Beneath the Armor

‘Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy’ (2 Kings 5:1).

Naaman, the commander in chief of the Syrian army had led his nation to many wars and delivered his people through glorious victories. He was regarded as a great and honorable man, but beneath his great armor was a great weakness. Naaman had leprosy, a sickness which was gradually eating up his skin, entire body and entire destiny. Naaman’s leprosy was a time bomb that was waiting to explode and wipe away his past achievements and present glories if not dealt with.

There are many lessons that can be taken from Naaman’s story. Many at times, God in His grace and through His Spirit convicts us of our weaknesses, but we sometimes hide behind our successes and do nothing about them. The truth is that, those weaknesses may destroy the labor of a lifetime if not dealt with in a timely manner. Our justification is an instant miracle but discipleship is a journey of a life time. Through our yielding to the Holy spirit, God through the washing of His word molds or changes our character to fit the image of Christ (Ephesians 5:26). Going on memories lane, there are countless numbers of great men that were destroyed by character flaws.  

Essential lessons from Naaman’s story regarding the steps to deliverance from personal weaknesses are:

·     Acknowledge your weakness; the way to get it right is to know that you are wrong (2 Kings 5:5).

·     Seek your deliverance diligently through prayer, anything God will do prayer can do.

·     Receive godly counsel no matter who God chooses to use to counsel you. ‘An erring believer is grateful to a friend for correcting him, not angry’ (Martin Luther). Remember, Moses hearken to a man after God talk to him face to face. (2 Kings 5:3-5, 13, Mat 5:5).

·     Obey divine guidance (2 Kings 5:14)

·     Have faith in God’s willingness and ability to deliver you through the power of His spirit.

·    Don’t give up until you see your deliverance, every giant was once a baby (Mat 5:6).

·     After you are delivered give glory to God and lift up others in a similar situation (Luke 22:31-34). 

God is concerned about our comfort but the truth is He is much more concerned about our character. God’s desire for you is that you will not be the best among your peers, but maximize your potential and be your best. Remember the words of Apostle Paul, ^‘brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press….’ (Philippians 3:13-14)

Expressing Faith in Love

‘But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love’ (Gal 5:5-6)

Faith works through love; it is made fruitful through love for God, and benevolence to our fellow men. ‘It is not a mere intellectual belief, but it is that which reaches the heart, and controls the affections. It is not a dead faith, but it is that which is operative, and which is seen in Christian kindness and affection’ (Barnes New Testament Notes). Love is the medium through which faith can be fully expressed and made fruitful. The world that we see was birthed out of God’s love and it is also sustained by God’s love. It was by faith that the seen world was birthed out of the unseen (Heb 11:3). However, love was the driving force behind that medium of faith.

Paul the Apostle teaches in 1 Cor 13:2 that, if one has faith that can move mountains…but has no love he is only making useless noise. Without love all that a man does is done out of self-centeredness. A man who lives a life of self-centeredness cannot maximize his potential. In order to serve God you must focus on God and others, rather than yourself alone. ‘Much of what we do is self-serving. We serve to be admired, or to achieve our own goals. Some of what we do is more manipulation than ministry. We’re really thinking about ourselves and how noble and wonderful we are. We even use serving as a bargaining tool: “God, I’ll do this for you if you’ll do that for me.” No, true servants don’t use God for their purposes; they let God use them for His’ (Bob Gass).

Peter the Apostle talks about ‘the additions to faith’ in 2 Pet 1:5-8. He says that love enables us to share in God’s divine nature and it helps us escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. He then admonishes us that, for that reason, we should make every effort to add to our faith numerous virtues and ultimately love. Below is a discussion of Peter’s message.

         Add to our faith, goodness or moral excellence: This means being continuously good to others.

         Add to our goodness, knowledge: This refers to knowing God more, and it comes by yearning and learning to know Him more. It also includes growing in wide-ranging knowledge apart from the knowledge of God’s word.

         To knowledge, add self control: The lesson here is that when dealing with the less knowledgeable, come to their level by being gentle with them. This may sometimes call for putting aside one’s knowledge, desires and preferences.

         To self-control add perseverance: The lesson here is that patiently endure even as you try to help others.

         To perseverance add godliness: As you patiently endure suffering for the sake of the gospel, you grow into maturity and the nature of God in you is revealed.

         To godliness add brotherly kindness: This means enjoy other people and like them. You can't be closer to God than you are to the people you love least.

         To brotherly kindness add love: Love is truly the greatest commandment and greatest virtue every Christian should desire for.

Finally, Peter adds that, the more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, may your faith be expressed through your love for God and your fellow men.

The Battle is the Lord’s

“Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s (2 Chron 20:15).

