Sunday, 5 August 2012
Saturday, 12 May 2012
SERIES: STUDYING EPHESIANS WITH MY WIFE - PART 1.
My wife and I had an interesting Bible Study time this morning, and I just want to share some of the things we learned. But, by now you know I have stories to tell all the time. So bear with me.
I have carefully avoided writing about marriage since I got married. I believe no one qualifies to teach on marriage if he or she is not married. Was Paul married? I am not sure now, so may be that debunks my stated belief. And Jesus did not marry too. Okay. So I have another belief. I strongly believe that with good interpersonal and relational skills, anyone could have a good marriage. Take away sex, all you do in marriage is relate with another person. Well, I am barely two years in marriage and I still feel I am not qualified to talk about marriage yet.
But I was in courtship with my wife for seven years. We were good friends for three years before I proposed marriage. So in all, we have been in one form of relationship or the other for ten years. I think I am qualified to talk about Relationship, don't you think so? How old am I, really that ten years ago, I had already met my wife? Well, I think I am favoured. My wife came as a package that accompanied my salvation. Yes, I am a little above ten years in the Lord.
You must know then, that Bible Study with my wife started way, way back. I had a room mate in School- Alexander. He used to wonder what kind of friends my wife and I were then. She would come to my place and we would spend hours- and I do not exaggerate, sometimes five hours- with our bibles in front of us, discussing Scriptures. As at that time, I never saw her as my wife to be. To me, it was a Mordecai - Esther relationship. I felt I was preparing her for the King. Okay, know it now; when God gives us a girl, she will be named- not Esther, but- Hadassah. Esther is Persian, Hadassah is Hebrew. They have the same meaning. Yes, you were told Esther means Star. Actually Hadassah (Esther) means Myrtle, a kind of plant popular in Europe and North Africa, it is Star-shaped and evergreen. Okay, Hadassah is not coming now. Daniel is doing very fine, an amazing child- he has been a source of joy and inspiration since he arrived. We give God all the glory.
So, I have no word of advice for a man aspiring to marry other than the one I already offered; treat people well; treat your woman well. However, if you are a Christian man or woman, and you love the Lord Jesus passionately; then I have some prayers for you.
1. May you marry your friend.
2. May you marry God's friend.
A woman that loves you and loves the Lord will only do you good all the days of your life. If she loves the Lord, and does not love you or she loves you and does not love the Lord, you have a major issue. But not to worry; keep treating her well. I know non-Christian marriages that are admirable, so if it is marriage- you could get it right if you are determined. You see, I am not teaching marriage the way Counsellors do. Okay.
So if you are not a Christian, you do not need all those prayer and fasting to find a good person to marry. 'Whosoever finds..' so keep searching. But if you are a Christian man or woman, you know marriage transcends you and your partner. You know marriage stretches far, far into posterity. You know marriage stretches far, far into ancestry. You know, you don't want to get hooked for life with just a nice person, or a good fellow. You know marriage has to do with purpose. You know nothing materially affects purpose like marriage. You know you can not afford to get it wrong in marriage. Well, that is if you are a Christian. If you are not, please read Dale Carnegie's books and they are more than enough to give you a good time in courtship and marriage. I have said enough for now, wait till a few more years when I can say I have walked the road and conquered the path of marriage.
So we had yet another great time together studying the Scriptures. And we just began studying Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Today, I did the reading, then we both discussed whatever God laid in our spirits. Oh yes, as the priest of the house, I do preach sometimes. But I enjoy it more when we discuss. I remember now; one Scripture God gave me as a confirmation to propose marriage to her is Malachi 3:16. It reads thus;
'Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those wo feared the LORD and who meditate on His name'.
We were two hearts that feared God, and all we did then was speak to each other often meditating in His word, so God recorded it in His book. Well, that is personal. And I just hope God gave you a word for your marriage. You will need that word sooner or later or even from time to time.
So I prefer when we discuss Scriptures.
After I read Chapter One, I asked what she got while reading. She hesitated. I know my wife well enough. She would not be pressured to speak. At that moment, she had not 'received' any inspiration. I had. So I spoke. (Please note that I have expanded some of our sharings to benefit you more).
My Sharing.
Ephesians 1:1
Paul was writing to the Ephesians. To the 'saints and faithful in Christ Jesus'. That makes it very relevant to us and every believer in Jesus Christ. Who is a saint? It is amazing that Paul would call any human a saint. The last time I checked the Dictionary I saw the word Saint defined as 'a person acknowlegded as holy'. You will find that the Church has influenced the meaning of that word even in many dictionaries as 'someone canonized as such (a saint)'. But I saw in the Bible God said 'There is none holy, no not one'. (see Romans 3:10 and Psalm 14:3). And it is also written that 'All have sinned...' (see Rom. 3:23; Eccl. 7:20;). John even said 'If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves...' (1 John 1:8-10). And David asked a rhetoric question in Psalm 130:3; 'If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who would stand?' I feel like answering David, 'for some of us, Jesus would stand!' (please notice the difference in case in "LORD" and "Lord" in that Scripture)
Okay. Even Jesus said 'No one is good but one, that is, God' (see Mark 10:18). But He became sin for us so that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him. (see 2 Cor 5:21). John told us in 1 John 2:1 that 'we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous'. Oh we also have an Accuser (see Zech. 3:1). But our Advocate paid the full price and the Accuser knows that fully well. So the saint is he whom God so declares, not the Pope. When you give your life to Christ in an experience called Salvation, you are declared a saint by God. Sin then changes position in your life, sin comes under your feet.
My Wife' Sharing.
(She made her points one by one).
Who ever is forgiven by God is a saint.
Psalm 130:4 says 'There is forgiveness with You...'.
Romans 8:1 says 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus...'
Psalm 32:1 says 'Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered...'
A saint is he or she that receives forgiveness of sin from God through Christ Jesus.
My Sharing.
Ephesians 1:2
Grace... and Peace. What a combination! If you have two girls as daughters, you may name one Grace and the other Peace (as if that is all to it). Grace is uncommon, undeserved, unusual favour. Grace is also 'the ability of God made available for a man'. So with God's grace, a man can do what he ordinarily would not be able to do. He could run faster than he could have done otherwise. Grace is therefore Speed. Peace is Stability. Peace is peace. The way we pronounce it shows how it works. But Scriptures said the Peace of God works far beyond our understanding. Phillipians 4:7 says the 'Peace of God surpasses all understanding...'
So Grace gives Ability; Peace gives Stability. In God, you can be fast and steady, don't mind the tortoise.
Ephesians 1:3
My Wife's Sharing.
(She agreed with my points on Grace and Peace. She was more eager to talk about verse 3)
Ephesians 1:3 says God has '... blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places'. Every is every. Which means, in the realm of the spirit, a saint is so immensely blessed. How can one relate to that, really? You see, the spiritual realm is so, so real. It is so real that when the body dies, the spirit lives on. In fact, everything in the phyiscal is being controlled in the spiritual. You may believe it or leave it; at every point in time, the things around you that you can not see are far, far more than the ones you can see with your physical eyes. So, if we are blessed in every way in the spiritual, then the physical is not an issue at all.
You still doubt the efficacy of the spiritual? Paul said there are 'spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places'. Those 'heavenly places' are the very territory where God has blessed you in every way. You may not know it and I do not blame you. A man could be so rich that he can not fully track his wealth. You could continue to steal from him as long as it does not materially affect his wealth. How much knowledge of your bessing has the devil stolen from you? Is it materially affecting your quality of life on earth?
Ephesians 1:4,5
My Wife's Sharing.
(I asked my wife a question. What is Predestination? Do you really believe some are predestined to make heaven and others, hell?. This was her response).
I do not believe anyone is predestined to hell or heaven. (Certain Scriptures began to come to my mind; Pharaoh Exodus 9:16; Vessels of wrath prepared for destruction Romans 9:21-22; Judas John 17:12, but I waited for her to finish, listening). God wants all men to be saved. He calls all men to repentance. (see Acts 17:30). God so loved the world and Jesus died for all (John 3:16, Rom 3:23). The Grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared to all (Titus 2:11). So God wants all men to be saved. (I find that interesting, because as much as God loves a Jew, that Jew still have to accept Christ to make heaven. Paul tried to reason it out in the his letter to the Romans, find time to study it).
The Predestination comes in when you accept Christ, or you refuse Him. See, when you sit in your house and you say you are predestined to get to Abuja, you deceive your self. And when you face Okene to Akure and maybe, have to stop at Ilesa and you say you are preedestined to get to Lagos, you are right. But if you face Okene and on your way to Lagos you say you are predestined to get to Abuja, you will need a U turn. Predestination is two words. Pre- and -Destination. It has more to do with the destination than with you. Before the foundation of the world, the destination(s) have been prepared. The destination is prepared for all who would go. So if you accept Jesus, a destination is prepared for you. If you refuse Jesus, a destination is prepared for you. (I felt like argue a little with my wife, but I resisted the urge).
Romans 8: 30 says '... whom He had predestined, these He also called...' But we know 'Many are called...', but how many get chosen? You get chosen when you heed the call, for He will not cast away any one who comes to Him.
So predestination comes to play when or whether you heed God's call or not. Once you heed His call, you are on a track enroute a destination. Whether you will reach that destination or not is another issue, but the that will not change the fact that a destination has been prepared.
(Hmmm. I married a deep woman).
Ephesians 1: 9
My Sharing.
'...having made known to us the mystery of His will. according to...'
The will of God, (like any will until it is revealed) is a mystery. All that is ours in God are inside God's will. And when that will is made known to us, things begin to happen ACCORDINGLY.
Christianity can be very interesting for Christians. A Christian wants to know God's will as regards his marriage partner, as regards his choice of career, as regards his many daily decisions. This is good, of course. Some people even believe there is a 'Permissive will of God'. I think there is one will of God and it is alway, always good, acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2).
This is the mystery; that when God's will is made known to you, things happen accordingly. No wonder, Paul said '... WE KNOW that all things work together for good...' to us (see Romans 8;28).
Conclusion.
We had to get ready for the day. My wife noted how many times in Chapter One of Ephesians that the word 'according' was mentioned. We counted five; verse 5, 7,9,11 and 19. We will continue from there next time.
We raised a song;
'Open the eyes of my heart, LORD...'
At this point, Daniel stopped playing around the bed. He looked at my wife and me, observing that we were saying the same words... (I plan to get him more musical instruments as toys, he loves music). He kept looking from me to her as we sang.
... To see You high and lifed up
Shining in the ligt of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy...
He kept looking from me to her as we sang.
...Holy holy holy...
We prayed according to Ephesians 1:17-19.
Hope you learned a few things. Looking forward to sharing more of our studies with you.
Thank you and God bless your marriage.
I have carefully avoided writing about marriage since I got married. I believe no one qualifies to teach on marriage if he or she is not married. Was Paul married? I am not sure now, so may be that debunks my stated belief. And Jesus did not marry too. Okay. So I have another belief. I strongly believe that with good interpersonal and relational skills, anyone could have a good marriage. Take away sex, all you do in marriage is relate with another person. Well, I am barely two years in marriage and I still feel I am not qualified to talk about marriage yet.
