Where is your heart?

Matthew 6: 19 - 21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


Many people take pride in their earthly possessions - the car they drive, the house they live in, their qualifications, social circles , and what have you? But all these are fleeting. They are like the very lives of men, they blossom beautifully and die quickly.

Someone takes great pride in owning an airplane, but the next moment it crashes and is no more. How vain to put one's hopes and heart in anything that slips past and vanishes into thin air. How utterly imprudent!

Proverbs 4:23 ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well spring of life.’

The heart is the focal point of life. It is a well from which life is drawn. Your heart is your life, and sums you up. Your heart will reveal what , and whom you truly love. You may put up a false front, and appear to love someone or something, but when the test of time comes, your heart will expose every falsehood. 

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." Jeremiah 17 :9 -10


The Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry revealed the heart of a man who supposedly loved the Lord. Matthew 19 :16 - 22 tells of a man that approached Jesus asking how he could get eternal life. When Jesus told him to obey the commandments, he replied that he did abide by the commandment. Then came the litmus test ! Jesus asked him to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and then come and follow Him. The man went away very sad because he had great wealth. And permit me to add, he had great wealth that was his treasure. His very heart resided in that wealth, in spite of his religious front.

Jesus said we must store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven. The young man we just read about was not willing to part with his earthly treasure. He was storing up his treasures on Earth. Irrespective of his religious stance, his heart was on Earth. He was earthly minded, and not Heavenly minded. He did inquire about the way to Heaven, but the price was too costly for him. WHERE IS YOUR HEART? Earthly treasures fade away, they are eaten by moths and dust. They can be destroyed by rain, fire or an earthquake. They are like vapour that vanishes.

1 Peter 1: 3-6 assures us that Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.

If we choose to follow God through Jesus Christ, we shall have our treasures stored in Heaven. Our hearts shall lead us to Heaven. We ought to live for God and make God and Heaven our priority. We must serve the Lord whether we live in abundance or want. We must serve the Lord whether we get the good job or not. We must serve the Lord whether the church we are building for Him is small or big. We must serve the Lord whether our prayers are answered or not. Never come to a point in life where you measure how close you are to God by the outward things you do for Him, and for man. The young man in Matthew 19 religiously obeyed the commandments of God, but his heart loved the world, so had all his treasures on earth, with nothing in Heaven.

Never also come to a point where you measure how close you are to God by the material blessing you have. This man under study had great wealth on earth, but was bankrupt in Heaven. Whatever God gives to you as a child of God is for His Kingdom. In the early church, believers brought their possessions to the church and shared with all. When Ananias and Sapphira whose treasure was money, tried to deceive God, He struck them dead. You cannot deceive God, all your works will go through fire - 1 Corinthians 3: 13 the workmanship of each person will become evident, for the day of judgment will show what it is, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's action.


Let us be Heavenly minded, with our treasures and heart both at the same place - on God and in Heaven, just like the saints described in Hebrews 11 :13 - 16
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desired a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.


God seeks men and women after His heart, who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Do an inner search to find out where your heart is, it is your ticket to Heaven's treasure!

WHAT IS NEXT?

God first!

1 John 2 :15 -17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

One could comfortably say that this scripture contradicts John 3:16 - For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish,but have everlasting life. The revelatory truth is that they refer to different things. The love the Father has for the World is a love for His creation. God cares for man and longs for man to be reconciled to Him. God, out of love waters trees with rain, He cares for animals and ensures that man gets sunshine, et cetera.

God created man for one purpose - to obey Him and keep His commandments - Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.

The scripture in 1 John 2 : 15-17 is about putting worldly possessions and pleasures before God. When your love for possessions, for worldly affirmations and for lustful desires is stronger than your love and desire for God, then you are in the wrong, and an enemy of God. James 4: 4 clarifies this - You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

The world in the above scriptures refer to earthly systems, practices that breach the laws of God, as well as one living like you own yourself - caring only about making a great name for yourself, obsessed with owning the nicest means of transport, and the best of houses. When the priority of man is all about sinful cravings, about the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, that is, when a man's major concern is boastings about what he has, and does, that man is very far from the Lord. The Lord will have us place Him first in our hearts and lives. Our priority must be to obey Him only.

Lot's wife considered the Earthly possessions of Sodom, disobeyed God's command by looking back, and turned into a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26
But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.


Jesus took this lesson of not loving the world further. In the parable of the Rich fool in Luke 12, we learn of a man who prided himself with his great harvest and possession, and planned on how to take life easy and simply enjoy. But God came on the scene, called him a fool, and demanded his life.

