Bible Reading: Isaiah 31:1-5

I watched the sorrows and grief upon the face of a brother from a parish of Redeemed Christian Church of God and a Deacon for that matter. Of course his story suggested that he has been in the faith for almost two decades.  As I listened to him when he was recounting his several agonies and ordeals he was passing through, his emotion betrayed his faith, perplexities of disappointments and shattered dreams. The expression on his face suggested a question ‘why me? He was depressed with little or no further will to live. In the course of our discussion, he asked a shocking question- ‘Is   GOD really existing? And my quick response was that yes HE exists forever and ever. I asked him, how much of confidence has he reposed on the living God and his response made it clear that  GOD has never be the first on his priority list in his attempts to get out of his troubles.  

The causes of human pain and grief are as numerous as the sand of the earth. ‘.. as sparks fly upward…So man that is born of a woman is a few days and full of trouble.’ When in trouble, the hearts of men everywhere yearns for some liberation.  In the hours of your life crisis, this message will guide you and give you hope and courage provided you have a responsive soul and will allow God speak to you and let His word impress on your soul and spirit.

In the days of your trouble, what you do, where you go, how you react and who you see are all important especially when you happen to be a child of God. And why are they important?  In the history of mankind, these issues have made differences in the aftermath of going through troubled hours.

Where come evil?  “And God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good” Gen. 1:31.  All the problems that perplex human kind, all the pain that pursues us and all the yearnings of the soul that drive us-every great problem is answered in the book of GENESIS, but then God has made a way out.

At times, what we call problems, challenges or troubles, we find out that they are due to human ignorance, folly or sin not possibly in the person who suffers but caused by some members of the great family.

At times, GOD can make storm to direct your way. Storm makes you to move faster in life; make you to think. When you face crisis everything loses its value. To HIS children, GOD can use storm to inspect us to know the kind of person we are – James 1:2-3

At times, the problem in your life may be there to protect you from destruction. Even many times God allow us to walk through the storm to perfect us; a typical life example is Joseph. He was pitted, imprisoned before enthroned.

At times, GOD often let His people reach the shore as on the planks of a shipwrecked vessel.  He deprives us of the cisterns in order to make us drink out of the fountains of water.  He frequently takes away our supports, not that we may fall to the ground, but that He may Himself become our rod and our staff. A typical example is Jacob when he was to confront his brother after twenty years of supplanting his brother. He devised all means to appease his brother who has determined to revenge but God came as rescue.

Every misfortune that happens to men can actually be blessings in disguise. They are often God’s instruments of transforming a man into His purpose and destiny. At times most of the grand truths of God have to be learned by trouble; they must be burned into us with the hot iron of affliction; otherwise we shall not truly receive the truths.

God brought Israelites out of the land of Egypt so that they will worship and serve him, yet He led them through the red sea instead of a shorter way of the land of Philistine, lest they see war and return to Egypt.  God may be taking you gradually to somewhere.

In any case, the fact still remains that Jesus Christ will not lead any of His children through darker rooms than HE went through before. That is why He came as flesh to understand our pains.

Many in life have lost hope, even their salvation in the day of their trouble.  Are you about losing yours?  Don’t give up.  God is thinking about what to do in respect of that situation of your life.  There is also new thing about them. Many Biblical Characters experienced evil days and made God their resort. My question to you is that: at what point do you consider Jesus Christ in your present situation? You have probably elongated your sufferings because you have not resorted to Jesus Christ, the owner of your life.

The psalmist said “In the day of my trouble l sought the Lord …” Ps. 77:2.  “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord which made heavens and earth” – Ps. 121: 1-2.  In Ps. 23: 1-3 he says “The lord is my shepherd … He restored my soul …”  These were the ways and attitudes of the Psalmist.

How do you react in your own situation? Look up. don’t look around because looking around is a sign of confused man and don’t look back because it is a sign of fearful man. God says “Call unto me and l will answer thee … “Jer. 33:3.  God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble” Ps. 46: 1. God said, “Behold l am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Jer. 32:27.  Also in Jer. 31:16-17, He encouraged us thus “… Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded – and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.  And there is hope in thine end …

It is important to let you know that as much as God is ever willing to come into your situation, you have a sacrifice to make which is – SEEK. Mathew 6:31-34 commanded us to seek first the kingdom of God and all its righteousness and all other things including peace, comfort, deliverance you are looking for shall be added unto you. In Isaiah 1:18, God made express demand from you saying “Come now, let us reason together, though your sin be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow …” This is an invitation for your total deliverance and emancipation from your present situation.

