He that shall ENJOY unto the end…

In a popular scripture in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells quite a detail about how the end of times will be like. At a point in Matthew 24, while Jesus described these events, He said, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” I have read that passage several times, and heard it being preached several times, but I never really got the meaning of that phrase, “He that shall endure to the end shall be saved.” I thought I did. I thought I understood what endurance meant as it concerned Christianity, but now I know I really didn’t. Until recent happenings in my country and in the world at large, I didn’t. I didn’t understand that endurance actually meant looking anguish, sorrow, death, terror in the face, and with all the courage you can muster, you still say, “I’m a Christian - sold out to Christ forever!” I thought it meant, you know, preaching to someone and having water poured at you for that; or that it meant being criticized by your old friends for your new dressing style or your obsession with going to church. Oh, I thought it meant not landing the job you desired and being broke once in a while. Boy, I didn’t know it meant getting beheaded just because you said you’re a Christian – people killing you and thinking they’re doing God a favor (John 16:1-3). I didn’t know it meant going against the wind by all means, at any cost.

Hmmm. He that shall endure unto the end shall be saved. Jesus didn’t mince words when He made this statement. In fact, if there’s anybody who knew how to endure hardship, it was Jesus. So He was pretty aware of what He was saying. Don’t you think so? Unfortunately, however, many people have read that passage as, “He that shall enjoy unto the end, the same shall be saved.” I say this because, looking around me, I realize that people - fellow Christians - do not understand that these times are real and that everyone will have a taste of it. Many of us spend all the time we have pursuing ambition, career, convenience, fame, money, power, etc. for “me, me, me, I, I, I”; sadly, for some of us, at any cost, by whatever means.

While praying in the Spirit sometime in May this year, before things got even worse with our world, I began to interpret what I was praying, and part of my interpretation was, “These times are not for the weak minded…” Brothers and Sisters, the weak minded Christian will not make it through these times. The weak minded Christian cannot endure hardship like soldiers of  Jesus Christ – 2^nd Timothy 2:3. Oh, Oh, Oh, these times are not for the weak minded; because, guess what? It will get worse. It cannot get better. So for those of you praising God that you’re not in West Africa at the moment, and so, infectious-disease-of-the-year, Ebola, cannot get to you, you’d better pray. For those of you singing “alleluia” that you’re not in Northern Nigeria or in Iraq or other places where people are brutally murdered for being Christians, start praying. Don’t pray that it won’t get to you, because it will. It may not come in the same form, but a desperate need for endurance at these times will get to you, as long as you’re a Christian. So pray that GOD should help you endure unto the end.

For those of you my Brothers and Sisters in Christ who take your convenience more important than God, tsk tsk - God is merciful, the terrorists aren’t. Some people who couldn’t stand the heat in Iraq have converted to Islam just to save their lives here on earth. What for? I ask. You may think that you’d never do that. I’m sure they thought so too. When they were lifting up holy hands every Sunday praising Jehovah, they thought come rain, come shine, for Jesus all the way. Don’t judge them. I don’t. The heat was unbearable, so they left the kitchen. For those of you who love the pleasures of this world so much, Jesus meant it when He said, “You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24; 1^st John 2:15-17). You’ve got to choose one, my dear; and now is the time to make your choice. Don’t get swallowed up into their messages and deceived by those prosperity preachers. They’re not helping you. They know they didn’t get rich in a day. They know that it wasn’t by decreeing, “money come” that money came. If they told you you can ride in a Rolls Royce by decree, they are lying to you, and they are going to watch you suffer and die poor. Haven’t you wondered how come the money hasn’t come after all these years of your so-called decree? Apostle Paul declared, “I count all things as dung that I might gain the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8). You think Paul didn’t have a lot to lose? Think again (2 Corinthians 11:5-6, 22). He had so much to lose; but He knew that those things are not worthy of being compared to the glory ahead (Romans 8:18), and He wasn’t ready to let such trivialities deprive him of that glory. That is why he was able to die for the sake of the gospel.

Many of us deceive ourselves saying that whether life or death, we will follow Christ. You can deceive yourself and others around you, but the LORD knows those that are His.

Be strong my people. This message is for me too. I’m not preaching it as one who’s gotten there. No, no, no, it’s a message for me even more importantly. We must all endure to the end. The times won’t get easier. And don’t get it twisted, you cannot do this by yourself. You need the One who taught us by example what it means to endure to the end (1^st Peter 2:20-24; Philippians 2:5-8). Yield yourself to Him (Romans 6:12-13), and allow Him to work in and through you for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). You can be rest assured that He will carry you home safely.

