Links to other sites on the Web
Message preached on Sunday 21/02/99 Liverpool. UK
By Evagelist Paul Attah
People always expect God to move in super natural ways, and any thing simple is always ignored or passed unnoticed. A typical example was the healing of Syrian army chief in 2King 5
9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Many of us will behave in the same fashion given the same situation with this army captain. While he was expecting Elisha to come out and create a big scene by calling God to thunder down the sky through Elisha�s hand to his; the man of God with the word of God merely told him to go and wash in river Jordan. This is God in simplicity.
The problem with many people today and since the birth of Jesus Christ is the fact that they cannot assimilate the fact that God can lower Himself to the level of mankind. Even though all scriptures and or prophesies has pointed out that the messiah cannot be any other being other than God Himself, man has forcefully imposed on themselves that for Jesus to be a messiah, He has to be little lower than God since He was born in the same way as man.
Now let's read Luke 2:1-14
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
As we can see, the birth of Jesus was so ordinarily that so many cannot see how God could degraded Himself to this type of birth. Compare our time today with this time two thousand years ago. Would you have honestly accepted this child as God�s?
God did not choose one of the royal family to come through, even though He is to be a prince. He did not come through one of the high priest, though he is the High Priest that can be touched by our infirmity. He did not come through a rich family, even though the earth is the Lord�s and the fullness thereof.
He did not reserve a room in one of the five star hotels or even the least inn in the city. He did not choose Solomon�s Temple. That holy place that if any Israelite was in any trouble and pray to God looking at the direction of the building, God answers his or her prayer straight away.
The simplicity of God cannot be over emphasized. While He came through a virgin birth to fulfill His promises through the prophets, He did not opt for a well to do family. He chose a simple, humble gentle and meek young lady called Mary. For His birth place, He chose a manger, the least place any one will expect God to be born.
The first person you�ll have expected to know of His birth would have been the high priest or one of the prophet / prophetess then, but no, he revealed His birth first to the shepherd watching their flock that night far away in the field. You may say He did that because He is the great shepherd. Yes He is, but He is also the high priest (Heb.7:26), a prophet (Deut.18:15), the King (Isaiah 9:7) etc.
The theologians, priests, Sadducees and the Pharisees did not know the time in Jesus era just like they do not know the time we are living in today. Yes the do not know because they are looking for Jesus where there is big name preachers, where doctors of divinity are, wealthy churches and big church buildings. Unfortunate for these group of people, the do not know that God has hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed to babes such as would learn.
Today, you must go to school of divinity or theology before you are recognized as a God sent preacher. What a mockery of the Word of God! Don�t you read in the scripture that the disciples where told to wait in Jerusalem until they are induced with power from above? And how that Jesus Said that when you receive the Holy Ghost, He will bring to your remembrance all that He had taught them and reveal that which He has not yet taught them? O faithless generation, why not believe the word of God as did the Disciples? Why are you making people twice the child of hell than when they never believe? Why are you taking away from people one God and giving them three gods back? Why are you teaching them baptism in the name of father son and holy ghost, when there is no record of any baptism ever being done in that name. Is �father� a name? is �son� a name? how can �holy ghost� be refereed to as a name? Why are you leading blind people while you blindfold your face with creeds and dogmas and religious demons. No wonder the bible said they will ever be learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth.
Look at these, Jesus came to the earth about two thousand years ago, and all the religious leaders where not aware. They where busy protecting their belly and investment in the church. What did they do? They stood at the door, they will not enter and will not let others to enter. The same religious demon is still on our preachers today.
Jesus in simplicity. Lets read (John 1:45-49)
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Nathaniel was a just man and a devoted Jew. An ardent believer of the scroll and the prophets. He, like the other Jews where looking forward to the coming of the messiah. When the Messiah came he was taken unaware. He was not expecting Christ to come from one of the socially and economically deprived areas in the land. He could not envisage Christ coming from such a crime ridden town of Nazareth. Like all the others he was wrong.
What is God doing today? He is using the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. Let's read (1Corinthians 1:27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
While the people are running around the big names and rallying around the big churches, Jesus Christ is making contacts with the meek and lonely. The babes that are ready to learn. While the theologians are busy selling the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to their congregation, dividing God into three heathen gods and telling them not to marry or eat meat, the Lord Jesus Christ is gathering the very few that are read to learn of Him in small numbers here and there. This is God in simplicity.
The mighty God took up human flesh in order to redeem man back to Himself. 2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Does it mean Jesus is God? you may ask. Yes, Jesus Christ is God and without controversy, He was manifested in the flesh. Read this:- (1 Tim.3:16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Jesus himself said that He is God in :- John 14:7-11 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Even the confused Apostles where rebuked here for being unsure of what the belief. But today the god of this world has so blinded our preachers that they can not see this. You know what? They have sold their birth right for earthly materials.
Somebody once told me that Jesus and God being one in the above scripture is like a man and wife being one. How can it be when no man can ever say that by seeing him you have physically seen the wife? Oh man what have we got ourselves into? What sort of spiritual amnesia have we plugged ourselves into? Here is the creator of heaven and earth walking on the surface of this earth doing the work of redemption and no one care to know. The same messiah they were expecting to come and rescue them was doing the very work for which they have been informed of, and yet they could not see it. The few who saw it were either excommunicated or forced to renounce it. Why? Because they could not imagine the messiah being born as a man, raised up as a man, learned the art of carpentry from an earthly guidance, and grew up as a carpenter. This was too simple to be God. They missed it then and they are still missing it today.
Are you looking for Christ today? He is already out of the organized religion, and is calling you to come out of them. Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
He came out of organized religion in :- Rev 3:14-20 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The Laodiceans Church was address last because it�s the replica of this last age. The churches have become so rich with earthly goods that the word of God means nothing to them any more. They are suffering from spiritual amnesia. They are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: and yet they do not know. What next? He spew them out of His mouth. What that means? He�s disowned them because they have committed fornication with the devil. (watch out for my message on Revelation chapter 17 coming soon). As a result, He is no longer in their mist. He is now standing outside the church and knocking at the door for who will hear His voice and understand and accept Him as the savior and only hope of this world.
What are you waiting for my dear friends. Today is the day of salvation, tomorrow may be too late. Come to Jesus now while you can for time cometh when it will be too late for you. Whatsoever happen, remember this, that only Jesus can save you. No creed and dogmas can help you if you do not give your life to Him now.
Church membership can not save you or me, neither can our position in the church afford us eternal life. Jesus is the answer. No matter what your problems are, Jesus is ready to accept you now. He said:- (Matt. 11) 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The Lord bless you as you come to Him.
Links to other sites on the Web
Attah's home page
Christian Home
Godhead
Sir, there is no name there
� 1997 [email protected]
Get your own Free Home Page