YOU NEED HIS LEADING TO MAKE THE BEST MOVE

The world appears to be going crazy. Everybody is in a mad rush to get everything and young people just want to grow up in a hurry so they can enjoy everything they think adults enjoy. I know this is not one of the end time signs as listed in the bible but I wonder if something inside of us is letting us know the end of times is very close; not that I know when this will be but I know it will come.

I may not have had a problem with the mad rush but for the needless pain, anxiety and sickness it is causing people. Unfortunately, with all the rush through life and its several bad consequences, a number of people still fail to make their desired mark and even those who do, often find that they want more so they keep going on. I am by no means promoting laziness or a laid back attitude to life. All I am saying is that the lives of believers should not be like that – ‘crazy’. We must be people that are led by God so that we are bold and our hearts garrisoned with peace. 

Proverbs 28: 1 “The wicked run when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as a lion.”

The unbeliever cannot help himself. He does not have clear cut direction so that he has to keep trying everything until one works. He does not know how much time he has so he works hard to ensure that he makes something of the time he has to live, a trait I admire. He does not have the Holy Spirit guiding and leading him in the way that he should go. He has to trusts his intuition to be his guide. But the believer should not be caught in this “rat race” for he has the spirit of God who is willing to show him where all the “treasures are laid up for the righteous.” So why is the righteous also “beating the air” very unlike Paul? I dare to suggest that we have been lured into believing that it is much easier to “make the mark” if you keep moving, even if it’s in no particular direction, rather than seek to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit leading you.

This is a lie of the devil that has troubled a number of people and lured them from God. It has made some others seek people who would hear God for them so they don’t have to bother or “waste time” trying to hear Him. The truth though, is that God is waiting for every one of us to come to Him and eager to give directions concerning our lives. He speaks to everyone and we all ought to hear Him. Sometimes we may make mistakes, thinking we hear God when we really haven’t heard Him; but that should not stop us. We must keep trying until we can accurately discern His voice. Sometimes someone else calls you and you think it’s one of your parents only to find it wasn’t but that doesn’t stop you from answering another call you think is theirs. God will keep trying until you discern His voice accurately.

1 Samuel 3: 8-9 “So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say ‘speak, Lord your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 

One of the benefits of salvation is that we are not unnecessarily burdened or running from place to place and that, without direction. Why would you have that privilege and yet not access it?

OUR FAITH IS UNDER ATTACK PART 2

Most believers attend Pentecostal churches. Indeed it has become a hallmark of Christianity so that if you truly are a believer, it is expected that you will be part of a Pentecostal church. Don’t worry; I’m a member of one myself so I’m not putting you down for being a member. The problem though, is that even in the Pentecostal churches, our faith is under attack. Let me note here that when people get born again, I believe it is correct to encourage them to attend a bible believing church where proper biblical doctrines as well as the truth of the word of God are taught. Let me state further that I have since come to the realization that it does not have to be a Pentecostal church to teach the truth of the word of God; there are non-Pentecostal churches that do well or even better than some Pentecostal churches at preaching the unadulterated word of God and biblical doctrine; in my opinion, these are also bible believing churches. They preach salvation by grace through faith in the son of God.

Unfortunately, one is not saved because they attend a Pentecostal church just like “it does not have to be bread because it came from an oven in a bakery; to come out as bread it must have gone in as bread dough. The bakery oven would not make bread of everything that goes into it just because it’s in a bakery.” It is sad to observe that a number of believers whilst attending Pentecostal churches, and some despite being very committed to the church, are not committed to Christ so that they live a life of absolute disobedience to God. It is not the church that saves but Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Some have also deliberately reduced the word of God to “our level.” We decide the word is “too hard” and impossible to obey as it is in the bible plus the fact that we must do what we want to do, we then interpret it in a way that is more acceptable to us thereby altering the word. When you do that, you no longer walk in the word but in ignorance and futility of your own mind.  

Romans 1: 21 -22 & 24a “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools…so God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.”

Even worse is the fact that in some Pentecostal churches the word of God has been watered down to make it more convenient. Such churches argue that “there is liberty in Christ” which is true; but they leave out the bit that says we should not use that liberty as a reason to please our flesh. Such people argue that if you continue in sin, the blood of Jesus is available to cleanse you; which again is true but they leave out the bit that says you have to be living and walking in Him and having unbroken fellowship with Him for the blood to cleanse you when you sin so that that falling into sin should not be a our way of life.  Such churches argue that if the word of God is preached as it is, membership of their churches will not increase because it will be too tough for people to take in. Such preachers work for their belly and not for God. They are walking assiduously to destroy our faith.  

Galatians 5: 13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.”

We cannot afford to turn a blind eye. The only way to fight this type of attack is to stand for the truth. To withstand such people when they lie against God in our presence

OUR FAITH IS UNDER ATTACK (PT 1)

As a Pastor, I counsel with people frequently and in recent times I have come to the conclusion that our faith is seriously under attack. These are truly perilous times and the saints are under siege. Pressures are mounted on us from all sides; our finances, health, businesses etc. are all under attack. Indeed anything that can take away one’s joy is sent against us by hell whilst unbelievers appear to be living the life and we don’t understand how. Yet we need joy to draw from the wells of salvation. Moreover, Christ came that we may have fullness of joy. Clearly our joy is a necessary ingredient for our survival.

