Precept Upon Precept - Part 2

In the Book of Proverbs, there are two sequential verses that appear to contradict each other, but which in actual sense compliment each other.

Proverbs 26:4 Don't answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.

Proverbs 26:5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

The above verses go to teach us to discern when to answer and when to refrain from answering, or engaging in foolish arguments. It also teaches us that the answer we give can present us as wise or foolish.

The Word of God does not change, but is a living Word, and hence has movements. Just like one can view a specific object from different angles and from different platforms, or with different lens or instruments, and have the object appear differently, so is God's Word. 

Praise to the Good Lord who has given us His Holy Spirit as an anointing within us to teach us His Holy Word, and help us interprete it aright. 

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit - just as it has taught you, remain in him.


WHAT IS NEXT?

Precept upon precept - Part 1

He tells us everything over and over - one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!" Isaiah 28:10 (NLT)

For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” (ESV)

God loves balance, and this reflects in the way He communicates with us. He never leaves His words hanging, but puts all the pieces together - line upon line, precept upon precept, to form a beautiful and complete story. 

When we take just one side, and run with just that, we distort it. For instance, the Bible describes our righteousness as filthy rags 

- Isaiah 64:6. The Word of God also tells us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory  of God.  But if we only run with this word, we would begin to feel we do not measure up to God's concept of righteous living, and perhaps strive in vain to attain it. 

However, if we take the following scriptures, they throw light on the provision God has made to ensure our righteousness. They attest to our sinful state, and yet show forth God's merciful provision through Jesus Christ:

2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Isaiah 53:11 - He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Philippians 3:9 - And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

WHAT IS NEXT?

Rest and Restoration

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Joseph suffered tremendously. He was painfully separated from his family to endure the torture of being a slave. He later became an accused slave thrown into prison. After he had suffered for a while, God gave him rest and restoration. God confirmed, strengthened and established him as the next in command to Pharaoh. 

God allows our suffering for a reason. He does not enjoy to see us suffer, however what the devil meant for evil, God uses for our good. God can help us to become better, not bitter, after we have endured suffering.

Joseph got to that point, when God confirmed and established him as a ruler, when his brothers approached him and were trembling at his authority. Joseph knew then that God had restored to him what the caterpillar had destroyed. He knew he now wore a crown because he had endured the cross. 

At that point his suffering had worked for good. It had delivered nations from dying of famine, and had preserved Israel. It all begun to add up. It started to make sense why he had to endure what he endured. 

Jesus suffered at Calvary for a good reason. Now, it all makes sense - our redemption cost him dearly. However, nothing can replace what His suffering has accomplished in the souls of men.

There is rest for the afflicted. Restoration  and strengthening for those that have suffered for the sake of Jesus Christ . There is hope for your future, says the Lord. Jeremiah 31:17

WHAT IS NEXT?

The Safe Place

As a child, whenever I was scared, I would run to my parents. In their bedroom I felt secure, especially when they wrapped their arms around me.

God's arms protect us even more than any pair of human hands would ever be able to. God's name is a strong tower, that we can always run to when we are being pursued by all sorts of disturbing, nasty, evil and devilish things.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

When we call upon God in the day of trouble, He hears and is present to help. God is ever present, never absent.  He is never away, nor ever slumbers. He hears us, even when we do not feel so. He hears us, even when we think He doesn't.

David would cry out in the Psalms  My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.

O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest. Psalm 22

Even though David walked through the valley of the shadow of death, God was with Him. He therefore came out victorious in the end. His enemies were subdued.

Never ever be afraid. God is with you. You are in a safe place!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

WHAT IS NEXT?

When We Choose The Bad Of The Land

Nehemiah 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.
Obedience is key to enjoying God's promises. In the following verses - Nehemiah 9:26-27, we learn that when the Israelites rebelled against God, their beautiful story changed, and they suffered until they repented - But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; .....So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

God is about to give new territories to His chosen ones, and their obedience to His voice and Word, is key to their ability to enjoy and keep these territories.


WHAT IS NEXT?

