The Rich Young Ruler Week 39, 2026

 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.Mk10:17-18(ESV)   Why did Jesus answer him that way? Is Jesus not God incarnate? I heard a man once cite this quotation as meaning Jesus acknowledged He is not God, also alluding to the idea that Jesus was imperfect.

On the contrary, Jesus is saying, “ Recognise who I am and know it is God speaking to you. I am God.” Unfortunately, he fails to grasp that and the next time addresses Jesus no longer as “Good Teacher” but simply as “Teacher”. Mk10:19-20(ESV) You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”

Now, how come Jesus asks him to keep the law to gain eternal life? Isn’t eternal life a gift from God through faith in Jesus? Is it that up until Jesus died the way was through obeying the law? I am confused…

No need to be. Jesus drew him in to see the impossibility of his thinking that by a good deed he would inherit everlasting life. He claimed to have obeyed all, but in making that request, Jesus makes him see he has not loved his neighbour as himself, which he claimed. Mt19:19-20(ESV)  Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Can’t you see Jesus pointed it out? Mk10:21(ESV) And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  Jesus knew fully well that trying to keep the commandments can save no one. To qualify for righteousness by the law, one must have always obeyed everything written in the law all through their lives. No one met that criterion. Gal 2:16 (ESV)  yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

So what exactly did Jesus say about the way he was supposed to gain eternal life?

The same way any other person today can gain eternal life. What was the last thing Jesus said to him? Mk10:21(ESV) ...and come, follow me.   

By following Jesus?

Exactly! All who truly follow Him eventually come to that conclusion. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jn 6:68-69 (ESV)  

It is a great pity he went away, if only he truly understood Jesus. Why did Jesus let him go?

It seems he loved his money more than he wanted eternal life. Jesus will never force anyone

The River Week 38, 2026

 Eze47:1,2 The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. It starts in trickles. With trickles, one may think it is not very important, that it can sustain nothing. Is your relationship with God like that? Is the flow from your altar coming in trickles? Here a little, there a little? A thin flow that makes no noise, heard only in the quietness? Sometimes it seems to break off and appears to stop, but keeps on. That trickle does not show you all of God’s plan. Keep at it - don’t stop. If you persist and persevere, that trickle will build up. Eze47:3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. God has great plans for you, unimagined yet by many.

It is the altar that initiates and sustains the flow. Keep feeding your relationship with God. Lev 6:12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. Every day present yourself a living sacrifice afresh. Have a practice of removing the ashes daily - ashes of yesterday’s success and yesterday’s mistakes and failures. Lev 6:10-11 he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar. Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. When you keep the fire burning, God will see to it that the trickles don’t stop. When God calls for a new measurement, even more would have happened. Eze 47:4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Never neglect that service point you have to serve the Lord. It is in the nature of great things to start out small. Mt 13:31-32“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”  Fan it into flame, stir it up. Nurture and keep using every opportunity. Keep doing it until every time we taste you, we get a taste of what God has put in you by grace. 2Tm1:6 For which cause I remind you to stir up the gift of God that is in you through the putting on of my hands. God is calling us to persist. Never be satisfied because the trickle has become ankle-deep, or waist-deep. Don’t stop then! The evidence you see of God’s hand is not the fullness of His plans for you. There’s more - much more. Eze 47:5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in… As you walk with Him, whatever you enter into will receive freshness. From you shall living trees be nurtured. Eze 47:9 wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Walk consistently with Jesus Christ.

Promotional Interview Week 37, 2026

 I don’t enjoy exams - when I am the one being examined that is. Facing the paper while my mind manifests a slowness at opening drawers is something I dislike. I wish it were unnecessary. I have listened to the lectures and surely that should be enough, right? However examinations have a way of revealing what I did not realise. I thought I knew it but really I did not. Then the things I know become more solidly entrenched in me. Revealing what I truly know and strengthening it makes it worthwhile. What is your view of examinations?

God started it. Gen 1:3-4(GNB)  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. Right from creation He examines, interprets and intervenes. He also constantly examines us, not because He does not already know, but perhaps because He wants it to be manifest to the spirit world. One thing we can be sure is that after exam success comes promotion. So how does God test us? By exposing us to circumstances in which a choice is made. His interest is in what choice we make.

Consider the testing of Abraham Gen 22:2, 12(ESV)  He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” This led to God taking an oath - the first I see in the Bible to a man. This oath became a guarantee for all his descendants. Down to this generation. Do you want to have guarantees for your coming generations? Stand with God through tests. Let’s see some others: Dan 1:17(ESV)  As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Dan 3:18, 30(ESV)  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.  

Why does God pass us through the test first? I believe it equips us to handle the blessing. It makes us empty ourselves of things, and helps us be at that point where it isn’t the blessing which occupies our minds or affections but He alone. So when next you pass through matters that make you have to choose remember God wants to promote you. Listen to this: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, Rom 5:3-4(ESV).  Did you hear that? Endurance produces character! Another translation uses the term proven character. Lastly Heb12:7(ESV)  It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Heb12:10(ESV)  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. We must experience this holiness. I have come to realise nothing else forms character. Not teachings, incentives, or simply praying or fasting. Not even laying on of hands and anointing by ministers, or going through deliverance. So when next a choice is before you, understand it is your promotional interview. Pass it!

In the valley of the shadow of death Week 36, 2026

 “Lord take my life, and let these ones be spared.” with that prayer though hands were bound he lifted off the blindfold the kidnappers had put on him. That act alone should have cost his life as they were strictly warned against it.

On Sunday June 14, 2026 as brethren returned from Scripture Union Camp of Faith Okigwe after the national students’ conference along Orlu-Mgbidi Road while travelling from Okigwe to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital the kidnappers struck. They were all taken from the car, and escorted into the bush, bound and blindfolded. News of their kidnap broke and nationwide prayer began. Act 12:5(ESV)  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. There were 3 females among them. One was a 300 level student and national secretary of the SUCF, the other 2 were siblings. The kidnappers asked each of them “Are you a virgin?” They were. They had kept themselves pure, or more correctly: God had kept them. The kidnappers promised to test that virginity, and promised the females they would no longer be virgins at the end. It was no idle threat. Many have borne children from such trauma. The men were to be kept in a separate lodging from them. How   would it be that evil men ravished those who God had kept? Was the trauma of kidnapping not enough? Greatly burdened and willing to sacrifice himself the prayer was made, and the rule broken. In rage the machetes were rained down on him, the head, back and shoulders suffered deep cuts and blood flowed freely. As he passed out into unconsciousness he heard the instruction, “Shoot him.” but in that state God spoke to him, “You will leave this place with all of you”, and showing him his family “You shall be united with them” and further spoke, “You will continue with this ministry” Ps 23:4-5 (ESV)  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

He was not slain, and awoke after a while. The plan to separate them was then jettisoned, and they were kept together. There were other victims in captivity, yet somehow the kidnappers gave them special treatment and the leader abandoned the idea of raping the girls. One day whilst in captivity one of the kidnappers came to one of the females, forcing her to watch pornography, seeking to defile her. He was caught by the others and punished harshly. Machetes were used to beat him (machetes were the implements used as a cane in the kidnappers’ den, whether it cut or slapped the victim). He was cast out unconscious.  After 21 days in captivity they were freed. Their mobile devices and the vehicle they had been travelling in were returned. None of them was violated. Is 43:1-3 (ESV)  But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.