Who am I and what is my household?

‘Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord? ( 2 Samuel 7:18,19, NLT)

The second book of Samuel paints an intriguing picture about a child of God who has been overwhelmed by the goodness and faithfulness of God. ‘David's prayer is full of the breathings of devout affection toward God. He had low thoughts of his own merits. All we have must be looked upon as Divine gifts. He speaks very highly and honorably of the Lord's favors to him. Considering what the character and condition of man is, we may be amazed that God should deal with him as he does’ (Matthew Henry).

At the end of David’s life, God through Nathan the prophet reminded him of how far He had brought him, He said,‘… “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth’ (2 Samuel 7:8,9). Considering all the blessings he was enjoying in his old age and the blessings that God was bringing through his immediate successor and son Solomon, the royal line of Judah, and that which was going to be finally realized through Christ, David went and sat before the Lord and exclaimed ‘Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

The goodness and faithfulness of God is seen all around us and looking back at your personal story always puts that picture in a better perspective. God always rewards our faithfulness, so regardless of the storms of today, hold onto your faith, keep serving Him faithfully. ‘… know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandment’ (Deut 7:9).

Today, be reminded of God’s presence with you, where He took you from, how he delivered you from your enemies, how far He has brought you, and where he has promised to take you and keep serving Him faithfully with gratitude, knowing that your labor of love will never be in vain.

Happy is the Person whose Sins are Forgiven

'Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven... whom the Lord does not consider guilty...' (Psalm 32:1-2 NCV).  

Jesus perfects those that are being made holy. All men who believe in Jesus Christ and repent of their sins are instantly cleansed from their sins. They instantly receive the righteousness of Christ (Justification). However, many fail to appreciate the power of the cross. Even after repenting of their sins they find it difficult to accept the forgiveness of God and forgive themselves. They hold unto the past, and rob themselves of the future that God has ordained for them. Peter denied Christ three times and Judas also betrayed Christ. Both of them felt sorry for what they did, but the difference between the two of them is that, Peter accepted the forgiveness of God and forgave himself but Judas did not, and ended up committing Suicide.

The truth is, there is nothing that you can do about the past, and you can't walk backwards into the future. For you to embrace the future that God has ordained for you, you need to turn your back to the past, start afresh and move forward. The future God has in mind contains more happiness than any past you can remember. Jesus used the parable of the prodigal son to illustrate the power of the cross; that all who repent of their sins and return to their heavenly father receive the compassion and pardon of the father, not forgetting the restoration of their blessings. This study reveals some important lessons about the prodigal son’s restoration.

• "He came to his senses": meaning he repented. He had a change of mind and heart (Luke 15:17).
• "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you": He acknowledged his sins and confessed them (Luke 15:18).
• "He got up and went to his father": When you fall down don’t remain there, pick something up and get up. Learn from your mistakes, make an effort and take steps to return to God and redeem your blessings (Luke 15:18, 20).
• "He said ‘I am no longer worthy to be called your son…": Like the prodigal son, most of us think we are not worthy of God’s blessings, but the good news is God sees us through the cross. Quit seeing yourself through your own lenses and see yourself as God sees you (Luke 15:21) .
• “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet" (Luke 15:22): Through the cross, God forgives and restores all men that repent and believe in Christ, no matter their sins (John 3:16).
• "Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found…": Heaven is rejoicing and celebrating your repentance so join them. (Luke 15:23,24)

The blood of Christ cleanses the believer’s conscience. So ‘boldly go into the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, to “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:22). Stop punishing yourself with the 'if only's'. After sinning and having God pick him up, David wrote, 'Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven... whom the Lord does not consider guilty...' (Psalm 32:1-2 NCV). Forgive yourself because God has, and you are 'accepted' (Ephesians 1:6 NKJV). If you have wronged others, confess your faults to them and restitute where possible. Learn from your mistakes and allow God to take care of the past.

But I will Sing

‘I am so troubled that I can not speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times; I call to remembrance my song in the night’ (Psalm 77:4-6).

  

It is interesting to note in the passage above that even though the psalmist declares that he is so troubled that he cannot speak, he is able to sing unto the Lord. ‘But doesn’t singing require speaking?’ Someone may ask. A song has great power. Basically songs come from a different reservoir than speech. Psychologists sometimes speak of music as coming from “the right brain”. Not that there are two brains but while singing, brain wave activity goes on in the right hemisphere of the brain. Reasoned speech is more naturally located in the left hemisphere. Music has the mysterious power to strain out the sadness and leave us somehow feeling better. Putting our sorrows into song often enables us to sing them right out again’ (Jack Hayford –The heart of praise).

No wonder the Bible admonishes us to praise the Lord at all times regardless of our situation. Whenever God makes a command He knows that He has given us what it takes to obey that command. Sometimes the storms of life leave us at a place of speechlessness. But even there we can praise God. Are you too troubled to talk? Sing unto the Lord. Anyone can praise God when all is well, but it takes understanding to give God a sacrifice of praise or praise Him when you are troubled. The psalmist says, seven times a day I will praise him. Clearly it is our responsibility to praise God at all times. Praising God in troubled times brings great victories.