Again if you live in Nigeria, you must know about the attacks on the lives of believers in the North and in the middle belt area. They say it is a fight against western civilization yet most of the people funding this fight, as we have been told, are learned men who have acquired western education and/or civilization and whose children are currently in those western countries acquiring the said western education. This fight must then be about more than civilization; it appears to be a jihad against our faith. It may seem far away from those in the Southern part of our nation now but according to history, it is a fight that spreads. It is spiritual and there is only one principality behind it whose purpose is to destroy our faith that his kingdom may be established on earth.

In the Southern part of this Country, we see again another manifestation; the attack on the church by those who pretended to be a part of us but have never really been which is why they have come up with another doctrine which the bible says is not really another doctrine but that of the devil. These people are luring away believers with enticing words and promises of liberty which is not the liberty that Christ gives. Sadly, a lot of believers are been lured away because of the seeming siege that the enemy had mounted against us. Though some know deep down in their hearts that it does not sound so right, their desire to put an urgent end to their current difficulty has made it difficult for them to ignore those enticing words.

What do you intend to do? What can you contribute to end all that is going on? I admit that we are not all expected to do the same ting but we can do something. It is time to contend earnestly for our faith. Like Esther, you may have “come into the kingdom for a time such as this”; but will you ignore everything because it appears to be far from you? What is even sadder is when we pretend like we are helping God but in truth vaunting ourselves. Now everyone has a calling to preach and if they are not given room to do so in their churches, they create various avenues. Every other person has a calling to make music albums just because they can sing and the others have a calling to write books; really, is that God? Could it be that your own part is to send letters of comfort to the troubled ones; letters that may never get published? Could you own part be to assist with raising funds for programs instigated by God or reaching out in love to those on the frontlines?

This is no longer about our denomination; it is about our faith. If you think it is far from you, I tell you it is much closer than you think. We need to rise up and contend earnestly for our faith. Even if you manage to protect yourself, your children are out there, your family too. We can’t afford to continue to think only of ourselves, image and comfort.

GOD IS STILL WORKING; HIS CALENDAR IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN

Has anyone else noticed that this year appears to have run too fast? It appears to be in a hurry to shut down. Sadly, as the year hurries to its end, some of us are getting into a panic and even sad. We are worried because our expectations are yet unmet, goals still pending and yet the year isn’t waiting. Please calm down; there is enough time for God to move to bring to pass His word. For some, it appears nothing they trusted God for this year has come to pass and they feel like they are exactly where they were at the beginning of the year so that they have good reasons to be anxious; they also feel the need to try in their strength to see what can still be done in these last days of the year. Again I say, God does not need all the time in the world to do what He needs to do. I do not say this to excite you; it is truth. Moreover, you are more likely to make wrong decisions when of anxiety.

Generally, all over the world, the countdown has started and the joy of some is already beginning to evaporate because all they see are the things pending and they are thinking – if they have not come to pass in the past ten months, is two months enough to get them done? Yes it is, He may have even started work a long time ago. The devil’s trick is to cause us to lose hope so that we kill our expectations for the year ourselves. We close on the year even before it actually shuts down and lie to ourselves that it is the smart thing to do but is it really? Even the world teaches that ‘it is not over until it is over’ so why close the year before it closes when you still have some things pending? Does that make sense?

I have often worried about the fact that God does not live in time so that He may not understand why time is of essence to me and so may be taking His time. I have since realized that those thoughts are not only daft but very human and God is not a man; though our calendar closes at the end of the year and His is endless, He is sensitive to the fact that we live in time. You would recall that time is often recorded in the bible so God is well aware of and works with our timing. He even had to interfere with our time to ensure that Joshua was given enough time to defeat the enemies of Israel. He understands the constraints of dwelling in time and He will never be late. He is not a lazy God and will not procrastinate so He is always ‘right on time’; though I must admit that I often wish He would be a little earlier. 

Isaiah 12: 3 “with joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!”

At this time, I want to encourage you to take your focus off the fact that the year is coming to an end and keep your eyes on the God that is control of time and is able to hold the calendar for you and I. Do not let anything, whether circumstances, time or even the enemy still your joy; for therein lies your strength. You need that joy to draw good things from the wells of salvation. Don’t let the fact that companies are winding down business for this year cause your hopes to be wound down; He is not winding down business for the year until He has completed all His promises for this year and He can even keep the companies open for you just so that you can get what is yours this year.

Philippians 4: 6 “Don’t worry about anything; pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”

Don’t be anxious and if you do get anxious, remember to cast your cares on Him. Let me assure you, there is plenty of time left for Him. He only has to speak it, and it is done.

