ÒBut He said, ÔMore than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!Ó (Luke 11:28)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

A testimony that seems so long ago is right before us again. Noah prepared for an end time scenario. His preparation began when God called him due to the continuous ungodliness of the people. Noah was located in a geographical area where within a year, it hardly rained. God commanded Noah to call His peopleÕs attention into living godly lives. God wanted to bring judgment unto the people just as He has promised to bring judgment again today. It sounded impossible that rain would flood the face of the earth to the point for a need of a giant ship (ark) as a vehicle of salvation. Building a huge ark to escape the flood in an area where it hardly rains could have been identified as a foolish move. Deaf ears were turned to Noah; the people were into their own lifestyles. The people then were going about their daily activities. Just as it was then, so it is today. To the rest, Noah, with the biggest ark, was the biggest of all the big fools. All that Noah was doing was obeying the Word of God. In NoahÕs watching, he was building what it would take for him to escape when the heavenÕs water pump is released. Genesis 6:22, ÒThus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.Ó All His commands are to be strictly observed. Just as it was with Noah, so it is with us today. The warnings have been there for more than two thousand years. The warnings have not changed except that they become clearer in the physical and spiritual manifestation. Today, there are many types of Noah that are warning the people to begin building their vehicle of escape, but all is falling to deaf ears. Nothing has changed from the time of Noah. Jesus came to make the difference, but instead it was received with different opinions and suggestions. Some called Him names that did not belong to Him; some mocked Him; some denied Him; and most did not receive Him. The truth is that Jesus came to die for our sins and iniquities so that we will be able to inherit eternity.  Jesus emphasized that the coming time of judgment is a time that no one knows but only God. Mark 13:32-33, ÒBut of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.Ó Jesus is the truth and the truth is threatening only a very few who want to turn around and give their lives to God. Most, however, who claim to have given their lives to the Word of God are mistaken by observing only the comfortable commands. More than twice, the Bible emphasizes in Genesis 6 that Noah did according to all that God commanded him, not just a few things. Noah did not do according to the dictates of his heart. Do you think you are standing well enough? 1 Corinthians 10:12, ÒTherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fallÓ- Paul warned. The time of life is very crucial and the calls for consistent warning to watch and pray are all throughout the Bible. Jesus warned against the activities of this world that takes the place of God in man because the judgment time will come unexpectedly. He mentioned in Luke 21:36, ÒWatch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Man.Ó Prepare and not pretend. Preparation, not calculation of the time of judgment, is all that we need to be doing. This can be done in no other way than to watch and pray. To watch with effectiveness is spending time in the Word and meditating on His Word. With meditation, you will trust and obey. Meditating on the Word will enable a believer to observe according to the Word. In obeying the Word of God, you will be alive in the spirit. In December 2004, a massive earthquake created a TSUNAMI causing devastation around the rim of the Indian Ocean. The death toll was in hundred of thousands. Does that sound like tale telling? The fact is the rain that flooded in the time of Noah rained forty days and forty nights, but the TSUNAMI executed for perhaps a couple of minutes in duration. In that period of time, it touched down in many regions on the face of earth. JesusÕ coming will be in a twinkling of an eye. What will an hour of consistent and continuous TSUNAMI bring to the whole world? Judgment is coming and it will be at GodÕs time. Take your time to build your ark.

When you focus on God, He will close-up on you and no weapon form against you shall prosper.

Jesus said in Revelation 16:15, ÒBehold I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.Ó

ÔTunde Soniregun

ÒBut I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.Ó(Luke 6:27)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

