What is God Saying

What is God Saying? (1 Samuel 23:1-14; 2 Samuel 11: 1-15)

Have you ever heard God speak? If so, was His voice audible?

• Introduction:

David inquired of the Lord and God answered him when he was faced with the task of deciding what to do with the Philistines and King Saul (verses 1 Samuel 23: 2, 4, 9-12). He listened to what God had to say and followed the instructions of God. 

Unfortunately in 2 Samuel 11, when he decide to sleep with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, David did not inquire of the Lord. His previous experience with the Lord could not prevent him from committing the grievous sins of adultery and murder. His decision to sleep with Bathsheba brought pain, suffering, heartache and disgrace to David and Israel. When all his efforts to entice Uriah to sleep at his (Uriah's) home failed, David devised a diabolical plan to remove Uriah from the surface of the earth. God never would have advised David to commit adultery and murder.

When we circumvent the counsel of the Lord, we end up doing regrettable and sinful things.

•  The Judgement: 2 Samuel 12:7-14

God is not a respecter of persons. When we sin deliberately in whatever form or shape, there will be consequences. David's life was spared, his sins forgiven but he had to face the consequences of his sin. 

"Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:10-14)


Is God speaking today? Anything one does without God’s approval is simply null and void. How did David hear the voice of God in the first instance and what prevented him from hearing God’s voice when he was planning evil with Bathsheba? The Bible tells us that "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

The fact that one heard God in the past does not really justify action in the present that is not directed by God. If you had an encounter with Him, what would He tell you? Would God tell you to put self first?  Would He tell you to forsake the assembly of believers?  Would He encourage you to relegate His Word to the background?

WHAT DO YOU THINK GOD WILL TELL YOU ABOUT YOURSELF?  Would He endorse your lifestyle? If Jesus was to appear suddenly, would you be glad to receive Him or would you ask Him to come back so that you would have time to clean up?

• God’s Kindness and Unambiguity:

God is speaking to us today. He cares for us and it would do us a lot of good to obey Him. That way, we will avoid embarrassment via the dire consequences of  ungodly decisions, unnecessary suffering and pain. 

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8, NKJV)

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32, NKJV)

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:15-16)

We have a choice to make - obey God's commands or disobey His commands. Which option will you go for?

• Do You Love God?

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23)

Please find below some points arising from the above passages of Scripture to consider:

Abiding in Jesus: It is impossible to abide in Jesus and somewhere else at the same time. we must make a choice and decide which to go for.

Being a disciple of Jesus: Discipleship is a function of abiding in Jesus

Knowing the truth:  Knowing the truth and applying it sets us free from sinful encumbrances. Therefore, freedom is predicated on obedience.

Loving Jesus: Loving Jesus cannot arise from a casual relationship with Him. We must be committed 100% to Him, following Him all the way.

Keeping the commandments of Jesus: Keeping the commandments of Jesus is the evidence that we love Him. To claim to love Jesus and then engage in behaviour contrary to His Word is a contradiction in terms. 

Fellowship with God the Father: This is dependent on keeping the Word of God)

• God’s Promises:

“The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” (Psalm 34;10)

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:3-5‬, ‭NKJV‬‬)


Conclusions:

God has never failed and will never fail to keep His promises. 

If there is a problem, God is not the instigator and neither can He be blamed for the consequences of our actions. In fact, we have a propensity to create problems just like David did. If we do not love and serve God unconditionally, we will be digging holes for ourselves.

Corona-virus or not, God is still on the throne; He is still in charge; He is more than able to take care of you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; He is still able to protect you in your going out and in your coming in.


OUR GOD IS ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF US AND TO BRING FULFILMENT IN TO OUR LIVES. AFTER ALL HE CREATED US AND HIS PLANS FOR US ARE GOOD AND PERFECT.

