Finding my true love week 7, 2016

“So far the examples you have given are restricted to men. Does this principle work only for men? And whilst you are thinking of the answer; not every one of us is designed to be a prime minister or governor or king.”

I laugh. If the principle doesn’t work for females then it can’t be right. We do have several examples of women whose obedience resulted in blessings. Do you recall Zipporah?

“The wife of Moses who was reluctant to circumcise their son? What about her?”

When she was yet in her father’s house was she not sent by her father to water and care for the flocks? Meanwhile, the seven daughters of a certain Midianite priest would come to draw water in order to fill water troughs for their father's sheep. Some shepherds came to drive them away Ex 2:16-17(ISV).  She and her sisters would obey though harassed repeatedly

“Hold on a second. How do you know the harassment was repeated? Don’t forge.”

Did you notice their father’s question? When they returned to their father Reuel, he asked, "Why have you returned so quickly today?" Ex 2:18 (ISV)  They had adjusted to the harassment when they would come to draw water and continued in obedience for an undefined time with nothing happening to them seemingly as a reward. She again obeyed when they were asked to call Moses to their home. I say this so you do not easily give up when obedience results in repeated harassment. It takes a while.

“So what opportunity did it give her?”

Ah ah! Was she not designed by God to be the wife of Moses? Her habit of obedience despite harassment finally gave opportunity to meet her husband. Is that not the same thing that happened with Rebecca? At the time to fetch water she was doing the natural thing of obeying to fetch water. The young women of the city will soon come to this well for water Gen 24:13(CEV) 

“But that was not the sign. I'll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen Gen 24:14(GW).  That’s it.”

I know, but don’t you see it was her obedience to get water in the first place that gave opportunity for her to meet Abraham’s servant?  

“Are you telling us that on Valentine’s Day for any special reason?”

Oh I see; today is the so called lovers’ day. These women found their true love alright, but it was following repeated obedience to authority and not in disobedience by going where they should not. There they get deceived and defiled. Remember that famous love relationship between Jacob and Rachel? Did it not start when Rachel obeyed her own father to go care for the sheep? While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with the flock Gen 29:9(GNB).

“What of the other sisters? No Moses to marry them when they equally obeyed.”

Yes. Obedience cannot be traded as money in the market for what results you desire.The opportunity it opens is decided by God.

Blessed through discipline Week 6, 2016

My course in the university was not what I practice for a living now. In fact when I started out in University of Nigeria little did I know how things would turn out. But what I am today I owe to God first, and then to good family values. I had a very disciplined father and he brought us up strictly. He was a non stipendiary church teacher in the Anglican Church for a while before travelling to further his education. He would give me money in the university and expect me to retire the money before getting another. It was not a verbal retirement he demanded but a written one. I am ashamed to say that I would lie just to balance the accounts and get more money from him. You see I was not converted as at then.

In the course of time I came in contact with such brethren as Ven Sam, Iyke and Harold and gave my life to Jesus. I knew I could no longer continue the lies. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds Eph 4:17(ESV). I tried to balance my accounts but could not. I tended to spend without having thought it through and could not recount later everything I had purchased. I owned up to my dad what I had been doing and when he still insisted on not giving me money without a proper accounting I fell out with him. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it Heb 12:11(ESV). For a while I was on my own. Having skills of keyboard playing and driving I was using them as a student to make money. In those days there was not this Anglican revival there is today; I found nourishment in Pentecostal settings. Indeed I made a lot of money and felt myself comfortable for two years I didn’t go back to my father. In the course of time a void came up in my life that could only be filled by his presence so I went back to him.

He seemed to have been waiting for me and took me in. but he said we had to go back to the discipline of balancing account books. He taught me that it is not proper to spend money impulsively; one should think things through before spending. I learned the skills and became very competent in balancing accounts, making budgets and pursuing set goals and targets. Indeed I became employed in the banking industry. I analyze risk and balance books as though I were a chartered accountant which my dad was. In fact in this competitive industry I am a regional manager. When I wanted to get married I faced a lot of opposition from my uncles and relations. My father stepped in and declared that I have his total support for the marriage and was going to give me his blessings because I had learnt total obedience and accountability. That’s how we got married and today are blessed with both male and female children. I live each day being accountable as my dad taught me and it has really profited me. My dad passed on to be with the Lord 3 years ago and his home going was glorious. "Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." Eph 6:2-3(ESV) 