The earth is a spiritual war zone, and the wars being fought spiritually have their physical manifestations in our lives in diverse ways. Rev 12:7 clearly reveals this truth, it says that there was war in heaven and the devil and his angels prevailed not. The twelfth verse says ‘… Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time’. Paul the Apostle confirms this truth in Eph 6:12 that, ‘we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers….’ The truth is, regardless of your race, gender, age or vocation, you are at war with the devil and his kingdom, and his motive is to steal, kill and finally destroy you. Thank God the Bible says, ‘whatever is born of God overcomes the world…’ you are already a winner (1 John 5:4).

It is important to note that, our earthly warfare is a life long one. In every war there are different battles. The Second World War for instance, was made up of different battles. So the fact that one particular battle in your life has ended does not mean that the war is over, another battle will surely come, but the Bible says the weapons of our warfare are not canal but mighty pulling down strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). 

2 Chronicles 20 gives an account of Judah being ambushed by several nations from various directions. Sometimes, the troubles of life and our enemies come in multitudes and from various directions. King Jehoshaphat got news that, "a vast army is coming against you from Edom’.  Judah’s enemies were the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites. Interestingly, these enemies were distant relatives of Israel. Edom is another name for Esau, Jacob (Israel’s) twin brother. Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew or Israel’s cousin (Genesis 19:36-38). Sometimes, the people closest to us are the people the devil uses against us. The good news is that, finally Jehoshaphat led Judah to defeat these enemies.

The keys that led to Israel’s victory and will lead to yours are;

1.    Listen to the word or guidance of God, every battle is different and should be approached as such (2 Chron 20:15, Prov 3:5).

2.    Realize that, the battle is the Lord’s and hand it over to Him, don’t rely on your own strength (2 Chron 20:15, Heb 2 :16).

3.    Do not be afraid nor discouraged by the fierceness of your battle, you have won it in advance (2 Chron 20:15, 17, Isaiah 41:10).

4.    The winning principle is the triumph of faith not the principle of the survival of the fittest (1 John 5:4, D. Oyedepo).

5.    Take a step of faith, go out to face the enemies, and the LORD will be with you (2 Chron 20:17).

6.    Stand firm (persevere) and see the deliverance the LORD will give you (2 Chron 20:17).

7.    Celebrate your victory and give glory to God after the battle is won (2 Chron 20:17-22).

8.    Finally, remember that strength is born out of struggle, through the battles we fight in different aspects of our lives, our spiritual strength and character is built up (James 1:2-4).

The Vital Role of Fathering

‘And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people’ (Gen 49:33)

As a father, you don’t have a right to die or leave the shores of this earth and go on to rest until you have finished instructing your children. ‘And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people’ (Gen 49:33). Gordon Dalbey tells a story about a Catholic nun who worked in a men’s prison. One day, she said, a prisoner asked her to buy him a Mother’s Day card for his mother. She did, and the word got out to other prisoners, and pretty soon this nun was deluged with requests, so she put in a call to Hallmark Cards, who donated to the prison several large boxes of Mother’s Day cards. The warden arranged for each inmate to draw a number, and they lined up through the cellblocks to get their cards.

Weeks later, the nun was looking ahead on her calendar, and decided to call Hallmark again and ask for Father’s Day cards, in order to avoid another rush. As Father’s Day approached, the warden announced free cards were again available at the chapel. To the nun’s surprise, not a single prisoner ever asked her for a Father’s Day card. It is said that Mother’s Day is the biggest calling day of the year for the phone company. However, in terms of call volume, Father’s Day is like any other day of the week. Before his passing, Irving Kristol quoted the startling fact that "almost two-thirds of rapists, three-fourths of adolescent murderers, and three-fourths of long-term prison inmates were abandoned by their fathers. Another study revealed that 92% of prison inmates hated their fathers. There is definitely a fatherhood crisis in our time.

The Greek word for father is Pater. "Pater" is the root meaning "father" as in "paternity" and "patriarchy." Fatherhood does not end at giving birth to a child. A father’s role is to:

(1) PROTECT – Guard his children

Another word for a parent is a guardian, keeper, custodian or steward. A father is supposed to guard his family through prayer and wise counsel. Mat 12:29 teaches that an enemy cannot enter into a home until he binds the strong man. God blessed Ishmael based on Abraham’s Prayer (Gen 17:20). A father is supposed to Pray with his family but not only for his family. The family that prays together stays together. Another way to protect your children is to discipline them. Proverbs teaches that discipline does not kill children (Prov 23:13).

(2) GUIDE – Prune His children.

In 1 Sam 4 Eli the priest and both of his sons, Hophni and Phinehas died and the ark of covenant was also captured, all because Eli failed to guide his children and prevent them from partaking in the offering meant for the Lord (1 Sam 2:11-19). God’s word to him was "Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourself on the choice part of every offering made by my people Israel" (1 Sam 2:29). Also it is a father’s responsibility to discover his children’s uniqueness and guide them into the fulfillment of their destinies. Jesse as a father to David did not even have an idea of David’s uniqueness and potential. There is a tendency today to speak of ‘carers’ rather than mothers or fathers. Many fathers and mothers have left their responsibilities in the hands of ‘carers’ so they don’t know their children themselves (Psalm 127:3,4).