He is able more than able

To accomplish what concerns me today

He is able more than able

To handle anything that comes my way

He is able more than able

To do much more than I could ever dream

He is able more than able

To make me what He wants me to be

Nations That Forget God

"The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God."(Psalm 9:17, NKJV)

"Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34, NKJV)

Sin is a reproach to any individual or people. The Bible clearly states 

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:16-24, ESV)

Today in many nations, the works of the flesh are prevalent both on an individual basis and a collective basis. Apostle Paul put it succinctly in the book of Romans

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." (Romans 1:21-27)

The Bible has been taken out of schools, abortion has been legalised, alternative and unnatural lifestyles are being promoted. It is fair to say that individuals have a right to do whatever they want . However, there are consequences for actions. For example, if one commits a crime the individual will go to prison. When nations turn against the God's laws, they condemn themselves to the eventual wrath of God. Sexual immorality including homosexuality, lesbianism, fornication, adultery is sin but our societies endorse these abominable lifestyles. God has said

"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8)

and He goes on further to state that 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Deliberate indulgence in sin is a slap in the face of our Creator, God Almighty. He gives us breath each day of our lives, He makes the sun to rise and set, He has put the planets in space with such precision that is really mind-boggling. I remember a Chemistry experiment I participated in during my secondary education. It was about the determination of the percentage of oxygen in the air we breathe. Using a candle lit in a bowl of water with a glass cup, we determined that oxygen occupied approximately 20% of air. To even think that was determined by some mindless, chaotic event is to stretch the imagination to ridiculous limits. It is simply stupid to even entertain such a ridiculous thought. It's like saying that your car suddenly evolved from a grain of sand. 

People and nations that forget God will be turned into hell to spend all eternity with their god, Satan. It's a matter of choices. God will eventually give people who disregard His laws, who blatantly engage in abominable acts, who wilfully choose evil over good, who engage in animalistic behaviour whilst promoting bestial tendencies, their choices. And hell it shall be if they do not repent. Short and Simple!!

But it does not have to be this way. The Bible says that 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

These were the words of Jesus who came to the world to set us free from the bondage of sin and the devil. You don't have to live a sinful lifestyle, you don't have to be at war with God, you don't have too go to hell, you don't have to live an unfulfilled life, you don't have to live in fear of tomorrow and life after this earthly life, you don't have to be a pawn on the devil's chess board.

You can be a child of God today with your sins forgiven and with a brand new life. You can be free, forgiven and fulfilled because God is good and he keeps His promise. You can know the joy of the Lord and His peace which passes all understanding. You can finally become what you were created to be. 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I plead with you today to receive Jesus as you personal Lord and Saviour so that all things will become new and your life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a supernatural, spiritual transformation and you will never again be the same. 

Acknowledge your sin, call upon Jesus, repent of your sin, ask for forgiveness from your heart and receive Jesus by faith. If you do that today shall be your second birthday - spiritual birthday. 

Heed the Word of the Lord today. God bless you. 

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?

Panton Okon

14 July · 

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil." (James 4: 13-16, NKJV)

Who knows exactly what will happen a day or two from now? Who is in control of the day? Can we, for one second, stop the rising of the sun or the setting of the same? Are we fully in control? Is our demonstration of bravado merely a camouflage for our insecurity? By the way, who knows when death will come knocking? We know that death is an inevitable end. It is unavoidable. We can't stop it although we wish we could. As we observe our bodies struggling with the ravages of the ageing process, we often wish we had the ability to stop it. We realize how helpless we really are and how our money and possessions cannot help us break free from the humbling ageing process. Some have tried cosmetic surgery but that has not prevented them from dying. Others have simply ignored the ageing process and attempted to deny the fact, consequently refusing to accept physical death as an inerasable certainty. 

Apostle James asked the question, 'What is your life?' Is it the accumulation of wealth, educational qualifications, awards, possessions, travel escapades, books written, wonderful families, Fortune 500 companies, etc? Jesus asked another question, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). As sad as it sounds, no one will be able to take any thing away with them when they eventually pass away. The Bible reminds us of that, stating "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (1 Timothy 6:7). So what is life all about? 