Noah's preparation

How was Noah prepared for the flood? Nothing like that had ever happened before, nothing like it will happen again. A flood covering all the earth: I am going to send a flood on the earth to destroy every living being. Everything on the earth will die Gen 6:17 (GNB).  How could he have been certain of the things he received from God? At the creation of the garden of Eden no rain had come on the earth:for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground-- Gen2:5-6 (ESV)  I believe his experience prepared him. The experience I refer to is his late parenting. Have you ever noted how long it took for Noah to have his children? After Noah was 500 years old, he had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth Gen 5:32(GNB).

This had never happened before. Was it because he married very late? I think not. His grandfather Methuselah was alive before the first man Adam died. (Simply calculating the ages of his ancestry in Genesis 5 will reveal Adam lived for more than 200 years after the birth of Methuselah, but died before Noah was born). It was Noah’s father Lamech that had the longest wait for a son before then in all human existence: 182 years. I can imagine them saying to Noah, “From the time God created man on earth no one of us has reached 200 years without a son.” Would not Methuselah the oldest man that ever lived confirm and say “Yes. I met the very first man Adam. Your own father was yet a baby when he died. In my days I was late in having a son, but this has never happened before. Noah what is the matter?” yet double the previous time passed, and no son to Noah. Eventually After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth Gen 5:32 (ESV). It was after this that God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark…” Gen 6:13-24(ESV).

So when Noah, who preached righteousness 2Pt 2:5(GNB) spoke of the coming flood and mockers would say, “Haba! Noah. A flood to cover the entire world and destroy every one? Nothing like that has ever happened. How can you believe such trash?” he could look at his own experience and be strengthened in faith. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith Heb 11:7(ESV). Definitely the experiences you face who walk blamelessly before God as Noah did in his days are but a preparation for God’s purposes in your life. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God Gen 6:9(ESV). 

The case of Joseph Week 5, 2016

“You say that obedience to parents bring opportunity for greatness. Why is it then that in the case of Joseph his obedience brought him trouble?”

In what way? God’s word is true for all men and all ages. How do you mean?

“So Israel said, "See how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring some news back to me." Then he sent Joseph away from the Hebron Valley Gen 37:14(GW). It was when he obeyed his father’s instruction that he landed in trouble. Now as soon as they saw him approaching from a distance, before he arrived they plotted together to kill him. Then Judah suggested to his brothers, "Where's the profit in just killing our brother and shedding his blood? Come on! Let's sell him to the Ishmaelites!” Gen 37:18, 26-27(ISV). If he didn’t go surely no harm would have befallen him. He would have remained safe.”

When I said obedience brings opportunity I didn’t mean the exact steps are same...

“Ah there you go, I said it. The matter cannot be generalised.”

Of course they can be generalised. The case of Joseph is not different. The steps in the blessing differ but the results are the same. The time of manifestation differs but the end is the same. Saul obeyed his father and was anointed king in a few days; David did same and became a hero overnight. People love instant results and immediate gratification. God does not work that way many a time. What appears to be a setback following obedience is not that. Joseph was sold as a slave but that was his opportunity to have his destiny as saviour of his kindred, indeed saviour of many lives, fulfilled. God sent me ahead of you to rescue you in this amazing way and to make sure that you and your descendants survive Gen 45:7(GNB). There are times we obey God and get wounded. At such times the feeling is “If I had not obeyed would I not have been spared this trouble?” but obey fully like Joseph no matter the consequence. From slavery he went down to the prison unjustly. But if you will walk in obedience like him you will see eventually the hand of God. So it was not really you who sent me here, but God Gen 45:8(GNB).

“What do you mean by obey fully?”

Have you noticed Joseph was sent to Shechem? When Joseph reached Shechem, a man found him wandering around in a field. So the man asked him, "What are you looking for?" Gen 37: 14, 15(ISV). He might have gone back to his father to report he could not see them. He searched and searched until God provided a way to fulfill his father’s request, and God’s divine plan.

“One would have said this was the enemy at work to nail him. Imagine he could have returned safely but for that man…”

What is safety? What is disaster? A person plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps Prov 16:9(ISV). I know that whatever happens to a man in line of sincere obedience to God is always worked out by Him for good.