Please Permit Me…

Please permit me to celebrate The Godhead. This blog is all about celebrating Jesus Christ the Son of God, God The Father and the Holy Spirit. All Three been wonderful to me and that is inspite of my several wrongdoings. They found me in my own sin, though I thought I was good, and made me realize that I could be the “good person” that I should be. They opened my eyes, by enlightening my understanding, to see that all I had to do to be good was become the child of the only One who is truly good. That was the beginning of a new life for me. That realization that I remained nothing but sinner except and until I allowed myself to be washed in Christ Jesus blood following heaven’s due process for conversion, was the best thing that happened to me because it facilitated my making the right decision – accept salvation that God offers without charging a fee. This is where it all started; when He clothe me with beauty so deep and powerful, it changes the inside as well as the outside; and filled me with indescribable joy that enables one laugh even in pain.

Ezekiel 16: 6 & 8b “But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘live!’ And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel… So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.”

As soon as this happened, He went to work on my inside bringing about changes in my life that became visible externally. I could not help but allow Him make the changes that transformed me so much and so fast, I almost didn’t recognize myself anymore and He would not stop or even let go. Oh my goodness, I hate to even remember that at some point, I chose to do my own thing. A terrible idea which I knew He wouldn’t go along with so I thought it best to put some distance between us. Would you believe that He waited patiently, reminding me from time to time that He was waiting despite the pain He must have felt. He just would not let go. For such is the power of the love of He who has to look away from our sin whilst not losing interest in us? Just when I thought I had succeeded in my plan, He pulled me into His already outstretched arm enfolding me yet again with His love. This time, even more glorious. So I can testify that love always hopes and never gives up. Our God is indeed, love. Hence the song writer says in our pidgin English dialect “I never see this kind love before o – wonder 4x. Jesus na wa o”

Ezekiel 16: 60 & 62 - 63 “yet I will remember the covenant I made with you …and establish an everlasting covenant with you. And I will reaffirm my covenant with you, and you will know that I am The Lord. You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silent shame when I forgive you all that you have done. I, The Sovereign Lord, have spoken.”

God must be celebrated. He loves so much He gives all He has just to ensure that we ultimately share His place of abode in eternity. When I think of how much I enjoy having “my space” I wonder what He is doing ensuring and/or enabling us live that life here on earth that facilitates our making heaven - a grace walk enabled by The Holy Ghost who is a part of This Godhead that I celebrate today. What is most interesting about His help is the fact that it is so unobtrusive that one almost forgets that they are actually helped and would fail without the help. This is why it is so easy to get carried away and become proud. It is easy to think one is “self- made” become your own idol and attracting God’s wrath; but my goodness! I love the way He improves our self-worth with this help that makes us feel important even seeming to draw men to us though they actually seek our Father. Though He loves us to shine and is great at celebrating us, He doesn’t want us to forget that the stage is His. This must be one of the many reasons Nathaniel Bassey says “take your glory King of Kings, take your glory Lord of lords; Take your glory King of Kings, It belongs to you alone.” He is The Original Celebrity: The only one that truly walks on a natural red carpet – the blood of those trampled when His right arm brought Him victory.

Isaiah 63: 3 “I have been treading the winepress alone; no one was there to help me. In my anger, I have trampled my enemies as if they were grapes. In fury I have trampled my foes.”

Unquestionably, He is The Lord. I celebrate my maker; He who paid the price for me which should ordinarily make me His slave but He set me free instead and just left me with pre-defined limits for my liberty. I celebrate the one who paid for me with His own blood. I celebrate He without whom I can do nothing. Please let me borrow the words of another song by Nathaniel as I sing “Take the stage Lord; have your way. I’m just a vessel and nothing more; and when you are done, please take the glory. I am satisfied just to see you glorified.” For every one whose story is similar to mine, please join me as that together, we can celebrate our God.