There was a man who thought he knew how to navigate the uncertainties of life. He was successful in the eyes of the world, was affluent, lived a luxurious life and made plans for the future. Jesus spoke a parable about this man, saying 
" ...: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke12:16-21). He thought he had it all figured out; he was set for retirement. He had worked hard and everything seemed to be in place and in stock. Money was not the problem. However, he went the way of all mankind. He left all that he had worked for behind. He left the world with nothing. His worldly achievements could not deliver him from death or his eternal destination. 

Do you know when death will come knocking? Are you prepared for eternity? Oh, some people say when they die, their bodies will rot. That's true. What about the spirit? The spirit will never die. It will continue to live either in Heaven or in hell. The Bible says "... it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Hebrews 9:27). Some say they do not believe. Well, that is their right but guess what, unbelief does not change anything. Whether or not you believe in the Word of God, one day you will stand before the Almighty God to give an account of your life. That day will be Judgement Day. If you followed Jesus, you will go to Heaven, otherwise you will end up in hell. As simple as that. One may think it is unfair. Again one is entitled to his or her own opinion but the question is: why should God admit you into Heaven when you rejected Him on earth? God is not obligated to offer assistance to those who hate Him. Moreover, it will be a violation of the individual's fundamental human rights to be sent to a place whose owner is the One he or she hates. You see, you can't eat your cake and have it. You are either for God or for Satan and hell was created for Satan. You are either a believer or unbeliever. If by your choice, you decide to be an unbeliever, you will receive what all unbelievers will receive - everlasting punishment in hell and the company of Satan whom they invariably served and who hates them with a passion. Whatever you sow is what you will reap (Galatians 6:7). 

What is the way out? JESUS. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Jesus can and will set you free if you surrender your life to Him today. He died for our sins and He has the power to deliver us from eternal punishment or damnation. Surrendering to Jesus means repenting of your sin, asking God for forgiveness and receiving Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:" (John 1:12)

Please come to Jesus today. Confess your sins to Him, ask for and accept His forgiveness and you shall be cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John1:9). Then you will start your journey to Heaven. Here on earth, the Holy Spirit will guide you and comfort you. You will be a new creation because old things will pass away and all things will become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). God bless you.

WILL YOU MAKE HEAVEN?

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 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.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:19-21‬, ‭NKJV‬‬)

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Many feel when they die they will go to Heaven, others do not believe there is a place called Heaven. Nobody can wish themselves into Heaven. Unbelief cannot erase the reality of Heaven. The Bible tells us of Jesus being lifted up into Heaven.

"So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19)

"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)

If you still do not believe, that is your right but one day everyone including yourself will stand before Jesus to give an account of their lives on earth. So, if there are some individuals who will not enter Heaven, where will they go to? HELL. IF YOU MISS HEAVEN, YOU CANNOT MISS HELL.

Part of the lyrics 'Highway to Hell', a song released in 1979 by the group called AC/DC is as follows:

Living easy, living free
Season ticket on a one-way ride
Asking nothing, leave me be
Taking everything in my stride
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme
Ain't nothing I would rather do
Going down, party time
My friends are gonna be there too

I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell

The second verse is as follows:

No stop signs, speed limit
Nobody's gonna slow me down
Like a wheel, gonna spin it
Nobody's gonna mess me around
Hey Satan, paid my dues
Playing in a rocking band
Hey mama, look at me
I'm on my way to the promised land, whoo!

The band members made their choice. They knew where they wanted to go. However they got something wrong - that is, there is no party time in hell. Hear what Jesus said about hell

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ " (Mark 9:43-44)

'“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!' " (Luke 12:4-5)

In hell, the fire is unquenchable. AC/DC band members called hell the promised land and stated that Satan paid their dues. You see, at the end of the day, the choice is yours. Make no mistake about it, whatever you sow, that is what you will reap (Galatians 6:7). You either serve God or Satan. WHOM SHALL YOU SERVE?

