John Crowley’s Post

In times of doubt or confusion, some may attempt to twist or manipulate the truth of God's word to fit their own understanding or desires. However, the Bible clearly warns against altering or misusing His teachings, as this leads to incredulity—a lack of trust in God's sovereignty and truth. Jesus Himself warned against such actions when He rebuked Satan in the wilderness, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). Here, we see that God's Word stands as the ultimate truth and is not to be manipulated to serve selfish interests. In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter also addresses the danger of misinterpreting scripture, writing, "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16). This clearly shows that altering God's word out of a lack of understanding or an intention to deceive leads to harm. We are called to trust God's word as it is, without trying to force it into our own narratives. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." Our faith must rest in God's unchanging truth, not in our ability to make His word fit our circumstances. To doubt or distort the Word of God is to reject His ultimate authority and goodness. Let us, therefore, seek to understand and follow His word in its purest form, trusting that God’s wisdom and plans are higher than our own.

Week 34 Transformational Challenge Scripture Reading John 3:17: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Reflection Today’s church lacks a healthy fear of God. There are lots of teaching on God’s love, mercy and grace, which is good and necessary, but little is said about God being holy, righteous, and just. But until we truly understand the meaning of God’s judgment, we’ll never fully understand the meaning of His grace. God’s judgment may be the one truth that will awaken the church so it can shake the world. All humanity will one day stand in judgment before God without help from anyone. Everyone must stand alone before the justice and judgment of God. The fact that everyone is judgment-bound is probably the most sobering thought that can be presented, because it’s been appointed for everyone to die and be judged afterward, Hebrews 9:27. But Jesus never came to condemn the world, but that through His death and resurrection everyone who believes will be saved and become children of God with heaven as their eternal home. This is the great exchange, where we were once children of darkness and bound for hell, but now our sins are forgiven and we are children of light and bound for heaven. Prayer and Contemplation Consider what Bible is saying, meditate upon it, and listen to what God is saying to you.  And then let the Holy Spirit help you to follow and walk in it. 

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 Jas 4:7-8 “Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, double-minded ones.” This means that we have to accept God and His Word as the ultimate authority in our lives. The Bible is therefore not just another holy book, it is the ultimate absolute truth as set before us by the living God as His commandments over our lives. When we submit to Him we will have power over the enemy of our soul and our world. Some people believe that the New Testament supersedes the Old Testament. This is wrong for the whole counsel of God is contained from Genesis to Revelations. That is why Paul writes to Timothy that “All Scripture is God-breathed………” in his second letter chapter 3 verse 16. There is nothing to be added and nothing to be removed. The Bible says that the world is enmity against God, there we believe that God knows us all intimately because of His divine attributes which includes omniscience and omnipresence. He alone could write us a compilation of 66 books using approximately 40 different writers, over 1600 years, on 3 different continents, in 3 different languages, on thousands of different subjects, yet with one central theme— God’s redemption of mankind from sin won for the whole world by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus as the second Adam has come to redeem what the first Adam messed up on behalf of the human race. The second Adam has come to give birth to a new race and the New Testament is the record of its beginnings. The Gospel of John starts off very much the same way as Genesis to confirm that God’s focus must be our focus, namely not on humanity but on the Son of God. When we make an in-depth study of the Bible as the Word of God, we see that it contains four major teachings about itself that are classified as follows; 1. The authority of Scripture 2. The clarity of Scripture 3. The necessity of Scripture 4. The sufficiency of Scripture Thought of the day: “The wounds of some heart are not always visible, so be careful!” Shalom

