“I am He.”

By Charlotte Dugan

Jesus knew who he was.

Do you know who you are?

The recent biblical insights concerning the One Body and “members in particular” have been very exciting and liberating for many Christians. Through a deeper understanding of Romans 12, the Christian Church is becoming more aware of the complete picture of the Body of Christ, and finding one’s personal function is answering a lot of questions for a lot of people. For years, countless individuals have struggled to understand how they fit in the Christian fellowship. As our understanding of the One Body grows, we’re gaining a fuller picture of what the Church is: a lifestyle, and not a church meeting; a full-functioning family and not a Sunday morning gathering led by a select few.

In light of this broader understanding, labeling our abilities is not enough. It is only the beginning of thoroughly understanding what has been given us. With these gifts comes a responsibility to act. Often, Christians express an interest in fellowshipping with others, but wait for events to come to them. It is the seriousness of this accountability we need to examine. Our complacency will be judged accordingly. Mediocrity is not a virtue in the eyes of the living God, Who sacrificed all on our behalf. He sacrificed His Son.

When the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus acknowledged who he was, and did so with such conviction that he literally blew them off their feet.

John 18:4-6
(4) Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
(5) “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
(6) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Again, when Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate and the Roman governor queried him, he attested to the Kingship he knew he’d been given:

Luke 23:3
So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.

When Jesus ascended off the face of the earth, he left in his stead, for the time being, us. In doing so, he gave us gifts, abilities that equip us to carry on with the work he started until he comes back. We can’t afford to wait on using what we’ve been given, counting on the idea that in the Day of our Lord, he’ll excuse our inaction by citing the inaction of others. The list in Romans 12, the functions or gifts or ministries that he gave, are his deposit in us to invest in our lives in order to yield a higher return. And he’ll be looking for that return on his investments when he comes back.

In Luke, chapter 19, we see an interesting scenario involving a chief tax collector by the name of Zacchaeus. By this time in his life, Jesus had quite a reputation. He was followed by huge crowds—hard not to notice as he traveled about. Zacchaeus, the Bible tells us, was two things: rich, and short. As Jesus passed by, Zacchaeus was too short to see him, so he ran ahead and perched himself in a sycamore-fig tree in order to get a better look. We’ll begin with Jesus connecting with this despised man.

Luke 19:5-7
(5) When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
(6) So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
(7) All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”

There are two responses here to Jesus’ action of reaching out to Zacchaeus: gladness on the part of the tax collector and grumbling on the part of those following the Christ. Didn’t he know who this man was? A brother who taxed them beyond the law in order to make himself rich, but who also held all the authority to abuse them! This act of merciful kindness on the part of Jesus touched Zacchaeus deeply, to the point of taking action.

Luke 19:8-10
(8) But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
(9) Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
(10) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

It was not his birth into the Israeli household that gave this man any standing with the Lord, it was his actions. And while in this Administration of Grace, our salvation is sure, and our rewards are determined by what we do—or don’t do.

What happens next seems a little like a non-sequitur unless we reach deeply to understand what the Lord Jesus was trying to communicate.

Luke 19:11-27
(11) While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
(12) He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
(13) “So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
(14) “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
(15) “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
(16) “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
(17) “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
(18) “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
(19) “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
(20) “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.
(21) I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
(22) “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?
(23) Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
(24) “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
(25) “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
(26) “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
(27) But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Why, in the midst of being a guest, surrounded by followers hungry for the beginning of the kingdom of God, would he tell them this parable of all parables? I submit that to those who would hear, Jesus understood they were waiting entirely on him to act now. He knew he had to prepare them for the reality of what was coming—sharing in his work, and being accountable for what they did or chose not to do. Jesus knew all that was going to happen to him, his suffering and death, and that the immediate advent of his earthly kingdom would not precede that. He also knew that he would be employing their partnership. This same Jesus has employed you as well.

1 Corinthians 4:1 and 2
(1) So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
(2) Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

2 Corinthians 4:17-20
(17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
(18) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
(19) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
(20) We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

What you do not do is just as valid in the eyes of God as what you do. You have been given gifts in order that you use them for the benefit of others in the interest of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the Body. Apathy is an action; it’s a negative action. In the book of Amos, God warned the Israelites about complacency:

Amos 6:1a
Woe to you who are complacent in Zion…

In Revelation 3: 15 and 16 we see Jesus’ reaction to a lazy spiritual attitude.