Musings Of A Believer

I write today with a heart full of thanks to God. My heart rejoices in the goodness of God who has been and still is, “my glory and the lifter up of mine head”. I have always known that God is great and mighty but as I get older, I find that God is even more great and mighty. Just when you think you know a whole lot about Him, you find there is much more to know. The knowledge of God keeps unfolding so that there is always something new to know about Him. I learn about Him from studying and He makes the knowledge more real by permitting experiences that test the knowledge and I am glad to let you know that He goes through every test with us ensuring that we are never alone and also, that we come through gloriously. Today, I am sharing some of my thoughts as I reflect on the past with a view to strengthening my resolve to go forward. I am sharing some of the things I always remind myself of, that my path may be straight. I am convinced that the seemingly little things matter the most in determining who we are and whether we end up failures or great. So here are some of my thoughts.

Proverbs 4: 13ampc “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.”

One of the realities of today’s world is that we resist instructions. We often only take in instructions when we are in deep trouble and need the instructions to get out. Even then, as soon as we are delivered, we revert to detesting instructions. Maybe all the new ideologies have something to do with it, we just all seem to know what to do; everyone is now in a way, his own god and so, doesn’t need any instructions/counsel, not even godly instruction/counsel? We resist instructions so much we don’t even listen or read long enough to hear/understand what we have to do; and even when we do, we don’t accept it. Sadly, even in the church, the flesh is so strong that accepting instructions is a major weight. This challenge with taking hold of instructions has made the fulfilment of certain promises difficult in some lives because they resist the instructions that precede the fulfillment of the promise. Yet the bible admonishes that we hold on to instructions because it is our life. Life’s instructions are laid out and no one is compelled to accept or reject them; God leaves that decision to us but He hopes we accept. Of course ungodly instructions (any instruction that contradicts the word of God) must be rejected but there are instructions we must accept inspite of the way we feel about them.

Hebrews 4: 12 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.”

I have in the past few days, read articles where Nathaniel Bassey has spoken greatly of the way his life has been impacted by our relationship as a result of which people have prayed that God would give them such impactful relationships which is really great. What he left out and many have also missed, is the fact that he listens to and accepts godly counsel; he is obedient. I wonder if people would still desire such relationships if they also have to take hold of the same set of instruction he had to hold on to. It is one thing to have “that parent” but another to be “that child”; you also have to be “that child” for the instructions to be translated so powerfully. Taking hold of instructions is always easy when the instructions are for another; wait until you have to comply. Godly counsel is not the easiest to accept because The Word of God cuts, as the sword that it is, always seeking to destroy the flesh; however, it is necessary even if just for the purpose of discipline. God is well aware of our struggles with instructions so He encourages us to take hold of them because they are life. The truth of life is given as instructions and if we must succeed we have to accept and/or take hold of them.

Proverbs 4: 25 – 27 “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”

We have to look straight as much as lies within us; and within us is all the strength we need to look straight. It is true that we as mere mortals are often distracted but we must do all we can to remain focused; our gaze has to be fixed and that starts with a decision. It takes a deliberateness to remain focused; it doesn’t just happen as we live. Distractions are a normal part of life, a reality allowed by God so that distractions would always be all around us. These seek to make us look anywhere but ahead so we must insist on looking forward if we must make a straight path for our feet, which is our responsibility. Never make excuses for yourself that absolve you of responsibility for your “zig zag path”; the responsibility is yours and no one else. You can resist the distractions. Even athletes who intend to win train to resist distractions. If you allow yourself to be instructed by every voice, you will not go forward in life.

Proverbs 4: 23 “Guard your life above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

We protect so many things and that is understandable. We guard our wealth, reputation, and several other things and then leave the one thing we ought to guard, unguarded. We are so busy guarding those things that our hearts are left very vulnerable to attacks. We must be very careful to ensure that we tend our hearts. It has to be fed God’s word, protected from certain environments so it does not take in useless information and become unhealthy. We are our hearts. If for example, there is envy and jealousy in our hearts that is who we are notwithstanding who we may think we are or hope to be. It doesn’t matter the state of your heart as you read, if your heart has been left unguarded, you can begin to tend it today. God bless you.

