The Body of Christ International

13/08/2025

29/03/2025

WHO IS A SINNER?
A sinner is anyone who sins. Whether he is a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, or an Evangelist; whether a market-woman, an Engineer or a Civil servant...any one that is committing sin is a sinner. There is no other name for any one who is committing sin. He or she is a sinner.
Those of us on earth here, who are ignorant of the real nomenclature of heaven might be calling him a "Pastor or Reverend or Deacon. But in heaven, he is known and called a sinner. And as a sinner, he is a slave to sin.
Can you then see how many slaves of sin there are in our churches today? Can you imagine how many slaves that are occupying pulpits as preachers or Sunday school teachers? And how many slaves of sin are singers or ushers? Preaching or teaching in Church does not distinguish a slave of sin from the other slaves of sin in the staffroom, the boardrooms or the bedrooms.
Sometimes people are afraid that their sins will get to the notice of the church leadership and they may be excommunicated, so they hide them. But excommunication from a church building is a small disgrace compared to expulsion from the family of God unto the outer darkness.
Jesus warns, saying, "Let me not deceive you..."
"Whoever committed sin is a servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house forever. " John 8:34,35 KJV
Before God can use a man, he has to wean him from sin. And why must he do that? Simply because sin is a master.
Sin controls; sin dictates; and sin directs a man...sometimes against his will. Sin does not take permission or politely ask your consent. Whenever the urge to sin arrives, the sinner is powerless to stop himself from sinning. Sin is a master that must be obeyed; and that immediately. Once sin arrives, it is time for the sinner to be himself, a powerless slave!
One characteristic feature of sin that I have discovered is that, sin normally approach you as if it is just going to be a one time affair. That is a deception. If you fall into its trap once,

23/03/2025

Deliberate Choices Jesus Made – 1

. . OF NO REPUTATION

“Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Phil 2: 6-8

He made Himself nothing; He emptied Himself. This is the quiet wisdom you must learn all the time.

There is a subtle reputation that accrues to a man, once God begins to lift him up for His Church to see. It builds up gradually. It forms an aura around him. It seeks to become his own identity. It ascribes him a status and hence makes him a statue . . . It seeks to place him somewhere in a position high up. People are too eager to pronounce that reputation and sing about it. But that is the subtle pit into which many have fallen and become discarded.

Reputation will surely build up around you — among men and even the brethren, but Jesus deliberately, constantly, repeatedly and promptly made Himself of no reputation. He emptied it out; poured it out as a libation to God. People spoke highly of Him, but mistook Him for another when they saw Him.

He refused to grab the public ovation by walking in obscurity. He avoided large gatherings where His fame could be fanned into flame. He walked unnoticed among men. He did menial things and kept company with ordinary folks. Lazarus was a friend, Zacchaeus was a friend, His disciples were ordinary men too. Children had access to Him; He picked up kids and played and prayed with them.

You must learn wisdom from His lifestyle.

This is the keyword: “He made Himself.” Otherwise, people were eager to crown Him, put Him up there, carry Him shoulder-high and talk highly of Him everywhere. Though legitimately His, He made Himself of no reputation.

Do not misunderstand this! It is normal for people to do these things to you. Act as jesus did