Is Purgatory a Real Place? Find Out!

Posted by Feb 15, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Word of Faith , , 17 Comments
Is Purgatory a Real Place? Find Out!

Purgatory was a laughing stuff to me, but I chose to take it serious when I discovered the level of havoc it caused to the faith of some new Christian converts. The sponsors of this false teaching used the tools of scriptural misconceptions and after-life testimonies to deceive people that purgatory is real.

Testimony of a Catholic Priest

My heart ached when I read this testimony of a catholic priest:

“On Sunday April 14, 1985, the Feast of the Divine Mercy, I was going to celebrate Mass at a mission church in the north part of Kerala, and I had a fatal accident… My soul came out from my body and I experienced death.

Immediately, I met my guardian angel and he first escorted me to hell.  It was an awful sight!  I saw Satan and the devils, an unquenchable fire of about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, worms crawling over people screaming and fighting, others being tortured by demons.

The angel told me that all these sufferings were due to unrepented mortal sins. I was surprised when I saw in hell even priests and bishops, some of whom I never expected to see.  Many of them were there because they had misled the people with false teaching and bad example…

After the visit to hell, my guardian angel escorted me to purgatory.  Here too, there are seven degrees of suffering and unquenchable fire.  But it is far less intense than hell and there was neither quarrelling nor fighting.  The main suffering of these souls is their separation from God.  

Some of those who are in purgatory committed numerous mortal sins, but they were reconciled with God before their death.  Even though these souls are suffering, they enjoy peace and the knowledge that one day they will see God face to face… 

Next, my angel escorted me to heaven passing through a big dazzling white tunnel.  I never experienced this much peace and joy in my life.  Then immediately heaven opened up and I heard the most delightful music, which I never heard before.  The angels were singing and praising God…”

How True is this Doctrine?

The testimony of this priest shows that the common attribute of hell and purgatory is fire and suffering. And Bible made it clear that a dead person will either enjoy in heaven or suffer in fire. Thus, purgatory is the same as hell, don’t be deceived!

Purgatory is not a scriptural word, but it was invented by the tradition of men in Catholic. The compendium of the catechism of the Catholic Church, first published in 2005 says: “Purgatory is the state of those who die in God’s friendship; assured of their eternal salvation, but who still have need of purification to enter into the happiness of heaven.”

“The souls being purified in purgatory can be helped. Because of the communion of the saints, the faithful who are still pilgrims on earth can help the souls in purgatory by offering prayers in suffrage for them, especially the Eucharistic sacrifice. They also help them by alms-giving, indulgences and works of penance.”

My findings showed that some denominations that pulled out of Catholic believed in the false teaching, but refused to refer to it as purgatory. They believed the existence of a place or condition of temporary suffering/torment for purification.

The primary motive of the papists towards this false teaching of purgatory is to make more money.

How could a priest/pastor tell you to bring money (for alms-giving and indulgences) so that your dead relative could have mercy for quick transfer to heaven from the purgatory?

Is that related to any teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ?

How could a priest/pastor deceive you so strongly that his relentless prayers could hasten your dead relative’s departure (who died in sin) from a purgatory to heaven?

The wide acceptance of this false teaching made the Catholic Church a wealthy one and the purpose of the early papists was achieved.

Misconception of the Scriptures

Don’t be deceived by the greedy papists who did a misconception of first Corinthians chapter 3 verses 13 to 15 to buttress their false teaching of purgatory. 

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building… For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1Corinthians 3:8-15)

The gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw and fire mentioned in this passage are all figurative expression. It is a metaphor that must not be understood as purgatory.

The passage from verse 12 is talking about doctrines (gold, wood etc.) introduced into the gospel by some ministers. And Paul was teaching that every works of the Ministers shall pass through God’s Holy assessment (fire).

The papists explained this passage as a real fire that punishes people. How could a real fire consume religious rites/doctrines?

Did Jesus talk about Purgatory?