In concluding this parable, Jesus made some remarkable statements. He said in Luke 12: 21 that This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” In the same chapter, from verse 22 to 33, Jesus teaches us not to worry, but to trust in God to provide our every need. Jesus bluntly tells us in Verse 31 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you as well.. He reminds us in Verse 34 that For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In sum, we learn from Jesus not to put worldly needs and possessions before God. God is not happy when we store up things for ourselves whilst we are poor in our knowledge of Him. God cannot stand it when we only seek to make ourselves great. However, if we put Him first and seek Him, and learn to obey Him, He shall bless us with all good things, according to His Will. God is not against wealth and riches. The love of money is the root of all evil. When we love money more than God, we are set for destruction. Anything we love more than God will destroy us because it becomes an idol in our life.

Luke 17: 32-33 Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.

















WHAT IS NEXT?

When God appears ridiculous.

Sometimes, God says or directs us to do things that virtually does not make sense to us. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. His language sometimes appears rather cumbersome. Have you ever tried to listen in to a conversation in a totally foreign language? It does sounds hogwash, doesn't it?

When Sarah was past the age of menopause, and her husband was a very old man, God visited them and promised them a child. You can only describe the words of God to them as RIDICULOUS.

Genesis 18:10-15
Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”


I do not know about you, but if I had been in Sarah's shoes, I would have laughed louder than that, and I would have felt slighted and mocked at. In those days, to be barren and childless was a huge thing, something that society frowned upon and made you to feel you did not measure up to be called a woman. In other words, being childless was a very sensitive issue to Sarah. Being told at that ripe age that you were going to have a child was like someone trying to simply rub it in, like a knife being turned in your wound.


In this case, God was not mocking Abraham and Sarah at all. He was very serious about His Promise, and even gave the time when it would come to pass - Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”



God proved faithful. In Genesis 21 : 1-2 , we read - Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.
I bet the same Sarah who a year ago felt God was simply being ridiculous, having tasted the goodness of the Lord was full of praises for Him.


Next time, when God's ways or words appear ridiculous, simply trust Him. At the wedding at Cana, Jesus was asked by his mother to help the couple out because they had run out of wine. Mary , the mother of Jesus made a significant remark - His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 2 : 5



We must learn to simply trust and obey God, even when His directions and laws appear not to make sense. On this day, and at a very busy wedding, during a critical time when the servants had run out of wine, Jesus offered them the most ridiculous instruction -
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. John 2: 6 - 7.



What an instruction ! To fill six water jars, each requiring twenty to thirty gallons? At a busy wedding reception? RIDICULOUS!!! Ridiculous sums up the instruction of Jesus. However, the servants obliged, maybe because the mother of Jesus had earlier advised them to do as Jesus says. What followed was nothing short of a miracle - John 2 : 8- 10
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”



The Psalmist reminds us -As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18 :30
God must be trusted. He definitely knows what He is about.

WHAT IS NEXT?

The Unconventional God

1 Corinthians 1:27 

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish  in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

God's choice is sometimes not the conventional choice of man. He chose a betrothed virgin to carry His Son in her womb for nine months. This sparked enough controversy that even caused Joseph, her partner to consider leaving her.

In looking for a mouth piece, someone to send to represent Him before a callous, impatient King, God's choice was Moses, a terrible stammerer. 

God wanting to bring down a mightily built wall, asked His people to walk around it for seven   days, and shout on the final day. I could have stood by the wall of Berlin, shouting forever, and that would definitely not have brought it down.

When God sent His Son to the Earth, one would have thought He would be born with a silver spoon in His mouth, but contrarily, He was born in a stable.

We cannot fathom God.  He sometimes works contrary to man's expectation. In 2 Kings 5, Naaman, a respected Commander of  the Syrian Army came to Israel to be healed of leprosy. Naaman expected the man of God to welcome him pleasantly and then pray for him to be cleansed. Instead he was disappointedly met by a servant of the man of God who asked him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan. This was Naaman's response - But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 2 Kings 5: 11- 12

Naaman was angry because he had in mind a conventional way that God ought to work. He had put God in a box, and thought he could predict Him. But God is unpredictable. Naaman knew of more prestigious rivers where he could have washed in - the River of Damascus , and its ilk. But this was not so, God chose the Jordan. God chooses that which man looks down upon. He is able to use defects to His advantage. When Naaman finally obeyed the man of God, he was cleansed of his leprosy.

It is time for us to put aside our conventional methods of serving God, and our perceived thoughts of how God ought to move, and simply trust Him.  

Make room in your heart and mind for God's unconventional ways. Become like a child who simply trusts. When Naaman finally trusted the words of the man of God,  he got his healing. When the Virgin trusted the words of God from His Angel, she miraculously conceived the Saviour of the World. It took simple trust for the Israelites to walk round the walls of Jericho, appearing like aimless people and shouting like a demented crew. However when they obeyed the command of the Lord, they conquered Jericho and took possession of their promised land.

Matthew 18: 1-4

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The greatest in God's Kingdom has the heart of a child - simply trusting!


WHAT IS NEXT?

ALL ARE INVITED!

Society is governed by norms and morals. Every country has laws for her citizens to abide by. We are shaped from childhood by these norms and morals - consciously or unconsciously.