But I was in courtship with my wife for seven years. We were good friends for three years before I proposed marriage. So in all, we have been in one form of relationship or the other for ten years. I think I am qualified to talk about Relationship, don't you think so? How old am I, really that ten years ago, I had already met my wife? Well, I think I am favoured. My wife came as a package that accompanied my salvation. Yes, I am a little above ten years in the Lord.
You must know then, that Bible Study with my wife started way, way back. I had a room mate in School- Alexander. He used to wonder what kind of friends my wife and I were then. She would come to my place and we would spend hours- and I do not exaggerate, sometimes five hours- with our bibles in front of us, discussing Scriptures. As at that time, I never saw her as my wife to be. To me, it was a Mordecai - Esther relationship. I felt I was preparing her for the King. Okay, know it now; when God gives us a girl, she will be named- not Esther, but- Hadassah. Esther is Persian, Hadassah is Hebrew. They have the same meaning. Yes, you were told Esther means Star. Actually Hadassah (Esther) means Myrtle, a kind of plant popular in Europe and North Africa, it is Star-shaped and evergreen. Okay, Hadassah is not coming now. Daniel is doing very fine, an amazing child- he has been a source of joy and inspiration since he arrived. We give God all the glory.
So, I have no word of advice for a man aspiring to marry other than the one I already offered; treat people well; treat your woman well. However, if you are a Christian man or woman, and you love the Lord Jesus passionately; then I have some prayers for you.
1. May you marry your friend.
2. May you marry God's friend.
A woman that loves you and loves the Lord will only do you good all the days of your life. If she loves the Lord, and does not love you or she loves you and does not love the Lord, you have a major issue. But not to worry; keep treating her well. I know non-Christian marriages that are admirable, so if it is marriage- you could get it right if you are determined. You see, I am not teaching marriage the way Counsellors do. Okay.
So if you are not a Christian, you do not need all those prayer and fasting to find a good person to marry. 'Whosoever finds..' so keep searching. But if you are a Christian man or woman, you know marriage transcends you and your partner. You know marriage stretches far, far into posterity. You know marriage stretches far, far into ancestry. You know, you don't want to get hooked for life with just a nice person, or a good fellow. You know marriage has to do with purpose. You know nothing materially affects purpose like marriage. You know you can not afford to get it wrong in marriage. Well, that is if you are a Christian. If you are not, please read Dale Carnegie's books and they are more than enough to give you a good time in courtship and marriage. I have said enough for now, wait till a few more years when I can say I have walked the road and conquered the path of marriage.
So we had yet another great time together studying the Scriptures. And we just began studying Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Today, I did the reading, then we both discussed whatever God laid in our spirits. Oh yes, as the priest of the house, I do preach sometimes. But I enjoy it more when we discuss. I remember now; one Scripture God gave me as a confirmation to propose marriage to her is Malachi 3:16. It reads thus;
'Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those wo feared the LORD and who meditate on His name'.
We were two hearts that feared God, and all we did then was speak to each other often meditating in His word, so God recorded it in His book. Well, that is personal. And I just hope God gave you a word for your marriage. You will need that word sooner or later or even from time to time.
So I prefer when we discuss Scriptures.
After I read Chapter One, I asked what she got while reading. She hesitated. I know my wife well enough. She would not be pressured to speak. At that moment, she had not 'received' any inspiration. I had. So I spoke. (Please note that I have expanded some of our sharings to benefit you more).
My Sharing.
Ephesians 1:1
Paul was writing to the Ephesians. To the 'saints and faithful in Christ Jesus'. That makes it very relevant to us and every believer in Jesus Christ. Who is a saint? It is amazing that Paul would call any human a saint. The last time I checked the Dictionary I saw the word Saint defined as 'a person acknowlegded as holy'. You will find that the Church has influenced the meaning of that word even in many dictionaries as 'someone canonized as such (a saint)'. But I saw in the Bible God said 'There is none holy, no not one'. (see Romans 3:10 and Psalm 14:3). And it is also written that 'All have sinned...' (see Rom. 3:23; Eccl. 7:20;). John even said 'If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves...' (1 John 1:8-10). And David asked a rhetoric question in Psalm 130:3; 'If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who would stand?' I feel like answering David, 'for some of us, Jesus would stand!' (please notice the difference in case in "LORD" and "Lord" in that Scripture)
Okay. Even Jesus said 'No one is good but one, that is, God' (see Mark 10:18). But He became sin for us so that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him. (see 2 Cor 5:21). John told us in 1 John 2:1 that 'we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous'. Oh we also have an Accuser (see Zech. 3:1). But our Advocate paid the full price and the Accuser knows that fully well. So the saint is he whom God so declares, not the Pope. When you give your life to Christ in an experience called Salvation, you are declared a saint by God. Sin then changes position in your life, sin comes under your feet.
My Wife' Sharing.
(She made her points one by one).
Who ever is forgiven by God is a saint.
Psalm 130:4 says 'There is forgiveness with You...'.
Romans 8:1 says 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus...'
Psalm 32:1 says 'Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered...'
A saint is he or she that receives forgiveness of sin from God through Christ Jesus.
My Sharing.
Ephesians 1:2
Grace... and Peace. What a combination! If you have two girls as daughters, you may name one Grace and the other Peace (as if that is all to it). Grace is uncommon, undeserved, unusual favour. Grace is also 'the ability of God made available for a man'. So with God's grace, a man can do what he ordinarily would not be able to do. He could run faster than he could have done otherwise. Grace is therefore Speed. Peace is Stability. Peace is peace. The way we pronounce it shows how it works. But Scriptures said the Peace of God works far beyond our understanding. Phillipians 4:7 says the 'Peace of God surpasses all understanding...'
So Grace gives Ability; Peace gives Stability. In God, you can be fast and steady, don't mind the tortoise.
Ephesians 1:3
My Wife's Sharing.
(She agreed with my points on Grace and Peace. She was more eager to talk about verse 3)
Ephesians 1:3 says God has '... blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places'. Every is every. Which means, in the realm of the spirit, a saint is so immensely blessed. How can one relate to that, really? You see, the spiritual realm is so, so real. It is so real that when the body dies, the spirit lives on. In fact, everything in the phyiscal is being controlled in the spiritual. You may believe it or leave it; at every point in time, the things around you that you can not see are far, far more than the ones you can see with your physical eyes. So, if we are blessed in every way in the spiritual, then the physical is not an issue at all.
You still doubt the efficacy of the spiritual? Paul said there are 'spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places'. Those 'heavenly places' are the very territory where God has blessed you in every way. You may not know it and I do not blame you. A man could be so rich that he can not fully track his wealth. You could continue to steal from him as long as it does not materially affect his wealth. How much knowledge of your bessing has the devil stolen from you? Is it materially affecting your quality of life on earth?
Ephesians 1:4,5
My Wife's Sharing.
(I asked my wife a question. What is Predestination? Do you really believe some are predestined to make heaven and others, hell?. This was her response).
I do not believe anyone is predestined to hell or heaven. (Certain Scriptures began to come to my mind; Pharaoh Exodus 9:16; Vessels of wrath prepared for destruction Romans 9:21-22; Judas John 17:12, but I waited for her to finish, listening). God wants all men to be saved. He calls all men to repentance. (see Acts 17:30). God so loved the world and Jesus died for all (John 3:16, Rom 3:23). The Grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared to all (Titus 2:11). So God wants all men to be saved. (I find that interesting, because as much as God loves a Jew, that Jew still have to accept Christ to make heaven. Paul tried to reason it out in the his letter to the Romans, find time to study it).
The Predestination comes in when you accept Christ, or you refuse Him. See, when you sit in your house and you say you are predestined to get to Abuja, you deceive your self. And when you face Okene to Akure and maybe, have to stop at Ilesa and you say you are preedestined to get to Lagos, you are right. But if you face Okene and on your way to Lagos you say you are predestined to get to Abuja, you will need a U turn. Predestination is two words. Pre- and -Destination. It has more to do with the destination than with you. Before the foundation of the world, the destination(s) have been prepared. The destination is prepared for all who would go. So if you accept Jesus, a destination is prepared for you. If you refuse Jesus, a destination is prepared for you. (I felt like argue a little with my wife, but I resisted the urge).
Romans 8: 30 says '... whom He had predestined, these He also called...' But we know 'Many are called...', but how many get chosen? You get chosen when you heed the call, for He will not cast away any one who comes to Him.
So predestination comes to play when or whether you heed God's call or not. Once you heed His call, you are on a track enroute a destination. Whether you will reach that destination or not is another issue, but the that will not change the fact that a destination has been prepared.
(Hmmm. I married a deep woman).
Ephesians 1: 9
My Sharing.
'...having made known to us the mystery of His will. according to...'
The will of God, (like any will until it is revealed) is a mystery. All that is ours in God are inside God's will. And when that will is made known to us, things begin to happen ACCORDINGLY.
Christianity can be very interesting for Christians. A Christian wants to know God's will as regards his marriage partner, as regards his choice of career, as regards his many daily decisions. This is good, of course. Some people even believe there is a 'Permissive will of God'. I think there is one will of God and it is alway, always good, acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2).
This is the mystery; that when God's will is made known to you, things happen accordingly. No wonder, Paul said '... WE KNOW that all things work together for good...' to us (see Romans 8;28).
Conclusion.
We had to get ready for the day. My wife noted how many times in Chapter One of Ephesians that the word 'according' was mentioned. We counted five; verse 5, 7,9,11 and 19. We will continue from there next time.
We raised a song;
'Open the eyes of my heart, LORD...'
At this point, Daniel stopped playing around the bed. He looked at my wife and me, observing that we were saying the same words... (I plan to get him more musical instruments as toys, he loves music). He kept looking from me to her as we sang.
... To see You high and lifed up
Shining in the ligt of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy...
He kept looking from me to her as we sang.
...Holy holy holy...
We prayed according to Ephesians 1:17-19.
Hope you learned a few things. Looking forward to sharing more of our studies with you.
Thank you and God bless your marriage.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
OPENING THE DOORS OF JOY
Every time, I put pen on paper, I engage the enemy in a fierce battle. Especially in this series where everlasting doors are opening. Doors of Joy are flinging wide open this year and the devil is mad for nothing. I rejoice to see this piece on the web. I have experienced resistance from the devil in this particular piece in many unique ways. I am sure you want to know why.
The Holy Spirit told me that April is the Month of All Comfort. As the month progresses, my heart begins to reach out to everyone that is grieving. The examination of life has no timetable. It is such that neighbours, a couple, friends could be so close and yet be at different seasons at a time in their lives. One may be rejoicing for the good things of life and the other in deep sorrow. These two extreme worlds happen side by side all the time. For instance, I know a family who waited for their first child for six years. When the child came, who would deny them their joy? About the same period, I know a family, who lost its bread winner; who would console them? We easily forget that the bad news that permeate our media are real life events happening to real people. Every day, some one is sorrowing and in deep, deep pain. I feel like rephrasing a Scripture; 'The hearts of men are desperately sorrowful, who can feel it?' When the sun rises on you, please remember it sets on someone else. We are in our different seasons of life.
