Showing posts with label Foundation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foundation. Show all posts
Your First Love
Thursday, August 6, 2009
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.Revelation 2:3- 5 (NIV)
First-time lovers are exciting sight to behold. From their look, passion, closeness, naughtiness, innocence and laughing-out-loud (lol) expression you can easily identify them. It is arguably quite difficult to forget the first person you dated or gave your love to or gave love to you although the kind of memories that people have about this is another thing entirely as it ranges from regret, hate, bitterness, cheat or even ‘good-old-days’ kind of memories.
Since, I don’t intend to cause a heart-break or hurting of partly healed sores, let me go straight to my thoughts about “YOUR FIRST LOVE”. But before I do, let me echo these three quotes of Oprah Winfrey into your ears,
"Turn your wounds into wisdom"
"We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are"
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure”
Please let go of your past because you cannot unscramble eggs!- Faith Oyedepo
Let me quickly take you briefly through the journey of when you first accepted Christ. You were the first to go to church, you were in all the church units from choir to ushering. You assisted in the children and youth section and even had time to clean the church premises and all these you did with utmost excitement because of your newly found love. Your best song then was ‘Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!
You were fresh and energetic, you read your bible for longer hours and you were proud to share your newly found truth with everyone who cared to listen, in fact when there was no one to listen, you had an imaginary pew at home were you preached to an imaginary crowd in your head.Like first lovers who share everything with each other even the meaningless things, you told God everything through prayers. You prayed so hard about every and anything to God from money to buy jeans to passing your common entrance or university matriculation exams. All these you did because you were simply in love.
But what has happened to you over the years? What has your seemingly ‘big need’ for job, partner, admission, or child turned you into? Now it doesn’t even freak you to read your bible, quiet time is no longer fashionable because you have a couple of job interviews here and there and you go from one seminar or meeting to the other. You’ve forgotten the lyrics of the hymn you once loved so much. Like someone who felt cheated in a relationship so badly that (s)he doesn’t even want to see the ex-lover, you have simply forsaken your first love for Christ.
That’s why He is sending these words of caution to you;
REMEMBER AND REPENT
In Christ’s warning to the Ephesian Church, He warned “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2: 5 (NIV)
REMEMBER
Before you can re-trace your steps from where you’ve fallen, you need to remember where you have fallen from. Not to fall to the same circumstances again, what were the good things you were doing in the kingdom before now that you have stopped? What service do you render to humanity that you don’t even know why you stopped. But let me say that the kind of memories here is not to cause hurt but not avoid going back to your vomit. Remember!
REPENT
Repentance means taking a U-turn, a detour or simply change of ways. After the appraisal of the height from which you have fallen and a determination to make a change, like the prodigal son, take a definite action to go back to your heavenly father whose arms are always wide open to receive you if you genuinely confess and forsake your sins. But true repentance is not just forsaking the sins but not going back to it again after being forgiven. He says you should repent by doing the things you did at first. Go back to your quiet time, go back to your church unit to serve, start attending mid-week service and rededicate yourself to God. Please don’t let God remove your lampstand- your source of light, your shinning, your fame, your job, your joy. Repent, He is a merciful and loving God!
Shall we pray;
Lord, help us to re-kindle the light of our first love for you. Amen.
WANTED: God-fearing Men!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires you to fear him, to live according to his will, to love and worship him with all your heart and soul. Deuteronomy 10:12 (NLT)
I must have written about 7 articles within the last 7 days on varying topics as inspired but I don’t think you would have read any of them because I never penned them down. I wrote them all in my imagination. Sorry about that. However, I have decided to pen this down today because of its urgency of the Master to pass this across.
‘Are there still God-fearing men?’ is the question on the lips of most people today especially the single ladies. Admittedly, we all are exposed to situations, scenarios, temptations and circumstances on a daily basis that requires us to make life-impacting and accurate decisions that will not only affect the present but posterity.