Someone may ask, ‘what should I praise God for when I am in pain?’ You praise Him for what He has done, what He is doing and for what He is going to do. Praising God in troubled times is an act of great faith that yields great results. It proves one’s understanding of God’s goodness, that He has allowed the troubles for a good purpose. Praising God in troubled times is a great act of faith and a great offensive weapon against the devil. Paul and Silas ended up in a maximum security prison for preaching the Gospel. But in the midnight instead of wining they praised and prayed; as they did, they experienced the wonders of praise. Their praise caused an earthquake, the foundations of the prison shook, their chains were broken and the prison gates broke open. Today as you count your blessings give God a praise bubbling from a heart of gratitude. May every bondage in your life give way to the power of God.

As a Christian, the joy of the Lord is your strength, when your joy is gone your strength is gone. The devil can never oppress you until he depresses you. The moment the devil steals your joy you cannot function normally, so don’t allow the devil to steal it. Those that trust in God are like mount Zion that can never be moved. Your joy is not dependent on your circumstance but it flows from the spirit of God within you. It is a fruit of the spirit of God within you.

Count your blessings, until you acknowledge and appreciate what you have in your hands; What God has done in your life you don’t qualify to ask for more. Don’t just be grateful; express your gratitude to God. Praise expresses gratitude. Let your praise be contagious and Glorious. As you praise God in the midst of your pain it will be a testimony onto the world, they will be affected by your faith and faithfulness and your God will be revealed to them. Is any troubled? Let him sing a song of praise bubbling from the heart, and be assured that help is on the way.

Living as a Child of Promise

"For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise" (Gal 4:22, 23).

‘Now we - Who believe, whether Jews or Gentiles, are children of the promise - Not born in a natural way, but by the supernatural power of God, and as such we are heirs of the promise made to believing Abraham (Wesley’s notes). In Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church he said that, ‘Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise’ (Gal 4:28). His message here is that, unlike Ishmael who was born in the ordinary way of procreation by a young slave mother, Isaac’s birth was as a result of God’s promise to Abraham, and everything about it was supernatural. The two main lessons being considered in this study are the manner and consequences of Isaac’s supernatural birth and it’s relation to the new birth and life of a Christian.

Isaac’s birth was a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 18:10; Genesis 21:1-2; Hebrews 11:11-12). At the age of ninety it was scientifically impossible for Sarah to have a child. Similarly, deliverance from sin is humanly impossible; the Christian conversion comes as a result of a supernatural encounter with the God. Salvation is only enabled and finalized by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Satan, the prince of this world has bound and blinded the world and it takes the power of the Holy Spirit for anyone to be saved and delivered from that bondage of sin and death (2 Cor 4:4).

Secondly, another important lesson in this study is the blessings that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. As the promised child, Isaac was the legal heir of the blessings of Abraham. On the contrary, Abraham prayed to God for Ishmael to be blessed (Gen 17:18). Ishmael, ‘the son of the slave was in a humble and inferior condition from his very birth. There was no special promise attending him. He was born into a state of inferiority and servitude which attended him through his whole life. Isaac, however, was met with promises as soon as he was born, and was under the benefit of those promises as long as he lived’ (Barnes).

As a Christian you are in the order of Isaac, and all the blessings of Abraham are legally yours. Remember, God promised Abraham both physical and spiritual descendants (Gen 22:17, Romans 9:6-9). As a Gentile believer you are a spiritual descendant of Abraham. The fact of the matter is you are not an ordinary person, you are a child of promise. In an attempt to describe our new status in Christ, Paul said in Gal 4:9 that, we know God and then corrected himself that we are Known by God. Clearly this means that Christians don’t only know God but more importantly we are known by God. You are on God’s agenda. You are an heir of the father and Joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17).

Today, be loosed from any slave mentality and embrace your sonship in Christ. You are a child of promise and the blessings of Abraham fulfilled in Christ are all yours. Stop living with a carnal identity. You may have been born into an earthly family with many negative trends, but be reminded of your spiritual identity in Christ, you belong to a new family now. YOU ARE A CHILD OF PROMISE, and God’s blessings to you are ‘I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen 12:2, 3) The next lesson is, ‘the blessings of Abraham’.

Be on your Guard against Deception

‘The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons’ (1 Tim 4:1).

Deception is one of Satan’s strongest arsenals against God’s creation. As Lucifer he succeeded in deceiving one-third of the angelic host to rebel against God and together with them they all fell from glory and were cast out of heaven unto the earth. After God created Adam and Eve He placed them in the garden and gave them authority to rule over all His creation, and to eat of all the trees in the Garden of Eden except the tree that is in the middle of the garden. His command to them was that, ‘you must not touch it, or you will die.’

‘But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die" (Genesis 3:4). He succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve; they disobeyed God and fell from the glory of God. The devil’s schemes have not changed and today he is still deceiving many into destruction and eternal damnation, his words to them are, ‘you will not surely die’. But clearly God says ‘the wages of sin is death (eternal separation from God), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

‘Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God’ (2 Corinthians 4:4). Here Paul is clearly teaching that the devil is using deception to prevent people from being saved through Christ. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel for people to be delivered from the devils deception. Satan promises peace, joy and fulfillment in life, that he cannot offer. Indeed Jesus is the prince of peace and He alone offers real fulfillment in life.

