Why fasting..?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.
You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like a blade of grass in the wind. You dress in sackcloth and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?
“If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
If you do this, the Lord will be your delight. I will give you great honor and give you your full share of the inheritance I promised to Jacob, your ancestor. I, the Lord, have spoken
Isaiah 58:3-14 (NLT)
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and that's why I think I should share a few thoughts on the importance of fasting. For many, fasting is a no-go area because they are made up that they cannot fast. The verses above shows a kind of conversation where some claim to fast and don't seem to get the desired result from it but the response was that they lacked the understanding of what fasting is and what it can do. And Understanding is being able to see what is under something that makes it stand- do you under stand?
Although, Christians are of divergent views concerning the ushering-in of the 40-day fasting before Good Friday known as Ash Wednesday. While, there is no place in the entire scriptures where believers are asked to fast for 40 days, however, Jesus taught a few things about the importance of fasting. Actually, it called the Day of Ashes because use of ashes signifies a state of repentance and humility as observed in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21. Hence, the essence of this post is not to start a religious debate but to shed more light on why anyone should fast no just during the Lenten period but at anytime at all.
Please note that it was food that the devil used in enticing Eve in the garden which eventually led to the fall of man. Food or the belly has become the God of many and inability to control our appetite may be very dangerous.
I believe strongly in the virtue of fasting because it has helped me to deny myself of many things, remain focused and generate power. Whether it is 1 day, 3days, 7days, 10 days, 14 days, 21 days or 40days fast, any Spirit led fast produces result. My own idea about fasting is that when I want result I pray but when I want fast result, I fast and praise!
Fasting is Medicinal
Medical persons have advised that when we fast, it allows our nerves that are always at work ordinarily when we eat, to rest and refresh or regain like every working machine. It also heals hypertension and said to help to control menstrual flow in women. It also helps heal obesity and diabetes. Whichever way, fasting is does more help than harm, if it does any harm at all.
Fasting opens our spiritual hear
When we fast, we are able to transcend from the realms of the seen to the unseen. I am sure Daniel must have fasted with his friends to be able to enquire from the unseen realm what has never been done before. Even if you sleep together with someone on the same bed, it is not possible to know what the person is dreaming about. But, Daniel gave the dream and interpreted it. Later in the book of Daniel, we were told he fasted for 21days.
Fasting helps to achieve victory, God's favor and Breakthroughs
It helps to invoke God's intervention on certain issues of our lives because according to the scriptures above it says our light will break-forth. Esther was able to avert the decree to wipe out the entire Jewish nation after a 3 days fast! Please spend some time to read the passage again.
Other benefits are; fasting kills pride; it is the strongest sign of humility before God; it helps to overcome carnal desires; turns you to another man; renews your anointing as a minister; helps to break bad habits like smoking, anger, drunkenness among others.
Fasting has virtues and whether you observe this 40days fast or not, make sure you have a time out to wait on God for renewal of your strength this year.
PLEASE NOTE!!!
Fasting without prayers is mere hunger strike. And there are certain breakthroughs that you desire that may not come through without fasting as Jesus told His disciples who could not heal a boy that “…. This kind of miracle cannot happen without prayers and fasting” Matthew 17: 21. To me, that means, there are certain things that only answers to heartfelt prayers and fasting. However, for the maximum delivery of our result desired, fasting must be backed with commensurate prayers.
Also, like the cover picture above, which is the mountain of temptation where it is believed the devil tempted Jesus after the 40days fasting, what that suggests is that fasting does not exempt us from temptation but we can be sure to overcome it like Jesus did.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says God is faithful not to tempt us beyond what we can handle.
Faithfulness
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.
2Timothy 4:7-8
I was invited last weekend to a village called Dengi, three hours from Jos, Plateau State. It was for the foundation laying ceremony of the Nigeria Christian Corpers’ Fellowship (NCCF) family house.
I had lived for about one year in the same village for my one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and I was the co-ordinator of the fellowship for that period. We organized outreaches in hospital, open field film show, Easter picnic for children and so on. Looking back now at those times, I could only thank God I didn’t influence my posting to another place where probably I wouldn’t have left as much impact as He had helped me to do in Dengi.
