Saturday, March 31, 2018

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 holyAll 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.



Thursday, March 29, 2018

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.


Friday, March 23, 2018

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 18:10Genesis 21:1-2Hebrews 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’.


Thursday, March 22, 2018

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). 












Monday, March 12, 2018

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.



Saturday, March 10, 2018

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)..



Friday, March 9, 2018

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.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

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)