Only those who are on God's side, who have surrendered their lives to Jesus, who live daily according to the Word of God, who are disciples of Jesus, who live holy lives, who do not practice the works of the flesh, who are righteous, who do the will of God - will inherit the Kingdom of God and enter Heaven. 

It is my prayer that you will allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you and that you will obey the Word of God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Run to Jesus today, surrender to Him wholeheartedly and you shall be saved and thereby be on your way to Heaven when you leave this chaotic world.
God bless you.

IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?

"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." 

(Revelation 20: 11-15, NKJV)

"And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:6-8)

There are many individuals who think (erroneously) that their weaknesses and imperfections are enough reason for a consideration for Heaven. Their argument is that since none of us is perfect, sin is excusable. Apostle Paul writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned the following words in Romans 6:1-2

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" 

You see, sin in any form or shape is inexcusable and the Bible says the soul who sins (lives in sin, enjoys sin, embraces sin, justifies sin and refuses to repent of sin) shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). God's standards are unambiguous. He loves us unconditionally (He loves the sinner but hates the sin) and quite remarkably respects our choices. He never tries to force anyone against their own will but He reminds us of the consequences of our choices. Oh yes, we shall all reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). What is the point in all this?

Simply that if you want your name written in the Book of Life, you must repent of your sins and be born again in the spirit. You must receive Jesus as you personal Lord and Saviour which means surrendering to Him unconditionally. Are you willing to do that? The categories of individuals whose names will not be in the Book of Life are 

"...the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars " 

Jesus is calling you today. He said, "Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). You do not have to go to hell and the lake of fire. Coming to Jesus in humility, realising that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23), confessing your sin, asking for forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and receiving Jesus as your personal Lord and Ssviour are the steps necessary to enable you to become a born-again child of God.

The Bible states unambiguously 
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:8-9)

Today, you can have your name written in the Book of Life. Confess in your heart the Lord Jesus and believe that He has been raised from the dead and you shall be saved. Humble yourself and serve and worship God in spirit and in truth, you will know the abundant joy of the Lord and go to Heaven when you leave this chaotic world. That is a blessed hope not fiction. Why? Jesus is real, God is real and the Holy Spirit is real. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He said

"'Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”'
(John 14:1-4)

Think about it. A place whose architect is God, a place where there is no sorrow, no pain, no heartache, no trouble, no sickness, no suffering, no crime, no political correctness, no hypocrisy, no bias or discrimination; a place where the love of God will reign forevermore (Revelation 21:4). Hallelujah! DON'T YOU WANT TO BE THERE? I don't know about you but I DO. May the God of all love and comfort keep you, and empower you for the challenges of today as you walk in His perfect will in Jesus' Name.

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF YOU?

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?" (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, NKJV)

Most human relationships, if not all start with an introduction. One of the individuals may say 'I am so-so and so' or 'I am Mr. Big Stuff' to which the question, ' Who do you think you are?' may be the response 🤓. On a serious note, introductions are important and thereafter come covert evaluations designed to check out the validity of the prospective relationship. So, let's check out who God is.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17)

God is good and His mercies endure forever. The Psalmist was inspired to write

"Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."
(Psalm 103:1-5)

Words are inadequate to describe our God but we can say with all amount of assurance that He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and He is love. "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:8). God forgives our iniquities, heals our diseases and redeems our lives from destruction. In John 3:16, we read "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." What is the point in all this? The point is that God is reliable, trustworthy, faithful, and loving. In fact He is love personified. He can be trusted because He wants the very best for you and has great plans for you. He said in Jeremiah 29:11-13

" For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

In the light of the above, it is not difficult to see why God's requirements are not out of place. Since His plans for us are the best for us, it makes sense for us to draw near to Him and to heed His commands so that all that He has in store for us will come our way.

What does God require of us?