(3) PROVIDE – Give good things.

‘Today, most families rely upon the incomes of both mothers and fathers. However, fathers still provide the lion's share of income. Fathers are either the sole earners or the main earners in two-thirds of two-parent households’ (Burghes, L., Clarke, L. & Cronin, N). In Mat 7:11 Jesus confirms the responsibility of fathers to provide, when He says ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him’. A good man lives an inheritance for his children’s children (Prov 13: 22).

Imparting Truth in Love

‘Teach me your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. For great is your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol’ (Psalm 86:11, 13).

A survey was done in the U.S. among youth who claimed to be Born again in Evangelical churches. They were asked if there is truth or an absolute moral standard by which they lead their lives. The question they were posed with was, ‘is the Bible the infallible word of God and true in every situation?’

In 1991 – 52 percent of those interviewed said there is no truth.

In 1994 - 62 percent of those interviewed said there is no truth.

In 1999 - 78 percent of those interviewed said there is no truth.

Now over 91 percent of them say there is no truth or absolute moral standard.

These amazing facts should cause every Christian to feel uneasy and wake up to these challenges of our time. In Josh McDowell’s book ‘The Last Christian generation’, he emphasizes the fact that if the church in U.S.A does not do something different, it may become the last Christian generation. If over 90 percent of born again youth in U.S. churches today, do not see the Bible as the absolute moral standard, by which they should lead their lives, then what is the future of the Church?

The question that arises is, how best can the Church pass on truth to the next generation? The Christian faith is based on truth. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of truth. In John 14:6 He clearly says ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’. In John 8:32 he also says, ‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’. In Psalm 86:11, David cried out unto God, ‘Teach me your way, O LORD; I will walk in your truth; Unite my heart to fear your name’. The next two verses explain why David was ready to walk in the truth and was so passionate about knowing the ways of God through His word. In verse thirteen he says, ‘For great is your mercy (Love) toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol’.

The lesson here is that, truth taught is best received when the student is assured of the love of the teacher. For Parents to be able to pass on Christ or truth to their children, they should have a healthy relationship with their kids. Their kids should be confident of the love of their parents. It is a generally accepted fact that the first 5 years of a child’s life are considered the most important for child development and the bonding with parents. This bond that parents create with their children should be maintained and developed through the other stages of their children’s growth through healthy relationships. Without this bond and a healthy relationship based on love and trust, children will always walk away from the truth that their parents attempt to teach them. The sad reality is that most parents today especially fathers, spend most of their time outside their homes so that healthy relationship and bond with their children is missing.

As a parent you are supposed to be your children’s primary mentor. Mentorship depends on love, respect, trust and admiration. The lives and future of your kids are being molded by your character. Their character will be formed more after your deeds than your words. As a man you are teaching your sons how to marry a wife by the way you treat your wife, as a woman you are also teaching your daughters how to marry a husband by the way you treat your husband. Paul the Apostle admonishes that we teach ‘the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children (Titus 2:2-4). (Quotes are made from ‘The vital role of Fathering’ - Josh McDowell)

Are you a Nicolaitan?

‘Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate’ (Rev 2:15).

The Nicolaitans are mentioned in connection with two of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. According to the NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible, ‘the Nicolaitans were a group of persons whose works both the church of Ephesus and our Lord hated (Rev 2:6) and whose doctrine was held by some in the Pergamum Church (Rev 2:15). Their Doctrine was similar to that of Balaam, through whose influence the Israelites ate things sacrificed to idols and committed fornication. God told the Pergamum Church, ‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality’(Rev 2:14). A sect of Nicolaitans existed among the Gnostics in the third century. The word Gnostics is sometimes used of false teaching within the period when the New Testament was written, it more accurately describes the systems of knowledge in opposition to the Orthodox Christianity in the second and third Centuries. It linked aspects of traditional Christianity with attractive ideas taken from Greek philosophy and Eastern religion, magic and astrology’.

The Church in every century has its own challenges but one of the challenges of the 21st Century Church is the temptation to be ‘politically correct’ - accepting the philosophies of our time that are not in line with the infallible Word of God. Today, Internationally respected leaders of the church are sometimes afraid to declare in public circles the message of the Gospel, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Like the Pergamum Church there are people in our churches today who are holding unto and propagating the message of the Nicolaitans. I pray that the Church in the 21st century will be encouraged by the example of the first century Church, who defended the gospel at the expense of their lives. Peter and John were imprisoned for preaching and healing in the name of Jesus. After they were released they were forbidden to preach in the name of Jesus, but full of the Holy Spirit, ‘Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:19-20).

