SACRIFICE

SACRIFICE

I’m reading Hebrews 11 this morning the part that talks about Moses’ faith and I just pause and ask myself; Why wouldn’t God use Moses the way He did?

I know we all know the story of Moses, but for those of us that don’t, in verse 24 of Hebrews 11, the bible says: Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

I’m reading this and trying to picture Moses in our day. Pharaoh in the then known world was the only world power and all the people answered to him. And Moses was the adopted son of his daughter, Oh what an exalted position to occupy!

Imagine the kind of noise Senators make these days by virtue of the small power they wield in their constituencies and try to compare it to what Moses would have been privileged to by virtue of his position. But bible tells us that he refused to even be recognized as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter but rather wanted to be associated with the people of God. What a great sacrifice that was.

By that singular decision, Moses automatically fell from the possibilities of being the strongest most powerful man in the then known world to being “A Nobody”. I have found out that when God has great plans for your life, the enemy always brings things to you that will look like greatness but hidden behind it will be slavery.

If that were not to be the case, why was it that of all the days for Pharaoh’s daughter to find a child by the River Nile, it was the day Moses was kept there? Why was it that of all the Hebrew children that she had come across, she chose to adopt this particular one? Why was it that the same Pharaoh who gave orders for Hebrew boys to be slain accepted this particular one?

My conclusion is that the devil will go to any length to try and truncate God’s ultimate plans for your life. But thank God that we have a God that is a master planner.

Back to my earlier chain of thoughts, I’m wondering, if I was the one in Moses’ shoes, would I have given up all of that comfort and prospects for the unknown? (I’m keeping my answer to myself *winks*smiles*) but I’m asking you the same question; Would you have given up all that comfort and privileges for the unknown? SELAH!!!

We live in a world today that is so materialistic it makes you wonder what will become of your children (I’m yet to have them, work in progress *smiles*). All around us, everyone is grabbing and acquiring and buying and getting which makes me wonder, is this all life is about? I was taught while growing up by my parents that there is always a higher calling in life than material things (Happy Wedding Anniversary Mum). I was told that we are here for a purpose and a greater good. But when I look around me today at the things going on in our world, I’m tempted to doubt the wise sayings of my parents.

Thank God for men like Moses whom God used to show us that life is not all about the material things. He gave up everything to pursue a vision that was imprinted in his heart (To lead the children of Isreal out of captivity). And God being who He is, does not owe any man, all the things that Moses gave up to do His will, was restored to him a thousand folds. He became the leader of the strongest most feared Nation in the then known world. He won battles and acquired so much than he could have assuming he was restricted to Egypt alone.

Question now is, what sacrifice have you made for the purpose of God upon your life? Can you comfortably point out things you have foregone for the sake of Christ?

You know it is so easy to join the band wagon and hustle like everyone else, making efforts to grab as much as is possible even when you don’t have need for them, but my question to you today is this; Are you by your current actions fulfilling the purpose of God for your life, or are you on the band wagon?

SELAH!!!

GOOD POVERTY

MATTHEW 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”.

Jesus was going to teach His disciples and when He opened His mouth to speak, the first words out of His mouth were the words contained in the verse above. Sitting with that verse of scripture, the word POOR always jumps at me each time I meditate on this scripture and I begin to wonder how one could be poor in the spirit; I thought Christianity was about attaining that spiritual height where we get to become like our father? So how come I have to be poor in spirit to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?

Honestly, this has left me baffled for a long while now until I bumped into another verse of scriptures that threw more light on it for me; Is 66:2b “But on this one will I look; On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word”.  Hmmm

With this scripture, Matt 5:3 begins to take shape for me. We see the word poor show up again which tells me that there is definitely an association between Poverty, Spirituality and Heaven; which led me to study the word Poverty and everything that is associated with it.

In my studies, I found out that one characteristic of the poor is humility (circumstantial though lol). Poor people cower and hide in the presence of the rich and affluent people around them. They will readily accept hand-me-downs and handouts from the rich no matter how insulting it might look in the eyes of a by-stander. Genuinely poor people have past caring what other people think or feel, they just want to survive. It will amaze you the amount of insults a poor man is ready to take from the wealthy just to have access to one meal.

