Prior to conversion and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, your tribe may be people of your race, your ethnicity, your national origin, or color of your skin. They may also be folks from your school, college, your work or your City. Post-Baptism however, you become a member of a new tribe of people --- You are now a Christian, which means that you now belong to the family of Christ Jesus. The old is gone, the new has come; you are a new being "In Christ." You have been adopted into God's family. Old connections, old relationships and old friendships still matter, but not as much as your new family of God's children. You are co-heirs with Christ our Brother in the Kingdom of God our Father. (See Messages titled Adoption into God's Family http://www.paulsgospel.org/motd/adoption-into-gods-family ) 

Your tribe, then, is everyone who is or was ever Baptized into the Christian Faith, regardless of denomination, national original, or race. Anyone who is in Christ Jesus, is your tribe. "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise." Galatians 3:26-29

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)-- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Ephesians 2:4-22

​

Today's Christian lesson is on a very difficult topic for me. Sin is not a topic I discuss often, or freely. I acknowledge my own sinfulness and that I am fully in need of the the Mercy and Grace of God and the divine forgiveness provided by the blood of Christ. O Lord Jesus have Mercy on me. In fact, I tend to shy away from this topic, knowing and acknowledging fully that (a) ALL, including myself, have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God and and in need of His Mercy, Grace and forgiveness (b) It is not mine to judge another human being's sin and that (c) confession of sin, along with a sincere repentance and turning away from it always guarantees God's forgiveness. We have Scripture references for all of these things.

First, it is true that ALL have sinned in one way or another. Simply looking at a woman in lust or coveting the neighbor's Porsche constitutes sin. Scripture says that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"  Romans 3:23 There is nothing we can say to deny this. Even the Holiest of human beings walking this earth today is a sinner. Our nature at birth was a sin nature. We are all born sinners and only through the Grace of God and the righteousness imputed upon us through Jesus' blood shed on the Cross can we be presented Holy and blameless in the sight of God. The Divine Exchange where Jesus was nailed to the Cross for our sins thereby becoming the lamb without blemish (He was without sin) who took our sins upon himself and imputed His righteousness upon us ensured this for His generation and for all future generations of those who believed upon Him. For He was the second Adam, accomplishing God's purpose for mankind where the first Adam disobeyed God when He ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge (good and evil) and thereby introduced sin into the world. 

Second, it is not ours to judge another person's sin or sinfulness. We have become an extremely judgmental society where we pretend to understand, weigh, categorize or measure the sinfulness of other individuals and mete out swift punishment here and now in this world when it was never ours to judge others to begin with! A married man who lives the straight and narrow and obeys all the norms of society appears sinless to us whereas the drunk fool who visits prostitutes every night, gambles his money away and swears up a storm appears sinful to us. Judging others comes very easily if we are Rabbis, Clergy, Pastors, teachers of the law or the Bible. However, scripture warns us against judging another's sin. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce upon others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use to measure others, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s (any other person's) eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother (any other person), ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5 Indeed the right to judge others is not ours, nor was it ever ours. Only God has the right  to pass judgement upon other people. So stop judging people, and start loving them, no matter who they are, just as Jesus did. He ate with sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors --- the lowest of the low in his time. "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-17 This is the manner with which Jesus loved others, and nobody loved others as well as Jesus did. 

Third, there is forgiveness of sin for all who confess, repent and turn from it, and leave their sinful ways behind. 
"Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah 
Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. 
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" Psalm 32
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32

​Confession, therefore, must be honest and done with a remorseful and contrite heart.
Repentance, therefore, much be heartfelt and sincere,
and turning away from one's sin must be permanent --- not to be revisited again. 

 

Today's Christian lesson is on being alone with God, and communing with God. Earthly relationships are important, but in the grand scheme of things, everything on earth is ephemeral and fleeting, here today but gone tomorrow. If we have a relationship with Jesus, we are guaranteed eternal life with Him in Heaven.

No matter how many good friends we have, how many relatives, how close we are to our spouse, etc, the fact of the matter is that we are ultimately alone. "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19. The fact is that we are, ultimately alone. We will not take any of these earthly possessions with us up to Heaven. Six feet under the ground is all our bodies are really ultimately given. So the question then becomes, do you want to cultivate the one relationship which can survive, and thrive throughout this lifetime on earth and live on after your death? That relationship is the one you form with God, your Heavenly Father through Christ our brother. 

When Christ died for our sins, the curtain which separated us from gaining direct access to God was torn apart and we were given direct access to Him through Christ. The responsibility for cultivating that relationship with God is ours and ours alone. When we do though, we gain direct access to the most powerful force in the Universe. The method of that access to Him is through Prayer. Daily and routine prayer then must become a part of the Christian's life. Prayer then, is direct communication with God through His son Jesus. How should you pray? That will be the topic of a future lesson. Stay tuned.  

