Why this discussion? We live in the world where value is attached to almost everything, however many times what the world considers as value is in most cases valueless before God. In this world we have two kinds of existing things namely; the living and none living things. In GENESIS chapter 1 and 2 all other creatures were created with exception of the man in chapter 2 who God took time to form in verse 7 and woman in verse 22. One would think, because the earth had no form in GENESIS 1:2, therefore God should have taken time to form it however that was not the case because value can only be attached to the earth as long as man is in it. Man (includes woman) has a special Place with God. This David the Psalmist wonders in PSALM 8:3-4 saying, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” The scripture right above carries God’s deepest emotions, and when GENESIS 3:9 says, “But the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you?” Here one would assume that God was asking an obvious question, however the truth is that Adam had died.
This death came at a time when God had rested from His work as revealed in GENESIS 2:2 saying, “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” This was a place of testation to God whether He would continue at rest when His lovely work (man) is dead or He would redeem it at whatever cost. Surely God had to leave His rest because man had fallen, and JOHN 3:16 says, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world (man) that He [even] gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” There is need to lay emphasis that the death with which man died was not in itself destruction because there was a possibility of redemption and this was done through Jesus Christ when He died on the cross for mankind. Jesus further explains the above aspect in JOHN 10:10 saying, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows.” This of essence implies that much as man fell in the Garden of Eden and died, man’s destruction is not yet but shall be at the end of the age. Jesus explained this end (destruction) in MATTHEW 10:28 saying, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).” This is the END of man, however God expresses His heart in 1 TIMOTHY 2:4 saying “I will that all people be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.” For this cause, Jesus Christ spoke of the Holy Spirit saying in JOHN 16:8-9, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.” Believing in Jesus Christ as your personal LORD and Saviour is the greatest gift you could ever give yourself. Why? Because it is the beginning of you living. When Jesus Christ walked the face of this earth a question of His rest (Sabbath) was raised in MATTHEW 12:1-5 and in response He said, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who accompanied him—how he went into the house of God and ate the loaves of the showbread—which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for the men who accompanied him, but for the priestly only? Or have you never read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and yet are guiltless?” IN OTHER WORDS, Jesus was inviting them into understanding that when man fell, God left (abandoned) His rest therefore simply put, “there was no Sabbath to observe”.
ACTS 17:30-31 speaks of the former days of ignorance saying, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: because He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man Whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” This Man Jesus is God in Trinity. He was, He is and shall be. Briefly, one would ask saying, Who is Jesus? He is the I AM. John the writer in JOHN 1:1-4, 14 by the Spirit describes Him saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Giving a little hint on verse 14 where, “the Word became flesh”. This conversation stems back to ISAIAH 6:8 saying, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?” Explaining something. This was a Trinity Conversation; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Therein two questions are asked, 1. Whom shall I send, and 2. who will go for Us.
Prophet Isaiah explains the answer to the first question saying in ISAIAH 40:3, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”” This meant that the Holy Spirit was sent with a message about the coming of Jesus Christ, Who through John the Baptizer, the message was proclaimed. The second question, who will go for Us, this John explained in JOHN 1:14 saying He took on flesh, and this is Jesus [JOHN 3:16]. No wonder in LUKE 1:41 when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and she filled with the Holy Spirit prophesied about the Christ. This was the greeting, “Good Morning Holy Spirit”, and He leaped for joy. Jesus in LUKE 19:10 explains why He came saying, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” In other words because man fell, He had to come for his redemption. This 1 PETER 2:25 speaks of saying, “For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” This means that the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection from the dead meant the beginning of a new life in Christ Jesus to all who believe in His name [2 CORINTHIANS 5:17]. Therefore, when He declared on the cross saying, “It is finished! [JOHN 19:30]” this meant that now we can boldly open up a conversation of His
rest [Sabbath] and many more present truth realities. NOW, HEBREWS 4:3 says, “For we who have believed do enter into that rest.” Why Soul? It became a Heavenly Agenda as expounded above. If you want to know more about the soul, kindly look out for a YouTube sermon by my spiritual father Apostle Grace Lubega entitled “Phaneroo 173 – Spirit, Soul and Body.” MATTHEW 16:26 asks a Profound question saying, “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” The conclusion of the matter is that, it is pride to reject Jesus Christ and humility to accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. SELAH…
The Salvation Prayer – If you have not yet given your life to Jesus Christ, then this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Simply repeat these words: “Lord Jesus, I thank You because You died for my sins and You were raised for my glory. Today, I receive You as my personal Lord and Saviour; I am born again. Amen.”
Brief Highlight to the Gospel preachers. When JOHN 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than to lay down his life for his friends.” This Jesus fulfilled by dying for us on the cross, and no other shall ever do that because it is done [ROMANS 6:9-10], and therefore setting a new principle, “Greater love has no one than this; to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all creature” [MARK 16:15]. Therefore just as He instructed Simon Peter in JOHN 21:15-17 saying, “Feed My sheep” so it is now as the highest expression of Love. Like Apostle Paul in ACTS 26:16, for this purpose He created you; to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which He will reveal to you. NOW when PROVERBS 11:30 says, “He who is wise wins souls.” This is the Heavenly Agenda for you. With this understanding Apostle Paul says in 1 CORINTHIANS 9:16, “Woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel!”
Special Thanks to my spiritual father Apostle Grace Lubega. You have deeply loved me and innumerable people through preaching Jesus Christ to us in and out of season. I love you Papa.
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