divine magnitude; that man may baffle and praise the God. For he that has been given grace ought to take advantage of the grace of God. He that has the grace of teaching should be in front of students teaching or doing the work. If such a man doesn’t make effort to be in a class, the grace of teaching is then useless unto him. For it is when he starts making efforts towards effective teaching that grace will show him the way it is done. The evangelist with the grace of preaching and evangelism must, study the bible, pray, make research and compile his sermon. He also has to go out to reach the unsaved. That grace will work immediately he sets his mind to do the work for which grace was given to him.

When a man who has been given grace, and he doesn’t do his own part for which the grace was given, it is called the “abuse of grace”.

Another point worth knowing is that grace achieves result or that grace is for achieving result. Example, if God desires to use a man to heal the sick, he pours out the grace of healing on him. That grace is to achieve divine healing when he prays for the sick. Likewise, the grace for prosperity should make a man prosper. As long as the man is willing to work, grace will show him the way to win.

If this is true, then the grace for salvation should make a man saved. In other words, grace for salvation should make a man who has received this grace live saved, sanctified and holy lives unto God.

The sequence is this:

  1. Man is given grace. 
    2. Man works in works with the grace
    3. Grace produces result

The Abuse of grace

The problem of many Christians and churches is mainly at part where they would have to work with the grace or take advantage of it.

There is no doubt that Christ has gifted us grace to obtain forgiveness, should we not ask for forgiveness when we err? Of course not. Remember the Lord’s prayer, “..forgive us our trespasses, as we also forgive…”. Same should be said of all types of grace mentioned in the article: Understanding the true meaning of the word Grace .

On a more serious case, the grace for salvation has appeared to all men. This grace is given to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as lord and king. This grace is for one thing, and that is to enable us live saved and holy lives.

Brethren we are saved by grace. it doesn’t mean that we should not work out our salvation. Paul also agrees to this in Philipians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose“

God has given us grace freely. We need to do the works of righteousness with this grace. We ought to get sanctified with this grace. This grace has to enable us live saved and sanctified lives as born again children of God. This grace teaches us to say no to sin says the bible.

Note: Not that the grace says no, but it gives us the empowerment to say no!.

Many err greatly and abuse grace when they say “We are saved by grace, not by our works” No! It is righteousness that is by faith. But salvation is by accepting the saving grace of God. We are saved when we take advantage of this grace and use it to live holy and sanctified lives because that is what the grace was meant to accomplish.

When these erring believers argue they would bring up Romans 7:15 where Paul has said : “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do … own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate“.

They use this passage as license to disobey God’s law and live immoral and wicked lives against God.

 

But for some reason unknown to some of us and for which God shall judge every man, these set of believers does not talk about verse 25 of the same scripture: Romans 7:25, which says: Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

In other words, God has delivered Paul from that nature of sin through Jesus Christ. But these people continue to live undelivered from their sinful nature. They continue to be under the bondage of sin clinging unto grace instead of using that grace to live holy lives. No! Brethren no!. Grace is an empowerment. If we start to make genuine effort to live resurrected lives, that is when grace will teach and show us how to win.

We must learn wisdom from God and not ourselves. The same Paul had testified in Romans 6:1- “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”

 Paul also said in Titus 2:11-12 : “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”

Surely Paul acknowledges that grace is doesn’t teach us to remain in sin, while claiming to be saved by grace. Grace doesn’t teach us that we are free to sin and go back for forgives, that there is always forgiveness; no! The spirit teaches us that lie is the fleshy spirit behind the “abuse of grace”.

Ananias and his wife certainly did not received this free grace to wrong God and run back to him to ask for forgives. But God struck him immediately and took grace away from him. It is true that as long as we are in the time of the gentiles, there is hope to obtain mercy and forgiveness and salvation; tut let us not abuse this grace because one day it will expire.

For we must know this: that until we start to utilize or take advantage of this grace to live holy, saved and sanctified lives full of the presence of God, we don’t know what we profess when we say we have grace.