Revelation 3: 15 and 16
(15) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
(16) So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

We live in the Administration of Grace, and yet we’re not to use that grace as an occasion to be apathetic, like a spoiled child counting on a weak father. Our spiritual Father is not weak. It behooves us to consider the gravity of the words of the Apostle Paul when he wrote by revelation:

Colossians 3:23-25
(23) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
(24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
(25) Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

The John who penned the book of Revelation was a friend of Jesus on earth. They fried fish together, ate and spent time walking and talking, telling jokes, serving. The picture painted of the returning Lord in the book of Revelation is one of a man’s Man, a warrior, a powerful being—so much so, that his beloved John collapsed at the sight of him, overwhelmed in his presence.

Revelation 1:12-18
(12) I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
(13) and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
(14) His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
(15) His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing water.
(16) In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
(17) When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
(18) I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

YOU are Christ’s ambassador! That means that without you recognizing who you really are, and getting involved somehow, somewhere, Christ is not represented. When you truly understand the power you have and the gifts you’ve been given and act accordingly, the world trembles—and our Lord rejoices!

I was present at the Teens & Twenties Camp this past summer when one of the men there ministered to a camper. He spoke out loud, “I want to remind any spirits present here that I am a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that what I say in his name, you must do.” This man got the message! There was deliverance that day! What power!

I encourage you to say the same line out loud: “I am a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ!” Say it over and over. Let it sink in. Be the servant who recognizes both the value of the Man who sent you and the gifts he gave. Be the one to whom your Master will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

Two students of a popular girls high school located in the Corporate Area are said to have created quite a stir yesterday after they were reportedly caught enjoying too much of each other’s company.

Information gathered by THE STAR is that the two girls, both in seventh grade, had just completed swimming, and were said to be in the changing room when they were caught fondling one another and engaging in oral sex.

It is said that the students were being observed for a short time before they noticed they were ‘centerstaged’.

When THE STAR visited the school, a staff member admitted there was a loud uproar among the students at a section of the compound but he was unsure as to what was taking place at the time.

The source, who strongly requested anonymity for the sake of his job, afterwards claimed that a report of such a nature was not the first in recent times at the institution.

shame

Words from a group of sixth-form students with whom THE STAR spoke, also indicated that something out of the ordinary may have indeed taken place at the institution

“I know why the media is here and it’s a shame that the media found out so quickly what had transpired,” one of the girls said.

When THE STAR spoke to the principal, our news team was told that based on the school’s knowledge it was all allegations mixed with rumours and nothing was concrete at the moment.

The principal did, however, admit there was an uproar around dismissal time.

“There was a bit of chaos and myself and the vice-principal went to check what it was about. School was over so we told the students to leave the compound … This matter is sensitive so as early as tomorrow we will be carrying out a thorough investigation,” the principal explained.

THE STAR was first contacted by a person claiming to be a concerned parent who disclosed that her child, who is also a student, was at school at the time when the incident took place.

She said, “Mi tired fi hear these things taking place in the schools, not only here at this school … They hide these things and the children are left to deal with it and that’s how many are drawn into the practice … Di lesbians dem a take over the school, that’s why dem install so much camera up there.”

PEOPLE WHO DID DEH YAH SI DI GOINGS ON…I HAVE GOAT MOUT AND I DONT WANT IT KETCH MI SO MI PRIVATE THE POST BUT WHO WA GO READ IT IS ON FACEBOOK HERE

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cho-Bloodclaat/285611368142035