However, if you have already accepted Christ, He demanded you wait on HIM. Psalm 27:4 says ‘ one thing have I desired of the Lord, that will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in His temple”.  The period of waiting is usually the critical point in our lives. If not well managed, we can miss God altogether.  The period of waiting is challenging and can be very difficult, but it is the promise of God to strengthen us.  How soon do we forget this all time needed promise and began to help ourselves?  Those of us not helping ourselves are busy complaining to whoever cares to listen. The more we complain, the more our spirit is troubled and any “advice” given us at such time, if not properly examined, will lead us into real trouble.

When you can’t hear God’s voice on that issue that bother you so much, whom did you resort to seek afterward?  The Bible says “their sorrow should be multiplied that hasten after another god ..” Ps. 16: 4.

What happens if you have already gone astray; do not lose hope, only do the right thing by returning to the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘For ye were as sheep going astray: but are now returning unto the shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” I Pet. 2:25. It does not really matter how deep, or the extent, you have gone or are involved in some devastating occurrences, if you genuinely return unto the Lord Jesus.  He promised to wipe away all your errors.  If you have gone the wrong way in the day of your trouble, and more evil had come upon you, take a bold step today and return unto your maker.  He will receive you and grant you deliverance and the liberty in His Holy spirit.

THIS DAY IS THE DAY OF YOUR SALVATION. DON’T POSTPONE IT TILL TOMORROW BECAUSE TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME YOUR WAY. DESIRE A NEW BEGINNING AND SEE HOW GOOD THE LORD IS.

Remain Blessed

Dcn. Wole Bodunde

Bible Verse: Gen. 22:1-18

The Christian life is free and it costs nothing to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But, there is a lifelong subscription you pay for being a Christian. Our sacrifice is required – Psalm 50:5 ‘Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’

God is a God of covenants. From paradise lost in Genesis to paradise regained in Revelation, He is interested in people of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the central theme of Christianity. The Church is founded upon the bedrock of sacrifice. John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. This is the pinnacle of sacrifice that anyone can make.

Sacrifices are flavours we need to add to our Christian life and service if we are going to reach our world with the gospel of Christ.

The story of Abraham in this passage is a wonderful and famous story of that age. It is considered a wonder of the church, looking at the strange command God gave to Abraham and the strange obedience and all the strange issues in the command. In verses 1-2: ‘And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of’ .

A. Issues in this Command

1. The command and person to be sacrificed – V2. ‘..Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of’. The command was clear with emphasis – thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest-. Isaac was interpreted as laughter, the pillar of promise that Abraham waited on for more than 90 years. Of course before then human being has never been an item of sacrifice; why then? 

Isaac ‘’who thou loveth..’’ not the bullocks, not thy servant, not thy steward of thy house, not an adopted son, not Ishmael- it is Isaac whom by name is your laughter- the child of covenant. This is by implication God is saying give me your heart, not your garment unlike His demand in Joel 2:12-13 – ‘’ Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

2. The place of sacrifice – Land of Moriah. Moriah was about 3 days journey to the place of Abraham; which is enough for Abraham to have changed his mind – but his early rising, saddling, cleaving the wood to slay his only son of promise proved his deliberate and complete obedience. This suggests to Christians that the issue of laying down one’s heart to work for God requires preparation, it should be a mindset, and it can’t be an emergency factor. It must be an elaborate adaptation to the will of God.

3. The manner – Isaac must be offered as a burnt offering. He must not only be killed, but should be killed as a sacrifice, kill him devotedly, kill him by rule, kill him with all pomp and ceremony, with all seriousness and composure of mind, with which he used to offer his burnt offerings. This suggests also to Christians that laying one’s heart at Calvary must be determined, must be for the sake of salvation. In 1 Pet. 2:1-2. ‘Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

B. What is Sacrifice

As a worker in His vineyard, it means – a sacred rendering; – a selling or giving up; – act of yielding/resigning in favour of.

Abraham broke a difficulty through obedience; the feet that Lot’s wife could not achieve at Sodom. She considered her possessions, friends and other things and thought of going back. Abraham could have considered the promise of God, his childlessness for more than 90 years, his age and what would be the reaction of his age long darling wife.

The attitude of Abraham should remind every believer that, at the point of laying one’s heart for the business of God, it may appear difficult and traumatic things to do; at times it would appear as if God is contradicting himself by trying to interrupt your life and plan, asking you to forgo your pursuit, comforts, riches, etc, and seek righteousness first.

At times God would ask you to follow Him without giving any reasons. Abraham would have been right if he had asked God why He wants him to kill the son of promise. After all, it was God that told him that through Isaac, He would multiply the world. Has God forgotten His own promise?

Abraham didn’t consider all those and even what his wife would ask him of her only son. This therefore suggests that the issue of your determination to work for God or salvation does not require consultation with your wife or close associates. It is supposed to be a close matter to your heart only.