Choosing the Good of the Land

Isaiah 1:19-20 

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

God has always given man the singular honour of having a will power to make personal choices. However, our choices determine our course in life. We tend to reap what we sow, and thereby reap good or bad, based on our choices.

Moses in the book of Deuteronomy , warned the children of Israel to obey God's commandments so they will be blessed in the land that God was bringing them into. Moses then predicted some of the blessings they would enjoy if they were obedient to God, an example being - Deuteronomy 6:10-12
When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

In the Book of Nehemiah, we read about how the Israelites enjoyed the exact blessings predicted when they acted in obedience - Nehemiah 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

God is faithful, He leads us besides still waters and causes our cup to run over.... but it is conditional - if we will be obedient!

....To be continued





WHAT IS NEXT?

Taking New Territories

When God promised Abraham a land flowing with milk and honey, it did not mean he nor his descendants were going to occupy it without struggle and battles. God's promises are yea and amen.They are true and faithful. For He is not a man to lie, nor the son of man to repent of what He has promised. 

 2 Corinthians 1:20 For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory. 

Numbers 23:19 God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

More often than not, we only see the promise, but refuse to embrace the battles we may be engaged in on our way to receiving the promise. Sometimes we linger around God's promises but refuse to take steps of faith to possess the actual promise. God said through Moses to His children - The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates.  See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.” Deuteronomy 1:6-8

There is a time to break camp, and to break conventions in order to advance in life, If we settle for the familiar and the usual, we may never experience newness. We need to advance - to try something new in life. To take up a challenge. We need to delve into higher territories - to climb hills and mountains, just as God instructed his children to do. The mountains and hills may require extra strength and energy to climb. This is symbolic of new ventures we may embark on, and new and scary endeavours we may undertake. 

As Christians, the Lord may be calling us to preach or share His Good News with people around us, but looking at their reluctance to hearing the Gospel may scare us. The Lord said to his children - "See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”  

The Lord has already promised us victory. Is the Lord calling you into a deeper relationship with Him? There is victory ahead. Is He calling you to take up a new vocation or career that seems daunting? He is with you, and has already given you the victory.

There are new territories to explore. A new horizon that we must taste in life. A higher perspective that we must experience, a higher altitude to reach. This could be physical, mental, spiritual, career-wise, education-wise, or something related to marriage and family life. We ought to embrace the challenge, in spite of how impossible it looks, because God is on our side.

Moses sent twelve spies to spy on the land the Lord had promised them. Only two of them believed they could possess it - Caleb and Joshua. The rest cowered in fear of the giants on the land. God was displeased with them, except for Caleb and Joshua who trusted wholly in the promise of God. Because of the fear, mistrust in God's promises that the Israelites harboured, God warned them : But the Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’ Deuteronomy 1:42

If we walk in fear, and distrust God's promises, we will be defeated even before we start. It is by faith that we can take new territories and venture into the promises of God. Just like the father who begged Jesus to heal his son, and yet in his myopic mind harboured fears and doubts, we must face our fear and come before the Lord crying in honesty -  "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24

Just as Jesus said to this man and demonstrated it by delivering his Son, so is He saying to each and everyone of us, concerning the new territory that we have to possess - "Everything is possible for one who believes." mark 9:23. And concerning his disciples who tried to deliver this boy but could not, similarly Jesus is giving us the key to success and victory, and to possessing God's promises -  “This kind can come out only by prayer (and fasting ).”






WHAT IS NEXT?

Dig up New Wells

Do you feel as though there are impediments put in your way, as though you take a hundred steps and are drawn back to square one? Life can sometimes seem so. There are often seen and unseen enemies who may loathe our very success, and make every effort to cause us pain, and make us retrogress.

Isaac had to endure cruelty from the Philistines when he stayed in Philistine.This is because he grew wealthy and the Philistines envied him, and therefore put impediments in the way of his prosperity. It was through farming that Isaac had grown wealthy, so the Philistines sought to strip him of his riches by filling his dug up wells with earth -  Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.  The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. Genesis 26:12-15

Out of envy and jealousy, some people would resort to all sorts of evil to try to hinder our progress in life. We must be steadfast, trusting in the Lord, and in His Word, and always seeking newness in Him (Water and the Word of God is symbolic of newness of life - Ephesians 5:26). Even when it comes to worse and we lose so much in life, so much of all that we have previously worked for, we must still dream again. With the help of God, we must persist to unearth old wells, as well as to dig new wells. If even all the old wells are taken from us, we ought to focus on the new. We can always have a new fulfilling life through God and His Son Jesus. We must never give up just because people who detest us for no good reason, attempt to cause us to fail.

