Week 27: Jul 2nd – 8th (360 Degree Turn)

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360 Degree Turn

Week 27: Jul 2nd – 8^th

Bible passage to read: Luke 9: 23-25

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“But their minds were blinded:  for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ.  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” 2^nd Corinthians 3:14-16 

In my own view, the biblical Israelites were the luckiest people on earth. I have two reasons for my personal conclusion. Firstly, God regularly saves and protect them from the hands of “big” enemies. This safety is so guaranteed that even when they don’t fight, they win! Secondly, God often tells them what is going to happen in the future especially about the coming of Christ.

Several people prophesied the ultimate coming of Jesus into the world. Moses, Jacob, and even Balaam talked about the coming of the Scepter from the tribe of Judah. Then Isaiah and the other prophets that followed expatiate more on this coming. Prophet Isaiah and Zechariah even talked about some of the events that will happen during his reign on earth. What a revelation to this special person of God.

And eventually Christ came but not everybody believes him. The bad news is that some of his closest earthly family members disputed him to have been the Messiah. They accused him of blasphemy, some of them stoned him after his bible reading at the temple in Nazareth and some even voted for his death at the expense of a terrible robber.

This is the crux of the matter. What could have made a generation to wait for so long expecting the Messiah and yet never know when he came? For if they had known him, they would not have crucified the Lord (1^st Corinthians 2: 7-8). The reason for this is not farfetched; these great children of God have spiritual veils covering their eyes. Therefore, they can’t see anything in the spirit.

You may begin to wonder how this person who read and “practice” the Old Testament may be hindered from knowing the truth. The reason is because the same veil that covered their eyes is covering their heart and they cannot perceive or receive real things from the Sprit. This is the truth of the matter; the laws came through Moses and grace through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Little wonder why we have many Christians who read the laws daily today but they are still not perfect because laws cannot bring perfection. The scripture says: “… for ye are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14)”. The law does not bring a man to justification with God, it only makes sins to have dominion over us. This was the reason why Christ was sent to us that we might be made perfect through him.

Hence, anyone who sees us, see Christ us through – who is the righteousness of us all. The laws were made so that we can easily identify sinners and get them punished but the grace does a better job than that (Romans 6:20-21). Grace abounds more than the laws and gives us a dependent nature over Christ.

Laws cannot save us; if laws can save then most Christian/church leaders who recite the laws to us would have been saved. But the bitter truth is that most of them are not saved because they over depend on laws instead of grace. Hence, they read to the audience not to commit fornication or adultery but they do the same. It’s not their wish to remain like that; it’s the law that is having control over them.

Are you also under the dominion of sins? The best thing for you to do at this moment is to make a U-turn and return to the Lord totally, depending on him for grace to be righteous

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Devotional Prayer Points

• Oh lord, give me the grace to make the U-turn to your side in Jesus name
• I am liberated from the shackles of Sins in Jesus name
• I gain entrance into a life of unlimited grace in Jesus name
• I shall no more live like a frustrated Christian in Jesus name
• Father, now I know that I can’t be righteous by myself, please give me the grace to live righteously in Jesus name.
  

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