God loves sinners but He hates their sin. We see God’s love for sinners and His hatred of sin on Calvary’s cross. His love for sinners is seen in that He allowed Jesus to die on the cross for us. His hatred of sin is seen in His turning His face away from Jesus when Jesus bore the sin of the world on the cross.

People sometimes ask how a God of love can send people to Hell. What is Hell like? Hell is a place that God has forsaken completely – a place where God cannot be found. This earth has not been forsaken by God. That’s why there’s still so much of goodness and beauty on this earth.

Look at the beauty of creation, for example. Look at the decency and goodness there is in many human beings. Demons would like to possess ALL human beings, but they are unable to, because God has put a restraining wall around people, so that demons cannot do what they like. It is God’s mercy also that gives man health, prosperity and many other comforts. All these blessings are bestowed by God on both good and evil people. All this proves that God has not forsaken this world. But Hell is not like that. In Hell there is no mercy at all – because Hell is a truly God-forsaken place.

There is goodness in many unconverted people in this world, because the influences of God are still over them. But once they go to Hell, those very same people will become as evil as the devil himself – because the mercy of God will no longer be over their lives.

In Hell, people will experience for the first time what it is like to be totally forsaken by God. That was what Jesus experienced on the cross. Jesus experienced Hell on the cross for those three hours of darkness, when God actually forsook Him. There we see how much God hates sin.

So what is the answer? Can a God of love send people to Hell? The answer to that lies in the answer to this other question: Could a God of love allow His own Son to face Hell on the cross, when the sin of the world was upon Him? If He could do that, He can send people to Hell too. A God of love will turn His face away from those who continue in sin, who say to God, “I am not going to listen to you. I have chosen my own way and I will continue along it forever.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:1 (paraphrased) “A man who is corrected many times and refuses to accept correction will one day suddenly be destroyed and he will not have another chance”. If a man keeps on refusing God’s loving invitations, he is in real danger. Now I don’t want any of you over-sensitive brothers and sisters to feel condemned hearing that – because that verse was not written for those who fall into sin, but to warn those who love to sin and who want to continue in it. It was not written for those who try to live in purity but keep falling. It was written for rebels, who defy God and want to keep on sinning. How can you know whether you are a rebel? That’s very easy to find out. Just ask yourself whether you have a desire to repent and to turn back to God? If there’s even the slightest desire within you to turn to God and to love Him, then that proves that the Holy Spirit is still working in your life and that God is seeking to draw you to Himself. You may be a failure, but you are not a rebel. There is a vast difference between one who is failing and one who is rebelling.

Originally published by Zac Poonen

Jeremiah 17[17]Be not a terror to me; You are my refuge and my hope in the day of evil. [18]  Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed. Bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storms. True, it is written in God’s Word, “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;” and it is a great truth, that religion is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above; but experience tells us that if the course of the just be “As the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day,” yet sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods clouds cover the believer’s sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light.

There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked in the sunshine in the earlier stages of their Christian career; they have walked along the “green pastures” by the side of the “still waters,” but suddenly they find the glorious sky is clouded; instead of the Land of Goshen they have to tread the sandy desert; in the place of sweet waters, they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste, and they say, “Surely, if I were a child of God, this would not happen.” Oh! say not so, thou who art walking in darkness. The best of God’s saints must drink the wormwood; the dearest of His children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his harp from the willows. Perhaps the Lord allotted you at first a smooth and unclouded path, because you were weak and timid. He tempered the wind to the shorn lamb, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God’s full-grown children.

We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.

God bless you. Amen

Still there are Bible lessons and divine wisdom illustrated in reactions of characters in extremely hostile situations. You may someday find yourself in these tough situations …in which you are puzzled at the scale of opposition.  Also, often we do not see our flaws or at best underplay them … or we overreact to situations misreading them as unwelcoming….or we can simply work on our attitude .. to be more friendly. Whatever may be the scenario … many may need help someday to cope when conditions become very hateful either in the workplace or even in ministry.

TD Jakes gave his own thoughts and tips in his best-selling book “Ten Commandments of working in a hostile environment” …I listed them below:

• Know that you are anointed for the position
• Don’t expect to be appreciated
• Embrace opportunities for change
• Do the job well while remembering the vision
• Don’t let the environment get inside you
• Increase your capacity to work with difficult personalities
• Where you are is not where you are going
• Achieve optimal results with minimal confusion
• Don’t get into cliques and groups
• Always keep your song near you

The Bible has some examples…a few are summarised.

Joseph as a favoured pampered young visionary is initially presented as a tactless lad who talks too much and was quick to bring tales to his father on the adventures of his brothers. You could say this is a case of hostility that could have been avoided if adjustments to manners or attitude were made. Joseph narrowly escaped death in the hands of his own brothers.  Still, he avoided cliques, not allowing himself to be bitter and remained faithful to God till his story eventually changed.  You could say he kept His song

Genesis 37 [19]  And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. [20]  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

Isaac was a man who prospered in a famine and was consistently resisted till he finds his Rehoboth. In this case, envy and jealousy cause Isaac to simply move on to avoid further strife… reminding us that where we are now is not our final destination.

Genesis 26 [16]  And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. [17]  And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

David is being hunted down by Saul for years  - finding himself exposed to different enemies… it seems an entire geography became hostile to his existence.  To survive – David resorted to unusual methods to stay alive until God’s appointed time. David knew how to live without accolades and appreciation … he learnt of a source of joy – God, that sustained him through the strangest trials and harshest periods .. so can we..

I Samuel 21[12]  And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. [13]  And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

Scripture teaches that periods of hostility are also means for the Potter’s training and preparations to forge the best vessels as David, Joseph and Isaac.  Still, the devil finds these periods ideal for sowing deep discouragement and wrong thoughts and answers … focusing his baits to lure the battle-weary and inflicting emotional wounds and scars that only God must heal.  Many do not come out like the Bible stars.

Td Jakes ends his book “Dear brothers and sisters, I charge you to go forth into your workplace, no matter how hostile it may be, bathed in His anointing, knowing that you are blessed and highly favoured!  I wish you Godspeed on your journey and joy along the way!..”

… and if you feel hurt whether deserved or undeserved and you have damaged your testimony in not reacting the way this blog would have advised  or you have not yet emerged glittering like Joseph, Isaac or David… still go to Jesus to uphold you.