Another group of Nicolaitans in the church today are those that teach false doctrines in the Church and do not uphold purity or righteous living, but hide behind the phrase ‘once saved forever saved’. The fact that an individual is personally struggling with his flesh does not give him the right to teach others that it is alright to live in sin. Jesus said ‘blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Mat 5:6). Paul the Apostle told the church in Corinth that, ‘do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God’ (1 Cor 6:9).

Can God say of you like He said of the church in Ephesus, ‘…you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate’?

Leave

‘Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. (Gen 12:1).

Abraham is one of the Bible’s most important figures. He is referred to as the ‘friend of God’ (2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23). Though Abraham was childless, God’s promise to him was, ‘All the families of the earth will be blessed through you’ (Genesis 12:3). After his father - Terah’s death, God told Abram, Leave ‘your country, your relatives, and your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you’. This command was the basis of God’s ‘covenant’ with Abram. This study is focused on the command God gave Abram to leave. Abram, trusting God’s promise, left Haran at the age of 74 without knowing where God was taking him.

God’s purpose for every individual is different. Like Jeremiah and Paul’s example, God knows all men and ordains each one for a particular purpose even before they are a clot of blood in their mother’s womb (Jer 1:5, Gal 1:15). Parents may sometimes get unplanned pregnancies, but the children that come out of those situations are in God’s perfect plan. That is why abortion is against God’s will. Because God’s purpose for everyone is different, it is important for you as an individual to see yourself as a unique person sent on earth with a unique purpose. When you realize your uniqueness and the uniqueness of your purpose you will be careful to live a life of consecration and not follow the masses to do things because everyone else is doing them. For ones destiny to be fulfilled it is important not to follow the crowd but the cloud of God.

Leave your Country: Every country or geographical location has its own culture or believe systems. In the case of Abram, ‘there was a moon cult in the city of Ur, and Abraham’s old name Abram probably referred to the moon god or another pagan god. His parents were part of this moon Cult’ (iLumina). For Abraham to fulfill God’s purpose for His life he had to leave that ‘world’ of idol worship to a new ‘world’ of the worship of Jehovah, the true God, the creator of Heaven and earth. That is the first step to fulfilling ones destiny. By surrendering your will to God and believing in Jesus as your savior, you are born again into a new world spiritually. Through this new birth all things become new and you live a new life based on the principles of God’s word, but not the philosophies of our world, which is basically based on the worship of self and materialism (2 Cor 5:17).

Leave your family: Naturally people love their families. Leaving your family can signify leaving some things you love most in life. There are many things, habits and companionship you possess, which can prevent you from fulfilling the purpose God has for you. After becoming a Christian you have to avail yourself to God’s guidance so that God can prune you and take away all toxic habits and relationships. This is a difficult process that many Christians fail at. Abraham brought a lot of problems on himself when he didn’t fully obey this command and took Lot his nephew with him instead of leaving all his family. His wife Sarah was the bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, as a couple they were one, so her situation was different.

Leave your father’s household: In those times fathers had the responsibility of training their son’s in their profession. Even now fathers teach their son’s the basic lessons of work and life, so this command can signify leaving the normal way of doing things in a particular career or vocation and doing it the way God is directing you. Many people that were ordained to bring new ideas and innovations to bless and transform our world failed as a result of trying to be like everybody else, to please men. Being like everybody else is no achievement. If God is leading you into something new, be strong and courageous and take that step of faith. Trying something different always involves risk taking and may make you unpopular at the earlier stages.

If you are in the will of God and you are under pressure from men be encouraged by the words of John Wesley ‘a fair exchange, if by loss of reputation we can purchase the lowest degree of purity of heart’. John placed higher value on “a clean heart, a single eye, and a soul full of God! Today be bold and leave the world of sin, the things you love and the normal way of doing business, all creation is waiting for your manifestation, imagine what would have happened if Abraham had failed to leave (Rom 8:19).

Strength Beyond the Physical

"In the day when I cried out, you answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.’ (Psalm 138:3)." 

On Psalm 138:3 James Nalton comments, ‘it is one gracious way of answering our prayers when God doth bestow upon us spiritual strength in our souls; if He does not give the things we desire, yet if He gives us strength in our souls, He graciously answers our prayers. What is this spiritual strength? I answer, it is a work of the Spirit of God, enabling a man to do and suffer what God would have him without fainting or backsliding’.

The soul of a man is made up of the mind, will and emotions. After God created man from the dust of the earth, all man’s organs were in place but it was not until, God breathed into man, that he became a living soul (Gen 2:7). When God breathed into man it was His spirit that man received (Job 32:8). This clearly reveals that, the empowerment of the spirit of God gives strength to the soul of man. Without God’s empowerment Adam could have never functioned. It takes strength beyond the physical for one to be delivered from sin and live a fulfilled life. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us the strength He brings goes into the core of our being and fully empowers us from within. The power we receive makes us do that which is far beyond our wildest imagination.

