Fruitful Living
THE PRESENCE OF THE SON OF GOD IN THE WORD OF GOD
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, not of human decision or husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” – John 1:1-5, 9-14 NIV
INTRODUCTION
This month we would like to take a journey through the Holy Scriptures and find out who is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose name we bear as Christians and what is said about Him throughout the Bible.
The story of Jesus is not confined to the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus is as visible on the first page as the last. He is as present in the Garden of Eden as He is in the garden tomb. The entire story points to Him. Jesus Himself affirms this when He said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me” – John 5:39. Enjoy and share with others.
- In Genesis 3:15; 49:10 He is the Seed of the woman of Shiloh
- In Exodus 12:3 He is the Passover Lamb
- In Leviticus 8:7-9 He is the Anointed High Priest
- In Numbers 21:8; 24:17 He is the Star of Jacob and brazen serpent
- In Deuteronomy 18:15; 32:4 He is the Prophet like Moses and great Rock
- In Joshua 5:14 He is the Captain of the Lord’s host.
- In Judges 2:1 He is the messenger of Jehovah
- In Ruth 2:1 He is the Kinsman-Redeemer
- In 1 Samuel 2:10 He is the Great Judge
- In 2 Samuel 7:13 He is the Seed of David
- In 1 Kings 8:15, 26 He is Lord God of Israel
- In 2 Kings 19:15 He is the God of the cherubim
- In 1 Chronicles 16:35 He is the God of our salvation
- In 2 Chronicles 20:6 He is the God of our fathers
- In Ezra 1:2 He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth
- In Nehemiah 1:5 He is the Covenant-keeping God
- In Esther He is the God of providence
- In Job 19:25 He is the risen and returning Redeemer
- In Psalms 2:1, 7, 12; 16:10; 23:1; 24:7-10 He is the Anointed Son, the Holy One, the Good Shepherd and the King of Glory
- In Proverbs 8 He is the Wisdom of God
- In Ecclesiastes He is the One above the Sun
- In Songs of Solomon 5:10; 16 He is the Chiefest among 10,000 and altogether lovely
- In Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 52:13; 53:3 He is the Virgin-born Emmanuel; Child and Son; Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; Righteous Servant, and Man of Sorrows
- In Lamentations 3:22, 23, 31-33 He is the faithful and compassionate God
- In Ezekiel He is the ever present Lord
- In Daniel 2:34; 3:25; 7:13 He is the Smiting Stone, Son of God and Son of man
- In Hosea 13:9, 14 He is the King of the resurrection
- In Joel 2:28-32; 2:11: 3:2, 9-17 He is the God of the battle and giver of the Spirit
- In Amos 4:13; 7-9 He is the God of hosts and the Plumbline
- In Obadiah 1:8, 15 He is the Destroyer of the proud
- In Jonah 2:10; 3:1; 4:9-11 He is the risen Prophet, God of second choice, The long-suffering one
- In Micah 4:1-5; 5:2; 7:18, 19 He is the God of Jacob, the Bethlehemite and the pardoning God
- In Nahum 2:2, 15 He is the avenging God and the bringer of good tidings
- In Habakkuk 1:12, 13; 2:14; 3:13 He is the everlasting pure, glorious and anointed one
- In Zephaniah 3:15 He is the King of Israel
- In Haggai 2:7 He is the Desire of all nations
- In Zechariah 3:8; 6:12,13; 9:9; 12:10; 14:9 He is the Branch, builder of Temple, King of Triumphal entry, pierced one, King of the earth
- Malachi 3:16 He is the Lord of remembrance
- In Matthew 2:2; 27:37 He is the King of the Jews
- In Mark 9:35; 10:43, 44 He is the Servant
- In Luke 2:40, 52; 9:22, 56, 58; 22:48 He is the Perfect man
- In John 1:1-5, 20:28, 31 He is the Eternal God
- In Acts 1:9 He is the Ascended Lord
- In Romans 10:4 He is the Lord our Righteousness
- In 1 Corinthians 15 He is our Resurrection
- In 2 Corinthians 1:3 He is God of all comfort