There is a status-quo to maintain in order to feel you belong. There are spoken or unspoken norms to follow. Some Christian sectors have peculiar ideas about how one ought to appear, or speak, and how one ought to behave. These are often all together good, as they guide our steps into Godly behaviour.

However, we ought not to despise anyone who draws near to the Lord's family, but somewhat does not seem to fit in with the status-quo. The Lord is beckoning to everyone to be a part of His Kingdom and just as He showed to Peter in Acts 10, we must not call that which the Lord considers clean as unclean.

As much as it is said that the outward, for instance says much about a person, we must learn to give people the benefit of the doubt , and get to know them, and pray the Lord to allow us to know their hearts, so that we can minister to them. If Peter had not fallen into a trance and shown unclean animals as clean, he may have not been welcoming towards Cornelius.

The Grace of God is available to all. For the Lord to be able to move freely , especially in Christian circles, to bring His plans and purposes to light, it is time we become more open minded. The Lord is moving in this age and time in unconventional ways, and needs His Children to be sensitive and  to open up to it.

The initial chosen race of God, Israel, allowed their status quo to become a hindrance to them believing in Jesus. They had always known that cursed is He who hangs on a tree, and so assumed that Jesus's crucifixion made Him a curse, and hence could not possibly be their Saviour. However, as Christians, we know that Jesus became a curse that we through Him might be blessed. Galatians 3:13 says Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."


All indeed are invited to God's Kingdom, please kindly do not discredit anyone.









































WHAT IS NEXT?

THE SAVING POWER OF GIVING

God gave us life, and then gave us plants and animals for food. He gave us other human beings for company. He also provided raw materials for clothing, et cetera. God kept giving to man, and gave us His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God keeps giving to the Earth, He gives us sunshine, rain and snow, even when we do not ask for it.

God is a giver, and encourages us to give as well. The Bible teaches us that God loves a cheerful giver, and that it is more blessed to give than to receive. The prayers and giving of Cornelius is what made God to visit him, which eventually led to his salvation and that of his family in Acts 10 - The angel of the Lord said to Cornelius : “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.''

There is a significant story in the Bible - Acts 9:36 -42
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.


In the above scripture, we learn about the story of a woman who was a giver. Her giving touched many hearts and lives, and this good report led to her being saved from the icy hands of death. Her giving brought her back to life, through the working of the Holy Spirit in Peter. Giving can open doors of salvation and deliverance.

Don't be weary in giving - give our best to God and man. The one who sows bountifully shall reap bountifully. Your giving shall become a memorial in Heaven, just like it did with Cornelius. It is never in vain to give! NEVER GROW WEARY OF DOING GOOD.

WHAT IS NEXT?

The Gracious Giver

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

God is a gracious giver. He gives beyond our imagination. He gave food to five thousand men, excluding women and children. This, He did with five loaves of bread, and two fish - unbelievable! Solomon asked for wisdom to rule, but God gave him wisdom, and added riches.

God outgives man's imagination. He does more than we can fathom. In Acts 3, the man who was lame begged Peter and John for alms. He simply was not expecting what followed - God through Peter caused him to walk for the first time. He got exceedingly abundantly above what he asked or thought, according to God's power that worked in Peter.

God ministers to us directly, or through human vessels and angels that He brings our way. We must be sensitive to events around us. Sometimes we ought to give, in order to receive a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over (shall God cause men to give back to us)- in short, an exceedingly abundant measure, Luke 6 :38. Joseph gave an interpretation to a dream and this caused him to receive a recommendation that elevated him to the position of a Prime Minister. We are encouraged in Hebrews 13: 2 : Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. God sends His angels to minister to us. We may not always readily recognise them, so we ought to be nice and give the best of service to all, even strangers. Providing for someone's need could be a set up for the provision of your greatest need. In 2 Kings 4 : 8 - 17, a Shunammite woman was kind to Prophet Elisha by providing him with accommodation and food. God rewarded this woman with the one thing she needed most - a son. When you give to a servant of God, you give to God, and He shall outgive you. Also when you give to the poor (Proverbs 19 :17), you lend to God who shall repay you with interest - a good measure running over.

God is a gracious giver. Expect good things from Him, and be mind-ready to receive them, but know that , you cannot fathom His goodness. I believe that He is the great Father that surprises His children. May you receive Heaven's best for your life, Amen!

WHAT IS NEXT?