Really? You Don’t Know Who You Are? It Ought Not To Be So

Please how does one person live two different lives simultaneously? In church - great believer living righteously, even cries during worship (note please that I am by no means suggesting that tears in worship is the hallmark of true believers), yet in the midst of unbelievers - “one of us” and “us” laughs whenever a believer describes “the double life believer” either as church member or believer? This is a spiritual health problem which is fast becoming acceptable and even normal. We just laugh about it facilitating its acceptability so much so that it has become the more common look of believers especially around where I live. The problem with this is that people now assume that most believers live the double life. Also, the world is now witnessing a lot more such believers; who have a form of godliness but unable to access the grace or power to live as and do what we should. I guess this bring us to the question we hate to be confronted with in our private moments - who are you?

Galatians 3: 26 “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

This identity crisis and/or personality disorder is a big problem that is largely a result of carnality in the church. It is sad that we struggle with knowing who or whose we are because this struggle impacts us negatively. One cannot correctly determine their identity without first correctly determining whose they are and the worth or caliber of whose they are. Unfortunately, a lot of us would rather not know the personality of whose we are because we don’t want to be too “churchy.” So, we would rather be borderline believers – maintain the Christian label but remain comfortable with evil. Hence, these sicknesses are common amongst believers who keep their walk with God at a very superficial level. We can’t be two persons in one person; that is like being possessed with a contrary spirit. The level of confusion, pain and damage this causes in the midst and lives of believers is indescribable.

Ephesians 2: 10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

I have found that anyone with an understanding of the personality of He whom we call Father, becomes different. This is understanding that goes beyond the intellect. It is an enlightening by the Holy Spirit which lightens spirit, soul and body of man and cannot but influence one’s thinking. Without making an effort to be different, you just find that you see yourself differently. It certainly erases any form of low self-esteem or double living and releases healing for all such emotional sicknesses. That boldness and/or confidence that comes with knowing God is a direct consequence of this enlightening. It is absolutely incompatible with all or any personality disorder.

Galatians 3: 29 “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”

We must realize that children are not owned by parent. This is even more so for every born again child of God. Parents are just custodians to whom God, who is our real parent, entrusts precious things who need initial help which includes nurture, protection and instruction in the way they should go - the way of The Word of God. The seed of God is in all of us, for every man is made in the image and likeness of God, but remains dormant until quickened by the Holy Spirit. Every tree is a reflection of its seed despite that the tree grows really big. Everything that makes the tree what it is, is in the seed; and so it is with God’s children. We carry the seed that is and makes us who we are. You are very okay; you just don’t know it so you act like you have a personality disorder. Unless and until you accept that you are okay and start acting as such, there is nothing anyone else can do. This understanding is ignited by The Holy Spirit with whom we must continue to fellowship. It has nothing to do with one’s financial state but available to every child of God. It is revelation knowledge of our God.

Daniel 11: 32b “But the people that do know their God will be strong…”

No one is healed of any personality disorders including living a double life, by blaming other people. Blaming others makes it impossible to see your need for healing. Until we see ourselves and the “diseases” we shut out healing. Sometimes, we need to take a minute to ponder on some of our responses and take responsibility for our misdemeanor so we can set our healing in motion. No one needs to appear even a little “rancid” just to cover up these disorders. It is grievous to see believers who feel the need to have a haughty look and/or attitude just trying to cover up these issues. Instead, it not only makes one look bad but ensures that God is unable to fellowship with them. Whilst it is true that believers are blessed, money is not in any way indicative of a good relationship with God. Our attitude goes a long way to tell others about our relationship with God which is the actual determinant of who we are. No matter how bad you may think it is, healing is available if you desire it.