VICTUALS
...Weekly Newsletter of Sweet Fellowship
God’s Vessel... [VOLUME 4 ISSUE 6]
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
[1 Peter 1:1 KJV]
Our focus in this edition is on the man, the vessel that God trusts, depends on, and uses for His assignments. There is so much emphasis today on availability of lives for use, but there is still a concern. Though we have lots of men available from whom selection can be made, the Bible says that God is still in search of HIS MAN.
Despite the fact that there are several men on the streets flocking the churches, yet, God is not engaging any of them. Why? The reason is because even though there are several men who are available, they are not useable.
"Peter..."
Why was this revelation of the whole book of Peter preceded with the name of a man, Peter? Why would the Bible allow the name of a man to begin a whole divinely inspired epistle? Should not this book of Pet...
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Divine Criteria... [VOLUME 4 ISSUE 5]
And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields, and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands...the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? And Jesus ...said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him, How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him, which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. [Luke 6:1-5]
"...the second Sabbath after the first... "
Why did the Bible approach this issue like this? Why did it mention a first and a second Sabbath separately? Could not this passage have read: "it came to pass on the second Sabbath?"
It shows that there was something usual, normal ...
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EXTERNAL DRESSING THAT DECEIVES [VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4]
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. [Matthew 23:25-26]
"Woe...for ye make clean"
God is a lover of purity and cleanliness. He desires cleanliness because He is a holy God, hence, He demands it. The Lord will not demand what you do not have the ability to do. So if God demands something from you, it is because He has endowed you with the power to produce it.
Jesus pronounced all these woes upon the religious leaders of His days, because He had actually released unto them all that was needed to make them what God wanted them to be, but they failed to live up to that endowment.
God is not just a tyrant Master like Pharaoh, who demands from his subjects what definitely they ...
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When Giving Attracts Judgment!!! [VOLUME 4 ISSUE 3]
Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. [Matthew 23:23]
"Woe unto you...for ye pay tithe..."
What! Woe unto some people, for paying tithe? Peril pronounced upon some souls because they gave unto God? Could that be possible? I thought that God loves everybody and accepts all those that give automatically? I thought God is so particular about your money more than every other thing? I thought that giving your tithe to God automatically equals serving God, and it was the means of attracting Gods bountiful blessings as many pulpits erroneously preach today? I thought God is more concerned about the quantity of money you bring to Him than the quality thereof? Are all these insinuations true?
Is it every type and manner of givi...
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UNPROFITABLE WORKS [VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2]
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me [Philemon 1:10-11]
The background story of this passage was that of a slave called Onesimus. While he was yet in sin and had not met Jesus in a conversion experience, he ran away from his Master named Philemon, a respected brother in Christ. Paul met Onesimus afterwards, probably while he (Paul) was bound as a prisoner in Rome. He preached Jesus to him, and Onesimus responded positively to the gospel.
Paul then sent an official letter of recommendation on behalf of Onesimus to Philemon through the same Onesimus. The runaway slave had now become converted, and was a fellow heir of like precious faith with Paul and Philemon. Paul asked Philemon to receive Onesimus, no more as an unprofitable slave, but much more, as a brother in the Lord.
“which...was unprofitable......
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TRAGEDY OF INDULGENCE AND EASE [VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1]
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.[Luke 6:24-26]
“Woe unto you that are full...”
Ha! Why is Jesus talking like this? Is this not strange? Our preachers who daily preach on our pulpits, do they not always tell us and gladden our hearts that we are blessed when we are full? Do not they tell us that we are favoured when we have plenty food in our fridges? I thought it is bountiful blessings when we do not have any need again to knock on doors of heaven since our barns and stores are full, since riches have increased, and we have enough, so we do not need to ask!!! We have been told to "come to Jesus, and all your needs shall be met". Now, since our pockets are full, ...
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Sonship or Slavery? [Issue 3 Volume 7]
But [the elder son] was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years I HAVE BEEN SERVING you, I never transgressed your commandment at any time, and YET, YOU NEVER GAVE ME a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him. "And he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and ALL THAT I HAVE IS YOURS.[Luke 15:28-31 NKJV]
The above passage showing the grievance of the prodigal sons elder brother to his father, speaks a lot about the degraded state in which many so called children of God (like this elder son) today have sunk. Many have left the purpose of sonship, and are comparing themselves to mere slaves.
The conversation above could read thus:
Elder Son: Dad, I have been serving you, ye...
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Encountering Jesus [Issue 3 Volume 6]
And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: ...their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners... and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.[Luke 5:6-11]
Are you someone who has been grappling with sin on a daily basis? you have tried several times to break free, but it looks impossible. Deliverance sessions have been conducted on you, several prayers have been offered, you may have even attended categories of crusades with different great men ...
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A LIVING ALTAR. [Issue 3 Volume 5]
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simons, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.[Luke 5:1-3 KJV]
”...pressed upon HIM ... to hear ... God"
Jesus stood by the lake. Suddenly and amazingly, men from different corners, who started getting hungry to hear and see God, drew near to Jesus if they could get a glimpse and a touch of God. It was an invisible God they were hungry for, but it was a visible man they approached and pressed upon.
When men were hungry for God, since God Himself is invisible, men simply concentrated their quest for God on a man they knew, who carried God in His bosom. The...
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Biblical Holiness [Issue 3 Volume 4]
Since you died, as it were, with Christ and this has set you free from following the worlds ideas of how to be saved by doing good and obeying various rules, why do you keep right on following them anyway, still bound by such rules as not eating, tasting, or even touching certain foods? Such rules are mere human teachings, for food was made to be eaten and used up. These rules may seem good, for rules of this kind require strong devotion and are humiliating and hard on the body, but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a persons evil thoughts and desires. They only make him proud.[Colossians 2:20-23 TLB]
“Since you died with Christ and this has set you free... from...obeying rules, why do you keep... bound by rules…”
It is a common practice among those who emphasize holiness to want to seek purity of life by mechanical means. Holiness is often being sought as things men must "do" rather than a revel...
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