Open Scriptures Theological Institute - OSTI

17/12/2024

Tell me the story of Christmas, again!

"Only great joy awaits those who embrace the newborn King of Christmas. God has given himself fully to them as an everlasting possession and inheritance. Having known this kind of joy, these souls can no longer seek for life’s satisfaction in consumer-driven craze for earthly possessions. Having God in Jesus Christ as Emmanuel, God with and for us, is enough. This is liberating news in a time when only a few can afford the cultural idea of Christmas. Christmas is about receiving freely, not breaking the bank in an attempt to purchase more items or to get another catching photo for that ‘perfect’ and ‘expensive’ social media post."

It is easy to lose the meaning of something after marking and celebrating it annually for as long as Christmas has been. Eventually, different people are bound to attach their preferred meanings an…

25/10/2024

"“Forgive yourself.” “Love yourself.” “Give yourself grace.”

These are common cultural refrains, but they’re not gospel anthems. While they may derive from the truth that we should recognize our God-given dignity and value as image-bearers, both in how we honor others and how we view ourselves, taken too far, these refrains wrongly encourage us to provide for ourselves things we ultimately need from God. As we test them against the gold standard of Scripture, we find them to be the fool’s gold of a culture infatuated with self."

Common cultural refrains to ‘forgive yourself’ and ‘give yourself grace’ may sound like good advice for Christians, but they don’t reflect the gospel.

11/10/2024

WEEKLY HOPE

Strength for the weary!

It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:9

Isaiah was ministering to a people who knew hardships and trouble. In its history, Israel had been surrounded by enemy countries that threatened her safety, prosperity, and spiritual progress (Isaiah chs. 8-23). And as many Israelites lost their faith and trust in the LORD God (Is. 1:2-31, there were a small group of true believers who waited for the LORD’s salvation and help.

And so Isaiah prophesied of a coming Day of the LORD in which all “transgressors and sinners will be crushed together; And those who forsake the LORD will come to an end” (1:28). On that same day, however, those who waited for Him would rejoice with great joy and singing because the glory of their God would appear in their lives for all to see (Is. 35:2).

Waiting by trusting God’s word

Why did God send Isaiah to prophesy to Israel? To give them a word from the LORD to hang on as they waited. God’s word is everlasting and it never fails: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Is. 40:8); “… my word which goes forth from my mouth will not return to me empty … it will succeed in the matter for which I sent it” (Is. 55:11). We wait for the LORD by hearing His word, believing it, and trusting that God will not lie or fail to do that which He has promised.

Strength comes from waiting

To wait on the LORD is to trust in His word and promises through all circumstances. As you do so, the LORD fills your heart and mind with unspeakable peace, enabling you to fight the good fight of faith with strength and perseverance (Is. 26:3-4; Phil. 4:7). O the sweetness of such fellowship!

Friend, is your strength failing? Find a promise from God’s word and rest fully upon it. Are you struggling with guilt and shame for a sin you committed? Trust his promise that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7). Are you depressed with fear of what the future holds? The LORD promises never to “leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Do this, whatever your pressing need may be!

To talk more about this strength from God:
Text/WhatsApp/Call: 0715 177 120

Gospel Devotions from Grace Fellowship Kenol Town & Open Scriptures Ministries

01/10/2024

WEEKLY HOPE

God sees you, and cares about you!

So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees me,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.
Genesis 16:13-14

Hagar was a woman in distress. Here she was in the desert running away from Sarai, her mistress, who was mistreating her after she became pregnant with Abram by Sarai’s plan.

Being an Egyptian, Hagar was a foreign woman in a strange land. But she was working for Abraham’s family to whom God had promised great blessings. The LORD would bless Abraham and make him to be a blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:2-3). And the question is, did the LORD know Hagar personally? Did He see and care for her?

Called by name

When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Hagar by the spring of water he called her by name: “Hagar, servant of Sarai …” (Gen. 16:8). God knew Hagar. He did not need to ask anyone about her. He knew who she was, where she lived, and who she worked for. God had formed Hagar in her mother’s womb (Jer. 1:5). And He had a plan with her life.

Amazed by the LORD’s love and care

Hagar was amazed to know that God knew her, saw her, spoke to her, and cared about her! The God who could speak to Abram also spoke to a foreign servant woman! This was so big that the well where the Angel met Hagar gained a new name: The well of the God who sees me!