Even in the Church the devil tries to deceive the children of God through wrong doctrines, so Paul told Timothy that, ‘the Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons’ (1 Tim 4:1). Today there are some who have abandoned their faith in God because of deception in the church through wrong doctrines. The spirit of deception that entered into the fallen angels, are still at work today. The Bible also warns Christian about false teachers and false prophets that deceive many into destruction. In talking about false apostles Paul said ‘they are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve’ (2 Cor 11:13).

The only way you can safe guard yourself is to personally be a student of God’s word, so that you will not be tossed to and fro by every deceptive doctrine (Eph 4:14). Jesus warns the church to be careful about false ministers. He says, ‘by their fruit you will recognize them. ‘Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? (Mat 7:16). Usually the spirit at work in ministers is revealed in their character.

Sampson the great warrior was reduced to nothing through the deception of Delilah. Today many great warriors are being destroyed through deception. Be on your guard against deception, for Jesus said that ‘false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect (Mat 24:24). 

God still Speaks

‘God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds’ ( Heb 1:1, 2).

The Almighty God - the author of life, loves and cares about His creation, consequently His purpose and desire has always been to guide men to His ultimate purpose. He is not a helpless and careless God who folds His arms and looks on unconcerned about the events of history. However the truth is, because of the dominion or authority He has given men to rule the earth, He works through men. In the Garden of Eden He spoke to the first couple, had fellowship with them and gave them great guidance, as a father guides His children. Later on, He chose Noah and guided him, and through him preserved a remnant in the midst of great perversion. His fellowship with Abraham, Moses and ultimately the Nation of Israel are also great examples of His desire to guide His creation to His blessings. Through the Law and the prophets He also spoke to and guided the Nation of Israel.

Today, God is still speaking to all men through the written Word of God and the Spirit of Christ, who is the Holy Spirit. He speaks to the Church, nations and individuals through His Word and Spirit. In Christ dwells the fullness of God.  He is the embodiment of the wisdom and understanding of God. He is the way, the truth and the Life. He is the only source of the wisdom of God - that offers a fulfilled life. He is also the truth- dispelling all the deceits of the enemy. We live in a world full of mysteries and many are the deceptions of the enemy. Uncountable millions are living in darkness, blinded by the devil - the prince of this world. It is Christ alone and the power in His word that dispels that darkness and brings illumination and fulfillment in life, to the ignorant hearts of men. 

Jesus is also the Life, besides and without Him there is no life. All that the Law and prophets proclaimed were a fore shadow of the reality that Jesus came to proclaim and offer. He laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning and the heavens and the earth are still held together by the principles inherent in His word. The answers to all the mysteries and difficult questions of life are in Him. So 1 Corinthians 1:24 says, Christ has been made to us the wisdom and power of God. Today many in our contemporary world can’t make the meaning of life, regardless of their academic feats. They have no fulfillment in life regardless of their millions, fame and honor. Truly without a relationship with Jesus our maker there is nothing like life in this world and the world after. 

‘When God speaks to us He speaks to our spirit, not our flesh. At 1 kings 18, what Elijah heard in his spirit was completely at odds with what he could see or hear around him. His spirit sensed rain before a drop fell. There's an important lesson here. What He says there will be, is more real than anything that's happening in your circumstances. But be warned, what you hear in your spirit may go against what you hear in your intellect, or what you have in the bank, or what's happening at work, or what's taking place at home, or what's happening in your body. Elijah had to discount all the 'no rain' reports he kept getting' (Bob Gass).

Today God desires to speak to you. He sees your pain and hears your cry. He wants to guide you to a place of peace. Will you pay attention and listen? His word is ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10). If you have not surrendered your life to Jesus, do so by repenting and believing that  He came to die for your sins and you will surely be saved.

The Power of Gentleness

‘So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs” (John 21:15).

Gentleness (Greek- epiekeia and prautes) involves not standing on one’s right, being conciliatory and showing forbearance (NIV Compact dictionary of the Bible). It is a fruit of the spirit (Gal 5:22) and it describes the character of God (2 Sam 22:36, Psalm 18:35). Another word that is synonymous with gentleness is meekness; which means real strength under control. Isaiah 40:10 describes God as coming to Israel with a strong hand, but it is interesting to note that the next verse says that, ‘He shall feed His flock like a shepherd… and shall gently lead those that are young’. Contrary to the world’s perception, gentleness is no sign of weakness but it is real strength under control. It is the master key to possessing the earth.

Gentleness requires tenderness and carefulness in correcting someone or something without being destructive. It takes into account the strength of the one that is being corrected. It is a crucial virtue in every relationship; whether it is in a marriage, a business or in the church setting. Gentleness is one of the marks of divine wisdom (James 3:17, 18).  In dealing with people, it takes the wisdom of God to know when to be gentle as a dove and when to be bold as a lion. That balance is very important in building relationships especially when one is in the role of leadership. As a leader, Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church saying, ‘we are gentle among you even as a nurse cherishes her children’ (1 Thess 2:7).