DL Moody’s story will bring you much encouragement. ‘He became a spokesman for God and a changer of nations. But if you'd met him early in life you wouldn't have thought it was possible. Although he was raised in church, he was spiritually ignorant. When he moved to Boston he began attending a Bible-preaching church. In April of 1855, a Sunday school teacher came to the shoe shop where he worked and led him to Christ. A month later, when he applied to become a member of that church, it was clear that he knew nothing about the Bible. One of his Sunday school teachers later wrote, 'I've never met anyone who seemed less likely to become a Christian of clear and decided views, much less fill any place of public usefulness.' So they asked him to take a year of Bible study. During his interview with the membership committee a year later, his answers were only slightly improved. He was barely literate and used atrocious grammar. Nobody on that church committee thought God would ever use him. But they were wrong.

The people who say you will never amount to anything for God, are wrong too! Every oak tree starts as an acorn. Jesus began in a stable but He didn't stay there. David was a shepherd boy with a slingshot but he became Israel's greatest king. Joseph was a prisoner but he became prime minister. Understand this: you are a seed capable of producing a harvest for God. So take all that you have and all that you are, place it into God's hands and be willing to start small’ (UCB - Word for today).

What are the struggles you are going through in life today? Do you feel like you are at your wits’ end? Stop depending on your own strength and ask God for strength for your soul. By strength shall no man prevail (1 Sam 2:9). If you are not a devoted Christian, surrender your life to Christ today. You can accept Christ by repenting of your sins and believing in Him as the Son of God who came to die for your sins (John 3:16, Mark 1:15). If you are already a born again Christian, ask God to give you the grace to totally depend on Him, and seek more of His empowerment through the overflow of His Holy Spirit in you. Remember, with God all things are possible to those that believe (Mark 9:23).

The Road Map for Life

‘How sweet are your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Psalm 119:103-105).

'The Bible is the road map for life, and while your pastor can highlight the best route to take, you learn how to navigate life's twists and turns for yourself.'(Billy Graham). The word of God is the manual for life and without it life lacks purpose and fulfillment. It is the gateway to the wisdom, character and power of God; simply put, God is inseparable from His Word. The Bible teaches that in the beginning there was nothing God made without His Word and now God sustains all things by the Word of His power (Heb 1:3, John 1:3). So He says that heaven and earth will pass away but His words will not (Mat 24:35). If there is anything you need most in life, it is God’s Word. In God’s word are hidden treasures of wisdom, power and all things that pertain to life and Godliness. God’s word is the only medium through which man can daily experience God on earth, ‘it is God’s gateway to His great acts’ (David Oyedepo). Where the word of the king is there is power.

According to the U.C.B Word for today, when asked, 'What book has most influenced your life?' most people say the Bible. Yet fewer than 14% of us read it every day. How come? Here are some of our most common excuses:

1) 'I've no time.' Really? Many of the books in your Bible can be read in 10 to 45 minutes, some in less than 20 minutes. By taking a chapter a day you can complete the book of Proverbs in a month, and the Epistle of James in five days.

2) 'I don't know where to begin.' If starting in Genesis and working your way through seems overwhelming, break it into bite-sized pieces. Pick a Gospel and read the life of Christ. Just get started!

3) 'It's not exciting.' Do you like romance? Read the book of Ruth. Looking for adventure? Try Judges or Acts. Enjoy poetry? Explore Song of Solomon. From history to how-to, it's all in Scripture.

4) 'Isn't going to church every week good enough?'

5) 'It makes me uncomfortable.' When you don't know what God's Word actually says, it's easy to equate it with negative experiences and hypocrisy you've observed, and throw out the baby with the bathwater. No question, the Bible makes you face hard truths: '...it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart' (Hebrews 4:12 NIV). It gives you a check-up from the neck up. But you'll discover who you are, what you're called to do, and become empowered to do it’.

One truth from God’s word, just one, can change your entire life. The word of God is pregnant with signs and wonders, but the power in it is only realized when one begins to apply it daily in the circumstances of life, through obedience. Heb 1:8 says that righteousness will be the scepter of God’s kingdom, meaning God rules on earth through His Word in the hands of his children. ‘Instant obedience will teach you more about God than a lifetime of Bible discussions’ (Rick Warren). In fact, there are many of God's commandments you won't understand until you first obey them. When you haven't carried out God's last set of instructions it's hard to get excited about His next set. God’s word is creative, it demands us to speak it, it is a prophecy it demands us to believe it, so begin to apply it daily to all the circumstances of your life. Remember, character, not comfort, is God's first priority in your life. You can’t know the worth of a seed until it is planted. Study, meditate and apply the word of God in your life today and you shall live like a god on earth, Jesus said ‘He called them gods, to whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35, Psalm 82:5-8). May God use you to spread the aroma of His knowledge everywhere today.

The Lost Glory

‘And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind’ (Ecclesiastes 4:4).