1) To fear Him
2) To walk in all His ways
3) To love Him
4) To serve Him with all our heart and soul
5) To keep His commandments

That's not a long list and it is possible to achieve these with the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact we are told in Scripture that "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
(2 Peter 1:3-4)

Moses reminded the children of Israel thousands of years ago what God required of them. God has not changed and will never change. He requires the same from us today because it is for our own good. We should not try and wiggle our way out of it or try to replace His requirements with carnal desires. The Bible clearly states what the whole duty of man is 

"...Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). 

Will you do what God requires of you? Every thing that we do will be put under the scrutiny of God's light and guess what, nothing will escape His notice. He will not impose Himself on you but He will offer you invaluable advice - words of life, that are designed to bring you to the place of fulfilment and fruitfulness. 

Finally, relegating God to the background or blatantly refusing to heed His commandments will surely lead you to a place of futility and waste. Jesus said

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5).

Without Jesus, our lives are meaningless. With Him, we flow with the divine plan and purpose for our lives. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE ABOVE INFORMATION?
May Almighty God guide you and keep you and may you be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Have a blessed day.

HOW TO RECEIVE GOD'S BLESSINGS

" And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things, yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach—[and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister." (Colossians 1:21-23, AMP)

Most people, if not, all desire blessings. It's a natural longing embedded in us by God Himself. However, there is a process that cannot be ignored if we are going to be at the receiving end of God's benevolence, compassion, magnanimity, love and graciousness. Wishful thinking will not get us there; a disregard for His commandments will not suffice neither will presumption usher us into the blessings of God.

Apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Colossae that they had, at one time, been alienated from God. They had been hostile towards Him, participating in evil things but Christ had reconciled them to God. The first step to receiving blessings is repentance and salvation. In other words like Jesus told Nicodemus, one must be born-again (John 3:3). That means acknowledging one's sin (for all have sinned ...Romans 3:23) and the consequences/wages of sin which is death (Romans 6:23). Then one calls upon God in sincerity for forgiveness. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Doing this would mean that we have received Jesus on His own terms and we would be given the power to become sons/daughters of God (John 1:12). It is important in all this to realise and accept that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and on the third day rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). THAT IS THE GOSPEL which we proclaim unashamedly declaring the Lordship and Kingship of Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son. Hallelujah!

Having become Christians, Apostle Paul reminded the brethren at Colossae that it was imperative that they continued in the faith, not shifting away from the hope of the Gospel. Paul was confident in what he was saying because he had been a Pharisee who was apprehended by Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was consequently speaking as a minister of the Gospel. Are you a minister of the Gospel? Have you told people around you the Gospel? Are you a witness for Jesus? Paul said,

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16, NKJV)

The key to receiving the blessings of God is obedience to His Word and continuance in the things of the Lord. Jesus said,
"If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments." (John 14:15, AMP). Some people say they love Jesus but they are involved in things that are contrary to His will. They indulge in carnal behaviour and try to justify their behaviour by claiming that God loves them and that He has forgiven them. First and foremost, engaging in carnal behaviour is contrary to the commands of Jesus. Secondly, to be forgiven, we must repent. Thirdly, there are consequences for sin. A deliberate act of sin attracts commensurate consequences. The Bible says,

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

Deliberate sin reveals contempt for the commands of God. In Deuteronomy 28, a fundamental principle for blessing was laid down in unambiguous terms. 

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:..." (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
God has not changed and He will never change.FULFIL THE CONDITIONS AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS.

Finally, it is important to note that it is God who determines the blessings. There are general blessings and there are specific blessings. in any case, God knows what is best for you and you can rest assured that He will give you the best for you. 

It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to behold wondrous things out of His law in the mighty name of Jesus. Have a wonderfully blessed day.

PERSECUTIONS AND PESTILENCES

"And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:6-8)

"So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29-31)

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12)

Okay, who needs persecutions and pestilences? Can't we write on or discuss a user-friendly topic? We can but that will not obliterate the reality of persecutions and pestilences. Before COVID-19, we had other plagues and pestilences such as Ebola, SARS, HIV-AIDS, etc. and you can rest assured that we have not seen the end of them yet. Why? Jesus said in the last days there will be famines, pestilences, wars and rumours of wars. So the question that arises is - What should we do and where do we run to? 