This lesson focuses on how Jesus used the virtue of gentleness to handle a very precarious incident among his apostles. After the death of Christ, Peter the Apostle decided to go fishing, contrary to the commission that Christ gave him to be a fisher of men. To add insult to injury, Peter took along with him Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and two other disciples. After they had toiled all night without any catch, they saw a man standing on the beach. He asked them, ‘children do you have any meat’? And they answered Him no, without knowing that it was Jesus. He then directed them to cast their net to the right side and their obedience resulted in a catch that was so much that they couldn't draw the fish into the boat. It was at that point that John told Peter that, ‘it is the Lord’. After they joined Jesus at the other side He asked them to bring some of the fish they had caught and He had breakfast together with them. Today may your obedience bring you mind-boggling blessings that will cause you to know God better.

After they had eaten and were full, Jesus said to Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?’ Clearly, Peter had failed Jesus, by neglecting his calling and influencing others to do likewise. But the gentleness with which Jesus handled the situation offers a great lesson. He could have rebuked them straight away when He saw them, but He helped them find fish and went on to dine with them before rebuking Peter by asking him questions. By the time Jesus was done with them, Peter and the rest were back to their senses and on course to fulfill their calling.  Jesus handled the disciples who were certainly wrong, with great love and care. Love is the root of gentleness. David loved his son Absalom so much that even when Absalom was seeking to take David’s life, he instructed Joab, Abishai and Ittai, ‘deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom’ (2 Sam 18:5).

In as much as a leader has to be firm and decisive, gentleness is crucial in making an impact. Today be gentle in your dealings with others, ‘speak evil of no one, be peaceable and gentle, showing all humility to all men’ (Titus 3:2)..

The Power of Choices

‘And David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her…’(2 Sam 11:3-4).

The Bible is a book of choices and consequences. By people’s daily choices they write the stories of their future and carve out their own destinies (Joshua 24:15). The secret of a man’s future is hidden in his daily routines. The things seen and heard affect one’s thoughts. Thoughts result in choices or actions. Choices made repeatedly grow into habits. Habits form character and every one’s character carves out their individual destiny.

Everyday we face innumerable decisions, some of which have the potential to change the course of our lives forever. Certain avenues open to us are with pitfalls or lead in harmful directions. In some instances the wrong choice can even bring death. What do you do when faced with temptation? How do you decide what choices to make? This study examines the choices of David the resulting consequences. What choices did David make that brought negative consequences in his life and that of his family.

He should have gone to war but he chose to stay home: Kings went to war at spring which marked the end of the rainy season. During spring the roads were passable, there would be fodder for the animals and an army on the move would be able to raid the fields for food.

The first time he saw Barsheeba he should have exercised self-control and fled like Joseph did, when Portiphar’s wife tempted him.

He should have repented after the first sin and not committed more sin to cover up.

He shouldn’t have abused his leadership authority by sending people to bring Beersheba and finally commanding Joab to get Uriah killed. Today many are abusing their God given priviledges, forgetting that they will give an account to the one who gave them that priviledge.

He should have been accountable and taken responsibility for his actions. Most of the time we blame others for our misfortunes, without doing our part to solve the problem. You can blame others for your past and present situation but not your future.

He shouldn’t have been secretive and covered his sin. ‘You’re never more vulnerable than when you can hide from others. Secrecy is the ideal breeding ground for deception, leading us into sin’ (Bob Gass). Jesus points out that we love darkness rather than light because our deeds naturally gravitate toward evil (Jn 3:19).

What were the consequences of David’s Actions? First, the child he fathered with Bathsheba died. Secondly, his son raped his daughter, and he didn’t have the moral authority to deal with it. Thirdly, Absalom the beloved son destined to inherit his throne, fomented war and died at the hands of his own people. Fourth, civil war broke out in Israel and thousands of people died as a result. Fifth his son slept with his wives. Sixth, Absalom killed his brother Amnon for raping his sister. The lesson is clear: never accuse in another what you excuse in yourself.‘Principles can never be broken, they contain inherent judgment. For example when you put your hand in fire, you can expect to get burned because fire produces heat. In other words you don’t get burnt because God burns you or the devil burns you. You get burnt because heat is a principle of fire’ (Miles Munroe).

God set in motion certain laws and they never change. One is the law of gravity. Another is the law of sowing and reaping. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest…shall not cease” (Ge 8:22 NKJV). This law works both negatively and positively. If you sow good things you will reap good things; if you sow bad things you will reap bad things.

The Seven Things to Remember

‘Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you’ (Revelation 3:3). 

The nation of Israel provoked and grieved God in the wilderness; ‘again and again they tempted Him and limited Him’ all because ‘they did not remember His power’ (Psalm 78:42). How He redeemed them from their enemies, by working mighty signs in Egypt. 

As a result, ‘God was furious; He rejected Israel completely. He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had set up among humans. He sent the ark of His might into captivity, His splendor into the hands of the enemy. He gave His people over to the sword; He was furious with His inheritance. Fire consumed their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs’ (Psalm 78:59-63) 

This record of God’s response to Israel after they forgot His goodness and mighty deliverance in Egypt, clearly reveals to the Church today, the dangers of forgetting God’s wonders, and mighty acts in the past. Rev 3:3 admonishes us to remember, or else the second coming of the Lord will be a great surprise to the church and the entire world.

Seven things to remember:

1.    That God is your Creator and your God, and that there is no other God (Eccl 12:1, Isaiah 46:9).

2.    God’s wonderful and mighty acts in the past. His unique interventions in your life in the past (1 Chron 16:12, Psalm 77:11).