Jesus’ teachings about afterlife were explicit, and He did not mentioned anywhere called purgatory or a place of temporary punishment. According to the book of Matthew chapter 7 verse 13 and 14, Jesus did not mention two ways of getting to heaven.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

The narration of Jesus Christ as regards poor Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) showed that a soul can either be in a place of rest or a place of torment. Jesus would have mentioned purgatory in His teachings if a temporary place of punishment is in existence.

Papists Undermines the Salvation of Jesus

It is antichrist to preach purgatory to anyone. The teaching nullifies the power of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. He shed His blood on the cross as a living sacrifice to clean the sins and punishment of anyone who believes in Him.

John chapter 3 verse 16 says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

If you confess your sins and believe in the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, then you have nothing to do in purgatory.

Prayer for Souls in Purgatory

You are wasting your hard earned money if you pay your priest/pastor to pray for your dead relative. No prayer can ever be answered for the dead because judgment takes its course immediately. Hebrew chapter 9 verse 27 say: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…”

Don’t allow the false teaching of purgatory to lure you into a careless lifestyle. There is no repentance in Hades. No Eucharistic sacrifice can save the dead sinners.

Hebrew chapter 10 verses 26 and 27 says: “For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries”.

Purgatory is a bunch of lie. I am privileged to have encounter with God, and He did not say that there is a place for temporary punishment before entering heaven. The LORD emphasized the existence of Fire and Heaven to me. So, you won’t miss heaven if you stay firm in God’s holiness.

Worry: 5 Ways to Control Anxiety

Posted by Feb 8, 2016 Family, Holy Word, Word of Faith, Youths , Leave a Comment
Worry: 5 Ways to Control Anxiety

Worry signifies a troubled mind which leads to mental uneasiness called anxiety. Worry might be harmless when you have the power to solve the situation. But, it becomes harmful when the condition is not under your control.

 

Researchers at the University of Queensland conducted surveys across 91 countries in the world. More than 480,000 people were involved and the outcome showed that globally, 1 in 13 suffers from anxiety. Worry hooks you through your thinking faculty, when you encounter issues of life that has no instant solutions.

 

I subjected myself to worries some years ago, but I was shocked that all my days of worry could not provide solutions to my hard times. Thus, worry has no power to solve issues of life, it could only add to the troubles.

 

What Can Worry Do?

Worry pretends to be important but serves no useful purpose. Worry can cause:

Mental disorder

Physical health problems

Family crisis

Emotional imbalance

Loss of concentration

Unattractive look

Addictions such as; drunkenness, overeating, smoking, gambling and drugs.

Worry was not a strange topic to Jesus, so He took His time to explain anxiety in Matthew chapter 6 verse 25 to 34. Verse 27 says: “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

How to Stop the Pressure of Worry

Thus, if you are engulfed into worries, the steps below are your escape route to freedom.

1. Push your Worry into the Word of God

Fix your mind to the Word of God when you have any difficult issues bothering your mind. For instance, if you are going through hard times of insufficient funds, then meditate on the Word of God. 

Matthew chapter 6 verse 28 to 30: “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Have faith in the Word of God, and He will help you solve the difficult problems in your life.

2. Soak your Worries into Prayers

It is a deadly act to fold yourself on a sofa, thinking and giving yourself to anxiety. Jesus encountered a lot of circumstances on earth, but He never sat down to worry. He went to private places to pray every night. Luke chapter 6 and verse 12 says: “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

 

Issues of life beyond your control can only be resolved by divine intervention of God. So, have faith in God, and the power of your prayers to God will melt your worry. Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 and 7 say: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

 

3. Live Your Life to Each Day

The Lord promised to give us long life. But, a good way to overcome worry is to take each day for its own attention. A lot of us worry about the future which we are not sure of its existence. Jesus said that no amount of worry about your future can increase your days (Matthew 6:27). Most of the things you worry about never happen!

 

Thus, take life so simple. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too much wishes of life. Always appreciate your hardworking but don’t forget that only God can do all things. The advice of Jesus in Matthew chapter 6 verse 34 shows that you should not bring tomorrow’s challenges to today’s troubles, else you won’t be able to cope with issues of life.