Abraham didn’t consider what the Egyptians, the Canaanites and the Perizzites who dwell in the land would say – the eternal reproach. This should educate all believers that, in making decision, one need not bother about reactions of your environment, your social friends, etc. It further emphasizes that God’s commands must not be disputed, but must be obeyed, and one need not consult with flesh and blood about them. In Gal 1:15-16. ’’But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, [even] from my mother`s womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:”

C. Understanding Sacrifice

There is no witness of heaven upon a man’s life without a sacrifice. God testifies concerning a man when He receives his sacrifice; and without faith one can’t offer an acceptable sacrifice. God is more interested in the man that is offering a sacrifice than in the sacrifice itself.

There are lots of things that can be achieved through sacrifice. For example, with the sacrifice of Abel, his name became reference point – ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh’ – Hebrews 11:4. Can you imagine this? The sacrifice of Abraham is what every believer who by nature is Abraham seed is enjoying till date. – Genesis 22:15-18.

D . The role of our Heart in our Sacrifice

Heart is the centre of our being, where issues of life are. In 1 Peter “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Your heart is the basis for sacrifice. It is your heart that determines your sacrifice; you need to develop your heart for sacrificial living and for the sacrifice that counts.

E. The Sacrifice of Self

God considers the sacrifice of oneself as tremendous treasure and value. The heart and body is the first in sacrifice before gift, talents, time, money, energy or any other thing.

Why the sacrifice of self? – This Scripture will give us a lead – ICor.6:18-20. ‘’Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. Mat.6:33. ‘’But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

F. Conclusion

Jesus has left us an example that can’t be waved aside. The patriarchs of old have done the same. What will you do for your maker in your own generation?

May God find a heart of sacrifice in you. Amen.

Deacon Wole Bodunde

You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created. Revelation 4:11.

One indisputable fact is that everyone on the surface of the earth is created for a purpose. And it is crystal clear that God created man to fellowship with Him.

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it. Gen. 2:15. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where are thou? – Gen 3:8-9.

Man fell out of the perfect arrangement of God and, since then, the fellowship and worship sought by God became a matter of condition and a principle through Jesus Christ. Law came to bring man back to no avail but grace did. ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’. –  Romans 3:23. Then the worship and service that God accept and seek becomes selective.

 “ For as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in His name’ . – John 1:12. To believe in God is to dedicate our lives to the cause of His kingdom in the world…the second commandment flows from the first. When a man turns to God desiring to serve him, God directs his attention to the world and its need.

‘But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honour and some unto dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepare unto every good work’.  2 Timothy 2:20-21. It is therefore imperative to note those that God seek:

• Those that have located themselves:  Location is where you are before God at this moment. God knows everything about us: our thinking, steps, intention, and our reactions. He asked Adam where he was. God would want us to state expressly our location before Him before He can solve our spiritual problems. ’So when they continued asking him, he lifted Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her’. John 8:7. Christ gave the accusers the opportunity to locate themselves before God to enable Him help them see their personal spiritual condition. They were convicted of their sins but they did not stay there to talk with Jesus about it. Why don’t you talk your own with Jesus today? The story of the sower  and seed (Mat. 13-9, 18-33) brings out the desire of Jesus to help us locate ourselves. It is possible one is on the wrong path and not realize it until one get to the wrong destination. Before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they had wonderful fellowship with Him. There were no cover-ups, no pretenses and no secrets. But when they chose their own way, God had to ask ‘where are thou’.
• Those that are willing to obey the first commandment:  ‘For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offering’. Hosea 6:6. ‘Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment”. Mat. 22:37-38. I heard Lord saying in that book of Hosea that, I don’t want your sacrifice, I want your love, I don’t want your offering, I want you to know me.
• Those that will say – “Here I am”:  ‘Also I heard the voice of the Lord , saying: “whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”Isaiah 6:8. To say “Here I Am” is to yield to call for service. “ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”. Mat. 6:33. The beginning of any instrument God will use will start by a call and the response of willingness. To become great in God’s hand, it is not greatness you must first seek. It is service, and through the service you become great. It doesn’t matter even when the environment is hostile, conducive or not, co-operative or uncooperative, yours is to say “ Here I am”. One thing that is important is to check if you have said “ Here I am” to God. This is the next thing to do after you have located yourself – presenting yourself as an available material for the potter to work on you.
• Those that are willing to come out: God called Abraham out from his people with a promise of everlasting and generational blessings. “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. Mat. 11:28. “Therefore “come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you” 2 Cor. 6:17. Getting out is one of the conditions God expect from worshippers He seek. – Get out of the old covenants; get out from your place of initials, where you have no knowledge of Christ;  get out from sin, atrocities; get out from worldliness, pleasures of this world; get out of the valley of troubles; get out from the hills of pride and self righteousness; get out from the mountain of self satisfaction. There is no one without a background or a place of beginning, but then if we must worship God, we must leave our past. Abraham was made to get out from Haran before God established His covenant with him.  Haran represents all your past.
• Those that desire a change of name: The Angel of the Lord asked Jacob, “What is your name”. Gen. 32:26-27, because the name Jacob means a deceiver and could not fit in to the new covenant of God. Also, Jesus had to rename Peter to enable him fit in for the new covenant because Peter means cowardice, fear, backslider and the new name, Cephas, means Stone . John 1:42. Each time a man desires to worship God, God will seek his identity. What make a man’s identity a greater priority to God than the man’s several urgent request? Is there any man on earth whose name is unknown to God? If the answer is “No”, then what was God looking for whenever He asked such question, “what is your name”. God was trying to remind Jacob of his life style from his birth. His life had never been straight. Of course, it doesn’t matter who you are before now, God can change that position if you will allow Him.
• Those that have conviction about God:  Conviction is spiritual instincts that drive us to action regardless of the circumstances. “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him in those that hope in His mercy” – Psalms 147:11. “ ….and if I perish, I perish”- Esther 4:16. Conviction like the three Hebrew men – “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” – Daniel 3:18. Like conviction of Paul – “ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” – Phil. 1:21.
• Those that God seek will also include those that will allow God to direct their ways; those that will put on the whole armour of God; those that will stand up like Nehemiah to build the Church and those that will make adequate use of the God given gifts.