A life lived with integrity - even if it lacks the trappings of fame and fortune is a shinning star in whose light others may follow in the years to come. - Denis Waitley
If you ask an average lady about the kind of man they desire, I want a “God-fearing man” has almost become a chorus or better still a common attribute that suggests loyalty and faithfulness, which is every lady’s dream. (Can I get a witness from the ladies…… Amen!) But have the ladies ever wondered that this attribute does not really seem to attract men to the ladies (well that’s a topic for another day, please don’t ask me why)
Stunning Stats
• About 51 percent of children in schools come from homes without fathers;• Every 60 seconds, seven people contract AIDS;
• Homosexuals and Lesbians are agitating for the right to legally adopt children;
• About 57 percent of Christian marriages end in divorce;
• At least 1 out of every 10 girls have been abused sexually by parents, teachers, guardians trusted friends, cousins or siblings before their 21st birthday.
I could go on and on but the truth is that our actions today or tomorrow have untold effect on everyone around us and the above statistics boils down to our erosion of personal values, morale, ethics and of course the fear of God.
X-raying the scriptures, I found out that God will never appoint a man to leadership position without passing the test called ‘Fear of God’. From Moses, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel to Paul and the first seven deacons in the early Apostolic church. They all did exploits but not without showing a strong reverence for God, sense of honesty, integrity and the fear of God. Please note: They weren’t perfect but they displayed a strong reverence and love for Jehovah.
Do you qualify?
God is all out today searching for men who can be trusted with riches to better humanity, men who can be used to showcase how awesome God is, men who will lead our nations and show to the world the stuff God can do but among other things, the FEAR OF GOD is a key requirement.
You are in integrity when the life you are living on the outside matches who you are on the inside. - Alan Cohen
If there was any man that could boldly say he is God fearing, then Joseph qualifies by all standards. Why? First, he refused bluntly to commit sexual sins with his master’s wife even when he was in a strange land far from home, which is not the case with most guys outside the country today. For Joseph, it didn’t really matter whether his boss was there or not, God is the factor. He said, “How then can I do this wicked thing and sin against God. Genesis 39:9.
Second, he eventually met with his brothers who had sold him to slavery initially, but instead of staging a revenge battle like most of us would have done, He even consoled his brothers with these words, “But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.”
Fear of God doesn’t mean being afraid of God as it were. Why? Because God has not given us the Spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7. The fear of God simply means holy reverence for God or simply to honour God and asking the most important question, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? The reason why many live carelessly is because they do not reverence God. Jethro, Moses’ father-in law gave the basic requirements for attaining any leadership position in Exodus 18: 21(NLT) and the fear of God still featured prominently, he said, “But find some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as judges over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.
What to do-Now listen to what the Spirit is saying to the 21st century upwardly mobile guys who have turned themselves to heart-breakers instead of performing earth-breaking and ground-breaking feat for God. Look at your life, can it be said of you that you fear God. Remember, I can deceive man but not God. You can put up a ‘holier-than-thou’ look before men but not before God.
Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not. - Oprah Winfrey
1. Make a decision to allow Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life. A life without CHRIST will be full of CRISIS.
2. Be sensitive and don’t play with sin because it will burn you. Flee temptations.
3. Be quick to dust yourself and rise up again even when you fall. God searches the heart. 1 John 2:1
I challenge every man gunning for the top to look at their lives, career, relationship and finance to address the little foxes that spoil the vine. Joseph would have died a slave in his master’s house but for the fear of God. Many young destinies are still being sacrificed on Delilah’s laps all over the world and they become grounded and limited only patching through life for mere existence.
The wisest human King that ever lived, King Solomon says “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12: 13- 14 (NLT)
Shall we pray:
Lord, give me the grace to fear you in all that I do in order to attain the heights destined for me. Amen.
Personal but not Private!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
You can't keep your true self hidden forever; before long you'll be exposed. You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can't whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day's coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.
Luke 12: 2 (TM)
Monica Lewinsky! Does that name ring a bell? Of course, you guessed right. She was former President Bill Clinton’s secret lover that almost cost him his presidential seat. But that’s all history.