All that the Lord God asks from us is to be dutifully complying with His commands. God does not ask for more or less, but complete obedience. He has set His standard, and it will not be lowered or excused under no circumstances. Jesus strongly and repeatedly emphasized on hearing and obeying the word of God. Once, He was being sought by His mother and brothers but he could not be approached because of the crowd. Luke 8:21, ÒBut He answered and said to them, ÔMy mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.ÕÓ If there was any way to emphasize on obeying the word of God, Jesus has presented it above and beyond. Despite that, obeying the words of God has been reduced to the minimum, and obeying His words continue to be the least among us that confesses Christ as our Lord and savior. You have subjected yourself to the dictates of your heart–which is an act of wickedness. God is a merciful God and His sentencing against evil work is not speedily executed (Ecclesiastes < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>8:11). Taking the privilege of prolonged sentencing against evil is taking the risk of heading into eternal damnation.  God will move and He will not fail to respond just as He did not look over the acts of disobedience of the children of Israel. God once said to the children of Israel in Jeremiah 2:19, ÒYour own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and the fear of Me is not in you, says the LORD of hosts.Ó What the children of Israel did that led them into captivity is what the church today is doing today. There is only one way of serving God in deed and in truth: complete and uncompromised obedience. God gave the Ten Commandments to man and all ten–not one–is to be dutifully complied with. Every time we draw out our own way of obeying His commandment, it ends up being disobedient to the commandments of God. You can take or add to the commands of God in your own way, you can color His commands and still be in riches, bottom line is if you have fallen short in obeying it all, His timing will catch up with you. The Kingdom life is guided by His command, not manÕs command or the dictates of the heart. Thank God for Jesus Christ. Jesus was speaking in Luke 6:27, ÒBut I say to you who hear; love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.Ó Jesus was not talking about speaking love to one another, but He was instructing and teaching on love as the only way to the fulfillment of GodÕs command. It is easy to talk love than actually demonstrating it, especially to a stranger or the neediest. Absolutely nothing can be done to substitute love, and that is why Jesus emphasized on His message of love so as to be heard. Undeniably, to love is to obey God and to obey God is to love. God is love. He sent His only begotten son because He loves us. There are many believers that go around with a diary of grudges and bitterness. In entering the church, they are the ones who praise the loudest. Indeed, it is good to worship God, but worshiping God in emptiness is worthless and does not amount to power. 1 John 2:9-10, ÒHe, who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.Ó God is not a fool, neither is He a God who does not hear or see. God has given His word and He has fulfilled His salvation plans for us. It is now left for man to turn unto God and obey all that He has commanded. He knows when love is not genuine and sincere. Loving has to be in His own way. 1 Timothy 1:5, ÒNow the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.Ó Love is what Christianity is all about. Often, believers have walked away where love needs to be demonstrated. Love can never be harmful especially when it is demonstrated with a good conscience and sincere faith. Romans 13:10 ,Ó Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.Ó It is clearly demonstrated that the diary of bitterness, anger, and animosity will not prevail; it will only unveil the owner of the diary to eternal damnation. Also, it will only take the grace of God to live a life of loving others. Ask God today for His grace.

The only way of knowing Him is in the pursuit of knowledge

When we submit all unto God, He will subdue all on our behalf.

Tunde Soniregun

ÒThe heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?Ó (Jeremiah 17:9)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

