Things That Make Ministers: The Travails Of Gesthemene

Apostle Grace Lubega

Luke 22:41-44(KJV); And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Success in ministry is not by mistake; no one automatically becomes a great man of God.

Sometimes, people admire the manifestations of the anointing, the increase in numbers of congregants, the opportunities to stand before thousands and minister Christ but they never ask how the man or woman of God got to that place in the first place.

There are tests child of God.

Christ is our true pattern in all of this.

His travails in Gethsemane point to the groans, travails and the bleeding that makes men true ministers of the gospel.

Our Lord and master cried unto God, “if thou be willing, take this cup from me….”

It means that there are times when you will be pushed to give up. Things may come against you that will make you want to throw in the towel but God will always strengthen you like he sent the angels to strengthen the Christ.

In Gethsemane, our Lord bled. This is the bleeding of the minister that aligns him or her to divine assignment.

There are men who merely sweat; they labour greatly for the sake of the gospel; they are faithful servants in the Kingdom of God and have given their all for the furtherance of the gospel.

However, it is one thing to merely sweat but it is another thing when a man does not merely sweat but he bleeds in his sweating.

The man who bleeds in his sweating has laid his very life at the altar of ministry and service to God.

This bleeding shows us that the price of ministry is not just sweat; it is blood.

The transition from merely a believer to being a minister requires that you understand this experience.

His name be praised!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, 2 Timothy 2:3

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The price of ministry is not just sweat; it is blood. The man who bleeds in his sweating has laid his very life at the altar of ministry and service to God. The transition from merely a believer to being a minister requires that you understand this experience.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for this Word. God, I am available as one You have equipped and trained for ministry. If there be tests, trials and travails, I choose to yield my spirit to Your will and not mine. I understand the cup and the blood of the minister and like Paul, I choose to endure hardness like a good soldier with my eyes set on the prize of heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Personal Journey

Apostle Grace Lubega

Genesis 32:24(KJV); And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day

There are battles you cannot fight with the crowd.

In such instances, even those who love you deeply are limited in how far they can go in fighting for and with you.

It is a good thing to have prayer partners, people you meet with to share your pain and to have them stand with you in prayer; this is scriptural. The Bible says that when two or three agree concerning anything they ask, the same shall be granted them (Matthew 18:19).

Corporate prayer has its place but it also has its limits when it comes to the things of warfare and to the places you as an individual must go with God.

In our theme scripture, Jacob, could only walk this part of his journey alone. The scriptures speak of a time when our Lord Jesus took Peter, James and John to join Him in His time of great travail.

The events of that day revealed how personal some journeys are.

Regardless of how much Christ asked the disciples to watch and pray, they were overtaken by the demands of the body for physical rest (Matthew 26:37-46).

Blessed saint, there is a price of prayer that can only be paid for individually.

As a Christian, you must know that in certain places in God, you can only journey alone. At specific points in your life, you must be able to identify the fact that you can only fight that part alone with your God.

FURTHER STUDY: Mark 14:32-42, Luke 21:36

GOLDEN NUGGET:

There is a price of prayer that can only be paid for individually.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for this wisdom. I understand the place of personal prayer as a necessity for growth in the things of the Spirit. Today I make the choice to take this journey in the knowledge that it is not by power not by might but by Your Spirit. I yield to the grace that causes me to pray and the spirit that enables me to tarry in these places of solitude. To the glory of Your name. Amen.

Submit To Righteousness – 2

Apostle Grace Lubega

Romans 6:17-18(KJV); But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Our theme scripture speaks of how we have obeyed the form of doctrine delivered to us.

Obedience to the doctrine as used in this scripture does not mean that you set out to do that which you have been told to do; it is not about works.

The Greek Word used in our theme scripture for “obeyed” is “hupakouo” which is translated to mean, “to hearken” or “to listen obediently.”

This kind of listening is that of an attentive student.

When you obey the doctrine of righteousness, it means that you submit to its reality as an eager student.