Matthew 12 [20]  A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering (dimly burning) wick He will not quench, till He brings justice and a just cause to victory. (Amp)

He must still bring you to His house of victory.  God bless you and remain always strong in Him. Amen

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him

Mourning Christian! why weepest thou? Art thou mourning over thine own corruptions? Look to thy perfect Lord, and remember, thou art complete in Him; thou art in God’s sight as perfect as if thou hadst never sinned; nay, more than that, the Lord our Righteousness hath put a divine garment upon thee, so that thou hast more than the righteousness of man–thou hast the righteousness of God. O Thou who art mourning by reason of inbred sin and depravity, remember, none of thy sins can condemn thee.

Thou hast learned to hate sin; but thou hast learned also to know that sin is not thine–it was laid upon Christ’s head. Thy standing is not in thyself–it is in Christ; thine acceptance is not in thyself, but in thy Lord; thou art as much accepted of God to-day, with all thy sinfulness, as thou wilt be when thou standest before His throne, free from all corruption. O, I beseech thee, lay hold on this precious thought,perfection in Christ! For thou art “complete in Him.” With thy Saviour’s garment on, thou art holy as the Holy one. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Christian, let thy heart rejoice, for thou art “accepted in the beloved”–what hast thou to fear? Let thy face ever wear a smile; live near thy Master; live in the suburbs of the Celestial City; for soon, when thy time has come, thou shalt rise up where thy Jesus sits, and reign at His right hand; and all this because the divine Lord “was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Isaiah [40:1]  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. [2]  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. 

Enjoy the video …It is well with my soul.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” Ps 25:5.

While I wait on you dear Lord, please lead me in your truth and teach me that which I need to know. While I wait, let it train my faith in thee that my life may serve the purpose for which you created it. While I wait let me not only wait patiently but may I be found waiting properly and profitably.

While I wait . . . At the proper place!  Oh thou Spirit of grace, truth and mercy, there is a place I need to stand and hear what God has to say to me, while I wait. Please lead me to the well Lahairoi, the well of the living God, that there I might meditate on God’s ways; that my wait be not a waste of precious time. O let my location and dwelling place be by this well – the well Lahairoi, the well of the living God who sees me . . . for that was how it was for Isaac.  “At that time Isaac was living in the southern part of Canaan near a place called “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.””
Gen 24:62 –CEV

hmm! What a dwelling place for a brother – by “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me!” What a dwelling place for Isaac while he was yet single!! While yet in this dispensation of life as a single brother too, may I realise that my mother’s tent may not be the right abode for me now. Though it has become vacant and available for me to move in, yet, it might hold too many rooms for me. And since there is no void in nature, I might fill it with what it’s not meant for. This might only end up as a ‘nest’ with too much temptation than I can bear.

If I begin to move in the vacant rooms of submission to authority, which my mother’s “death” has seemingly left for me to do as I like, and I am not moving in with another assigned mother to constrain me, I will only grow untamed into an unplanned recklessness. If I begin to explore the vacant rooms of “the need for feminine affection”, which Mother’s voice and cuddling used to provide, I will only lay myself wide open for flames of passion to consume. If I begin to fill mother’s vacant kitchen table with “food flasks” of strategising ladies, I may only end up on the laps of a strange Delilah who has no better interest than to cut the locks of anointing which mother spent her whole life to cultivate to maturity!

This was the unfortunate situation thrust on Jacob as he had to flee home, where mother was, to go fend for himself and pick a wife for his future. God’s grace in response to the blessing of a father eventually got him the will of God in Leah but his reckless flames of passion got him a Rachel along and his strategising wives complicated his future with two housegirls more, as wives. (Gen. 28-31).

Isaac’s place of residence by ‘The Well of The Living One Who Sees Me’ was therefore written for my own example and admonition. O that my heart will agree to dwell by my well Laharoi!

While I wait . . . For the greater profit! While I wait in God’s presence, things can only get better, I can only reap the benefits. When a man waits patiently in God’s presence, it can only be for his greater good. No evil can sneak in here to ruin me because I live by The Living One Who Sees Me! The emotional flames that threaten my soul are easily quenched by the Water from ‘The Well of The Living One Who Sees Me.’ This is a place of maximum security for my life and future because in it I am fenced in by the presence of The Living One Who Sees Me.

For as long as I make this my dwelling place, I shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, my fruit shall never miss its season, my leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever I do shall prosper, because my dwelling place is by ‘The Well of The Living One Who Sees Me.’
No wonder Isaac was never agitated, though Rebecca came only after he was forty years of age. By ‘The Well of The Living One Who Sees Me’, agitation cannot find a foothold because meditation is the order of the day and communion with the Holy one is the life there. He that is planted here shall make no haste, though the Lord may seem to tarry, for he knows that his Father doth spend the time to undertake for him.

He knows, he shall not need seven years of labor to secure his Rebecca; neither can he be tricked with a Leah instead of a Rachel, for the eyes of The Living One Who Sees him goes ahead of him.

Oh my Father and my God, while I wait here for you, please send your Spirit to where the damsels are learning to draw water from the well of life. Cast the lot Yourself that will secure the Rebecca for my life. Speak to her and those that have custody of her life . . . and relieve me of the dangerous assignment of choosing by myself at the wells of life. Bargain for her on my behalf and overcome all the delay tactics of reluctant in-laws. Who else but You can know on whom You have placed the same blessing that You already have pronounced on me? Together we shall possess the gate of our enemies and cause the purpose of our God to prosper in our generation. My waiting shall never be in vain. It was designed to bring me much profit.

While I wait . . . For the Proper Lessons!  Dear Lord, while I wait, may I learn my lessons and learn the principles that makes for a Godly union and home. While I wait, may I receive truths that You have kept for my future and my coupling. While I wait, may my spirit acquire the grace of the husbandman that will deliver me from being a mere “horseband”. While I wait for, and on the Lord now, may I learn how I shall bring her into my mother’s tent. Open my understanding that I may learn how to dwell with her with wisdom.

Help me now, so that when she comes, I may take her, this Rebecca and not another; take her for who she is, for what she is and for all that is in her. Thou God who is Thyself ‘LOVE’, create in me now, the heart that will love, even this your Rebecca for my life.

Lord, now, before her arrival, may I truly know the “death” of my mother. May she be permanently gone from the tent she occupied in my heart; for there is no way this Rebecca will come as a comfort, while ‘Sarah’, my mother lives, still in her tent within me. May I wait, learning and growing in this necessary death that will ensure that proper cleaving will ever take place.