 ***        ***        ***

To those of you who have rejected Christ over and over, there is only one reality for you. Please, I encourage you to read my post about hell here. Only one reality. But you still have the chance to escape it. Accept Jesus today!

Finally, back to you, my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, as a side note, I’ll like to leave you with this question, “Are you winning souls or entertaining them?” Please, think deeply about it.

 

For the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of GOD
abideth for ever

- 1^st John 2: 17 (KJV)

OH WOW, AND I THOUGHT I WAS SAVED ALL THESE YEARS!!!

What is the Gospel?

It may be awfully surprising to learn that a lot of “Christians” do not know how to answer this question. Don’t judge them. You probably don’t yourself. Well, I didn’t for a very very long time.

First thing you should know is this: the gospel (Good News) is the most important message in scriptures. There is absolutely no salvation without it. NO Salvation. So, you must know what it is.

Like I said, I didn’t know how to define or explain it for a long time. Did I go to church? Of course! Did I do evangelism? Now, I wonder how I was able to manage to preach a gospel I didn’t even know about; but absolutely, I did evangelize! Did I parade myself as a Christian? Oh, you bet I did. I even started and hosted a number of Bible Studies hoping that people will find what “I had found in Christ”… What a joke!

For 12 years – TWELVE solid years, I had proclaimed Christianity… Or should I say, Christian Religion; because what I practiced was nothing other than that – Religion. I did things by the book, constantly made efforts to do right, and regardless of what I did, was continuously tormented and condemned by the spirit of religion.

You know, Roberts Liardon said something about this spirit in his amazing book God’s Generals: the Roaring Reformers (2003). He said, “I’ve encountered all kinds of evil, deceptive spirits. But I’ve never seen a meaner, more vicious spirit than the spirit of religion. It disguises itself so you think you are serving God. It is a murdering spirit with a “nice” camouflage… You’ll never appease it, nor will you ever please God through it”

I agree with him 100%.

For 12 years, I practiced and preached the Christian religion, thinking I was serving God. No relationship. No experience. Somewhere within me, I knew it had to be more than this. Something wasn’t right, I knew, but didn’t know what was wrong. Thank God for good friends.

It was a “real” Christian friend that showed me what was missing. He explained that what happened was I hadn’t even understood the basis behind my salvation; so how could I have lived a saved and renewed life?

Romans 1:16 says that the gospel of Christ is the power of God UNTO salvation to everyone that believes. Oh wow, so it means I believed in who Christ was, but I lacked the power that could save me. I had not properly received the gospel message. As Kenneth Hagin put it, I knew about Christ just like I knew about Abraham Lincoln (not like I know so well about the ex-president even).

1st Corinthians 4:15 says that Christ begat us through the gospel. This means that without understanding the message of the gospel, believing it with your heart and confessing it with your mouth (Romans 10:9-10), you cannot be saved. So if you automatically became a Christian because your dad and mom are Christians and took you to Sunday School as a kid, please, check your salvation again. You may be professing Christ, but you may not have been truly saved.

My friend (the real Christian friend) and I were discussing one day, and he mentioned that there are several pastors that do not even know the gospel and aren’t saved, yet they tell people about Jesus and do good works.

I pondered upon what he said, but not until I had a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit that completely changed my life did I understand what he meant. No wonder there are several pastors and believers in Christ who can’t pray for the sick to get healed, or cast out a demon, or even demonstrate faith in God for their own problems to be solved. Didn’t Christ say ‘these’ signs shall follow them that believe? Mark 16:17-18. No power (Romans 1:16). No blessing (Romans 15:29). No truth (Colossians 1:5). No peace (Ephesians 6:15). No hope (Colossians 1:23). No faith (Philippians 1:27). No salvation (Romans 1:16). No glory (1st Timothy 1:11).

Brother Hagin gave two examples of how a person can lead a church and lead people in Christ for years without being saved and without knowing it.

He told of a sister who had left her church after her wedding to join her husband in his church. On getting there, she began to hear things she had never heard before. She heard the gospel being preached and so she got “truly” saved and baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in new tongues. Then she began to wonder if her former pastor knew the things that she had heard. “I mean if he knew, he would have told it to us,” she thought. Some months passed and she was invited to her former church for an event, and so she used that opportunity to preach the gospel of Christ to her former pastor. He got saved that day and became baptized in the Holy Ghost.

