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.

 I Kings 18[44]  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot , and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. [45]  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.

Dear friend, that which has caused your confusion, blurred vision, despair and even sometimes ingratitude to God, murmurings and unforgiveness can be likened to a growing cloud.  A fast growing situation that seemed to get darker and more frustrating. For some it is a loneliness cloud or a family cloud, for others it is a scandal cloud and even worse for some a bereavement cloud.  Many seem to be under health-related clouds and others have found themselves in finance clouds.  For others, prayers and time seem to have cleared the clouds when still small …while yours seemed to get darker and larger and now looms pitch black.

Proverbs 16:15 says  “ … his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain”  …but what favour can be latent in growing clouds… I have adapted a story recently read to illustrate this …

“ A man, born in a small town, migrated from the town to a nearby city hundreds of miles away, and lived in the city for several decades.  One day, he told his grandson who had never been to this town, he would want him to see the house grandpa was born.  They embarked on a journey which started very well on a modern and smooth wide road, and his son chatted happily with grandpa in the public bus …laughing and enjoying the scenery, stopping for refreshments at a nearby restaurant.  Soon they arrived at a bus park … “we must walk now, it’s not far – under an hour or so” …Grandpa, took his nervous grandson who could not see any road but a rough dusty path which seemed to be leading nowhere.  “ Are you sure, Grandpa …surely this cannot lead anywhere?” ..as they travelled on the path, the road seemed to get narrower and all that could be seen was dark forest and skies now black – covered by huge trees.  Now the younger boy clings very nervously “shouldn’t we be turning back?” and then suddenly they could see an open field and they had arrived at the beautiful small town …”

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  The shepherd of our soul who guides us through all the issues of life to our eternal home from which He came.  If only we would cling to Him all the time and not just when the dark clouds come.  We cannot learn as well when we are distracted and preoccupied with pleasures and our eyes on trivial pursuits.

Psalm 119[71]  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

The Bible reminds us that all we call afflictions are light.  The time of great rain came as Ahab was told to go and “Prepare …” A Great Rain requires preparations … I need to learn afresh to steward the downpour from open heavens as God intended.   I need to learn to get my seed ready and understand afresh the principles of sowing as the ground will again receive the rain from heaven.  How must I be ready for the coming revival? What we need most before times of great blessings are times of intensive tutoring at the feet of the master.  Indeed the greater the rain, the greater and darker the cloud needs to be.  Soon the heavens will open, again.

Another story.  In 1773, William Cowper, became insane, imagining not only that he was condemned to hell eternally, but that God was commanding him to take his own life. After a year or so, he began again to recover. The last hymn Cow­per ev­er wrote was “God moves in a mysterious way”

Cow­per who oft­en strug­gled with de­press­ion and doubt, one night de­cid­ed to com­mit su­i­cide by drown­ing him­self. He called a cab and told the driv­er to take him to the Thames Riv­er. How­ev­er, a thick fog came down and pre­vent­ed them from find­ing the riv­er and after driv­ing around lost for a while, the cab­by fin­al­ly stopped and let Cow­per out. To Cowper’s sur­prise, he found him­self on his own door­step: God had sent the fog to preserve him from death. Even in our darkest mo­ments, God watch­es over us as Cowper writes in the famous hymn …

God moves in a mysterious way –His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea – and rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break – in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,but trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.

Do not despair at the sight of the black clouds that has enveloped nations, the church, families, businesses and even individuals.  It is an unusual act of preservation and an opportunity to rediscover the source of our strength, God – and to be prepared so we can be used to steward His favour and coming showers. The clouds are to preserve us … also helping us to recognise and repent of our selfishness, self reliance, human limitations and idols hampering the coming great revival.  Painful experiences and uncertain cloudy periods that lead us to cling closer to Jesus are great and necessary acts of divine providence as we approach final laps of history and the ushering of the greatest Holy Ghost revivals ever seen.