I was really amazed when I reread Mark 10. Jesus said that if we leave our houses, siblings, parents, relatives, spouses, land, etc for His sake, we shall receive a hundredfold and with persecutions. The prosperity gospel perpetrators will not tell their hearers that persecution is part of the Christian package. Apostle Paul made it abundantly clear that if we are going to live godly lives, we must embrace persecution. I don't know about you, but I want to live a godly life and I am fully aware that persecution will come. Hallelujah!

Now, I can tell you that at the mention of the word 'persecution', my flesh gets agitated and it starts screaming because it does not want pain or ridicule and it is at enmity with God and it can never please God (Romans 8:7-8). I have to put the flesh in its place by the power of the Holy Spirit and walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit involves abiding in Jesus and submitting to His will. It's God's will that must be done not ours.

We can rest assured that as long as we are walking in obedience, God will never leave us nor forsake us. He will give us strength for each day, courage to walk through the fire, and the boldness and forthrightness to proclaim the Gospel without fear.

We are encouraged by God in Scripture to keep on pressing on. The Word of God says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58). God knows everything. Whenever the pestilences and persecutions come, He will see us through and if we leave this earth we shall go to Heaven. Glory be to God.

Have a blessed day.

Seven Words That The Flesh Hates 8 - TRIBULATION

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Jesus told His disciples (then and now) that in this world, they would have tribulation. And because Jesus said it, it has happened and it will continue to occur until He returns.

Tribulation is defined as , 'a state of great trouble or suffering.' It is important to understand who Jesus is and the power of His words. Not only is He the Messiah and Saviour of the world but "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." (Colossians 1:15-17). You see, the fact that Jesus said we will have tribulation means that without a shadow of doubt, you and I will experience tribulation. Counter-intuitive, right? Not the sort of stuff that prosperity preachers propagate!.

Apostle Paul, embracing the idea went on to say that we should glory in tribulations. Wow. How on earth is that possible? He even said that it is through many tribulations that we will enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). In fact Apostle Paul told the Corinthian brethren that "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). This is amazing! God comforts us in our tribulation. In other words, He is right there with us when we experience tribulation and His joy will be our strength in the Name of Jesus. Hallelujah!

The pain barrier is defined as 'the state of greatest pain, especially during physical exertion, beyond which the pain diminishes.'. Athletes and sports men and women wanting to excel must go through that barrier. Marathon runners go through the pain barrier. They don't like it, would not deliberately go for it but they embrace it because it is absolutely necessary for success in athletics. 

My dear brethren, no one in their right mind would go to God praying a prayer like, 'O God, please bless me with tribulation today. I need an overflow of tribulation so that I can fly like an eagle' However, in our Christian walks and races we must come to terms with the simple fact that we will encounter not only tribulations but trials, temptations, tests and suffering. In the process we will have to sacrifice and serve wholeheartedly so that God will be glorified. The flesh is opposed to the truth and many are deceived to think that the Christian race is a roller coaster on a smooth and broad way. Just because there are multitudes on the broad way does not mean it is the right way. God makes us aware of the fact that it is the narrow and difficult path, as opposed to the deceptively easy and broad path, that leads to abundant and eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14). Choose life today, stay on course, engage in the battle in the power of the Holy Spirit, fixing your eyes on Jesus and although you may be bruised, you will emerge victorious in the mighty Name of Jesus.

It has been a journey writing on these seven words and I pray that God Almighty will encourage, strengthen and comfort you as you run the difficult Christian race in the Name of Jesus. 

Have a marvellously blessed day.

Seven Words That The Flesh Hates 7 - TRIALS

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials," (James 1:2)

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

God allows trials in our lives. Trials cause unpleasant experiences in our lives and can be devastating. In Job 1:8, we read
"Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
Job was certainly a righteous man who feared God but he went through the most horrendous experience. He lost his children and his property and his health was attacked but eventually the trial passed and he had everything and much more restored.