At every celebration of Jesus Christ during Christmas or Easter, there is always an increase in the number of church attendance. As soon as the service is over it will take another year to come back and worship. Does that sound like you? Besides the seasonal worshipers that enter for worship, there are so many other professing believers that are regular on Sunday services only to enter, but not dwell in the presence of God. Does this second group apply to you? Let it be clear that God cannot be fooled. There is great gain in seeking Him in deed and in truth. Also, there is great pain in playing Christianity. However, anyone of the above mentioned groups are definitely missing the purpose of serving God. Anyone that knows the truth but makes a choice of playing religion has taken an act of wickedness. In JeremiahÕs complaint to God, it is clear who the wicked are. Jeremiah 12:1-2, ÒRighteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.  Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.Ó Is it clear enough to know that the wicked are the ones where God is near in their mouth but far from their mind. Anyone that comes to enter into worship service without dwelling in the presence of God is an indication of knowing in their mind the right thing to do, without acting on it. Having the knowledge of what is right and not doing it is the same as being near to God in the mouth but far from the mind. Does it sound like Jeremiah is complaining about you? To know whatÕs right before God and not to do it is an act of wickedness. God does not overlook sin. Ecclesiastes 8:11, ÒBecause the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.Ó God is merciful but sin will not prevail forever. It is about time to let the word of God have its way both in the mouth and in the mind. When will your entering into the place of worship be converted into dwelling in the presence of God? < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Reading and understanding why God sent Jeremiah to the people of Judah might add to our understanding of what it means to enter and dwell in the place of worshiping God. Jeremiah 7:1-3, ÒThe word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ÔStand in the gate of the LORDÕs house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ÔHear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!  Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ÔAmend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.ÕÕÓ It does not matter how many hours you spend in the place of worship, or how long you have been entering your church building; it will not count if you are very active in the church but are only entering on a regular basis without dwelling in the presence of God. The word of God through Jeremiah was not to those that do not come to worship but to those that come to worship. Does the word only apply to the people of Judah? Indeed, it was a direct message to the people of Judah, but it also directly communicates to you. God wants us to amend our ways, not our excuses or concerns for just entering and not dwelling. ItÕs about time after all these years of your entering into the church to begin to dwell. What we need to do is trust God for the grace to begin to come and dwell in His presence. God will help your desire to become deposited into your life. The Psalmist knew what he was asking for when he lifted his voice and asked God for his desire. Psalm 27:1-5, ÒOne thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;  in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.Ó Can you see all that comes to be when you begin to dwell instead of just entering? God has positioned so many promises in His word if obeying the word will be your garment. It is very clear that JesusÕ life as a gift of salvation is an unconditional love, but obedience to the word of God is the condition for GodÕs blessing. Amend your ways, begin to dwell and it will be well with you.

An act of disobedience is a way out of His presence.

The purpose of believing is to have life in His name.

Tunde Soniregun

ÒTherefore by their fruits you will know them.Ó(Matthew 7:20)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Which tree are you in the hand of God? Are you a living tree or a living-dead tree? A living tree is one whose leaves are there and fruits are available to deliver when its creator shows up for need. A living-dead tree is one who has everything like the living tree but without fruit to deliver whenever is creator shows up for a need. What kind of tree are you in the hand of your creator? Are you a fruit-bearing tree or a fruitless tree? John 15:16, ÒYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain , that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.Ó Is that clear enough to determine the kind of fruit that you are? The one that created you called you out to serve Him. He expects you to be fruitful always. The creator did not make you for decoration, impressing observers, or being good for the eyes only, all that He wants from you is to be fruitful for His name to be glorified. He wants to be glorified every time people see you or deal with you. Whenever you are ridiculed because of lack of fruitfulness, His name is also ridiculed. There are God-created trees for His name to be glorified today, but the unfruitfulness of  most of the trees are bringing nothing to the creator but shame, ridicule, embarrassment, lack of respect, and lack of fear to the name of the Almighty Creator. What kind of tree are you? You are either a fruit-producing tree or a fruitless tree. The evidence of a fruitful tree are stated in Galatians 5:22, ÒBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such there is no law.Ó Where do you stand? Everything contrary to fruit bearing is fruitless. Unforgiveness, bitterness, deception, manipulation, lying, speaking evil of others, envy, selfishness, full of partiality, hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, are contrary to fruitfulness. Where do you abide? Where you are abiding will definitely determine your fruitfulness. Remember, all you want is to be a fruitful tree. John 15:7-8, ÒIf you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.Ó Your only way of becoming a fruitful tree is to give a careful and proper attention to the word of God. Jesus referred to the seed as the word of God (Luke < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>8:11). All of His words are to give a fruitful life, and the evidence of a fruitful life is joy. To have joy is to abide. John 15:11, ÒThese things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy maybe full.Ó You can be full of life when you abide in the word of God. When you choose not to abide, you become a living dead like the fig tree. Matthew 21:18-19, ÒNow in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was Hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, ÔLet no fruit grow on you ever again.ÕÓ Immediately, the fig tree withered away.Ó A tree that was supposed to be fruitful was fruitless. It was not fruitless to itself alone but also to the creator. The one that gave you life expects you to be a fruitful creation. As a living creation of God, to be unproductive or fruitless for His glory is to be a living dead. Jesus did not curse the tree to die; all that He said was for the tree to remain fruitless since the tree does not have anything to show for at the time He showed up. Mark 11:20, ÒNow in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.Ó Can you take a moment and think if you are being fruitful to the glory of God? The fig tree was a disappointment to GodÕs glory. Have you been a pretender just like the fruitless fig tree? The leaves on the fig tree were rich and attractive, its leaves were inviting, loud, and clear just like a loud ÒAmen!Ó, but it does not have anything to offer for the main purpose of living. The tree has been living a fruitless life up until the Creator requested an account of its fruit. Are you doing the same? You are accountable to the Lord. When Jesus showed up, it was a time of accountability, but the fig tree did not have any fruit to account for. As a result, its life has to be taken back from him. God wants you to be fruitful for His glory at His time of visitation. Your growth in the things of the world without the word of God will qualify you as unfruitful.