The reason why I’m saying all these is because staying in that village for a year wasn’t funny. There were no infrastructures- electricity, good road... we fetched water from a nearby flowing river (for domestic use), and worse of all, the phone network was bad, in fact I was literally cut off from my family. Being a Chartered Accountant, I had an option not to stay there because someone had already helped in influencing my stay to Jos which is the State capital. But I stayed anyway, the rest is history today. Going back there last weekend and seeing a few people there gives me joy especially because what we could only do at that time was to acquire the land for the building on which the foundation was now laid last Saturday. While I was preparing on what to say there, God gave me a word which I shared with some of the leaders I met with there, the word is Faithfulness and I would like to share with you.
Faithfulness simply means being full of faith in a thing that you want to stand by it no matter what. It also implies in some context being predictable, reliable and dependable. God is not out looking for those who are faithful for a while or when the conditions are right, but those who will be faithful in all situations and till the very end.
What does it really mean to be faithful?
In Genesis 39:9 Faithfulness is who you are when nobody is watching. When Joseph was about to be tempted by his master’s wife and nobody was there, he said how could he do such wicked thing and sin against God- not even against is master first. What do we do when no one is watching?
In Daniel 1:8 Faithfulness is doing the right even when you have an opportunity to do wrong. Daniel was a young guy taken captive to Babylon but He made up his mind not to defile himself. For many, once they step out of the shores of their countries to a strange land, they put off the cloth of righteousness by either not going to church or just mingling with unbelievers. Are u still faithful even in that strange land?
In Hebrews 12:1-2 Faithfulness is enduring the shame and all the ills that obeying God may bring you. Jesus endured the cross and now He’s set at the right hand of God.
Areas of Faithfulness
Use of Power/ Office/ Position
One of the areas where God expects us to remain faithful is in the use of power or position we find our self. The scriptures says all power belongs to God. By implication, if He gives you a portion of the power and you misuse it like the parable of the talent, He simply takes it from you and give it to another. Psalms 75:6 says Promotion comes from God. Are you using your current office to glorify Him?
Use of your body
Hmm, this is where many people feel nobody has the right to tell them what to do with their body. But wait for this, 1Corinthians 3:16 says your body is not yours but the temple of the most high God and He further says if you defile His temple ‘that is your own body’, He will destroy. There’s no gainsaying, we are all accountable to God on how we use our bodies.
Use of your resources
Another area where we need to remain faithful is that of our resources especially TIME and MONEY. How do we use our time? Do we spend time on the trivial things or on impactful things, things that leave memories on the sand of time? Do you spend time or invest it? If you sleep for 8hours a day, by the time you’re 75years old, you must have slept for 25years…Ah! Are you practising how to die? When will you wake up to affect the lives that are attached to you. If you spend 15minutes in the bathroom every morning, you might have stayed in the bathroom for some 4years by the time you’re 70years. What are doing there- come out and manifest!
In the use of your money, what do you spend on? To start with, do you claim that what you have is not enough and so you don’t even tithe. The only way God will ever commit more things into your hands is by being faithful with the little He has committed to your hands so far. No kingdom investment. No giving to the poor or less privileged. The way out of poverty or lack is to give- this has been proved over and over. Until you sow, don’t even think of harvest. It doesn’t even answer to prayers- does that shock you! You either give or lack. God is looking for those who will be faithful to Him with everything they have. Has God asked you to give your son? He said so to Abraham and he had no choice than to swear by Himself that He would bless him in all things, we all are still benefitting from Abraham’s blessing today.
Please know that anytime you look up and see the sun above you, then you should know God is still faithful, hence, we are the variable.
Whatever it will cost you, remain faithful to God and in a short while He will lift you.
Remain blessed.
Why it is well...
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Spaffords later had three more children, one of whom (a son) died in infancy. In 1881 the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Palestine. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony; its mission was to serve the poor. The colony later became the subject of the Nobel prize winning Jerusalem, by Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf.
