Living comfortably in Haran Week 48, 2016

Where was Abram when God first called him? “In Gen12:1. He was living in Haran”. No. Not by any means. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,  and said to him, 'Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.' Act 7:2, 3(ESV)  It was Ur of the Chaldeans God called him out from to go into Canaan: The land of promise. So how come about his stay in Haran? His father took him there in a botched attempt to get to Canaan. Terah took his son Abram...and they journeyed together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they had gone as far as Haran, they settled there Gen 11:31(ESV) 

Those things God has asked you to leave - have you left them? He was to leave not only his country and relatives but also his idolatrous father’s household. Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods’ Jos 24:2(ESV). He left his country because of the call of God on his life, as recorded in Act 7:4(GNB)  And so he left his country and went to live in Haran. After Abraham's father died, God made him move to this land where you now live. But he didn’t leave his father’s household just yet. Instead what (who) he was to leave now led him.

Like Abraham we are also a called out people. The Lord also says, "Leave them and stay away! Don't touch anything that isn't clean. Then I will welcome you and be your father” 2Cor 6:17, 18(CEV). We are not now to leave a physical Ur of the Chaldeans but to leave sin completely alone, leave idolatry alone, leave self love and selfishness alone so as to carry our cross as sojourners (like Abraham), following Jesus into the Kingdom - living as His disciples. You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life Lk 14:26(CEV).

Some of us have fulfilled a part of that instruction. We have left something, some things. Everyone can testify to that; but we are still being led by some other things the Lord also said leave. We don’t steal but “settle” officials, and can take a brother to court before unbelievers for our money. We no longer commit fornication, but pornography or masturbation is leading us to some shops and websites. Is that not settling in Haran? Brother, have you settled down where you should have long left? Sister is the year ending and no spiritual progress? Look around you. By now you should have been teachers, but once again you need to be taught the simplest things about what God has said. You need milk instead of solid food Heb 5:12(CEV). Are you living comfortably in Haran?

My Lord or my god Week47, 2016

When missionaries come to a new field or tribe, often they use examples and expressions from the new environment to point the people to Jesus. This is very scriptural; Paul used it very well. For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: 'To an unknown god.' So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship Act 17:23(ISV). However there exists a problem when the people treat the Almighty in ways similar to their previous deities. Let it be clear: God cannot be worshiped or regarded in the way we regarded deities. Do not worship the LORD your God in the way they worship their gods, for in the worship of their gods they do all the disgusting things that the LORD hates Dt12:31(GNB).

In Igboland the early missionaries soon noted a widespread practice. Even though the Igbos worshipped many gods each household had a deity; a “chi” they worshipped, indeed each person believed he or she is protected from harm, saved, prospered (or undone) by a personal deity (chi’m; meaning my god). So came the term “accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and saviour”. Ever wondered how that term came on? Scripture speaks about Jesus as Lord and saviour, (Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit 1:4(KJV)) but the term personal Lord has these antecedents; so the teachers tell. “Personal lord” made a lot of sense. We know what kind of relationship a man, a woman, a household has with the chi.

But the Igbos have a saying “Onye kwe, chi ya ekwe”. Loosely translated “whoever agrees, the god agrees as well”; implying that if you steadfastly purpose anything your personal deity will ensure you get it. On the surface it looks correct, and a stimulus for initiative and hard work (and make no mistake about it God expects, and encourages godly initiative and hard work) but in the way it is practiced "Lord, what do you want me to do?"Act 22:10(CEV) is not known. As a result Jesus Christ becomes the means to an end, any end the steadfast soul desires. Sounds like Christianity? Not quite. I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship Rom 12:1(ISV). It is not only in Igboland this problem exists. It is a widespread issue in the world.  The Eastern religious view that I am a god of my destiny is one example.

We must therefore beware of practicing Christianity the way pagans, idolaters and mystiques practice their religion. We must grow in understanding. Jesus cannot be a tool to my choice ends. No. On the contrary I must be a tool for His own ends. I must be His worshipper and instrument. Do you use God as a means of getting your desire at the time you desire it? I mean you don’t resort to evil and black magic. Or do you present yourself to God in loving response to Jesus Christ who died for you? Will He bless me? Of course! That is His nature.

The lady in Hijab Week 45, 2016

Have you often encountered difficult people? Are there those whose attitudes offend, provoke and irritate you even when you want peace? How do you minister to such especially when of a different faith: a Moslem?