Surely, if a man wants to migrate to Canada from Nigeria, he has to purchase the things he will need in Canada. He also has to sell things he will not be needing anymore. He also has to purchase Visa with his resources and pay for a flight to Canada. Why do many Christians who want to be in heaven- a holy land made for the holy and saved, stay in sin and continue in the works of old? Why do they cling so tight to free grace and ignore the works of those who are saved?

Finally brethren, it is good for us to know where we have falling short. It is good for us to know why we cannot repeat the many miraculous works of the New Testament Church. It is good for us to know why we cannot do the works of Apostle Paul despite the grace we have come to learn through his ministry. It is good to know why many churches are more silent than burial grounds in the spirit. It is good for us to know why it seems as if God has abandoned his people and darkness is stealing men. It is good for us to know why we need revival. It is good for us to know why many church goers will eventually not make heaven. It is not that God is partial or lack commitment for his promises, one of the reasons is that we abuse the grace given to us by God.

Once again I do not write to unbelievers but to the churches. Our God has great zeal for his church and he wants everyone to bend to his words and will. Not everyone will receive it, but those for whom it has been given will receive it.

May the God of Grace grant grace to you my reader and to his Church; Amen!!..

 

No one loves the LGBTQ+ More than a faithful Christian

By
Ogba Victor
-
0

To the foolish idealist, it may be frustrating to accept the truth. To those who do not live by truth, it may seem inappropriate to work with facts. And to the world, it may seem difficult to accept that no one truly loves the LGBTQ more than a Christian, even though we preach against their deeds.

I have observed that some individuals criticise faithful Christian teachers and preachers, claiming they fail to embody the love they preach simply because they firmly oppose the LGBTQ+ community and its practices. Many challenge us with the phrase “JUST LOVE.”

I want to clarify that we are not hypocrites; we genuinely practice what we preach. The issue is that the people we address in the LGBTQ community hold idealistic views about love.

What is the word love?

Love is a deep affection and feeling for a person that compels our heart to show kindness, respect, and desire for them. Because of this love, we genuinely wish for the best for the individual we care about and would do anything to protect them from harm. This remains true as long as the love persists.

So that true love is in action and not in words. Sincere love is practical and not idealistic. If I watch someone I claim to love enter into a ditch, I do not know what love is. A mother who truly loves and seeks the well-being of her toddler would never watch him play with a risk of getting harmed. That the child will cry when scolded or reprimanded will not stop a loving mother from deterring the child from error.

The LGBTQ definition of love emphasizes acceptance and respect for individual choices. However, I believe this perspective doesn’t fully capture what love truly is. If I allow my brother to fall into a ditch out of respect for his choices, can that really be considered love? If he insists on proceeding and falls into the ditch, becoming blind in the process, and I foresee even greater disaster but do not warn him—failing to try to open his eyes and prevent further harm—can that be called love?

If I see my sister standing by the road with a heavy load from the seeds she sowed and do not move to save her from destruction, is this love?

The Bible teaches us how to love sinners in John 3:16. It says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God, having loved us, was not willing to accept our sinful journey into destruction, sent Christ to open our eyes, bring us forgiveness and save us from the ultimate destruction in hell. Herein is true love shown by God, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

We were deeply immersed in unrighteousness and completely embraced our own ways. However, God took action to save us from a path that leads to eternal death. His love was not judgmental, but it also did not allow us to remain in error or bound for hell. This is known as redemptive love—a type of love that refuses to let the soul of man stay trapped in Satan’s pit or walk into eternal flames. This is God’s model of love.

Now, this wholesome love is what Christ, through his Spirit, has implanted into us faithful Christians who keep his commands. As long as that love is in us, we cannot but labour for our brothers and sisters whom Satan has blinded and demons have held hostage, to see if by grace they also can have liberty as we also have received from God. The love of God in us compels us to preach the gospel.

For we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. And when we preach this gospel, they say we are hateful. But the fact is that no one truly loves the LGBTQ community like we do. For we seek their redemption and salvation.