When "I am that I am " is your God

Isaiah 8: 11- 14
The LORD has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the LORD of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe

The world has a mindset that is patterned after the natural mind. The natural mind is a mind, susceptible to fleshly thoughts and desires. Natural minds oppose God and the laws of God. Romans 8: 5-8 teaches that Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

The world condones a lot of things that God opposes. Fornication is a good example of what the world condones but God opposes. To serve God faithfully in a world that is lenient with sin, you must programme your mind to be attuned to the things of God. Romans 12: 2 says Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Isaiah 8: 11 reiterates this - The LORD has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. You cannot fathom God's will if you think naturally. You need a spiritual mind to grasp what God is able to do, and you need spiritual tenacity to believe and see what God can do. For example, when the world says you are blind and cannot see, you need a spiritual understanding to believe that with God as your healer, you can see again. The world's economy may boldly declare that there is no hope for you, however if you have the mind of God, you will know that Your father in Heaven owns all the gold and silver, and is able to bless you in a recession, just like He blessed Isaac in a time of famine. (Genesis 26)

You must be totally sold to God. God abhors lukewarm worshippers . He warned in Revelation 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.. If we claim to serve the Lord, we must be holy unto Him - separated and sanctified by the Blood of Jesus, living Holy unto Him. Romans12:1 preceeds the scripture on the renewal of mind, and it urges us - Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Also in Isaiah 8, when Isaiah was warned by God not to think like everyone else, he was also told to Make the LORD of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe. Isaiah 8 : 13 - 14a . For you to be victorious as a Christian in a world hostile to God, you must endeavour to fear God and abide by His Word. 2 Timothy 2:19 warns us - But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The LORD knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil.”

When '' I am that I am" is your God, you must not be afraid. Do not fear what the World fears. Do not live in fear of credit crunch, or of terrorists, but rest in the hope that God loves you and will deliver and protect you from evil. Isaiah 8 : 12 teaches that “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.''

Do not be afraid. " I am that I am" is your God, and He is greater than all.

Look to Jesus

Matthew 14 :25 -29
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.


In the above scripture, Jesus once again defied natural laws to walk on water. It was unimaginable and unthinkable, and yet He was able to do so. The World has laws that are often times perfect to our world. We have economic theories that shape our laws. We operate by the law of gravity and so on and so forth. Some of these laws may not be bad in themselves, however we must understand that God is not governed by these laws.


When Peter saw Jesus walking on water, he desired to do same, so asked Jesus if he could, Jesus answered in the affirmative. Something very significant worth our study followed.
Matthew 14 : 29 - 31 Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”



Peter also defied natural laws and walked on water - unbelievable! He actually WALKED ON WATER. Peter was operating under a higher law when he walked on water. It was the law of faith - Matthew 17: 20 "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

Faith makes the impossible possible, but for us to operate under this law, we need to believe in what we say, and back it with our actions.
Peter believed he could walk on water, when Jesus beckoned to him to come, Peter took certain steps of faith - the Bible says : Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
However, what begun in faith ended in doubt. Peter, commenced his walk on water in faith, but But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”


Faith caused Peter to walk on water. His fear of the winds created doubt in his mind, and this caused him to begin to sink. Our thoughts of faith must align itself with our mindset. We must not think and act faith one minute, and then alter our thinking when we observe something contrary to our thought of faith. Faith without actions becomes dead and cannot produce the desired results. Doubt and fear nullifies faith.


James 1: 6-7 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;


In the World today, we may come face to face with reports contrary to our faith, and to the Word of God. When saddled with such , do not be afraid, stand on God's words and promises and pray your miracle into being.

Let this song minister to you - I'm not moved by what I see, Alleluia, I'm not moved by what I hear , Alleluia.
I'm only moved by the Word of God, Alleluia, I'm only moved by the Word of God, Alleluia.


God bless you!










WHAT IS NEXT?

THE LORD OF HOSTS

Psalm 18 :34 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

There is war on Earth - the physical ones that can be seen with the eye, and spiritual ones that everyone is engaged in, but that cannot be seen with the eye. Human beings do have an enemy that wars against them - Revelation 12 :12 says Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."



There is a devil who seeks to destroy mankind, he is filled with fury, and comes up with all sorts of machinations to destroy men. He turns one man against the other, fills people with wrath, envy, jealousy, hatred and all forms of evil, so that they can destroy each other. God has created a way of escape for man, it is through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. His death and resurrection was to give us life and hope - John 3 :16 For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son, that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish , but have everlasting life.


The devil through the sin of Adam and Eve has placed mankind under bondage , the bondage of being controlled by the Kingdom of darkness. Anyone that believes in Jesus gets life - Jesus said I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly. Once we are filled with this life, we are translated from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light that belongs to God.
Colossians 1: 12-14 And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.


The Lord God Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth leads the Kingdom of Light. His Title is the Lord of Hosts, who victoriously leads us into battle. Before the birth and death of Jesus, God had chosen Israel as His special people. David who had been trained by God to war, physically defeated an enemy of the Israelites , by the help of the Lord of Hosts. In " 1 Sam 17:45
David said to the Philistine(Goliath), "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

Verses 48 - 49 of the above scripture reads - As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.


God is still leading His Army. Now the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. 2 Corinthians 10 : 3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.




Now we use weapons such as fasting and prayer, praise and thanksgiving, love, faith, the spoken Word of God to fight Satanic onslaughts. We must stay alert to the voice and directions of God, our Chief Commander. There are different ways by which He will lead and guide us into war. Sometimes it will be through prophesy, other times it will be an urge to pray or to fast, or to do both. There will be times that we must war through continuous praise and thanksgiving.