Opening my e-mail this morning I saw a report on Yahoo! News about the current serving South Carolina Governor in US confessing about his 8-year-long unfaithfulness to his wife by seeing a lady in far away Argentina.
This governor is the head of the Republican Governors Association and has been mentioned in recent months as a possible presidential candidate in 2012. But ironically, this man as a congressman had voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for "moral legitimacy."
This governor is the head of the Republican Governors Association and has been mentioned in recent months as a possible presidential candidate in 2012. But ironically, this man as a congressman had voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for "moral legitimacy."
As if this was not enough, this Governor had always left the country without formally delegating his authority and by leaving the country without formally transferring power, critics said he neglected his gubernatorial authority and put the state at risk because It wasn't clear how his staff could reach him in an emergency. How ridiculous to know that Governor Sanford has four boys for his wife, Jenny Sanford who is literally his financier having come from an influential family herself! She has reportedly thrown him out two weeks ago.
My heart sighs as I write this because I had a totally different thing to talk about before now. But the recurring nature of this high profile unfaithfulness to spouse and family calls for caution among us as moral beings.
What is good is good and what is bad is bad!
It does not matter how much we hide, our secret sins we find us out. To involve ourselves in secret unfaithfulness and publicly pretend as if nothing has happened is the height of promiscuity. Jesus says in the above scripture that the day is coming when those secret whispers will be repeated all over town.
Do you know the word ‘integrity’ is from the word to integrate? Integrity literarily means making private same as public.
Do you know the word ‘integrity’ is from the word to integrate? Integrity literarily means making private same as public.
Is your private life same as public life? Am I just a preacher and not a doer? Is there a part of me that is others must not know about? These are the rhetorical questions that you and I should provide answers to and make amends where necessary because sin actually sinks us.
Only a few months ago we heard about a purported claim by UK Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, that she mistakenly bought two pornographic films while paying for internet connection online. These ‘mistakenly’ purchased adult films, which shamefully cost £5 each, were reportedly viewed on 6 and 8 April 2008, although she claimed not to be at home then. She was made a Member of the Privy Council in 2003. Smith is also the third woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State — after Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister) and Margaret Beckett (Foreign Secretary).
Whether true or false, only God knows. But the point is that whether high or low, poor or rich, old or young. God doesn’t bend his rules. It applies to all.
Do you know it was the supposed private sins of Adam that still plagues the human race till date?
Whether true or false, only God knows. But the point is that whether high or low, poor or rich, old or young. God doesn’t bend his rules. It applies to all.
Do you know it was the supposed private sins of Adam that still plagues the human race till date?
Your sins may be personal but it is not private.
That is why the scripture says;
But the firm foundation laid by God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it. 2 Timothy 2: 19
But the firm foundation laid by God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it. 2 Timothy 2: 19
There is no little sin, sin is sin!
What to do;
- Never hide your sin.
He that covers his sins shall not prosper but God is always faithful to forgive us when we sincerely confess them. Proverbs 28:13.. Admit it and confess it to the Lord. How foolish! Covering our sins is like hiding behind a single finger.
- Never hide your sin.
He that covers his sins shall not prosper but God is always faithful to forgive us when we sincerely confess them. Proverbs 28:13.. Admit it and confess it to the Lord. How foolish! Covering our sins is like hiding behind a single finger.
-Never go back to your vomit.
Sin is generally pleasurable but its sweetness is only going to be for a while because the shame it brings outweighs its pleasures. Moses chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin for a moment. Hebrews 11: 25
Sin is generally pleasurable but its sweetness is only going to be for a while because the shame it brings outweighs its pleasures. Moses chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin for a moment. Hebrews 11: 25
- Be more sensitive.
Most sins come as a mere thought first. But when these thoughts are entertained they find a place and if not quickly discarded, action follows. We are told in Proverbs 4: 23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do” Watch and pray!