LIVING WATER EPISODE 157 || 6TH SEPTEMBER, 2024 By Solomon Uwumbolibe Mensah THE WORTHY, THE VICTORIOUS, AND THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE Scripture Readings: Revelation 3:4-5 (NIV) "Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels." Dear brothers and sisters, today we turn our attention to a powerful message from the book of Revelation, specifically to the church in Sardis. This passage reminds us of the high calling we have as followers of Christ—to live faithfully, to overcome the temptations of the world, and to look forward to the eternal promise of walking with our Savior. Let’s break down this passage to discover what it means for us today. 1. The Faithful Few in Sardis: A Call to Purity The city of Sardis was known for its wealth and complacency. The church there had a reputation for being alive, but Christ saw beneath the surface and called them spiritually dead. However, even in the midst of this spiritual lifelessness, Jesus acknowledges a few who have remained faithful: “Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.” These few had kept themselves unstained by the moral and spiritual decay around them. In Scripture, the "soiling" of clothes is symbolic of sin and compromise. The faithful in Sardis had resisted the temptations of the world and maintained their purity before God. This speaks to us today. We live in a world filled with opportunities to compromise our faith, whether through moral shortcuts, selfish ambition, or conforming to cultural norms that go against the teachings of Christ. But Jesus calls us to be set apart, to live in purity, and to walk in holiness. We must ask ourselves: have we allowed our garments—our hearts, minds, and actions—to become stained by the world? Or are we striving to keep our lives pure before the Lord, resisting the temptations that seek to pull us away from Him? https://lnkd.in/eRjnNKHB

Exposing the Lie of Flat Earth! To all those who have taken the scripture out of context and twisted to fit your lie of Flat Earth...here is a very clear example of the scripture to both it in proper context and perspective! ‭Isaiah 40:22 NLT‬ [22] God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. ‭Isaiah 40:15 NLT‬ [15] No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. No scripture can stand on its own it always requires to context of verses before and After and sometimes even the whole chapter! In Isaiah 40 from verses 12 to 31 it is solely presenting us with a perspective of How Big God Is!! And when you read all the verses together it is impossible to come to the conclusion that the Bible teaches that the earth is flat! Many have been deceived by the lie that there are 250 verses in the Bible that teaches flat earth...there are zero! The Truth is that there are 250 verses that are twisted, manipulated and pull waaaay out of context to try to make it appear that the Bible teaches it...but it does not! Hear me...if you think the Bible teaches that the earth is flat and you have believed the lie of those 250 taken out of context...Sadly you have been gravely deceived! You need to repent and learn how to read the Bible properly!! Btw, The recent eclipse is another testament to the earth being a glorious globe!! Let the Truth of God's Holy Word set you Free! Jesus is the Truth! He alone sets you Free!

The Word Of God Hebrews 4:12-14 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. The Bible is the most amazing book ever written. God used human beings to record His thoughts and words in writing so that others could know Him (2 Pet. 1:20-21). The One who spoke the universe into existence still speaks just as powerfully through the pages of the Bible that you hold in your hands. At the moment of salvation, believers receive the Holy Spirit, and lines of communication with the Lord are established. Then, whenever the Scriptures are read, children of God can hear His voice, and the Spirit enables them to understand and put into practice what they have heard. The Bible isn’t just a good book that’s filled with comforting words; Scripture is effective and always achieves God’s purpose (Isa. 55:10-11). Today’s passage describes it as “active and alive,” and 1 Thessalonians 2:13 tells us the Word of God is “at work in you who believe.” This book has the power to change our life if we will believe the Lord and do what He says. God uses the Bible to transform us from the inside out. Before reading Scripture, ask Him to help you hear and understand what He’s saying. As you believe and obey, your spiritual hearing will become more acute, and your time in the Word will become an intimate conversation with the Lord.

Week 33 Transformational Challenge Scripture Reading Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Reflection The Fruit of the Holy Spirit the indispensable qualities of life. They are godly qualities in a believer’s life empowered by the Holy Spirit. But it’s important to understand these are not nine different fruits, but one fruit with nine different qualities. It’s the “fruit,” not “fruits” of the Spirit. These nine qualities are a packaged deal. When we think of these as one, several things happen. It removes our freedom to pick and choose one over another, and we’ll begin to see them all as essential in their working together in our lives. However, fruit is only as good as what’s supporting it. If we want our fruit then to be good, we need to be attached to God. Jesus also said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4) Prayer and Contemplation Consider what Bible is saying, meditate upon it, and listen to what God is saying to you.  And then let the Holy Spirit help you to follow and walk in it. 