ÒAnd who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?Ó(1Peter 3:13)

ÒTherefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.Ó (James 4:17)

 ÒBut He needed to go through < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Samaria.Ó (John 4:4).< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Conducting oneself according to the word of God is the identity of a believing Christian. You are yet to become a believer of the word of God until living the word inside and outside of the fellowship of the faith becomes your identity and your lifestyle becomes a living Bible. It is one thing for you to claim that youÕre a believer and it is another to be living the Word. Jesus said in John 8:31, ÒThen Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ÔIf you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed.ÕÓ  Questions: Who are you? Where do you stand? If the Lord shows up now will you be found ready to meet with Him? The time and days for playing religion will not prevail. Have you let the Lord go through? Can you identify if you have a need for Him to go through you? John 4:3-4, ÒHe left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.Ó In the New Testament, Samaria was a region in central Palestine avoided by the Jews. Jews intensely hated Samaritans and often refused to set foot in Samaritan territory. The passing of Jesus through Samaria was a demonstration of GodÕs love for the sinners and not the sin. Jesus came to the world as The Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). How long will it take you to allow Him a passage through you? Could it be that you are not a sinner? Romans 3:23, ÒFor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.Ó It is not the part of you that your brethrens see every Sunday or at every fellowship gathering that counts, but the part of you that the Lord God Himself sees. Also, it is not how much or how effective you always quote the Word that matters, but it is how you meditate and observe to do the Word of God. Above all, it is not how long you have been going to church that will point you out when He comes it is how you are committed to His Word that will point you out. You can be of great service in the church and not serving God in truth and in spirit. So many are licensed to be a minister of the Word of God but very few have access to the Lord God Almighty. What makes the difference in all the above statements is in your permission to let Him pass through you. It is not a matter of you having a need to have Him pass through, it is a fact that you need to have Him pass through your Samaria. When you allow Him passage inside you, your life will never be the same. Gift: In His passage through Samaria, He gave gift. He offered to whoever will believe and receive a fountain of living water, rather than just plain well water. John 4:14, ÒBut whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.Ó By the grace of God it is simple for you because it was simple for the Samaritan woman to know and accept the water that will never run dry. Will you let Him pass through? You have been passing through inside and outside the church for a while; it is time for you to let Him pass through. Deliverance: When you allow Him to pass through, He will bring you out of your past garbage and filth and lead you to an outlet for future breakthrough. Jesus pointed out to the Samaritan woman how she had changed husbands like a gown. Astonished by what Jesus had said, she perceived this of Him, John 4:19, ÒThe woman said to Him, ÔSir, I perceive that You are a prophet.ÕÓ His passage through Samaria introduced the woman to a new and eternal husband that will forever take care of her. Just as the Samaritan woman allowed Him, when you let Him through, you will be worshipping Him that knows you, because He has known you in His passage through you. In His passing through, He emphasized to the woman and to you, John 4:23-24, ÒBut the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.Ó  He did not only pass through, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed with them two days. John 4:41, ÒAnd many more believed because of His own word.Ó Will you let Him pass through? You never know what or how His changes will affect you. John 4:43, ÒNow after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.Ó His departure will never take away His presence in your life if you will let Him pass through.

Keeping His word is

knowing Him.

When you fail to heed to Him, you have failed in letting Him lead you.

Any time that you are not talking-out, make it a time that you are talking-in with God.