3.    To obey and hold on to His word (the Bible) and the prophecies He has given to you through His servants in times past (Psalm 103:18, Jude 17).

4.    Where He took you from and how He delivered you and your family. That most of us were once uncircumcised gentiles who have been counted worthy only by His grace (Eph 2:11, Deut 15:15).

5.    His love for you, not forgetting His death and resurrection for you (1 Cor 11:24).

6.    The poor, needy and those in prison physically and spiritually, the unsaved (Gal 2:10, Heb 13:3).

7.    He is coming again and that He is counting on you to prepare the world and His Church for His return (Matthew 24:45-50).

‘All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him’ (Psalm 22:27)

REMEMBER

‘…Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee’ (Luke 24:5, 6).

Life is a school and our daily encounters are our lessons in this school. Our success in this school of life is dependent on what we do with our daily encounters or lessons.

It’s normal to forget things every now and then. We’ve all misplaced our keys, blanked on an acquaintance’s name, or forgotten a phone number we’ve dialed a hundred times before. God created the human brain with the nature of forgetfulness for a good reason. For example, there is sometimes the need to forget the pain of the past to be able to fully enjoy the blessings of the present. Thus, we are supposed to be students of the past but not prisoners of the past.

In our relationship with God, there are times when it is very needful to remember God’s promises to us and our unique encounters of deliverance and blessings with Him. Three days after Jesus died, some of the disciples took spices to the tomb, they were ‘looking for the living among the dead’ all because they had forgotten of the Words of Jesus that, on ‘the third day he shall rise again’ (Luke 18:33). Many people are in the wrong places in life today, because they have forgotten some past events and the vital lessons they were supposed to take from them.

The patriarchs of faith, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob built God memorials any time they had a divine encounter with Him (Gen 35:1), in difficult times these memorials became a remembrance of the power and faithfulness of God. Your encounters with God and in the life of other people you know are meant to be foundations that you build on, that your faith will be built up.

‘For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope’. (Romans 15:4). Today, remember and reflect on your past encounters with God and you will receive grace and confidence to continue life’s journey, winning all the way.

The next lesson is ‘The seven things to remember.’

Persistent Labor

‘My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you’ (Gal 4:19)

‘The victory of His cross is extended only as faithful intercessors wrestle against dark powers and win through the power of Jesus name and the blood’ (Dick Eastman). Through the cross Jesus delivered all God’s creation from the power of sin and death, but the realization of that victory depends on a Christian’s labor or ministry to others. The little decisions we make whether to pray or not, whether to preach to that stranger or not, whether to have a little more patience for that new convert or not, is that which determines the final outcome. So Jesus prayed that the lord of the harvest will bring in more laborers. God is looking for Christians who will labor for souls in His kingdom.

The Apostle Paul’s words in Gal 4:19 paints a brilliant picture about what every Christian’s attitude should be when it comes to ministering to others. To begin with, Paul saw himself as a father; God has ordained you as a father, a caretaker to some people. Their future depends on the decisions you make. He has ordained that rivers of living waters will flow from your life to others, that the knowledge of God that flows through your life will bring life, hope and restoration to multitudes.

Secondly Paul reveals how much he labors for the people God has placed in his care, to be saved and transformed through God’s word. He compares ‘his pains and labors in the ministry of the word to the sorrows of a woman during the time of childbearing’ (Barnes). Clearly his love and tender compassion for the souls God has placed in His care is evident. As a Christian you should equally labor and go the extra mile to see others saved and transformed. This might mean sacrificing your time, money, prestige, etc.

A laborer works hard, and making disciples really demands hard work. Parents’ work does not end at the birth of their offspring but really begins there. Similarly the work that needs to be done for a born again Christian to grow is as equally challenging as the work of evangelism. Follow up and discipleship are the two main areas that a lot of churches are struggling to make an impact.

The harvest is indeed plenty, let us put aside all excuses and ‘deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, 'surely we did not know this, 'does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?’ (Proverbs 24:11-12)

A House Prayer

‘Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’ (Mat 21:12, 13).

  

Whenever the church gets to a stage where its focus turns from a hungry and a desperate pursuit of God, to a gratification of self and pursuit of personal material needs, the church is in serious need of revival. The focus of the church should be on God and pleasing Him, but not on the sinful nature of self and pleasing it. ‘Christ found some of the courts of the temple turned into a market for cattle and things used in the sacrifices, and partly occupied by the money-changers. Our Lord drove them from the place, as he had done at his entering upon his ministry, John 2:13-17. If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils He would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practiced under the cloak of religion, would He show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer’ (Matthew Henry).

Going through Church history; (from the first century revivals to the Welsh and Azusa street revivals until now), every revival was preceded by a praying church, one that was hungry for more of God. The same principle applies to the church today. If the church can make an impact and prepare the world for Christ’s second coming, we cannot afford to replace prayer with anything else. If Jesus could not make an impact without prayer and is believed to have prayed for about twelve hours in Mat 14:13-25, then the church needs not try achieving anything without a devotion to prayer. Jesus quoted Isaiah 56:7 ‘my house shall be called a house of prayer’ and a portion of Jeremiah 7:11, ‘but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’ when He saw what was happening in the temple. When the church gathers in a place of worship as it were in the early church, it is meant to be a time of spiritual fellowship and communion with God, through the sharing of His word and prayer. It is supposed to be a time of spiritual renewal (Acts 6:4).