Dear friend, do you know that God sees, knows, loves, and cares for you? He gives you life and watches over you. And great of all, God has loved you and given His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for your sin so that you escape His coming judgment (Jn. 3:16). Embrace His love today. Let it transform and guide you. Amen

To talk more about this love from God:
Text/WhatsApp/Call: 0715 177 120

Gospel Devotions from Grace Fellowship Kenol Town & Open Scriptures Ministries

18/09/2024

“When the bill is taken either wholly or in certain sections, it amounts to an unbiblical over-reach and encroachment by the state into aspects of church life that are solely a preserve of God’s word and that are not to be tampered with at any moment in time, either by church leaders themselves or by the civil government of any jurisdiction. In this second sense, the Religious bill of 2024 is an attempt to redefine, restructure, and re-shape the Church of Christ after the dictates of the state, a function that is solely reserved to the inerrant and everlasting word of God in the Holy Scriptures. As such, this bill is a potent seed waiting to germinate and grow into a state-sanctioned interference and persecution of the church in Kenya.”

The Kenyan Senate has passed the Religious Organisations Bill of 2024 as an initial step to curb “the emergence of extremist and predatory religious organisations.” This bill comes at the climax of…

15/09/2024

TUMAINI LA WIKI

Je, Nafsi yako i salama na Mchungaji Mwema?

Mwizi haji ila aibe na kuchinja na kuharibu. mimi nalikuja ili wawe na uzima na wawe nao tele. Mimi ndimi mchungaji mwema. Mchungaji mwema huutoa uhai wake kwa ajili ya kondoo. Yohana 10:10-11

Sisi sote tumezaliwa katika ulimwengu uliopotea na kuvunjwa na dhambi na uasi dhidi ya Mungu. Tunazaliwa kwa kawaida tukiwa tumekufa katika dhambi. Ni rahisi kwetu kuishi kidunia, tukimfuata adui wa Mungu, Shetani, k**a wana wa kutotii (Efe. 2:1). Sisi ni kondoo waliopotea kiasili mbali na mchungaji mwema!

Sisi kondoo waliopotea tunawezaje kupata njia ya kurudi kwa mchungaji mwema na malisho ya kweli? Ibada ya wiki hii inatufundisha yafuatayo:

Hatuwezi kupata njia peke yetu!

Dhambi inajenga kizuizi kikubwa kati yetu na Mungu (Isaya 59:2). Kwa kuchagua njia ya dhambi na uasi, tunakuwa watumwa wa shetani, tumetekwa katika gereza la giza la kiroho. Kitu pekee kinachotungoja ni kifo na hukumu ya Mungu (Warumi 6:23a; Waebr. 9:27). Katika gereza hili la mauti na giza, hatuwezi kujua njia ya kwenda kwa Mungu. K**a kondoo aliyepotea, tunaweza tu kutangatanga katika kuchanganyikiwa.

Mchungaji Mwema anakuja kututafuta!

Yesu Kristo ndiye Mchungaji Mwema. Yeye hatungojei sisi, kondoo, tupate njia yetu ya kurudi nyumbani. Anakuja kwa ajili yetu! Alizaliwa katika umbo la mwanadamu na aliishi hapa pamoja nasi. Aliingia katika gereza la maisha katika ulimwengu ulioanguka. Kisha alitoa uhai wake, akichagua kufa k**a dhabihu kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu.

Mchungaji Mwema amemshinda shetani. Anawaweka huru wale wote wanaomtumaini. Je, umekuja chini ya uangalizi Wake? Bado anaita katika gereza hili la giza. Wale wanaomwendea watapata uzima wa kweli na wa milele pamoja na Mungu.

Kuongea zaidi kuhusu uzima huu wa Mungu:
Text/WhatsApp/Call: 0715 177 120

Gospel Devotions from Grace Fellowship Kenol Town & Open Scriptures Ministries

15/09/2024

WEEKLY HOPE DEVOTIONALS

Is your Soul safe in The Good Shepherd?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:10-11

We are all born into a lost and difficult world. A world broken by sin and rebellion against God. We are born naturally dead in trespasses and sins. It is easier for us to live worldly, following that enemy of God, Satan, as sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:1). We are naturally lost sheep straying away from the good shepherd!

