knowing God

Q: Does God love me?

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The simple answer to that question is that yes He does love you. From the beginning of the old testament until now we see a God who has been going after mankind in order to make Himself known to them, to bless them and to help them fulfill His purposes for them. Our God is not a silent God, He is involved and looks to get our attention to Him and to His ways. John 1 says that the creator came to His own and it did not know Him. It's the greatest act of love, that God has given us the freedom to act contrary to Him and His ways. The gospels go further to say that Jesus moved with compassion for the lost that: He healed them, He spoke to them the word of God, He fed them, He listened to them, encouraged them and ultimately died for us all. Jesus paid the price for our sins; for us missing the mark before God. And, not only did He die but Jesus rose from the dead raising with Him all the transgressions of the world and made us an offer if any man believes the work He did on the cross for us he will be saved - they will receive forgiveness by accepting the work of Jesus on the cross and they will be entered into God's kingdom. In summary, Jesus died, paid the price for our sins and rose to give us life. Jesus paid a huge price to give us friendship with God. The price wasn't cheap; He Himself became a sinner and separated from the Father's love. Now, will you accept His love for you?

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Q: Who is Jesus?

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Jesus is the son of God. In John 10:10, Jesus says  'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly'. What is this life that Jesus refers to? It's an abundant life, a full life. Some of us think that to follow God is to have a boring life. But, it's actually quite opposite to what God has come to do. Jesus knows that life is messy for us all. By messy, He means that a lot of times we are trying to live life well and make the most out of it. But, He knows we end up making things worse and affecting those around us as well as our Destiny. Whether you are poor or rich, we all know we mess up. But, good news is God has a plan. And, the plan is to bring us into what He has set forth for us. Life is not about acquiring things in order to determine your value, but it's about fulfilling your Destiny. God's intend has always been to lead us into His Destiny for our lives. Hebrews 11 says by faith we enter into His Destiny and accomplish the things He has determine by obeying [listening, taking notice and acting accordingly] with what He has said. It goes on to say that it pays a huge result o have faith, God promises that. 

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Q: Try praying?

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James 5:16-17 describes how Elijah was a man just like me and you - there wasn't anything different to Elijah - yet when he prayed he was effective. The Bible says here what made it effective. Number one, he was a righteous man. Number two, he had conviction for what he was praying for. In other words, he believed in it and genuinely wanted a good outcome for it. Number three, he was specific with his prayer request [no rain for 3 years and 6 months he asked]. And, so we read in 1 Kings 17 & 18, that his prayer was answered and it indeed there was no rain for three and a half years. In John 14:14, Jesus says if you ask anything in my name, He will do it. Here's a clear promise, He will do it! God loves when we engage with Him in prayer. He speaks to us, and we leave filled with hope and faith. He touches our heart and shows us the way to the promise. 

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Q: Why is there evil?

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We have seen how being evil is not part of the nature of God. God is contrary to evil, God is love. And, we know the love of God wasn't cheap - Jesus paid the expenses. But, evil comes from someone else, the devil and his minions. The devil has been influencing the world since the beginning and therefore encouraging the sons of men to go against God and His ways. He has a clear track record of doing evil and destroying the world. in John 10:10, Jesus says of him that he has come to kill, steal and destroy. He has been at it since Adam [the first man on earth] up until now. He even tried it with Jesus by offering Him the nations of the world if He just bowed down to him (Luke 4:7). Jesus wasn't just a regular man, He was God. This was a question of identity, of belonging. Jesus knew exactly who He was and what His business was. A lot of us, we don't. We sell our hearts, futures and identities to someone or something that does not care for our well-being.  The devil himself was in for a trap in that he blamed the son of God of wrong doing. Jesus was blameless - He is God. He, nevertheless, died and paid the price for the sins of the world. Well, death could not contain Him, the living God - that He rose from the dead. God knew that without salvation there would be no redeeming plan for mankind - so He went for it Himself. What an amazing contrast. 

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Q: What's the meaning of life?

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Colossians 1:16 says 'For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him'. All things exist for His glory and praise. God has designed each thing according to His will and plan that they give Him glory. We are not just an accident, born by multiple trials over the course of the history of the universe. We have been created by Him for something indeed extraordinary. Ephesians 2: 10 'For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them'.  

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Q: What is water baptism?

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Pastor Andrew puts it this way: 'you close the door on your old life'. Baptism is a symbolic ceremony where one goes fully under the water to say bye to his old life and to receive a new one in Jesus. Romans 6:3-4 'Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life'. Jesus commands us to do it and we must do it. Although is symbolic in nature, it has a great significance in daily walking in the newness of life in Jesus. 

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Q: Who is the Holy Spirit?

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We believe in the trinity that there is one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus when speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit to His disciples said who He was and what He would do: 'I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. The Holy Spirit testifies to us that we are sons of God (Romans 8; 1 John 5:5-6). He gives us life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8) and He intercedes for us before the Father. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live this new life we have in Jesus. He helps us to pray, to witness and encourages us in our day to day lives. He has given us spiritual gifts therefore to help us with it (1 Corinthians 12;10). 

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Q: What's my Destiny?

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Isaiah 46:10 says 'I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please'. As a church, we are called Destiny because we believe we all have one and we will help you find yours. God certainly has a plan and a purpose for you (Jeremiah 29:11). There is no greater joy than to live out your life for something bigger than yourself; we find more fulfillment and we have a God of miracles who is for us and in us. If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?