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery…” Ephesians 5:31, 32

And as for me, Oh Lord, let this no more remain a mystery, but make it a life for me while I wait for, and on you. Amen. Let me not live to see my Rebecca struggle with my Sarah for space and attention in my heart while I watch, helplessly torn between two bosoms that I have come to love.
Lord, while I wait, let me learn how to recognise her when she comes. Let me know her before I know her. Let me be one with her in the spirit, lest I be confused by the dressing of prettier girls. When your Rebecca for my life comes, let not the Camels become my attraction, nor the myriads of ladies riding alongside her, lest I miss the real help meet for my life.

And when you come! . . . with her in hand, may joy unspeakable make me rise in divine recognition to joyfully receive her without doubt or struggle from Thy loving outstretched hands. May Grace within spring up to apply without a fault, all the lessons that the days of my waiting have quietly imparted to me.

Even so, Lord Jesus. Amen!

(Article originally published in Living Seed.org by Gbile Akanni)

Psalm 13 :1  How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? [2]  How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? [3]  Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; [4]  Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. [5]  But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. [6]  I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

What is it Lord that you want that I am not seeing?
What in my ignorant prayers am I failing to say?
Never before have I questioned the truth of your being
Never once have I dared – Never until today

All of a tremble I stand on the edge of confusion
Who is to save me – If into the darkness I fall?
Now that I need more than ever my God to be near me
Do you hear when I call? Are you there after all?

You have to be there, you have to
My life I have placed in thy keep
And without you I am drifting on a dark and stormy sea
You have to be there, you have to
Without you I’d drown in the deep
Too far, too far from land
The waters drag me down
I reach for your hand

And when I die who will open his arms to receive me?
Who will forgive me and take me and show me his face?
When I have gone to my rest, will you watch me and wake me?
When my time comes at last, will you grant me your grace?
I am so small on this Earth, I am nothing without you
Daring to doubt you at all is a knife to my heart
Little by little I’m losing my way in the shadows
I am losing my hope and the world falls apart

You have to be there, you have to
My life I have placed in thy keep
And without you I am drifting on a dark and stormy sea
You have to be there, you have to
Without you I’d drown in the deep
Too far, too far from land
The waters drag me down
I reach for your hand.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This stirring ballad is from Susan Boyle’s third full-length album, Someone to Watch Over Me. ABBA’s Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus originally wrote the song as “Du måste finnas” for the 1995 Swedish musical Kristina from Duvemåla. The show is based on a series of four novels by Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg set in the mid-19th century, which detail a family’s poverty-driven migration from Sweden to America…

Whatever..wherever …however … Reach out for the strong hand of Jesus.

Matthew 14 [30]  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. [31]  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Read post “The Hand of the Lord”

Many times we have looked at our challenges, difficulties or seen the decay in our nations or the dearth of truth in the wilderness of wandering saints … and like Moses say  “I’m standing here surrounded by 600,000 men on foot and God says, ‘I’ll give them meat, meat every day for a month.’ So where’s it coming from? Even if all the flocks and herds were butchered, would that be enough? Even if all the fish in the sea were caught, would that be enough?”

Have you asked… where is my help going to come from?  Where is the deliverance of our nations going to come from?

God answers Moses … Numbers 11[23]  And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

The Church does not believe God.  She trusts in her committees, taskforces … her means, her good men…her prayer bands and missionaries …her new found wealth.  The Church does not believe that by a strong hand and by fire there shall be an awesome revival.  She trusts in the flock, the crowds, her means … her leaders and the strong organisation … But God does not require this to move – good as they may be.

Doubt no more, take no thought of the worsening challenges or the defeats that appear imminent … instead consider that it is the Lord’s hand that is promised as your tool of deliverance and not yours or your weary allies.

God is speaking to someone and He says … you will see whether His word will come to pass or not.  All tend to have times of doubt when we think God has not accepted us, or cannot save us or is too weary to help us.  But look up again – O doubter …  Believe your God and you shall prosper.  The joy of the Lord is our strength. Look again … see Him and live.

Cursed sin of unbelief …be gone from us.  It is the gracious, loving, strong and long hand of the Lord that attends to the matters before our nations.

Has the sacrifice of Christ and the blood of Jesus lost its efficacy ?…Why do you distrust Christ with a mock humility that your sins are varied and many?  Is He unwilling to forgive? … Come to the foot of the cross and lay down all your burdens …exchange your waning strength for reliance on His sure hand.  Could you dare to trust Him and live again?

Take your eyes off the headlines of horror, do not be distracted by the voices that say “how can it be?” … God has not promised to deliver us by mortal hands  –  especially yours.

Still we must also remember that if we continually ignore His plea to believe Him, repent and choose instead to live as His constant enemy and oppressors of His saving truths … continuing to do as we please – be certain that His hand is also not short to send terrible and fiery plagues in His fury.

Numbers 11[31]  And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. [32]  And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. [33]  And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

But also remember …the hand of the Lord is not carte blanche or another free license to do as we wish… but guaranteed to all that truly seek him

Ezra 8 [22]  For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

Be ashamed of all you have looked up to for help … the band of soldiers and horsemen you have beckoned.  Lord, instead teach us to seek you and look to you.  You alone and you always it will henceforth be.  Help us to trust in your nail pierced hands.

The American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer once echoed the belief: “The next President needs to be a man of sincere, authentic, genuine Christian faith.”

But just as in times when the children of Israel demanded for a king of their own, initiating only a downward spiral … it is either that we discover that the righteousness of the best are filthy or we cannot converge given the dynamic of the times on what constitutes virtue.  Is the authentic man strict or tolerant?  Is the sincere man wise to be silent or bold in controversy? What is Christian faith and how do we recognise the genuine brand? Times of human choices tend to be times of prevailing ignorance.

Samuel was once irritated that men who cannot discern right from wrong wanted to have their own king … God reveals the agenda behind this apparently noble desire.

I Samuel 8 [5]  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. [6]  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. [7]  And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Men have always elected, irrespective of the methods they chose or their good intentions, to have a vassal to administer their grand program of rejection of the purposes of God.  The excuses of the age of Samuel and deviant children are not accorded any attention by God who understands real motives and sees thoughts before they alight.