Most sins come as a mere thought first. But when these thoughts are entertained they find a place and if not quickly discarded, action follows. We are told in Proverbs 4: 23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do” Watch and pray!
Shall we pray;
Lord, help us to finish strong.
Lord, help us to finish strong.
The enemy called ALTERNATIVES!
Friday, June 12, 2009
After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: "Do you also want to leave?"
Peter replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God."
John 6: 66- 69 (The Message)
I am particularly excited to be at this phase of my life and I must tell you I’m enjoying everything God is revealing to me every waking moment. Got up this morning with a thought on the word “ALTERNATIVES”. As soon as I started searching my mind for what this would mean, I soon realized that God wanted me to tell someone that “He (God) will still do what He has promised only if we bury our fall backs”. Fall backs here means things we think of falling back on if His promises does not go through as we expect.
Peter replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God."
John 6: 66- 69 (The Message)
I am particularly excited to be at this phase of my life and I must tell you I’m enjoying everything God is revealing to me every waking moment. Got up this morning with a thought on the word “ALTERNATIVES”. As soon as I started searching my mind for what this would mean, I soon realized that God wanted me to tell someone that “He (God) will still do what He has promised only if we bury our fall backs”. Fall backs here means things we think of falling back on if His promises does not go through as we expect.
Haa! This word hit me quickly and I realized just as I’m typing this that God was trying to pass across a message to me on a particular issue of my life.
Hmm, An alternative is something different from, and able to serve as a substitute for, something else. It also simply means to be between two opinions. To be here, but still be there with the other eye, JUST IN CASE. To be double-minded. Elijah got fed up with the nonchalant attitude of the people of Israel that he cried in 1 Kings 18:21, And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long will you between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Friend, I put this question to your face, how long will continue to eye your alternative(s) and at the same time still be praying to God for that breakthrough?
· I mean how long will you continue to threaten God with your backsliding attempt if He does not answer your prayers by the deadline you’ve given Him?
· I mean how long will you keep your eye on breaking your commitment to your spouse because you’ve waited so long for the fruit of the womb and both of you are aging?
· How long will you jobseeker think of doing it the world’s way by reducing your age and getting involved in some other things just to boost your qualification for that job?
· How long have you chosen to enjoy life and live promiscuously at the detriment of losing your own soul and eternity?
· How long will you my professional colleagues do it the crooked way of the world and think you’ll always get away with it?
· I mean how long will you keep your eye on breaking your commitment to your spouse because you’ve waited so long for the fruit of the womb and both of you are aging?
· How long will you jobseeker think of doing it the world’s way by reducing your age and getting involved in some other things just to boost your qualification for that job?
· How long have you chosen to enjoy life and live promiscuously at the detriment of losing your own soul and eternity?
· How long will you my professional colleagues do it the crooked way of the world and think you’ll always get away with it?
How long…….?
Peter answered Jesus when He gave them the blank cheque of leaving Him when many disciples left too. But in the scripture above, Peter said, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves…”
This scripture literally tore my head open this morning as I read this fascinating version of The Message Bible. We’ve already committed ourselves! We’ve already burnt the bridge! We’ve already counted the cost! We’re already made up….and no going back!
I remember that old salvation song, “I have decided to follow Jesus 3ce. No turning back, No turning back…..! Have you?
Until your commitment to Christ reaches the level where you’ll say if I perish, I perish (like Esther) or We rather burn than to bow to other gods (like the 3 Hebrew boys) or Woe is me if I preach not the goepel (like Paul). Then, your faith and trust in Him is still questionable.
Why you must bury your alternatives?
- It makes you unstable and to doubt God. James 1:8
- It makes the devil suggest evil to you because you are not made up when you still have alternatives.
- It makes it impossible to receive from God but you are not acting in faith.
- It “incapacitates” God from helping you.
- It makes you unstable and to doubt God. James 1:8
- It makes the devil suggest evil to you because you are not made up when you still have alternatives.
- It makes it impossible to receive from God but you are not acting in faith.