Jesus asks hundreds of questions in the Bible. He asks them of all sorts of audiences and in all manner of ways. Rhetorical questions and real questions, questions that are aimed to draw His audience in and questions that are aimed to drive them away. Through Christ’s question, we are freed to question God—and we are also free from the demands of questioning God, for Christ goes ahead of us and asks God where He is on our behalf. Christ’s question does not end questioning, but liberates it. In its most basic and elemental form, questioning is much more than a rhetorical posture or a strategy for communicating effectively: questioning expresses our need, our poverty. When we ask a question, we place ourselves in the position of those who do not know and do not have an answer. So we can be when we learn to question Jesus. For there is no unknown left—even death—that God has not explored already on our behalf, and the only answers He leads us into will be those for our good. https://hubs.la/Q02C4rD00 #LeadingWithQuestions

Daily Bible Study 1 Samuel Chapter 11: Summary and Practical Applications Summary: Saul responds to the Ammonite threat against Jabesh-gilead with swift and decisive action, rallying Israel to a victorious defense. His leadership is solidified and celebrated by the people. Practical Applications: 1. Decisive Leadership: Respond quickly and effectively in crises to protect and lead. 2. Community Support: Unite and collaborate to address communal challenges. 3. Prove Leadership Through Actions: Demonstrate leadership qualities through tangible actions that benefit the community. 1 Samuel Chapter 12: Summary and Practical Applications Summary: Samuel addresses Israel, asserting his integrity and recounting God’s faithfulness. He uses a dramatic sign of thunder and rain to underline the importance of fearing God and the consequences of demanding a king. Practical Applications: 1. Maintain Integrity: Uphold ethical conduct in all dealings. 2. Acknowledge God’s Deliverance: Remember and celebrate God’s past interventions and guidance. 3. Respect Divine Authority: Honor and obey God, recognizing His ultimate authority over human leadership. These chapters underscore the themes of strong leadership, community unity, ethical integrity, the importance of historical remembrance, and the reverence due to divine authority. Heavenly Father, We come before You with grateful hearts, inspired by the events of 1 Samuel chapters 11 and 12. Lord, we thank You for the example of Saul’s decisive leadership and the unity of Israel in defending their brethren in Jabesh-gilead. We pray for the courage to act swiftly and righteously in defending those in need and for the wisdom to foster unity and collaboration within our communities. Father, as Samuel reminded the people of Your past faithfulness and the importance of obedience, help us also to remember all that You have done for us. May we consistently acknowledge Your hand in our lives and the blessings You have bestowed upon us. Teach us to maintain our integrity, to fear You, and to obey Your commands with all our hearts. We ask for the humility to accept Your divine authority over our lives, recognizing that human leadership is subject to Your sovereign will. In times of success and challenge, remind us to look to You as our ultimate guide and protector. Lord, renew in us a steadfast spirit to follow You and uphold Your statutes, knowing that true security and peace come only from Your hand. May our lives reflect Your glory and may our actions bring You honor. In the mighty and precious name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

FEED ON THE WORD OF GOD By Bishop Mike Okonkwo Wednesday 11th September 2024 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. 1 Peter 1:23 (KJV) The above scripture is teaching us that we became born again through the avenue of the living word of God. The eternal word of God is the ingredient that gave us the new birth. And the Bible calls it “an incorruptible seed”. This means that it cannot be destroyed. It cannot be taken by assault! It is impregnable! The stuff you are made of cannot be destroyed. That is the information the scripture is giving you. No amount of shaking can destroy the word of God. The word lives and abides forever. And we have seen in the scripture that the Word created this world. God and His Word are one. Jesus and His word are one. Everything that God created receives sustenance from the place it was taken. Fish came out of the water. And for fish to survive, it must live and eat from inside water. The lions, cows, dogs, hyenas, leopards, and the like came from the earth. They live naturally on the earth, so they feed from it. What sustains them comes from the ground. Since we were born of the incorruptible seed, you must feed from what you are made of to survive. You are made of God's word, so your sustenance must come from the Word. You must feed on the word daily. That is how you can be established. The devil will come after you to know if you understand what belongs to you. He will come against you to test if you truly know the stuff you are made of. When you stand on the word, your miracle has no choice but to gravitate towards you. When you stand on the word, you will not see shame, neither will you be dismayed. You can’t serve God and see embarrassment. Further Reading: 1 Peter 1:23-25; James 1:18 Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Proverbs 10-12; Evening- 2 Corinthians 4