Every election has always focused on the wrong problem …finding Mr. Perfect with perfect family and morality …rather than dealing with the overarching issues of rejection of God in all realms of life.  This does not advocate we elect cheap rats into office and even as Saul was tall, charismatic and seemed to fit the bill … God already foreknew this was a walking disaster perfectly suited for a people that abhorred repentance. Jesus had always known he would be hated when he told the parable … in Luke 19[14]  But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

Calling nations to repent appears not as germane to the issues of the day as the important calling to vote for sincere leaders unless wen consider the wisdom in Proverbs 8[16]  By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

The best and worst will only rule by the mercy and permission of God. This implies that our elections may seem to serve us well, but the problem of a displeased God will always haunt the most sincere dispensations of governance.

Amu Sullivan wrote in Time Magazine  “Often in modern politics, however, the conversation dwells at length on the question of religious motivation, which supporters and detractors alike believe tells them everything they need to know about a politician. The conservative supporters of a Republican candidate see opposition to homosexuality or evolution as evidence that the politician will support their entire agenda. And liberal detractors use the same beliefs to belittle the candidate as backwards and anti-science. Sometimes they’re both right. But not always. There are limits to what we can know about how a President would respond to real-world problems in real-time. And it’s their decisions, not their deity, that really matter.”

David confesses in Psalm 139[2]  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. … that God has unlimited knowledge of how everyone will respond to everything in every situation … even decades ahead.

Times of elections are particularly important times for prayers, to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy, to repent and call people back to their maker.  Far more important than discerning rash promises of men … that even those who pronounce have no way of knowing if they can keep.

Okey Onuzo

To be born again is an experience that has been explained in many ways. The most common explanation is that a person who receives Jesus Christ into his/her life as his or her personal Lord and Saviour is born again, and that is true to the spirit and letter of the Word of God.

Romans 10:8-11 (TLB) ⁸ For salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is what we preach—is already within easy reach of each of us; in fact, it is as near as our own hearts and mouths. ⁹For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation. ¹¹ For the Scriptures tell us that no one who believes in Christ will ever be disappointed.

It should be obvious to any serious seeker after the truth that this is a short summary of a very profound experience, which therefore calls for a broader explanation. One of the explanations that I find very useful is yet another summary and here it is.

John 1:10-13 (NIV) ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Children always resemble their parents in many ways. When they are young, sometimes this resemblance is not very obvious. As they get older, the adult features of their parents begin to take shape in them. They also resemble their parents in behavior. Their environment may modify their behavior here and there but there will always be quite a bit of their parents in them. This is true of the natural birth.

In the same way, when we are born of God spiritually, we may not resemble God in a whole lot of ways when we are spiritual babies. But one should expect that as we walk with God as our Father and talk with Him daily and study all that He has caused to be written for our instruction in the Bible, we grow to resemble Him in many ways.

The preacher told the story of a young boy who made a point of asking his dad for permission or clarification before he did anything. Even if you offered him food or drink, he would make it a point to clear it with his dad if it was ok to eat or drink it. He became a creature of habit. After a while he could tell how his dad would respond to many questions and sooner than later people began to say to his dad: “Your boy sure thinks and talks like you!”

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ told us that God is a Spirit. When we are born of God therefore, we are born of the Spirit. As spiritual babies we may still be sounding carnal or worldly for a while. But all that should change after a while if we make it a point to clear things with our Father and check out how to respond to our world from the Book that He has written for us – the Bible.

It is vital that we approach spiritual life in this natural way of growth and development. As children form opinions and views that are tied to the adults around them as they were growing up, so spiritual babies must imbibe opinions and views of the Lord Jesus Christ our mentor, Savior and Lord. To be born of the Spirit is the renewal that must originate from deep within us to transform the rest of our lives. The Holy Spirit of God, invisible and intangible though He may be, comes to dwell within us. His seat is our human spirit. From that vantage position, He renews our conscience and rebuilds our thoughts and feelings with the Word of God. He strengthens our will so it can make righteous and godly decisions consistently. In doing this He is constantly opposed by the flesh, the world and the devil. As He makes His inputs to make us into godly people, the attractions of the world through our senses make counter inputs in order to make us carnal or worldly. Here is the way the Bible explains this fight.

Galatians 5:16-18 (NLT) ¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. ¹⁷ The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. ¹⁸ But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

The weakness in the Law is that it lacks the power to compel from within. It uses the fear of punishment to deter us from the way of evil. But the way of the Spirit is different. God used the death of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary as the price to provide a spiritual leverage that empowers us:

Romans 8:3-5 (NCV)³ The law was without power, because the law was made weak by our sinful selves. But God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son to earth with the same human life that others use for sin. By sending his Son to be an offering to pay for sin, God used a human life to destroy sin. ⁴ He did this so that we could be the kind of people the law correctly wants us to be. Now we do not live following our sinful selves, but we live following the Spirit. ⁵ Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do.

The only way we can please God daily as His children born of His Holy Spirit, is to walk by or under the control of the Holy Spirit. That includes living by the Word of God because the Word of God contains the mind of God revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. We also please God when we obey the communion of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, which communion should always be in agreement with the principles of godliness in, if not the letter of the Bible. The law of the Spirit is the law of love:

John 13:34-35 (NKJV) ³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Let us resolve this year and for the rest of our lives to walk by the Spirit for this is the only way to please God on the earth. Besides, those who are born of the Spirit have no other choice than to follow the leading of the Spirit in all things.

John 4:23-24 (NLT) ²³ But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. ²⁴ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Galatians 5:25 (NLT) ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11-12 (NLT) ¹¹ No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. ¹² And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

John 3:6-8 (NKJV) ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The life of Enoch Adejare Adeboye is a fulfillment of the scriptures in Zechariah 4: 10 which declare, ”despise not the days of small beginnings.” Born in 1942 into a humble family in the village of Ifewara, Osun State located in the South-western part of Nigeria Enoch Adeboye often humorously states that his family was so poor that even the poor people called them poor. As a matter of fact, he unashamedly tells his congregation that he never owned shoes until he was eighteen years of age. What he possessed though were physical intangibles such as focus, consistency, diligence, ambition, a brilliant mind and a determination to succeed in life.

In 1956 Enoch Adeboye was admitted into Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, Osun State, Western Nigeria and as a youth he discovered a passion for books, and an aptitude for science and in particular the field of Mathematics. This led to an academic journey in the field of Mathematics against incredible odds including but not limited to finances, the Nigerian Civil War and academic politics. By the time he was done, Enoch Adeboye had obtained not only a Bachelors (BSc.) degree in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nnsukka, Nigeria in 1967, but also a Masters (MSc.) Degree in Hydrodynamics  and a Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria in 1969 and 1975 respectively.