- It “incapacitates” God from helping you.
What to do;
- Confess boldly your commitment to God.
- Feed yourself with the truth of God’s word ONLY (What is written and the revealed truth on the Bible)
- Still give God the glory no matter what is happening. (What is happening is temporal, what is written is permanent.
- Confess boldly your commitment to God.
- Feed yourself with the truth of God’s word ONLY (What is written and the revealed truth on the Bible)
- Still give God the glory no matter what is happening. (What is happening is temporal, what is written is permanent.
Shall we pray:
Lord, I choose to bury all the alternatives (name them) stopping me from trusting you. Amen
Lord, I choose to bury all the alternatives (name them) stopping me from trusting you. Amen
Remember, He (God) will still do what He has promised only if we bury our fall backs.
The Cost of Right!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.Philippians 3:7- 8 (KJV)
I have always wondered how much was worth paying for quality service or to get the best of service. How much would be considered too expensive to give out just to get the best out of a project or task that you are working on?
I was recently instructed and challenged by a recent thing that happened as I observed my boss at work. We were printing out the audited report for one of our clients in the office and I discovered a little spelling mistake (just one letter of the alphabet missing) that could have ordinarily been ignored but he insisted we had to reprint some hundreds of copies of the report just because of the little thing that could have been ignored. And it was really expensive to do that but we did!
That scenario immediately sank-in a quick lesson to me. There is no amount too much to pay to get things right!
What have you been battling with? What you been patching up? It may look too insignificant to notice, but just like a little dark spot on a white robe makes it lose the word stainless, so also will that little stain of sin find you out until you make things right!
David was unarguably a great king. So celebrated that over a decade ago Israel had 3,000 years anniversary of when David founded the City of David. But check out what his eulogy (a note after someone’s death) read;
For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite. 1Kings 15:5 (NLT)
Did you notice the last phrase that started with the word “except”? What would have made the journey of your life so great and memorable, except? What did David do? He took the wife of Uriah, his subordinate and organised for the man’s death.
Friends, there’s no price that would be considered too high to pay to rid your life of the “except”.
But the good news is that, Jesus has paid the greatest price to make us right with God by giving up Himself for what we did wrong. All we need do is as simple as ABC;
A- Accept Jesus into our lives;
B- Believe that He died for your sins;
C- Confess your sins to Him and confess Him as the Lord of your life.
But the good news is that, Jesus has paid the greatest price to make us right with God by giving up Himself for what we did wrong. All we need do is as simple as ABC;
A- Accept Jesus into our lives;
B- Believe that He died for your sins;
C- Confess your sins to Him and confess Him as the Lord of your life.
There is no amount to high to pay to make things right with your Maker.
Let us pray: Lord, help us to lead a life that glorifies you. Amen.
What can the righteous do?
Thursday, March 5, 2009
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do
Psalms 11:3
I know this question is not new or and has been lingering for many years and only a few ever ponder on what the answer might be.
After my post last on ‘The Foundation’ I thought it would be right to provide solution to foundational problems as provided for in the scriptures because the bible confidently has answers to all life’s challenges! We do not have answers because we are too busy to search it out. Ask and you shall receive..
Let me start by putting it to you, what do you think the righteous can do with a faulty foundation? I have answers ranging from nothing or that the righteous should rebuild or should be more careful or to be prayerful….people are not really sure but we have where to go for help.
A story in 2Kings 2: 19- 22 (CEV) comes to mind. Let us see what God’s word says;
One day the people of Jericho said, "Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing."
He replied, "Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me."
They brought him the bowl of salt, and he carried it to the spring. He threw the salt into the water and said, "The LORD has made this water pure again. From now on you'll be able to grow crops, and no one will starve."
The water has been fine ever since, just as Elisha said.
After my post last on ‘The Foundation’ I thought it would be right to provide solution to foundational problems as provided for in the scriptures because the bible confidently has answers to all life’s challenges! We do not have answers because we are too busy to search it out. Ask and you shall receive..
