“Rich Dad, Rich Children – God gives riches and true riches are from Him.” This was what I initially titled this piece, until the Holy Spirit instructed otherwise through the above title He supplied.
First and foremost, it must be understood, that, the God, of whom, it is said “Heaven is His throne and earth His footstool” is a very rich God – look at His created world and be astounded at the depth of His riches: rich vegetation with its wide flora and fauna; variety of species of the animal kingdom; rich human races with every hue; rich universe – the stars, the galaxies etc – Haggai 2:8.
Whoever loves and serves God and desires to have a portion of God’s riches – God grants unreservedly. The patriarchs in the Bible: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, even Ishmael and buffeted Job were by every standard rich and wealthy persons (Genesis 24:34-36; 26:12-16, 27-28; 32:6; 33:9,15; 30: 41-43, Job 1:1-4; 42: 10, 12-17, Genesis 17:20; 21:13, 17-18; 25:12-18). They did not just have fat store houses or bank accounts, they created wealth for others.
The Bible talks about the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3), that is, being bereft of God’s love, righteousness and grace, in other words, the lack of God in one’s life. A man can be so rich, in terms of possessions and assets and yet poor, because he is poor in spirit; for example the “young rich fool” (Luke 12:16-20). A man can also be poor in spirit and be so poor materially; for example “Simon the leper (Matthew 26:6, Mark 1:40-45), and yet a man can be materially poor and be very rich in spirit; for example “Lazarus the beggar” (Luke 16:20-25).
Jesus came to give hope to the poor by making them rich in spirit and granting them material prosperity; that is, if they desire it and are willing to live by the principles of “making wealth God’s way’’- through a God given idea, vision, strength, discipline, diligence, transplanting or trans-location and of course grace (Genesis 31:6-13, Deuteronomy 11:8-15). Unfortunately, at the time Jesus walked the earth, the wealthy were unprecedentedly poor – poor in spirit; and the poor (materially deficient) were too poor – their total net worth was not worth more than that of a (church) rat. It was a case of double jeopardy.
If you are a child of God and Jesus were to make you rich, He would first of all address your spiritual poverty before attending to your material poverty (Matthew 6:33).
If God’s people were to remain poor (materially lacking and poverty stricken), the work of the Gospel proclamation and communication would be hindered – printing of tracts and Bibles, Bible translation, evangelical crusades, missionary journeys, church planting etc.
All these, need financial and materially resources. So, it is God’s will that Christians prosper and remain prosperous – that is, being rich in spiritual things first and material blessings following afterward.
That way the Gospel will expand faster and the kingdom of God will advance greater until ‘’the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” - Habakkuk 2:14.
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He tried to make the rich of the world de-emphasize placing their fate and hope in their wealth and material possessions. Money or material possessions won’t take you to heaven – but trust and hope in Jesus and His Father, Jehovah (Matthew 6:19-21, James 5:1-3).
This is why, Jesus said, it will be difficult for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:21-24). A rich person should only recognize that God has privileged him or her to be a custodian of His riches; and God wants him or her to use the riches to be a blessing to others, the Church and his or her community. Anything other than such mindset is counterproductive and heaven denying (James 5:4-6).
A greater number of the poor and destitute in Nigeria and Africa are not just materially and financially incapacitated, but they are also poor in spirit; and this is really catastrophic and calamitous for the persons concerned.
The Gospel is primarily for such people (Luke 4:18a). Why, because the poor are a humbled people (through the instrumentality of adversity and sufferings) and thus are more willing or open to listen to the Gospel, which is a message of hope and light (James 2:5-7).
Unlike their rich and wealthy counterparts who are majorly proud, haughty, arrogant, unbelieving and unreceptive to God, His laws and messages (James 5:4-6).So, God makes rich, and true riches are from Him. His riches which are long lasting or enduring will come to you in His own ways and in His own terms (Proverbs 8:18, 20; 10:22).
Bro. Yusuf Rufa’i,
Is your Brother and Servant in the Lord
www.ambassadoryusufrufai.blogspot.com
www.redeemedpeople.blogspot.com
Email: yusufrufai2@gmail.com
Tel: +234 80 28 78 28 91
REDEEMED PEOPLE: OPERATION Proclaim! What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs - JESUS CHRIST (Mathew 10:27).