The rewards of this friendship will be eternal. This is not a fair-weather friendship which disappears when there is no advantage to be had (...and trust me, 9 out of 10 friendships are this way.) This is not a superficial relationship where the spouse moves away, emptying your house, taking everything you ever owned, drains your bank account, and disappears forever and is gone, and there is only regret and grief left. This is a relationship which will last forever and never end. However, the onus to cultivate this relationship is on you. You have the proverbial hotline to God through Prayer. Jesus made it available. How often you use it is up to you. Have you picked up the phone to dial G-O-D lately? When was the last time you prayed? How did it make you feel? 

Today's Christian lesson is on the way husbands and wives are to love each other. Scripture is extremely clear about the way that husbands and wives are to love, cherish and obey each other:

"And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.
As the scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:21-33

When I think about true love, marriages which have lasted 10, 20, 40, and 50 years come to mind. So what is true love, you might ask? The Bible is an amazing compilation of 66 books and therin are answers to every question imaginable, even the answer to the question --- what is love?

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

​And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13

Today's Christian lesson is on singleness and marriage. (This message is not about me; I am in a happy, healthy, loving relationship with a wonderful woman.) This message is not meant for Catholics who are in ministry, so Catholic Priests who have taken a vow of Celibacy, please feel free to tune out. You live by a different code of conduct prescribed by the Vatican. For all Protestants and all others, listen up....

God did not create man to be alone. The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." Genesis 2:18-24

Indeed it is not good for a man to be alone. For Pastors reading this passage, it is YOUR responsibility then to find an appropriate mate for the single men and women in your congregations, especially for those single men who want to be married. Pastors, again, feed your sheep. Look after your flock. Look after their needs --- Spiritual, Emotional and Physical, because most single Christian men, if they don't find what they need at your Church, will go elsewhere in search to fill that need. Sometimes, they will go to a different Church to fill  that need, but sometimes they will not arrive at places wherein those folks should go to get their needs filled.

"...each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife." 1 Corinthians 7:2-16

There is an exception for those whose spouses are not Christians:
"To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

There is an exception for those whose unbelieving spouses abandon them:
​But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?" 1 Corinthians 7:1-16

Pastors, this is your responsibility. Do what is right by your flock. Pay attention to the singles in your congregation. Your Church is not only about the married people in it. It is also about the single folks. It is also about finding a Proverbs 31 wife for your single men:

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31:10-31

​Today’s Christian lesson is on the widely debated mask and vaccine mandates currently being hotly debated and argued nationwide. As Christians we are called to obey governing authorities as long as obeying them doesn’t violate God’s laws for us (ie. The Bible)

In this world, it is good to know when to stand up for what you believe in, and when to back down and do what you are told. In other words, you need to know which fights to pick. In my humble opinion, fighting the mask and vaccine mandate is not a fight to pick.

Examples of fights Christians should pick, based upon the teachings of the Bible:

- In China, if, say, a Christian family were attempting to have children and there was a one-child policy in the land, and the family wanted to have more than one child.

- In China, or in some other Asian Countries a ban on gathering for Church worship should be vehemently opposed.

- If you are told to kneel or bow down before a God other than YAHWEH. (Read/refer to the Chapter of Daniel to see what to do)

If something is based upon Christian principles, I could understand objecting to the law of the land, but in my humble opinion, the mask and vaccine mandates are not big enough issues to stand up and fight against. The Bible certainly doesn’t say anything about not being vaccinated or not wearing masks. While putting on a mask is extremely demeaning and a stark reminder of being muzzled, it makes sense from a healthcare perspective, and should be obeyed. Likewise with the vaccine.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Hebrews 13:17

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” Romans 13:1-5

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work” Titus 3:1

​“Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:13-17

Today's Christian lesson is on the most powerful force on earth. The most powerful force on earth you might guess, is the US Military. Close, but wrong. The nuclear bomb. Wrong. The earth itself. Wrong. The President of the United States. Wrong. The most powerful force on earth is the one who created the earth and all who are in it, with one word --- The LORD GOD YAHWEH Himself. He is the most powerful force, not only on the earth, but also throughout the Universe. He caused the earth to come into existence with one word. At the bottom of this message is the creation account, but what relevance does all this have to coming to Faith in Christ, you might ask?