Depth of Love

There is also what we call ‘depths of love’ or ‘heights of love’. This is about how much love we have for someone. The more we love, the more we are willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of those we love.

Jesus serves as our role model in the reality of love. His love for humanity reached great heights, to the point where his own life meant little to him compared to the importance of offering us forgiveness and redemption. What he embodied and accomplished, he has also instilled in our hearts and spirits, inspiring us to be and to do the same.

Sometimes the world does not understand why we are able to take the risk of being called hateful names, hated, persecuted, and shamed for the sake of the gospel. People do not know why we abandon pleasure and other things for evangelism and mission. It is love in our hearts; love propelled by the Spirit of Christ in us. It teaches us to love men even as Christ loved us, and to labour for their redemption even at great expense and personal costs.

This is why I say that no one loves the LGBTQ+ community more sincerely than Christians. Not the government, not the supportive society that hesitates to tell them they need a saviour, not their peers, nor their supportive mothers and fathers, and not their friends.

Saved out of Lesbianism, beauty from ashes – Testimony

By
Ogba Victor
-
0
Out of Lesbianism

I was born prematurely in May of 1975 and spent two months isolated in an incubator, out of the warmth of my mother’s womb — but also out of her warm embrace.

In those days, preemies were not touched or held. Perhaps as a result of the isolation of my first eight weeks of life, throughout my childhood, I had an overwhelming fear of abandonment and rejection, worrying that at any moment my parents would leave me.

Though I don’t remember those first two months, they set the tone for the rest of my life; I viewed my entire life through this filter. I have distinct childhood memories of songs and stories that scared me. I’d zero in on themes of abandonment, and I carried those feelings of fear with me into adulthood. For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with a lack of self-worth. I’ve had a hard time believing I could accomplish anything or be someone others could like.

During my youth, my family faithfully attended church, serving on various committees and singing in choirs. I’ve always believed in God, but in those early years it had little affect on my daily life. I did cry out to God in times of trouble, wondering why He didn’t rescue me from the difficult life I was living.

By high school, I lacked many necessary life skills. My parents divorced when I was 15; my father was granted custody of my older sister and me. I had no understanding of how to properly deal with my emotions, which were growing increasingly disoriented. So I became self-destructive. I self-injured by cutting myself with sharp objects, and banged my head and fists against walls and floors. I had started having eating problems at age 14, and by the end of high school I had a full-blown eating disorder.

A search for acceptance

I began experimenting sexually with girls at a young age. This continued until, as a high school freshman, I found myself physically attracted to my best friend. Before our relationship became physical, it was already emotionally unhealthy. When we began to act out our attraction physically, I became totally dependent on her for my self-worth.

About a week into our relationship, I secretly looked up “homosexuality” in a health book. The book said that if you had attractions for someone of the same gender, then you were gay. I remember thinking, “There it is, in black and white. I am a homosexual.”

The summer after my high school graduation, I was in a coffee shop having a conversation about a novel I was reading. A character in the novel would quote Bible verses as a justification for abusing his wife. A man passing by our table heard the word “Bible” and asked if I was interested in going to church with him. I had attended many different types of churches throughout my life, so I accepted his invitation.

I began meeting regularly with this man’s girlfriend, who was quick to tell me that homosexuality was a sin that would condemn me to hell. She would pray with me every day. And every night I would cry myself to sleep praying, “God, change me! Why did you make me gay if that means I have to go to hell?” In my heart I wondered, Is it true that God wants me to be forever separated from Him?

The church I was attending did not share the hope for change that the gospel offers. Their stance was change first … then God will accept you. I eventually got away from this woman and this church. I had asked God to change me, and He didn’t. And so I embraced my lesbian identity.

Hiding in plain sight

After three and a half years together, my first girlfriend and I broke up. I then met an older married woman, dropped out of college and moved across the country to live with her and her husband. For some reason, her husband said it didn’t bother him to discover his wife was bisexual. He also claimed it didn’t bother him to have me move in because by doing so I was satisfying some need that he couldn’t meet. She and I had a mock wedding ceremony and from then on, she introduced me as her “wife.”

