Jim gospel music ministries, P. O BOX 3254, Machakos (2026)

04/11/2025

What is Cult

When people hear the word cult, they often think of a group that worships Satan, sacrifices animals, or takes part in evil, bizarre, and pagan rituals. However, in reality, a cult rarely involves such things. In fact, a cult, in the broadest sense of the word, is simply a religious system with particular rites and customs.

Usually, though, a cult is more narrowly defined, and the word refers to an unorthodox sect whose members distort the original doctrines of the religion. In a Christian context, the definition of a cult is, specifically, “a religious group that denies one or more of the fundamentals of biblical truth.” A cult is a group that teaches doctrines that, if believed, will cause a person to remain unsaved. A cult claims to be part of a religion, yet it denies essential truth(s) of that religion. Therefore, a Christian cult will deny one or more of the fundamental truths of Christianity while still claiming to be Christian.

The two most common teachings of Christian cults are that Jesus was not God and that salvation is not by faith alone. A denial of the deity of Christ results in the view that Jesus’ death was insufficient to pay for our sins. A denial of salvation by faith alone results in the teaching that salvation is achieved by our own works. The apostles dealt with cults in the early years of the church: for example, John addresses the teaching of Gnosticism in 1 John 4:1–3. John’s litmus test for godly doctrine was “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (verse 2)—a direct contradiction of the Gnostic heresy (cf. 2 John 1:7).

The two most well-known examples of cults today are the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. Both groups claim to be Christian, yet both deny the deity of Christ and salvation by faith alone. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons believe many things that are in agreement with or similar to what the Bible teaches. However, the fact that they deny the deity of Christ and preach a salvation by works qualifies them as cults. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and members of other cults are moral people who genuinely believe they hold the truth. As Christians, our hope and prayer must be that many people involved in cults will see through the lies and will be drawn to the truth of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

04/10/2024

Angelology is the study of angels. There are many unbiblical views of angels today. Some believe angels are human beings who have died. Others believe that a...

15/09/2023

What is the power of the dog in Psalm 22:20?
Psalm 22 is a messianic psalm in which King David suffers great pain and distress as a type of Christ. He cries out to God for help, just as Jesus would later call out on the cross (see Psalm 22:1, cited in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34). Like Christ, who pleaded with the Father to rescue Him from death (Hebrews 5:7), David implores God to save him from his enemies: “Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!” (Psalm 22:20, ESV).

In most parts of the world today, dogs are viewed as beloved pets. But in ancient times dogs were primarily feral, scavenging animals considered unclean in Israel. In a couple of passages, dogs were used for guarding houses and herding flocks (Isaiah 56:10; Job 30:1), but, more frequently, dogs were wild creatures that roamed the streets devouring refuse and dead bodies (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19, 23; 22:38).

A person’s enemies were identified as “dogs” in Scripture (Psalm 59:6). In Jeremiah 15:3, the Lord appointed four kinds of destroyers: “The sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, the vultures to devour, and the wild animals to finish up what is left.” The apostle Paul warned believers to watch out for false apostles, calling them dogs: “Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh” (Philippians 3:2). Those who were excluded from the kingdom of heaven were called dogs in Revelation 22:15: “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

In Psalm 22, David refers to his enemies as “bulls” or “wild oxen” (verses 12 and 21), “lions” (verses 13 and 21), and “dogs” (verses 16 and 20). These are metaphors and not literal animals. In verse 16, he reports, “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.”

The power of the dog speaks of the creature’s ability to surround its prey like a pack of wolves, to bite, tear, inflict wounds, do evil, and destroy. Both a sword and a dog can kill. When David prayed to God to deliver his soul “from the sword” and his “precious life from the power of the dog,” he feared losing his life in a cruel and violent manner.

The terminology power of the dog may also invoke the might of the Roman Empire in Psalm 22’s prophetic portrayal of Christ’s suffering and death. It was Roman soldiers who carried out the crucifixion of Christ, surrounding Jesus, stripping off His clothing, nailing Him to the cross, and even gambling for His clothing (Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:24; cf. Psalm 22:18). A dog was the Jewish derogatory term for the Gentiles (Matthew 7:6; 15:26; Revelation 22:15). The Romans, the Jewish High Council, and Satan himself rallied together to put Jesus to death.

For the most part, dogs are presented in the Bible in an offensive light (1 Samuel 17:43; 2 Samuel 16:9; 2 Kings 8:13; Proverbs 26:11). They symbolize despicable, hostile, or evil people who group together like dogs to prey on the vulnerable. Our great enemy, the devil, operates like a dog or a lion, prowling around in search of someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Thus, the power of the dog is the lethal influence of one’s enemies who band together to inflict harm, injury, or death.