God can lead us to war against an attack of the enemy through an act of giving, or by the declaration of His Word. It can be through the renewal of our thoughts. It can be a discerning urge to do, or not to do something.


We have to be sensitive to God . He sees a battle that we do not physically see, and He leads His people into victory upon victory. We must learn to obey His Word - 2 Corinthians 10: 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.



Always remember - Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5 :8.

WHAT IS NEXT?

DISOBEDIENCE

1 Corinthians 9 : 24 -27

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.



Imagine , a one billion dollar prize for a race you're training for. I assume you will put in your best, and train very well to win. Similarly, we are in a race with different awards and prizes at stake - different crowns that will be handed over to us in Heaven. This race we are in, is a race of life. We
have been handed different roles and tracks to run on.


The book of Joel describes the army of the Lord very explicitly - Joel 2 :7-8
They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.



We are on Earth for an assignment, whether we are aware of it or not. However, for us to be able to win the ultimate prize, we must learn to be obedient to God - to His call, purpose and directions. God sent Moses on an assignment - Exodus 3: 9-10 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”



Whilst on this assignment, a time came when the Israelites complained about having no water to drink, so God gave Moses an instruction - Numbers 20 : 7- 8 The LORD said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”



Moses, however disobeyed God and did otherwise - Numbers 20 : 9 -11 So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.



This act of disobedience cost Moses, as God refused to allow him to enter the promised land -
Numbers 20 : 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”



Moses was not allowed entry into the promised land, and before his death, he clearly declared this -
Deuteronomy 4:22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.
Moses's died just as God had said - Deuteronomy 34: 5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said.


We must walk in obedience in order to complete our given assignment. Disobedience can be costly, we are on a battlefield which calls for utmost obedience to the voice of the chief commander - The Lord of Hosts! He will lead us from victory to victory if only we shall obey His commands.


WHAT IS NEXT?

Are you on God's side?

Hebrews 11:35-39

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.


The above scripture tells of many Christians that died painful deaths as a result of their faith. These ones faced danger and death squarely in the face, not caring to denounce their God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. They took to the Lord's side, and stayed there till they took their last breath.
These ones did not deny the Lord in spite of the death threats, and the slow painful death sentences on them. Can you imagine being sentenced to be sawn into two, or stoned?

In this age and time, some of us may not be persecuted in the same style and fashion, however, we may daily face situations that will test our faith to see if we really are on the Lord's side. Let us take a look at Peter. Peter after witnessing the arrest of Jesus, was confronted by three different
people that identified him as being with Jesus. Peter possibly fearing an arrest as well, was quick to deny ever knowing Jesus.


Sometimes, we face situations where we are prone to ridicule, or even demotion, should we speak the truth about Jesus. I remember a day at work when a Christian colleague decided to share Christ with a couple of workmates. These workmates were mostly atheists, they jeered, ridiculed and taunted him, laughing at him so loudly and provocatively. There was one guy who believed in God, but when asked if he did, denied it because he could not stand being laughed at. My Christian colleague urged this guy on to reverse his negative confession, but he stuck to it. All because he could not dare to be different and dreaded being taunted.


Peter acted in a similar way in Galatians 2: 11 -13 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.


In Acts 15, we realise that Peter, after Paul's confrontation, put his fear of man aside, and did the bidding of his master, Jesus Christ, that is to teach all the truth of the Gospel, that Jews and Gentiles alike have been saved by grace not works. Peter made a u-turn to obey the voice of God as he had been instructed in Acts 10.  The fear of man can cause us to act untrue to our beliefs. It can make us hypocrites of the highest order, and turn us into liars. Jesus warned us - Matthew 10:33 But everyone who denies (disowns) me here on earth, I will also deny (disown) before my Father in heaven.


The words of Jesus sums up the fate that awaits all who deny or disown Him, or anything that concerns or belongs to Him. We must always remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but that of power, love and a sound mind.

Love without Boundaries - Part 2

1 John 4: 7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

As Christians, born of God, love is in our spiritual DNA. Love distinguishes us as followers of Christ. We must endeavour to love one another. In loving one another, we must learn to bear each other's burdens.

Galatians 6:1-2 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 

 Jesus gave us His Law in John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. We must be concerned about each other. There are many people who are aching and hurting. There are people who are broken, and feel terrible. Some are struggling with bad sinful habits, others are in financial crises, with no money to even travel to church. There are Christians and non- Christians having serious marital problems. Some are quietly suffering from domestic violence. There are parents with wayward kids, and on and on and on. People carry different problems as burdens. Some burdens are too heavy to carry alone, and that is why we need to be concerned about one another, and bear each other's burdens. When the Saviour was on His way to Calvary, the cross was too heavy for Him to carry, so  He was offered help - Matthew 27:32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

Show an act of love to someone suffering. In Mark 2 : 1-4, we see a clear example of how four men showed love to a paralysed man. They carried him to Jesus. They were faced with hindrances, but persevered in love - they had to even bear the cost of damage made to another's roof. These four men were determined to help the paralysed man, and therefore helped to carry his burden. In the same light, we ought to help carry the burdens of others by bringing them to Jesus - Jesus is the answer, so always bring them to Him. You can do so  in prayer, as well as by bringing the Word of God to them. 