Okey Onuzo

All over the world there is a war going on that a Christian cannot afford to ignore. The Bible warns us that we must fight this war in the realm of the spirit if we do not want to fight it in reality. The prophet Amos captured this dangerous state of complacency when he stated:

Amos 6:1-3 (GW) ¹ How horrible it will be for those who are at ease in Zion, for those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, and for the heads of the leading nations, to whom the nation of Israel comes. ² Go to Calneh and look. Go from there to the great city of Hamath. Then go to Gath, the city of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?  ³ How horrible it will be for those who think that a day of disaster is far away. They bring the reign of violence closer.

There is nothing as tragic as dead religion because it leaves desensitized about spiritual realities that control life on earth. Here is a way to recognize dead religion: Amos 3:6-8 (ESV) ⁶ Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it? ⁷ “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. ⁸ The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?”

The lesson is in verses 6&7: Only what the LORD permits is allowed to happen on earth (Lam. 3:37). In verse 7, we are told that if you and I are in the area, we should pick-up the spiritual signals from heaven. This is similar to Genesis 18:17 (ESV) ¹⁷ The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

The LORD God Almighty is calling us all to a heightened state of spiritual vigilance that will nip many demonically engineered troubles in the bud. We are called to engage in strategic praying that will define and determine the course of His story in our lives and in our world. History is actually His story – the unveiling of all the divine permissions that came through in our world in our time. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ revealed this when He said to Simon Peter:Luke 22:31-32 (ESV) 

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, ³² but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Where did satan make this demand? Here are Scriptures to help us: Zechariah 3:1 (ESV) ¹ Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. This man of God went before the LORD of all the earth for empowerment and instruction necessary for effective and successful pilgrimage here on earth. But satan was there to resist him on the basis of his failings.

Revelation 12:10 (ESV) ¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

When we step out of the glory of His righteous covering over our lives to meddle with sin and the world, we empower satan to accuse us before the God of all the earth. When we pursue self-will rather than God’s will, we open our lives to attacks. This is because our covering is assured on the path of God’s will for our lives. When we pursue God’s will in God’s ways in our lives we reduce the avenues of attack on our lives to the barest minimum. Our God is a God of justice. He deploys His justice to protect His love from abuse. His longsuffering and mercy offered us grace so we the guilty can be covered and so be protected from His righteous judgments on sinners.

Psalm 85:6-8 (ESV) ⁶ Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? ⁷ Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. ⁸ Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.

God’s mercy has given us rest in His salvation and has empowered us to live in His peace in our time. But this is on the condition that we do not go back to folly. If we stay with God, He will reveal to us the plans of hell and the things that we do which empower them to seek permission to hurt us.

This is why we can no longer afford to be at ease in Zion in the year 2012. Abraham’s intercession revealed that we avoid disaster when we have enough righteous men and women in a place. Genesis 18:23-26 (ESV) ²³ Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?²⁴ Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” ²⁶ And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

What we must never do at anytime is to rely on another to carry the anointing that will keep the powers of hell away from where we are. We must take on the challenge of walking closely with God everyday of our lives so that heaven can endorse our spiritual authority here on earth for when we bind on earth, the LORD must bind in heaven for us for our authority to be effective. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ warned the people of His day of presumption: Luke 13:1-5 (ESV) ¹ There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

So much is happening around us here in Nigeria that we need every Christian soldier at his/her post exercising spiritual authority to kill off evil in the heavenly places. Lamenting about incessant tragedies now and again is like closing the door after the animals have all escaped. The Book of Job revealed to us that the day in heaven must precede the day on earth ( Job 1:6 & 13). We must join our battles long before the devils get a chance to accuse us before God. It is our lapses that empower the hordes of hell to seek permission against us for our God is righteous, true and just and so cannot permit without cause.

Take your authority and bind all vagabond spirits masquerading under the guise of religion all over this land. Release the twin angels of judgment and mercy to ravage the land – mercy to those who repent of their evils but judgment on those who persist in order to bring them to repentance, that the land may know peace again to the glory of God, Amen.