 Remain blessed as you determine to be among the worshippers that God seek.

 Deacon Wole Bodunde

These are some of the questions that do come to our minds often. Temptation, by its very nature, feels wrong. God’s moral law is written in the heart of every human being (Romans 1:20), and when a sinful temptation is introduced, our consciences immediately sense danger. However, the temptation itself is not the sin. Jesus was tempted (Mark 1:13; Luke 4:1-13), but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). Sin occurs when we mishandle temptation.

There are two avenues by which we are tempted: Satan and our own sinful flesh. Acts 5 gives an example of someone tempted by Satan. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, wanting to appear more spiritual than they really were, lied to the apostles and pretended they were giving as an offering the full price of some property they had sold. Peter confronted them: “How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?”(verse 3). In this instance, Peter knew that the temptation to lie had come from Satan. Ananias and his wife both gave in to that temptation (verses 7-10). The betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot is also attributed to Satan’s influence (Luke 22:3; John 13:2).

Ultimately, since Satan is the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the father of lies (John 8:44), all evil originates with him. However, our own selfish nature is an ally of Satan. We need no prompting from Satan to entertain sinful ideas. James 1:13-14 says, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”

Even though we may desire to do good, we are all tempted. No one is above it, even someone like the apostle Paul. He shared his own struggle of flesh against spirit when he wrote in Roman 7:22-23, “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.”

Temptation is not in itself sinful. It becomes sin when we allow the temptation to become action, even in our minds. Lust, for example, is sin even though it may never be acted upon (Matthew 5:28). Covetousness, pride, greed, and envy are all sins of the heart; even though they may not be apparent to anyone else, they are still sin (Romans 1:29; Mark 7:21-22). When we give in to the temptation to entertain such thoughts, they take root in our hearts and defile us (Matthew 17:19). When we yield to temptation, we replace the fruit of the Spirit with the fruit of the flesh (Ephesians 5:9; Galatians 5:19-23). And, many times, what was first entertained as a thought becomes action (see James 1:15).

The best defense against giving in to temptation is to flee at the first suggestion. Joseph is a great example of someone who did not allow temptation to become sin (Genesis 39:6-11). Although tempted to sin sexually, he did not give the temptation time to take root. He used the legs God gave him and physically fled. Rather than stay in a potentially dangerous situation and try to talk, reason, justify, explain, or otherwise weaken his resolve, Joseph took off. The temptation was not sin for him because he dealt with it in a God-honoring way. It could easily have become sin if Joseph had stayed around to try to match his wits and self-control against the power of the flesh.

Romans 13:13-14 (ESV) gives us a guideline for avoiding situations that can lead to temptation. “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” If we determine to “make no provision for the flesh,” we will keep ourselves out of situations that may prove too tempting. When we put ourselves in situations where we know we will be tempted, we are asking for trouble. God promises to provide a “way of escape” when we are tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13), but often that way is to avoid the situation altogether. “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Timothy 2:22). Jesus taught us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:4), but we have a responsibility to pay attention to the direction God is leading us and avoid temptation whenever we can.