So, how can we, lost sheep, find our way back home to the good shepherd and true pasture? This week’s hope devotional teaches us the following:

We cannot find the way by ourselves!

Sin creates a great barrier, a wall, between us and God (Isaiah 59:2). Having chosen the way of sin and rebellion, we become slaves of the devil, captured into a dark spiritual prison. The only thing that waits for us is death and God’s judgment (Rom. 6:23a; Heb. 9:27). In this prison of death and darkness, we cannot know the way to God. Like a lost sheep, we can only wander in confusion.

The Good Shepherd comes for us!

Jesus Christ is The Good Shepherd. He does not wait for us, the sheep, to find our way home. He comes for us! And how did He come for us? He was born in human form and lived here with us. He entered the prison of life in a fallen world. He then laid his life down, choosing to die as a sacrifice for our sin.

The Good shepherd has defeated the devil. He sets free all those who put their trust in Him. Have you come under His care? He is still calling in the dark prison of life in this world. And those who come to Him find life. True and everlasting life with God.

To talk more about this life from God:
Text/WhatsApp/Call: 0715 177 120

Gospel Devotions from Grace Fellowship Kenol & Open Scriptures Ministries

06/08/2024

The true historical and biblical Christian conviction affirms that sinners are saved by Christ Jesus alone (1 Tim. 1:15-17). In him are the wells of salvation that we drink from (Is. 12:3-6) and are truly saved from the power of sin and the wrath of God. While that may not be in contestation among confessing Christians, there are many debates about what role other Christian rites, beliefs, and commands play when it comes to that salvation that is found in Christ alone.

And one of such area of faith and practice is the Christian practice of water baptism. This article seeks to clarify the position that while water baptism is significant, it is not the means of salvation; rather, salvation is through Christ alone.

The true historical and biblical Christian conviction affirms that sinners are saved by Christ Jesus alone (1 Tim. 1:15-17). In him are the wells of salvation that we drink from (Is. 12:3-6) and ar…

03/07/2024

"The Gospel and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ offer a comprehensive answer to humanity’s quest for perfect governance and social justice. Through the Gospel, individuals and societies are called to embody the values of God’s Kingdom, promoting justice, compassion, and righteousness. The Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah’s reign provide a rich context for understanding Jesus’ mission and its fulfillment. The Second Coming promises the ultimate realization of these ideals, with Christ’s reign bringing about perfect governance and the restoration of all creation. While human efforts to achieve justice and good governance are essential, they are ultimately incomplete without the divine intervention and fulfillment promised in Christian eschatology. In this way, the Gospel and the Second Coming provide hope and assurance that our deepest longings for a just and righteous world will one day be realized."

The dawning of Christ’s reign, as it is written. (Image credit: Christian.Net) Throughout history, humanity has grappled with the concepts of governance and social justice. We have establishe…

02/07/2024

"Throughout history, humanity has grappled with the concepts of governance and social justice. We have established countless systems, ideologies, and institutions in pursuit of a society that is fair, just, and governed by moral righteousness. However, these human endeavors often fall short, plagued by corruption, inequality, and injustice. Within Christian theology, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His promised Second Coming present a divine solution to these enduring issues."

The dawning of Christ’s reign, as it is written. (Image credit: Christian.Net) Throughout history, humanity has grappled with the concepts of governance and social justice. We have establishe…

22/06/2024

"The last couple of months have been traumatic for the worldwide church to say the least. We have watched with horror and grief as one widely-known church-leader after another are accused of heartbreaking and scandalous moral failures which leave the mammoth ministries they have been leading gravely hurt and struggling for survival."

The last couple of months have been traumatic for the worldwide church to say the least. We have watched with horror and grief as one widely-known church-leader after another are accused of heartbr…

22/05/2024

“God has a sense of humor. How else could one explain him inspiring a frustrated wise king to write a book of the Bible whose opening words are, literally, “all of life is an unfulfilling, wearisome, and useless activity?” And wait a minute. Is that true? Has God really ordained that we go through life only to come to the end of it utterly broken by how tiringly useless it all was? The answer to this question is complex and will surprise you.”

To Read More:

God has a sense of humor. How else could one explain him inspiring a frustrated wise king to write a book of the Bible whose opening words are, literally, “all of life is an unfulfilling, wearisome…