“I don’t know who I am,” he told the newspaper. “That might sound stupid. I really have no idea. All my life I’ve been drinking and drugging and partying, and all of a sudden this comes to a stop.” (Mike Tyson).These words of Mike Tyson, the former Multimillion Dollar Heavy weight Champion, brings to light man’s insatiable quest for fulfillment in life. Human beings all over the world are searching for fulfillment and their sense of purpose in different places, most of which are the wrong places.

The Drama in the Garden of Eden after man sinned, paints a crystal clear picture about the state of the fallen man. After man lost the Glory of God; in an attempt to cover himself or restore what was lost, the most valuable replacement he found were some fig leaves (Gen 3:7). Since then, we have been in constant search of restoration of that lost Glory. There is a vacuum in every man, a chasing after some kind of joy, peace and fulfillment. The truth is that; the answers we seek and the strength we need, can be found only by feeding on God's Word and fellowshipping with Jesus in prayer. Simply stated: nothing else works.

The sad reality is that many in this age measure their Self-worth by their Net-worth, and many Christians have fallen as prey to the worship of this ‘god of materialism.’ They determine the value of their fellow men by the kind of clothing they wear and the toys or cars they drive, but not the Glory of God upon their lives. Thank God the Bible does not say that driving in a Jaguar the hope of Glory but rather ‘Christ in you the hope of Glory’ (Colossians 1:27).

Many are being enslaved by the insatiable desire for more and more at the expense of family and the most important things in life. Their lives confirm the words of Solomon; ‘and I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind’ (Ecclesiastes 4:4). God’s message for you today is, re-prioritize your life. A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."(Luke 12:15).

After being the wisest and one of the richest men in his time; Solomon, the man with seven hundred wives and three hundred girlfriends said at the end that, ‘meaningless! Meaningless!…, Everything is meaningless!...here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind’ (Eccl 12 :8, 13)

What controls your life and has the final authority in your life, Is it God or material things? The one that controls your life is your god. ‘You cannot serve both God and money’ (Mat 6:24). Choose Jesus, and you will have fulfillment in this life and the life after.

You Anoint my Head with Oil

‘You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever’ (Psalm 23:5, 6).

‘Shepherds in that area of the world and at the time, anointed their sheep’s heads with oil because of insects or flies. The area where this Psalm was written is dry and insects like these flies try to lay their eggs in an environment that is best suited for them. Sheep don’t have any means of protecting themselves from these flies and other insects that would land on their head, attempting to deposit their eggs on the damp, mucous membrane of the sheep’s nose. If successful, the eggs will hatch in a few days to form small, slender, worm-like larvae. In time they will work their way up the sheep’s nose into the head. Burrowing into the flesh and causing intense irritation to the sheep.

For relief, sheep will beat their heads with other sheep, trees or even kill its self. Often advanced stages of infection will lead to blindness. At the very first sign of flies among the flock, the sheep will become restless, running around sometimes to exhaustion as the sheep try to prevent the flies from landing on their heads. The shepherd will apply a remedy of oil, sulfur, and tar, smearing it over the sheep’s nose and head. Once applied the Sheep’s behavior immediately changes to a calmer and a more relaxed state.

Some see these flies as evil thoughts that come into the believer’s head. If left unaddressed, they can lead to temptation and sin. Which can in its self lead the believer to be blind to his or her current state. Throughout the Bible, oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Jesus, our shepherd, baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. Before we were saved our thoughts were of the ways of the world and we had no ability to do otherwise, but with the Holy Spirit we now have the ability to trust the Lord and to surrender everything, even our thoughts to Him. We can live in the flesh and run around like sheep to exhaustion or we can live in the spirit, anointed and lie down in green pastures.

Another reason shepherds anointed their sheep’s heads is due to the sheep’s desire to establish dominance among the flock by butting heads. The oil serves as a lubricant so their heads will deflect and not cause serious injury to each other. Again, the oil here can be seen as the Holy Spirit keeping us from hurting ourselves or our fellow believers with our issues of pride’.

Today may you seek to draw closer to Jesus your shepherd, so that you will be anointed and protected.

Times and Seasons

‘To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven’ (Eccl 3:1)

According the Greek language there are two kinds of time, Kairos and Chronos. Chronos means man’s operational time. This is measured by watches, calendars climates etc. On the other hand Kairos means God’s divine timing. God is Spirit and lives in the infinite or timeless realm called eternity. Time in the realm of the spirit is not the same as time in the realm of the physical, even though we call it time as humans. That is why a day is like a thousand years to God. So basically Kairos is God’s divine timing for the accomplishment of his purposes in our lives.