Now if you relate this to the scripture that says that God resists the proud, then it begins to make sense why God will say that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit.

A poor man never has enough; he is always looking for more because he understands his situation. In essence, what Jesus was telling His disciples in Matt 5:3 was that the Kingdom of heaven is for those that are willing to thirst for and seek for ‘More’.

God says He will look at him who is poor and of a contrite spirit. One who is willing to learn, experience new things in God, listen to what He has to say and most importantly do them, also not forgetting to ask Him for things all the time because scriptures made us to understand that God is continually looking for people to reveal the things that are to come to.

Truth is, when we tremble at His every Word, it is difficult to fall out of line from His will and there is an open channel of communication.

Question is; How Humble am I? Do I get puffed up as a result of my little knowledge of spiritual things? If yes, then I need to re-trace my steps bearing in mind that the bible says that “He who thinks he stands should beware lest he falls”.

I need to be humble in all my deeds (dressing, spending, mannerisms, driving, giving), thoughts and words.

Lord help me look up to You for everything and please keep me in line with your will for me in Jesus name, Amen.

Poor in Spirit, that’s the only form of poverty that is allowed in my life sha lolz. 

GOD MADE ME GAY!

“I am Gay and have been since when I was eight”.

These were the confessions of a young man in his mid twenties whom I had the privilege of counseling recently and must I say I was shocked to my bone marrows because this young man loves God so much and is one of those dedicated workers in church. When I pried a little bit more (trying so hard to maintain a calm expression), I realized he found out that he was attracted to guys and not girls when he was about eight years old and he said I quote “I thought it was natural, God made me that way, so I just went with the flow”.

Hearing those words reminded me of a guy that was attempting to “toast” me back when I was in the north. I got around preaching Jesus to the guy and he told me with very strong convictions that God made him that way. Said he wasn’t a northerner, was in the north for business and was heading back to Lagos and mentioned the name of his church (to prove that he knew the Jesus I was talking about) and alas, he belongs to a family whose pastor I respect so much in ministry. And there was nothing I could say or do to change the guys perception, funny thing, he was going back to Lagos for his engagement to a lady I kept committing into the hands of the Lord.

Now the major difference between these two guys is the fact that one through the Word has realized that he is in a wrong place and is seeking help, while the other through the same Word has found ways to defend his perverted acts.

Question is, Did God make you Gay?

Going back to the beginning, in Gen 1:27-28, the bible says that God made them male and female and told them to be fruitful and multiply. Also in Gen 2:18 & 22, God saw that it was not good that man should be alone and He made woman and brought her to him. God never intended for man to be with a fellow man.

The whole nation of Sodom in Gen 19 was destroyed because the people had gotten to the stage where everyone must have slept with everyone so much so that the two men that came to visit Lot were like fresh meat in a lion’s den. It was so bad that even when the people were offered fresh virgins by Lot (something some people are blowing up themselves for so as to have seven when they cross over), the people refused. It is worthy to note that it wasn’t peculiar to the young ones alone, Vs 4 of Gen 19 says that both old and young from every corner, that is to say that this great evil had eaten deep into every facet of society while people watched with folded arms, is that not the state of affairs in our Nation today?

Today we have people clamoring for Gay rights, government officials, politicians, business men, sleeping with young boys for money and position. We have young men that openly profess to be gay and many lesbians abound also and society is almost beginning to accept it as normal.

Well I beg to disagree. Did God make you Gay? The answer is NO and YES

NO because He made man male and female and there are enough males and females to go round.

YES because in Rm 1: 18, the bible says “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness”. So, because you know the truth and have refused to abide by the truth, this is what the bible says Rm 1: 24-27 “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”

Do I need to say more??? Well for those who might not be convinced, Vs 28 says “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient”.  Another translation says “God gave them over to a debased mind”, that means, if you are gay, you have a debased mind simple and short. There is no much difference between you and the beast in the field, think about that.

I was going to stop here, but the Holy Spirit just pointed me to something Vs 32 of Rm 1 says “who having known the righteous judgment of God, that the ones practicing such things are deserving of death, not only are doing them, but they are also approving of the ones practicing [them].