I lived with this couple for close to two and a half years. During this time, I became even more involved with the gay community. I spoke out for gay rights, frequented gay bars and embraced my identity as a lesbian. I even became engaged to a gay man. We decided we would marry to be companions as soon as I finished college, but I would continue to be in a relationship with my “wife.” It made perfect sense to me at the time because I knew my “wife” would never leave her husband, but I certainly didn’t want to be alone. My “wife” and I eventually decided it would be best for me to continue my schooling, so I moved to Boston to attend a prestigious music school, the same school from which my “wife” had graduated.

Though I was in an environment where my sexuality was affirmed, my life was far from happy. My relationship with my “wife” continued to crumble until she ended our relationship about 10 months after I moved. My eating disorder spiraled out of control. I descended into fear and loneliness.

Oddly enough, it was during that time that I started learning more about Jesus. Christians seemed to pop into my life to share with and pray for me. They never took it upon themselves to point out my sinfulness or say that I should not be a lesbian. They just pointed me to Jesus. Like everyone else, I was a sinner in need of Jesus in my life. My sexual choices were only one of many indications of this need.

It’s pretty amazing to look back and see how God was cultivating a heart for himself in me, and I was completely unaware of it at the time. I wrote to a friend during this time:

I may finally have the strength to turn to God for help. I’ve been turning away from God because I want to stay sick so I don’t have to deal with the real issues. Well, it’s strange because there have been some very influential Christians in my life. I think their prayers have really touched me somehow. Though I haven’t been able to pray for myself, the fact that I consider it to be an option is a big step from where I’ve been.

Things continued to get worse until I eventually came to the end of my rope. I knew that I needed help with my eating disorder or I was going to die, but I felt I had tried everything and nothing worked. I called a friend who was a recovering alcoholic and bulimic to get advice, and she asked if I had ever tried praying for help to overcome my eating disorder. I thought, That’s the one thing I haven’t tried! — so I started praying.

When love breaks through

One night, a song I was listening to spoke of a friend who was always there with every tear cried, who would give everything for me. Through this friend, I could have a new life and a fresh start. That friend was Jesus — the son of God, who died on the cross to take away my sin and my pain, and to give me worth. He died so that I wouldn’t have to carry the burden of my shame anymore. Though it was hard to believe that such a sacrificial love was possible, I somehow knew that it was the truth and that this love was what I had been searching for.

I remember sobbing uncontrollably because the ache in my heart was so great, this longing to know the friend this man sang about. I cried out to God saying, “I want what he has!” God, in His great mercy, met me on that day in January of 1999.

Though I was not in a relationship at that time, I was immediately convicted that being in a lesbian relationship was not compatible with being a follower of Christ. I asked a Christian woman to show me Scriptures on the topic. What I read in the Bible only strengthened my resolve. It was easy at first; I was so in love with God that I didn’t want anything else.

However, about nine months after becoming a Christian, I met a girl who had been raised in a Christian home but whose family had walked away from God. I couldn’t fathom how anyone could do that, and I desperately wanted to help her. My intentions were pure, but my resolve for purity quickly faded, and we entered into a physical relationship. I knew that our actions were wrong, but I thought it was my “last chance” before I went on to live what could very well be a celibate life.

After three months, she said to me, “Look, you can’t be a Christian and be gay. The Bible says you must be either hot or cold, but not lukewarm.” She was quoting Scripture to me! With that, she ended our relationship.

I threw up my arms saying, “Fine, God! I don’t want to live like this. Please take this away from me.” In many ways, He did. My attraction to women greatly lessened, but the circumstances of my life that led me in the direction of lesbianism had not changed. I was wise enough to know that although I had surrendered my desire to live as a lesbian to God, that didn’t mean the road ahead would be paved with gold.