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS – PASSOVER OR COVENANT MEAL?
The good Lord by His Oracle, the Holy Spirit has revealed to me that the Passover meal is quite different from what I call the “covenant meal” (of His body and blood), commonly referred to as the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion.
The Passover meal is a tradition passed down to generations of Israelites. The tradition is a command from God (Exodus 12:1-29). Israelites cherish and revere so much their God commanded traditions till today.
Jesus needed the Passover meal setting to drive home His point and the import of what He was about to handover to them, that is, His disciples (Luke 22:14-16). It was the final most important event with His disciples before His journey to the cross of affliction and humiliation nay the cross of deliverance and redemption (Mathew 26:1-2).
So when it was time for the Passover meal, a national event in Israel; Jesus instructed His disciples to prepare the meal (Mark 14:12-17) – A meal of roasted lamb or goat, bitter herbs (vegetables) and bread. Just as they reclined, eating the Passover meal (Mark 14:18a), Jesus brought out or took bread and wine (prior to this, He never informed His disciples of His intentions (Mark 14:22-23), He blessed the bread, broke it and handed to them, saying “take, eat it, this is my body broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.” Then He took the wine, shared it and said “take, drink it, this is my blood of a new COVENANT for the remission of sins of many.” (Luke 22:17-20, Matthew 26:26-29).
At that moment Jesus cut and enacted a covenant – for a new beginning, a new era. The participation of His disciples was the ratification of the new treaty or covenant (I Corinthians 10:16-18). Symbolically it was bread and wine; spiritually it had deeper connotation - it was a participation in the body and blood of Jesus.
It was a “covenant” meal, greater and far more important than the Passover meal they knew and had just taken.
The Passover meal was a covenant from God through His servant Moses but the ‘’covenant’’ meal was a covenant through the only begotten Son of God – Jesus, the Christ.
The ‘’covenant’’ meal upturned and abolished the Passover meal and the covenant it represented.
The Passover meal brings to recall judgment and destruction, the “covenant” meal brings to mind mercy and redemption.
The Passover meal was a prerequisite for deliverance at a national scale and for the breaking of “limited” dark powers for and over Israel but the “covenant meal” was a worldwide deliverance – for all humanity and the final annihilation of the supreme conglomerate of dark Satanic powers over human kind.
The Passover meal is parochial, the ‘’covenant’’ meal is universal.
The Passover meal was limited to Jews; the “covenant” meal is for all races and tongues.
The Passover meal was taken on a particular date or time in Israel. The “covenant” meal is to be ‘’done in remembrance of Jesus” and as “often as you do take this meal you proclaim the Lord’s death” as revealed to our brother Apostle Paul (I Corinthians 11:23-26). In other words the “covenant” meal can, if possible be taken several times solemnly in a day and thus at the same time invoking the powers and blessings in the covenant.
When the body of Jesus was lacerated and torn with those spiked whips and the crown of thorns forced on His head and those six inches nails driven into His hands and legs – ‘’His body was broken for you’’. When the spear was thrust into the side of His ribcage causing blood and water to gush out “it was the blood of His new covenant poured out for the remission of sins of many’’.
By His pains and mourning on the way to Golgotha and on the cursed tree, He bore your grieves and sorrows. By the stripes and crown of thorns that broke His body you were healed. By his chastisement you received the peace that surpassed all understanding. By His ‘’poured out’’ blood which carried His very life (Leviticus 17:11, Deuteronomy 12:23-24) your sins, no matter how grievous were all forgiven, blotted out and remembered no more (Isaiah 53).
The Passover meal is not the same as the “covenant” meal (of His body and blood). The “covenant” meal is and was an enactment or promulgation of the “New Covenant” promised by God in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
The Israel ‘‘of flesh’’ still keeps their traditions including the Passover meal. Bu the Israel ‘‘of God’’ still daily re-enact the new covenant by taking the “covenant” meal. The Spirit says the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Let the wise hear and obey what the Spirit is saying.