Conclusion

God is able to keep believers from falling into temptation if we do nor err. It is hard to gain promotion without examination, hence, temptation is a test we must pass for divine elevation.

Remain Blessed,

Deacon Mike Ben

This question was asked in one of our Sunday school classes recently.  Can a true Christian be carnal? In answering this question, let’s first define the term “carnal”. The word “carnal” is translated from the Greek word sarkikos, which literally means “fleshly.” This descriptive word is seen in the context of Christians in (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?).  In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the readers as “brethren,” a term he uses almost exclusively to refer to other Christians; he then goes on to describe them as “carnal”. Therefore, we can conclude that Christians can be carnal. The Bible is absolutely clear that no one is sinless (1 John 1:8 ^“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”). Every time we sin, we are acting carnally. 

The key thing to understand is that while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not remain carnal for a lifetime. Some have abused the idea of a “carnal Christian” by saying that it is possible for people to come to faith in Christ and then proceed to live the rest of their lives in a completely carnal manner, with no evidence of being born again or a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Such a concept is completely unbiblical. James 2 makes it abundantly clear that genuine faith will always result in good works. Ephesians 2:8-10 declares that while we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, that salvation will result in works. Can a Christian, in a time of failure and/or rebellion, appear to be carnal? Yes. Will a true Christian remain carnal? No.
Since eternal security is a fact of Scripture, even the carnal Christian is still saved. Salvation cannot be lost, because salvation is a gift of God that He will not take away (see John 10:28; Romans 8:37-39; “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”;  1 John 5:13  ^“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”). Even in 1 Corinthians 3:15, the carnal Christian is assured of salvation: “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” The question is not whether a person who claims to be a Christian but lives carnally has lost his salvation, but whether that person was truly saved in the first place (1John 2:19).

Christians who become carnal in their behavior can expect God to lovingly discipline them (Hebrews 12:5-11) so they can be restored to close fellowship with Him and be trained to obey Him. God’s desire in saving us is that we would progressively grow closer to the image of Christ (Romans 12:1-2), becoming increasingly spiritual and decreasingly carnal, a process known as sanctification. Until we are delivered from our sinful flesh, there will be outbreaks of carnality. For a genuine believer in Christ, though, these outbreaks of carnality will be the exception, not the rule.

Conclusion: True Christians are spiritual and not carnal. The danger of the lifestyle of carnality is death. Sometimes, it is a physical death before time – Romans 8:6-7, I Corinthians 11:27-32

Remain Blessed,

Deacon Mike Ben

Texts: Psalm 121, Philippians 2:9-10, Genesis 1:28

Introduction

The name Jesus Christ has been given to the body of Christ for our benefit. God had made an investment with that name for the church. God has made a deposit – the name Jesus – from which the church has the rights to draw from for her every need.

The name has within it, all the authority and power over all powers of darkness and of this world. – Mat 28:18.

1. Jesus name:  a gift from God. – Eph. 1:19-23, Phil. 2:8-11.

We notice that the authority and power was conferred on Jesus’ name after His death, burial, resurrection, ascension and enthronement. This is an indication that the great investment in this name by God is not for Christ Himself but for as many that will believe in Him i.e. the believers.

The moment you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your LORD and Personal savior, you invariably become a member of God’s family and, by implication, everything that Jesus died for, bought and paid through His blood automatically belongs to you. You will have the right access to the Father (God) through Jesus and all the redemptive privileges. John 14:13-14, John 16:23-24, 1 Cor. 3:21-23. The name of Jesus guarantees an answer to every of your need.

3. You can overcome in Jesus name.

All believers have the authority to use ‘Jesus name’, which is an embodiment of God’s power and authority. In Acts 3:1-9, Peter did not ask the father to heal the lame man but demanded in ‘Jesus Name’ for his healing and it was so. In Mark 16:17-18, the believers here include true believers, not only Pastors or Evangelists. In I John 5:4, you are declared as an overcomer because of the authority (Jesus name) left at your disposal.

If man says something, it could be doubted, but if God says anything, then it is so. If only you can believe through Jesus name, you can get all things – Mark 9:23.

4. The Spirit of revelation. Isaiah 11:2, Gal. 4:3-7.

To discover your inheritance in Christ Jesus enhances your proper recovery. The amount of comfort and confidence you enjoy is a function of the discovery you made. John 8:32.

Your attention is hereby drawn into the three key words in the above references: The Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and might and the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Every exploit is traceable to insight and foresight – (Dan. 11:32). The Lord gave these Spirits to Christ for an inheritance that might have the right insight and divine revelation for great attainment.