A long journey of obedience

There were a few things I found to be invaluable as I struggled to sort out the various issues in my life. I didn’t know that groups like Alive in Christ, the ministry I now direct, existed when I was struggling. I opened up to my Christian friends about my struggle and asked for accountability. I went through three years of counseling to deal with the roots of my same-sex attraction, as well as my eating disorder, depression and self-injury. Romans 12:2 (NLT) says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” I truly needed my entire thought life to be transformed. I didn’t just have moments of feeling worthless and unlovable; In the core of my being, I was sure it was true that I was worthless and unlovable.

My counselor helped me to recognize these faulty thought patterns and showed me how to make them line up with what God’s Word has to say about me (2 Corinthians 10:5). She also helped me learn to better relate to Roy, the man I was dating. Due to some abusive situations I encountered with men as an adult, I had a very difficult time letting Roy very deep into my world. As I grew to trust him, though, recognizing that he wouldn’t intentionally hurt me, my natural physical attraction for him was allowed to surface without fear.

And most importantly, I wrestled with God. A lot. In all honesty, I suppose, it was more like I wrestled and He waited patiently for me to realize that He is who He says He is and He will do what He has said He will do.

When all that we’ve relied on for so long is ripped out from under us, it’s a natural reaction to question God — to question His goodness, His faithfulness, His reliability and trustworthiness — because we’ve been relying on our own faulty coping mechanisms and limited understanding for so long. Whether healthy or unhealthy, reliable or unreliable, the chaos becomes predictable, almost like an unhealthy friendship that you wish you could get rid of … but are glad it’s always there.

There were times when I was so angry and bitter at God because He could have made my life — past and present — easier if He wanted to, but He didn’t. He wasn’t working according to my timing, and that wasn’t easy for me.

I’m reminded of something from John 6. Jesus had just given the disciples a particularly difficult command. Rather than trusting in God’s goodness and overall trustworthiness and taking into account their limited understanding, quite a few of the disciples decided it was too tough a command and stopped following Christ. When Jesus turned to the twelve to ask if they would leave too, Peter responded, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”

That’s how I feel. In the midst of all the questions and doubts, I already knew that I had tasted and seen that the Lord is indeed good, and that I had no other choice but to take refuge in Him (Psalm 34:8), to take my questions and hurts, rest in the shadow of His wing, and trust that He’s always been faithful. And that this time will be no exception.

Homosexual behavior is one sin that seems especially hard to grapple with because on the surface, it appears that it’s not hurting anyone. I often hear about how unfair it is for God to forbid the expression of “genuine love” between two people. The reality of it is that there are a lot of things that don’t seem fair in God’s economy, at least to us. To me, it wasn’t fair to be labeled gay just because I had same-sex attractions. It wasn’t fair that the only choice I felt I was given was to embrace homosexuality. I don’t know where I would be today if I had believed those who told me that my only choice was to be gay.

Beauty from ashes

Roy and I have been married for more than four years now, and what I am living today feels like a dream! I confess that marriage is not a cure for homosexuality, or even a guarantee of happiness, but simply another part of God’s healing process in my life. That said, I never imagined that I’d have this much joy and feel so loved and fulfilled.

I thank God that I came to a point where in my heart of hearts, I felt I had no choice but to embrace Christ and all that He required of me. But what I got in return for my obedience and hard work is an amazing godly man who loves me, unconditionally, like no woman ever did. What I have today is a solid relationship with a trustworthy God who constantly reminds me of His love and faithfulness, a God who I can now worship for who He is, rather than just for what He’s done in my life.

He’s shown himself to be true in my life. The thing is, though, even if I feel He hasn’t, I remind myself that it has more to do with my limited viewpoint and short-sightedness than it has to do with the reality of who God is. God never changes, but I do, and my love for Him and understanding of all that He is grows each day. And for that, I’m grateful.

Copyright 2007 Brenna Kate Simonds. All rights reserved.

1234...13Page 3 of 13

© 2025 Back2God Evangelistic Outreach. All Rights Reserved.