THE WORD OF GOD – AN INSTRUMENT OF OFFENCE

It is sometimes laughable the reason believers claim to be offended; and even more interesting is our strong conviction that because we are offended, a millstone must be hanging on our offender’s neck to drown them. This is one of many hilarious things we like to believe which in reality, reveals the extent of vileness of our hearts. There is no doubt that people are sometimes genuinely offended but every offended person must realize that they will in turn offend others, which is only natural, so that the millstone is definitely coming on their necks and will remain for as long as their offender’s millstone is hanging around his own neck since they did not forgive their offender in a bid to ensure he drowns. At the end of the day, there may be more people drowning than they imagined; for they also, may drown.

Luke 11: 4 “and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

We must be careful always to separate between offences caused because our flesh is experiencing pain of defeat by the truth of the word of God separate from true offences. We must be well aware that truth causes pain and the word of God is truth with the greatest potential of inflicting pain. Its purpose always is to bring about a circumcision of the heart and circumcision is a painful process whether of the heart or of any part of the body. Whenever people were circumcised in bible days, they were allowed a period of healing because of the pain inflicted by the cut which also needs to heal. Now circumcision is of the heart and the knife is the word of God; so it leaves a wound in the heart which must heal. There is time to “lick your wounds” before you continue with life otherwise you will make stupid decisions that may mar your life and/or destiny forever. There is an adage that says “the truth is always painful” and so it is; if you can’t take it, don’t seek God for He is truth. He wounds and yet, He heals.

Jesus, the captain of our faith, was a mighty instrument of offence. He unapologetically offended people everywhere He went so much so that they sort to kill Him. Yet isn’t it amazing that in all of these, His entire purpose for coming to earth to endure a painful death was love; the love He has for mankind particularly these very people He offended since He came primarily for the lost sheep of Israel. What greater love can any man have for another than to lay down His life for him yet they were offended by the very one who loved them enough to lay down His life for them and may have been stupid enough to imagine that a millstone was hanging on His neck since they felt offended by Him. Well, as we know, not only did He ascend on high, He is seated at the right of God even now. 

Hebrews 4: 12 – 13a “for the word of God is alive and powerful. It is shaper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joints and marrows, it exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.”

The word of God is a weapon of offence. It is referred to above as the sharpest two-edged sword. When the word of God inflicts pain on us, let us bear the pain with a dignified posture for it would pass; you shall heal. Don’t waste energy throwing tantrums like a spoilt brat; your problem is with the word who is seated at the right hand of the father and not even the angels can hang a millstone on His neck for you. It is time to grow up. Adulthood suggests that life as well as the word of God will deal some blows but we take them all in our stride, the Holy Ghost being our helper.

AWESOME GOD …. A GOD WITHOUT A BEGINNING AND AN ENDING

I heard something I found very interesting yesterday. The preacher in my church during the Sunday Morning Service said his mum had told him that she often wondered why the 24 elders in the book of Revelation which is the last chapter in the bible, would take off their crowns to bow before God in worship then put them back on and take them off again to bow before God in worship repeatedly. She finally suggested that it must be because every time they looked at God, they saw something new about Him that ‘blew their minds’ which had not been revealed to them previously so that they could not help but bow in worship. I really do think she is right.

I have experienced God in another dimension; one I didn’t imagined and I am amazed again. I feel like as if I never knew Him before now and just want to worship Him like never before. Indeed you have to “see Him” to worship Him. Of course when I say “see Him”, I don’t mean “see Him” physically but having a fresh experience that brings a fresh understanding from deep within your spirit man which cannot be ignored. Worship is truly not birth in the place of singing but in the place of revelation of the awesome and mighty God. The songs are just an outflow of an inward experience. Indeed, one cannot truly worship God and remain the same. Also, the best worshippers may not always be the worship leader in the church choir.

If we must worship God, we must hold Him in high esteem. Holding Him in high esteem is definitely something that affects the way we relate with & talk about Him; something that affects our entire life. I have found out that worship is something tough to manage when you have not had an encounter with God or when you are operating in an old experience you once had with God which is very dim in your memory. We need fresh revelation of Him always if we must give Him always, the honor that is due to Him. No wonder; there must indeed be a lot of insincere, fake and pretentious worship going on otherwise God would not have needed to let us know specifically the worship acceptable to Him; which He says is sincere worship done in Spirit and truth. Jesus is the truth. 

I invited you to the Woman Cry Out prayer conference a few weeks ago and I thought to let you know that God surpassed our expectations. There are some things one can hardly explain about God and one of such things is His ability not only to indwell ordinary people, mere clay, the works of His hand, but also to use them in a way that only He can. You don’t need any other qualification for God to use you other than a willingness to submit to Him. He is able to equip you with all that you need. This is something that thrills me again right now. It just shows me how awesome God is; how can anyone not love Him enough to do His will?

God is right now equipping women, because He is raising them for a mighty work in this end time. To a large extent, the faith of nations rests in the hands of women. It takes a man married to a virtuous woman to be seated at the “gates.” That is a serious responsibility which we must take seriously for the end is at end and the kingdom of God is being established. The devil is one who understands our role and is working hard to lure us away from it. I thank God for the outpouring of revelation knowledge in the lives of women right now and that was what we experienced as we gather to Him. I pray that you will make the next woman Cry out meeting in March 2013.