One of the motivations for these academic achievements was Enoch Adeboye’s passionate desire to become the youngest Vice Chancellor (University President) of any one of the frontline Universities in Nigeria. It did seem that his academic ambition would be realized as his academic career flourished. However, this was not to be as a greater career awaited him in the service of the Lord. In 1967 Enoch Adeboye got married to his beloved wife Foluke Adenike Adeboye (nee Adeyokunnu).

Growing up as a nominal Anglican (Episcopalian), Enoch Adeboye had a vague knowledge that God existed in heaven but did not have or know that he needed to have a relationship with him until 1973 when together with his wife he walked into a most unimpressive building seeking divine intervention from personal challenges. This was the only premises at the time of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). The church RCCG was founded byRevd. J. O. Akindayomi, a man who though was illiterate had been supernaturally endowed with the ability to read the Yoruba (a native Nigerian dialect) version of the Holy Bible (translated from the Authorized King James Version). Even though both the environment and the Pastor (the founder himself) seemed unlikely to have anything to offer to a man of his status, Enoch Adeboye was unusually inspired and touched by the Word and also by the presence of God. On that very day, Enoch Adeboye committed his life totally to the Lord Jesus Christ and has since not looked back.

In 1973 Enoch Adeboye received the Lord Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour, joined RCCG and became baptized by immersion in water. Unknown to him though, the Lord had already informed the founder that ”a man of books” (a highly educated man) would soon join RCCG and eventually take over the mantle of leadership from him (the founder) whenever he passed away. As Enoch Adeboye joined and became an active member of RCCG, the founder began to personally mentor and groom him for the future assignment he was totally unaware of. He initially served as the sermon interpreter to the founder (from the native Yoruba dialect to the English language) and later was ordained a Pastor.

In 1977 when he was ordained a Pastor in RCCG, Enoch Adeboye manifested an incredible passion for the work of the Lord, pioneering Bible Study meetings, Crusades, Revivals, Outreaches and the evangelistic programs known as the Congress. These were very successfully conducted in various cities all over southwestern Nigeria.

By the time the founder passed away in 1980, RCCG had about 42 Parishes and this in those days was a great achievement. Although the founder left a sealed document pronouncing Enoch Adeboye as the succeeding General Overseer, his transition into office was not smooth but met with some resistance. In 1981 Enoch Adeboye was ordained the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. With time, Enoch Adeboye’s results could not be denied. With a childlike faith in the efficacy and power in the Word of God, his passion was to live a life of holiness and teach others to likewise live holy lives.

Of course the appointment as General Overseer immediately terminated all academic ambitions and Enoch Adeboye set his heart on taking RCCG to the next level of ministry. He introduced innovations into the ministry and in particular sought means whereby the elite in the society and professionals could experience ministry in a manner to which they were accustomed without compromising in the worship of God in Spirit and in truth. This led to the establishment of the “Model Parishes” through which countless millions in the upper echelons of the society have come to know the Lord. The poor, needy and downtrodden have not been ignored, as Enoch Adeboye has a deep compassion for souls.

Soon after the innovations came the Holy Ghost Services in the mid nineteen-eighties which featured a night of Praise, Worship, Prayer, Soul-winning, Deliverance, Testimonies and the Word once a month. Initially held on the premises of the Headquarters in Lagos space constraints required a change in location. This led to the purchase of a massive piece of uninhabited forest land located on the outskirts of Lagos, a haven of highway / armed robbers and kidnappers with a great company of pythons and wild animals. Enoch Adeboye moved his family to this “wilderness” he called the Redemption Camp, constructed a large auditorium and began to hold the Holy Ghost Services there.

To the glory of God, these services have been consistently held for over twenty years now and today, the crowds in attendance run in the millions every month. From the Redemption Camp, Enoch Adeboye faithfully travels many miles to work in Lagos and also ministers all over the world.

On 18th December 1998, Enoch Adeboye hosted the very first Holy Ghost Festival (open air meeting) in Nigeria with an attendance of over seven million people (CNN estimate). This most ambitious project in the form of an open air Worship Service was carried out in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria and in attendance were over seven million people as confirmed by the CNN aerial satellite. Not one person was lost or died in that throng and this feat was repeated the following year. In 1999 though, there were no less than twelve million worshippers present. This program has since been replaced with the annual 3-day Holy Ghost Congress held every December at the Redemption Camp. In addition to this is a Special 3-day Holy Ghost Program held in the first weekend of March yearly. At each and every one of these events, miracles, signs and wonders have become commonplace as the power of God moves freely to set free, heal, anoint, deliver, bless and empower.

Enoch Adeboye’s trade mark of humility is disarming and this endears him to people, enabling him to easily share his testimony of the Gospel. His passion for soul-winning feeds his passion for church-planting and through this, countless thousands have been inspired to follow him and likewise serve the Lord in the ministry. From that unimpressive building he walked into in 1973, the Lord has today through Enoch Adeboye built a Mission of over five thousand Churches all over the world (Nigeria, almost all the nations of Africa, the US, the UK, Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, India, China, Hong Kong, the Far East and even the Middle East). In the United States alone there are over five hundred Parishes and still increasing.

For several years, he has been honored to serve as Pastor and / or spiritual counselor to Heads of States, Ministers, political leaders and national decision-makers. At the same time, he endeavors to travel to minister in unreached places where others will not go.

To date, all over the world Enoch Adeboye has been conferred with several honorary degrees and national merit awards in appreciation of his contributions to humanity. In the 2009 Newsweek Elite Edition (January 5, 2009), he was listed as one of the Fifty Most Influential People In The World (No. 49 to be exact). For example the following are note-worthy:

1999 – Received honorary citizenship and key of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

2000 – Dedicated the first chapel in the Nigerian Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.

2005 – Received honorary citizenship and key of Dallas, Texas, USA.

2005 – Received honorary citizenship and key of Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

2008 – Awarded a National Honor (Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) by the Nigerian President

2009 – Led the Pre-Summit Prayers at the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations, Headquarters, New York.

2009 – Named one of ‘The World’s Fifty Most Powerful People’ by Newsweek Magazine (USA).