Eccl 3:1 teaches that ‘to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven’, meaning God has designed life in such a way that there is a time for every activity and a time for every purpose to be accomplished. However, failing to recognise the spiritual season in which you are and responding and living accordingly, can cause you to miss the blessings God intends for you in that season. In Luke 19:41-44 Jesus wept as he approached Jerusalem, because of its impending destruction. In His words to them He said Jerusalem is going to be destroyed, ‘because you did not know the time of your visitation’. God ordains times and seasons in which He makes provisions for some specific blessings and deliverance, but it is our responsibility as individuals to discern or have a revelation of those times. In the same way that there are favorable seasons for sowing and reaping in terms of agriculture, so is it spiritually. That is why Jesus accused the Pharisees and Sadducees in Mat 16:3 that, ‘You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times.

What season of life are you in now and what are your responsibilities in that season? Spiritual seasons are determined by revelation. Deut 29:29 says that ‘the secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law’. Two lessons that can be derived from this scripture are that, ‘until it is revealed to you it does not belong to you’ (D. Oyedepo). Secondly, ‘spiritual seasons are determined by decisions’ (Mike Murdock). Meaning, after you get a revelation of the season you are in, you need to respond by being obedient and making wise decisions.

It is said that, success is achieved when preparations meets opportunity. As you wait for your season or God’s time, prepare yourself and be sensitive. You may have missed some opportunities of a life time, you may have grieved God by disobedience or hardness of heart, but we serve a God of second chance. Remember the story of Samson and David. Today, ask God to forgive you for some past mistakes and begin again. To another person, today may be your time of visitation according to the Kairos or the timing of God. Be sensitive and listen to the guidance of God, He will lead you to the right people, right places, and right plan. 

A Lesson from the Ant

‘Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!

Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter’ (Proverbs 6:6-8).

‘Man’s brain is the mystery behind all his gains. Every gain in life is a result of the use of the brain. No one reigns in life without the use of the brain. It is the effective use of the brain that secures you a throne here on earth. Every star in life is essentially sense-made. Heights in life are results of insights inside of a man. Success, therefore, is a product of the right use of the sense’ (David Oyedpo). Considering man’s unusual endowments, his uniqueness among all God’s creation is unquestionable. However, lack of wisdom and indiscipline renders many men unproductive. It is noteworthy how God can use some of the smallest creatures in His creation like ants, to teach man important life lessons of personal responsibility, discipline, planning, organization and diligence. Indeed God the author of life is the all wise God. The ant is a remarkable creature, and below are some of the vital lessons that can be learnt from their work attitudes. According to Finis Dake;

1.    They work quietly without show and also work without complaining until their work is done.

2.    They are the most laborious or tough insects in existence.’ To make it in life you can’t afford to give up easily. Quitters never win and winners never quit.

3.    They are highly industrialized or developed, in the sense that they work together in astonishing systems of organization to the best good of the whole community.

4.    None of them exists without a definite job in life to help meet the needs of the community.

5.    They have foresight for others, so they collect food in proper season.

6.    They fondly attach to the young and fight to death to protect their own homes and young from enemies.

7.    They are ingenious carpenters and masons, building their own system of homes and underground tunnels. They keep these homes scrupulously clean.

8.    Finally, they are intelligent and wise so they carry out life’s work without being forced to do so by a guide, overseer or ruler.

If the tiny ant can work with these wonderful qualities then you can do better. ‘The Creator of all things gaveappropriate wisdom to all of His creatures; wisdom, that if obeyed, provides success in life, to reach one's full potential, whether man, beast or even insects (Wayne Blank). Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise…, all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty (Prov 6:6, Prov 14:23). ‘If ordinary minds have produced the outstanding results we see today, then God is expecting you to do better than that, to produce extraordinary results by the appropriate use of your God-given mind. If those who are not born again are still getting great results, then imagine how much God is expecting from you and me’ (David Oyedepo). Make the best out of your present season, remember seasons change, they don’t last forever.

God is Waiting on You

‘And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you’ (Isaiah 30:18).

In Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible he writes this about Isaiah 30:18 ‘He will wait till you return to Him and seek His face, and then He will be ready to meet you with mercy. He will wait, that He may do it in the best and fittest time, when it will be most for His glory, when it will come to you with the most pleasing surprise. He will continually follow you with his favors, and not let slip any opportunity of being gracious to you."

As co-workers with God, He has placed in our hands the power to pull down into manifestation on earth His purposes in heaven. God made man in His image by giving him His spirit. However, before God breathed His spirit into man He used the dust of the earth to give man a body to be able to live on earth. God’s purpose was that, with His spirit and a body made for the earth, man will rule on earth; bringing  into fruition on it, God’s plans and purposes in Heaven (Gen 1:26,27).

Many are the plans of God for your life, but none of them can be realized if you depend on your strength alone, without total dependence on God. On the other hand, it is wrong to neglect your responsibility of Work with the excuse of waiting on God. After God gave man all He needed to rule on earth, His Command was, ‘work the land and take care of it’. Man was given a command to work, before his fall. Thus, work was God’s purpose for man even before he sinned (Gen 2:15). Spirituality is no excuse for laziness. The focus of this study is that God is waiting and counting on you to bring into fruition His purposes and plans for your life.