We must love people enough to go the long haul to help them, in spite of the difficulties and persecutions we may face. When Satan desired to sift Peter like wheat, Jesus prayed for Him. Jesus helped to carry Peter's burden. Luke 22: 31- 32 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

Be alert and sensitive to the needs of others. 1 John 4:7-10 says Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Verse 17 adds And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 

Living in love is what qualifies us as followers of Christ. Choose love, choose Jesus, choose eternal life! 

WHAT IS NEXT?

Love without boundaries - Part 1

I remember when I first became a Christian, I was so full of love for everyone, that I wanted everyone to know Jesus as well, and also I wanted to free everyone of his or her burden. I would spend hours on end praying for people.

At that time of my life, I had been shielded from the hurts of life. Had not known betrayal and hurt. I trusted too easily. Then betrayals and hurts set in, and  I was shaken to the core. I became very defensive, and hardened up to protect my emotions. But in fighting hurt and pain this way, I diluted the love in my heart. Remember, God's love is already shed abroad in our hearts.

Romans 5: 5  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

I remember one friend of mine who had experienced a terrible childhood, and whom I had shown lots of love and care, once said to me  - '' What happened to you? I didn't know what love was till you came along. I was an ugly character then, but you loved me all the same. And the more I was horrible to you, the more you loved me.''

She continued - ''It was the love you reflected that taught me to love. Please do not let hurt deform your love. Go back to it." 

Upon reflection, I realise that these words from my good friend are worth my attention. The world reeks of hatred, being a part of it , and experiencing horrible things can deter you from loving. But this ought not to be, as fire cannot quench fire, and darkness cannot drive out darkness. The Gospel started in love, and will end in love. I suppose that is why love is the greatest - not prophesies or unraveling of mysteries.

1 Corinthians 13: 8 , 13 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 

Love is what Jesus showed to us - for whilst we were yet sinners, Jesus loved us. And love is what Jesus said we ought to show to the world in order for them to recognise us as His own - John 13: 34 -35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

Love is what made Stephen able to forgive even those that stoned him to death. Love is what made Joseph able to forgive his brothers. Love is what made the early church able to embrace Saul turned Paul, who had earlier on persecuted the Church. I have been doing a lot of reflections, and I feel as though God is tugging at my heart to love without boundaries. This is the message to all who love Jesus. 

The World has just celebrated St Valentine's Day which supposedly is a day of love. However, the world does not know love as it should be. God is love, and love is God. It is God in us that perfects love. Any other is a duplicate, and not original. In Ecclesiastes 3, we learn that a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. God's love for us makes Him hate sin, yet He still loves the sinner. We may dislike certain things, be grieved by certain actions (The Holy Spirit gets grieved). We may even be angered like Jesus was with the traders at the temple, but we must never stop loving, and loving even the unlovable. As Christians we war with many things, but our battle is spiritual, and with weapons that are not carnal. Our identity is love, and even in battle we must still be clothed in love. For when all things pass away, only love would remain. 

I challenge myself, and you to choose to love, it is the highest calling!

WHAT IS NEXT?

God's Instrument

1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God’s building.

We are the instruments through which God works. God uses men as vessels through which He reaches out to a fallen world.

2 Timothy 2: 20-21 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

There are times that we pray for God to use us for His Glory. God hears, and brings up situations where our help is needed, yet we end up oblivious to it all, ignoring all the signs and failing to avail ourselves to be of service to God and man. God sets the stage for us to love the unlovable, but sometimes we are too carnal, and conscious of ourselves to tolerate their unlovable attitudes. There are times that God will require you to help or serve others with your time, money, knowledge and/or experience. We must be alert so we can identify what we are created to do, and where to do it, and with whom.

I heard a story about a group of doctors that were hurrying to catch a plane. As they were running, they knocked down the apples being sold by a young lady. The doctors were late, so they did not stop, but one doctor had a feeling gnawing at his heart, to return. He told his fellow doctor colleagues to go ahead and board their flight as he wanted to go back and help the lady whose apples they knocked down. As he re traced his steps, he found the lady groping around for her apples. He asked to help, and did help to collect her apples from all over the floor. As he handed her the apples, the lady said - " May I ask a question?" He replied, "Yes" Then she asked - "Are you Jesus?" The doctor obviously surprised by her question, probed further to find out why she would even think of him as Jesus. She replied, when my apples were knocked down, I prayed to Jesus to come and help me, and you turned up.