10/08/2023

What is the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13)?
In Colossians 1:13, the apostle Paul describes salvation as God’s work of rescuing believers “from the kingdom of darkness” and transferring them “into the Kingdom of his dear Son” (NLT). This imagery of rescue and deliverance as moving people out of darkness into light appears throughout the book of Isaiah, and Paul may have borrowed from it (see Isaiah 9:1–2; 42:6–7; 58:10; 60:1–3).

The “kingdom of darkness” in Colossians 1:13 is alternatively rendered “domain of darkness” (ESV) and “dominion of darkness” (NIV). Bible scholars interpret Paul’s meaning in a couple of ways. For some, the kingdom of darkness represents a spiritual realm, or domain, where Satan heads a hostile resistance force against the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. In this dark sphere, Satan holds the position of power, authority and rule over human hearts and other spiritual beings. Such an invisible kingdom is depicted by Paul in Ephesians 6:12: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (NLT).

Others view the kingdom of darkness more as a darkened, unregenerated condition in which Satan dominates the hearts and minds of sinful humanity. Before salvation, people’s minds are “full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him” (Ephesians 4:18, NLT; see also Romans 1:21). Unbelievers live under the rule of darkness in contrast to Christians “who live in the light” (Colossians 1:12, NLT; see also Romans 13:12–13; 1 John 2:10). Paul explained, “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” (Ephesians 5:8, NLT).

At Paul’s conversion, Jesus said that He was sending Paul out as a servant to open people’s eyes “so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me” (Acts 26:18, NLT).

The kingdom of darkness is a realm controlled by sin and rebellion toward God (1 John 1:6; 2:11; John 3:19). But the kingdom of Christ is the new home of believers. God relocates us from our country of origin to become “citizens of heaven” (Philippians 3:20, NLT) and “members of God’s family” (Ephesians 2:19, NLT). We are rescued from the dangerous and deadly dominion of darkness and transferred into the glorious light and fellowship of God’s kingdom, where Jesus Christ rules and reigns (1 John 1:7).

The kingdom of darkness is a domain dominated by death. The author of Hebrews explains that Satan has “the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14). “But God is so rich in mercy,” writes Paul, “and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 2:4–5, NLT). God rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and the power of death through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Our Savior’s death takes away sin’s curse of death that was on us (Galatians 3:13).

Jesus is “the light of the world,” and those who follow Him “will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Christ gives His “light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79, NLT). If we receive God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, we pass “from death to life” (John 5:24; see also 1 John 3:14; Romans 6:3–4, 13; Ephesians 2:6). In His mercy, love, and grace, God the Father through Jesus, His Son, gathers us out of bo***ge to sin and death in the kingdom of darkness and moves us into the eternal light and freedom of Christ’s kingdom.

30/07/2023

Do we need to be aware of the spiritual battle that is taking place around us?
It is crucial that every Christian understands that he/she is in a spiritual battle. There is no way to get out of it. Awareness of the spiritual battle around us is very important. Not only awareness, but vigilance, preparedness, courage, and the right weaponry are crucial elements of engaging in spiritual warfare.

In the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” It is clear that “our warfare” as Christians is spiritual. We are not fighting a physical battle or a human battle. It is on a spiritual level—its enemies, its prerogatives, its fortresses, and its weapons are all spiritual. If we attempt to fight the spiritual with human weapons, we will fail and the enemy will be victorious.

It is important to note that Paul is not speaking about battling demons here. When Jesus and the apostles cast demons out, it was, along with the other signs and wonders they exhibited, primarily to prove the authority of what they said. It was important at that time for God to give the apostles a powerful “proof” that they were indeed from God and were His spokesmen. The fidelity of Scripture depends on the authority of the apostles, so God gave the apostles His power to authenticate their teachings. The point all along was to show that the ultimate authority—and our ultimate spiritual weapon—is Scripture. The kind of spiritual battle that every Christian engages in is primarily a battle of the mind and heart.

The spiritual battle is quite personal for each Christian. The devil is like a “roaring lion” seeking to devour, and we must remain vigilant against him (1 Peter 5:8). The enemy of our souls has “flaming arrows” that can only be extinguished by the shield of faith as handled by a believer equipped with the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10–17). Jesus told us to “watch and pray” so as not to fall into temptation (Mark 14:38).

According to 2 Corinthians 10:4–5, there are spiritual fortresses in this world, made of the “speculations” and “lofty things.” The word speculations is, in the Greek, logismos. It means “ideas, concepts, reasonings, philosophies.” People of the world build up these logismos to protect themselves against the truth of God. Sadly, these fortresses often become prisons and eventually tombs. As Christians, we have a calling to break down these fortresses and rescue the inhabitants. It is dangerous and difficult work, but we have a divine arsenal always at our disposal. Unfortunately, one of the enemy’s best tricks is getting us to fight with human weapons rather than divine.