Genesis 26:16-22 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us. So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar, where he settled.  Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. 

 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.  But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”

If you persist in the Lord, and do not allow the enemy and his human and spiritual agents to hinder your success story, the Lord will make a way, and no matter how many wells - symbolic of life's good opportunities - that are wrongfully taken from you, you will once again attain what God has destined for you. You will find new and even better opportunities, if you keep at it, and not give up, or be bitter. Sometimes in life, you have to forget the former things and start all over. Isaac tried over and over to re-dig his father's wells, but was hindered again and again. Even when he decided to dig up fresh wells, he was initially hindered. But he never gave up, he tried and tried until God gave him success.

Do not give up on your wholesome endeavours, if you continue in faith and in hope, God shall intervene and grant you success. So find strength in the Lord, and dig up another well!







WHAT IS NEXT?

Settling the Unsettled

Matthew 5:23-24 "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."

Amnon had greatly hurt his family. He had allowed his lust to get the better of him, luring him to commit incest by raping his sister, Tamar - 2 Samuel 13. After his sin, he pretended nothing had happened, and went about his business as usual.

What we have to realise in life is that no man is an island, and that our actions have ripple effects. When you steal from someone, you create a sense of loss and maybe, even need, for the person. When you insult someone or speak harshly, you could cause emotional scars that may take ages to heal, and affect other relations. We should not behave like Amnon, acting selfishly, and not caring a hoot how any other person is affected or feels about it.

Most especially, as children of God, there are certain behaviours that are beneath us.  When Amnon tried to sleep with his sister Tamar, she warned him  - “No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing.  What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

Though a lot was at stake, King David was furious and yet seemed to have turned a blind eye to this atrocity. So did Absalom who never uttered a word about the ill done to his sister- And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. 

As Christians, what we do not confront can in the end overwhelm us, destroying us in the process. Most especially if we do not confront offences and hurt. For two solid years, Absalom did not confront the issue. He never spoke to his brother Amnon about it, nor took his grievances to his father, King David. He harboured bitterness until it nurtured into thoughts of murder, and progressed into an act of murder.

Amnon on the other hand did not also confront his sin. He lived in the deception that all was well in spite of his cruel act. Amnon knew that what he had done had certainly displeased certain members of his family and society, and yet chose pride and deceit. We must not wallow in unforgiveness, pride and bitterness, as these make our offerings to God unacceptable.

Unforgiveness, pride and bitterness are evil roots that dispel the presence of God. Let us confront the issues that need confronting, either in person or through prayer, lest these cause harm to our lives and shipwreck our faith.











WHAT IS NEXT?

At the Feet of Jesus

Mark 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

What has so pre - occupied your life so much so that you have no time for the Lord, no time to sit at His feet, to dwell on His Word, and soak up His Presence and Wisdom?

Nothing is more important than precious time spent in God's presence. Martha may have been making all the preparations for Jesus, yet Jesus considered time spent with Him more needed and better than time working for Him. For you must know Him personally, to be able to introduce Him to others. 

When we spend time with Jesus, we are empowered to do more with less. We can accomplish more with less strength and struggle. With God, we can do more in a shorter time. Why not get empowered? Stay at the feet of Jesus!

Faith through Positive Thinking

Mark 5:25-29
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
The woman in the above scripture thought in her mind -
“If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”  She proceeded to act upon her thoughts and thereby brought them alive. What we think is what we get. Proverbs 23:7 KJV - For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Our minds are like dark rooms from which beautiful pictures are produced.  We think, then we create. We think, act and create. The woman thought about touching the cloak of Jesus and being healed.  She thereafter acted upon it and touched the cloak of Jesus, and therefore got healed.