Apparently, the girl was blind. I also remember my missionary friend who had hinted me about the financial difficulty she was facing at a foreign country where she was working. Unknowing to her, I organised a few friends and we bought groceries for her, and sent it just in time for Christmas. When she got it, she called to say her husband and her were overwhelmed when they got the items. She said they shed tears of joy, for before they received the items, they were wondering where their next meal would come from. I was delighted that when I got the urge to help my friend, I did. It is great to obey God. It is prudent to do what He(God) places on our hearts to do. May you open up to be used by God daily, He always sets the stage for us. We must simply be sensitive and bold.

Kindly avail yourself - God is counting on you!

Pray Constantly

My four year old daughter is accustomed to being prayed for by her dad before she goes to school. Recently, she chided her dad as he waved bye to her. She said -"Daddy you've forgotten something." Her dad asked,'"what?" She replied, " You've forgotten to pray for me." The bible urges us on to train a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it.


Jesus admonished us in Luke 18: 1 - And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.


Prayer is essential in our daily lives. As Christians, we need to pray always, we ought to pray because there are a lot of things that war against us. We need to pray to be strengthened for each day's encounter. We need to pray to be delivered from evil. We must pray God's will into being in our lives.


God does not mince words. He knows that prayer to a Christian is key. When Daniel realised that they were in captivity longer than God had predicted, he resorted to fasting and prayer, and this brought deliverance to God's children. Daniel encountered spiritual wars which he overcame through perseverance in prayer.


When Peter was penciled in to be killed for his faith, the women at his Church rose up in prayer, and as they prayed, God through his angel freed him. I know of a banker who was falsely accused of collecting money from a teller at the branch where he worked. He contacted me and was distressed . I calmed him down, and called for prayer for him. My friends and I prayed that whole day about it. At the close of day, the teller went to the management of the Bank to confess that she made the whole story up because her transactions for the day was not balancing, and was scared she would be in trouble. The power of prayer freed this banker from the claws of a scandal.


We ought to look at prayer like my daughter did - it is imperative and essential. We need the heart
of children to become victors in God. Jesus re-iterated this in Luke 18:15-17



People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter in it'; 


1 Thessalonians 5:17 says Pray without ceasing. Other translations put it this way - pray constantly; Never stop praying; and Pray continually.



In everything you do, find time to pray!





WHAT IS NEXT?

Times of Life

1 Kings 17: 7- 24

Elijah was led to a widow who fed him. This widow must have revered the man of God, to have  given him the only supply of flour and oil she had to feed her son and herself in a period of drought.

This widow obeyed Elijah and fed him first. Her obedience opened up an abundant supply of her  needs. God miraculously supplied her with flour and oil. Sometimes in the midst of gloom, God suddenly shows up, and miraculously announces His presence. To this widow, Elijah the Prophet was God's instrument of blessing in her life.

Just as she was gloating over God's goodness to her, disaster struck - her son died. Have you ever been faced with a situation where just a while ago, you were basking in God's goodness, and then, the very next moment, your entire life appears to be struck by God's angry hand?

The widow had not long before the death of her son, been living a blessed life, with her needs met by God supernaturally. She probably felt very special and loved of God. She was priviledged to have the man of God living in her home. Disaster and trouble appeared afar off.

Suddenly, her whole life came tumbling down. "Is God against me?" We often ask in such circumstances.

Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. John 14:1

Life is full of ups and downs.

God allows us to face low moments as well as high moments in life. It is very easy to trust and believe God when everything is going right. However, when things appear fuzzy and murky, it is  very difficult to ascribe praise to God, or accord Him plaudits.

Sometimes, in life, we may feel as though God has forsaken us. David felt that way in the Book of Psalms. Jesus felt that way on the cross and shouted " Why has thou forsaken me?" Elijah felt that way after he was pursued by Jezebel.

As a Christian, there shall be trying times in life. The widow had hers, and she was blessed to have Prophet Elijah pray for her dead son, bringing him back to life. Stephen in Acts 6, reached such a gloomy point in life. Unfortunately for him, he was stoned to death. But precious was his death in God's sight, so much so that Jesus gave him a standing ovation -

Acts 7: 54-56
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’


God orders our steps, and if we trust Him, He shall fulfil His purpose for our lives - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and  He shall direct your path.

WHAT IS NEXT?

Becoming like children

I was going through my old mails when I came across this old mail from my friend called Baaba. Reading it again, blessed me immensely, and I wish to share it with you. Relax, read, and let it minister to you.

Dearest,

I am so grateful to the almighty God for the beautiful precious gift of my life and today.  I owe Him all my life and what I'm worth.

Just this evening, I was lying in bed and asking myself why I'm not able to do things right for God.  I keep wondering why my heart is always hungry and thirsty after God and yet I seem to do just the opposite.  With tears rolling down my eyes I kept asking God why I couldn't do the right thing for Him, living the perfect life for Him.  It even seems that each time I try hard to do it, that is even when I make the most mistakes.  Oh how my heart longs for Him morning, afternoon and evening.  Each day, my heart's cry is that I get closer and closer to God, walking and living perfectly for Him.  I do the best I can to be perfect, but I always end up being worst than before. 