Excuse me sir, if you know anyone that is gay and you approve of them either as friend, colleague, family, etc, you yes you are not spared. The same reward awaits you. Now that is very very scary but it’s the fact.

A Word they say is enough for the wise

                                                                                                                                                                SELAH!!!!!!!

THE KISSING CONTROVERSY

We live in times where things have really changed from what it used to be. In times past things were either black or white but like a friend on facebook pointed out, there is also grey.

One matter that you’ll find in that grey area is the issue of kissing.

Is kissing for non-married couples a sin?

I tried to carry out a survey on this and got varying opinions from over 30 people both single and married and based on those opinions and my own personal convictions, the ideas on this piece was put together.

Truth is, I’m yet to come across any married couple today that didn’t share a kiss before marriage (wish I could add a smiley after that) but that’s the truth. A kiss is a kiss like one respondent said, whether on the back of the hand, cheek, fore head, nose, lips, a kiss is a kiss. Makes me wonder, at what point does the sin part come in? Scripture says in Jer 17:10a “I the Lord I search the hearth”, that is to say that God looks at the intent of the heart.

I pause here because I know we are dealing on a very delicate matter here, a matter of which many would rather avoid.

Jesus in addressing the Jews in Matt 5:28 said “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Now if we compare this to what God said in Jer 17:10, we see clearly that God is not as interested in the act as He is in the state of the heart.

Some of the respondents made mention of self control and crossing the line and knowing when to stop but I ask; What is the state of the heart? Ultimately, sex is the sin No, the “lusting after” in the place of the mind is the sin and all clergy tries to do when they put up those Dos and Don’ts which we young people greatly abhor is to try and prevent us from falling into sin. The devil is quite crafty and easily can help us come up with a million sound arguments that are on point but be not deceived, God is not mocked.

Its either Black or White no grey. Grey is lukewarm (neither here nor there) and scripture says that lukewarm will be spilt out. So if you can assure God not man of the state of your heart before and after kissing, then kiss on oh ye unmarried folks, but if you can’t, I’ll advice you stay away and adhere to the voice of reason that says “Flee fleshly lusts”.

Remain rapturable by His Grace.

Selah!!! 

ABUSE

In life, some people just walk into your life and think they have a right to toss you around any how they like. I’m sure you are thinking what’s he talking about and where is he going to with all this? Not to worry, let me show you.

Most of us have heard ladies say; “I’m just playing with him jo, once I’m done milking him, I’m dumping him so fast he won’t even know what hit him”. Or you may have heard some guys say; “I’m just sleeping with her no strings attached. She is just a play thing you know how we do it”. I think the most annoying of them all is when a guy or a lady knows that someone is attracted to him/her and he/she is just behaving anyhow with the notion that after all, she/he likes me and no matter what I do, she/he cannot leave me. They’ll just take me back after a nice apology.

But they forget that in any relationship be it business or social, emotions are involved and the worst time bomb ever made is that of hurt emotions. It is just a disaster waiting to happen. That is why terrorists will recruit teenagers and children; feed them with all sorts of evil stories about an enemy state they plan to attack. They get these young recruits to develop a deep hatred for the enemy state after which the rest is history. If that were not to be so, tell me why a sane human being would accept to wear a bomb on his person and blow up his/her self just to make sure that he/she takes other people’s lives.

Having said that, the bible says that; “The heart of man is desperately wicked who can understand it”. I want to belief that this verse of scripture is talking about man in his normal state. If you doubt this then tell me, who taught a baby to bite its mother’s nipples while suckling to attract attention? So if in our normal state our heart is desperately wicked, now try to imagine what will become of that same heart when it has been emotionally wounded.

And the most unfortunate thing is that one or more innocent people somewhere more often than not are the ones that suffer the effects of these emotional wounds. I once read in a book that our character is shaped by our experiences. Now imagine what the character of an individual who has faced abuse and hurt would be like. Most problems we have in marriages, homes, business relationships, government and society at large can be traced to one emotional abuse or the other in the lives of individuals. And the alarming thing is that most times, the individual that has been abused emotionally turning to God does not really change anything unless the person is made aware of the fact that they have a problem and he/she accepts it and opens up for emotional healing.