What are your thoughts? They will determine your course in life. They will also direct your actions. When you dream big, and act on your dream, you will begin to create your dream. And the best bit is when Jesus is a part of your dream, He shall make your dream come true.

Have you been going round in circles just like this woman who had seen many doctors to help her get healed? To be healed was her dream, and until she took her dream to Jesus, it was a dead dream. Do not live without a dream. Do not entertain negative thoughts. And please do not simply dwell on positive thoughts. You must act upon your positive thoughts to bring them alive. Bring your dream(s) to Jesus, and watch Him bring them alive.

When we think positively and act upon it, we are stirring the wheels of faith. God's power responds to our faith and enables us to create what we are thinking.

Jesus said to the woman who had been healed that it was in fact her faith that had healed her. In other words, it was acting upon her positive thinking that had brought her healing - Mark 5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

When faith is in place, God makes a way where there seems to be no way!


WHAT IS NEXT?

Facing the Storm with Jesus - Part 2

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Let us take a cue from Paul, and understand what suffering for Christ is all about. May our hearts understand that with Jesus in our boat, we can face any storm. May we not begin to look down on anyone going through the storm, and think the one's faith is weak. God calls each one to a peculiar journey.

When Ananias was being sent to Saul (Paul), God made Paul's call to suffer for Jesus very clear - But the Lord said to Ananias,“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:15-16

Paul's journey was therefore tainted with pain and suffering. That was his cross to carry, and he gladly did so.

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Let us become like the song writer who went through a great loss, losing his entire family to a shipwreck, and yet was able to sing -

When peace, like a river, attended my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. May we learn to die to self - Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.John 12:25

WHAT IS NEXT?

Facing the storm with Jesus

When we choose to walk and follow Jesus. We often expect a sweet and smooth journey. Jesus is a sweet friend, but associating with Him may and can bring trials and difficult times. The journey could be rough and storms may rage.

Though Jesus is with you, you could still face a fearsome storm. You may lose a dear one to the icy hands of death, or could face family, financial or career challenges. Your health may fail you. Friends may falsely accuse and desert you. You may face lonely nights, betrayals, and could face all sorts of trials and difficulties.

This does not necessarily mean that Jesus has left you, or God is unhappy with you. In this age and time, we may have heard messages that seem to suggest a victorious Christian life being without trials and lack. But is this the Godly truth?

Let us have a look at some of the things Paul, a servant and apostle of God went through:

2 Corinthians 11:23-27; 32-33

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.

I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.

I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.
Paul talked openly about his trials and difficulties. Then he reluctantly talked of glorious experiences he had - being taken to the third heavens, and yet he refused to boast about them. Paul afterwards chose to rather boast about his weaknesses. For the Lord had taught him a precious lesson - “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Oh how blessed we shall be when we understand this concept. How dead we shall be to the flesh! We shall not care for anything except for the Work of God. We will worry less and trust God the more. We will not fall prey to the spirit of Satan which is pride. We will seek first the Kingdom of God and not care whether we receive the other things or not.

Can Christians of today really boast in our weaknesses?

WHAT IS NEXT?

Faith in Slow Motion - Part 2

When Jesus cursed the fig tree, it physically did not die at that very moment. Evening came, and then the next morning Peter noticed something spectacular. 

Mark 11: 19-24 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Jesus was explaining the concept of faith - Whether what you say physically manifests immediately or not, you must believe in what you ask God for.  When we ask or say anything in faith, and in accordance to God's Word, it is granted. Whether we can see it physically or not does not alter the truth that it is granted.

It is what we do from the time that we speak in faith, to the time that our faith spoken words manifest, that is crucial and key. We must not speak words of faith and then for lack of its physical manifestation begin to speak negative words . This is because our spoken negative words will bear negative fruit which will nullify or kill the positive seeds we have sown. The power of death and life is in the tongue.

Faith thrives in consistency and positivity. Faith believes and never ceases to believe in spite of what we see, feel, touch or hear.

Faith  believes and beholds that which seems ethereal, and gradually or instantly makes it physical and real.

WHAT IS NEXT?