Brother Hagin also told a more interesting story of a pastor who retired from his fifty-years of ministry. He had preached and served in the church for 50 whole years but was not saved, and he did not know. At the age of 75 after he had retired as a pastor, he had an encounter with the Holy Spirit, got saved, and spoke in tongues for the first time ever. Brother Hagin mentioned that this elderly pastor said that “I have learned so much and experienced God so much than I did in all my 50 years of ministry put together.”

So, you may ask if all I’ve heard and known isn’t the gospel, then what is the gospel? The funny thing is you already know the gospel message. I am almost 100% certain that you know what the gospel is. You just may not know that that is the gospel.

A commentary in my Bible (The King James Study Bible, Liberty University © 1988) explains that the gospel is both a proposition and a person.

So, here it is – the proposition. In 1st Corinthians 15:1-8, the apostle Paul declares the gospel message of Christ:

“…how that Christ died for our sins according the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen…”

But it is also a person – and that is the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1).

Now, one is saved when you (1) receive the person of the Lord Jesus as Savior (Revelation 3:20), and (2) if you believe the proposition of the gospel in your heart and you confess it with your mouth (Romans 10:9-10).

So, it is not enough to know about God. It is not enough to go to Bible colleges and earn theology and divinity degrees. It is not enough to buy theology books to learn about God (like I did). It is not enough to just go to church and tell people about God. While all those things are wonderful and are supposed to be evidences of a saved life, those things in themselves cannot save you (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The gospel message brings about a reconciliation of man to God. The gospel has to not only make you believe in Christ’s complete work of salvation, and has to not only make you accept this work; but even more, it has to restore you to a fellowship with the Father. That is the whole essence of Jesus’ coming anyway.

If I were you, I’d tell God to search me out (Psalm 139:23). You may like to consider the following questions:

-          Does your salvation carry power? John 1:12

-          Was there a fullness of blessing with the gospel you received? Romans 15:29.

-          Are you filled with and being led by the Spirit of God? Ephesians 5:18; Romans 8:14.

-          Did you experience peace through the gospel? Ephesians 6:15

-          Does your gospel lack faith in the complete work of Jesus? Philippians 1:27

-          Do you have hope of a glorious future? Col 1:23

-          Is your gospel true? Colossians 1:5

-          Did you ever take the conscious step to accept Christ as Lord and Savior – to believe it in your heart and confess it with your mouth? Romans 10:9-10, and

-          Did the gospel you heard reconcile you to God?

It will be absolutely terribly horrible if after all your “works” for the sake of Christ, you find out that you never really were saved, and that there’s no place for you in heaven.

The gospel is true. It is salvation. It is faith. It is glorious. It brings peace. Accept Christ today. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Christ’s complete work on Calvary and be saved. For me, it was after 12 years of thinking I was saved, did I become actually saved. For that elderly retired pastor, it was after 50 years. It is never too late, as long as you still have life in you.

Your works are good, but they should be evidences of your faith, not the other way around. You cannot earn enough good works to purchase your faith or to purchase salvation.

COMPLETE IN HIM: To All My Fellow Christian Singles

Hey friends, sorry for the silence. The past one to two months have been particularly challenging. Although, GOD remains faithful, and His joy, love, and peace in the Holy Ghost sustain me every step of the way. Since stories of challenges are nicer to tell and hear after total victory comes, I’ll wait until this storm passes, and tell y’all about it when I arrive shore.

However, until then, I’d like to share this……………………………………….

I’m twenty-eight years old. In my country, girls my age are well overdue for marriage. The way people get worried (and pass their worry on to me) about MY marital status makes me feel like running to someplace else for a minute. Not like people in other places don’t get worried about being single for too long; but at least over there, I won’t have family, friends AND [arrghhh] strangers bugging me about it all the time. Anyway, whenever people ask me about the kind of man I’d like to get married to, my answer has always gone around something like this: a person who understands me completely – all my flaws and rights – and loves me anyway; my friend who I can be myself with; and one who loves God more than he loves me. Just very simple! Physical looks aren't much of a bother to me; although, I will prefer a good looking guy who weighs half as much as I do (two Plus sizes won’t be good for the childrenJ). The kind of job he does isn’t so much of a bother either. I just need a friend who understands me so completely, and loves God way more than he loves me.

