Faithful in death Week 26, 2012

How could you? A tongue talking Christian having another person sit for your son’s examination! Next thing now you would give him money to sort out lecturers and bargain for false grades. “I know you are disappointed in me but I have to take care for him now before I die.” Die, what are you talking about? Listen I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread Ps 37:25(ESV). God will not start changing with you. “Perhaps you don’t know what happened to Ben.” What happened? “He died suddenly and had mortgaged his property to raise a loan for business; now his defenseless widow has 2 children to train from primary school. Let’s see you throw scripture at her.”
What a tragedy; but what an opportunity! Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves."2Kg 4:1(ESV). “Perhaps you don’t know she is not employed, and just has standard-six certificate. What is going to happen now? The poor widow is just exposed. And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil" 2Ki 4:2(ESV). I can’t let that happen to my own people.” No one’s experience is an excuse to sin. God is faithful even in death. “I see, have you not read that a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children Pro 13:22(ESV)? Those of you who are over righteous in Nigeria must remember this.”
I wish you had quoted this verse to the end. God’s promises may delay (in our eyes) only to give a bigger testimony. This man died leaving no financial heritage but a godly heritage. Now while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come 1Ti 4:8(ESV). On the strength of this promise the widow received a miracle 2Ki 4:3-6. I guarantee you Ben’s wife will also. She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."2Ki 4:7(ESV). After death God was still fulfilling the promise of a double portion to Elisha’s (2Ki 13:20-21), after Lazarus died Jesus still fulfilled the promise of healing Jn11:14.
Don't love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, "I will never abandon you or leave you." Heb 13:5(GW). Even in death.

The deceit of compromise week 25, 2012

Lowering your standard to do something crooked amounts to abandoning God… “Don’t you dare accuse me of abandoning God! What glory is it to Him that I go hungry and my children are uncared for? How can I introduce them to God if they are deprived of basic necessities? Do you imagine they can listen to that type of gospel? God knows I am not leaving Him. He understands my predicament.For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust Ps 103:14(ESV). I must make hay while the sun shines: making the best use of the time, because the days are evil Eph 5:16(ESV). ” Please don’t abuse your privileges. “No. In a few weeks I shall no longer have this opportunity to help myself and others. Have you forgotten that if a man provide not for his own he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever?” But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever 1Tm 5:8(ESV).
How Satan will quote scripture for you just to justify evil! This thing is wrong. Should you die doing it be rest assured you will face judgement. Don't let anyone deceive you with meaningless words. It is because of sins like these that God's anger comes to those who refuse to obey him Eph 5:6(GW). Compromising Christian standards in hope of financial security is great loss. Do you want to risk your salvation for mere pittance? “Pittance, you call it pittance? This will secure my children’s welfare, not to talk about the different launchings you invite me for.” I hear you. Have you never read Dt 23:18(ESV): You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God. Make no mistake about it: money obtained in such a manner is not only disgraceful but completely unacceptable to God, no matter who receives it from your hand. Your children may die and you will have compromised for nothing. Indeed when you have collected the money your soul might suddenly be required of you. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'Lk 12:19(ESV). “I see you hate me...” Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? Have you considered this is a trap for you? Satan is setting a trap for you; you must resist him. You are a father: lead by example.