The sad reality is that, instead of doing our best and waiting on God to take care of the rest, a lot of people are living in one of the two extremes. Some have put their confidence in themselves and men, taking God out of the equation. An example is when God declared to Israel in Isaiah 30:2-3, ‘you trust Egypt for protection. So you refuse my advice and send messengers to Egypt to beg their king for help. You will be disappointed, completely disgraced for trusting Egypt’. The second extreme is when one claims to be waiting on God, without fulfilling their responsibility of both spiritual and physical work.

Today, remember that even though you may be waiting on God and His time of deliverance, He is also waiting for you to prepare yourself by working on your self both spiritually and physically. Keep working and God will send the rain to bless the work of your hands in His time. God is waiting on you.

Begin again!

‘And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly’ (Mark 8:24-25)

'It always seems impossible until it is done’ (Nelson Mandela). Perseverance is a primary requirement for Success. This is because, life is a learning process and success does not always come on the first try. Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times before successfully inventing the modern electric light bulb. Finally he said, `If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward’.

In Mark 8 Jesus prayed for a blind man and he was not fully healed until Jesus prayed again for the second time. Elijah the prophet prayed for seven times before there was rain after three years and six months of drought (1 Kings 18:44). ‘God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down’ (Hebrews 11:30).

The fact that you are failing in an endeavour today, does not necessarily mean that you are out of God’s will. Paul the Apostle was one of the most persecuted Apostles, but finally his contributions to the Early Church and the New Testament was unequivocal.

Jesus promised us an abundant life, but abundant life isn't the absence of adversity, it is growth in the midst of it. When you experience times of testing, you've two choices: give up, or grow up. Without obstacles we'll always be ordinary! Hard times paralyze some people, yet energize others. You can't always control what happens to you, but you can decide how you'll respond to it. What can seem impossible is often possible with courage.

The most important thing is to know the will of God concerning your dream. If your dream is God’s will for your life, He will make provision for the vision and bring it into fruition in His time. So whatever difficulties you're facing today, draw on God's grace and keep trying. '...You have heard of the perseverance of Job...' (James 5:11)

Remember, the world never denies a persistent person and the thing to try when all else fails is begin again. The next lesson will be, ‘God is waiting 

Servant Evangelism

 “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor 9:22).

Servant Evangelism is serving that that leads to sharing the Gospel. It is evangelizing with the attitude of a servant; knowing that in God’s kingdom the best servant is the greatest person. Servant evangelism can also be defined as been sensitive to the needs of others, having compassion on them, serving them and sharing the gospel with them. As we sow the seeds of love in the lives of the people around us, we should look for opportunities to share the gospel with them. It is said that, “more people have been brought into the church by the kindness of real Christian love than by all the theological arguments in the world...” The great commission is a command to save lives through servant hood evangelism.  Servant hood Evangelism is more of an attitude in evangelism than a formula for evangelism.

During the earthly ministry of Jesus he balanced the informational gospel with the incarnational gospel; by practically serving people and meeting their needs in addition to preaching the gospel. Jesus’ love for men was revealed in his servant hood evangelism, and He taught the disciples to do likewise (Mat 25: 31-46). 

The message of Jesus cannot be separated from the life that He lived. Both the story of the Good Samaritan and Jesus feeding the five thousand are great examples of servant evangelism. In the two stories, Jesus and the Samaritan were moved with compassion to serve the needy and demonstrate the love of God to them. Remember, ‘religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world’(James 1:26).

“Kindness is a language that the mute can speak and the deaf can understand.” The Salvation of a sinner is accomplished by the Holy Spirit; however, men are indispensable tools in the hands of God when it comes to evangelism. God has given the church the message and ministry of reconciliation and it is important for us to "preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words". To be fruitful in our evangelism efforts, we need to be strategic and see evangelism as a process but not an instant effort. THE COMPONENTS OF SERVANT EVANGELISM MAY INCLUDE SHOWING COMPASSION TO OTHERS, SERVING THEM, PRAYING FOR THEM AND FINALLY SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH THEM. The church is the channel of God’s power and love.  Remember, Jesus did not only preach the Gospel but lived the gospel; he did not only pray for the lost but met their needs as a servant.  

Regardless of the contemporary barriers in evangelism, with the attitude of servant evangelism and prayer, all the barriers will be overcome (Mark 6: 41, 45-46). Remember the benefits of Servant Evangelism are countless (Luke 14:23, John 6:25-35, Dan 12:3). A fruitful church is a church that is relevant in its community.  It is time to reach beyond ourselves and touch others with the love and power of God. As we scatter the seed, water it and wait through prayer, the Lord of the harvest himself shall bring the increase and save souls from ETERNAL DAMNATION. “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17). 

Remember, “David after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay” (Acts 13:36). Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today (the present) is a present from God. Serve your generation now for life is brief.