A servant heart week 17, 2016

Thank God it was the servants Mary turned to and said "Do whatever Jesus tells you to do."  Jn 2:5(CEV). Genuine faith breeds obedience. It has been said before but bears repeating: obeying God is key to getting His results and interventions in our lives. Obedience, complete obedience even when it sounds foolish to the ears. Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them up to the brim Jn 2:7(ISV).

What has filling pots with water got to do with getting wine? Will more water not worsen the matter? But it is not the servant’s place to question instructions. We need to present the heart and attitude of servants to Jesus to get His intervention. In God’s interventions there is a man-ward part as well as a God-ward part. Find out the part you are to play and do it. For Lazarus to rise the instruction to man was roll the stone away Jn 11:39. Until that happened the command to raise him waited. Before Jesus multiplied the bread and fish to feed thousands in each occasion explicit instructions were passed to the disciples. Wait on Him as servants do and receive His word. Wait for however long it takes. God called Moses apart to the mountain yet when Moses came up he waited 7 days before God’s word started flowing to him. Jeremiah at a time waited 10 days, but Elisha had the word when the minstrel began to play. The point is this: wait on Him for His word. And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said... Act 13:2(ASV).

Having received the word the servants obeyed fully. In marriage the word to love unconditionally may appear to some as pouring water into the pot. But God never said “Wife make sure your husband loves you” or “Husband see to it your wife submits to you”. Never. It sounds foolish to many an ear when your spouse is dealing with you hardly to increase loving and submission. But God says “Make sure that no one pays back evil for evil. Instead, always pursue what is good for each other and for everyone else.” 1Thess 5:15(ISV). That statement is made repeatedly in the Bible. And o man have you never read “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Prov 19:11(ESV)? Why are you always noticing your wife’s offence to you? Naaman wanted healing but would have lost it when he went first to the king instead of Elisha, and then felt the instruction from Elisha was foolish (2Kgs 5:3-7, 9-12). Did you notice it was servants that came to his rescue? But then his servants approached him and spoke with him... 2Kgs 5:13(ISV). Have a servant’s heart to Jesus’ words I beg. Naaman was whole at the 7^th dip; not the 6^th.

Have you been pouring water and you see no change? Obey completely. When you do, when your obedience is complete you will avenge all disobedience: being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete 2Cor 10: 6. Your problem is not “my husband when will you change”; my in law, my housemaid. No! not humans. Are you claiming 1Pt3:1-4? Obey completely.

The science of a miracle Week 16,2016

In science class I was taught if you conduct an experiment and get a given result, any other person conducting the same experiment will get the same result if exactly the same conditions and instructions are followed. Now I am convinced even in spiritual matters when you fulfil the same conditions you get similar results. Why is that? God’s word says: Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever Heb 13:7-8(ESV). God asks us to imitate their faith because Jesus is the same every day. Whether in blessings or punishments this holds true. The miracle worker remains the same; impartial and without favourites. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish Lk 13:2-3(ESV).

 In repeating the conditions necessary to get similar results there is an inward condition which must be met also. Consider the cursing of the fig tree. Seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He told it, "May fruit never come from you again!" And immediately the fig tree dried up Mat 21:19(ISV). Jesus makes it explicit the same miracle can be accomplished by others doing the same thing of speaking to the tree or mountain. I want you to notice the inward conditions stated for these miracles. Jesus told his disciples, "Have faith in God! I tell you with certainty, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' if he doesn't doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him” Mk 11:22-23(ISV). Believe and refuse to doubt in your heart is one inner condition.  Peter walked on water with Jesus miraculously until he became afraid seeing the waves and doubted in his heart. I hope you also noted the next condition too.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Mk 11:24-25(ESV).  Freely fully forgive. Jesus had faith and freely forgave all His offenders.  Scripture clearly teaches the way we treat others affect our prayers (1Pt3:7). That is why I urge we study the steps taken in the turning of water to wine, and indeed of Jesus’ interventions, and imitate the faith of those who got His help.

The new wine is a product of faith. Mary was so sure of Jesus that though he said "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come”  Jn 2:4(ESV)  she turned to the servants and said "Do whatever he tells you."I assure you Jesus hasn’t changed.