Dr. Onuzo is an acknowledged conference and seminar speaker in different parts of the world. He continues to be available for the work of the ministry despite his busy clinical work. He is also the Associate Pastor of the National Headquarter’s Church of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria. He is married to Mariam, a medical doctor and they have four children: Dilichi, Chinaza, Dinachi and Chibundu

The Bible presents two broad ways and dispensations when speaking of prospering and the principles of enterprise.  Both ways involve diligence particularly in sowing seed which refers to applying an input.  The input could be our business ideas, our career efforts, and our investments in skill development, sacrificial giving or even financial investments of our surplus.    These two ways are different but we often can confuse one for the other or be found in a mix, not really having left one approach fully while seeking to enter the other.

Egypt, in the Bible, was a luxurious and wealthy empire but for the children of Israel it represented the place of their captivity and bondage where they were enslaved to deliver target productions of bricks.  It represents a dispensation of wealth which enslaves the child of God to mammon – a wicked and crafty hard task master.  Egypt can appear welcoming, rewarding and fair – but has a natural disposition to kill, steal and destroy when the opportunity presents itself.  Canaan is the land of promise, flowing with milk and honey, but occupied by hostile tribes occupying cities with mighty walls, representing strongholds of thought – which must be pulled down.

Between Egypt and Canaan is the wilderness experience, a place where the Israelites grumbled and murmured – never understanding the ways of their God, but often seeing His acts of deliverance and miracles of provision.  In the wilderness, the Israelites though not in Egypt still think like Egypt but on a journey out of Egypt to the place of promise.  Only few of those who left Egypt enter the Promised Land, but a new generation of Israelites enter and become the citizens of the Land of milk and honey – the land of rest.

When we consider wealth, we see the three environments.  Egypt, The Promised Land, Canaan and The Wilderness.   We also should know where we are.  Many Christians are still struggling in the wilderness having left Egypt.  The unsaved are in Egypt. But wealth and beauty is in Canaan.

Deuteronomy 11[8] “Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, [9] “and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ [10]  “For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; [11]  “but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, [12]  “a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.

[13] ‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, [14] ‘then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. [15] ‘And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’ [16] “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, [17] “lest the LORD’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.

Ezekiel 29 [3]  Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. (KJV)

Psalms 95[8] “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial  in the wilderness, [9]  When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. [10]  For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.’ [11]  So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”

In  Holy Scriptures, we can locate our environment and seek salvation to enter into rest.  One can also see that the experience and expectations differ depending on where they are with God.  My prayer is that you enter the land that drinks water from the Rain of Heaven

Extracted from Wealth out of Ashes.

All over the world there seems to be crises – a siege of evil, be it in politics, economics, education, morality and particularly so in religion.  Depression seems to be lingering even longer than the over three years that God had ordained for it to be in the times of Ahab … causing many to ask, when are we going to experience the “rains” again.  The Bible indicates that God will often use dearth and oppression to draw the attention of His own to their false altars and remind His own, that the juxtaposition of Baal worship and worship of Jehovah in the palaces of Ahab may be convenient for Jezebel but is not acceptable to God who demands purity.  Still,  at the appointed time God turns the hearts of His own back by His divine intervention, and there will be showers again.

These are like the days of Ahab, an evil King, married to Jezebel the epitome of idolatry. Most prophets have been already killed –silenced by Jezebel’s baits, others dine and serve Ahab in his palaces – useful only to hide the hundreds who must remain concealed to protect their livelihood and thousands who had not bowed the knee to Baal but who also remain quiet as the altar of God remained in ruins, and the people who remain uncommitted, neutral … and Jezebel likes it so.   A broken altar always leads to trouble. It is man’s prerogative to boastfully scatter the altar of God … it is God’s to withhold rain and close the heavens.

And there was one isolated – Elijah (a man subject to like passions as we are, who prayed earnestly) and who at the appointed time was told to go and show himself to Ahab.  The encounter of Elijah with Ahab is bizarre …

I Kings [17]  And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? [18]  And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

At the United Nations, a world leader recently proclaimed that Religion is in the way of progress in advancement of Human rights without which peace is evasive … even as the liberal press all over the world continually labels the “narrow” paths of Christianity as offbeat to a search for global harmony and to be shunned if the troubles of civilisation are to cease.  We seem to miss the link between evil and continued recession… comatose to the decay that is the real undoing of the times.