Yet I am going to talk about Joy today. Joy can not be pretended. You can not act it. I hope to deliver the Joy that will trascend the realities of our different seasons, such that whatever has happened or has not happened will no longer be the factor for your joy. Holy Spirit, help me in this. Let me talk more to those that are grieving. I have no words with the magical ability to transform your situation. I discovered when Jesus says to a weeping mother who lost a child; 'Weep not', it is because He would raise that child. (Luke 7:13-14). If you can not turn it around, you have no business trying to talk me out of it. I discovered only God can comfort a heart that grieves. Scripture said concerning Rachel; 'In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted...' (See Matthew 2:18). She would not be comforted. See, there are misfortunes that befall people and no man, nothing would comfort them. The best you could do for anyone grieving around you is to be by them. If you are so moved, weep with them; but do not even bother to say a word. I also discovered that the saying "Time heals all wounds' is not always true. There are hearts that break into particles such that even Time can not gather again. It will take something beyond Time to fix a heart who loses a loving friend.
So, if you are reading this piece at a time you are in despair, run to the Holy Spirit fast. Why am I so confident you will find succour in Him? See John 16:7; Jesus was telling His disciples how expedient it was for Him to leave them (in His physical form). It is interesting to me, that even Jesus had to leave. Who could be better than Jesus, yet He did not only leave, He left young. We hate to lose our friends and relations. It is so painful. There is a sense of finality that accompanies the news of someone's death and nobody wants to feel such pain. Why do good people die? Good or not, why do our people have to die? Well, Jesus had to go too. You might begin to rationalise and say 'Jesus' case was different, He rose and ascend to Heaven'. Is that not the same line with which we console people who are bereaved of loved ones? Anyway, Jesus could see the sorrow in their heart as He prepared to leave the earth. And He was not going to leave them without comfort. He sent to them the 'Holy Spirit'.
This is not the space to elaborate on the personality and purpose of the Holy Spirit. But let me quickly tell a believer in Jesus Christ there that the Holy Spirit is one great advantage you have over everyone else who does not believe in Jesus Christ. (See John 16:7 NKJV). Okay. At this point, Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit to the disciples as 'The Comforter'. That is so loaded. If men could not comfort you, and God could not, so where is comfort? Our God is the 'God of All Comfort' (2 Corinthians 1:3). I challenge you today, to engage the Holy Spirit in your moment of grief. Jesus left but the disciples were comforted. How did I know the disciples were comforted? Jesus departed as He said, but the zeal with which they (the disciples) carried on tells me they were comforted beyond the dictionary meaning of the word. That is a proof that you have touched Comfort. And if you are not grieving at the moment, must you wait for a moment of grief? I pray that the God of all Comfort will reach out to all hearts that grieve through His Holy Spirit today. Amen.
Now, Joy. How do I start talking about Joy, without checking Galatians 5:22-23? "The fruit of the (Holy) Spirit is ... Joy...". Joy is one very strong evident that a believer is filled with the Holy Spirit. Joy is the emotion everyone wants to have. I have a friend who once told me he was a hedonist. I asked what that means, he said he is a 'lover of pleasure'. And I asked him 'Who isn't?' Even a sadist derives pleasure from pain. We all want to be happy. People look to money, friends, sex, drugs, achievements, acquisitions and so on, to give them joy. My friend does much of these to make him feel hedonistic and I can identify with him. That momentary feeling of satisfaction swelling in our hearts when we have so much in our accounts, or when people rally around us, or when we climax in love making, or when that dose of drug gets us high, or when that appointment or promotion shows our worth, or when that article we purchase or possess gives us pride; that momentary feeling is what we seek to sustain. We seek to reach and remain in that realm where there is no care. Many people get there only to crash. I intend to show you the vehicle to take you and keep you there.
Jesus recommended the Holy Spirit for our comfort. I have studied the apostles that propelled the gospel after Jesus physically left the scene. They did all they did with so much enthusiasm. Yet the contradictions were there all the time. They were misunderstood, they were arrested, they were tortured and they suffered all kinds of persecutions, yet you could feel the joy in them. If joy is that 'feel good' thing when things are good, it is all too cheap. But Joy is that 'feel good' thing even when things are not good. This is the place where our faith has any advantage whatsoever. Nehemiah told the people in Nehemiah 8:10 'Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength'. Your strength as a believer is measured by your Joy Content. Jesus said '... that My joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full' (John 15:11). You can not have Jesus Joy and be depressed. If God sent His only Son to die for you, what in heaven and earth should hinder your joy? What else would mark you out as a redeemed person, if not the joy that radiates from inside you? Joy is an integral part of our redemption. The Kingdom of God is the Domain of Joy. Righteousness, Peace Joy in the Holy Ghost- that is the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17). We are the ones to distribute Joy to the world.
I get particularly worried when I enter a congregation of morose christians. The Good News of Salvation was described by the angel as 'good tidings of great joy' (Luke 2:10). Matthew recorded that the wise men rejoiced with EXCEEDING GREAT JOY, when they saw the Star of His birth. (Matthew 2:10). Prophet Isaiah decribed the joy at Christ's coming as when 'men rejoice as they divide the spoil' (Isaiah 9:3). The Coming of Jesus Christ is the spoiling of the devil and all his forces. Just like his birth, the death of Jesus Christ should elicit unstoppable joy from a believer's heart. Paul said Christ 'disarmed principalities and power' and He made them a laughing stock (See Colosians 2:15). Scripture tells us 'He who sits in heaven shall laugh' (Psalm 2:4). God sits in heaven, and you do too! (See Ephesians 2:6). You cheat yourself a great deal if you have not learned how to laugh the devil to scorn. But even more, you grieve the Holy Spirit.
God placed a curse on a people in Deuteronomy 28:47-48; saying 'Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart... you shall serve your enemies...'. Psalm 100 gives us an idea of heaven. The Psalmist said 'Make a joyful shout to the LORD..., Serve the LORD with gladness...' (Psalm 100:1-2). Of course, we serve God with reverence (Hebrews 12:28-29). But as we revere Him, we must know how to revel in Him. Scriptures does not say in vain, that 'In Your presence there is fullness of Joy... and pleasures forevermore' (Psalm 16:11). Nehemiah knew something about serving a king. He said 'I had never been sad in his (that is, King Artaxerxes') presence before. Serving God with joy is a unique art of worship.
I am sure you do not enjoy serving your enemies. Why serve God like you would an enemy? Israel served Egypt for too long and when her deliverance came, Israel had to learn to rejoice. Moses had to compose a song which with Miriam taught the people to dance (See Exodus 15:1-21). Ezra had to instruct the people how to rejoice, for they had been under the oppression and fear of their enemies. (See Nehemiah 8:10). Sometimes, we tend to see life as a series of bad news. And that is not so far from the truth. Jesus said 'Sufficient is the day of its own evil'. Every single day is loaded with enough evil that Paul said plainly that the days are evil. But that is only one side ot it. The other side is in this Scripture 'This is the day that the LORD has made, we wil rejoice and be glad in it'. Question is; which day did the devil make? None. So everyday is your day of joy. Even today.
vbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb (My son wrote that and I feel I should leave it. I guess he meant 'vibrating'). And truly, Joy is a vibration. You respond to beats that are beyond you. The Holy Spirit inside you just can not be depressed. He will comfort you and pump joy into you and through you. He would do that over and over.
Let me wrap this up by giving three ways to allow God's joy into your life.
1. Be Born Again.
You can not skip that in God. You se, the examination of life will hit you when you least expect, and when push comes to shove, it will matter a great deal if you are saved in Christ. The point is, this does not make you exatly free from what happens to people, but you have an advantage. I had an experience once and at other times too, in my place of prayer. I was praying to God and suddenly I was caught up in the Spirit. I began to speak in tongues so fluently. A part of my heart was vibrating and it was as if my mouth was dancing to the rhythm. The part I want to tell is this; In the midst of the whole extra ordinary experience, I saw myself in tears, but I was laughing at the same time. I can not explain it. The feeling too was beyond words. And both were real, the tears and the laughter.
When you become born again (that is, saved and washed by the blood of Jesus), you have a 'shock absorber' in God. The way that laughter so cushioned whatever caused my tears, that is how pain, no matter how real can not break you. Paul asked Death where its sting was. (1 Corinthians 15:55). Like Job, you would say in the midst of the worst trials 'Though he slays me, yet will I trust Him' (Job 13:15). You could look the devil in the eye and say 'Is that your worst?'. Watch it, do not ever dare him, if you are not in God. By the time he dealt with Job, his wife advised Job to die. His friends wept for days, before they could even say a word to him.
There is such an experience called 'The Joy Of Salvation'. David knew something about it. David dreaded ever losing that joy. He cried out in Psalm 51: 12; "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation...'. Could that be the secret that saw David maintain the right spirit (call it attitude) in spite of all he went through? I say to you, what I have always said 'Accept Christ Today'. You got it. A C T. Do not wait till life tests you.
2. Engage the Holy Spirit.
I can not say too much about Him. The most undertilized weapon in our armoury as believers is the Holy Spirit. I am sure we would want to be alive in the days when Jesus walked the earth. That is exactly what we have in the Holy Spirit. He has come to fill you. While He is not a feeling, you can feel Him through joy. He is very present. He came in place of the physical Jesus. He is real. Talk to Him. Deep, deep pain in your heart, relate to Him. Share your happy moments with Him. Share your down times with Him. Carry Him along. Invite Him to meals. You sure know what I mean. Ping him often. Just keep in touch, He is your best friend.
One of the books that revolutinalized my walk with God was Benny Hinn, 'Good Morning, Holy Spirit'. Ah, you wake in the mornig, you say to Him 'Good Morning, Dear One'. You go to bed with the words 'Nice Night, Holy One'. You are broke, tell Him. You are excited, embrace Him. I am saying; get obsessed! Did you notice how Paul compared being 'filled with the Holy Spirit' with 'getting drunk to the point of dissipation or what King james call "debauchery"'? (Ephesians 5:18). Debauchery means excessive indulgence in sensality. Indulge the Holy Spirit, Keep filling in. I tried to tell my hedonistic friend that we also get drunk, don't we? (See Ephesians 5:18).
3.Practice Joy.
Make Joy and exercise. As the Holy Spirit fills you with joy, apply your consciousness to it. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16, we are told to 'Rejoice always'. I like to examine that word for a while. The word 'Rejoice' was mentioned twelve times in his letter to the Philippians. (Lets do the exercise; 1. and 2. in Philippians 1:18; 3. in Philippians 2:16. 4. in Philippians 2:17. 5. in Philippians 2:18. 6. in Philippians 2:28. 7. in Philippians 3:1. 8. in Philippians 3:3. 0. and 10. in Philippians 4:4. 11. in Philippians 4:10.) Did you do the exercise? So look for the twelfth time. Supply it, then. Rejoice!