Let me start by putting it to you, what do you think the righteous can do with a faulty foundation? I have answers ranging from nothing or that the righteous should rebuild or should be more careful or to be prayerful….people are not really sure but we have where to go for help.
A story in 2Kings 2: 19- 22 (CEV) comes to mind. Let us see what God’s word says;
One day the people of Jericho said, "Elisha, you can see that our city is in a good spot. But the water from our spring is so bad that it even keeps our crops from growing."
He replied, "Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me."
They brought him the bowl of salt, and he carried it to the spring. He threw the salt into the water and said, "The LORD has made this water pure again. From now on you'll be able to grow crops, and no one will starve."
The water has been fine ever since, just as Elisha said.
The city here could refer to an individual that everything seems to be moving right with or someone (in today’s language) who is upwardly mobile and enjoys some level of affluence. Like it says, someone who is in a ‘good spot’ but as good as everything is, the water- source of life, fountain of living and as it were one of the very 'essential foundation for existence'-water- an inevitable commodity is so bad and it impairs the growth of every other thing.
Let me pause here and ask you some heart searching sincere questions! What is not right with you in spite of every other thing that is right? What is that thing that is tainting your Christian testimony? What makes your public life different from your private life? Do you know the real meaning of integrity? It is from the word integrate, which means to make two things agree or come to one, hence integrity is the ability to make your private life to be the same with your public life! What do you do in the secret that people will not be able to match with your public identity?
What to do
Locate what the problem is
As simple as this may sound, many only know that something is wrong but may not be able to say what is really wrong. Many are not ill but they know too well that they are not enjoying life to the fullest. So, to locate the problem means taking some time out to examine your life and be sure where things have gone wrong. Elisha knew what the problem of that city was and went directly to the fountain of the water before he could help them. What is really wrong with your foundation?
As simple as this may sound, many only know that something is wrong but may not be able to say what is really wrong. Many are not ill but they know too well that they are not enjoying life to the fullest. So, to locate the problem means taking some time out to examine your life and be sure where things have gone wrong. Elisha knew what the problem of that city was and went directly to the fountain of the water before he could help them. What is really wrong with your foundation?
Search the Word
Every life’s challenge has a solution and a way out in God’s word. Just like every manufacturer packages a manual with every product, God, our ‘manufacturer’ has packaged a manual for us in the bible for living. And like you refer to the manual when a product malfunctions, you can refer to the bible when something contrary to the original plan of God happens. Is poverty the problem? Jesus became poor for us to be rich 2Corinthians 8:9, is yours a chronic disease? He was wounded for our transgressions…and by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5, is yours a family curse or spell? Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law Galatians 3:13. Search, search and search!!! The solution is in the Word. Halleluyah!
Every life’s challenge has a solution and a way out in God’s word. Just like every manufacturer packages a manual with every product, God, our ‘manufacturer’ has packaged a manual for us in the bible for living. And like you refer to the manual when a product malfunctions, you can refer to the bible when something contrary to the original plan of God happens. Is poverty the problem? Jesus became poor for us to be rich 2Corinthians 8:9, is yours a chronic disease? He was wounded for our transgressions…and by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5, is yours a family curse or spell? Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law Galatians 3:13. Search, search and search!!! The solution is in the Word. Halleluyah!
Engage the Word
Mere locating the problem or the corresponding Word those not bring about any solution until you engage the word you have found. I am not talking about you being able to quote 5 scriptures at a wink, I’m talking about getting your desired result. Engaging the Word means approaching God in prayers and placing the fact that you have located from His word to Him on the table. Isaiah 41:21 says we should bring our strong reasons. God knows you need to be free, but why should you be free?!
Mere locating the problem or the corresponding Word those not bring about any solution until you engage the word you have found. I am not talking about you being able to quote 5 scriptures at a wink, I’m talking about getting your desired result. Engaging the Word means approaching God in prayers and placing the fact that you have located from His word to Him on the table. Isaiah 41:21 says we should bring our strong reasons. God knows you need to be free, but why should you be free?!