Faith in Slow Motion

Mark 11 :12-14 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

When a word is spoken in faith, it has to accomplish the purpose for which it is sent, especially when it is spoken in line with God's Word. Jesus healed people through His Spoken Word. For instance, when the Centurion wanted his servant healed, he said to Jesus : "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Matthew 8:8

And we are told in Matthew 8:13 that : Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened." And the young servant was healed that same hour.

It is worthy to note from the above scripture that Jesus' s words took effect at the very hour or time it was spoken. It was made manifest at that same time. However,  there are times that our spoken words of faith may not physically manifest immediately. They may take some sort of slow motion to manifest. And in the waiting period,  we may even begin to think that it will never manifest after all. 

These periods can be frustrating, and we could be tempted to give up. But we can, and must take a cue from Jesus and how He handled the fig tree, as it is full of vital lessons on faith.

....To be continued! 

WHAT IS NEXT?

The Grave Sin of Unbelief

The great Man of God, Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached that "once you take away faith, the reins are broken; and who can ride an unbroken steed without rein or bridle?"

And how apt he was on the free fall to doom that unbelief and faithlessness gives us. Eve gave in to the temptation of the devil because she fed on the thought of unbelief that was sown in her mind - "Did God really say?" and “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan and his demons do not in the least doubt the power or existence of God. In fact they tremble at His name. You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. James 2:19

Satan and his demons use the sin of unbelief to lead us into other vices. Through unbelief, Adam and Eve became sinful men. They were prone to sinful behaviours and susceptible to sinful thoughts and deeds.

The sin of unbelief may lead us totally away from God as atheists or may keep us in God, yet rebellious or angering Him with our doubts and faithlessness. Unbelief caused the Israelites to complain and murmur. After seeing all the miracles as they left Egypt, they still somewhat did not consider God totally faithful. Here and there, their hearts flickered with doubt. They cried out in unbelief - We had better food to eat in Egypt. Did God bring us here to starve us to death?  They simply did not fully trust God to provide for them. Their sin of unbelief angered God who made sure none of them except Caleb and Joshua entered the promised land.

Unbelief caused the sinner who hang by Jesus to miss a great chance to be forgiven. He missed his chance, and yet the other thief clung to faith and thus was assured - " today, you shall be with me in paradise." Whether we become saved or not lies between the choice we make to embrace faith or to cling to unbelief.

It is unbelief that causes men to sin, making light of any punishment for sin. Unbelief causes a child of God to try and find his or her own way that works, thereby falling into sinful, dubious and crooked paths. Through unbelief the Man of God fell for the lie of the Old Prophet in 1 Kings 13. He lost his life as a result of his unbelief. Why did he cease to believe what God had personally told him? 

How often do we fall prey to this same sin. We have the Bible and Holy Spirit as our guide. Why should we follow anything contrary to what they tell or teach us? No matter the accolades accorded a Man or Woman of God, we cannot and should not obey them if they are in breach of God's Word. We need to wisen up. For Satan was once a holy angel. He still comes as the angel of light - a sham of light!

It is time to whole heartedly trust and obey God. It is time to walk in faith.  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

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The Judge of Hearts

To understand each other, we must learn to see men as God sees them. Sometimes people put up a false front, or have past or present circumstances that inform their actions. The heart of man is generally wicked, so wicked that one cannot always understand one's actions.

Jeremiah 17:9 "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

People saw Jacob as a deceiver, but God saw him as a covenant child called Israel, and loved him dearly. Moses was seen as a murderer, but God who knew his heart and intentions saw him as a deliverer. Moses's heart desire was to see Israel delivered from the cruel hands of the Egyptians. 

Gideon saw himself as weak but God saw him as a mighty warrior. Onlookers saw Zacchaeus as a thief and cheat, but Jesus saw him differently, for He knew his heart was willing to change. God knows the hearts of men and can help us to discern the intentions of men if we ask this of Him.

Mary Magdalene with her alabaster jar of perfume, kissing Jesus' s feet and wiping her tears off him with her hair, was seen by the onlookers as a sinful woman, wrongly touching Jesus, probably to seduce Him. Contrarily, Jesus who knew her heart saw a repented soul wishing to show her appreciation for being forgiven.  

