By faith choose love week 38,2010

“I wouldn’t say it is the same. When I choose to believe God for a miracle against the voice of experience and eyewitnesses I get healed, but when I turn the other cheek I get a slap!” That’s short sighted. Jesus promises you "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven! The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways Mat 5:11, 12(GW).
“But that reward may not be immediate, in fact it may be in heaven while I suffer indignity on earth.” Are you not speaking foolishly like an earthbound citizen of this world? When Jairus first believed Jesus was the daughter better immediately? Tell me. “No; she got worse.” She died; what of Lazarus? Did he improve immediately? “He too died.” What would have happened if Jairus and Martha did not press on in faith? “They may have lost the miracle.” Why is it then that you want to lose your miracle because for an indeterminable time guaranteed by God to be short, you will be slapped and face indignity? 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.1Pe 5:10(ESV)
Why are you willing to have symptoms of sickness for a little while as you know God will personally heal and strengthen you but refuse to endure indignity shame and deprivation for a little while before the heavens ensure you are established? Remember: our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is working out for us a much greater weight of glory 2Co 4:17(BBE). Faith is obedience you know. “You keep saying that.” Yes, it is the lubricant that makes God’s will easy; not the force that enslaves heaven’s resources to our desires - spiritual or carnal. “Say that again.” You heard me. You believe God for promotion and finances but can’t claim "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."Act 16:31(ESV). Peter didn’t jump on water but asked Jesus first. James and John sought His permission to call fire from heaven and held their peace when Jesus said no. “Are you suggesting we need to ask if God wills to heal us before we claim healing?” You weary me. Why twist my words? "I tell you the truth: the Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. Jn 5:19, 20(GNB). By faith choose love!

Of faith and choice Week 37, 2010

“You speak of faith as being a choice, and as obeying God. That surely refers to the Christian walk: holiness and stuff like that, and not necessarily to an act of faith, for instance in getting healed, or answers to prayers.” You think so? Well if the Christian walk is marked by obedience and choices the very act of faith to get answers to prayers must be the same, after all the entire Christian walk is called the Christian faith isn’t it? “Look, let’s cut out the theological stuff. Tell me how obedience and choices help me get miracles and I’m done.” I’m tempted to tease you, but let’s take 2 examples: Jairus … fell at Jesus' feet and kept begging him to come to his home, because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying Lk 8:41, 42(ISV). You know his desire was that Jesus arrives before the girl dies.
“I get it. Faith was his choice to remain with Jesus even when there was a delay at the woman with the issue of blood.” That was quick! Yes, but the choice I want to get at is: While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader's home and said, "Your daughter is dead. Stop bothering the teacher anymore." Luk 8:49(ISV) and Jesus answered "Don't be afraid! Just believe, and she will get well." Luk 8:50(GW). “Faith was a choice between the eye witness advice and the word of Jesus.” Exactly, you know he might have said “Jesus I called you first, you were coming to my house when this woman with an issue came. Her own was not an emergency. Why, Jesus, why? Now my daughter is dead!” and walk off. “Instead he chose to go with Jesus and a greater miracle than anticipated happened.” Good. Now it is critical when the unexpected happens in your journey of faith to get a word from Jesus like Jairus did. That word, I believe, is Fear not: only believe, and she shall be made whole.
The other is Peter’s choice. And when his talk was ended, he said to Simon, Go out into deep water, and let down your nets for fish Lk 5:4(BBE). Fish disperse when there is noise and light, that’s why they toiled at night. Now in daylight Jesus asks and he makes a choice between experience and the word of God: Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I'll lower the nets." After the men had done this, they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear Lk 5:5, 6 (ISV). Faith chooses The Word above experience and eyewitness advice. “That’s neat; what of more examples?” Chew on this first. Apply it. You know it is the same choice you need to make when the world says retaliate but Jesus says turn the other cheek.

