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In this post we will be continuing to look at “The Divine ladder to God.” As we as Christians follow Christ faithfully, there is a development of different virtues that are built into us as we are made into Christs image. We will see how the growth of the virtue of excellence in the believers life is coupled with two twin forms of knowledge.

2 Peter 1:5 –  For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,^e and virtue with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

VIRTUE IN THE DIVINE LADDER

A new Christian having heard the Call of the Spirit of God seeks to become virtuous. Gaining Virtue in the divine ladder is actually a springboard for every other advance in fruitful growth. For the believer who follows Jesus Christ, the development of Christian virtue, ( excellence) always leads to knowledge.  A wise and sagacious knowledge! Virtue’s child is knowledge; a wise and sagacious knowledge.

On Sunday when he feels like sleeping-in  early in the morning, instead, he gets up, splashes his face and goes to church to worship. He starts to pray for now he is developing a powerful prayer life.   At the same time he is developing these excellent practices he is developing self-control.  God wants his improvement in many different arenas of life.  

As he, ( or she) develops excellence, he will be led by  the Spirit of God into different situations to be tested.    This testing, for instance,  could be a work environment.  A hostile environment  where everybody mocks his Christian faith and tries to bring him down.  A man I know was working in a scientific environment and his immediate supervisor tried to remove him from the Company he was working for.  One day the supervisor spoke abruptly to him in the hearing of other staff.  He said “ I’m going to get you dismissed from this company”.   This man however knew that God had given him the position.  He had also had a history with God where he had learned from experience that God was his deliverer and defender,   He replied to the supervisor, “You can’t dismiss me because God gave me this job and you are not able to get rid of me”.  This Christian man stayed for several years working in that environment and proved himself an excellent worker.   God will take the Christian through various scenarios where he learns that God is his defender.  This knowledge of God’s deliverance in all circumstances is part of the knowledge that is developed and spoken of in first Peter, chapter one, verse 5

KNOWLEDGE TWINS IN THE DIVINE LADDER

There are two knowledge twins in the divine ladder of Christian excellence. Two kinds of knowledge that are now being developed in the Christian’s life.  One form of knowledge is knowledge of the scriptures.   God speaks to us through scripture truth.  This kind of knowledge is not directly related to the kind of knowledge gained in the trials of life.  In this kind of knowledge,  the truth of God as he reads the scriptures demolishes many lies he has believed in his pre-conversion life.   As he reads the scriptures God gives him many truth filled promises. According to verse four,  as he believes these promises and claims them for his own something wonderful happens. He partakes more and more of the Divine nature.  

2 Peter 1:4 – He , (God). has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

 As precious scripture truths seep sweetly into his life and heart; this helps him to live in an atmosphere of heaven.  The Christians knowledge of God’s truth puts him or her in a ‘climate;  that promotes spiritual love and holiness. 

WISDOM FROM LIFE’S BATTLE

But another form of knowledge is that received practically by seeing God’s deliverance.  There is wisdom from life’s battle. God delivers the Christian from the many trials as He takes him through the various scenarios of life.   Let’s consider for instance. the life of King David who had been a shepherd boy who cared for sheep.   God anointed him with His Spirit and called him to be king over Israel.    There came a time when the children of Israel were being mocked by a man named Goliath.

One day after another, the giant Goliath mocked the children of his Israel.    His presence made  all Isreallites knees tremble and nobody was willing  to fight him.    He was indeed a Formidable enemy.   But David could not forget the times when as he was watching the sheep a lion or a bear came out to kill them.    David could not forget that at those hours the power of the Almighty would come upon him and with his bare hands he  could tear the bear or  lion apart. 

King Saul said to David, “  “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” ( 1 Samuel 17:33)

David took no notice of Saul’s derisive comments.  TheGod’s power in delivering his flock had added to his faith a certainty in God’s power to deliver.  David proclaimed………..

Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:34 ).

As David stood before the Very fearful and formidable Goliath David uttered these glorious words in faith.

You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (1 Samuel 17:45 thru 47)

And then with a single sling shot David defeated and killed Goliath,   He had learned the secret of faith and victory from knowledge gained by a life immersed in the Word of God.  He had also  learned the secret of faith and victory from a certain knowledge of a history he had lived, he walked up the divine ladder to excellence, as showing him that in every adverse circumstance God was his supply.   