The true intentions of men are known by God. We cannot always know the heart of another man no matter the psychology we apply. We cannot always read hearts on sleeves. Man can be pretentious and crafty. It takes 

God's help to discern the true intentions of a man.

Good or bad, God knows each heart. He warned the three wise men not to return to Herod, as his heart was wickedly scheming against Jesus. God can warn us against the evil intentions of men if we would listen to Him.

On this journey of life, you must involve God in discerning the people you associate with.  For God sees beyond what they say and do - He looks into their hearts! 

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Who am I?

After hearing a lengthy list of wrong descriptions of Himself, Jesus might have sighed out of relief when He heard the soothing words of Peter:

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven." Matthew 16:16-17

How unsettling it can be to watch on or listen as others misjudge you. How distressing it can be when you are wrongly accused. How empty you can feel when you are maliciously slandered. It is excruciatingly painful to have your character assassinated or be misunderstood and never given the chance to explain yourself.

You may be going through a silent torture of misjudgement. The devil likes to accuse the children of God, and enjoys to call us names other than which God calls us. You may be at a point where the accusing stares of people feel like clutches to pull your heart out. The words with which men are wrongly describing you may feel like swords going through your heart. But hold on, there is someone else who has an opinion of who you are. His is the trusted description of who you truly are. He created you and named you. He loves you and defines you without being bias.

Just as Peter revealed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, so does God wish to reveal to you who you truly are to Him. You are the precious child of God and the apple of His eye. You are of His righteousness, there is no condemnation whatsoever against you. When God looks at you, He sees His image - beautifully and fearfully made. You are a citizen of Heaven. An ambassador of Heaven to Earth. 

Men may choose to see you differently and describe you accordingly. But never settle for the opinions of men, for they are mostly warped and myopic. Listen to what God has to say about you. Believing in God's description of you will make you blessed, for that was how Jesus described Peter after his heavenly given revelation of Him : Jesus told Peter - “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah..."

Choose to be blessed. Choose to accept only God's bona fide description of you, for that is who you truly are. 

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Who do people say I am?

Matthew 16:13-17

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

The above scriptural reading has profound lessons to learn as men. Whether we like it or not, as we pass through life, people form opinions about us. Our nearest and closest family and friends grow to hold an impression of who they think we are. They may say you are kind hearted or may even say you are stingy and cruel. They may say you are hardworking or call you lazy bones.

There are times that people misjudge us, and push us to a corner where their false judgements appear real. Sometimes we attempt to cry out to let others know things being said about us are not true, and yet our cry is stifled and  seem to fall on deaf ears. Men usually carve wrong opinions they hold of others in stone. And what pain and damage it can cause the one who is being misjudged.

When Jesus asked the question in the above scriptural reading, His disciples replied “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Was Jesus John the Baptist? No! Or else He would have been a dead man walking. Was He Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets? The answer is a definite NO. Jesus was much greater than all those mentioned. That goes to infer that people were describing Him wrongly. The Bible mentions times when they accused Him of being a glutton and of casting out demons with the power of the devil.

Are you a victim of misjudgements and are you suffering emotionally, et cetera, as a result of how people see you, and what they are saying about you? Take heart because God has a word for you. 

Stay tuned for Part Two!

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Where have you put God? Part 2

Different people see God differently. Some picture Him as a supreme but distant Being/force, somewhere in the Heavens. Others think He is a fable best told to little children. To some other people, He is a person, very real to them and involved in their daily affairs. Yet still,  some perceive Him as real, but scary and full of wrath to be poured on sinful men.

The way we perceive God will affect how we relate with Him, and what we expect, and get from Him. So if our perception of Him is wrong, we are likely to position ourselves wrongly for His visitation. In John 5:1-15, we read of the man with an infirmity for thirty eight years who had been waiting by the pool of Bethseda for his healing.

His perception was that he needed a man to put him in the stirred pool, in order for him to be healed. Unfortunately, he was not fast enough to get into the pool whenever it was stirred, so for thirty eight years, this man had perceived his healing could only come by getting in the pool. This had greatly limited him in terms of getting his healing.