Historians say Paul actually wrote that piece from the prison- or a dungeon for that matter. I already told you, you can not depress a Jesus joy. But why was Paul emphatic or why was he repeating that word to the Philippians? It is funny, but believe it, Paul was inscribing Joy into his consciousness. From the word itself 'Re-' is a prefix that suggests some effort being applied to an action to make it happen again. Recall, Remember, Regain, Repair, Retain, Re-elect... I am not about to teach language. That is what it takes from your own part to sustain your joy. Are you bereaved? Rejoice! Are you rejected? Rejoice! Are you betrayed? Rejoice! Practice Joy. Stretch your limit in joy. That is why Scriptures say 'The voice of rejoicings ... is in the tents of the righteous' (Psalm 118:15) It is not as if the righteous never sorrow, he only knows how to practice Joy. I like the last three times Paul said that word (Philippians 4;4, an 10), He added ' in the Lord'. So even that effort is not yours, really. It's all in the Lord.
As you practice rejoicing, it is like you are drawing water from a well. Drawing water from a well is some exercise, at least I know that. Isaiah said ' Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation' (Isaiah 12:3). In Salvation there are wells of water waiting to be drawn from, when we learn to rejoice. Look everyday in the eye, and declare 'This is the day my God has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it' (Psalm 118:24).
God is opening doors of Joy this year. The experience will set you on course for the rest of eternity.
Rejoice in the Lord! Again, I say to you, rejoice!
The Holy Spirit told me that April is the Month of All Comfort. As the month progresses, my heart begins to reach out to everyone that is grieving. The examination of life has no timetable. It is such that neighbours, a couple, friends could be so close and yet be at different seasons at a time in their lives. One may be rejoicing for the good things of life and the other in deep sorrow. These two extreme worlds happen side by side all the time. For instance, I know a family who waited for their first child for six years. When the child came, who would deny them their joy? About the same period, I know a family, who lost its bread winner; who would console them? We easily forget that the bad news that permeate our media are real life events happening to real people. Every day, some one is sorrowing and in deep, deep pain. I feel like rephrasing a Scripture; 'The hearts of men are desperately sorrowful, who can feel it?' When the sun rises on you, please remember it sets on someone else. We are in our different seasons of life.
Yet I am going to talk about Joy today. Joy can not be pretended. You can not act it. I hope to deliver the Joy that will trascend the realities of our different seasons, such that whatever has happened or has not happened will no longer be the factor for your joy. Holy Spirit, help me in this. Let me talk more to those that are grieving. I have no words with the magical ability to transform your situation. I discovered when Jesus says to a weeping mother who lost a child; 'Weep not', it is because He would raise that child. (Luke 7:13-14). If you can not turn it around, you have no business trying to talk me out of it. I discovered only God can comfort a heart that grieves. Scripture said concerning Rachel; 'In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted...' (See Matthew 2:18). She would not be comforted. See, there are misfortunes that befall people and no man, nothing would comfort them. The best you could do for anyone grieving around you is to be by them. If you are so moved, weep with them; but do not even bother to say a word. I also discovered that the saying "Time heals all wounds' is not always true. There are hearts that break into particles such that even Time can not gather again. It will take something beyond Time to fix a heart who loses a loving friend.
So, if you are reading this piece at a time you are in despair, run to the Holy Spirit fast. Why am I so confident you will find succour in Him? See John 16:7; Jesus was telling His disciples how expedient it was for Him to leave them (in His physical form). It is interesting to me, that even Jesus had to leave. Who could be better than Jesus, yet He did not only leave, He left young. We hate to lose our friends and relations. It is so painful. There is a sense of finality that accompanies the news of someone's death and nobody wants to feel such pain. Why do good people die? Good or not, why do our people have to die? Well, Jesus had to go too. You might begin to rationalise and say 'Jesus' case was different, He rose and ascend to Heaven'. Is that not the same line with which we console people who are bereaved of loved ones? Anyway, Jesus could see the sorrow in their heart as He prepared to leave the earth. And He was not going to leave them without comfort. He sent to them the 'Holy Spirit'.
This is not the space to elaborate on the personality and purpose of the Holy Spirit. But let me quickly tell a believer in Jesus Christ there that the Holy Spirit is one great advantage you have over everyone else who does not believe in Jesus Christ. (See John 16:7 NKJV). Okay. At this point, Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit to the disciples as 'The Comforter'. That is so loaded. If men could not comfort you, and God could not, so where is comfort? Our God is the 'God of All Comfort' (2 Corinthians 1:3). I challenge you today, to engage the Holy Spirit in your moment of grief. Jesus left but the disciples were comforted. How did I know the disciples were comforted? Jesus departed as He said, but the zeal with which they (the disciples) carried on tells me they were comforted beyond the dictionary meaning of the word. That is a proof that you have touched Comfort. And if you are not grieving at the moment, must you wait for a moment of grief? I pray that the God of all Comfort will reach out to all hearts that grieve through His Holy Spirit today. Amen.
Now, Joy. How do I start talking about Joy, without checking Galatians 5:22-23? "The fruit of the (Holy) Spirit is ... Joy...". Joy is one very strong evident that a believer is filled with the Holy Spirit. Joy is the emotion everyone wants to have. I have a friend who once told me he was a hedonist. I asked what that means, he said he is a 'lover of pleasure'. And I asked him 'Who isn't?' Even a sadist derives pleasure from pain. We all want to be happy. People look to money, friends, sex, drugs, achievements, acquisitions and so on, to give them joy. My friend does much of these to make him feel hedonistic and I can identify with him. That momentary feeling of satisfaction swelling in our hearts when we have so much in our accounts, or when people rally around us, or when we climax in love making, or when that dose of drug gets us high, or when that appointment or promotion shows our worth, or when that article we purchase or possess gives us pride; that momentary feeling is what we seek to sustain. We seek to reach and remain in that realm where there is no care. Many people get there only to crash. I intend to show you the vehicle to take you and keep you there.
Jesus recommended the Holy Spirit for our comfort. I have studied the apostles that propelled the gospel after Jesus physically left the scene. They did all they did with so much enthusiasm. Yet the contradictions were there all the time. They were misunderstood, they were arrested, they were tortured and they suffered all kinds of persecutions, yet you could feel the joy in them. If joy is that 'feel good' thing when things are good, it is all too cheap. But Joy is that 'feel good' thing even when things are not good. This is the place where our faith has any advantage whatsoever. Nehemiah told the people in Nehemiah 8:10 'Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength'. Your strength as a believer is measured by your Joy Content. Jesus said '... that My joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full' (John 15:11). You can not have Jesus Joy and be depressed. If God sent His only Son to die for you, what in heaven and earth should hinder your joy? What else would mark you out as a redeemed person, if not the joy that radiates from inside you? Joy is an integral part of our redemption. The Kingdom of God is the Domain of Joy. Righteousness, Peace Joy in the Holy Ghost- that is the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17). We are the ones to distribute Joy to the world.
I get particularly worried when I enter a congregation of morose christians. The Good News of Salvation was described by the angel as 'good tidings of great joy' (Luke 2:10). Matthew recorded that the wise men rejoiced with EXCEEDING GREAT JOY, when they saw the Star of His birth. (Matthew 2:10). Prophet Isaiah decribed the joy at Christ's coming as when 'men rejoice as they divide the spoil' (Isaiah 9:3). The Coming of Jesus Christ is the spoiling of the devil and all his forces. Just like his birth, the death of Jesus Christ should elicit unstoppable joy from a believer's heart. Paul said Christ 'disarmed principalities and power' and He made them a laughing stock (See Colosians 2:15). Scripture tells us 'He who sits in heaven shall laugh' (Psalm 2:4). God sits in heaven, and you do too! (See Ephesians 2:6). You cheat yourself a great deal if you have not learned how to laugh the devil to scorn. But even more, you grieve the Holy Spirit.
God placed a curse on a people in Deuteronomy 28:47-48; saying 'Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart... you shall serve your enemies...'. Psalm 100 gives us an idea of heaven. The Psalmist said 'Make a joyful shout to the LORD..., Serve the LORD with gladness...' (Psalm 100:1-2). Of course, we serve God with reverence (Hebrews 12:28-29). But as we revere Him, we must know how to revel in Him. Scriptures does not say in vain, that 'In Your presence there is fullness of Joy... and pleasures forevermore' (Psalm 16:11). Nehemiah knew something about serving a king. He said 'I had never been sad in his (that is, King Artaxerxes') presence before. Serving God with joy is a unique art of worship.
I am sure you do not enjoy serving your enemies. Why serve God like you would an enemy? Israel served Egypt for too long and when her deliverance came, Israel had to learn to rejoice. Moses had to compose a song which with Miriam taught the people to dance (See Exodus 15:1-21). Ezra had to instruct the people how to rejoice, for they had been under the oppression and fear of their enemies. (See Nehemiah 8:10). Sometimes, we tend to see life as a series of bad news. And that is not so far from the truth. Jesus said 'Sufficient is the day of its own evil'. Every single day is loaded with enough evil that Paul said plainly that the days are evil. But that is only one side ot it. The other side is in this Scripture 'This is the day that the LORD has made, we wil rejoice and be glad in it'. Question is; which day did the devil make? None. So everyday is your day of joy. Even today.
vbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb (My son wrote that and I feel I should leave it. I guess he meant 'vibrating'). And truly, Joy is a vibration. You respond to beats that are beyond you. The Holy Spirit inside you just can not be depressed. He will comfort you and pump joy into you and through you. He would do that over and over.
Let me wrap this up by giving three ways to allow God's joy into your life.
1. Be Born Again.
You can not skip that in God. You se, the examination of life will hit you when you least expect, and when push comes to shove, it will matter a great deal if you are saved in Christ. The point is, this does not make you exatly free from what happens to people, but you have an advantage. I had an experience once and at other times too, in my place of prayer. I was praying to God and suddenly I was caught up in the Spirit. I began to speak in tongues so fluently. A part of my heart was vibrating and it was as if my mouth was dancing to the rhythm. The part I want to tell is this; In the midst of the whole extra ordinary experience, I saw myself in tears, but I was laughing at the same time. I can not explain it. The feeling too was beyond words. And both were real, the tears and the laughter.
When you become born again (that is, saved and washed by the blood of Jesus), you have a 'shock absorber' in God. The way that laughter so cushioned whatever caused my tears, that is how pain, no matter how real can not break you. Paul asked Death where its sting was. (1 Corinthians 15:55). Like Job, you would say in the midst of the worst trials 'Though he slays me, yet will I trust Him' (Job 13:15). You could look the devil in the eye and say 'Is that your worst?'. Watch it, do not ever dare him, if you are not in God. By the time he dealt with Job, his wife advised Job to die. His friends wept for days, before they could even say a word to him.
There is such an experience called 'The Joy Of Salvation'. David knew something about it. David dreaded ever losing that joy. He cried out in Psalm 51: 12; "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation...'. Could that be the secret that saw David maintain the right spirit (call it attitude) in spite of all he went through? I say to you, what I have always said 'Accept Christ Today'. You got it. A C T. Do not wait till life tests you.
2. Engage the Holy Spirit.
I can not say too much about Him. The most undertilized weapon in our armoury as believers is the Holy Spirit. I am sure we would want to be alive in the days when Jesus walked the earth. That is exactly what we have in the Holy Spirit. He has come to fill you. While He is not a feeling, you can feel Him through joy. He is very present. He came in place of the physical Jesus. He is real. Talk to Him. Deep, deep pain in your heart, relate to Him. Share your happy moments with Him. Share your down times with Him. Carry Him along. Invite Him to meals. You sure know what I mean. Ping him often. Just keep in touch, He is your best friend.