She was a passenger in the airplane and we met in the plane at the Abijan airport. She responded rudely to my request for her to move as I sought to take a seat in the row. “You don’t tell me where to sit!” I held my peace and sat down. Needing to work on my computer I concentrated on the task before me. When I was done; not wishing to inconvenience anyone by asking anyone to stand up for me I requested her help to place the laptop with the hand luggage. Her response was, “I am not here to serve you.” She was decidedly unfriendly, and from the hijab I could make out she was a Muslim. To get the laptop stowed I would have to ask all of them on the row to get up so I asked the man sitting on the same row to give it to the attendants to do so but he simply offered to help and put it away for me. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people Rom 12:18(ISV). Suddenly the lady in hijab started coughing. She coughed and coughed; it was quite distressing. I called a flight attendant over and asked for water for her. But "if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head." Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good Rom 12:20, 21(ISV). When it was brought she coughed whilst holding it and some of the water spilled on me. “It’s alright” I assured her as I wiped it away. She looked at me wondering. “You are a very kind person” she said. I realised that was the opportunity I needed to present the gospel. Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days Eph 5:16(GNB).

I brought out a pocket gospel of John and gave her to read. I take a number along with me on my trips to give people who are yet to come to know Christ. A co-worker has once been very offended by my giving it to him but to God’s glory afterwards came to appreciate my service. The publishers wrote on the preface that the book offers answers to who we are and our destiny in life. When I gave it to her she opened it and read all the way through the journey. She said to me. “Are the things written in this book true?” I assured her they were indeed true and encouraged her to act on the word she had read. I got down from the plane in Monrovia and left the gospel of John with her. A servant of the Lord must not argue. Instead, he must be kind to everyone, teachable, willing to suffer wrong, and gentle when refuting opponents. After all, maybe God will allow them to repent and to come to a full knowledge of the truth, so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will2Tm 2:24-26(ISV) .

Nkeiru is a military chaplain and international Haggai alumnus

Ezinne’s testimony Week 45, 2016

I had graduated from Dental school in Nigeria before moving over to the United States of America and went back to dental school in the USA. At the end I had a debt of $120, 000 from the school bills. One day in 2007 I was saddened by financial commitments and these school loans. I was so sad I couldn’t sleep. I woke up and came to the living room. I said “Lord let there be a preacher on TV to encourage me”. It was 3am. I turned on the TV and there was Mike Murdock. I usually don’t listen to him; my husband calls him Christian salesman. But this day everything he was saying seemed to speak to me. He said “Sow a seed and commit to $156 monthly for 12 months and see what God will do”. I have heard those lines before but that day was different. I glued in. At the end I committed, wrote a check and sent it next morning; and as he instructed on the memo I wrote what I wanted from God: school loans paid off. To make a long story short I got a Federal award that paid half my school loans and my employer matched it and paid the other half – something they had never done before. How I stumbled into the website was something else. It was a faculty loan repayment for educators in the health profession. I had to prove some hardship when growing up to qualify. My parents were not poor or illiterate, and I couldn’t lie. Then I remembered I was born during the Biafran war and that qualified me. Out of the entire medical, dental, optometry, nursing and all other educators in the health profession who were eligible I got it.. After 2 years my loan was down to $40, 000. They said I didn’t qualify again but I reapplied anyway; and I got it. I was sitting in my office one day and I was paged. Someone called from Washington DC and asked me to fax my loan balance. I got the loan repayment another 2 years and the rest was paid off. Mike Murdock said commit for 1 year ($1, 872) and the blessing came in less than 1 year. Obedience pays.

About the time for my father’s burial this year I was impressed in my spirit despite my loss to bless a bereaved brother and I did. Then there was a sister who owed me $300 and was avoiding me. I called her aunt to complain she was owing me and avoiding me. That day I knelt down to pray and God said “Release her and let her go” so I had to call the aunt immediately not to talk to her about it, and sent her a text and released her. Keep on giving to everyone who asks you for something, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not insist on getting it back Lk 6:30(ISV). Then God said “Watch and see what I will do”. In the course of the programme through cash and cheques brethren gave me $10, 000 (not counting the crates of water, malt and soda drinks). God is a respecter of His word. He says he has exalted his word above his name. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name Ps 138:2(KJV). We have to learn to sow in the right soil. Some people think it is to their church to buy jeep and build monuments. You sow where God says not where man says sow.  God is always correct.                                                         Ezinne lives in Houston, Texas