- In Galatians 4:4, 5 He is the Redeemer from the Law
- In Ephesians 1:22; 2:20; 5:23; 4:7, 8 He is the Head of the Church and giver of gifts
- In Philippians 1:19; 4:19; 2:5-8 He is the Supplier of every need and obedient servant
- In Colossians 1:19; 2:9 He is the Fullness of the Godhead
- In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:2, 23 He is the coming Christ
- In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 He is the consuming Christ
- In 1 Timothy 2:15; 3:16; 1:15 He is the Mediator and Saviour of sinners
- In 2 Timothy 4:8; 3:16, 17 He is the Righteous and rewarding judge and author of scripture
- In Titus 1:3; 2:10, 13: 3:4 He is Our Great God and Saviour
- In Philemon is the Payer of our debt
- In Hebrews
- 1:2 He is the appointed Heir of all things
- 1:4; 3:3 He is the One better than the Prophets and angels
- 2:10; 5:9; 12:2 He is the Captain of our salvation
- 2:17; 3:1; 4:14 He is the merciful and faithful High Priest
- 7:25-27; 9:24 He is the Great Intercessor
- 12:24 He is the Mediator of the new Covenant
- 13:20 He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep
- In 1 Peter 1:19; 2:21-24; 5:4; 3:22 He is the Unblemished Lamb, great example, chief shepherd and Lord of Glory
- In 2 Peter 1:17 He is the Beloved Son
- In 1 John 1:1; 2:1-2; 3:8; 4:15; 5:5 He is the Word of Life, advocate , propitiation and Son of God
- In 2 John 1:3 He is the Son of the Father
- In 3 John 1:4, 8 He is the Truth
- In Jude 1:1, 25 He is the Preserver and the only wise God
- In Revelation
- 1:8; 5 :5 He is the Alpha and Omega & the Lion of Judah
- 5:7; 6:17 He is the slain and angry Lamb
- 19:16 He is the King of Kings
- 22:16 He is the bright and morning Star
May you be led by the Holy Spirit to receive Christ as your Lord and personal saviour according to John 1:12-13
Prayer.
Dear Lord Jesus,
I admit that I am not right with you and I ask for forgiveness of my sins.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that You are the Lord and Saviour of my Life. Thank you for saving me. AMEN
Stay Blessed!
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Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
4. Correct the falsehood
If someone misrepresents Muhammad (pbuh), teach people who Muhammad (pbuh) really was.
Tell them about his mercy.
Tell them about his justice.
Tell them about his patience.
Tell them about his forgiveness.
5. Report genuine offences
Use lawful channels.
The Muslim does not become the police, prosecutor, judge and executioner.
6. Protect the innocent
If one Christian insults Islam, do not attack another Christian who knows nothing about it.
If one Muslim makes an offensive statement, do not blame all Muslims.
7. Restore peace
After the controversy, bring responsible Muslim and Christian leaders together.
Talk.
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Clarify.
Forgive where forgiveness is appropriate.
And rebuild trust.
Ghana must not become a battlefield of religious provocation
My dear brothers and sisters in Islam,
Let us look around Ghana.
Muslims and Christians have lived together for generations.
We have Muslim fathers with Christian in-laws.
Christian mothers with Muslim sons-in-law.
Muslim and Christian business partners.
Muslim and Christian neighbours.
Muslim and Christian classmates.
Muslims and Christians serving together in the military, police, public service, universities, hospitals, markets and businesses.
This is Ghana.
We must protect this peace.
Religious freedom is precious.
But religious freedom comes with religious responsibility.
A microphone is not a weapon.
A pulpit is not a battlefield.
A smartphone is not a licence to spread hatred.
A viral video is not a fatwa (religious decree).
And anger is not evidence.