One of the books that revolutinalized my walk with God was Benny Hinn, 'Good Morning, Holy Spirit'. Ah, you wake in the mornig, you say to Him 'Good Morning, Dear One'. You go to bed with the words 'Nice Night, Holy One'. You are broke, tell Him. You are excited, embrace Him. I am saying; get obsessed! Did you notice how Paul compared being 'filled with the Holy Spirit' with 'getting drunk to the point of dissipation or what King james call "debauchery"'? (Ephesians 5:18). Debauchery means excessive indulgence in sensality. Indulge the Holy Spirit, Keep filling in. I tried to tell my hedonistic friend that we also get drunk, don't we? (See Ephesians 5:18).
3.Practice Joy.
Make Joy and exercise. As the Holy Spirit fills you with joy, apply your consciousness to it. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16, we are told to 'Rejoice always'. I like to examine that word for a while. The word 'Rejoice' was mentioned twelve times in his letter to the Philippians. (Lets do the exercise; 1. and 2. in Philippians 1:18; 3. in Philippians 2:16. 4. in Philippians 2:17. 5. in Philippians 2:18. 6. in Philippians 2:28. 7. in Philippians 3:1. 8. in Philippians 3:3. 0. and 10. in Philippians 4:4. 11. in Philippians 4:10.) Did you do the exercise? So look for the twelfth time. Supply it, then. Rejoice!
Historians say Paul actually wrote that piece from the prison- or a dungeon for that matter. I already told you, you can not depress a Jesus joy. But why was Paul emphatic or why was he repeating that word to the Philippians? It is funny, but believe it, Paul was inscribing Joy into his consciousness. From the word itself 'Re-' is a prefix that suggests some effort being applied to an action to make it happen again. Recall, Remember, Regain, Repair, Retain, Re-elect... I am not about to teach language. That is what it takes from your own part to sustain your joy. Are you bereaved? Rejoice! Are you rejected? Rejoice! Are you betrayed? Rejoice! Practice Joy. Stretch your limit in joy. That is why Scriptures say 'The voice of rejoicings ... is in the tents of the righteous' (Psalm 118:15) It is not as if the righteous never sorrow, he only knows how to practice Joy. I like the last three times Paul said that word (Philippians 4;4, an 10), He added ' in the Lord'. So even that effort is not yours, really. It's all in the Lord.
As you practice rejoicing, it is like you are drawing water from a well. Drawing water from a well is some exercise, at least I know that. Isaiah said ' Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation' (Isaiah 12:3). In Salvation there are wells of water waiting to be drawn from, when we learn to rejoice. Look everyday in the eye, and declare 'This is the day my God has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it' (Psalm 118:24).
God is opening doors of Joy this year. The experience will set you on course for the rest of eternity.
Rejoice in the Lord! Again, I say to you, rejoice!
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
OPENING THE DOORS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The year is taking shape very fast. 2012 is very strategic in many respects. I try to tell as many as I can; this is the year paradigms will change completely. Doors are opening, no matter whose ox is gored. And I can bet you, the devil is getting really, really mad. God is stepping on grounds that the enemy thought have been conceded to him over the ages. Ha ha! Aiyamexcited!
There are reasons to be excited; but let us get sober first. I refer you to the post that precedes this one; Opening the Door of Mercy. If you do not locate mercy, you may not survive these times. Oh, have you not noticed how cheaply human lives are being taken? What are the criteria that determine who and who become victims and who will escape? It's a bit funny, though scary. It is as if anything can go off anytime, anywhere, and anyone could be there. Oh, we believe bad things happen to 'some other people'. No wonder we easily ask 'Why me?'. May God keep you and me. The Psalmist taught us to say:
'Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us. But to Your name give glory, BECAUSE OF YOUR MERCY...' (Psalm 115:1).
You and I must locate mercy and reside there permanently. Hear what Jesus told some people when a tower fell in Siloam and killed eighteen people. He said 'Do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men in Jerusalem?' (See Luke 13:1-5). Just answer that yourself. Paul the apostle said 'So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy'. (Romans 9:16).
See, the devil is mad about a revival that is about to hit the earth. In Revelation 12 we see the dragon standing face to face with the woman in labour, and with his tail he dropped a third of the stars (vs 4). Many of God's children will still be casualties, if they take for granted the mercies of God.
Job's children probably relied on the righteousness of their father. You have got to stop thinking your pastor got you covered, or your General Overseer oversees your soul. And you dare not trust your own righteousness. There is One Righteousness you can bank on. That is where we are going today. By His own mercies, God will open a Door today; the Door of Righteousness. Okay.
I may need to refer to that pivotal Scripture once again. Psalm 24:7-10.
'Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shal come in. Who is this King of Glory? The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.
The Door of Righteousness, no doubt was open by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before He came, all acts of righteousness were at best a filthy rag before God. (See Isaiah 64:6). You only need to read the Book of Leviticus and see the extent to which man must go to even appear before God. So much depended on the high priests and their carrying out of the many sacrifices stipulated for the purification of body and soul. (See Hebrews 8:3). Sacrifices were done year in year out because the blood of bulls and goats can not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Let me tell you a few things about sin.
Never you think of sin as something you do or an act you commit or omit. Of course there are sinful acts, but essentially, sin is a mystery; and the Bible said that much (See 2 Thess. 2:7). And this is the age when the full power of iniquity will come upon men. Maybe I am just imagining things. Why did Paul talk of 'the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who NOW works ... '? (See Eph. 2:2-3). 2 Thessalonians said 'the mystery (of lawlessness) is already at work'. It is as if it had not been at work before. Isaiah saw this when he exclaimed '...darkness shall cover the earth, GROSS (or deep) DARKNESS the people...' (Isaiah 60:2). And you remember the Lord Jesus Himself said '...iniquity shall abound...' (Matthew 24:12). Sin is a mystery and the fullness of it is being unleashed on my generation. So how did I know sin is a mystery?
Many of us think the devil brought sin to the world. I know the Bible said '... the devil sins from the beginning ...' (I John 3:8). Yes. The devil perpetrates sins, but sin did not originate from him. He was the first sinner, but he was not the source of sin. See Ezekiel 28, from verse 12, there was a lamentation for the king of Tyre- a typology of Lucifer- who was the seal of perfection UNTIL INIQUITY WAS FOUND IN HIM. (Verse 15). Another version said 'till sin entered him'. Sin entered the devil too! Sin made him the devil, he has no mastery over sin. Sin is stronger than Satan. Don't let him deceive you. He is as powerless over sin as many people are. In fact, while the blood of Jesus is available for men, Satan can no longer repent.
So if sin is a mystery, what is the way out? Like a covenant, only a higher mystery can solve a mystery. Here is the higher mystery that de-mystifies sin. 1 Tim. 3:16 says
'... without controversy, great is the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory,'
It is not only men, even Lucifer can not understand that Jesus was God in the flesh. How do you comprehend it; that God became man? But that is the joker that dismantled sin! The Omnipotent God was crucified for man?! Scriptures said
'None of the princes of the world had known, for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory'. (1Cor2:8).
So God has de-mystified sin in Jesus Christ. If you have been saved by Jesus Christ, sin no longer have dominion over you! (Romans 6:14).
So, our faith is a mystery too. (1Tim3:9). Godliness - the process of our redemption- is a mystery; so also is Faith; the process of our believing. (1Tim. 3 16e). Faith is not cheap. May you never take your salvation for granted. Ah ha! When Jesus died on the cross, He went to hell to preach the gospel. (See 1Pet.3:18-20). Did Satan repent? No. Noah preached for 120 years, no one believed him. Only his household survived the flood. Even Isaiah began to wonder if anyone really believes the gospel (see Isaiah 53::1). So if you have believed the gospel and are saved by the Lord Jesus, you are a mystery to the devil. You mesmerize him, only that you don't know it.
Another mystery that overwhelm sin is 'Preaching' (See 1 Tim 3:16d). Paul said
'Since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING to save those who believe' (1Cor. 1:21).
No wonder, the wisest man of those days, Solomon said 'He that wins souls is wise' (Proverbs 11:30).
You see, If God came in the flesh, that message ought to be preached until it is believed. If you believed, make others believe. This is the way righteousness will engulf the land. God is sending labourers to the field in droves. These are the days of His power, and volunteers of the gospel must come forth ; For '
How then shall they call on Him who they have not believed? And how shall they believed on Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?' (Rom. 10:14).
This is the season to preach the gospel 'in and out of season' 2Tim 4:2). And trust me, the labourers are here.
The Door of Righteousness is being open. It has been open since, I know. But there are everlasting gates in the nations of the earth and the hearts of men that are going to give way this year and years that follow. There are many examples of nations, tribes and people where the righteousness of God seems to be denied entry for ages. There are generations of idol worshippers, whose lineage is void of any righteousness. Such are the entries, the light of God will have this year onward. If Jesus must return soon, the gospel of the Kingdom will gain a fresh lease. (See Mat. 24:14). And the zeal of the LORD will accomplish it. He said to the devil 'I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'. He meant every word.
1. Islam. The religion of the millennium is no doubt, Islam. This is one religion which has its history, development and amazing spread in the full glare of everyone. Judaism dates back to about 4,000 years ago; Christianity to more than 2000 years; and Islam is about 1400 years on earth. It is the fastest growing religion for a long time now and Mohammed is the most common name on earth. I love Muslims. Some of my most valuable friends are muslims. The passion and the dedication in that religion as practised by its followers is highly commendable. You just can not deny the obvious. I have tried severally to finish the Quran, and each time, I discover I am not pulled enough. Now, if that is the book that has revolutionalized the world, then there is something more. See, until Islam is de-mystified, this gospel will not even penetrate a Jew. But God has a plan, it has been unfolding. We are reaching the grand finale. The knowledge of the glory of God will fill the earth as the waters cover the seas. You who have heard the gospel and joke with it, beware. People who are hearing it for the first time are about to take it to another level. And the first shall be the last...
2. Kanuri. If you are talking Islam in Africa, you must give Kanuri a big mention. I served the nation as a National Youth Corp Member in Maiduguri, Borno State. Of course, it was the Home of Peace then, not now that it is the House of War. I had some experiences that endeared me to the Kanuris. I also did some research. Kanuri had been entrenched in Islam for more than 1000 years. They are the people who brought the religion to West Africa. And today, only as few as 20 Kanuri Christians are known. I said Twenty, not Two Hundred. Christian Missionaries have been there, of course. We are talking of 'everlasting doors' here. Okay. With God, Moses had to deliver a people 400 years old in slavery, this generation is faced with 1000 year old ideologies. The God who parted the Red Sea is here again.
Now let's get closer to this awesome door. Righteousness is a doctrine for all the religions of the world. It is simply 'doing what is right before the Supreme Being'. So the fundamental question is which religion worships the true God? I am not interested in that debate. God is One, and He is able to prove Himself. That is what the earth is about to witness. Not much effort will be needed to convince men, just watch certain gates begin to lift their heads.