The grace message and the doctrine of righteousness is not one you listen to as though you are simply acquiring information.

Rather, you study it, give heed to it, and sit under it as one who submits to its instructions.

The more you listen to it according to this understanding, the more you respond to what you listen to.

And as you continue to submit to the truth, the truth by its inherent power MAKES you free.

FURTHER STUDY: Romans 10:3, Galatians 3:1-3

GOLDEN NUGGET:

When you obey the doctrine of righteousness, it means that you submit to its reality as an eager student. The more you listen to it according to this understanding, the more you respond to what you listen to.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for Your Word. I thank You for the grace and for Your mercies that defines how we relate with You. I submit to the message as one who deeply heeds to its instructions. I am a student of grace and a servant of righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Spirit Of Religion

Apostle Grace Lubega

Matthew 12:6-7(MSG); There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this scripture meant, ‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’ ; you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this.

Religion is a spirit; it is not merely the structured institutions that we see in our world today.

One of the most intriguing deceptions of the spirit of religion is that men would die for the “temple” or institution because they think the institution is the person of God.

Men under religion can even die for the artefacts of the “temple” because they are “convinced” of their powers.

The spirit of religion takes men back into bondage by denying the power of the truth that makes them free.

It frustrates and withholds the keys of revelation, which is the knowledge that men need for deliverance.

I have learnt over the years that religion is not a spirit that you cast out like any other demon.

You can only teach religion out of men. That is how the Christ dealt with it. The more the Pharisees of His day fought Him; the more He taught.

The more they accused Him of blasphemy against their beloved temple, the deeper He preached.

Never be intimidated by the dictates of religion. Preach truth in love and its purity.

Praise God!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 5:1

GOLDEN NUGGET:
The spirit of religion takes men back into bondage by denying the power of the truth that makes them free. Never be intimidated by the dictates of religion. Preach truth in love and its purity.

PRAYER: Loving Father, I thank You for this great day. Thank You for the blessedness of Your Word. Today I submit myself to the truth wrapped up in Your Word. I refuse to subject myself to the bondage of religion. I walk under the light of revelation every day. To the glory of Your name. Amen.

The Language Of God

Apostle Grace Lubega

Romans 4:17(KJV); (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

There are people who in the guise of repentance to God pray in this manner, “Lord, forgive me because I am a thief…”

Why do you refer to yourself as a thief?!

Study the language of the Spirit with regard to the new creature in Christ.

You will learn that God has never defined men by the state they found themselves. He was deliberate in separating the state from the person in that state.

For example, for the woman caught in adultery, the Bible says, “A woman taken in adultery…”(John 8:3).

God did not call her an adulterous woman.

A Born Again Christian cannot be an alcoholic; he or she is simply a man or woman struggling with alcoholism.

A Born Again Christian cannot be a prostitute; she is simply a woman struggling with prostitution.

God doesn’t call them alcoholics, thieves or prostitutes.

So as a believer, approach God in the same wisdom regardless of the weakness you are struggling with in the flesh. Go to Him and say, “I am the righteousness of God. I am the healed of the Lord. I am a victor.”

Speak the God-language. And that’s how you walk out of any weakness in the flesh. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Philemon 1:6, Joel 3:10

GOLEN NUGGET:

God has never defined men by the state they found themselves. He was deliberate in separating the state from the person in that state. A Born Again Christian cannot be an alcoholic; he or she is simply a man or woman struggling with alcoholism. A Born Again Christian cannot be a prostitute; she is simply a woman struggling with prostitution. God doesn’t use such language.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for this Word. I choose to speak Your language in all that I say. The confessions of my lips are aligned to Your Word. I refuse to regard weakness in the flesh but behold the perfection in Christ. Oh, I am the righteousness of God. I am holy and sanctified by Christ. I am healthy in my body, divinely blessed and prosperous because of what Christ has done. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Big Difference

Apostle Grace Lubega

Romans 8:13(KJV); For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

There is a great, deep and fathomless difference between a believer and a non-believer; a Born Again Christian and one who is not.