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A word to Muslim scholars
To my fellow Imams and Islamic scholars:
Allah has placed a trust upon our shoulders. You are the best of generations selected for the guidance of mankind. Quran chapter 3:110.
When people are angry, we must calm them.
When people are confused, we must educate them.
When people want revenge, we must teach justice.
When people want violence, we must remind them of Allah.
Our microphone should extinguish fire—not pour petrol upon it.
The Prophet said:ِ
لَيْس َ الشَّدِيد ُ بِالصُّرَعَةِ، إِنَّمَا الشَّدِيد ُ الَّذِي يَمْلِك ُ نَفْسَه ُ عِنْد َ الْغَضَب
“The strong man is not the one who can overpower others; rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when angry.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6114; Sahih Muslim, 2609)
This is strength.
Self-control is strength.
Restraint is strength.
Wisdom is strength.
Justice is strength.
A word to Christian preachers
And to our Christian brothers and sisters, especially those who preach:
We Muslims deeply revere Jesus (peace be upon him)
He is not an ordinary man in Islam.
He is ʿĪsā ibn Maryam عليه السالم, a mighty Messenger of Allah.
The author is the Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governance Expert.
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When Paul tells us that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” he had summarized in the previous two verses what such an attitude was: selflessness, humility, and service. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” – Philippians 2:3-4.
In other words, the attitude a Christian should reflect is one that focuses on the needs and interests of others. Without question, that does not come naturally to us. When Christ came into the world, He established a whole new attitude to relationships with others. One day when His disciples were arguing among themselves regarding who was to be greatest in His kingdom, Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” – Matthew 20:25-28. Jesus is teaching us that, when we become preoccupied with our own things, it can cause conflicts and other problems with people we know. Instead, God wants us to have an attitude of serious, caring involvement in the concerns of others.
Paul speaks more about this Christ-like attitude in his letter to the church in Ephesus: “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.– Ephesians 4:22-24. Many religions of today, including the New Age philosophies, promote the old lie that we are divine or that we can become gods. But the truth of the matter is that we will never become God, or even a god. Satan’s oldest lie was promising Adam and Eve that, if they followed his advice, “- and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5, NKJV.
Each time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and the people around us, we’re only demonstrating that we want to be a god. But we must understand that, as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want us to try to become gods. Instead, He wants us to become like Him, taking on His values, His attitudes, and His character. We are meant to “be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” – Ephesians 4:23-24.
Finally, we must always keep in mind that God’s ultimate goal for His children is not our comfort, but the transformation of our minds into the attitude of godliness. He wants us to grow spiritually, to become like Christ. This doesn’t mean losing our personalities or becoming mindless clones. Christlikeness is all about transforming our minds. Again, Paul tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” – Romans 12:2.
It is God’s will that we develop the kind of mindset described in the Beatitudes of Jesus – Matthew 5:1-12, that we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23, that we emulate the principles in Paul’s great chapter on love – 1 Corinthians 13, and that we strive to pattern our lives after Peter’s characteristics of an effective and productive life – 2 Peter 1:5-8.
Establishing our actions in righteousness
Every person is commanded to live up to divine standards.
a. In the words of Jesus
“ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father, who is in heaven, is perfect” – Mt. 5:20, 48.
Every person in the world is required to live up to that standard. You say, “You’ve got to be kidding!” No, I’m not. You are obligated to live up to that standard with a pure inside as well as a right outside. But you say, “I can’t!” You are absolutely right. That’s why we are given the solution…
b. In the words of Paul
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;– Rom. 3:10, 21-22a.
Though you can’t obtain on your own the righteous standard Christ set, you can receive His righteousness if you are one of those who believe. Isn’t that great? God set the holy standard. And when you acknowledge that you can’t live up to it, He says, “My Son is not only the Lawgiver, but He is the Redeemer as well, who makes it possible for you to live on that level.” Beloved, it’s a fantastic thing! The standard is so high we can’t obtain it. But Christ met that standard and imputes to us His righteousness. Oh, what a blessed thing!
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