Get closer now...
There are reasons to be excited; but let us get sober first. I refer you to the post that precedes this one; Opening the Door of Mercy. If you do not locate mercy, you may not survive these times. Oh, have you not noticed how cheaply human lives are being taken? What are the criteria that determine who and who become victims and who will escape? It's a bit funny, though scary. It is as if anything can go off anytime, anywhere, and anyone could be there. Oh, we believe bad things happen to 'some other people'. No wonder we easily ask 'Why me?'. May God keep you and me. The Psalmist taught us to say:
'Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us. But to Your name give glory, BECAUSE OF YOUR MERCY...' (Psalm 115:1).
You and I must locate mercy and reside there permanently. Hear what Jesus told some people when a tower fell in Siloam and killed eighteen people. He said 'Do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men in Jerusalem?' (See Luke 13:1-5). Just answer that yourself. Paul the apostle said 'So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy'. (Romans 9:16).
See, the devil is mad about a revival that is about to hit the earth. In Revelation 12 we see the dragon standing face to face with the woman in labour, and with his tail he dropped a third of the stars (vs 4). Many of God's children will still be casualties, if they take for granted the mercies of God.
Job's children probably relied on the righteousness of their father. You have got to stop thinking your pastor got you covered, or your General Overseer oversees your soul. And you dare not trust your own righteousness. There is One Righteousness you can bank on. That is where we are going today. By His own mercies, God will open a Door today; the Door of Righteousness. Okay.
I may need to refer to that pivotal Scripture once again. Psalm 24:7-10.
'Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shal come in. Who is this King of Glory? The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.
The Door of Righteousness, no doubt was open by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before He came, all acts of righteousness were at best a filthy rag before God. (See Isaiah 64:6). You only need to read the Book of Leviticus and see the extent to which man must go to even appear before God. So much depended on the high priests and their carrying out of the many sacrifices stipulated for the purification of body and soul. (See Hebrews 8:3). Sacrifices were done year in year out because the blood of bulls and goats can not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Let me tell you a few things about sin.
Never you think of sin as something you do or an act you commit or omit. Of course there are sinful acts, but essentially, sin is a mystery; and the Bible said that much (See 2 Thess. 2:7). And this is the age when the full power of iniquity will come upon men. Maybe I am just imagining things. Why did Paul talk of 'the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who NOW works ... '? (See Eph. 2:2-3). 2 Thessalonians said 'the mystery (of lawlessness) is already at work'. It is as if it had not been at work before. Isaiah saw this when he exclaimed '...darkness shall cover the earth, GROSS (or deep) DARKNESS the people...' (Isaiah 60:2). And you remember the Lord Jesus Himself said '...iniquity shall abound...' (Matthew 24:12). Sin is a mystery and the fullness of it is being unleashed on my generation. So how did I know sin is a mystery?
Many of us think the devil brought sin to the world. I know the Bible said '... the devil sins from the beginning ...' (I John 3:8). Yes. The devil perpetrates sins, but sin did not originate from him. He was the first sinner, but he was not the source of sin. See Ezekiel 28, from verse 12, there was a lamentation for the king of Tyre- a typology of Lucifer- who was the seal of perfection UNTIL INIQUITY WAS FOUND IN HIM. (Verse 15). Another version said 'till sin entered him'. Sin entered the devil too! Sin made him the devil, he has no mastery over sin. Sin is stronger than Satan. Don't let him deceive you. He is as powerless over sin as many people are. In fact, while the blood of Jesus is available for men, Satan can no longer repent.
So if sin is a mystery, what is the way out? Like a covenant, only a higher mystery can solve a mystery. Here is the higher mystery that de-mystifies sin. 1 Tim. 3:16 says
'... without controversy, great is the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory,'
It is not only men, even Lucifer can not understand that Jesus was God in the flesh. How do you comprehend it; that God became man? But that is the joker that dismantled sin! The Omnipotent God was crucified for man?! Scriptures said
'None of the princes of the world had known, for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory'. (1Cor2:8).
So God has de-mystified sin in Jesus Christ. If you have been saved by Jesus Christ, sin no longer have dominion over you! (Romans 6:14).
So, our faith is a mystery too. (1Tim3:9). Godliness - the process of our redemption- is a mystery; so also is Faith; the process of our believing. (1Tim. 3 16e). Faith is not cheap. May you never take your salvation for granted. Ah ha! When Jesus died on the cross, He went to hell to preach the gospel. (See 1Pet.3:18-20). Did Satan repent? No. Noah preached for 120 years, no one believed him. Only his household survived the flood. Even Isaiah began to wonder if anyone really believes the gospel (see Isaiah 53::1). So if you have believed the gospel and are saved by the Lord Jesus, you are a mystery to the devil. You mesmerize him, only that you don't know it.
Another mystery that overwhelm sin is 'Preaching' (See 1 Tim 3:16d). Paul said
'Since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING to save those who believe' (1Cor. 1:21).
No wonder, the wisest man of those days, Solomon said 'He that wins souls is wise' (Proverbs 11:30).
You see, If God came in the flesh, that message ought to be preached until it is believed. If you believed, make others believe. This is the way righteousness will engulf the land. God is sending labourers to the field in droves. These are the days of His power, and volunteers of the gospel must come forth ; For '
How then shall they call on Him who they have not believed? And how shall they believed on Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?' (Rom. 10:14).
This is the season to preach the gospel 'in and out of season' 2Tim 4:2). And trust me, the labourers are here.
The Door of Righteousness is being open. It has been open since, I know. But there are everlasting gates in the nations of the earth and the hearts of men that are going to give way this year and years that follow. There are many examples of nations, tribes and people where the righteousness of God seems to be denied entry for ages. There are generations of idol worshippers, whose lineage is void of any righteousness. Such are the entries, the light of God will have this year onward. If Jesus must return soon, the gospel of the Kingdom will gain a fresh lease. (See Mat. 24:14). And the zeal of the LORD will accomplish it. He said to the devil 'I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'. He meant every word.
1. Islam. The religion of the millennium is no doubt, Islam. This is one religion which has its history, development and amazing spread in the full glare of everyone. Judaism dates back to about 4,000 years ago; Christianity to more than 2000 years; and Islam is about 1400 years on earth. It is the fastest growing religion for a long time now and Mohammed is the most common name on earth. I love Muslims. Some of my most valuable friends are muslims. The passion and the dedication in that religion as practised by its followers is highly commendable. You just can not deny the obvious. I have tried severally to finish the Quran, and each time, I discover I am not pulled enough. Now, if that is the book that has revolutionalized the world, then there is something more. See, until Islam is de-mystified, this gospel will not even penetrate a Jew. But God has a plan, it has been unfolding. We are reaching the grand finale. The knowledge of the glory of God will fill the earth as the waters cover the seas. You who have heard the gospel and joke with it, beware. People who are hearing it for the first time are about to take it to another level. And the first shall be the last...
2. Kanuri. If you are talking Islam in Africa, you must give Kanuri a big mention. I served the nation as a National Youth Corp Member in Maiduguri, Borno State. Of course, it was the Home of Peace then, not now that it is the House of War. I had some experiences that endeared me to the Kanuris. I also did some research. Kanuri had been entrenched in Islam for more than 1000 years. They are the people who brought the religion to West Africa. And today, only as few as 20 Kanuri Christians are known. I said Twenty, not Two Hundred. Christian Missionaries have been there, of course. We are talking of 'everlasting doors' here. Okay. With God, Moses had to deliver a people 400 years old in slavery, this generation is faced with 1000 year old ideologies. The God who parted the Red Sea is here again.
Now let's get closer to this awesome door. Righteousness is a doctrine for all the religions of the world. It is simply 'doing what is right before the Supreme Being'. So the fundamental question is which religion worships the true God? I am not interested in that debate. God is One, and He is able to prove Himself. That is what the earth is about to witness. Not much effort will be needed to convince men, just watch certain gates begin to lift their heads.
Get closer now...
Monday, 6 February 2012
OPENING THE DOOR OF MERCY
Glory be to God Almighty for the year 2012. If you are a Nigerian, you will agree that the year started on a rather high note. Let me say here that sometimes, I get really involved in the emotions that trail our national events. But I am too sure this is the year God will open Mercy Doors for Nigeria. Today I will talk about Mercy.
It will be mainly about doors this year. And I will focus on certain 'everlasting doors'. By the end of the year, you would have walked through at least, 12 extra-ordinary doors. I said at the beginning of the year that certain doors have been shut since the foundations of the earth - for reasons best known to God alone. For similar reasons, He is opening those doors one after the other. It is an exciting year. I used to envy Paul the apostle a lot. He was fond of saying certain truths were revealed to him and through him to his generation which have been hidden since the world began (1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:3-10; Rom. 16:25). I have discovered that every generation must press into God and make demands for its own share of God's never ending mysteries.
Oh yes, 'the secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever...' says Deut 29:29. Solomon even said God takes glory in concealing a matter, that (true) kings take glory in searching out the matter. (Prov. 25:2). When you become a believer, you are become a 'fellow' in the mysteries of God (Eph. 3:9; Mat. 13:11). Of course, we have the Spirit that does the searching if only we know how to engage Him (1 Cor 2:11). The devil gets jittery because he cannot even tell how much you know already. He is so full of guess work, and most times in his desperation he advances the very course of God. (See 1Cor. 2:8). That is why lack of knowledge- not the devil- is the fundamental cause of any believer's suffering (Hos. 4:6). These doors are first of all in your mind, but they are very real. I trust God to open your eyes today
.
Let us approach the Door of Mercy together.
1. MERCY IS AT THE CORE OF GOD'S NATURE.
God's mercy endures forever (Psalm 106:1:107:1:
Moses was the man God called 'friend'. God said while He would speak to other prophets in dreams and visions, He spoke with Moses 'face to face'. In other words, He was plain with Moses. (See Num. 12:6-8). Have you wondered how even Genesis was among the Five Books of Moses? Moses was not there in the days of Abraham, how come it was he who wrote about Abraham? Oh, God sat Moses down and dictated all those events to him.
I said all these to say this 'You can go to the bank with what God told Moses'. Moses was so intimate with God that the Psalmist said God made known His ways to Moses and His acts to the rest of Israel. (Psa. 103:7). So I wanted to know some of these 'ways of God' exclusively told Moses. The Psalmist did not waste time to quench my curiousity. The next line (verse 8) says 'The LORD is merciful... abounding in mercy...'. I wanted to be very sure the Psalmist is right. I decided to probe a little more. In Exodus 33, Moses and God were engrossed in one of those tete-a-tete, and in verse 13, I heard Moses tell God 'Show me now Your way'. Wao! I perceived that God wanted to talk Moses out of that request, but Moses would not be outdone, so in verse 17, God decided to oblige Moses. I like stories.
Anyway by verse 5 and 6 of Exodus 34, God descended and stood beside Moses and these were His words 'The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious... keeping mercies for thousands...'. He had said earlier in the same parley that 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy...' (Exo. 33:19). So the mercy of God is one of the 'ways' that was exclusive knowledge to Moses! Scriptures say our God is rich in mercy (Eph 2:4). Need I prove it more to you?