Haven’t you heard of great men of God that will come down from preaching a very powerful message and the next minute, they are throwing anger tantrums or beating up their wives? Those actions and behaviours are traceable to emotional abuse. Take for instance the story of Joyce Meyer, she suffered abuse as a child/teenager and without her knowing it, it helped form the person she became as an adult. If not that God gave her an understanding and patient husband, it would have wrecked her marriage as well. Even as annointed as she is, she tells us in some of her books how much of a struggle it was for her to relate with people her husband inclusive until she got total emotional healing.

What am I saying in essence, if you find yourself in a position where you are consciously or unconsciously taking advantage of someone, abusing the person emotionally, I will advice you to retrace your steps today and ask for forgiveness. If it means walking up to the person and owning up to your actions, do it. Apologise to the person and ask for his/her forgiveness also confess your actions to your maker. The bible says “He is faithful and just to forgive you”.

Mind you, the bible says that what a man soweth that shall he reap and one thing is sure, the harvest is always bigger and greater than the seed so for your own good, please turn a new leaf today.

If you have ever suffered any form of emotional abuse, I’ll advice you to please see a counselor. You can either see your pastor or prayerfully seek out whom to talk with.

Live Life

God is not a man that He would lie neither the son of man that He should repent. Has He said a thing and will He not bring it to pass. This is the assurance that I have in Him that whatsoever I ask of Him, if I believe with no atom of doubt in my mind, He will bring it to pass.

Over the last few days, it’s like I’ve been playing a lot. You know when you have that feeling of not being serious. I had a whole lot of things planned out for this period and all of a sudden it seems as if I put them all on hold to have a nice playtime.

Thinking about this some days ago, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me, “You need to live life, get off the worrying and just live life”. And my response was “I am just playing away my God given time, I’m supposed to be more productive than this”. Excuse me, watching movies all day long in the name of being self employed is not life. And I heard Him say, “That’s part of life”.

And at that point, it dawned on me that in this pilgrimage called life, every moment that passes by that we do not utilize, is a moment lost in time and it cannot be regained. Really, I don’t think that it hurts to sometimes just live life instead of worry through life.

Jesus asked us in Matt 6:27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

In the face of the trying times, I know that this might seem like a difficult thing to do but please drop the worries and the fears and just LIVE LIFE.

THE MAN SON

As the first of five children and the only son for some twenty plus years until my little brother came along (don’t ask me how that happened), We came home for vacation and noticed mum was consistently wearing a big shirt, which was unusual, we inquired and it turned out to be that she and dad had been very busy while we were all away studying hard in school.
Anyway, growing up, I noticed that when there was any errand to be run, I was always sent on those errands. The errands seemed to increase in magnitude as I grew older. From arranging our toys after playing (though the girls had most of the toys being that they were more), to walking the dogs. When I started exhibiting tendencies of driving off with the car, came the task of washing the car, then balancing sheets after daily sales. All the while, one question that was constantly on my lips was why me? And my dad never hesitated to say, ‘you are the man of the house’. Truth, it didn’t make any sense at all. My sisters were available and househelps and employees were being paid to do these things but dad kept saying ‘you are the man of the house’.
It all started making sense when dad suffered a stroke while mum was expecting my little brother. Those words ‘YOU ARE THE MAN’, made all the sense in the world at that point. I had to be a father, a mother, a brother, a business man and a student all at the same time. Looking back with hindsight, I was not under pressure it was something I was already doing unknowingly. I remember a few times when my parents would have a misunderstanding, I’d mediate and to my amazement, they’ll heed my counsel and make up. I thank God for seeing me through it all and my dad for helping to mould me even at a young age.
Why am I saying these? Despite your role or position in the family, it is vital to know that you will undergo certain things not for the present but for the future. God might just be preparing you for what is ahead of you. Never you think your parents are partial and seem to favour one or more siblings over you…it’s a training phase. Sometime in the future, you will look back with gratitude to God and your parents for those experiences because then you will realize that they were only meant to mould you into a vessel…fit for the Master’s use.
Remember, God delights in every detail of your life and will make all things work together for your good…that is if you love Him.
Remain Blessed.