The Spirit of revelation is the same as the Spirit of knowledge described in Eph. 1:17-19. It unfolds the mysteries of the kingdom. It enables the believers to tap into the great wealth store in the kingdom. 1 Cor. 2: 6-16. Through the Spirit of revelation, you shall know more about the promises of God and God in HIS mightiness. Jer. 33:3-6. Daniel made exploit by this spirit – Daniel 2:47. Read Mat. 11:27, Luke 10:22.

The knowledge about Christ birth – Isaiah 9:6, Gen. 3:15, Isaiah 7:14. His life- Isaiah 53:4-7; Zech. 9:9-11 (fulfillment in Mat.21:2-5). Psalm 69:21 (fulfillment in Mat. 27:34). Psalm 22:18 (fulfillment in Mat. 27:35) Psalm 22:1 (fulfillment in Mark 15:34). The things to come were revealed in the book of Revelation by the spirit.

Every believer should therefore desire to possess this spirit which can be achieved by consistency with God.

By Jesus death and resurrection, he brought eternal defeat to satan, stripping him of all his power. Heb 2:14-15. All believers should understand this fact and be conscious that they cannot be trapped by the devil spirits behind sinful acts. It is revealed that we are now God’s righteousness called to show forth His praise – II Cor. 5:21, II Pet. 2:9. The righteousness of Christ made us an overcomer. I John 5:4.

The righteousness of God that shine through you made you to stand clear among the gentiles as it is written in I Pet.2:12, II Cor. 8:21, Titus 2:10. Our righteousness is in Christ, the same truth is taught in I Cor. 1:30.

When you remain under the righteousness of God, you will have access to His power and authority.

6. Anointing – Isaiah 61:1-4,  I John 2:27.

By the reason of anointing, you understand things of God. It does not just come. It comes so that you will be able to do exploits and accomplish those things that seem to be extra sensory perception. Anointing is the outpouring of the spirit that could be said to be divine enabling. It is the empowering of the spirit of God for supernatural accomplishment. For you to have dominion, reign and function and not only function but to distinguish yourself from others, you need anointing. Christ was anointed first and He did exploits; and expectedly, all His faithful believers should do what He did through the anointing which is confirmed in the following passages: Lk 4: 18-20, Act. 4:31, Act. 3:6-7, Act. 16:25-26, Act. 19:6. Isaiah 10:27.

7. God’s divine presence – Psalm 51:11.

The only thing that can make you to depart from God’s presence is SIN – Gen.3:8.  In the presence of God, there is fullness of joy. – Psalm 16:11; and at God’s presence, the wicked shall perish – Psalm 9:3. It is revealed that the upright shall dwell in the presence of God – Psalm 140:13. To dwell in God’s presence is our inheritance and it guarantee us our dominion.

Remain Blessed,

Deacon Wole Bodunde

Text: Mathew 16:19, Matthew 18:18

Introduction

Physical law is no obstruction to spiritual realities especially to those that know their God. Bolts and bars and prison gates open at their volition for Peter the Apostle: Acts 12:8-10. Joshua obstructed nature (Sun and Moon): Joshua 10:10-13. Hungry lions could not devour Daniel in their den: Daniel 6:16-24. Elijah commanded fire to consume stones and water: I king 18:24-38. In human perceptions, these are impossible but really they are realities. It therefore implies that no place can be so dismal, no cave can be so deep and dark, no inquisition cell so hidden and fetid, no fortress so strongly guarded, that a child of God can not find quick and easy access to.

Do you wonder how come those realities happened? It was because the persons mentioned above have the keys and connected to the spiritual realities.

Facts in our Texts

‘Thee’: this is not peculiar to Peter only but to every believer. Mat. 17:20, John 14:12-15, Mark 16:15-20.

‘The keys: This is not a single key. Perhaps, a bunch of keys that the numbers could not be known, but within the measure of your capacity, service and cordiality with God. Key is a symbol of authority-Isaiah 22:22. That is, authority and power to do the works of God. Whatever He (God) binds or looses is the true idea.

Conditions for Connecting to Spiritual Realities

1. Make Christ the centre of your life: Mat 6:33

David said, ‘Truly my soul waited upon God..for Him commeth my salvation…’ – Psalm 62:1-2. Christ said ‘I am the bread of life..’ – John 6:35. The kingdom of God is an embodiment of all power and authorities. Christ said ‘..But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you’.  – Mat 12:28, Luke 11:20.

Mat. 13:44-46 tells us about what the kingdom of God is like. For you to be able to connect to spiritual realities, Christ has to be at the centre of your life.

2. Live with eternity in view: Mat.6:19-21.

This is related to seeking the Lord’s kingdom. To lay up treasures in Heaven is to be consecrated fully unto God and to help all men who are in need. Mansions and furnishings in heaven are secured from moth and thieves. Apostle Paul gave an advice in Col. 3:1-4, I Cor. 9:24-27. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those that will perish. I Cor. 1:18.