In the next Lesson we will learn how this step to knowledge in the divine ladder leads to self control.

So we can see in verse 4  that knowledge develops self-control.   in other words Knowledge develops the ability not too panic.    in the early days of a Christian’s life he may find that it is very easy to panic;  find it very easy not to trust God as he should.    but as the Lord takes him through the scriptures and through the trials of life the Christian will learn that god gives you the victory in every single situation that comes against him or her.  

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Messenger Marcus teaches on “God’s pathway” for excellence in the kingdom of God. Going for kingdom gold should be the passion of every Christian believer. To reach our full potential and be well pleasing to our loving saviour.

How To Grow Godliness (Part 1)

The message I’m going to bring tonight is a message that to a very great degree I consider to be part of the message that God told me to bring to the Church of God. It is a message of Christian growth and development.  How to grow godliness.  Periodically.I bring this message from the Lord because God told me these things. Before there was any teaching by many bible students either In book form, in  preaching or on the the Internet one did not see an explanation of this passage.  God opened it up to me. I called this message. Going for the gold.  Going for the glory of the Kingdom of God. It comes from Second Peter chapter 1.  

Sins Dangers Are Real

 But first of all, before I proceed with the message I’d like to say that if we go to the.Book of First Corinthians chapter ten,  we see that the apostle Poul warned the Corinthian Christians of the dangers of falling into sin.  Sin’s dangers are real!  God had used Moses to deliver the children of Israel from the Egyptians.    They had seen God’s marvellous work as they were led by the pillar of fire and the cloud.   God miraculously opened up the waters of the red sea for them to pass through safely.  They had a tremendous miraculous experience of the living God.

But we read that many of them displeased The lord. The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians that it is  possible for a Christian who has gone through the waters of baptism and been  led by the Holy Spirit, to fall into sin. They could  fall into sin, just as the children of Israel  had done – even though they had passed through the red sea and had been led by fire and a cloud.  It is possible for the believers to fall into gross sin. and we know that In these present days  how many times even Christian leaders have fallen.   Sadly,  throughout all  the centuries since the church was born, there have been backsliders who have never fulfilled their purpose in God and have experienced deep failure spiritually.   However, we read in the Scriptures that God keeps His sons and daughters if they are truly born again. God may punish such believers and even allow them to have premature deaths to bring them to His glorious heavenly Jerusalem.

  WORKS JUDGED BY FIRE

 Such Christians who have fallen into  sin  and proved to be unproductive in their spiritual life may constitute those mentioned in the book of First Corinthians chapter three.  The motivations  and works of these Christians will be works judged by fire!   In First Corinthians chapter 3, verse twelve we read…

 If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 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. 14  If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire

The Christians who have served the Lord faithfully and brought works of gold, silver or precious stones will be welcomed by Him.  These will be rewarded bountifully.   The gold speaks of God’s work in their lives.  Silver In the Bible always speaks of the redemption of Christ and the precious stones correspond to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.    Sadly, some Christians will receive no reward. The Lord’ flaming eyes are a fire that flames with righteous judgement.  Their motives or the standard of service  they’ve carried out for Christ may be inferior; wood, hay and straw speak of inferior qualities.   The scripture says they will suffer loss. Whatever that may mean,  It must be a terrible experience to  stand before the Lord with no reward as one  see all around you people being welcomed and given authority and gifts from Jesus.   They will hear Christ say, “ well done you good and faithful servant” to others,  but no word of commendation for themselves.   By God’s mercy  these Christians will be saved but they will suffer loss and their works will be burned up by fire. 

THE WAY TO GROW IN GRACE

The apostle Peter, from Second Peter chapter 1, brings us the answer to the problem of Christian development.  That is making a conscious effort ( relying on the grace of God) to bring about Christian progress.   Let’s read together, Second Peter, chapter 1, from verse 3……….

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control ]perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 

But you may say to me, “ How strange.  The virtue of love is  here at the end of the list.  Shouldn’t love be the at the start of the list?”    Yes, love is the primary drive and the very motivation for Christlike living.  However, we have to be perfected in love..  We have to go through various trials in our life.  These are and proving and testing of our faith until we have a love which is pure.  A love that has  become more  like the love of Jesus.  This is a love which is totally selfless and divine

We Have All We Need In Christ

We read here first, that God has given us everything that we need for both life and for godliness.   Life is within. It is the driving force and power of God.   The  apostle John wrote in first John chapter 2, verse 15 – “I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.”