Don’t be deceived.

Whereas believers and non-believers might all be of the same skin colour, have the same jobs and drive the same cars they are different!

God went so far as to draw this line of distinction by telling us that when we dare to compare ourselves to those of this world, we are UNEQUALLY yoking (2 Corinthians 6:14).

And this is how God thinks towards us. Take the example of sickness. If disease is to attack both a believer and a non-believer, to God, one of them is sick and the other is not. The believer is not sick because the Bible says, non in Zion shall say, “I am sick.”(Isaiah 33:24).

How about instances to do with money? If both a believer and a non-believer are having financial challenges, to God, one of them is poor and the other is not. The believer is not poor because the Bible has said that this is the grace of God that He became poor that you may be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

This is the mind of God!

He consistently looks at who you are in the spirit and it is solely on that basis that he seeks to relate with you as a Born Again Christian.

He requires us to always look to the testimony of who we are in the spirit. Our advantage over the non-believer is that by the spirit, we mortify the deeds of the flesh and live.

Yes, we might both “lack money” but I have the ability to destroy the works of poverty in the flesh that I may walk in the fullness of the riches of Christ.

Yes, sickness may come but I have the advantage of mortifying sickness in the flesh to live in the fullness of divine health.

We are different!

That’s why in our teaching, we never breach the spirit by ministering as though what is in the flesh defines what is in the spirit. If you breach the spirit, what hope is there for the body?

Look to what God has done in you. What is in the flesh is only temporary. Never compare yourself to the men of this world—you are a class apart; distinctive, unique and peculiar. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 6:14, 1 Peter 2:9

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Look to what God has done in you. What is in the flesh is only temporary. Never compare yourself to the men of this world—you are a class apart; distinctive, unique and peculiar.

PRAYER: My loving God, I thank You for this Word. What a truth! To know that I am different! I am peculiar, distinctive and set apart by You! I walk in this understanding and look at life through the lens of this wisdom. Nothing in the flesh shakes me because I have the authority to mortify the transactions of the flesh. I manifest that which Christ has vested in me. To the glory of Your name. Amen!

Courting Wisdom

Apostle Grace Lubega

Proverbs 4:5-7 (KJV); Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Wisdom is a Spirit.

However, there is a reason why the Bible uses the feminine to refer to it. Wisdom is spoken of as “she” and God is deliberate about this language.

In our theme scripture, it says, “she shall preserve thee…” In proverbs 1:20, it says, “she raises her voice in the square…”

God in all this is telling us that wisdom ought to be treated like a man would treat a woman.

She must be courted, pursued and wooed.

He says, “Love her and she shall keep thee…”

When you understand this, you will know what it means to pay the price for wisdom. You will pursue her like your life depends on it, because it does.

A man in love will do anything for the woman he wants. Christ, in love with His bride, the church, went so far as to die for it.

And so it is with wisdom. You must be ready to seek her out, listen to her and break for her. Pay every price for wisdom. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 11:2, Ephesians 1:17

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Pay every price for wisdom. A man in love will do anything for the woman he wants. Christ, in love with His bride, the church, went so far as to die for it. You must be ready to seek out wisdom, listen to her and break for her.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for the priceless gift of wisdom; it overflows out of my spirit and touches everything that I do. Oh, I am wise in all that I do because I have understood what it means to court her. I invest in knowledge and continually drink from its deep treasures. To the glory of Your name. Amen.

Of Understanding

Apostle Grace Lubega

Acts 8: 27-30(KJV); And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

Many years ago, I erroneously thought that the Eunuch was a non-believer whom Phillip met and converted to the faith.

However, I came to understand that the scriptures also say that he had come to Jerusalem to worship.

This was a man who had a relationship and a desire for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

This eunuch knew God, however, he did not have UNDERSTANDING.

The question Phillip asked the Eunuch is fundamental for every believer, “Understandest thou what thou readest?

Do you understand the God you seek, worship and serve every day?