Exaggeration: An Unnecessary Luggage
Monday, February 16, 2009
Looking away (from all that will distract) to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith (giving the first incentive for our belief) and is also its Finisher (bringing it to maturity and perfection). He, for the joy (of obtaining the prize) that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1- 2(AMP)
Today, I write with a heavy heart especially to believers who love the Lord and are serving Him wholeheartedly but who are still suppressed and oppressed under apparently avoidable and unsuspecting weights that have made their prayers to be unyielding and fruitless.
Yes, I am talking about the creeping weight of exaggeration. Many are so used to it that they exaggerate everything without winking their eyes. It does not matter who you are, your belief or religious disposition, anytime you blow up an information unduly or explain something just to prove a point when you actually know that it is false you are treading the path of Ananias and Sapphira and God has moved me to put this together for you to be free from its destructive claws.
Other reasons why people exaggerate may be pride, low self-esteem, inferiority complex, fear or self aggrandisement.
Know yourself
Those who know their real worth don’t need to exaggerate in order to impress anyone. However, many live a perpetual fake life and seek the approval of others to tell them what their real worth is. Why would you for instance buy a fairly used shirt or pant and claim you bought from designer store? Why not just tell the truth and let the devil be ashamed! You are made in God’s own image and that alone should e a thing of pride for you. You’re fearfully and wonderfully made, refuse to carry the extra luggage of exaggeration because it is not safe.
It has been said that exaggeration is false overstatement. Yes, what we exaggerate actually happened, but only added our own version or withheld certain vital information. Jesus says He’s the way, the truth and the life. To me, that means that anything that is not the truth is a lie. That is, we could always ask ourselves how Jesus (the truth) would have said what we are about to say. (You remember the saying, what will Jesus do?) If he wouldn’t say it differently, then it is the truth. But this does not come handy until we begin to spend time with the truth- Jesus, which is also called the Word of God according to John 1:1-3. You are most likely going to look like what you see often. You lie most times because you read books and movies that teach on how to cook up lies. Spend more time with the Word of God- the bible and you’ll know the truth that makes free!
I want to believe Ananias and Sapphira didn’t trust God enough to meet their needs which must have been the reason why they had to keep back part of the proceeds of the land to themselves. Peter told them there was no point to test the Holy Spirit. If you know God is big enough to meet all your needs, then you’ll seek to only impress Him and Him alone. But can we really impress God with whatever we do or say? Everything is plain before Him and He knows you and I inside out. He knows, He sees and He hears. He could change your status overnight like He did for Joseph but we can limit Him with the unassuming and subtle sin of exaggeration.
LOVE at its best
Saturday, February 14, 2009
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
ICorinthians 1:1-13 (NIV)
In the mood of the Valentine season, I want to say a special "Thank You" to everyone who believes in me and in what I what I do- to the members of "Job vacancies in Nigeria" group on facebook, where I post job alerts in Nigeria from time to time.
To those who have visited this blog at one time or the other and will still visit, I'm grateful for your love and care.
I want to specially dedicate this post to all those who have the genuine love of God in them and to a lovely friend and sister that is a year older today. May the Lord Bless you real good.
What more will I say? Love! Love!! Love!!! The scripture above compares love with some other virtues like faith and hope but it says love is the greatest. Please take time to go through the scripture again- it is refreshing.
Although, many lovers or people in love today have given the global financial meltdown as an excuse for not being able to give gifts... you know what I'm talking about?
But one thing to note is that when you truly love, you'll go out of your way to please the loved. God loves us so much that he gave His very best- Jesus Christ. What is your very best? I think the best that we all possess is our very life or heart.
And that's what God requires of us... to receive His best gift of love so that we could gain eternal life. Why not use this Valentine to yield your life or sow your life as a seed to please God.
Come to think of it, after your toiling and labors in this world, you will not be fair to yourself if you lose your soul.
Accept God's love today and make Jesus your Lord. He loves you more than you could ever know. God demonstrated His love through the death and resurrection of Christ... will you allow His death to be of no effect?
I know it may not be a popular post on a day like this, but if you really want to know what true love is, taste Jesus and you'll see that His personality is God's love at its best.
I truly luv u!
Drop ur comments at www.atolase.blogspot.com
Downtime?!