Life is in our spirit;  It is in our inner man.  Godliness is what we live out from our lives In the world.  Life is within.  Godliness is without. But how does this come about?  Verse three tells us that this glorious provision  comes from the knowledge of Him. The knowledge of God and of his Son Jesus Christ is itself a source of unspeakable and eternal joy.  A song I love has the words…

…. “Knowing you  Jesus,  Knowing you. There is no greater thing.  You’re the best, You are my righteousness, and I love you, Lord”. The Apostle Paul exclaimed with passion in Philippians chapter 3, Verse 7

….. What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings…..

The power within us comes from knowing God.  Not knowing about God, but knowing God personally.   The Lord Jesus is now a reality in our lives since we have been born again and received his Holy Spirit.. 
And so now, as we read the scriptures In his presence, God Illuminates His exceedingly great and precious promises that enter our heart and spirit. And as they do this we are made more and more partakers of God’s own divine nature!  We are placed into an atmosphere of heaven. This is one form of knowledge; knowing Christ and His promises. The evil nature within ourselves is subdued and overcome.  As we receive more and more of Christ’s own nature,  new nature strengthens and our sinful ‘ flesh life’  is overcome.  There is a parable of the man who had two dogs.  One was black and the other was white. These two dogs were always fighting.  Someone asked, “ When these dogs are fighting, which one wins?  He smiled as he said, “Whichever dog I feed the most  – that dog wins!”  As we come to Christ and receive his precious promises,  as we believe and receive these promises we build up our divine nature. Our new man in Christ that we received when we were converted is strengthened to overcome the sin and the corruption that is in our flesh.  Next we read in verse 5,  “Make every effort to add to your faith, Virtue”.   We are saved by faith ; we are not by any works.   We read in Ephesians chapter 2. verse 8 …

 “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast”.  We come to Christ by faith.

God says to the new Christian , “My son or my daughter, you have been saved by faith.Which is my gift.  But now I want you to develop your character.  I want you to become an excellent person.”    The excellence of a horse is to run. The excellence of a knife is to cut.  The Excellency of a Christian Is to live a victorious,  overcoming,  godly, Shining life , filled with the divine life of Jesus for the glory of God.
We need to develop excellence in private prayer.  We need to develop excellence in communal  prayer.   We need to develop excellence in giving to others. We need to develop excellence in church attendance. We need to develop excellence in forgiveness.   In many areas of our lives God expects us and desires deeply that we become more and more like Jesus  – and so become excellent in our lives. 

But as Christians, we have an adversary.  Satan is opposed to our spiritual development because it brings down his Kingdom.  The evil one endeavours  to oppose us,  and this seems to be a problem to us.  But really, it is to our advantage. It is to our advantage because as we go through trials, God has promised that in the trials he will refine us and perfect us.

PROCEED TO PART 2 OF “GOING FOR THE KINGDOM GOLD” – LADDER TO GOD

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These gems from John 17 is the second week of Facebook Live video expounding this beautiful chapter containing the beautiful prayer of our Lord. It was broadcast on 5th December 2024. The first exposition of John 17 had been a week earlier.

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, The Link Below will lead you to many more of Marcus sermons

MORE SERMONS FROM MESSENGER MARCUS

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Messenger Marcus preaches from John chapter 17. Here Jesus prays for His immediate disciples and apostles and then Jesus prays for you and I.

Video No 1

Video No 2

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Messenger Marcus teaches on the Absolute wonder of God’s love and kindness; the glorious free gift of salvation offered by Jesus wonderful birth, atoning death and glorious resurrection

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Messenger Marcus proclaims that the Church in the latter days will shine in brilliance in a world full of darkness and sin. As the evil one stirs up persecution for God’s end time church, Marcus believes the true church will experience a cleansing and will come to a wonderful Oneness. Jesus our Lord prayed for this unity of spirit, and His prayers must be answered. Messenger Marcus speaks of how Christ’s gifts to the church of apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists will finally bring His bride to maturity and how we can pray with eager expectation for a pouring out of Gods Spirit such as has never before been seen!