The Bible says, “In all thy getting, get understanding…”

This means that you shouldn’t merely accumulate the knowledge of God as you might do any other information. Don’t merely listen to sermons so you can have the satisfaction that you have heard many sermons.

If you do so, you will be as those who are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Son of God.

In all thy getting, get understanding: In all your reading of the Word, seek to understand it. In your constant listening to sermons, seek to understand them.

Why so? That you may grow to the place of full maturity which is a life of purpose, to the glory of God! Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 24:3, Colossians 1:9

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Do not merely accumulate knowledge like it is information. Don’t merely listen to sermons so you can have the satisfaction that you have heard many sermons. If you do so, you will be as those who are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the son. In all thy getting, get understanding: In all your reading of the Word, seek to understand it. In your constant listening to sermons, seek to understand them.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for the Spirit of Wisdom and spiritual understanding. By this, I walk worthy of the call of God upon my life. I please God and I am fruitful in every good work. I minister and do all things as one with understanding. Because I have an understanding heart, my roots run deep. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Of The Kingdom Of God

Apostle Grace Lubega

Luke 9:2(MSG); He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick.

When God calls you, it does not mean He has commissioned you.

Commissioning by God comes after He has trained you; taught you what it means to be a minister; how to hear His voice; how to deal with people; how to feed from Him and to subsequently feed those you lead.

When you launch into your place of assignment before you are commissioned, I assure you, you will not build God’s Kingdom but only yours.

It is inevitable that the kingdoms of men will always war against the Kingdom of God. Any kingdom built by a man is built on ungodly principles, the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life.

For example, a man of God might want to start a ministry so that he can attract large crowds for selfish gain.

That is a man seeking to build his own kingdom.

A man building God’s kingdom understands that the large crowds represent more than just numbers, these are the lives of men and we account to God for every soul. When we see big churches we are not supposed to merely see numbers but responsibility for the part God wants us to play in these people’s lives.

When Christ commissioned the disciples, he sent them out for the sake of men and not for their own selfish desires.

Beloved saint, the ministry of Christ is about the lives of men. We build His kingdom when we raise Him up and He in turn draws men to himself. (John 12:32).

FURTHER STUDY: Luke 12:32, John 12:32

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Commissioning by God comes after He has trained you; taught you what it means to be a minister; how to hear His voice; how to deal with people; how to feed from Him and to subsequently feed those you lead. When you launch into your place of assignment before you are commissioned, I assure you, you will not build God’s Kingdom but only yours.

PRAYER: Loving Father, I thank You for this wisdom. Every day You teach me to understand that the gospel is not a business venture or a selfish endeavor. It is not about me but all about You, for history can only be Your story. In all that I do, I seek to build Your Kingdom and not my kingdom; to expand Your realm of influence and not my influence. I see people with the same eyes that You see them; lives to account for; blood never to be shed; a responsibility! I yield to this understanding. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Course Restrained

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Peter 2:16(NKJV); but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

The scriptures give an interesting account of how the Lord dealt with Balaam the prophet. Balaam was requested by Balak to curse the children of Israel (Numbers 22). On his way to do so, the Bible reveals that “he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.”

Every time I read this story, I ask myself, “How can anyone be so dead to the voice of God, that the Lord has to use an animal to speak to him? What level of indifference is that?”

But, you must know that the lesson from Balaam’s story is not for prophets alone. It applies to an evangelist, an apostle, a worshipper and any believer in Christ in their various callings.

God might not go so far as to use an animal to speak to you.

However, there are circumstances that happen in our lives and they are simply because God is checking the madness of the Christian; that issue might be the only way God can go past the thickness of their indifference to minister to them!

There are situations that may happen in your life simply because you have hardened your heart against the voice of God.

You ought to be keen to ask; why am I in this place?

David once found himself in a dire situation and admitted, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept thy Word.” (Psalms 119:67).

How then do you respond to the situations?

Instead of blaming everything and everyone around you for the state you find yourself in, firstly ask at what point you hardened yourself against the voice of God.