When the wine runs out Week 15, 2016

No matter how zealous one is about a cause, it is common to find that after a while the zeal wanes. The wine of love in marriage also frequently runs out; just like the wine for the marriage feast was known to frequently prove insufficient. Listen to the governor of the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee "Everyone serves the best wine first, and the cheap kind when people are drunk....” Jn 2:10 (ISV).  Everyone. So it’s common. It is not stated how long it took for the wine to run out. It may take 30 years or 30 days, someday you realise you are dry. Unexpected turn of events, storms, setbacks, disappointments, and discouragements sap energy. Even boredom may pose a threat. Natural human love is insufficient for the full marriage experience. Has “I can’t do without you” turned into “What kind of a person is this?” Has “What have I got myself into?” replaced “Thank God for my angel”? Is your wine run out? What do we do now?

When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother told him, "They don't have any more wine." Jn 2:3(ISV) The first thing to do is face the fact. Face the fact that the well is dry, the sweetness is now sour; in short “We’ve got a problem in the house”. Whether in marriage or ministry, business or academics until you face the facts the solution won’t kick in. The prodigal had to face the fact before he could get help. Finally, he came to his senses and said, "My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death!” Lk 15:17(CEV),  Jesus also warned the Pharisees "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains Jn 9:41(EMTV). 

Take it to Jesus. You notice the matter is carried to Him. Is Jesus in the business? Did you invite Him to the marriage? If you haven’t given Him full access to your life and business; you’ve made a mistake. Call him in. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples Jn 2:2(ESV).  Is He part of your life? He must take centre stage. Have you admitted your failure and helplessness to Him? Have you asked specifically for the need in your life? When the wine ran out it was obvious. The governor knew, so did Mary and the servants. It seems to me other guests could tell too. But until Jesus was asked to intervene specifically no solution comes.

Now this couple did not want to do what every other person in the same shoe does. The solution everyone gives may be the wrong one. "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine Jn 2:10(ESV)  .That was key to the miracle of the wedding. You may not know how the problem will be solved (this couple didn’t), but you know Jesus is there and it is what he says that you are going to do. Mary then said to the servants, "Do whatever Jesus tells you to do."  Jn 2:5(CEV).  Don’t expect water to be turned to wine in your circumstance when you want to do what every other person does. I will climb my watchtower and wait to see what the LORD will tell me to say and what answer he will give to my complaint Hab 2:1(GNB).               To be continued

A birthday gift Week 14, 2016

I had completed my residency training and needed an appointment as a consultant within 6 months so as not to lose my years of service. It was customary to give residents this time after passing the part 2 fellowship in my centre. I was however taken aback when a letter was written by the head of administration congratulating me on my success and reminding me I was automatically out of the residency programme, and advising accounts I was through. In short my salary was stopped. It took the medical director writing to the accounts and administration for me not to leave the hospital’s employment. I had been unaware of the developments until I saw the medical director’s directive on the matter. God fights and settles battles for us we are even unaware of.

I definitely needed a place. An advert in the newspapers for health professionals needed at the federal teaching hospital Irrua caught my attention. The vacancies included laboratory scientists (my wife is one and was in need of employment) so I decided to apply. I figured both of us could get a job there and remain together; I had decided we wouldn’t be separated because of employment. I wrote a draft application but when I brought the matter up my wife calmly told me she had no plans of leaving Enugu. I tore up the draft.

My centre finally advertised and I was invited for the interview in November 2002. Since my birthday was in mid December I specifically asked God to be appointed a consultant before my birthday. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Mt 7:7-8 (ESV). After the interview I continued my work as a senior registrar. The birthday came and went with nothing heard from the management. I continued working, taking the calls and other duties of a senior resident right through unto January 2003. God is worthy of diligent service. During one of the weekly ward rounds in that first quarter of 2003 my consultant walked in and asked if I had the letter. I was puzzled; which letter? He asked, “So you have not got your letter?” I walked down to the registry and sure enough an appointment letter was there for me. I glanced at the date of commencement: back dated to 2^nd December 2002. I was functioning as a lower cadre officer for over a month in the hospital after I had been appointed a consultant! When I look back at that incident I realise that is what happens when we do not know what God has already done for us. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hos 4:6(ESV).  We continue to function below par and behave lower than victors over sin and Satan. As we returned to the ward round the doctor doing the rounds with me immediately cancelled the caption “senior residents’ ward round” and wrote “consultant’s ward round”.

It also became clear to me my prayer for the birthday gift from God had not only been heard but answered. Is your date passed and the prayer seems unanswered?