The spirit of compromise week 24, 2012

I thought you were one of the champions of doing things right. How come you have changed? “I was one of the champions alright, but look what it has brought me: I will soon retire and then who will look after my children? I have always acted justly and fairly. I always expected to live a long life and to die at home in comfort Job 29:14, 18(GNB). Is it the paltry money that I am not even sure will be coming regularly that we shall be surviving on?” Where is your faith my brother? Do not be as the seed which fell on rocky ground: As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up Mat 13:21(CEV). This is nothing but compromise. Have nothing to do with it. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them Eph 5:11(ESV).
“Look we have to do things differently, this is Nigeria after all; if we don’t we lose out.” What do you mean, say this is me or this is you: there is no such thing as this is Nigeria. Do not follow the majority when they do wrong… Ex 23:2 (GNB). “Is that so? Have you not read that in Rome you do as the Romans do?” There is no place in scripture with that advice. What it says is identify with people in order to bring them to Jesus not conformity with the evils in any place. To those who do not have the law I became like a man who does not have the law, in order to win those who do not have the law (although I am not free from God's law, but am under the law of Christ)1Cor 9:21(ISV). “Perhaps I do not quote the Bible as well as I should. Surely there is somewhere that says give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar? That we should give everyone their due: honour to whom honour and custom to whom custom?”
Aren’t you quoting out of context? I belong to Jesus exclusively: no part of me belongs to Caesar or this world. What you are saying sounds very much like “If you can’t beat them join them!” How can you abandon God at this stage? Saint Paul declared that he would rather die than have any man strip him of his cause for boasting. But I have not used any of these rights, and I'm not writing this so that they may be applied in my case. I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason for boasting 1Cor 9:15(ISV). Is it not better to be deprived and die? If we suffer for sticking to principles is it not praise worthy? Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good? But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset 1Pt 3:14(ISV).

The boiling ring week 23, 2012

I had come into the conference ground at camp of faith in Okigwe to seek God’s face. In the course of the programme I had a dream on one of the nights. It was not one of those dreams that were from too much business. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words Eccl 5:3(ESV). It is true I could not remember every detail in the dream, but clearly at the end of the dream I could see that my house in Enugu had burnt down. The fire had started as a result of the boiling ring. For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword Job 33:14-18(ESV). I prayed and cancelled the dream after I woke up, and after the programme ended I went home. Thereafter I became very careful in the house and gave strict instructions about housekeeping and the use of the boiling ring. You know absolutely nothing happened for a while.
On a given Sunday we were preparing for morning worship and the girl I live with was using the ring to boil water when suddenly there was a power outage. We all went to the service without the electricity returning and settled into the service.
During the service power returned. Whilst the worship went on I suddenly lost my peace and had a burden to pray. I was not certain of what the matter was but as I prayed found myself praying against any networking of darkness designed to rob me of peace. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God Rom 8:26-27(ESV). After a while I felt peace within me and continued in the service. My girl was restless; the boiling ring kept coming to her mind and she began wondering if she had put it off. Her discomfort increased to such a time that before the offerings she slipped out and went back to the house. Smoke had already started coming from within when she entered and went to the socket. There was the boiling ring; red hot and having damaged the container! If she had waited for the service to end the house would no doubt have burned down. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth Ps 124:7, 8(ESV).
Hope lives in Enugu with her family

Who is Jesus week 22, 2012

“A man came here and taught us Jesus was created by God. I’m confused; is Jesus God or an angel?” Don’t be confused my dear. Ever before coming into this world the one we call Jesus Christ has always been: He himself existed before all things, and by him all things hold together Col 1:17(ISV). “Was he the first of God’s creation? He quoted from Prov 8:22(GNB) "The LORD created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago…” How could He be the first of God’s creation? The one through whom all things were created certainly was not created. For by him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether they are kings, lords, rulers, or powers. All things have been created through him and for him Col 1:16 (ESV). If all things were made through him he could not have been made. Through him all things were made, and apart from him nothing was made that has been made Jn 1:3(ISV). “Is he God then?” Of course yes.
“Now you have me confused. Are there three Gods? I know that’s wrong...” There is one God. Do you want to know God? Look at Jesus. Your words express your personality. From eternity he is the word of God: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Jn 1:1(ESV). It is through God’s word the worlds were made. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God… Heb 11:3(ESV). That exact representation of the invisible God, the very expression of God -the word- took on flesh and manifested to us having been born. Then He began to be called Jesus. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us Jn 1:14(KJV).
You know something is glorious because of the brightness: Christ is the brightness of His glory. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person Heb 1:3(KJV). God who cannot be seen is made visible and clear by Jesus. Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God Col 1:15 (GNB). He is God in the flesh. That’s Jesus; God incarnate. “Is he a most obedient angel, perhaps Michael?” By no means: God never said to any of his angels, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."Heb 1:5(GW).
“Wow I thought he was a nice man.” Hmm! These people who distort the Good News are devoted to you, but not in a good way. They don't want you to associate with me so that you will be devoted only to them Gal 4:17(GW). He attacks your faith, trying to exclude you to bring you into error.
Have nothing to do with people who continue to teach false doctrine after you have warned them once or twice Tit 3:10