This is a trans-generational truth that have always produced results. If the problem is that of foundation or something that is not just right, I recommend you do this in addition to whatever you may be led to do by the Spirit and you’ll be free. And like that city, your life will be pure, sweet and pleasant again.
Always remember, the Word of God is the key, when you have it, your struggle ceases.
You are blessed!
The Foundation!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
But the firm foundation of (laid by) God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use].
So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.
2Timothy 2:19- 21
Like a woman pregnant with child, I have been pregnant with the above scriptural passage since this new month began cross-referencing it and reading from all the versions I could lay my hands on to get it straight. Thoughts of how this new year full of possibilities is not just gradually moving on with the speed of light but also with thoughts of how many people are yet not getting things right, hence, experiencing a replica of what they have experienced in the past without results to show. Hmmm, the foundation, someone help me say P U S H!!!.
Builders, civil and structural engineers will tell you that among many other things to get right in building is the foundation. The reason for this is not far-fetched. While many other faults may be easily corrected, foundational cracks or faults are not just technical and critical but if care is not taken might lead to the pulling down of the entire structure. This is what many are trying to cope with- secreting mending their foundational cracks not knowing that it is a matter of time before the cracks become visible on the building walls for all to see!
So what is in a foundation?
In Nigeria, we've had as many cases of collapsed buildings as much as that of individuals who just slum or collapse suddenly. While their may seem to be no correlation between the two, I want to believe such sudden collapse, in some of the cases may have the same thing in common- the faulty or cracky foundation! While the explanation for that of the building may be explicit enough, those of individuals (at times) may be due to some fundamental questions that may have been ignored or unanswered for years.
While the word "foundation" refers to a solid underground base of a building; the setting up of an institution or organisation and in recent times to an endowment fund that supports an institution or charitable organisation or even the base layer of the make-up used by women (ladies, am I right?).
However, in this context, I want to refer to a foundation, here, as the basic underlying truth behind the existence of our very faith in God. That is, the basement of our faith in God or what God considers crucial before building a glorious destiny.
The above scriptural reference paints it clear to us that our foundation in God has an inscription or seal that says “everyone who names the name of God (believers) should consciously spurn (depart or eschew) from sin, iniquity or evil. To me this means, for anyone to have a good structure for the future, the base must be free from foundational cracks of sin.
The lingering question then is: How solid is the foundation of your Christian faith? or better still, what are the situations, issues or conditions that you have been consistently dealing with in secret boiling down to the very base of your faith in God and even makes you doubt whether you will reign eternally with Jesus? These are foundational questions.
Remember the question asked in Psalms 11: 3 that many are still yet to find answers to '.. if the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do? We are talking about a righteous one here, but it implies such may be helpless when it comes to foundation.
When things are right, we should ask questions and when things are not right questions needs to be asked to know where we are missing it out.
We all started off this year on the same start line but obviously not everyone is moving at the same pace. I'm not really talking about how high you you're flying or how you're struggling to make things work, I'm talking about whether you are a vessel unto honour or dishonour? or whether you are showing the light for others to follow (and go there yourself) or you're merely a signpost- pointing the way but going nowhere! or may be you are even leading others to the grave with your words or actions.
Please Note: I am not referring to your speed or progress here but your direction because moving in the RIGHT DIRECTION is better than moving at TOP SPEED.
It doesn’t matter how fast you move in a wrong direction, you never arrive at your destination.
For you and I to realise or dreams, goals and resolution for the new year, we must re-visit our very foundation- the base of our faith in God whether we have made things right with our Creator or merely patching things up using cosmetics (which doesn't stand the test of time).
Remember, a crack in the foundation (no matter how small) can never be ignored or patched, it is either re-visited or it condemns the entire building.
What is that secret sin that you think you can patch up or pretend as if all is right? If you do not make it rght with your Creator today, it will soon show for all to see and by then, it may be devastating! Sin truly sinks.
Selah! (Pause and think on this)
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