At this point, it’s important to mention that finding that guy has been very difficult; and that guy finding me has been almost impossible – well, at least, so I thought. LOL.

Anyway, on Tuesday last week, I was waiting, excruciatingly, in a public place, and to while away time, I began looking at the many pictures on my phone AGAIN. I came across this portion of Psalm 139 that I had ScreenGrabbed to my phone. As I read it, I realized that I sought in man what I already had in God. Now, don’t get me wrong; I still desire that God-filled man. I, however, grasped in that moment that my God-filled husband will be my friend and love God, but will never be able to understand me completely. That kind of understanding and love is found in God alone. Even the Psalmist in the sixth verse of that passage exclaimed, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high I cannot attain unto it.”

To all my fellow single ladies and guys out there who, like me, are hoping for the perfect man or woman, you already have Him in God. Like I once told my lonely friend who thought she needed a man to complete her, you can never find satisfaction in any man or woman if Christ does not satisfy you. Marriage is the union between one COMPLETE man and one COMPLETE woman – that’s only when “the two” can become “one” (Ephesians 5:31). Two half-baked individuals who get hitched hoping they can complete or “compliment” each other will only and certainly get disappointed.

Christ completes me; and that’s why even if a relationship doesn’t work out between a fella and I, I may be disappointed and somewhat heartbroken, but I don’t feel like the earth has given way beneath my feet. I don’t lose heart and think life isn’t the same without him in my world. It never has to be “this” particular guy; but it always has to be one particular GOD, who has searched me and known me; One who knows my sitting down and my uprising and knows my thoughts afar off; He who discerns my going out and my lying down, and is acquainted with all my ways; and even more amazing and romantic, He who knows my very words even before I speak them – Psalm 139:1-4. Now, that satisfies me. That completes me!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

PS: Dear Husband, whoever and wherever you may be, I’ll love you and appreciate you, and I’m sure you’ll be so super amazing that I’ll need to thank God everyday that He brought you my way, but you’ll never be able to replace my First Love. I just do hope HE’s yours too.

HUMBLE CONFESSIONS OF A CHRISTIAN RACER…

 

Hey friends, I told you I was going to write about my experiences on this Christian race; although, so far, through my posts, I have kinda come across as “da boss!” of Christianity – like I’ve got it all figured out. You know what I mean? – challenging y’alls faith to be like mine; encouraging your study of the word like I do; asking you to activate the Holy Spirit in you just like I do, etcetera. I’ve been praised, encouraged, asked to throw more light on some topics (which I’ve gladly done, severally), etc, because I seemed to be really grounded in the Word and ways of God.

Well, folks, while I am super-duper grateful to GOD for how far He’s brought me, and I acknowledge that where I am now isn’t where I used to be, I must confess that my posts may have somewhat misrepresented me.

I’m writing here today to confess my shortcomings and my fears. Please, stay with me on this. I really do hope you can relate somehow; and if you do, will you please, share yours too?

***        ***        ***

Sometimes, when asked, “Temi, how are you doing?” I say, “I’m doing great,” when in fact, great is the exact opposite of how I’m doing. I say that to express optimism and positivity. But in actuality, isn’t that just a lie?

I teach others about exercising strong faith in trying times and at moments of great expectations. I confess now, that sometimes, my own faith tends to waver when the going gets tough.

I encourage others to study their Bibles with the promise of a liberating experience. The truth is sometimes I skip days of intense Bible study, either because of busyness or laziness, or just sheer boredom. Now, this makes me feel ashamed of myself.

Sometimes, I’m at a spiritual low and feel far from God. But at those times, rather than share my weaknesses, so as to receive strength and encouragement from fellow believers, I plaster a pious smile on my face and offer spiritual encouragement to others who are low too. Wow! Isn’t that just a gift? Insane!

Many times, I know I should take out time to pray and intercede for others, but I don’t. I don’t feel like going to church sometimes. Well, for that, I know it’s just a feeling, so I always still go.

I’m sad sometimes. I’m lonely sometimes. I feel helpless sometimes. Sometimes, the reality of some of life’s uncertainties gets to me so much that I impatiently long for the certainties of heaven.

Oh, I fail sometimes. I’m angry sometimes. I yell sometimes. I overreact sometimes. I’m ashamed to admit that I gossip sometimes. Oh, I make so many mistakes. Somewhere in me I thought I’d never make any wrong choices again because I became a Christian. But now I know better.