Ģod is diverse in His operations. We cannot carve a modus operandi for Him, therefore we need to be open minded in order to embrace His methods of operation that we may not have previously considered, or ever fathomed. In the above story line, this man was only seeing healing through being put in the pool. Even when the healer was standing before him, and asking if he wanted to be made well, he was still talking about having no one to put him in the pool.

Sometimes our mindset is fixed on a doctrine and/or theology. We place God in a box because of our perception,  and often miss Him as a result. Jesus had mercy on this man because he had suffered for long, and healed him in spite of his misperceptions and closed mindedness.

What situation are you facing at this time that maybe you could be perceiving wrongly what God will do and how He will do it? Do you ever try to figure God and His ways out? You could be wasting your thoughts, energy and strength because God's ways can be incomprehensible to man's logical mind.

Simply trust Him and follow His leading, and you will find the way out of every maze.

 Proverbs 3:5-6  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

6 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

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Where have you put God?

Many people, though they believe in God, have put Him in a box. There are times that I have equally done same. The Israelites believed in the coming of the Messiah. Yet they envisaged He was coming in the form of a great King, so missed Him when He was born in a manger, and grew up as a carpenter's son. They put God in a box that He could not fit in.

There are times that we have it all planned and mapped out as to how God ought to move in a particular situation. We expect Him to come from a certain direction, and beat ourselves up when He doesn't.

Martha was beside herself with sorrow. She expected Jesus to hurry to her brother's side when she called. However, God in His infinite wisdom caused Jesus to tarry two more days - So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” John 11:6-7

Martha had miscalculated God's modus operandi. She was feeling let down as a result, when unbeknown to her, Jesus deliberately delayed, in order to buy time to show forth God's Glory. When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” John 11:4

How often do we think God was wrong in His approach? We try to water down our disappointment like the way Martha and Mary did. Yet we wonder why God delayed when He could have hurried to our aid. We ponder on what He could have done differently to save our situation. Although we feel let down by God, we try to stifle our dismay and displeasure by mumbling - "God knows best." When in fact, we inwardly and actually mean  - " We know how best God could have handled this and gained better results."

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

We cannot for a minute read God like a book. His ways are high above our ways. We cannot have Him all figured out, towing our thought line, and conforming to our pattern of doing things, or our pattern of how God should work. We must not place Him in a man-made box, with humanly measured proportions and with earthly furnishings and finishes. He is much bigger and simply will not fit in.

So please let God reign Supreme in His rightful place, far above all powers and principalities. Get rid of the illusional box that you have mentally and in an oblivious manner, placed God in.
Isaiah 55:9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.














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The Troubled Mind - Part 2

Matthew 26:36-44

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Jesus advised us not to let our hearts be troubled - Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1. How then was the heart of Jesus troubled at Gethsemane?

This goes to show that He was human. As humans, our hearts get troubled when we face adversity or danger, or when we are in trouble and face death. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He came to Earth in human form, and faced all that we face as humans. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was facing anguish because of the death sentence He knew was over His Life. He knew He was about to suffer considerably, and this filled Him with sorrow. However, Jesus knew how to draw strength from His Father through prayer. He therefore prayed. He knew the importance of prayer, and prayed even though His disciples slept.

Jesus had a relationship with His father. He knew and trusted God the Father. Knowing and trusting God is one way to keep our hearts from being troubled. Therefore to keep His Heart from being troubled, Jesus prayed to His Father. He negotiated with Him to take the cup of suffering away from Him, if possible. And yet He showed much faith in the Father's ways by declaring - not as I will, but as you will.”

As Jesus continued to pray, He was strengthened to accept the Father's will - “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” Luke throws more light on how God strengthened Jesus - Luke 22:41-44  And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,  saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

We ought to pray so our hearts will not be troubled. No matter what we are going through as Christians, when we pray, God will strengthen us to do His Will. And also, as Jesus warned His disciples, our human body is weak, and can be prone to all sorts of temptation if we do not pray. Luke 22:45-46 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Peter did not pray and therefore fell into various temptations. He fell to rage and cut off another person's ear, and later denied Jesus thrice. We can fall to the devil's schemes against us if we refuse to pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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