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Messenger Marcus takes us through Hebrews chapter 1, showing how Christ is superior to the angels. He takes us on a tour through the new testament proving conclusively that the Lord Jesus Christ is none other than the Mighty God – The almighty eternal Jehovah.

The Glorious Final Revelation

(Heb 1:1 to 3)

Before the wonderful Son of God made the long and condescending journey from the heights of His eternal majesty to this sin scarred earth God spoke to man.  He spoke through successive generations in many different ways.  Sometimes God spoke by personal directions.  At other times by dreams,  visions, divine influences on the minds of the prophets.

But after coming to this earth to save us, the Son of God brought in Himself the glorious final revelation of God.    This final revelation of the Son is far more excellent than the former revelations given  to the prophets.  As we behold the blessed Son we see the glory of God in Jesus face, (2 Cor 4:6).    In Jesus face we  are enabled to behold  the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Father.  Moreover it is such comfort to those that trust him to know that  the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him   what a glorious reality this is to comfort our hearts ( Col 2:9).

When,  after the fall of man, the world was breaking to pieces under the wrath and curse of God, the Son of God (the creator of all things) purchased our redemption by His precious blood.  He undertook the  work of redemption, sustaining  it by his almighty power and goodness. We never can be thankful enough that God has in so many ways, and with such increasing clearness, spoken to us fallen sinners concerning salvation. We can never be thankful enough that He gave Himself for us and that by Himself he should cleanse us from our sins!  Thus is a wonder of love beyond our utmost powers of admiration, gratitude, and praise.  

The Son’s Shekinah Glory

The Son of God brings the shekinah glory of God. This is the manifest presence of Jehovah often spoken of in the Old Testament. We read for instance how the manifest presence and ” the glory of The Lord rested upon Mount Sinai” (Ex. xxiv. 16). In the new testament the original Greek language of the bible uses the word ‘doxa’ to describe this glory. Thus Hebrews 1:3, corresponds to The Son’s shekinah glory.

Heb 1:3 – And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,( NASB)

Just as the suns rays that warm the earth cannot be separated from the sun itself, so Jesus Christ his son our Lord and saviour shining forth from the Father is God, even as the Father is God.

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Pastor James Otieno’s Powerful Testimony

Pastor James Otieno says “Choosing  Jesus Christ was the best choice I ever made!  I’ve  regretted making many choices in life, but Jesus Christ is more precious than all the Gold of this world. Surely I would rather have Jesus than silver and Gold.  May I sit at the feet of Jesus, because there I lay down all my sins and sorrows and when I’m weary find sweet rest to my heart”.

Pastor James continues – I was saved by Gods wonderful grace in June 28-6-1990. This was at the age of 15yrs. I had been so depressed that I had wanted to commit suicide.  Praise God, at my very lowest point the Lord saved  my soul in one very  glorious moment. 

I was in a room all by myself and had deadly poison with me and I was about to take it   However, by God’s grace there was a gospel tract lying on the  the table and the big question on the tract was “Can I be saved? What Must I do ?”. There was great light on the tract and  I decided to read in it before killing myself.

The  Lord  spoke to me clearly through the  book of Ezekiel 11:17-20& Ezekiel 18:30-32 . I  was tired of my life because of my sins and my disobedience to my parents, teachers and  community.  Nobody wanted me near their children and homes. Nobody loved me.  But  I’m so thankful that God loved and  wanted to give a new heart to love Him. Anew heart to love Him and walk in his perfect will and newness of life in Christ Jesus. I  called loudly on the Name of Jesus Christ and was thrown by the power of God to the floor. The blood of Jesus Christ washed me clean.

After this experience I went back to my dwelling. I had been living away from my family for two years because my father had promised to kill me if I ever set my foot in his compound.  When  my Dad saw me he grabbed a spade and approached me, coming towards me to kill me . But God had done such a mighty work in my heart I was able to smile at him and tell him that I did not fear death.   I was ready to die since my sins were already forgiven and I was sure of getting to heaven if he killed me. But The power of God would not let him harm me.  He told me that if I wanted  him to believe that I’m saved I would allow him to  takes me back to school.  I agreed and  we went to school. When we arrived at school I witnessed to my teacher’s  about  my new birth and new heart.

They admitted me back to school, telling me that they wanted to see my Jesus and new life in him showing in my life.   I thank God that in a very short time by His grace I came to be the school Christian Union Leader and Pastor,   bringing many students in my city to Jesus Christ. 