Whenever a church gives heaven its attention, that church also gets the attention of heaven. Many local churches begin with a strong emphasis on prayer and hearing from God but sometimes the unfortunate happens and the focus gradually shifts to materialism and application of formulas. Their mentality moves from, ‘thus saith the Lord’ to ‘this is what will bring in money and more people’. ‘It doesn’t matter the activity you are involved in, if you are not in touch with the Word and prayer, you soon lose your color (value)’ - D. Oyedepo. The importance of prayer in the church cannot be overemphasized. Our ability to commune with God and hear His directions for the church, is that which makes a church. As the church prays we become sensitive to God’s guidance and the will of God is realized and done on earth as it is in heaven (Mat 6:9-13). The early Church valued prayer and as a result they were empowered and literally guided by God in their day to day endeavors (Acts 2:1-4, Acts 13:1-3).

God is looking for people who will restore the place of prayer in their local churches and bring revivals across the globe; you can be one of those. Thus saith the Lord, ‘And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication…’ (Zech 12:10). Arise and receive the grace for prayer today. The next lesson will be entitled, ‘The Power of a Praying Minister’.

Is your Dream a Vision or a Selfish Ambition

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions… envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God...’ (Gal 5:19-21).

The average person has a dream in life regardless of their age. These dreams are either visions or selfish ambitions. A vision is a God given purpose. The Almighty God, who is a God of purpose, creates every man for a purpose. He gives this purpose to individuals as a vision, a dream or a long term goal in life. One’s vision becomes his purpose and driving force in life. This God given vision does not have anything to do with self. On the contrary, a selfish ambition is a self given purpose that is rooted in pleasing one’s self and fulfilling the desires of the flesh, which are the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Paul the Apostle classifies selfish ambition under the works of the flesh and groups it together with sins like fornication, idolatry, drunkenness and murders. In the next verse he declares that, ‘those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.’ (Galatians 5:19-21).

Considering the origin of sin, one will realize that God created Lucifer with a purpose; he was an anointed cherub, an archangel in charge of music.  Instead of playing that role, Lucifer developed a selfish ambition to be like God, and rebelled against God and His purpose for him. It is important to note that, right before the fall of Lucifer, the statement that he made in his heart was, ‘I WILL ascend into heaven,  I WILL exalt my throne above the stars of God;  I WILL also sit on the mount of the congregation  On the farthest sides of the north;  I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds,  I WILL be like the Most High’ (Isaiah 14:12-14). In his heart Lucifer said ‘I will’ for five consecutive times in the statement that lead to his fall. Clearly, self-centeredness (which leads to selfish ambition) was the origin of sin.  

Again in the Garden of Eden, it was the same spirit of self-centeredness and selfish ambition that lead to the fall of man.  God gave man dominion to rule over all His creation except that, he was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:15,16). However, the devil was able to deceive man that when they eat of that tree they will ‘be like God, knowing good and evil’ (Gen 3:5). Even though God made man in His image and likeness, He clearly commanded man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man’s God given purpose was to have dominion; be fruitful, multiply, subdue the earth and replenish it (Gen 1:28). However, Satan gave man a selfish ambition outside the plan and timing of God. His words to Eve were, ‘you will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’ (Gen 3:4-5). The sad reality is that Adam and Eve had already been made in the image and likeness of God before they obeyed the devil (Gen 1:26-28).

Today many have good dreams for their future but the truth is, a good dream may not necessarily be a God given dream. One of the best enticements of the devil is, giving the people of God a counterfeit dream or vision. These selfish ambitions that the devil gives to men are rooted in the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

The food for thought today is, what is your motive for that dream you are pursuing in life? Do you desire to be a blessing or you are in it only to satisfy yourself and nobody else. It’s all about motives; Paul taught that ‘Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife…’ (Phil 1:15). As a follow up to this lesson, the next lesson is The Power of Love’.

Know when to Withdraw

“Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.” (John 11:54)

In John 11 we find that after Jesus had risen Lazarus from the dead, the Pharisees called a meeting of the council (the Sanhedrin) to talk about how Jesus' miracles are making more people follow Him. Caiaphas the high priest for that year prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation in order to unite the children of God into one body (vrs 49-52). From that day on, they sought and plotted to kill Him. For that reason Jesus did not appear publicly among the Jews, He went to Ephraim and stayed there with His disciples (vrs 54).

It is important to follow Jesus' example and know when to retrieve. Many anointed men die before their time due to wrong decisions. Remember; anointing, knowledge/education, status etc does not make up for wisdom or wrong decisions. Simply put, principles work. A person who puts their hand in a fire will get burnt, not because of their level of education or anointing but because they made a wrong decision by denying the principle of heat. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time can cost you your life regardless of who you are.  It is my prayer that we know when to stay quiet when opposition arises in order for our ministry to be prolonged than to be vocal at all times and shorten our purposes in life and ministry. Decisions determine destinies.  (Message by Grace Collingwoode Williams)

The Pressure of the People

‘When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” (Exodus 32:1-2)

Aaron is quickly associated with a number of historical events in Israeli history. What are some of the events that you think of when Aaron’s name is mentioned? It could be his going to Pharaoh with Moses to demand the release of Israeli slaves; being the founder of the Priesthood; he and Hur holding up Moses arms in battle; the gold calf incident; etc. What is the one incident with which Aaron is typically identified? It will be the gold calf worship at Sinai (Ex 32) - John L. Kachelman, Jr.