Well, after I was called to the Cross in 2008 and accepted Jesus into my life, I saw signs and wonders and miracles and experienced things such as those not seen by men in many generations, demonstrating clearly the POWER and majesty of God. Why I was chosen to see those signs and wonders, I do not know. Perhaps it is because I am told that I have a pure heart. Our LORD GOD is a LIVING GOD. HE IS ALIVE. The things I saw and experienced during those days I will not describe anywhere or to anyone, but take to the grave with me. Describing them here would make me sound like a rambling lunatic. Jesus healed many and performed many miracles while he took on human flesh because He had the power of the living God residing within him. The triune Godhead is one --- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (More on this subject later) Anyone who witnessed Jesus perform those miracles in today’s day and age and tries to describe them might also sound like a rambling lunatic, but it is true that Jesus did perform those signs and miracles and the healing. 
​
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.  The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. 

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.  God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day." Genesis 1:1-31

​Today's Christian lesson is on being called to the Cross. We can be blue in the face trying to bring people to faith in Christ, but unless it is their time to come to faith, it will not happen.

Pastor Hybels used to say that you can influence a person to come to faith in Christ somewhat similar to cracking a door open just a little more. Sometimes it can take many people opening the door just a bit more until one day, the door is wide open and the person permits Christ to walk in through the wide open door.

As I have mentioned many times in my posts both public and private, that happened to me in 2008 when my brother Gary nudged me to go to my local Church. I walked in and Pastor Kerry Bauman was preaching that day. What he said from the pulpit that day stirred my soul and I kept going back every Sunday after that, and haven't missed Sunday Church Service since then, partaken in hundreds of Bible Studies and even took Moody Bible Institute classes for a while to firm up the foundations of my faith. In 2009 I read the Bible cover to cover 10 times to try to understand the Word of God better. There isn't a day when I don't read at least a little bit of the Bible to meditate on the Word.

Folks, we are called to spread the Gospel to the world. 'And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is Baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned...."' Mark 16:15-16 and "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." and "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” Acts 1.4-8. These verses are famously called "The Great Commission"

In fact, this is precisely the answer to some of the big questions among those who believe....why is the second coming of Christ taking so long? When will the end of the world happen? You see, God wants to give everyone the opportunity to repent and to come to faith in Him. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14
"Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3

Today's Christian lesson is on adoption. Adoption into the Christian family. Did you know that when we accept Christ into our lives and call Him Lord and Savior and believe upon Jesus, that we are adopted? We are adopted into God's family. God, through His Son Jesus, invites us to join His family of believers everywhere. This is why we call other Christian believers Brother and Sister. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Christ, becomes not only our Lord and Savior but also our brother. God becomes our Father. This is why we pray to our "Father who art in Heaven" We have access to our Heavenly Father through our elder brother Jesus who gave us the right and the priviledge to be one of the members of God's family. 

Scripture backs up my assertion. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:14-17

"And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:17

"The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:9-13

"I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." Galatians 3:4

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:3-14

"And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." Ephesians 2:17-22

By our adoption into God's family we truly become brothers and sisters in (and of) Christ Jesus with the Lord in Heaven being our Father. The relationship becomes personal. When Christ Jesus died on the Cross and gave up his Spirit, he tore away the separation between God and Man --- "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." Matthew 27:45-51

So, what is the significance of the curtain of the temple being torn? The Curtain was used to shield from the people the Ark of the Covenant wherein the LORD's presence resided. "The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain. And you shall bring in the table and arrange it, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps" Exodus 40:1-4 

Before Christ, the Jews prayed to a distant LORD, direct access to whom was forbidden under the law, and who could only be visited within the temple by the Holy of Holies. When our Lord Jesus was crucified, he tore the separation (curtain) forever which existed between God and man, thereby giving us direct access to God through Him, so we who believed would have sonship and adoption into his family, direct access to him via prayer, and henceforth call him Abba, Father.  

​Today's Christian lesson is on genuine conversion. A Christian is defined by the process of genuine conversion in heart, mind, soul and spirit. 

​A true Christian is a new creature --- in thought, in word and in deed and exudes the fruits of the spirit in abundance. Indeed scripture says that "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 

When we accept Christ into our lives, we become new. A Divine exchange takes place. Christ takes on our sin, and imputes his righteousness upon us so that on the day of judgement when we stand before God, we wear the righteous garments of the one who had no sin --- Christ Jesus himself. We appear to God as having never sinned.

​The term Born-Again holds special significance to those of us who were Baptized as Adults, but should also hold significance to those who were Baptized as Children and accepted Christ into our lives as adults. "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:1-8

So how are we who are Born-Again and In Christ supposed to be a new creature? We are supposed to exhibit the fruits of the spirit and grow in the likeness of Christ every day. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23