God will build for you week 44, 2010

“You will know when you come” said the police man. I had been summoned to the DO’s office for conduct likely to cause breach of peace. Surely I had no quarrels with anyone. What came to mind was the reallocation of our flat to new tenants. The Enugu State Housing Development Corporation had reassigned the flat we lived in to new tenants, and refused to continue collecting rent. The new tenant had come over to see the flat and we had assured him of our commitment to leave in September which was barely 4 months away. So commited were we that I signed an undertaking at the office of the sole administrator to leave at that time. My wife was heavy with our second baby and had lost weight in the pregnancy due to the incessant pressure. Before our eyes uniformed men would bring out neighbours’ belongings in planned evictions. Once a family’s belongings were thrown out in every one’s glare and another family moved in. A neighbour who worked at the ESHDC alerted us there was a plot to evict us that weekend and urged immediate action. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me Psa 25:1, 2 (KJV).
Five years before this I had been involved in a rural church building project. The church (to my displeasure) calls out the amount you give at each occasion, and owing to my position I was easily the highest digit giver. Only God knows the highest giver. He said, "I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others. For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on."Luk 21:3, 4(GNB). I kept giving, though I doubted I would be rewarded as it was so open. During the harvest that year he prophesied, “As you are giving to build God’s house so will people build a house for you!” Now that is the height of it all; saying things just to get people to give. These pastors sef. Well I gave as I could, not trusting what the pastor said. I give to God who sees me.
I had rented accommodation, I was just a junior resident fighting to pass exams. My dad had land but building was not yet. So I thought. With all the pressure building became an attractive option. The architect put up a drawing for free, the local government authority approved them in record time without an extra charge, people loaned me money to build and repeated attempts to repay was refused. The builder was confirmed by revelation to my wife and in six weeks he put up a 2 bedroom bungalow for us to move into. He has refused to tell me how much I owe him till date. Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper2Ch 20:20 (KJV). Lest I forget: no one threw out our property. We left on our own on September 22.

Walk by faith (2) WEEK 43, 2010

“Don’t you believe I will succeed? Why doubt my faith brother?” Several people have acted presumptuously in the name of faith and given faith a bad name. I completely believe 2Cor 5:7(ISV): For we live by faith, not by sight but it must be that faith has come, not wishful desire.
“How will I know when faith has come?” The very definition of faith tells us how: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen Heb 11:1(ESV). “Please explain it”. Don’t you understand? When faith comes assurance settles in your heart. Faith comes from God Who sends peace into the heart that trusts Him. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you Isa 26:3(ESV). There is joy in the face of the problem, not moodiness or terror and fear. Now may God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace as you believe, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit Rom 15:13(ISV). Bible calls it the full assurance of faith Heb 10:22.
“Can you show me who this happened to?” Remember Hannah? “Do you mean Samuel’s mother?” Yes; you will notice these two qualities in her. She first heard the word from Eli after she had been praying; faith comes by hearing. Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him." 1Sa 1:17(ESV). When she believed God, the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad 1Sa 1:18(ESV). It indicates faith had arrived in her. Paul experienced peace in the midst of a storm and shipwreck. He ate when soldiers and sailors couldn’t (Act 27:33-36) because I am sure that God will do exactly what he promised Act 27:25(CEV). Is there turmoil in your heart and you can’t eat or peace, do you have joy? If turmoil shut yourself in to prayer and the word.
“When do I start confessing and acting on the word?” Speaking the word regularly to yourself always helps. Confessing comes naturally when the assurance is there. Act on the word all the time, do you have to wait for assurance before you tell the truth or help someone in obvious need? Act on the word always Keep on being doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves Jas 1:22(ISV). If you wait for special moments before obeying the scripture you won’t grow in faith you know. “But you said I should not be presumptuous in walking by faith.” Is that what you mean? When this assurance settles in your heart now act on it. Your confessing the faith in your heart will be real and yes: it will herald the manifestation of God’s promise.

Walk by faith (1) WEEK 42, 2010

What’s wrong? “Nothing; I’m just fine.” What? “I’m fine I’m fine, I’m healed.” You don’t quite meet my eyes when you say you are healed. Are you sure you are? “Actually I am confessing my healing to create faith in me. We walk by faith.” Confessing to get faith? Faith does not happen by confession; rather confession comes when you have faith. Now since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written-"I believed, and so I spoke"-we also believe, and so we speak 2Co 4:13(ISV).
“But didn’t the bible say confession brings possession? “The Bible doesn’t say that exactly but the saying I think is derived from Rom 10:10(MKJV): For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation. If you read it properly in the context you believe in the heart first, then you confess what you have believed to possess it. Confessing from now till tomorrow won’t give you what is not already yours by faith. “I was taught to keep saying it, keep claiming it, since look at ships! They are so big that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are steered wherever the pilot pleases by a tiny rudder. In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it can boast of great achievements Jas 3:4(ISV). ” Aren’t you missing the point? This scripture is true, but it is the persistence in faith. Faith comes first, and you have been honest enough to confess you are trying to get faith.
“So how do I get faith then?" You don’t get faith; faith comes. “What do you mean?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ Rom 10:17(ESV). You don’t get faith by confessing things, faith comes into your heart as you hear, listen to, and heed the word. Faith is a living reality that comes from the presence of God and fastens itself on your spirit man.
“So what should I do?” Get into the word of God. Feed your mind and soul with it. Keep feeding on the word and hearing only the word. My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh Pro 4:20-22(ESV). Meditate on what God is saying to you and keep at it. Pray the scripture into you, but make sure it is all the word on the issue. Faith will come. They received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things were so. Therefore many of them believed Act 17:11, 12(MKJV)