DUTTY GAL if u n the bank tink unuh bad c me daughter nice black honda park up n come fi it unuh 2 bad mind the bible say by the sweat of u brow u shall eat bread well a dat me did do n still doing when me did a dance out me life n a buy me car me neva c none a unuh when me n me friend dem did a bom drive n a tek bus me neva c none a unuh so how now me a c unuh fi come pass unuh dutty place wid me ehh wonder if unuh know a Drewsland me born n grow n when crazy gun shot a bark me n me friend dem tek brave heart n still do road we buk up inah gun man a night time till it look bad n still never get battery cause dem know a deh we born n grow so how some gal c me wid me car weh me dance fa n a bad mind me tings…n nuh where u wuk a what u save! weh unuh tink me did get work permit fa, fi go america go wuk or fi go visit r look man ehh??? Me a dance fr me a 8 so me nuh must have enuff sense fi know say me nuffi squanda me money me do over 90+ videos inah life so me nuh mus mek me name so me can get paid ehh? 1 ting me a tell unuh me do it already n me can do it again + dis is not d first car me own n is not a bwoy buy dem gi me a mi buy me tings dem ohh + me family love me bad n never leave my side some a unuh gal as unuh c a girl pin or num inah unuh man fone unuh get jumpy n start tex gal a cuss dem unuh fi stop call n tex gal fone a cuss over man unuh a gwan like God did put name pan man fi tell unuh a who him belong to me nuh worry bout man cau me born wid confidence n me nuh insecure bout a gal she could a pretty like Disney World all unuh do a stress unuh man n run him weh some a unuh have more problems than George Bush unuh will mek a blind man see n a dumb man talk d way unuh annoying unuh low me me ago mek sure stay far out a unuh way cau wen me did maga n deh wid papi unuh neva a worry bout me so me nuh know how now me cock up n a mad unuh, unuh find me unuh do me a favor & tell Tyra Banks me a look fi her cau a modeling ting me deh pan ya now

******** PPL DEM SEH KEIVA SEND OUT DIS BROADCAST AND MI WAA KNOW A WHO AND HAR****

St James man missing

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Roger Robinson of Lamie Lane in Salt Spring, St James, has been missing since Saturday, June 2, 2012.
He is of brown complexion and slim build.
Reports are that Robinson was last seen at home about 8:00 am and has not been seen or heard from since. At the time he went missing, he was dressed in a white t-shirt, a pair of blue shorts and a pair of sneakers.
Persons knowing the whereabouts of Roger Robinson are being asked to contact the Freeport Police Station at 684-9080, police 119 emergency number or the nearest police station.

DI SMADDY SEH DEM DUS KETCH PAN DI NEWS SEH SMADDY INA DI BUSINESS OWE JPS A NICE LIKKLE LIGHT BILL FOR 1.2 MILLION AND A DUNG A MOBAY IT REPORT WHEN DI BUSINESS DEH A KINGSTON…DI WORKER DEM DOW KNOW IF DEM COMING OR GOING BECAUSE DI LIGHT BILL DOE PAY …HENNY BADDIE KNOW A WHO???

NO SAH MI HAFFI BUS A BIG LAUGH HAHAHAHA HOHOHO TEEHEEH BUWAHAHAHA…  DI STREET SEH SEAN PAUL DIP WHEY RIGHT BEFORE DI MARRIAGE WHEY DAY..DEM SEH SEAN PAUL DID WAA BUS A TING A NEW KINGSTON AND TRY REKINDLE DI JAMAICANSHIP BUT FROM DI KARTEL PRESS RELEASE WHEY DAY DEM SEH SEAN PAUL SEH NO WAY HIM NAH TARRY OOOOOOOO

IN FURDERANCE DEM SEH BOUNTY TEK WHEY HIMSELF FROM COREY YAH NOW A  DOE KNOW IF A TRUE KARTEL OR WHA A DOE KNOW DAH STORY DEH GUH BECAUSE BOUNTY SUNDAYS MOVE GONE A VILLAGE CAFE AND DEM SEH COREY A KEEP ONE SUNDAY PARTY YAH NOW.. IS WHA REALLY A GWAAN?  IS LIKE EVERYBADDIE A CLEAR DI WAY OOOOOOOOOOOOOO SUH MI REALLY A WONDER IF KARTEL A GO COME BACK OUT BECAUSE NUH ENTERTAINER NUH LEF FI ENDORSE COREY TING YAH NOW

p.s

DI VIDEO WID DI TWO HIGH SCHOOL BOYS A DO DI MIC CHECKING…ANYONE HAVE IT??

Dear Taiwo,
I am in a dilemma; I need to make a choice, but I can’t seem to make up my mind.

A scenario from my past keeps playing in my head and I can never get over that event that almost took my pride away, but for the Lord who saved me because He always saves His own.

My travails started when my father re-married five years after my mother’s demise. I was her only child; she died while having another baby.

Unfortunately, neither she nor the baby made it. I was 13 years old then. I missed my mother so much. My daddy didn’t want to re-marry; part of his reasons was that he didn’t want any woman to maltreat me. It was as if he was a prophet. He, however, gave in to pressure from family and friends to have another woman in his life five years after my mother’s death.