Bro. Yusuf Rufa’i,
Is your Brother and Servant in the Lord
www.ambassadoryusufrufai.blogspot.com
www.redeemedpeople.blogspot.com
Email: yusufrufai2@gmail.com
Tel: +234 80 28 78 28 91
The Passover meal is a tradition passed down to generations of Israelites. The tradition is a command from God (Exodus 12:1-29). Israelites cherish and revere so much their God commanded traditions till today.
Jesus needed the Passover meal setting to drive home His point and the import of what He was about to handover to them, that is, His disciples (Luke 22:14-16). It was the final most important event with His disciples before His journey to the cross of affliction and humiliation nay the cross of deliverance and redemption (Mathew 26:1-2).
So when it was time for the Passover meal, a national event in Israel; Jesus instructed His disciples to prepare the meal (Mark 14:12-17) – A meal of roasted lamb or goat, bitter herbs (vegetables) and bread. Just as they reclined, eating the Passover meal (Mark 14:18a), Jesus brought out or took bread and wine (prior to this, He never informed His disciples of His intentions (Mark 14:22-23), He blessed the bread, broke it and handed to them, saying “take, eat it, this is my body broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.” Then He took the wine, shared it and said “take, drink it, this is my blood of a new COVENANT for the remission of sins of many.” (Luke 22:17-20, Matthew 26:26-29).
At that moment Jesus cut and enacted a covenant – for a new beginning, a new era. The participation of His disciples was the ratification of the new treaty or covenant (I Corinthians 10:16-18). Symbolically it was bread and wine; spiritually it had deeper connotation - it was a participation in the body and blood of Jesus.
It was a “covenant” meal, greater and far more important than the Passover meal they knew and had just taken.
The Passover meal was a covenant from God through His servant Moses but the ‘’covenant’’ meal was a covenant through the only begotten Son of God – Jesus, the Christ.
The ‘’covenant’’ meal upturned and abolished the Passover meal and the covenant it represented.
The Passover meal brings to recall judgment and destruction, the “covenant” meal brings to mind mercy and redemption.
The Passover meal was a prerequisite for deliverance at a national scale and for the breaking of “limited” dark powers for and over Israel but the “covenant meal” was a worldwide deliverance – for all humanity and the final annihilation of the supreme conglomerate of dark Satanic powers over human kind.
The Passover meal is parochial, the ‘’covenant’’ meal is universal.
The Passover meal was limited to Jews; the “covenant” meal is for all races and tongues.
The Passover meal was taken on a particular date or time in Israel. The “covenant” meal is to be ‘’done in remembrance of Jesus” and as “often as you do take this meal you proclaim the Lord’s death” as revealed to our brother Apostle Paul (I Corinthians 11:23-26). In other words the “covenant” meal can, if possible be taken several times solemnly in a day and thus at the same time invoking the powers and blessings in the covenant.
When the body of Jesus was lacerated and torn with those spiked whips and the crown of thorns forced on His head and those six inches nails driven into His hands and legs – ‘’His body was broken for you’’. When the spear was thrust into the side of His ribcage causing blood and water to gush out “it was the blood of His new covenant poured out for the remission of sins of many’’.
By His pains and mourning on the way to Golgotha and on the cursed tree, He bore your grieves and sorrows. By the stripes and crown of thorns that broke His body you were healed. By his chastisement you received the peace that surpassed all understanding. By His ‘’poured out’’ blood which carried His very life (Leviticus 17:11, Deuteronomy 12:23-24) your sins, no matter how grievous were all forgiven, blotted out and remembered no more (Isaiah 53).
The Passover meal is not the same as the “covenant” meal (of His body and blood). The “covenant” meal is and was an enactment or promulgation of the “New Covenant” promised by God in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
The Israel ‘‘of flesh’’ still keeps their traditions including the Passover meal. Bu the Israel ‘‘of God’’ still daily re-enact the new covenant by taking the “covenant” meal. The Spirit says the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Let the wise hear and obey what the Spirit is saying.
Bro. Yusuf Rufa’i,
Is your Brother and Servant in the Lord
www.ambassadoryusufrufai.blogspot.com
www.redeemedpeople.blogspot.com
Email: yusufrufai2@gmail.com
Tel: +234 80 28 78 28 91
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