I received powerful  call into ministry. During  a church service, a certain sister ‘ Jane Akumu’ prophesied over my life. The Holy Spirit spoke through her to the church regarding my calling, then  she laid hands on me for God had set me aside for ministry.  The same night my mother saw a vision of a big bible falling from heaven to my hands and  a voice said to her “let James be mine for his portion is in my word.”

By the leading of the Holy Spirit , I started YACU- (Young Apostles Christian Union.)  The YACU members are now bishops and have founded many churches in Kenya and South Africa.  Later, The Lord spoke to me to initiate ‘Christ Missions Services International’  according to Luke 8:1. This was for the wining  souls for Jesus Christ and teaching and preparing people for the kingdom of God. The aim was also planting and  caring for  small churches in the poor villages in Kenya. Also holding revivals and crusades for the churches and  providing humanitarian needs as the Lord provides – depending on God and  his faithful children. 

Keep praying for the missions here.   We trust God to supply all we need for this work.  I  find joy in winning, maintaining and  preparing  souls for Jesus and his kingdom. This I pray to do until I breath my last. I thank God for many people who have supported me and many that will purpose in their hearts according to the leading of God to be part of this  heavenly  trust ministry. Together with you we win souls for Jesus Christ.

Formation of Ministry

On Good Friday day 2016, I was walking by a procession of Roman Catholics who were carrying a large Cross of Christ crucified.  I heard the Holy Spirit speaking to me.  The Lord Jesus was desiring that truly redeemed, born again Christians filled with His Spirit and faith would do something similar.   This was not to proclaim a dead religion that was a “works religion” trying to please God by one’s own righteousness and righteous acts,   This would be by preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ that declared a righteousness given to sinful man  by Faith in Christ alone. 
Eph 2: 8, 9  –  It is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Unsaved man, full of pride, always wants to contribute something to his salvation – so that he can boast a little.   But God’s way is a FREE salvation. Salvation in Christ is GIVEN FREELY by grace alone.   To receive such a glorious thing as sCOMPLETELY FREE is a ‘ hammer blow to man’s religious pride.  This FREE OFFER is the “ offence of the cross, ( Gal 5:11)!”    Sinful mans’ “commercial mind insists on contributing at last ‘ a little’ to his salvation.  But God insists salvation MUST BE FREE, by faith – trusting Christ alone.

I knew in my heart that the church Jesus came to build as declared to the apostle Peter in Matthew chapter 16,  is today a  people who are spread through many denominations and religious organisations.   Knowing this I purposed  in my heart to approach Spirit filled believers from many (and non denominations) to get inspired with the vision of the true gospel preaching of the cross.

 I  was the  oldest person in the group as I began to speak to Christians. Some of the believers that I spoke to were only 9 years old. The oldest of the  teenagers were around 18; anyway, many responded to the call and the vision.  

In 2016 these faithful ones gathered together with me and preached Jesus Christ and the power of His cross..   On the first walk we covered 4 km preaching as we went; the result was that many souls gave their hearts to the Lord Jesus.   At that time we used a plan to stop at various locations and marketplaces,  singing and preaching.  In the second ( 2017),  the number of workers and the number of converts began to increase.   Yearly the numbers have grown and in last year (2022) we had the joy of seeing a very large number of people marching and preaching together.  

The thing that has thrilled my heart is the large number of young people that have responded to the call to this ministry. The ministry  has reached new territories for God.  I am asking for those who are reading this testimony to pray for expansion and new territories to be brought into the kingdom of the Lord.  As the evangelist/prayer walkers move on they continually pray for the whole world and for missionaries in different parts of the globe.    I expects that April 2025 in the prayer walk (which is the time of the Jewish Passover) that there will be many young people and many Christians working with him!   Being the time of the ‘passover’,  April is a very important time to proclaim the great salvation which was given to children of Israel when the blood was being applied to the door post.   As the evangelists walk each year please pray with me we that many people will apply the Precious Blood of Jesus to the doorpost of their hearts. May that great salvation of God come to them and they will be prepared for the kingdom of God.

Messenger Marcus says

Brother or sister in Christ… If you would like to sow into the ministry of pastor James Otieno, you can donate by selecting the Link Below

DONATE TO CHRIST MISSIONS SERVICES INTERNATIONAL

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