"The purpose of trials is to refine our lives and leave us with a purer, stronger faith, as well as a character that God can bless and use." (crosswalk.com)

The passages above state that we should not regard trials as strange phenomena rather we should count it all joy when we face them. We do not rejoice in the pain and discomfort but we express joy at the outcome - conformity to the image of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The outcome of our trials will be spiritual growth if we fix our eyes on Jesus and do not give up. Trials refine us like gold.

I don't think most Christians would call upon God for trials and that is understandable. Yet the reality of the matter is that trials will come our way - when and where we cannot say but God who is faithful will see us through in Jesus' Name. God said in His Word,

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

The early Christians including the apostles faced trials. Apostle Paul speaking about his trials wrote
"You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; " (Acts 20:18-19)
Jesus Himself faced trials. He commended His disciples for staying with Him though His trials, "You are those who have stayed with me in my trials," (Luke 22:28, ESV)

How do we ensure that we emerge from trials purified? We fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) because in Him we have the victory. He understands what we are going through, much better than us. He has a plan and a purpose for the trial(s) and you can rest assured that as He walks with you through the trial, you would be better for it. In Psalm 30:5, the Bible says, "...Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning." Joy is coming your way, my brother and my sister. Hold on tight, do not let go for God is with you. God is preparing you for higher heights in the ministry He has called you to so that you will minister in the power of the Holy Ghost. All is well in the Lord.

May the good Lord give you understanding of His Word and may you be an instrument of blessings in His hands through your trials which will definitely come to an end one day. Have a wonderfully blessed day.

Seven Words That The Flesh Hates 6 - SERVICE

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1)

The word service means "the action of helping or doing work for someone." 

Jesus, our Lord and Savior exemplified excellent service. He said, "...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) 

The flesh hates service but loves to be served. True service involves humility. Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even to death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Incredible! Jesus did not try to pull rank with God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are co-equal. In John 13:2-17, we read the story of how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. God the Son and the Son of God stooped down to wash the smelly feet of sinful men. Amazing!

You see, true service is rendered with anonymity. In service, the servant's personality, attributes, status, or features is not the issue or the focal point. True service seeks to satisfy the one who is being served. In fact, it involves relegating one's self to the background. And yes, as you may have rightly guessed, the flesh cannot stand that. Flesh desires to be the center of attraction. Flesh wants to be recognized. Flesh wants to be worshipped. 

Will you humble yourself today and serve God wholeheartedly? Will you forget about yourself and serve God unconditionally? The Bible says in Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
We must serve God with reverence and fear. The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). True service is divine and that is why we need the help of the Holy Spirit. In serving, we must do so with the agape love of God, reaching out selflessly and prioritizing the welfare of the one we are serving. In other words, the goal of true service is the ultimate good of the one being served. It transcends the physical actions of service and flows from the heart of the server.
Presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable on to our God is our reasonable service. The flesh hates holiness; it cannot stand righteousness as it's main preoccupation is carnality and of course, sin. 

True service puts God first and is done in such a way that God is honored and glorified.
"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17). May the good Lord bless you as you endeavor to serve Him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.
Have a blessed day.

Seven Words That The Flesh Hates 5 - SUFFERING

"that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," (Philippians 3:10)

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Romans 8:16-17)

Today I will say a few words about suffering. Very often, it is difficult to know why, how and when God will allow this in anyone's life but it is important to note that it is part of our Christian race. Apostle Paul knew a lot about suffering not theoretically but practically. He wrote to the Corinthian brethren of his sufferings -shipwrecks, beatings, hunger, cold, sleeplessness, weariness, etc (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). No wonder he associated the fellowship of suffering with the power of the resurrection of Jesus. It is impossible to have one without the other. In Romans 8:16-17, we are reminded that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ IF INDEED WE SUFFER WITH HIM. God allows us to go through very difficult situations at times but His objective is always to make us conform to the image of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). Suffice it to say that God will go to any length to mould us in the image of Jesus. That is the ultimate goal.