Do you remember what it was like when we first met Jesus?  It was perfect, wasn't it?  Everything was just great.  All we had to do was to be there and He would do the rest.  We believed in God, His love for us and His ability to lead us.  We realised that we were just babes so we honestly needed God more that anything.  We sought Him as a child would seek or cry out for milk.

 Do you remember how you could never get enough of God and wanted always to have more and more of Him?  We would buy every Christian literature we could lay our hands on and go to prayer meetings, church programmes, bible study groups, etc just to get a little bit more of God into our lives.  We would wail and groan for hours on end just to be with a God we could never get enough of.  Do you remember praying and fasting for people just to come to the realisation of Christ 's love, or just to help solve their problems or ease the pain they were in.  

You see we were babes and we had the simple belief of babes and God honoured that.  But now we so boldly call ourselves grown and wiser and we find ourselves in the same soup that Solomon found himself in.  He was wise and his wisdom gave him quick solutions but it took him away from God.  Let's go back to  1kings 3 from 4-15, when God appeared to Solomon and asked Him what he wanted.

He said that Solomon should‘ask for whatever he wanted and Solomon asked for wisdom to govern the people and God honoured that.  But what Solomon refused to realise was that, that wisdom was given to govern God's people and not his relationship with God.  See ,there is no wise way to worshipping God. 

A wise person once said that what distinguishes a genius from an ordinary person is that a genius always looks at things with the enthusiasm of a child.  Everything, no matter how old, is new to that person, they are exited about everything you show them and wouldn't wait to explore and find more about what they have.  To them everything is a new adventure, and yet another opportunity to learn more.  And that is the kind of heart God requires of us.

 See, there is no wisdom in worship, neither is there any wisdom in fellowship with God because we will always be His children, His babes, and He will always be our father.  Do you know that when a child grows up, the father ceases to be responsible for him, and will only give his advice when asked?  Well, when we become too grown or wise, we outlive God's usefulness in our lives; we start to live in different houses and God is only useful for the occasional pieces of advice we go to Him for. 

You know what even becomes sadder, we seem to think it's now our responsibility to give back to God what he has given us, thus we do things our own way, all in the name of being matured Christians.   When are we as Christians going to realise that the maturity that God gives us is for the edification of the body of Christ and not for our relationship with Him?  He gives us maturity and wisdom for government and not for our person-to-person worship to Him. 

Look at David, he had a child's heart and God called him the man after His own heart.  Solomon had a wise heart and it is said that even Solomon in all his splendour was not decorated in heaven.

It's about time we dropped the matured heart and went back for the child's heart, so we can move on for we have been in this place of unproductivity for way too long. Let's go back to the ancient paths and let's worship and seek God. 

Love you lots but God loves you so much more.  Child, go back to your father because you are not done growing yet.

Baaba.

WHAT IS NEXT?

LOST LOVE!

Have you ever been heart broken? Well, I have been, and know it is the most unpleasant experience ever, especially, when you still deeply love the one who broke your heart.

God Almighty who created the Heavens and the Earth, and all that is within it, is heart broken. Sin has filled this Earth, and seeing His creation indulge freely in sinful acts, not caring about Him, breaks God's heart. 

Genesis 6: 5-6 

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.

God truly loves His creation, but has been spurned by His loved one - man! Like a loving Father, God grieves for every man that leaves His safe abode and protection, and wanders into an unsafe world of sin, engaging in sinful revellings and orgies - with hearts that hasten to perform evil deeds.

Luke 15: 11-32 tells us about the Prodigal Son. The father of the Prodigal son was a loving kind, just like God the Father. He allowed his son to make his own mistakes. God similarly never forces His will on us, but allows us to make our own mistakes. He however has a willing heart to receive us back should we realise our folly and return to Him.

 

With open arms the Lord will take any man back who returns to Him. There is somebody out there who is aching and thinking, there is no way God will ever forgive and accept him/her back. The Prodigal son thought same, so urged his father to consider him as a servant.

There is no distance too far away from grace, and there is no sin that the Blood of Jesus did not take care of. Heaven awaits your return! Heaven has made provision for your return. You will not be turned back. Are you a Christian who has been unfaithful to the Lord, and feel as though you've spoilt all of your chances with Him? Please discard this thought, for the Lord deeply loves you not because of anything you have done, but in spite of all you have done.

Guilt can cause you to become prey to the devil. The devil desires that you feel unworthy, because he knows that through Jesus Christ you will be made worthy. In Luke 15:7, Jesus said
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Your repentance means a lot to God and His angels in Heaven. Please adjust your thinking and return to your Heavenly Father. You are His lost love. It is His greatest desire to be re-united with you. 

1 John 1:9 assures us that  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

ALL THE BEST! 

 

 

WHAT IS NEXT?