We understand the zeal of the early Christian missionaries: every congregation was a missionary society and every believer was a missionary, inflamed by the love of Christ to convert fellow men. Apart from converting souls, they demonstrated power in their world then and people recognized them. Acts 5:12-16.

3. Put on the whole armour of God. Eph.6:8-10.

To be able to connect and operate at the frequency of spiritual realities and unlock your spiritual world, you need to put on the whole armour of God.  Truth, righteousness and faith are defensive weapons, while the word of God would give you an edge in attacking. By faith you see God in evangelism and this would be counted as obedience; you must obey completely because it is the same God that gave all the commandments. You need to rely totally on God who is capable of strengthening you. Isaiah 40:29-31.

4. Operate in Higher Spiritual Realm. Eph. 6:12.

Principalities and powers dwell in high places hence there is need for you to operate above them in order to be able to connect to spiritual realities. Psalm 101:1, Deut.12:2-3.

5. Move in the Path of Personal Revival: James 4:4-8.

You are saved by His Grace and once you stand for Christ, daily examine yourself where necessary and make amendment. Speak to the dead things in your life, after all Ezekiel spoke to dry bones and they lived. Ezekiel 37:1-10.

6. Be uncompromising like Daniel and co. – Daniel 3:16-18, Daniel 6:4-17.

7. Move in the path of Holiness by resolving any known conflict, removing any known beset and being faithful. Heb.12:1.

8. Do not sleep like others. I Thes.5:6-7.

Any Christian that will wait to listen to God will not sleep like others. Beside, Christ told a parable in Mathew 13:24-25 which should be our guide.

9. Listen and obey God’s instruction. Acts 8:26-35.

Remember, Phillip was preaching to a large congregation when he heard from the angel to go to the wilderness. Acts 8:1-25.

Others

Keep yourself in God’s love-Mark 12:30, Psalm91:14. Wait upon the Lord always in fasting and prayers-Isaiah 40:30-31. Be humble-James 4:10, Isaiah 57:15. Fellowship always with fellow Christians-I John 1:7, Eccl.4:9-10, Prov.27:17, Mat.18:20. Submit always to constituted authority- I Tim.6:1-2, Eph.6:1-2, Heb.13:7.

If you are able to fulfill all the above conditions, your spiritual life will never remain the same.

Remain Blessed,

Deacon Wole Bodunde

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: “Daddy, may I ask you question?”

DAD: “Yeh sure, what is it?”

SON: “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?”

DAD: “That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?”

SON: “I just want to know. Please tell me how much do you make an hour?”

DAD: “If you must know, I make N1,000 an hour”

SON: “Oh! (with his head down)

SON: “Daddy, may I please borrow N500?” The father was furious.

Daddy: “If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard every day for such childish behaviour”. The little boy went quietly to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s question.  How dear he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that N500 and he really didn’t ask for money very often.  The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.

DAD: “Are you asleep, son?”

SON: “No daddy, I’m awake”

DAD: “I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you.  Here’s the N500 you asked for.”  The little boy sat straight up, smiling.

SON: “Oh, thank you daddy! “then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

DAD: “Why do you want more money if you already have some?”

SON: “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do. Daddy, I have N1000 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have a dinner with you” The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It’s just a short reminder to all of us working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that N1000 worth of your time with someone you love.

From: Dcn Mike O. Ben

The Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, was done on the Cross; and since then, the Cross has become an affront. “He was despised and rejected of men; He became a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and mankind hid their faces from Him; He was despised, and was esteemed not. He was wounded for our transgression and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” – Isaiah 53:3-5.  Yet, He was mocked – “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering him vinegar” – Luke 23:35-36.

The offence of the cross sounds so strange to some believers today like the Jews and Greeks – “But we preached Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness”- 1 Cor. 1:23.

The cross has been demystified on every Church building today, on our Bibles we have the inscription, even on the ornaments we wear on our necks it has become a symbol. Some Christian denominations use the sign to represent prayer to Trinity i.e. God the Father, God Son and God the Holy Spirit. But then, little do many know what it stands for.

The cross stands for an offence. It is a stumbling block. It has been called the scandal to mankind. Isaiah wrote “…there is no beauty that we should desire Him” – Isaiah 53:2. Jesus Christ was not desirable when He was hanged on the cross, bleeding and dying.  The cross provoked scorn and aroused antagonism of people. Luke 23:35-38. It is not always attractive to the human heart and many people would be upset and turned away in disdain and wrath.