Now, I’m aware of  my weaknesses and I won’t be sorrowful about them anymore, because each of them – every single one of my shortcomings – remind me that I am a Christian. That I need a Crutch – for without my Crutch, I fall. Don’t get me wrong. I do not boast that I sometimes do wrong; I’m just glad and thankful that where I fail, GOD succeeds for me. If I do not recognize my weaknesses, I fail to acknowledge my Helper, and that makes me think I’m self-sufficient. But I know I’m not. I know I cannot stand without my Crutch. (1^st Corinthians 10:12)

So from today, like the Apostle Paul, rather than wallow in self-pity because I have some weaknesses, I choose to glory in every one of them. For when and where I am weak, HE is ever so strong. (2^nd Corinthians 11:9-10; 12:5-10)

From today, anytime I don’t feel like studying my Bible or praying, I’ll remember that it is just a feeling, and instead, allow the Holy Spirit to lead through my spirit.

From now on, when my head seems to doubt, I’ll remember that my head and my heart (spirit) aren’t necessarily always on the same page. So instead, I’ll let my mouth speak out through my spirit that, “He is faithful that promised.” Like Abraham, I will not consider the deadness of my situation; I’ll just remember the living truth of my Living GOD. (Hebrews 10:23; Romans 4:19-21)

Next time, when I’m afraid and anxious, I won’t hide it. I won’t deny it. I will just remember that He is always with me – in the valleys of the shadows of death; in the waters, and in the fires, and through the storms – wherever I may go. (Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 43:2) 

And when I fail, when I make mistakes, when I choose wrongly, I’ll confess my sins and repent, trusting Him, who is faithful and just, to cleanse me from all unrighteousness and to use my wrongs to make the “I” He made. (1 John 1:9; Romans 8:28) 

Through all my failures, fears, shortcomings, and weaknesses, I will always remember this one thing: I am a Christian!

Poem by: Maya Angelou

I'M A CHRISTIAN

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

Poem by: Maya Angelou

Jesus Series!!!

THE SHINING STAR

            Dear friends, the key to learning from, knowing and understanding who God is lies in the self-acknowledgement that you don’t know it all at the moment. You see, what you know of God at the moment isn’t anything compared to who He really is. There are those who know more than you about God and those who know less; the wise thing for you to do is to always quickly identify your ‘knowledge of God’ status when you communicate with other believers!

            So is Jesus Christ the way to God? Yes and much more! You see John 14:6 tells us Jesus is The Way, but it did not just stop there and say Jesus is the way to the Father! Rather Jesus says: I am the Way, Truth and Life! Jesus is the embodiment of all these! No one approaches the Father except in Jesus. Now who is the Father? To the Jews, the Father is Jehovah Elohim that is, God! But see, Jesus tells us more about who the Father is! John 14:9b tells us that seeing Jesus is the same as seeing the Father! So when you see Jesus, you see GOD! You must understand Jesus is who God is! Again verse 7 of this chapter confirms this.

            Glory! God did not leave us clueless, for He says in Colossians 2 verse 9 that the entirety of God dwells in human form in the person of Jesus. So my dear friends, be careful not to think that Jesus is just the second person of the God-head! You see in Jesus every revelation of God is present; there is not a part / portion of who God is that is absent in Jesus! Hebrews 1:3 gives further illumination; it says that it is in Jesus Christ that you can see who God is. Jesus Christ is the visible radiance of the Invisible God, that is Jesus is the corporeal One in whom God is revealed.

            So it is in Jesus that we fully know and understand God, because in a baby’s words, Jesus is God simplified in human form so that humans can at least comprehend. So if you want to know if God makes people sick, look at Jesus did He cause sickness or did He drive sickness away, did He make provisions or did He destroy them? The answer of cause is evident and clear. Jesus shows us every part of who God is! That is why Heb.1:1 says in the old covenant God’s revelation to men was in portions, so you don’t understand God fully by looking at the deeds and acts in that testament, you understand and see God in Christ. This is who Moses saw in Deuteronomy 15:18 as explained in Heb. 11:27.

This is who Jesus is, He is only One via which eyes can see God; the Shining Star!

JESUS SERIES!

BEAUTIFUL SAVIOUR

            Ever heard of Jesus Christ and wondered exactly who He is? Do you see him as a religious leader or an individual with good teachings? Is he a confabulation or a myth? Or do you even think he never existed?