Worry does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, but it only steals today’s peace. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)

4. Count Your Blessings

It is mysterious to know that no one on earth goes through the toughest problem. For instance, your own main worry (with a sleepless night) might be the smallest part of another person’s worries. Stop worrying about what can go wrong in the next minute and get excited about what can go right by faith.

 

Thus, don’t allow worry to depress your life. Always give thanks to God for the good things in your life. And your heart of appreciation to God will encourage Him to solve other pressing issues of your life. Did you know that singing songs of praise in the midst of trouble was the action that liberated King David (the Psalmist) in the Bible?

5. Expose Every Endless Worry

Worry steals your joy and waste your precious time and resources. When you’ve done all the best to stop the endless worry in your life, then share your worry with a faithful servant of God. He will be in the best position to dissect your worries through the wisdom of God.  The counsel of genuine man of God will also ease your heart from anxiety. It worked for me!

 

I pray the Good LORD would heal your heart and all your worries would fly away in Jesus name. Let your faith in Jesus Christ be firm in the midst of your challenges and the LORD would surely make a way for you. Stay Calm in Christ. 

Fear of Death: 5 Ways to Overcome Death

Posted by Jan 30, 2016 Holy Word, Gospel Evangelism, Word of Faith Leave a Comment
Fear of Death: 5 Ways to Overcome Death

One day a young man asked his Master, “I do experience fear of death. How can I get rid of this fear?”
“Tell me,” the old man answered, “When you borrow a few coins, are you afraid to give them later back?”
“Of course not,” the student answered with surprise, “but what does this have to do with my fear?”

 
The teacher picked up a small piece of soil from the ground and continued, “You have received your body in debt with required return. And every bite of bread eaten by you, every sip of water drank by you increases that debt.
You are made from dust on which you walk and the ground is your main creditor, constantly reminding you of this debt. It is pulling you down towards it. In the end, the ground will swallow you whole, without any remains.”

 
The old man threw the soil into the air, after attaining its fall, he finished, “No matter how high you rise, how long you are in the flight, you will still need to go down. That is given. And to cope with the fear of this fall is very easy – stop thinking about yourself as the master of your body.

 
Face the thought that you are just a tenant. And because you don’t know the length of your rent, remember that it can end at any second. We are all debtors, and our debts will certainly be recovered, no matter if we are afraid of it or not. So is there a point of being afraid?”…

 
The characteristics of a person include; movement, respiration, feeding, growth, excretion and death. If you were not afraid of feeding and respiring, then it is also a normal phenomenon that death will take its course one day. Hebrew chapter 9 verse 27 says: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment”.

 
The characteristic of death is so scary because it terminates the existence of life. But there are ways to overcome the fear of death.

5 Strong Weapons that Defeat Death

 

1. Respect the Life-Giver

The fear of death will always overwhelm you if there is no understanding that God is the only One who gives you the gift of life every day. Whenever you sleep and wake up, it is not an automatic process. The Lord approves your living every day.

 
You must always respect God, the Life-Giver by giving thanks to Him. He promised to give long life: “They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” (Isaiah chapter 65 verse 22)

Besides, the Lord is not to be blamed for anyone struck by death. It was designed that everyone must die, to continue another life into eternity.

 

2. Get to know who is Death!

The fear of death will melt away from your heart if you know his identity. Death is a servant and not a supreme being. Death does not have his barrack on earth, but in the spiritual realm.

 
The good news for every Christian is that Jesus is powerful than death. Death cannot touch you if your time is not ‘ripe’ to join Jesus in Heaven. Psalm 23 verse 4 says: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

 
Unbelievers will suffer the fear of death, because the absence of Jesus in their lives gives death the liberty to sting them.
“I can’t forget my experience with Death in the sixth month of year 2000… Death was leading me to the grave, but the Lord instructed death to let go. And life came into my dead body once again”!