End of an era(2) week 21, 2012

“So what you are saying is that people used to be saved in the past by law, but now there is another way?” Never! For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight Rom 3:20(ESV). You see the law was an interim measure, a shadow of the real thing. What is the use of the Law? It was given later to show that we sin. But it was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendant who was given the promise Gal 3:19(CEV). Jesus Christ is the real thing Col 2:17. The very reason Jesus died was that there was no other way any human being could be saved. His death would have been completely unnecessary if anyone could have been saved by trying to keep the law. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose Gal 2:21(ESV). In fact those who tried to be saved through keeping the law were under God’s curse! Gal 3:10(GNB): Those who depend on obeying the Law live under a curse. For the scripture says, "Whoever does not always obey everything that is written in the book of the Law is under God's curse!"
“If what you are saying is real then we need no longer obey the Ten Commandments or even read the Old Testament at all.” No: we must read the Old Testament, but with the light and insight Jesus only gives. Jesus then explained everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets Lk 24:27(CEV). As for the commandments, we obey God not so as to earn salvation, but because we have received it. The one who believes in the Lord Jesus is freed from sin’s dominating power to walk in love. Whoever walks in love fulfills the whole command of God: For the whole law is summarized in a single statement: "You must love your neighbor as yourself."Gal 5:14 (ISV). We could never be able to obey God fully if Jesus never died for us. What the Law could not do, because human nature was weak, God did. He condemned sin in human nature by sending his own Son, who came with a nature like our sinful nature, to do away with sin. God did this so that the righteous demands of the Law might be fully satisfied in us …Rom 8:3-4(GNB). God always intended that we obey Him from a willing heart; only in those who are saved really do that. Unto this purpose are we born again. For we are his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared long ago to be our way of life Eph 2:10(ISV).

End of an era week 20,2012

When Jesus declared “it is finished” that also signified the law as a route for righteousness is ended: For Christ has brought the Law to an end, so that everyone who believes is put right with God Rom 10:4(ESV). “Be careful what you say! Jesus Himself said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them Mat 5:17(ESV).” Of course He came to fulfill the law. In the law was the promise of salvation. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me Jer 33:8(ESV). When a promise is fulfilled what happens to it? “It ceases.” Exactly: a new way to come to God was inaugurated by Jesus dying on the cross. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh Heb 10:19-20(ESV).
“Why did it have to end?” The law prescribed repetitive sacrifices to take away sins but that could never wash any sin away: For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins Heb 10:4(ESV). These numerous sacrifices were simply pointing the way to Jesus. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jn 1:29(ESV). There is no need to make blood sacrifices any more to be acceptable before God. In fact after Jesus such sacrifices are wrong. In this passage he says, "You never wanted or took delight in sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings," which are offered according to the law Heb 10:8(ESV). That era is over; it is finished.
“What about the priests?” Under the law there were high priests who were after the order of Aaron, imperfect priests who could not continue because they died and, by the way, were sinners too. But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him Heb 7:24-25(ISV). The Aaronic priesthood is over. It is finished. Now there is only one high priest: Jesus Christ who is perfect and who lives forever.
Have you been trying to come to God through the old way of sacrifices and offerings? Do you depend on the law of what to eat or not to be righteous? Your sin has been fully and permanently paid for: It is finished.