Friday, February 13, 2009
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Job 22: 29 (KJV)
It is a known fact that everything that works (man or machine) should have a time to recuperate or regain used up strength. Some banks go temporarily out of service due to system down time or for them to simply tell their customers that the system is down. For some of the internet service providers (ISP) or telecoms service providers, they simply say “no service" or "no network”.
Similarly, as humans, there are times when you know you’re not ill due to sickness but at the same time you know you’re not just well. You know something is not right about you…you simply feel down. For some, they don’t feel like rising up from the bed, for others, they prefer to be left alone. These experiences could be said to be periods of downtime.
Wikipedia defines downtime as periods when a system is unavailable. Downtime or outage duration refers to a period of time that a system fails to provide or perform its primary function.
If machines that are lifeless equipments could experience downtime and just stop working in order to rest and start working again. We may not be totally exempted from downtimes but we can live above it.
However, God has made certain provisions in His word to help get through those periods of downtime in our lives. Some of the things that help us get through these times and make us get back on track is what I intend to share with you.
It is Normal
It is good for you to know that when you continually stress yourself or go through a series of emotional torture overtime, you are most likely to breakdown in tears or inaction. But note that it is not where God intends you to remain. The above scripture says “when men are cast down” which means it is a matter of time- ‘when’ not ’if’. It is however not an excuse for you to be down at every instance, many have learnt to live above it- you too can.
Watch Your Mouth
What you say when you’re going through your downtime matters. Many have spoken themselves into the grave. Telling everyone you’re going through hell or that you can’t get out of this mess… you know those stuffs you say when you are down. It will not help you. Please speak POSITIVE words always. When David lost everything in 1Samuel 30, the bible says he encouraged himself in the Lord. Nobody will encourage you for you! Encourage yourself.
The same scripture above says ” I will say there is lifting up” I will say there is breakthrough, there’s favor, there’s advancement… Go ahead and say what you want because what you SAY is what you SEE.
Give a sacrifice of Praise
Hebrews 13: 15 (KJV) says ”By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name”
A sacrifice is something that is not convenient to do. This simply means we should use our lips to give praise to His name even when we seem down. Really, there may not be any reason to give Him thanks at that moment but it says you should sacrifice… what a mystery. The best time to give thanks is when things are not really going the way you want it. Praise calls for God’s presence and when God comes, all fears disappear. Give Him praise today. I’ve done mine this morning and I’ll still do it again and again…It works.
Restart
Technical persons have recommended that at times when system goes through downtime or malfunctions, simply restarting it can make it start working properly again. I have personally seen this happen several times. What you need during a downtime after doing the above might just be to revisit the issue or take the pains to start all over again. Don’t always forget to push the Restart button.
Rejoice
The initial intention of the devil is to get at your joy, to make you depressed and make you say negative things and blame God. God is not the one behind your downtime. Job’s wife told him to curse God and die, but Job never yielded, the end was that God gave him double of everything he had before except the wife and number of children. Don’t let the devil get at your joy. Rejoice always, again I say rejoice.
IF GOD HAS BROUGHT YOU TO IT, HE CAN TAKE YOU TRHOUGH IT.
I LOVE YOU!
Just Do it!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.
Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God
I Corinthians 1: 25 – 29(NLT)
The poem below is put together to encourage as many people as God has instructed to do certain things but have refused to take steps because what God has told them doesn’t make natural sense- it just looks “foolish” or too simple to be true. I wrote these words out on 16th of December, 2003 when He was leading in a direction that seems will never lead to the right path, but 5 years later when I looked at my poem note yesterday and saw these words, I now understand better why He is called the Alpha and the Omega, hence the inscription above, which represents the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet.
I can boldly say He is faithful to every jot of His word. Trust Him enough to commit your life to His hands.
Just do whatever He is leading you to do and leave the remaining with Him, He is ever faithful… digest it.
Do it!
It may not be sensible,
It may not be right,
It may not be clear,
It may not be wise but,
Whatever He tells you to do, do it!
How can water be turned to wine?
How can a rod path the sea?
How can I ever get any fish after toiling all night?
How can my skin be made whole from this leprosy?
Whatever He tells you to do, do it!
Make me know,
Make me understand,
Make me comprehend,
Make me realise but,
Whatever You tell me to do, I will do.