            Let me show you who Jesus Christ is! Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh. Yes I know that you have heard people call him the son of God; Jesus is indeed the son of God. Yet, have you ever wondered how he became the son of God? You see, the son-ship of Jesus has a reference to time, as Hebrews 5:5 explains. It was in the time realm that Jesus became the son of God. We know that for man to be delivered from the fallen nature God had to experience man’s experience and man had to enter into God’s nature; this was fulfilled in Christ.

God had promised in Isaiah 7 verse 14 that He was going to come into the midst of man as a man. Now this is where things get exciting! God actually did come! Not as an angel and not in a camouflaged form. God actually did come as a man. Question is how did he come? Again the most informative book – the Bible shows us: (John 1:1 and 14; 2nd Timothy 3:16; John 3:13). Understand therefore that the person born of Mary was not just the son of God, rather it was the Jehovah El-shaddai – The Lord God Almighty – that was born in the flesh; the passage in Timothy makes this clearer! The person that was crucified on the cross, who we believe and proclaim and who is our love, is God Himself. So while Jesus was man in time, He was God in eternity.

So my dear, don’t be foolish anymore and see Jesus Christ as just the second person of the trinity; for you remember what He says: ‘I and the Father are one’, and again, ‘He that has seen me has seen the Father’ and again ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me’. 

This is who Jesus is! Our God in time, through the ages and into the realm eternal!!! 

Glory!!!

#10 COOL Things About Christianity

One day, in Texas, I went out on evangelism with a girl. That was the first time I met her and that was my first campus/street evangelism (with a group) in Texas. For the sake of anonymity, I’ll call her Eva. While Eva and I went out preaching the gospel of Christ, we met a girl who said she was raised Catholic, but since she’s now grown, she was considering what religion to get plugged into. Eva and I (me – mostly quiet, being my first day) shared what we believed about God to her, and all was good until Eva ended with, “And you know, the cool thing about Christianity is that once you accept Christ, you can stop trusting God and you’ll still go to heaven.” I was dazed – too dazed to speak. Thinking back now, I wish the ground had opened up and swallowed the concrete chair I was sitting on [with me on it]. One thing I definitely knew was that Eva didn’t mean any harm. She just understood/interpreted the doctrine of eternal security wrongly. You can’t stop trusting God and call yourself a believer. How can you NOT believe and then say you’re a believer? Of what are you a believer in then, I ask? Anyway, I’m not here to criticize a dear sister in Christ. However, recently, as I thought about that event, I realized that there are actually really really cool things about Christianity. And so I’ve put together this really short list of some cool things about Christianity. You sure can add more J

#1	Jesus started and completed the work of salvation for us even before we knew we needed salvation – Romans 5:6-8; John 19:30
#2	When God looks down on the earth, He doesn’t see us with all our mistakes and errors and stuff, He sees Jesus’ righteousness and that satisfies Him – Romans 5:1; 2nd Corinthians 5: 21
#3	We have eternal security. No power of hell and no scheme of man can ever pluck us from His hand – John 10:28-29; Ephesians 1:13-14
#4	We don’t need to pray for blessings. We’re blessed already – Ephesians 1:3; 2nd Peter 1:3
#5	We are assured of the Father’s unconditional love. Nothing can ever separate us from His love – Romans 8:38-39
#6	We have all that Christ has. We’re joint heirs with Him – Romans 8:16-17; 2nd Peter 1:4
#7	We have so much authority, in fact Christ’s authority; that whatever we say is done – not just here on earth, but also in heaven – Matthew 28:18; Luke 10:19; Mark 11:23; Matthew 18:18-19
#8	We’re seated in Christ in heavenly places far above principalities, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named. In the words of Kenneth E. Hagin, we’re looking down on the devil. Cooool!!! – Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 2:6
#9	For those of you who like me fantasizes being a queen or king, not a thing to worry about; we already are royalty AND we’re going to be adorned with beautiful heavenly crowns when we get there. And, shh, I heard there’ll be stars on them. I’m excited already J – Revelation 1:6; 1st Corinthians 9:24-25; 1st Thessalonians 2:19; 2nd Timothy 4:8; 1st Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; James 1:12
#10	Christ is our life. It’s not ours anymore. And as He is, so are we in this world. Even more, when we see Him, we shall be like Him – Colossians 3:3-4; 1st John 4:17; 1st John 3:2

#11 (added by Jane Paulsen from comments below): We are confident in the fact that when we talk to God, He actually hears us. He isn’t dead. He is Life Himself