The ultimate goal of every believer is to get to heaven; and the battle to get there is a serious one because the Cross has set the standard. The Cross directs that our flesh must be crucified as Christ was crucified. The Cross has come down through centuries, passing its unfailing judgment upon the vanities, the prides of life, hates, the greed and self indulgent pleasures and lusts. It condemn all and says “.. they which do all such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” – Galatians 5:17-21.

It is the Cross that says to the world “you are a sinner” – Romans 3:23; and it is not palatable to the world. John 3:19 says “.. men loved darkness rather than light ..”. The Cross is an offence because blood was shed there and the book of Hebrews says “without the shedding of the blood there is no remission or forgiveness of sin”.

To the foolish, the cross is an offence but to the wise, it is wisdom to righteousness.

Remain blessed.  Maranatha.

Deacon Wole Bodunde

Bible Passage: Genesis 22:1-18

The Christian life is free, and it costs nothing to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is a lifelong subscription you pay for being a Christian. Ps 50:5 says “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

God is a God of covenants. He is interested in people of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the central theme of Christianity. The Church is founded upon the bedrock of sacrifice. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave HIS only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Sacrifices are flavours we need to add to our Christian life and service, if we are going to reach our world with the gospel of Christ.

The story of Abraham in this passage is a wonderful and famous story of that age, looking at the strange command God gave to Abraham and the strange obedience and all the strange issues in the command. Genesis 22:1-2: “And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

A. ISSUES IN THIS COMMAND

• The command – Genesis 22:2: “..Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of”
• The Person to be sacrificed – Isaac ‘’who thou loveth.. ’’not the bullocks, not thy servant, not thy steward of thy house, not an adopted son, not Ishmael- it is Isaac whom by name is your laughter – the child of covenant. This implies God is saying give me your heart, not your garment, as in Joel 2:12-13 – “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”
• The place of sacrifice – Land of Moriah. Moriah should be about 3 days journey enough for Abraham to have changed his mind – but his early rising, saddling, cleaving the wood to slay his only son of promise proved his deliberate and complete obedient. This suggests that the issue of laying down ones heart to work for God requires preparation, it should be a mindset, and it can’t be an emergency factor. It must be an elaborate adaptation to the will of God.
• The manner – offer him for a burnt offering. He must not only kill his dear son, but kill him as a sacrifice, kill him devotedly, kill him by rule, kill him with all pomp and ceremony with all seriousness and composure of mind, with which he used to offer his burnt offerings. This suggests that laying your heart at Calvary must be determined, must be for the sake of salvation – 1 Pet. 2:1-2. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”

B. WHAT IS SACRIFICE

As a worker in His vineyard, it means – a sacred rendering; a selling or giving up; act of yielding/ resigning in favour of.

Abraham broke a difficulty through obedience; the feat Lot’s wife could not achieve at Sodom. Remember Lot’s wife thought about her possessions, friends and other things and thought of going back.

At the point of laying your heart for your father’s business, it may appear a difficult and traumatic thing to do. Sometimes, it would appear as if God is contradicting Himself by trying to interrupt your life and plan, asking you to forgo your comforts, riches, etc., and seek righteousness first.

Sometimes, God would ask you to follow Him without giving any reason. Abraham would have been right if he had asked God why He wants him to kill the son of promise.

Abraham didn’t consider what his wife would ask him of her only son. This suggests that the issue of your determination to work for God or salvation does not require consultation with your wife or close associates. It is supposed to be a close matter to your heart only.

Abraham didn’t consider what the Egyptians, the Canaanites and the Perizzites who dwell in the land would say – the eternal reproach. This educates us that in your decision, you need not bother about reactions of your environment, your social friends, etc. It further emphasises that God’s command must not be disputed, but obeyed, and we must not consult with flesh and blood about them. Gal 1:15-16 says ’’But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, [even] from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood”

 C. UNDERSTANDING SACRIFICE

• No witness of heaven upon a man’s life without a sacrifice.
• God testifies concerning a man when He receives our sacrifices.
• Without faith you can’t offer an acceptable sacrifice.
• God is more interested in the man that is offering a sacrifice than in the sacrifice itself.

D. THE ROLE OF YOUR HEART IN SACRIFICE

• Your heart is the basis for sacrifice.
• Your heart determines your sacrifice.
• Developing your heart for sacrificial living.
• Offering the sacrifice that counts.

E. THE SACRIFICE OF SELF

• God considers your sacrifice of tremendous treasure and value.
• You or your body is required first in sacrifice before your gift, talents, time, money, energy or any other things.
• Why the sacrifice of self? – I Cor. 6:18-20 says ‘’Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.” And Mat. 6:33. says ‘’But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

F. CONCLUSION

Jesus had left us an example that can’t be waved aside. The patriarchs of old have done the same. What will you do for your maker in your own generation.

May God find a heart of sacrifice in you. 

Deacon Wole Bodunde