2009 – Awarded honorary doctorate degree – University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

2009 – Awarded honorary doctorate degree – University of Nigeria, Nsukka

2010 – Awarded a National Sports Honor (Spiritual Pillar of Nigerian Sports)

Though the above achievements are phenomenal, Enoch Adeboye never fails to give glory to the Lord, claiming that there are greater things ahead that the Lord will yet do.

To date, Enoch Adeboye’s profile includes:

Strategic casting of the worldwide vision of The Redeemed Christian Church of God

General Overseer with ultimate responsibility for over 12,000 churches in over 120 nations.

Author / Writer of the popular, globally-distributed daily devotional manual - Open Heavens.

Host / Convener / Main Preacher at the annual December three-day Holy Ghost Congress (open air meeting) in Nigeria with an average attendance of over six million people

Host / Convener / Main Preacher at the annual March three-day Special Holy Ghost Service (open air meeting) in Nigeria with an average attendance of over six million people

Host / Convener / Preacher at the monthly Holy Ghost Service (open air meeting) in Nigeria with an average attendance of over one million people

Host / Convener / Preacher at the quarterly Festival of Life (indoor revival meeting) in London, UK and various cities in the US with an average attendance of over fifty (UK) and seven thousand (US)

Host / Convener / Preacher at the Annual RCCG Conventions in Nigeria, UK and the US with an average attendance of over two million (Nigeria), twenty thousand (UK) and seven thousand (US)

Ordination of Pastors / Deacons during the Annual RCCG Conventions worldwide.

Convener of quarterly / annual RCCG Leadership and Discipleship Conferences and Retreats all over the world.

Author of over forty books published all over the world.

Extracted from the official site of Pastor E.A.Adeboye

Duncan Campbell (1898 – 28 March 1972) was a Scottish preacher, who led the Hebrides Revival, a mid-20th century religious revival in the Scottish Hebrides. It is interesting to note the perspective of this man even at a time when methods were generally mild compared to these days and when a Christian experience similar to the apostles in the early church was still observable.

Duncan Campbell wrote in 1956 “The Price and Power of Revival”…

“These are days of much activity in the field of church and mission work, but we do well to remember that no amount of activity in the King’s service will make up for neglect of the King Himself.  I do not believe that the devil is greatly concerned about getting between us and work: his great concern is getting between us and God.  Many a Christian worker has buried his spirituality in the grave of his activity.  It is possible to be doing a great deal in the name of religion, and yet not possible for it to be acceptable to God.  The word of God declares: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6)…We have introduced unspiritual ways and unscriptural activities in the field of evangelism, which, to my mind, threatens the very life of the church.  “I have proved,” said Mrs Penn-Lewis, “That the presence of God is more attractive than Spiritual Entertainment.  The truth is that we cannot compete with the world.  We must win by the force of something far above competition, and this is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.”  Glover said, “The early church conquered because the early church out-thought, out-lived and out-died the pagan.”  That is, they showed a quality of life that could only be explained in terms of the Holy Spirit.  Their work and witness leave us with no explanation apart from God.  How much we need to return to spiritual sanity that leads to repentance and true humility …”

The Holy Spirit still delivers from all bondage, addictions and cures us from the love of the world and all its glamour and attractions.  Spiritual entertainment will keep the audience applauding for performance while hearts still hurt and ache for the joy of the Lord …until the enemy of our soul strikes a final blow on an exposed soul that knows little of spiritual weapons that are not in any way carnal.

I also remember the words of an uncommon hymn…

Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted, now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone.

Chorus
All in all forever,   Only Jesus I’ll sing;
Everything is in Jesus, and Jesus is everything.

Once ’twas painful trying, now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, now the uttermost;
Once ’twas ceaseless holding,  now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting, now my anchor’s cast.

Once ’twas busy planning, now ’tis trustful prayer;
Once ’twas anxious caring, now He has the care;
Once ’twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking, now ’tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, now He uses me;
Once the pow’r I wanted, now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, now for Him alone.

Matthew 3 [8]  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: [9]  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  

Matthew 7 [13]  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: [14]  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. [15]  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. [16]  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? [17]  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. [18]  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. [19]  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. [20]  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Remain blessed.

(Author’s Blog)

A message that does not contribute to the eradication of poverty and empowers the deprived in the community, spreading country wealth cannot be the good news that Christ was anointed to preach … at best it is a contemporary sectarian heresy of the advantaged class or another subtle tool of oppression, in that it excludes Christ all together.

In this third part of a series on Money and the Bible, the focus is on biblical perspectives on poverty. Poverty can be described in absolute and relative terms and this often causes misunderstanding especially in a non-biblical mindset.  Absolute poverty or destitution refers to lack of the most basic human needs, which commonly includes safe water, nutrition, health care, basic education, adequate clothing and shelter. The absolutely poor are vulnerable and helpless beggars … lacking in the most common dignity, exposed to terror for lack of basic protection, shame, fear, corruption, disease and routinely abused.  Conservatively, over 2 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today. Many, who have never been exposed to absolute poverty, will often mistake the poor as mentioned in the Bible to always refer to relative poverty which pertains to lack of an acceptable level of resources as compared with others within a society.

To illustrate the income inequality between rich and poor countries, consider these facts: about 1.75 billion people live in extreme deprivation in education, health, and standard of living; 1.44 billion people out of the developing world’s 6.9 billion people live on $1.25 per day; 2.6 billion people are estimated to be living on less than $2 a day. Multidimensional poverty varies by region from three percent in Europe and Central Asia to 65% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Proverbs 10[15] The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; The destruction of the poor is their poverty….Proverbs 13[18] Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honoured. …Psalm 37[25] I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

The Bible does not ask any to be contented with absolute poverty – a monster that administers the evil trilogy of killing, stealing and destruction … for the poor die slowly but surely, all their hopes are devoured and their joys and faintest aspirations shattered. Scriptures teaching contentment must refer to relative poverty and do not advocate acceptance of afflictions for which Christ already paid an expensive price for deliverance. Jesus may have appeared relatively poor, but to have followers and supporters (even if few or limited) – He could not by any measure be counted as amongst the absolutely impoverished.  He had all His needs met and confidently sent the one in need to the mouth of a fish where there was money waiting.  The righteous Savour had no need to beg any mortal being … it cannot therefore be Christ-like to beg in shameful apparel.