2. PREROGATIVE OF MERCY
There is something called the 'Prerogative of Mercy' rooted in British tradition, where only the monarch had the power to withdraw death sentences that a judge had pronounced on a convict. There comes a point where all have been said and done, the man must die. It takes a voice with that special authority to say 'No!'. For many years, no one could guess the factors that would make a monarch reverse a death sentence. Forever and ever, no one can explore all the factors that trigger the mercies of God. Oh, He said 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy...' Yoruba calls Him 'Ase eyi owuu'. He does what pleases Him.
I know my generation like principles. We believe God is bound by His principles. Yes, I agree. But we must know that God's principles are first and foremost extensions of His person. God is first a Character. And mercy is key in His characteristics. And no principle can bind His mercy.
I like Paul. As a lawyer, he attempted to interrogate God and search out the basis for God's mercy on the nation of Israel. That is in Romans 9. By the time he got to verse 18, he encountered the prerogative of God's mercy and he said in verse 20; 'But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?...' He said God is like a potter, and He makes vessels- some are vessels of honour, others are vessels of dishonour; some are vessels of mercy, others are vessels of wrath.
Job never really complained about his predicament, he just wanted to understand the basis for his suffering. (See Job 23:1-4). He has kept all there is to keep of God's laws, how did he (as it appeared) fall out of God's mercy? Anyway, by the time God asked Job a few questions, Job exclaimed '... I have uttered what I did not understand. Things too wonderful for me which I did not know' (Job 42:3).
Habakkuk got seriously worried about God's silence in the face of so much perversion of judgement (see Hab. 1:1-4). By the time God answered him, Habakkuk exclaimed in 3:17-18 'Though the fig tree may not blossom... yet will I rejoice'.
Jonah disobeyed God's instruction to go warn Nineveh. By the time he obeyed, God had mercy on Nineveh. Jonah got angry. 'Why did you make a show of me, God? Why not just go ahead and forgive them without me preaching?' I like real people talking to God, not pseudo-righteous people.
Jesus came to demonstrate God's prerogative of mercy at different points of His ministry. It was a Sabbath day and that was the day the full essence of the Law comes to bear on a Jew. On Sabbath days, he should not do any work- not even cure anyone if you are a physician. Jesus saw a man with a withered hand on one Sabbath day. He knew the Law but He had mercy on the man and healed Him. That was the day the Phariseees signed His death warrant (Mark 3:1-6). It is amazing how men can get really mad at God for being Himself. Jesus was face to face with another Sabbath day bait. A woman who for eighteen years had an infirmity that made her bent over was in the synagogue where Jesus was. Jesus healed her- against the Law. (see Luke 13:10-17). Of course, you know the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery and was condemned to die by stoning. Jesus displayed God's prerogative of mercy there (see John 8:1-12). There was also a thief hung beside Jesus at Calvary. God alone has the prerogative of mercy. So in the course of His ministry on earth, Jesus gave us an assignment in Mattew 9: 13 when He said '... Go and learn what this means 'I desire Mercy and not sacrifice'...'.
3. LEARNING MERCY
My generation likes sacrifice. There should be 'Seven Steps' to everything- and when there is none, it does not make sense. God desires Mercy- not Sacrifice. Sacrifice shows things have gone bad. This is what Jesus said we should learn. So how do we learn Mercy if it has no principles? How did Moses know the ways of God? Scriptures tell us that God's ways are on the seas (Psalm 77:19). If someone walks on the seas, you cannot count on his footsteps. How do we get the footprints of God's mercy? But that is where we are going today, so get ready.
You see, if you have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your soul, I do not know what is holding you or what you are waiting for. Oh yes, you enjoy His mercies too and that is why you are still alive reading this. But there is an advantage you have in God by salvation. And as a sinner, God forbids that I condemn you. I have commited sins- and this is the truth, I still fall into sin from time to time. Oh yes, I still enjoy His mercies and look forward to so much more (Jude21). But I am now in a covenant. The covenant of mercy (I will explain this later). Sin has lost its hold on me. I am only inviting you to a higher realm in God's mercy. You cannot afford to be so exposed to the vicissitudes of life. Covenant Covers Completely. What I am talking about is for you to make one conscious decision today to give your life to Jesus. Will you take this chance? No one will even know you are praying, so say this prayer and mean it; 'Lord Jesus, I come to you today as I am. I offer my life, my spirit, soul and body to You. Save me and deliver me from Satan and the power of sin. Wash me with Your blood and make me a new person. Thank You, Father for saving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
This is the only way I know of that you can truly learn mercy. Because, Paul said we should come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy (Heb. 4:16). You see, if you are in a court, and you plead guilty in a case against you, you have opened yourself up for mercy. That prayer is the access to God's prerogative of mercy.
But I can tell you two other ways you can experiment with God's mercy.
Have mercy on other people (Matthew 5:7; 18:23-35)
Fear God (Luke 1:50)
4. COVENANT OF MERCY
A covenant is not what we think. We like to think of covenant as having terms and conditions. Of course, that is true. But you must look at every covenant from the perspective of who initiated it. The initiator usually has done the major part of the deal. How can God call you into a covenant and expect so much from you? Why burden yourself? He said "Come unto me, I will give you rest. Take my yoke and it is easy and light' (Matthew 11:28-30 paraphrased). In other words, the yoke you are carrying in the covenant is like you are resting.
So each covenant is unique, each with its own terms. And as far as the covenant of mercy is concerned, you have just kept your own part, if you prayed and meant that prayer above, or if you have prayed a similar one before. See Psalm 25:10; 'All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies' and the next verse sums up this art of 'keeping His covenant'; '...O LORD, pardon my iniquity for it is great.' The mercy that conquers sin is too much for any devil to handle.
In Psalm 89:28; God said 'My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him'. Now God emphasied that no matter what happens, He will never break His covenant of mercy with David. (See Psalm 89:34). That is the mercy that Paul was interrogating in Romans 9. This is the point where you become an enigma to men and to the devil. This is the door God is opening for Nigeria, and for you.
Mercy door is open today.
Enter.
It will be mainly about doors this year. And I will focus on certain 'everlasting doors'. By the end of the year, you would have walked through at least, 12 extra-ordinary doors. I said at the beginning of the year that certain doors have been shut since the foundations of the earth - for reasons best known to God alone. For similar reasons, He is opening those doors one after the other. It is an exciting year. I used to envy Paul the apostle a lot. He was fond of saying certain truths were revealed to him and through him to his generation which have been hidden since the world began (1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:3-10; Rom. 16:25). I have discovered that every generation must press into God and make demands for its own share of God's never ending mysteries.
Oh yes, 'the secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever...' says Deut 29:29. Solomon even said God takes glory in concealing a matter, that (true) kings take glory in searching out the matter. (Prov. 25:2). When you become a believer, you are become a 'fellow' in the mysteries of God (Eph. 3:9; Mat. 13:11). Of course, we have the Spirit that does the searching if only we know how to engage Him (1 Cor 2:11). The devil gets jittery because he cannot even tell how much you know already. He is so full of guess work, and most times in his desperation he advances the very course of God. (See 1Cor. 2:8). That is why lack of knowledge- not the devil- is the fundamental cause of any believer's suffering (Hos. 4:6). These doors are first of all in your mind, but they are very real. I trust God to open your eyes today
.
Let us approach the Door of Mercy together.
1. MERCY IS AT THE CORE OF GOD'S NATURE.
God's mercy endures forever (Psalm 106:1:107:1:
Moses was the man God called 'friend'. God said while He would speak to other prophets in dreams and visions, He spoke with Moses 'face to face'. In other words, He was plain with Moses. (See Num. 12:6-8). Have you wondered how even Genesis was among the Five Books of Moses? Moses was not there in the days of Abraham, how come it was he who wrote about Abraham? Oh, God sat Moses down and dictated all those events to him.
I said all these to say this 'You can go to the bank with what God told Moses'. Moses was so intimate with God that the Psalmist said God made known His ways to Moses and His acts to the rest of Israel. (Psa. 103:7). So I wanted to know some of these 'ways of God' exclusively told Moses. The Psalmist did not waste time to quench my curiousity. The next line (verse 8) says 'The LORD is merciful... abounding in mercy...'. I wanted to be very sure the Psalmist is right. I decided to probe a little more. In Exodus 33, Moses and God were engrossed in one of those tete-a-tete, and in verse 13, I heard Moses tell God 'Show me now Your way'. Wao! I perceived that God wanted to talk Moses out of that request, but Moses would not be outdone, so in verse 17, God decided to oblige Moses. I like stories.
Anyway by verse 5 and 6 of Exodus 34, God descended and stood beside Moses and these were His words 'The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious... keeping mercies for thousands...'. He had said earlier in the same parley that 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy...' (Exo. 33:19). So the mercy of God is one of the 'ways' that was exclusive knowledge to Moses! Scriptures say our God is rich in mercy (Eph 2:4). Need I prove it more to you?
2. PREROGATIVE OF MERCY
There is something called the 'Prerogative of Mercy' rooted in British tradition, where only the monarch had the power to withdraw death sentences that a judge had pronounced on a convict. There comes a point where all have been said and done, the man must die. It takes a voice with that special authority to say 'No!'. For many years, no one could guess the factors that would make a monarch reverse a death sentence. Forever and ever, no one can explore all the factors that trigger the mercies of God. Oh, He said 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy...' Yoruba calls Him 'Ase eyi owuu'. He does what pleases Him.
I know my generation like principles. We believe God is bound by His principles. Yes, I agree. But we must know that God's principles are first and foremost extensions of His person. God is first a Character. And mercy is key in His characteristics. And no principle can bind His mercy.
I like Paul. As a lawyer, he attempted to interrogate God and search out the basis for God's mercy on the nation of Israel. That is in Romans 9. By the time he got to verse 18, he encountered the prerogative of God's mercy and he said in verse 20; 'But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?...' He said God is like a potter, and He makes vessels- some are vessels of honour, others are vessels of dishonour; some are vessels of mercy, others are vessels of wrath.
Job never really complained about his predicament, he just wanted to understand the basis for his suffering. (See Job 23:1-4). He has kept all there is to keep of God's laws, how did he (as it appeared) fall out of God's mercy? Anyway, by the time God asked Job a few questions, Job exclaimed '... I have uttered what I did not understand. Things too wonderful for me which I did not know' (Job 42:3).
Habakkuk got seriously worried about God's silence in the face of so much perversion of judgement (see Hab. 1:1-4). By the time God answered him, Habakkuk exclaimed in 3:17-18 'Though the fig tree may not blossom... yet will I rejoice'.
Jonah disobeyed God's instruction to go warn Nineveh. By the time he obeyed, God had mercy on Nineveh. Jonah got angry. 'Why did you make a show of me, God? Why not just go ahead and forgive them without me preaching?' I like real people talking to God, not pseudo-righteous people.