A contemplative analysis of Exodus 32 will reveal that Aaron acted under pressure. Like Aaron, many of us fail God and make the wrong choices when we are under pressure from the Church, family, friends, school mates or work associates. However, the real test of a person’s character comes when the person is in an environment that is very supportive of wrong choices. Many people have behaved in ways that destroyed their future, because of Mob psychology or Herd mentality - where people do things because of the influence of their peers, adopting certain behaviors and following trends that they wouldn’t, if it were left to them alone.

Seneca, the Roman philosopher once said, ‘it is dangerous to attach one's self to the crowd in front, and so long as each one of us is more willing to trust another than to judge for himself, we never show any judgment in the matter of living, but always a blind trust, and a mistake that has been passed on from hand to hand finally involves us and works our destruction. It is the example of other people that is our undoing; let us merely separate ourselves from the crowd…’

Unlike Aaron, Moses’ reaction to this particular situation is an example to every believer. Instead of pleasing the crowd he pleased God and showed spiritual leadership. ‘Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him (Exodus 32:25-26). Moses was able to hold unto his convictions and faith in God when the whole of the nation of Israel was moving in a totally opposite direction. Christians don’t live their lives based upon the feelings of the moment or popular opinion, but by the instruction and guidance of God’s word.

Are you under pressure to make some wrong choices or disobey God? Remember the words of Apostle Paul, "don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you" (Rom 12:2- MSG). Remember, "each of us will give a personal account to God" (Romans 14:12- NLT).

The Power of Love

‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others’ (Phil 2:3, 4).

What our world lacks is neither natural nor human resources but love. God has provided humanity with all that we need, to have peaceful lives without abject poverty. However in these days of great technological developments, massive capital flow and information overload, millions of children still die from curable diseases and poor nutrition, those that even survive are permanently affected by malnutrition. ‘In the United States at the end of 2001, 10% of the population owned 71% of the wealth and the top 1% owned 38%. On the other hand, the bottom 40% owned less than 1% of the nation's wealth’(Wikipedia). ‘It is indisputably believed that the greatest moral challenge this generation faces is that, one in four of the people we share this small and beautiful planet with, live in abject poverty. 2.8 billion People live on less than $2 a day and 1.2 billion live on less than $ 1 a day’ (Rt. Hon. Clare Short, Secretary of state for International development). Clearly, love and selflessness is the solution to a lot of the problems we have in the world today.

God is love and He created man in His image and likeness. Before the fall of man, love was man’s nature. The Spirit of God that He breathed into man was a spirit of love, but after the fall of man the nature of love was replaced by a nature of self-centeredness. As established in the previous lesson (Is Your Dream a Vision or a Selfish Ambition), self-centeredness was the origin of sin (Isaiah 14:12-14). So Christianity is a call to love, and its journey is a transformation from self-centeredness to love. No wonder Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with your all and love your neighbor as yourself. The greatest mark of Christian maturity is selflessness that is born out of love. Paul confirmed that when he said, ‘If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing’ (1 Cor 13:1-3).

Paul also taught that we should, ‘do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves’ (Phil 2:3). Christ was a revelation and an embodiment of the love of God. Our daily attitude is supposed to be like Christ, who gave up His divine privileges as God and took the humble position of a slave, was born as a human being and selflessly died as a criminal on a cross for our salvation (Phil 2:5-8).

The good news is that after Jesus died for all men as a result of His love and selflessness, ‘God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names’ (Phil 2:9). God blesses us, so that we may be a blessing (Gen 12:1-3). Those who pursue love and selflessness are blessed beyond measure, and they make an impact that transcends generations. Today, seek God with all your heart, draw closer to Him and let His nature of love been seen through you. By loving Him you will know Him more and be able to love your neighbors as yourself. There cannot be love without giving, love is revealed through our giving that meet the needs of others (John 3:16).

Examine your priorities, motivation and focus in life today and let this be your song, ‘Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, All His wondrous compassion and purity, Oh thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine. Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me’.

Uncovering the Clay Roof

‘And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying, and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “son your sins are forgiven” ’ (Mark 2:4-5).

When you answer the universal call to salvation, you answer a call to duty and ministry. This ministry involves ‘carrying others and their burdens to Christ’. The good news is, when you carry others you definitely meet Christ. Mark 2:1-12 gives a very intriguing account of four men who carried a paralytic to Christ. This study focuses on some important lessons that can be drawn from that story. Principally, the story reveals some of the challenges in bringing others to Christ and the rewards of enduring that labor.

As it were, Jesus’ presence in Capernaum resulted in multitudes trooping there. The house in which He was, got so parked that there was no room for an extra person, not even outside the house. Four men arrived at the house carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. The first lesson here is that, when one finds Christ and the total redemption that He provides, it is his responsibility to carry or compel others to Christ. In Christ, you are in a position to pick up others and carry them to Him through prayer, the preaching of the gospel and your acts of kindness. Don’t just look at the spiritually and physically needy with pithy but rather compassion. Compassion goes beyond pithy; it reaches out to offer a helping or ministering hand. It doesn’t say ‘some one else will help’.