When fighting against worldly philosophies, human wit and weaponry are of no avail. Marketing techniques, counter-philosophies, persuasive words of human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4), rationalism, organization, skill, entertainment, mystique, better lighting, better music—these are all human weapons. None of these things will win the spiritual war. The only thing that is effective—the only offensive weapon we possess—is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). This sword gives us many freedoms as soldiers in this spiritual battle. We have freedom from fear, knowing that God is fighting for us (Joshua 1:7–9) and that He will not forsake us. We have freedom from guilt, knowing that we are not responsible for the souls of those who reject God’s message after we have proclaimed it to them (Mark 6:11). We have freedom from despair, knowing that, if we are persecuted and hated, Christ was persecuted and hated first (John 15:18) and that our battle wounds will be richly and lovingly tended to in heaven (Matthew 5:10).

All of these freedoms come from using the powerful weapon of God—His Word. If we use human weaponry to fight the temptations of the wicked one, we will sustain failures and disappointment. Conversely, the victories of God are full of hope. “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:22-23). The hearts of those who hear and accept the true, full message of the gospel as given by the apostles are “sprinkled clean” and “washed with pure water.” What is this water? It is the Word of God that strengthens us as we fight (Ephesians 5:26; John 7:38).

01/06/2023

What is the iniquity of the fathers in Exodus 34:7?
In Exodus 34:7, God speaks to Moses and says that He punishes the children for the iniquity of the fathers “to the third and fourth generation.” The same idea is found earlier in Exodus 20:5 as God spoke the Ten Commandments to Moses. Here and in other verses, the word father can be understood as referring to both fathers and mothers. The NIV simply refers to “the sin of the parents.”

The specific sins of the father are not listed in Exodus 34:7. However, the context of the verse and book would suggest the sins of idolatry and unbelief. At this point in the book of Exodus, the Israelites have been freed from slavery in Egypt and are journeying to the Promised Land. In Exodus 32, Moses was on top of Mount Sinai meeting with God when the Israelites grew inpatient waiting for him to return. So they had Aaron the high priest make them an idol out of gold in the form of a calf, which they worshiped. When Moses came down from the mountain and saw the people’s idolatry, he was angry and broke the stone tablets upon which the Lord had written the Ten Commandments. God then commanded Moses to make new stone tablets and return to the top of Mount Sinai where He would once again give the law. That’s when God described Himself as “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 32:7, NKJV).

As a result of their idolatry, God punished the Israelites, and 3,000 of them were killed (Exodus 32:27–28). Their continued unbelief toward God led them to wander through the desert for 40 years, and that generation did not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:29–34). The consequences of these punishments would have been felt in the third and fourth generations of Israelites. Just as God promised in Exodus 34:7, the sins of the fathers were visited upon their descendants.

So, in the context of Exodus 34:7, the “sins of the father” can be understood as idolatry and unbelief. In other words, the Israelites did not trust that God would do what He promised in bringing them safely to the Promised Land.

It’s important to note that, even within the Mosaic Law, children were not required to suffer the penalty for their parents’ sins (see Deuteronomy 24:16). Nor was a child’s standing before God determined by the actions of his or her parents (see Ezekiel 18:1–32). However, there is no such thing as sin without consequence. When a parent sins, his or her children (and grandchildren) can expect to experience negative, earthly consequences for that sin. For example, if a father is an alcoholic, his children will not be punished for his sin; however, they will have to deal with the negative consequences of his actions, such as verbal abuse, a strained marriage with the mother, financial problems, and more.

Through Jesus and His death on the cross, all punishment for sin has been paid for once and for all and is not counted against those who have faith in Him (Romans 6:10; 1 Peter 3:18). In moments when we must deal with the consequences of other peoples’ sin, we can remember that God has given us the Holy Spirit as a comforter and helper (John 14:16–17) and that God has promised to work all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

16/04/2023

Becareful of the old prophets

22/01/2023

Psalm 145:11
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power.

May God grant you more than you will ask.

21/01/2023

Investing in the spirit man

03/12/2022

There must be clear boundaries between genuine power of God and fake power. The wickedness behind the their drive will be exposed. I know it will not take long the brood of vipers on the pulpit will be exposed. Woe to you who preach water and you take wine, woe in to you who wash the cup outside and not inside,woe to you the white washed tombs. The jezebel spirit on pulpit. Men can be wicked be careful .

09/11/2022

The power is packed in the seed ,soil is the medium for growth.
Word of God is a seed and faith is the medium for growth.

Jim gospel music ministries

04/11/2025

04/10/2024

15/09/2023

10/08/2023

30/07/2023

01/06/2023

16/04/2023

22/01/2023

21/01/2023

03/12/2022

09/11/2022

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category