Luke 4[18]  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, [19]  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

The poor are not waiting for a treatise on the Trinity, nor do they need the fine details of Eschatology … they need a present friend that sticks closer than all their long departed brothers … to just bring hope and lift them out of their despair. Since many have never known relative poverty, divine principles of contentment only confuse them – for they will be exceedingly overjoyed if sure of safety from the most basic health hazards and immune from waterborne death in the streams from which they daily drink and have their baths.  The only gospel … the good news that they need is that their tomorrow will be better than today.

Absolute poverty, associated with shame and  death is in distinct opposition to glory … and God is referred to as the King of Glory.  God, the King of Glory is burdened for the poor that they are lifted up to a fulfilled life.  Poverty is not necessarily always associated with sin, just as sickness and bondage is not necessarily due to sin … but just as sickness and death are closely allied in scripture with evil, a nation immersed in absolute poverty is dark in many regards. Eighteen of the 20 poorest countries by GDP per capita are in Africa … not surprising given the famine and war that have racked the continent for the better part of the last four decades … but this was also referred to as the dark continent.  The poorest nation outside of the African continent, Haiti has been beset by natural disasters, poor health conditions, drought and famine.  Demonic oppression, corruption and spiritual bondage are very strongly linked to poverty – which is perhaps why the bible refers to it as the destruction of the impoverished in Proverbs 10:15 .

The true gospel is good news to the poor … this means it is both spiritual to conquer the demonic and practical to bring at least a sustainable basic decent life and end corruption that causes suffering amidst adequate resources .  This does not mean the poor only hear a prosperity message, but they need a ministration that includes a love that is enough in deed and in truth to cause a fellowship that empowers them to stop weeping after the church service.  Indeed 60% of the world’s poorest in Sub-Saharan Africa must be admitted into the greater reality that the worst poverty is still spiritual poverty – a life without Christ that ultimately will bring eternal shame arising from the folly of not receiving His salvation.  But the wisdom of knowing Christ and possessing the righteousness of Christ also disqualifies from a destiny of slow starvation.

Proverbs 3[35]  The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Let’s pause to consider the concept of relative poverty  … driven by a competitive market-driven frenzy of acquisition and self-improvement … always beckoning us to “keep up with the joneses”… and use the gospel as a social ladder … deluding us with a false state of frustration orchestrated by the clever demon called mammon.  In Christ we have assurance that our basic needs are met and we can receive grace to abound or to be thankful if we must go through extended periods of relative lack. The fear of relative poverty is not the fear of God but of mammon – the harbinger of the prosperity gospel causing us to hoard divine treasure … holding on to much more than God has intended as we squander resources on excess we now percieve to be basic comforts … or live in constant envy and anxiety seeking that which we do not have any benefit from.

Philippians 4[11]  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. [12]  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. [13]  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. [14]  Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. [15]  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. [16]  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. [17]  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. [18]  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. [19]  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

For an unselfish moment, do let us remember the absolutely poor in their warfare against deep spiritual and physical afflictions … battles we may not ever have encountered.  They do not have access to basic infrastructure like electricity, nor do they have the motivation or the education to read this blog.

Remember they are often too battered mentally to recognise the differences between a Mormon, Catholic … Protestant.  They are too vulnerable to discern the prosperity preacher from the deeper reformed theologian.  But they understand and relate to the good news of a Saviour, Jesus Christ who sacrificed His very own life so they can leave the category of beggars clothed with shame and now join those who have put on a new glorious righteousness purchased by the blood of Christ and in so doing – also delivered, never to beg again.

Deuteronomy 15 [11]  For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

God must observe as disobedient a culture or progress that promotes wide chasms between the rich and the needy.  The hand of the prospered is not to be cautiously opened but rather opened wide … to brethren and not just to the relatively poor around us but more and especially so to the vulnerable widow, orphan and afflicted destitute.

Ezekiel 33 [30] “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’[31] “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.[32] “Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.[33] “And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

God help us all to do and not just hear your word. Amen

2 Kings 8[1]  Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. [2]  And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. [3]  And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. [4]  And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. [5]  And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. [6]  And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

It is difficult to expound on God’s truths about giving without appearing to be a hungry charlatan angling for help.  Many have twisted the scriptures and misused people and gifts given to God…others say God does not expect our tithes, offerings and first fruits…and instead give God the crumbs and remnants after we have consumed God’s money in our hands on wicked living.  With our appetite constantly whetted by consumer advertising telling us to borrow to spend on what we really do not need… how can we have anything for God?  The preacher is not allowed to talk about the needs of the temple…the Bible is not silent.  Hear what God is still saying.

Haggai 1[4]  Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? [5]  Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. [6]  Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. [7]  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. [8]  Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. [9]  Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

Dear friend, God is never mocked … God is His own judge and interpreter of all situations. In the passage is a woman who surrendered space and provision for the Prophet of God. God (not a preacher) does not only ensure she has a son (2 Kings 4:9-17)… but God brings back her son from death.  But that is not all.  When God calls for a famine, this woman is given an instruction to sojourn to the land of the Philistines …and she is blessed with a rare faith as she obeys.   The blessing of faith is a great blessing indeed.  Do you observe that the Philistines have food while God calls a famine on His own children.  God chastises His own and often just permits others to live as they wish and get away with anything.

In the end after the famine, she returns and cries for help to the King … and meets Gehazi – a servant who the Bible tells us served but not faithfully.  God still uses Gehazi to draw attention to this woman and the King orders an unusual restoration.  She is not just given her land…but all the fruit that would have been harvested for seven years if there had been no famine was also given to her in one single act of benevolence.

Gehazi, the other servant …the greedy person who knows the corridor of power well and who has mastered how to use God’s principles of giving but for His own selfish purpose … we read elsewhere ends up a leper.  Remember Gehazi was useful to ensure the woman was blessed.  The greedy huckster pastor – peddling advantage, prayers, even the gospel and books etc  does have his uses.

In summary…though seven years pass, but God has still not forgotten your gifts.  He will restore you. As for the many Gehazis in the temple – clever ones who have deceived many … God also knows.  Gehazi also got his surprise eventually – leprosy…

The greatest thing you can give to God is your heart …surrender it to Him, today.  let Christ be Lord of your life.

You may also want to read Part I.

Despite man’s advancement in many areas, human relationships continue to present problems all over the world. Business concerns and agencies spend huge sums employing personnel to promote harmony among workers. Well, one might think it is understandable that self-centred, unconverted people find it difficult to get along with each other, but surely when people are born-again and have become new creatures in Christ, such problems can never arise. For, after all, when God is the center of one’s life and service, what possible room can there be for the petty problems that besiege others?