But even now… week 36, 2010

“Occasionally I wonder if God still loves me; I have prayed and don’t seem to get better.” He may appear to delay, but His love is real. Remember Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was for two days Jn 11:5,6(ISV). I know you will see God’s power in your situation too. “I just feel deflated. Perhaps somehow He is going to take glory in this situation.” Was it not raising Lazarus from the grave and healing the man born blind that gave glory to Jesus? But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness is not meant to end in death. It is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Jn 11:4(ISV). He will glorify Himself by answering you.
“It’s not like I doubt God’s power to heal. I know He can do all things. It’s just that, you know, I don’t really think He wants to heal me.” How could you think that? Have you read that: Suddenly a man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus. He said, "Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to." Jesus put his hand on the man and said, "I want to! Now you are well." At once the man's leprosy disappeared Mat 8:2, 3(CEV). He has not changed. He definitely wants you whole, and reaches out to touch you.
“I had such faith at the beginning of this matter, but now…” Wait, wait, wait. Many have been in your shoes. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died Jn 11:21(ISV) . However in faith she also said But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give it to you." Jn 11:22(ISV). There may have been a delay; it does not mean God won’t do it. Trust that even now God will yet answer.
“I just feel like crying.” Please don’t make Jesus cry. “What do you mean?” When Mary came to Jesus and just fell and cried "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jn 11:32(ISV). Jesus wept Jn 11:35(KJV). She was one person that remained at His feet listening to His words. Of all people she should believe no matter what. You have listened to Him night and day, and seen Him in other areas of your life. Trust Him also at this hour. Tell Him “even now I know you will still do it”. His word will come to pass. The Lord is good to those who are waiting for him, to the soul which is looking for him. It is good to go on hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord Lam 3:25, 26(BBE).

Aaron’s testimony Week 35, 2010

I cannot tell exactly how the fire started. I was asleep on the chair, exhausted from the work I had been doing. Balancing the bank accounts every day is a tedious job, and though it is not recommended and could attract sanctions I often found myself taking the book of records home to complete the work left off from the office. I suddenly woke up to find myself surrounded by flames, all escape seemed cut off. The fire was confined to my upstairs flat I later learned. All the electric cables it seems were burnt. I kept calling out “Jesus! Jesus!” even as flames and smoke surrounded me. I was picked up on the ground as a dead man, no evidence of life. Eyewitnesses say I jumped, but I have no recollection of that. Some thought to send me directly to the mortuary, but thank God one of them insisted on bringing me to the hospital. To their surprise signs of life came in me while there. "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you Isa 43:1, 2 (ESV).
I had had my usual evening telephone conversation with my wife and family. Since the location of my job meant we stay in different cities this was how I filled in until the weekend when I regularly went to be with them. In these years we have been separated by job God has kept me holy. In fact by His special grace no woman has ever set foot in the apartment I stay. For this is what we boast about: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with pure motives and godly sincerity, without earthly wisdom but with God's grace- 2Co 1:12(ISV). I had also established a prayer pattern in my flat. I regularly went into midnight prayers and carried on for quite a while. Every tenant knows this, and some join in. Some like my nearest neighbour who is a lawyer report that I disturb them. He promised to deal with me and had even reported me to the land lord.
My hospital stay was short; just these marks on my hands and legs that are left. Even the medical people were surprised. I did my best to hide the incident from my wife who was due to deliver at that time; I had to call her with different handsets each time as mine was consumed by fire. Amazingly the only item not burned was my Bible. The note inside it burnt, but not the Bible. But no trace of the bank book was found. The manager said “May your God deliver you”. No excuse can be accepted for its loss. I was not supposed to have brought it home in the first place. I cried unto my Lord, “You have saved me but my testimony will not be complete with this book’s loss!” A few days later my colleagues came back with the news: the book had been discovered intact among the ashes! My testimony was complete. The LORD is good. He protects those who trust him in times of trouble Nah 1:7(CEV).