 
Don’t be afraid of death because the key to his stronghold is with Jesus. He says in Revelation chapter 1 verse 18: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

 

3. Wash Your Hands from Sins

Sin gives authority to Death to sting the life of the sinners. An example of such is king Herod, the book of Act chapter 12 verses 23 says: “Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”

 
When your heart suffers the fear of death, then it might be a sign that sin had crept into your life. So, check and balance your lifestyle with the Bible.
The short life span in our generation is caused by disobedience to the godly guidelines in the Bible. Majority does not want to obey any instruction in the Bible, and they love to live a careless life. Unluckily, the false preachers in the church are not helping matters.

 
Major causes of death include sinful lifestyles such as; alcoholism, wild parties, bad feeding habit (gluttony), abortion, hatred (terrorism, serial killing…) and lack of good rest (Sabbath).
If you want to overcome the fear of death, then settle down with God for a ‘serious business’. Give your body, mind and spirit to Jesus. And live a holy lifestyle according to the Bible.

 

4. Word of God Erases Fear of Death

Fear of death might want to engulf you when on a sick-bed or going through hard times. The best way to overcome such fear is through reading the Bible. Always recite the promise of God for you in the holy Bible.

 
When the fear of death troubles your heart, fight back with prayers and bible studies. It is dangerous to curse or get depressed when you experience unwanted conditions of life, because such act gives death the legal right to sting.

 

5. Know Your Eternal Home

It is not difficult to know your eternity. Scriptures says by their fruits you shall know them. If you live a holy lifestyle according to the Bible, then your name will be written in the book of life according to Revelation chapter 3 verse 5: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

 
So, the fear of death will melt away if you live a holy life in Jesus Christ every day.
Whenever death comes near you, the Spirit of the Lord will give you the confidence that Heaven is your home. Thus, you won’t be afraid of death. Proverbs chapter 14 verse 32 says: “The wicked is banished in his wickedness, but the righteous has a refuge (hope) in his death.”

 
The fear of death is not a weapon that can destroy the faith of genuine Christians. Thus, focus your faithful heart to the LORD daily and no fear of death can threaten your peace. 

How good is Abortion for Christians?

Posted by Jan 24, 2016 Holy Word, Family, Podcast, Youths , 1 Comment
How good is Abortion for Christians?

Induced abortion is a deliberate termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus resulting to death. 

I was interested in this topic when I stumbled on the statistical figures below:
In 2014, Planned Parenthood wasted the lives of 327,653 babies in the United States. And most women that engaged in the abortion claimed to be Christians. Protestant and catholic women got 42% and 27%. About 18% of all induced evacuation of fetus in the United States each year are performed on teenagers.

According to World Health Organization, every year in the world there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions. This corresponds to approximately 125,000 abortions per day.

 

Why is Induced Evacuation Becoming Popular?

• Some couples chose abortion when the birth control technique fails them.
• The unmarried woman will not want her parents and Pastor to know that she’s no more a virgin.
• Women engage in abortion because giving birth to the baby will interfere with their job, school or other responsibilities.
• Some women embrace induced evacuation of fetus with the excuse of poverty.
• Some Doctors encourage women suffering from health complication to opt for the act.

Abortion had been legalized in many countries and a lot of people are pleased with this man-made law.

God’s View on Abortion

When God created Adam and Eve, He proclaimed an automation of mass reproduction to their sperms and eggs respectively. When the sperm fuses the egg, fertilization takes place and new person is formed.

Genesis chapter 1 verses 27 and 28 say: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…”

God formulated sex for married couples only. So, He did not expect any unmarried woman to solve any problem through abortion.
Don’t allow some medical experts to deceive you that an 8 weeks fetus is not a living being. All medical scientists knew that once fertilization takes place, a living being is formed. If you abort any pregnancy, then it implies murdering the innocent life in your womb.

God does not support the act of induced abortion. Revelation chapter 21 verses 8 says: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”.

 

How to avoid UNWANTED PREGNANCY

There is no verse in the Bible that supports induced abortion. Thus, Christians seeking the kingdom of God must not obey the man-made law that supports such.
1. Married couples tired of child birth should avoid mating that could lead to fertilization.
2. Single women to stay away from fornication.
3. Women that give priority to other things at the cost of child bearing should ‘zip-up’.

