A Christ-like heart week 22, 2016

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God about the Jews is that they would be saved Rom 10:1(ISV). My heart’s desire. Who were the Jews to Paul but his fellow countrymen and fierce persecutors? We also have countrymen who persecute us. Yet our response and prayer for them is judgement and deserved hellfire. As if we could stand getting what we deserve from God. As if we deserve the mercy and grace we now stand. Consider the behaviour of the Jews towards him. Five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with a stick, once I was pelted with stones 2Cor 11:24-25 (ISV)  Recall it was the Jews who instigated the crowd at Lystra to stone Paul and left him for dead (we have experienced beatings and have been left for dead by our countrymen  today too) . It was also the Jews who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved 1Thess 2:15-16(ISV).  They are the ones who viciously stoned Stephen to death after he bore a Spirit filled witness to them Acts 7:55-60 (some people are killing Christians today and raping them, working also very hard to gag the preaching of the word of God). They are the same ones that were well pleased when James the apostles was killed with the sword by Herod. It is this same group of people Paul says my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. And it isn’t only Paul’s heart desire. It is also Stephens’. As they continued to stone Stephen, he kept praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died Act 7:59, 60(ISV).

Now fast track to the 21^st century, to 2016 precisely. Marauding Muslim herdsmen are looked upon as the present day threat. Our churches are burnt, our kin slain, property ravaged. Which part of the nation has not experienced killings, maiming, rape and forced marriages attributable to them and their kind? Just like the Jews of Paul’s day. What is our heart’s desire towards them? What prayer requests are we lifting up to God concerning them? “Holy Ghost... fire!!” is heard in many a church and gathering. Across the nation prayers of vengeance are called for. What makes us think God delights to answers such? “Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?" asks the Sovereign LORD. "No, I would rather see them repent and live” Eze 18:23(GNB). Has God changed? Impossible. God who commanded us to first of all pray is the same One who wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth fully1Tim 2:4(ISV). Including murderers. The cry and response of our heart must be like that of Paul and Stephen if indeed the same Spirit lives in us as they. What is in our hearts towards murdering marauding Muslims? Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you Lk 6:27(ISV). 

God is never late Week 21, 2016

Our first child had spent a year after WAEC trying to get admission into a higher institution. We prayed fervently that the next child would enter on merit to the university; no staying at home again. She chose a course in engineering in Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Individual and corporate prayers kept going up for this. As few as 27% who take JAMB are assured of a place in the nation’s universities!

Now the first sign of a problem was the exam itself. In 2014 the computer based test was used compulsorily across the nation; and it came with some challenges. At her centre there were problems with the server resulting in an eventual loss of 30 minutes from her allotted time. Protests pleas and explanations changed nothing. Her score was 213. We had prayed for 300. She wept and wept. “Only a bright student as you could get this much within that time frame.” I told her to comfort her. It was high enough for her to do the post UTME. But she was ill on that day, and there were again challenges with the computer right inside Nnamdi Azikiwe University. What was scheduled for an hour eventually took the whole working period. But she did the test! The score was 35: an outright failure. Again she wept. However the matter went again and again to God in prayer. "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? Jer 32:27(ESV)

The admission list came out. Her name was not on it. I was asked by a brother lecturing there if she is offered a place in a different department of engineering if she would do it. The answer was yes. As we went on praying I came to have an assurance deep in my heart that God had heard. It seemed to me God was saying “Do what you would do if you had seen the answer”. And so in our family devotions I would give thanks for the admission and in introducing her would refer to her as an undergraduate of UNIZIK to do Engineering. Again and again she would ask me “Have you seen the admission?”I would tell her “I know you have it. I have seen it inside.” I got her to open an account with UBA for easy transfer of funds to her. When her sister asked what we were up to I told her she needs it as an undergraduate.  News of supplementary admissions came without any positive outcome, and the date for the matriculation (which had been postponed) drew nearer. Every new student is supposed to matriculate, yet each visit to the website showed no change of her status. By the matriculation day we had cumulatively visited the website so many times. No admission. Confused, I wept with her.

 “I can’t explain this,” I told her. “Let’s look in the face of He who loved us enough to die for us.” God picked her up, she became organised, registered for JAMB again and began JAMB lessons, registered with a remedial institution; and became even more committed in church. A few weeks later on the urging of that same brother she was asked to check the website again. “What for?” she asked. “Just do it”. She did and as she studied the page gasped “I’ve been admitted!” God is never late, and everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock Mat 7:8(GNB).