Jesus in disguise Week 41, 2010

“In disguise?” Yes that is what my pastor said would happen to some of us in the week, though I didn’t see it that way at first. He said “God will visit you this week. Jesus shall come to you in the course of the week with His blessings. I hope you recognize Him when it happens. Receive it!” and we thundered, “ Amen!” As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him Lk 24:15, 16(GNB). “So did God visit you?” Nna I was expecting someone to bring news of promotion, or an unexpected windfall to land on my lap. In fact I claimed the arrears; no show.
“Are you sure the pastor wasn’t deceiving you? Some of them say ambiguous things to make people donate money and then play safe on words when nothing happens. Is it not those who are not expecting Jesus who do not recognize Him?” My brother, I wanted to believe that when I saw nothing, but I read Rev 22:7(BBE) “ See, I come quickly. A blessing on him who keeps the words of this book of the prophet” that morning and was convinced it was no coincidence or deceit.
“What then made you decide He came disguised?” Well I took time out on Friday to seek God’s face. I really needed this visitation you know, and I somehow couldn’t shake off the conviction that the visitation was real; as I did I stumbled upon Mat 25:34, 35(ISV) “Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me” and it struck me Jesus had come my way.
“You mean the people who needed your help were actually Jesus in disguise? Surely you will recognize Him and not mistake Him for another when you seek Him with all your heart.” Ah, Mary Magdalene sought with all her heart to see Jesus on resurrection morning yet: she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. However, she didn't know that it was Jesus. Jesus asked her, "Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Mary thought it was the gardener speaking to her Jn 20:14, 15(GW). That’s how I realized He had been coming all week. “My God! I was cold to those who came to me this week. What do I do?” “Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.' Mat 25:40(GW)

Opinion or Final Word week 40, 2010

“That was a nice film, I enjoyed the way it potrayed Jesus; it kind of brought the Bible home.” I didn’t enjoy it. It changed the order of some passages and invented new things. It isn’t true to scripture absolutely. Every Scripture passage is inspired by God 2Tim 3:16(GW). “I don’t think you are in touch with current happenings. We have to have a modern approach to scripture; it was written by men.” But don’t you believe No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit 2Pe 1:20, 21(ISV).
“That’s fine, I belive that. In fact I like to get the opinion of scripture on matters about life too.” Opinion? Scripture does not offer opinions on life…“Well that is strange talk coming from a minister. Does the Bible not prescribe on how we should live our lives?”
Can I ask you a question? Have you been satisfied with the results of your prayers? “I hardly see what relationship it has to do with the question.” Indulge me please.Would you regard yourself as having strong faith? “Well , not exactly. Sometimes you get lucky with prayers, sometimes not so lucky, but pray without ceasing. I don’t know if I have any faith left.” It is not a question of try your luck. If I may say so your view of scripture in responsible, at least in part for your struggles. God’s word is not an opinion. When ever you regard scripture as being on similar pedestal with words of men, reasonings of science so called, you make it hard for it to work. Here is another reason why we constantly give thanks to God: When you received God's word, which you heard from us, you did not accept it as the word of humans but for what it really is-the word of God, which is at work in you who believe1Th 2:13(ISV).
To have effective faith scripture must become in your eyes the very word of God, not an opinion. Knowing what the Bible says is not as important as knowing who exactly is speaking through it. You can have strong faith when you see scripture as God’s final word. How will you obey God if you see His word as an opinion?
“I read the Bible of course; it works for those it will.” No! This word which has come to you as it has also in all the world, and it is bearing fruit, even also among you, since the day you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth Col 1:6(MKJV). God’s word bears fruit in every one that knows it and follows it. It is true in my life. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today-and forever! Heb 13:8(ISV).

A peculiar birth week 39, 2010

My son, sit down. You cannot afford to fail God in your generation do you hear me? This is the third time I am calling you to say this. “Yes mum, I know it was God who brought me into this world.” Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations Jer 1:5(MKJV).
Yes, your father and I did not want you to come, Satan fought that you do not, but God chose that you did. I put on the loop so as not to get pregnant, and had your sister with it. In your own case I had not only the loop on, but also I was taking depo provera injections. No woman is supposed to get pregnant with that combination yet you were implanted in my womb. The gynaecologist now a professor in charge of my case said to me “Amaka I don’t know what God has planned to do with you”. In spite of these you were well formed. For You have possessed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them Ps 139:13-16(MKJV).
Satan fought that you should not come into this world, apart from the circumstances around my conceiving you Satan still planned that you should not come. “Yes, you told me I was premature.” Not just premature. At 7 months of pregnancy I was at Nsukka doing my postgraduate work, alone in the house of my supervisor. He had handed the keys over to me and traveled. In the night, about 2am I suddenly noticed I was in a pool of water: the waters of my womb had burst. You know what I did? I rolled up my face towel and it became my pad. I phoned a sister and told her I was in distress and entered my car to return to Enugu that night.
On the way at Eha Alumona junction I ran into masquerades. The odo masquerade people were on, and you know, a woman is not meant to see it. I prayed “Lord, you made blind eyes see; now make seeing eyes blind” and passed over; no one harassed me. When I got into UNTH the doctors said “This is a case of eclampsia” and scheduled me for emergency surgery. I replied “Eclampsia is not for me.” The doctor took me to theatre that night. No blood was available. I was paper white at the end but both of us came out safely.
But if they go on in faith and love and holy self-control, she will be kept safe at the time of childbirth 1Tm 2:15(BBE). God has a plan for you in this generation. Don’t fail Him. Amaka lives in port Harcourt teaching and ministering.

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!