Evacuation could only take place if the fetus lost his/her life in the womb due to the poor health of the womb or the mother.

Induced abortion in the early weeks of pregnancy is regarded as a harmless practice by some doctors. But God did not approve the deliberate act of evacuating the unborn.
Anyone that says abortion is right should imagine him/herself aborted!!

Spiritual Warfare: 5 Ways to Defeat Your Enemies

Posted by Jan 13, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Podcast, Word of Faith 5 Comments
Spiritual Warfare: 5 Ways to Defeat Your Enemies

Spiritual warfare is an invisible battle that does not need the use of a AK 47 rifle. It is one of the miseries of life that needs divine understanding.

God created us to have three different forms; the body, soul and spirit. And He created the earth (Physical realm) for our body to be in-charge. God created the heavens (spiritual realm) for the spirit to be in-charge.

The origin of spiritual warfare started when Satan and other rebellious angels were chased out of heaven. Revelation chapter 12 verse 7 to 9 says: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Since Satan could not win the throne of God, he had declared spiritual war against humanity to stop everyone from gaining heaven. Revelation chapter 12 verses 17 say: “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Spiritual warfare is the fight between your spirit and evil spirit. It can also occur between the spirit of light and darkness. Don’t be scared of spiritual warfare because it is an event every Christian would encounter in various ways. The Power of Jesus is above all powers of the demonic forces.

The Cause of Spiritual Warfare

Satan chose to wage war against humanity as a form of retaliation for his defeat in heaven. Satan’s plan is to attack and defeat the souls of people. He does not want us to experience peace on earth and he wants the human race to be spiritually defeated by sins.

Satan initiates spiritual warfare so that everyone can join him and his demons in lake of fire – the eternal punishment. Revelation chapter 20 verse 10 says: “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

8 Major Weapons of Spiritual Enemies

Many unpleasant and mysterious experience of life is an outcome of spiritual warfare.
Some of the weapons used by Satan for spiritual warfare against humanity include some of the following:

1. Deceits

2. Fear

3. Unbelief in Jesus Christ

4. Pride

5. Condemnation

6. Misconception of the Scriptures

7. Distractions through social media

8. Enticement, and so on.

Since God did not originate spiritual warfare, then we must not be ignorant of devil’s devices. Paul was conscious of this fact when he advised the Corinthians to embrace forgiveness… “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

5 Powerful Ways to Defeat Your Enemies

1. Always say the truth
I remember those days when things go wrong, my mum will always ask me to say the truth so that devil could be ashamed. I experienced a serious spiritual warfare within my heart, struggling with a voice telling me to lie since saying the truth can attract scolding from my mum.

You can’t overcome any spiritual warfare if you delight in lies. Ephesians chapter 6 verses 13 and 14 say: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

2. Accept Prince of Peace
You will defeat all spiritual warfare if you accept Jesus Christ as the only savior that could control your life. Your heart is always the battle field of the spiritual warfare. If you obey the will of God in your lifestyle, then He will fill your heart with peace.

Thus, the weapon of fear from the enemy would be defeated. John chapter 14 verses 27 says: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

3. Have Faith in Jesus
Spiritual enemies can defeat you if fear overwhelms your heart. The brave action that gives victory to spiritual warfare is to secure your heart with faith in Jesus Christ and the LORD. Don’t give up when your dream realm that links to the spiritual realm is filled with nightmares.

You will defeat all spiritual warfare if you believe in the Power of Jesus. At the mention of His name, every knee must bow. Philippians chapter 2 verses 9 and 10 says: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth…”

4. Fervent Prayers
When you encounter a spiritual warfare, do not run from one Pastor to another Prophet. Neither the magician nor the Satanists could help you defeat the spiritual warfare.

Fervent prayers to the LORD is a strong weapon that defeats spiritual enemies. Philippians chapter 4 verses 6 say: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

5. Blood of Jesus
The blood of Jesus has being a powerful weapon that constantly defeats Satan in all spiritual warfare. Accept Jesus into your life with all your heart and He will fight the battle for you. Revelation chapter 12 verses 11 says: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”