Therein is the beginning of your restoration!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 13:5, Psalms 119:67

GOLDEN NUGGET:

There are situations that may happen in your life simply because you have hardened your heart against the voice of God. You ought to be keen to ask; why am I in this place? Instead of blaming everything and everyone around you for the state you find yourself in, firstly ask at what point you hardened yourself against the voice of God. Therein is the beginning of your restoration!

PRAYER: My loving Father, I thank You for the gift of Your Word. Thank You for Your Spirit that guides me in the right way I should go. That same Spirit brings me to remembrance of every word You have spoken to me in Your holy scriptures. I can never succumb and conform to any situation contrary to Your Word. My mind, will and desire are fully controlled by You Lord. In Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Submit To Righteousness

Apostle Grace Lubega

Romans 10:3 (KJV); For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

There are people who disagree with the doctrine of righteousness. However, there are those who agree with it but are not SUBMITTED to it.

They confess that they are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, the finished work of the Christ at Calvary and the fact that sin has no dominion over them because they are not under the law but under the grace.

They AGREE with these amazing truths but they are not SUBMITTED to them.

What is the character of a man who submits to righteousness?

One of the principle characters of a man who submits to righteousness is that he quickly turns to Christ and His grace when he sees a moral failing in his life; if such a person makes a mistake and falls to sin in the flesh, he is convicted of it but not condemned of it.

Never allow guilt to infiltrate your spirit, submit to the teaching of grace and imputed righteousness through faith because this truth consistently points you to Christ and what He has done and not what you have done in the flesh.

Choose to look at what Christ has done in you. Let it be your reflex response to any shortcoming in the flesh. As you do, your flesh will submit to His word. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 4:8

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Never allow guilt to infiltrate your spirit, submit to the teaching of grace and imputed righteousness through faith because this truth consistently points you to Christ and what He has done and not what you have done in the flesh. Choose to look at what Christ has done in you. Let it be your reflex response to any shortcoming in the flesh. As you do, your flesh will submit to His word.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for this Word. I submit to the doctrine of righteousness. I am not just a hearer of it, I am a humble student of it and heed to it as one that is obedient and continuously eager to learn. I look to Your finished work at Calvary and walk in its understanding every day of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Why We Preach The Grace: What You Speak About, You Ignite

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 2:2 (KJV); For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Years ago, I was criticized by a group of religious leaders for the doctrine that I teach.

One of their major concerns was that I was promoting sin in the church of Christ.

I informed them that I am against sin. No sane preacher of truth can possibly be a promoter of sin.

They asked, “How come you do not preach against it?”

I told them, “I don’t have to talk about it to be against it.”

Preaching about sin is constantly making it a subject of one’s teachings in the hope that by doing so, people will eventually change.

The truth of the matter is that one doesn’t have to talk about what they are against. There is nothing in the scriptures that demands that we talk about sin to prove that we are against it.

I am very conscious and thus cautious of the fact that what you talk about you stir up because of the power of your tongue. What you consistently preach about, you ignite.

If I talk about sin, I will establish the law and the more I establish the law, I will kill the listeners. For the scriptures clearly warn us that the letter [the law] kills (2 Corinthians 3:6).

We have not been called to preach about sin, we have been called to preach Christ.

That is why Paul in our theme scripture says, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

Simply give men Christ and let him handle the details of changing those men and women.

In the Message version of Romans 14:4, He says, “If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.”

God has not called us to change people through our constant criticism of their moral behavior. Give them Jesus and Jesus will deal with them.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 15:56, Romans 14:4

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God has not called us to change people through our constant criticism of their moral behavior. Give them Jesus and Jesus will deal with them.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for this Word. Thank You for the gift of the grace that points me to the newness of life that I have in You. Thank You for Jesus and what He did at the cross of Calvary. I walk in the wisdom of one who presents Jesus Christ and His finished work. I look to what He has done in men and not to anyone’s imperfections in the flesh. In this knowledge, I continually present men perfect in Christ and by this very message, multitudes are changed, to the glory of Your name. Amen.