Why should I wait any longer?
Why should I wash in Jordan?
Why should I ever be saved again? But
Nevertheless at thy word, I will do whatever You ask me to do.
Remain blessed.
Growing and Harvest Seasons of Life
Friday, February 6, 2009
Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride
Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NLT)
So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
I should have finished this series last week but I got busy with some things-meetings, field audit and reading some interesting books. So, in order to quickly get done with this and talk about some other things which promises to be impactful, that's why I decided to combine the last two Seasons- Growing and Harvest Seasons of Life.
I'm just writing this with excitement and I know God has something positive in mind for the reader. Be expectant!
I also want to urge you to always drop a comment on your observations, thoughts or criticism after reading any post on this blog either by clicking on the 'Comment' link below this post or 'Contact Me' up there. It makes me know how much I connect to you.
Yes, growing and harvest seasons of our lives. Being the last in the series of Understanding of Times, let me attempt a very short recap of what we've discussed so far. We first discussed Planning and Planting Seasons of Life (you can scroll down to the previous posts). I want to share with you what to do after you have set your goals and have consciously started sowing seeds, there are certain things to do in order to experience your harvest. Just like no farmer plants and goes to sleep, so also you and I cannot just sow seeds or register for a school/ professional exam or start a relationship or start a business and then go to sleep. Those who do so do not get the required harvest, if they get any at all.
The scripture above says better is the end of a matter than the beginning. God is not just interested in you starting up something and then it giving up half way or not getting the full harvest. What are the things to do to get your desired harvest? They are in no way exhaustive but I've decided to summarize then below;
Diligence
Nothing WORKS until you WORK it. Many are simply complacent. They get contented with average living. They don't see any need to push further. Diligence is one of the most important attitude needed for growth. A child who is lazy to crawl or always wants to remain at the back of the mother may never walk. It is only the diligent hand that will bear rule. God's word says a man diligent in his business will stand before kings and not with mere men. The reason why you are moving around men with people of no repute or ordinary people is because you are not diligent! I told myself sometimes ago that I will not live an ordinary life and I gave myself up to give it all takes and the results are evident already. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. A lazy man has no future. Be consciously diligent!
Perseverance
Perseverance is another attitude needed for harvest. Diligence is hardwork but perseverance is dogged, persistent and relentless hardwork. It is a steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks (Thesaurus). Every successful farmer must persevere in order to harvest. It means you keeping doing what you believe in spite of the obstacles. Even if what you planted have been uprooted, replant! Isaac dug a couple of wells and continued digging until he got to his Rehoboth. Many people keep too soon. If you've done all you know to do and you don't seem to see result, persevere- keep at it. It will speak at the end. Be tenacious!
Self discipline
When the harvest eventually comes, you need to be disciplined not to allow it to get into your head. Plenty can get into one's head. It may shock you to hear that the reason why God has not answered some people is because they will backslide if He gives them what they are praying for. God will not give you what will make Him lose you. Some people can just be very undisciplined with money- they buy at impulse, no budget, no investments, just buy what they want and not what they really need. I'm not against giving yourself a treat once in a while, but don't make God see you as a prodigal son because of what He has blessed you with. Be sensitive!
Re-sow part of the harvest
This is an interesting principle. Every fruit carries its seed within it. Orange has orange seed within it, guava, mango, yam…name it. If you decide to eat all your fruit, there will be nothing to sow again which implies no future harvest. Always plough back part of your harvest back to investment. It is crucial. Also, remember to give a tenth of it to God- this is known as tithing to acknowledge Him as the source. Don't eat all, be wise!
Give Thanks
We cannot overemphasize the need to give thanks to the God who made your seed to grow in the first place. Paul plants and Apollo waters but it is God that gives the increase. Always remember, there's a hand behind everything that is moving. Consciously remember to give Him thanks to preserve the blessings. In Malachi 2:1-2, God says that those who fail to give Him glory stand the risk of being cursed even with the blessings.
When last have you taken time to give Him quality thanks. Take some time out to sincerely thank Him for your life today.
Remember, maximize this one life you have to live. The world is waiting for what you have to offer!
You are blessed!