There are numerous cases of individuals who have shone in the midst of unimaginable suffering. Just recently I read of late Pastor Dick Woodward, former Pastor Emeritus of Williamsburg Community Chapel, Virginia, USA who became a bedridden quadriplegic due to a degenerative disease of the spinal cord (4spiritualsecrets.com). In his condition he continued to write Bible study materials and books, mentor and teach. Incredible.
Joni Eareckson Tada "suffered a fracture between the fourth and fifth cervical levels and became a quadriplegic, paralysed from the shoulders down" (Wikipedia) in 1967 after diving into what turned out to be a shallow end of Chesapeake Bay. For 53 years, she has been in a wheel chair and through all the struggles and pain, God has used her to touch millions of lives.
Nick Vujicic was born in 1982 with "with tetra-amelia without fully formed limbs.". How he lives through that from day to day is unimaginable yet he is an evangelist who has ministered to millions. In spite of his condition, God has used him to bless and inspire millions of Christians. The subject of suffering is not an easy one to talk about. There is no simple explanation for suffering but as Christians we can trust God because He is good and He knows what is best for us. We have to come to terms with the reality of suffering and continue to run with perseverance the race before us.

Today there are many Christians who are persecuted in different parts of the world. They and members of their families are suffering. As we run our Christian races, fixing our eyes on Jesus, God will direct us and give us the grace to bear whatever suffering He allows to come our way. It should be noted that suffering for wrongdoing is not what is referred to here. 

Apostle Peter put it this way,
"For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God." (1 Peter 2:20)

May God help us to embrace His Word and to trust Him no matter what comes our way - on the mountain, in the valley, when it is cold, when it is hot, when we have food to eat, when we are faced with scarcity, when we are healthy, when we have health challenges, when we have jobs, when we are unemployed - in all situations. Remember God never changes and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Have a blessed day.

Seven Words That The Flesh Hates 4 - TESTS

"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Genesis 22:1)

"And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." (Deuteronomy 8:2)

"But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

Tests - the sound of that word makes most of us uncomfortable. In the world we are living in, many have come to accept periodic observations/reviews at their places of work as the norm. Employers want to know how their employees are faring. God tested Abraham and Abraham passed the test with flying colours. After the test, God said

"By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies" (Genesis 22:16-17). God was impressed and delighted that He poured out blessings on Abraham because Abraham did not hold his only son (Isaac) back from God. Wow. What a man! 

Today, many are holding back from God what He has provided for them. Isn't that folly? The children of Israel were tested in the wilderness and they failed woefully. They believed an evil report and reaped the dire consequences. Hear what God told them, 

"Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection" (Numbers 14:30-34)

God had promised to give the children of Israel the land of Canaan but they fixed their eyes on the giants of Canaan and disregarded His promises.Will you pass God's test? Do you think you will not be tested? The flesh would really love to abolish the word test because it brings discomfort to to the it. In Judges 7:4-6, ten thousand men were tested by God, only 3% passed the test, that is 300 men.

"But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water."

It is impossible to pass God's tests if you are walking in the flesh and living a carnal life. It is impossible to move forward in your spiritual life if you fail the tests set before you. The children of Israel wandered for forty years in the wilderness because they failed a test of faith. 9700 men who had been chosen by Gideon had to be sent home because they gave in to the cravings of the flesh. These men got down on their knees to drink water forgetting that they had enemies and that called for alertness. Are you alert and vigilant in the spirit? Entanglement with the pleasures of this world constitute a hindrance to passing God's tests. God will test our hearts. No wonder we are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength (Mark 12:30). 

How do you prepare for the tests? Fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). Abide in Jesus (John 15:4) and you will definitely be fruitful passing the tests with flying colours. 

Finally, it should be stated that tests are not designed to make you fall but they are administered by God to enhance your spiritual growth. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Have a blessed day.