He married Aunty Mope, a woman I had known from his former office as a banker. He left the bank for another; it was at his former bank that I met Aunty Mope, a single mother of two girls and they married legally, so Aunty Mope and her children had to move in with us. Her first daughter, Sike is older than me, while the second is a year younger.

Initially, she was nice to me, but I really do not know what happened, or why she changed all of a sudden. And whenever she wanted to scold me, she would tell me that my father never saw anything wrong in whatever I did and that he always felt that I was the best and her children were the bad ones. She successfully transferred this impression to her daughters and they started treating me badly too.

I gained admission to the university before them and because of my dedication to God; they usually called me Mary, mother of Jesus.

The incident which almost destroyed my life happened during the long vacation that I was supposed to pass to 200 level at school. Aunty Mope and daddy travelled to England on vacation leaving the three of us at home. The girls attended parties and brought their male friends home. They disturbed me with music and noise and I dared not complain; they would call me terrible names . Invariably, I resorted to staying in my room whenever their visitors came calling. They also did not like this idea; so I didn’t know how to please them.

Whenever daddy called and asked how things were going on at home, I used to tell him the happenings. But on this particular day, Aunty Mope called, she did not ask to speak with me as she normally did and after speaking with their mother, her daughters went into their room and started talking about my daddy and I. They abused him and said he trusted me so much, and that he thought I was still a virgin which led them to a discussion as to if I was a virgin or not.

The eldest of the two said she would find out. It sounded funny to me because I wouldn’t know how she intended finding out if I was a virgin or not, I did not bother myself about what she said.

I, however, received the shock of my life when two days after, seven boys barged into my room at about past midnight and almost raped me. When they came in; I thought they were thieves, I offered all the money and other valuables I had on me, but they refused to take it.

One of them now said “Virgin Mary common, undress, let us see what you kept there. Today, you will know what it tastes like.

Unfortunately, you might end up not enjoying it because by the time all of us took our turns, you would almost die.” It was then that their mission dawned on me. I pleaded with them but the one who spoke, who I felt was the leader of the gang said there was no room for mercy. Trouble however started in their camp when they started quarrelling about who would be the first person to rape me.

I kept pleading with them though they did not cover their faces, and they did not seem to care. The biggest shock however, was that my stepsisters were home but they made no attempt to assist me. Initially, I thought they had problems too, but realised that if they did, they wouldn’t have kept quiet. I was sure they were home because I heard them talking not quite long before these guys forcefully entered my room.

I, however, noticed that one of them who had his back on the door and had been quiet all along asked all of them to shut up and keep quiet. When he spoke, they all kept quiet. He asked if truly I was a virgin and I told him yes. He said rape won’t be the best way for me to be deflowered; he then ordered others out of my room. It was then that I realised that he was the leader of the gang. He said he believed me and he wouldn’t know why my sisters would want me treated this way.

I was shocked when he said this. He, however, warned that he mustn’t hear this from me. After this warning, they left. I couldn’t sleep or leave my room, even when it was morning. I called my partner (aunty) to come and take me to her house, where I explained everything that happened to her.

She was the one who in turn relayed the incident to my father when he came back. I begged him not to make trouble with Aunty Mope and her children because I would bear the brunt whenever he was not at home. That was why my father decided that I should go to England to continue my studies. Fortunately two years after I had left, she moved out of my father’s house with her children.

Now, I have finished schooling, back home living in peace with my father and I met this young man at a singles’ programme that I was invited to by a colleague in the bank where I work at one of the popular pentecostal churches in Lagos.

Lekan, a cool, handsome man, two years older, works with an oil company, very religious. A born-again, spirit -filled brother from a very good home — any young lady’s dream husband met with me and asked if I recognised him. I said no. We exchanged numbers and we began chatting. He had taken me to lunch a couple of times and even invited me to his friends’ parties. Two weeks ago, he asked if he could visit me at home and meet my father. I said why not? He then told me that he had a confession to make before them. I wondered what his confession was all about.

I thought probably he was married or maybe he had a child or children hidden somewhere. What he said however threw me off balance.

Taiwo, Lekan was that man who stopped others from raping me on the day I was to be dealt with.

I was shocked. He pleaded with me and said he has changed. He told me everything about other members of his gang, how he got into their midst and why he decided to opt out.

He confessed that he didn’t know what made him felt sorry for me that fateful day as he was a very ruthless member of the gang.

He now wants to marry me. Taiwo, I can’t reconcile the fact that this Lekan is different from that Lekan.

Please, what should I do?
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