Yet, sadly, no proof is needed of the fact that Christians fight and quarrel with each other, all over the world. Many are not even on speaking terms with some of their fellow-Christians; some cannot even stand the sight of certain other Christians. The Name of God continues to be disgraced in the world by the behaviour of professing believers. Jesus said that the world would identify His disciples by their intense love for one another. This was – generally speaking – literally fulfilled in the first two centuries of the Christian era. The world looked at the Christians with amazement then, and exclaimed, “Behold how these Christians love one another!” Today, the story is different and the world often says, “Behold how these Christians hate one another!”

Relationships are indeed most important. Gifts, talents, methods, techniques, programmes and finances are all secondary to people and to inter-personal relationships. The church can fulfil her God-ordained function as the light of the world only when there is true Christian fellowship among her members. Likewise, an individual believer can become a minister of life to others only when he himself has learned to live according to the law of love with his fellow-Christians.

The Bible plainly and repeatedly teaches that no Christian can have fellowship with God without fellowshipping with other believers. You cannot walk with God if you do not walk in love with your fellow-believer. The cross on which Jesus died had two planks – a vertical one and a horizontal one: Jesus came to bring peace not only between man and God (vertically) but also between man and man (horizontally). The vertical and the horizontal relationships go hand in hand. You cannot have the former if you ignore the latter.

John, the apostle of love, has some very strong words to say on this matter. One of the evidences, he says, of genuine conversion is that a man begins to love his fellow-Christians. If a man does not have this love, it is a sure indication that his conversion is spurious and that he is heading for eternal death (1 John 3:14). Doctrinal correctness was not the only test that the apostles applied to ascertain where a man stood in relation to God. Later on in the same letter, John says that if a man claims that he loves God while hating his brother, he is a liar. Mark that! The proper name for such a man is not “believer”, but rather, “liar”! And John’s logic is irresistible. He says a brother is visible whereas God is invisible. If you cannot love the visible, it is impossible to love the invisible. (1 Jn. 4:20).

Now compare this with the experience of most “believers.” Love for God is usually assessed in terms of busy activity in Christian work or in terms of rapturous feelings of delight experienced in a meeting. These can be most deceptive. I have come across believers who are out of fellowship with other Christians, who testify nevertheless to “wonderful times of prayer” and to “amazing results in service.” How could they possibly be walking with God when they have not even made an effort to settle matters with other members of God’s family against whom they have a grudge? Surely Satan has blinded their minds to the truth of Scripture!

Often, we do not realise what we deprive ourselves of, when fellowship is broken with other believers. The Bible tells us that we can discover the breadth, length, depth and height of Christ’s love and be filled with all the fullness of God only along “with all the saints” (Eph. 3:17-19). It is only as we know the reality of fellowship with the believers God places us with, that we shall be able to enter into an experiential understanding of the love of Christ and of the fullness of God.

The one – no matter the level of anointing, who cuts himself off from any fellow-Christian ( no matter how high or low in hierarchy), even for perhaps so called good reasons, thereby deprives himself of the experience of Christ’s love and grace which could have been his through that person. When we fail to live by the law of love, we rob ourselves of some of Christ’s riches and some of God’s fullness

Adapted from article by Zac Poonen

Money is to be regarded as a gift from God to be used to the glory of the giver, God.  We worship the giver and not the gift. We cannot therefore spend as we wish even if we can afford it knowing that we will give an account someday to the giver, God.

We are only stewards of all that has been entrusted in our care.  There are some principles worth recalling as we begin the year, even as we are blessed with funds.

I Corinthians 4[7]  For who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it , why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?

James 1 [17]  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1.God should be the ultimate beneficiary of how we spend money.  Money is thus another tool to be used to please God.  We must be thankful of the opportunity to steward even the smallest portions as for large sums, with the understanding that it may indeed be as difficult or even more tough to be found faithful when we are in possession of great wealth.

2.Do not allow money to master you by seeking for it at all costs.  This leads to devilish clamouring for opportunities and intrigues disguised as business savvy.  This love of money has led to murders of born and unborn, robbery, fraud or the more civilised sins of envy, subtle misrepresentation and exaggeration.

3.Do not be a borrower at all if you can help it, nor be a lender.  What you cannot afford to give, do not give as a loan so as not to create a chain of bitterness instead of love. If you must borrow, be very certain that the means of redemption is already within your reach…never borrow for lifestyle expenses.  Live as simply as the means God has made available to you dictates.

4.Enjoy simple living and resolve to be contented, never envying another for what they have or making comparisons.  God may have very good reasons for permitting certain persons to have a higher standard of wealth and living to accomplish their specific mission.  Do not imagine that the wealthy have an easier kingdom assignment.  To steward great wealth can be a very difficult examination requiring a greater reservoir of self control and patience than most have been prepared for.  Having more money than we can steward for God turns wealth to a destroyer.  Many families have generations gripped in various bondages …drugs, alcoholism, perversions, depression and early deaths  etc. mainly because of lack of disciplines that are needed to match great fortunes. Do not pray for wealth you cannot steward for God.

5.Impulsive buying and accumulation of non-essential gadgets will grieve the Giver who needs you as a conduit to direct funds to a need crying for provision.  The prayer of the one with excess funds should be for God to reveal the needs the extra funds are meant to meet.

6.God is not against luxury, entertainment and leisure, but how does this glorify God if this consumes most of the money of a Christian?  Visitors should be properly entertained and our homes should be comfortable and open to show a warm hospitality always. Partying and many celebrations are simply opportunities to show off and eat gluttonously and cannot glorify God. Certain forms of leisure such as viewing some films and some “innocent”  games and music genres can expose us to youthful lusts we have been admonished to flee from.  We are cautioned to be watchful.

7.The Christian keeps good records of money spent and budgets wisely.  The Bible is a book of records, numbers and specifications suggesting that God is exact and cares about the fine  details and so should we. Living carelessly expecting a miracle when we run out of cash is like testing God by jumping down a cliff.

8.Enjoy being a generous giver, giving without grumbling to several worthy causes also remembering to thank God always for the privilege of giving.  Investing more in people’s lives and the work of God than in shares or investments can be more satisfying and pleasing to God.

My favourite Bible verses as it relates to God and Money are from Philippians;

Philippians 4[12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. [13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Remain Blessed.

Adapted from Christian Conduct by Kayode Adesogan and Wealth Out of Ashes by the Blog Author, Bode Ososami.