God has no superheroes (Acts3:12). He will do more for you

Removing the masquerade Week 20, 2016

“It’s all right brother purity. I will inform my wife I am helping her out and tell her how much is involved each time I give...”

Perhaps my message wasn’t very clear. Leave the giving to this lady or student entirely at the hands of your wife. Let what she gets come from her as she decides, not you any longer. Hand over to your wife in short.

“What? Hand over to her? You don’t know that woman. Not only will she read this matter all wrong she will starve the poor girl of funds, and I won’t stand for it.”

When did you become God that decides the fate of others? Why and when have you decided your wife is wicked? Even if she delays or refuses giving don’t you believe if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place Est 4:14(ESV)? If she is not led to give remember God has several alternatives to accomplish His counsel. He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out." Lk 19:40(ESV).  Your marriage is more important than this desire towards this female. Hand over to her and pray about it. Leave it in God’s hands. Remember he has made you one in flesh and spirit with your wife. Didn't God make you one body and spirit with her? Mal 2:15(GNB).  If it is something the Holy Spirit wants you to do then it is also something He wants your wife to do as well. God will never break a marriage on the altar of ministering in His name, not even giving to the poor!

“I don’t feel any one spirit with her. Correction please; my marriage cannot break.”

Beloved, will I be correct in diagnosing resentment towards your wife? You also used the term “I won’t stand for that” towards another female you have no rights over...

“So we must stand aloof towards weak people because we have “no rights” over them. This your reasoning turns my stomach.”

I see. You place the care of another woman above your wife’s explicit consent even when the danger is made known to you. It turns your stomach eh? Well brother I must tell you your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. Act 8:21-23(ESV). Sin is crouching at your door and its desire is to have you. But you must master it. Helping the weak is godly, but insistence on the part of a married man in giving financial assistance to another female irrespective of his wife is a symptom of deeper marital problems. Have you been able to pray together with your wife on several matters?

“Not for a very long time. We can’t seem to agree even on the time and issues. I find it all very frustrating. Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me Act 8:24(ESV). Even when I pray alone it doesn’t have the same results as before.”

I will pray, but much more please can I pay both of you a visit with my wife? We need to talk. It looks like 1Pt 3:7 is happening here.

The masquerade week 19,2016

Who is that girl you were giving money to? I don’t seem to recognise her.

“Ah, ah. Are you spying on me? The left hand shouldn’t know what the right does when we do deeds of charity. So when you give to the poor, don't let anyone know what you are doing Mat 6:3(GW)”

I am not spying on you brother. The widow didn’t loose her reward because Jesus noticed she was giving, and the monetary value thereof. Who is she? The amount I saw you giving isn’t a widow’s mite either.

“Oh she is a student in need. She can’t afford her school fees and lest she loose the admission to higher institution I am giving this money to her.”

Is that so? It would have been better if it was your wife giving her the money. The heart is deceitful you know. Remind me to talk to her about it on Sunday.

“Ah! Please don’t speak to my wife about this. She doesn’t yet know I am helping this girl. She doesn’t know about this.”

Just a moment. You are giving aid to a female student and your wife is unaware? Where did you meet her? Not letting the left hand know what the right is doing does not come into this one o.

“I met her in the cybercafé I patronise and noticed she was sad and we got talking. I just want to help the weak as Jesus said... we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Act 20:35(ISV)"

Indeed. And conveniently shield it from your family. What happens when she meets you alone and desires to express her gratitude to you? What happens when she comes alone to your office and after collecting the money, weeps and embraces you...

“Haba. You have a fertile imagination. To the pure all things are pure. Every thing is pure for someone whose heart is pure. But nothing is pure for an unbeliever with a dirty mind Tit 1:15(CEV). ”

It is you who have missed it. This desire of yours to help the weak is providing a masquerade for the desires of the flesh. I don’t doubt she needs assistance and that God’s people should help the weak. I am all for secret giving, but God requires men be one with their wives, not only in body but in decision taking. Your wife should have been involved with this from the conception stage. She must know.

“God knows I have done nothing wrong with her.”

But you are giving so much opportunity to the evil one. When madam or other members of your family discover this, will not your good be evil spoken of? Besides my dear brother this is the typical scenario from which many men fall: a young beautiful appreciative female who feeds your ego and your wife who the enemy will keep pointing at her mistakes and (real or imagined) offences. After a while the flesh and Satan set you up in an emotion charged private meeting and we are dealing with another casualty. This is avoidable family and marital stress. A positive adultery scene. What you are doing is not good period. Involve her immediately. Rom14:16