The fact that four men carried the paralytic, also offers a valuable lesson. One person could not have succeeded in getting him to Jesus. Even if one person tried it would have been tiresome and he could have been worn out before getting him to Jesus timely. In the work of ministry, it is always important to envision yourself as being part of a team. Individuals that aren’t able to work with others get worn out before their time. Jesus sent the seventy in pairs and Paul the great Apostle also sent for John mark, the disciple he couldn’t work with previously and his words were, ‘get Mark and bring him with you for he is useful to me for ministry (2 Tim 4:11). Enduring ministry can never be done in isolation, every joint supply.

The idea to take the sick to Jesus may have been initiated by one person, but that person was able to impart the vision to three more people. The visionary did not allow the desire to take the glory after the work is done, to stop him; he was more passionate about getting the sick man delivered. Been able to impart a God given vision to others is one mark of a mature Christian worker. Been able to share a vision with others, to a point where those individuals will personalize it and ran with it makes one a great leader. Great leaders don’t accomplish great feats alone. As an individual, there are some capabilities you don’t have and will never have. During the building of the tabernacle, God gave the vision and measurements to Moses, but He gave the skills required for the work to others.

The men carrying the paralytic couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above His head and lowered the sick man on his stretcher, right down in front of Jesus. The four men may have put themselves at risk digging through the clay roof and lowering the sick. Ministering to others demands selflessness and a lot of Sacrifices; it can be very challenging spiritually, physically and emotionally. Regardless, with God all things are possible and where there is a will there is a way. Paul said I become all things to all men so that by all means I will win some for Christ (1 Cor 9:22). Getting others to Christ is a spiritual battle that needs to be won on the knees through travailing prayer and in the mind through wise planning, not forgetting the physical work involved. Don’t easily give up on people during evangelism, follow up and other Christian ministries. The Holy Spirit’s guidance always brings victory.

‘When Jesus saw their faith He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiveness”. Isn’t it amazing that others can be delivered from sicknesses, death, poverty, sin and all kinds of bondages through your acts of faith? Today, have compassion, be persistent in hard work and release your faith in ministering to others. Many in your own family and all around you are still in spiritual slavery because you have not risen up. Rise up child of God, all creation is waiting for your manifestation

The Reward of Diligence

‘In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty’ (Proverbs 14:23).

‘The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’ (Gen 2:15). Work is a timeless responsibility. Before God created man He worked, after He created man He commanded man to work and even after the fall of man He still commanded man to work. Nothing works until you work it (David Oyedepo). If God worked for six days before He rested on the seventh, you should realize that nothing can be achieved without work, and until you work you don’t deserve rest. The good news is, ‘In all labor there is profit’. Everyone who works receives wages, regardless of their spirituality, be it an atheist or a Christian. The difference is Christians hear God’s voice and have His guidance, giving them an opportunity to work with great wisdom, excellence and productivity. The principle of sowing and reaping remains as long as the earth remains. Spirituality is no excuse for laziness. As a Christian you are supposed to ‘Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow (Benjamin Franklin).

After God created man and placed him on earth, it already had invisible computers, aircrafts, and all the wonders of technological advancements we find in the present century. Adam would have been blown away with amazement if God had unraveled life in this century to him. But the truth is God had placed all the potentials and ideas to make those developments in man, and He had also placed the resources to make them on earth. So His words to man was, be fruitful (productive), multiply (impart your knowledge and duplicate yourself), replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion (Gen 1:28). Before God gave man this command, He had placed in him all that it takes to achieve all the details of his purpose. But the key to unlocking all these purposes was work.

'Nothing is to be got without labor; and he that is laborious in his calling, whether it be by manual operation, working with his hands that which is good; or by hard study, much reading, and constant meditation, is like to gain much for his own use and the good of others. A man that spends his time in idle talk, boasting of what he can do and does, and yet does nothing, is in a fair way to come to beggary: so all talk about wisdom, and knowledge, and religion, without making use of the proper means of improvement, tends to the poverty of the mind (Gill’s exposition of the entire Bible).

Many Christians are good at confessing the promises in God’s word and that is very wonderful, but the truth is after confessing God’s promises and His will for you, you are to be inspired by those promises to plan and diligently work towards a realization of those promises. Remember, God accomplished His work during His creation by sticking to the plan he had laid down. For six days He worked, creating something specific every day. On the seventh day He rested. The common believe is that people rest after they are tired of labor. The lesson here is diligence, ‘the plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty’ (Prov 21:5).

God has ordained an awe-inspiring purpose for your life. His word to you is eyes have not seen ears have not seen neither has it entered in to the hearts of men the purpose I have for those who love me (1 Cor 2:9). No man, not even you have an idea about the depth of potential God has placed in you, but the key is to remain connected to your maker, discover your purpose, make long term and short term plans for your life, add value to yourself and work diligently to fulfill those plans. Finding one’s true calling in life makes hard work bearable and fulfilling. Confucius, the Chinese philosopher said, ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life’.