Jesus came to demonstrate God's prerogative of mercy at different points of His ministry. It was a Sabbath day and that was the day the full essence of the Law comes to bear on a Jew. On Sabbath days, he should not do any work- not even cure anyone if you are a physician. Jesus saw a man with a withered hand on one Sabbath day. He knew the Law but He had mercy on the man and healed Him. That was the day the Phariseees signed His death warrant (Mark 3:1-6). It is amazing how men can get really mad at God for being Himself. Jesus was face to face with another Sabbath day bait. A woman who for eighteen years had an infirmity that made her bent over was in the synagogue where Jesus was. Jesus healed her- against the Law. (see Luke 13:10-17). Of course, you know the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery and was condemned to die by stoning. Jesus displayed God's prerogative of mercy there (see John 8:1-12). There was also a thief hung beside Jesus at Calvary. God alone has the prerogative of mercy. So in the course of His ministry on earth, Jesus gave us an assignment in Mattew 9: 13 when He said '... Go and learn what this means 'I desire Mercy and not sacrifice'...'.
3. LEARNING MERCY
My generation likes sacrifice. There should be 'Seven Steps' to everything- and when there is none, it does not make sense. God desires Mercy- not Sacrifice. Sacrifice shows things have gone bad. This is what Jesus said we should learn. So how do we learn Mercy if it has no principles? How did Moses know the ways of God? Scriptures tell us that God's ways are on the seas (Psalm 77:19). If someone walks on the seas, you cannot count on his footsteps. How do we get the footprints of God's mercy? But that is where we are going today, so get ready.
You see, if you have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your soul, I do not know what is holding you or what you are waiting for. Oh yes, you enjoy His mercies too and that is why you are still alive reading this. But there is an advantage you have in God by salvation. And as a sinner, God forbids that I condemn you. I have commited sins- and this is the truth, I still fall into sin from time to time. Oh yes, I still enjoy His mercies and look forward to so much more (Jude21). But I am now in a covenant. The covenant of mercy (I will explain this later). Sin has lost its hold on me. I am only inviting you to a higher realm in God's mercy. You cannot afford to be so exposed to the vicissitudes of life. Covenant Covers Completely. What I am talking about is for you to make one conscious decision today to give your life to Jesus. Will you take this chance? No one will even know you are praying, so say this prayer and mean it; 'Lord Jesus, I come to you today as I am. I offer my life, my spirit, soul and body to You. Save me and deliver me from Satan and the power of sin. Wash me with Your blood and make me a new person. Thank You, Father for saving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
This is the only way I know of that you can truly learn mercy. Because, Paul said we should come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy (Heb. 4:16). You see, if you are in a court, and you plead guilty in a case against you, you have opened yourself up for mercy. That prayer is the access to God's prerogative of mercy.
But I can tell you two other ways you can experiment with God's mercy.
Have mercy on other people (Matthew 5:7; 18:23-35)
Fear God (Luke 1:50)
4. COVENANT OF MERCY
A covenant is not what we think. We like to think of covenant as having terms and conditions. Of course, that is true. But you must look at every covenant from the perspective of who initiated it. The initiator usually has done the major part of the deal. How can God call you into a covenant and expect so much from you? Why burden yourself? He said "Come unto me, I will give you rest. Take my yoke and it is easy and light' (Matthew 11:28-30 paraphrased). In other words, the yoke you are carrying in the covenant is like you are resting.
So each covenant is unique, each with its own terms. And as far as the covenant of mercy is concerned, you have just kept your own part, if you prayed and meant that prayer above, or if you have prayed a similar one before. See Psalm 25:10; 'All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies' and the next verse sums up this art of 'keeping His covenant'; '...O LORD, pardon my iniquity for it is great.' The mercy that conquers sin is too much for any devil to handle.
In Psalm 89:28; God said 'My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him'. Now God emphasied that no matter what happens, He will never break His covenant of mercy with David. (See Psalm 89:34). That is the mercy that Paul was interrogating in Romans 9. This is the point where you become an enigma to men and to the devil. This is the door God is opening for Nigeria, and for you.
Mercy door is open today.
Enter.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
2012: NOW OPEN ! ! !
Welcome to 2012. Glory be to God, you and I are alive to see this day. Now that we have begun the year, we will see its end in Jesus' name.
A few months back, God began to speak to me about the year we are in. And the recurring word in my spirit has been 'OPEN'. And the first thing we must note is that, the year is 'open' to us, to make of it the very best or leave it the way other years have gone. To declare it as 'the Year of this', 'the year of that' is to confine the year. This is one year that has an unlimited capacity for your expansion like you have never known before.
'OPENING OF GATES'
He gave it to me in Psalm 24:7-10.
7. 'Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be ifted you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9. Lift up your heads O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts. He is the King of glory.
You see, there are doors that have never opened since the foundations of the earth were laid. The picture I get is that of a house where some doors (for whatever reasons) were never opened. Such doors were as good as walls and nobody bothers about them.
The drama that ensued in the passage we read shows that these doors would question the audacity of whoever dares come its way. And twice, the doors were informed that the LORD is at the door. So it is not about you; God is set to do somethings the world has never seen before!
THE CHURCH
Let me say very quickly that the Church of Jesus is particularly positioned for strange visitations this year. Jesus Christ announced in Matthew 16:18 '...I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it'. The church will be confronted with certain 'everlasting doors', but one after the other we shall possess the gates of our enemies.
He established this prophecy to me in Revelation 21:12-21. There we see the 'New Jerusalem', the Bride of the Lamb (which is a type of the Church of Jesus Christ). The city has 12 gates on 12 foundations. Each gate has an angel attached to it, and the names of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles of Jesus were written on the gates and foundations respectively. This is to establish that it is about the Church of Jesus Christ. And each of the 12 gates has a pearl.
The Body of Christ is going to experience an unprecedented glory before the second coming of Jesus Christ and we are entering the season of the preparation of the Bride to meet her Husband.
All I can tell you is to get positioned. The world will go further down and God's people will continually be lifted.
NIGERIA
I am a strong critic of this government. But I know how to seperate my own opinion from God's. God is opening Doors of Mercy for Nigeria. Last year, I told you I was hearing 'Justice'. This is the season of God's mercy for my country. His mercy like we have never known it before.
INDIVIDUAL
12 outstanding doors are open this year. Doors that can never be shut anymore. So far, He has told me about 4 of them. I will share them with you.
1. Doors of Mercy. You will experience God's mercy that will shock you and it is going to inundate every sphere of your life. Read Psalm 103. Get ready for it.
2. Doors of Utterances. For those in ministry, you will experience expansion like you have never imagined. He is raising the platform for the gospel. Unusual opportunities will come for Jesus to be presented. Read Coosians 4:2-4. Get ready for it.
3. Doors of Joy. Joy is a spiritual experience. You are going to experience a 'spell' of divine 'sweet feeling' in your spirit that will span all through this year. I asked God what joy has got to do with it and He showed me Isaiah 12:3 'Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation'. Many have been saved for years and have never drawn certain 'waters'; this is that year. Get ready for it.
4. Doors of Righteousness. This is very essential. There will be an explosion of righteousness on the face of the earth. Oh yes, iniquity shall abound. Hell will be filled with multitude, but heaven will also have its own multitude. It is just up to you. Prophet Micah confirmed what Isaiah said word for word; that in the last days multitude shall go up to the 'mountain of the LORD's house'. (see Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-3). See, how do I know we are in that season? Psalm 24 where we read said in verse 3 'who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?' Verse 4 said 'He that has clean hands and a pure heart'. The multitude going up are not 'miracle seekers', they are God seekers.
We are in that generation that seek God. See why doors of mercy and utterance will open? See why heaven is opening wide all her gates?. Do not be left out.
As the year unfolds, when the LORD shall show me the other doors, I will be here to tell you. Meanwhile, I know you are excited already. It is an exciting year, I tell you.
A few months back, God began to speak to me about the year we are in. And the recurring word in my spirit has been 'OPEN'. And the first thing we must note is that, the year is 'open' to us, to make of it the very best or leave it the way other years have gone. To declare it as 'the Year of this', 'the year of that' is to confine the year. This is one year that has an unlimited capacity for your expansion like you have never known before.
'OPENING OF GATES'
He gave it to me in Psalm 24:7-10.
7. 'Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be ifted you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9. Lift up your heads O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts. He is the King of glory.
You see, there are doors that have never opened since the foundations of the earth were laid. The picture I get is that of a house where some doors (for whatever reasons) were never opened. Such doors were as good as walls and nobody bothers about them.
The drama that ensued in the passage we read shows that these doors would question the audacity of whoever dares come its way. And twice, the doors were informed that the LORD is at the door. So it is not about you; God is set to do somethings the world has never seen before!
THE CHURCH
Let me say very quickly that the Church of Jesus is particularly positioned for strange visitations this year. Jesus Christ announced in Matthew 16:18 '...I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it'. The church will be confronted with certain 'everlasting doors', but one after the other we shall possess the gates of our enemies.
He established this prophecy to me in Revelation 21:12-21. There we see the 'New Jerusalem', the Bride of the Lamb (which is a type of the Church of Jesus Christ). The city has 12 gates on 12 foundations. Each gate has an angel attached to it, and the names of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles of Jesus were written on the gates and foundations respectively. This is to establish that it is about the Church of Jesus Christ. And each of the 12 gates has a pearl.
The Body of Christ is going to experience an unprecedented glory before the second coming of Jesus Christ and we are entering the season of the preparation of the Bride to meet her Husband.
All I can tell you is to get positioned. The world will go further down and God's people will continually be lifted.
NIGERIA
I am a strong critic of this government. But I know how to seperate my own opinion from God's. God is opening Doors of Mercy for Nigeria. Last year, I told you I was hearing 'Justice'. This is the season of God's mercy for my country. His mercy like we have never known it before.
INDIVIDUAL
12 outstanding doors are open this year. Doors that can never be shut anymore. So far, He has told me about 4 of them. I will share them with you.
1. Doors of Mercy. You will experience God's mercy that will shock you and it is going to inundate every sphere of your life. Read Psalm 103. Get ready for it.
2. Doors of Utterances. For those in ministry, you will experience expansion like you have never imagined. He is raising the platform for the gospel. Unusual opportunities will come for Jesus to be presented. Read Coosians 4:2-4. Get ready for it.
3. Doors of Joy. Joy is a spiritual experience. You are going to experience a 'spell' of divine 'sweet feeling' in your spirit that will span all through this year. I asked God what joy has got to do with it and He showed me Isaiah 12:3 'Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation'. Many have been saved for years and have never drawn certain 'waters'; this is that year. Get ready for it.
4. Doors of Righteousness. This is very essential. There will be an explosion of righteousness on the face of the earth. Oh yes, iniquity shall abound. Hell will be filled with multitude, but heaven will also have its own multitude. It is just up to you. Prophet Micah confirmed what Isaiah said word for word; that in the last days multitude shall go up to the 'mountain of the LORD's house'. (see Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-3). See, how do I know we are in that season? Psalm 24 where we read said in verse 3 'who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?' Verse 4 said 'He that has clean hands and a pure heart'. The multitude going up are not 'miracle seekers', they are God seekers.
We are in that generation that seek God. See why doors of mercy and utterance will open? See why heaven is opening wide all her gates?. Do not be left out.
As the year unfolds, when the LORD shall show me the other doors, I will be here to tell you. Meanwhile, I know you are excited already. It is an exciting year, I tell you.
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