At the time appointed God locates Elijah who lays the blame boldly at the feet of Ahab – the King that oversees the forsaking of God’s commandments (now termed legalism) and follows after Baal alongside the worship of Jehovah.  Elijah says it is Ahab’s creative syncretism and wickedness that has caused the recession and oppression.  Elijah knows something that Ahab does not know – and that is God has decided to end the period of suffering and usher in wellness and turn the hearts of His own back to Him again.

The confidence in God causes Elijah to challenge Ahab to a spiritual duel, repairing God’s altar and crying to God in prayer culminating in a dramatic divine intervention and slaughter of 450 of Baal’s prophets and another 400 prophets of the grove.

I Kings 18 [37]  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

I found an old prophetic message that speaks to the heart by Revd. Jackie McCullough delivered at an arena that dramatically foretells Elijah challenging Ahab and his alliances.

In 2012, God does a new thing and it will be well. The prophets of Baal and the prophets of the groove are in for a most horrible and terrible surprise. The sound of abundance of rain will be heard again unexpectedly even as God raises His own to repair the broken altar of the Lord.  A new purity of worship will be heralded as power is transferred from the wicked grip of Jezebel’s prophets and her political proxies and a new revival of justice, righteousness and Godliness will be evident.  This is the doing of the Lord.

Be on the right side.  Reflect on a previous blog post on Resolution to be a serious Christian in 2012.

I Kings 18[21]  And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Do not fret – if in Christ, instead be still and know …   If you are not in Christ, it is time to return.  The fire of God is about to fall.

Historians will often blame religion as the hidden driver of most crises – the tool most preferred for the most evil power schemes. Atheists suggest its elimination to pave way for new accord, the lukewarm embrace a compromise without savour and many others remain aloof, uncertain … but God indeed is sovereign in all the affairs of men.  One observes common patterns in different country situations … albeit more pronounced and violent in some scenarios than others.

Religious variation and extremism always play well in politics for those skilled in playing the right strings knowing well that the citizenry remain more loyal to religion and this bond can be exploited.   A country political leader in a multi-religious polity once openly said “Religion cannot be ignored as a potent weapon for mass mobilization…” How is religion best manipulated as a weapon of mobilization?  Again the Bible illustrates it in the case of Jeroboam, a King who successfully created and mentored a false religious order to hold on to power as he feared that pilgrimages to Jerusalem will ultimately threaten his kingdom.

I Kings 12[25]  Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. [26]  And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: [27]  If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. [28]  Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. [29]  And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. [30]  And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. [31]  And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

Political powers have an age-old fear and satanic envy of the allegiance and loyalty of followers of Christ.  The doctrines of the Bible if followed will protect the traditional family, outlaw murder of the unborn, eschew ostentation, corruption and greed but will cause an unpredictable social revolution and shifts of power.  That is why Christ says He did not come to make peace even as He is the Prince of Peace.  He is already peace for those who will reject their past life and accept Him. Today’s Jeroboams will not have that so they midwife their own genres of worship in bewildering variety. Obama, Clinton and indeed most successful power brands must legitimise their own brand of faith to retain the control they need …  new priests like Oprah Winfrey are not fortuitous.  Who is attending these temples and does this manipulation work? Watch the polls and votes for admired persons for a feel of the influence. To unseat the president, the faithful may have to choose between a Mormon, a repented serial adulterer and whatever else can survive “Jeroboam’s” political filter. The crisis is more spiritual than physical.

In  Nigeria, the pattern is similar but perhaps more physical, crude and even violent. Past hurts and injustices have perfected a religion of hatred, grabbing and competition for influence … secretly sponsored and operating through proxies to destabilise and possibly balkanise the nation for fiendish gain … a different Jeroboam.  The weaknesses of basic policing, security and judicial order make terror and fear the best appliances.  Unchecked repetition of religious manipulation and violence normalises and legitimizes its application on both sides of the warring fence.  All this consolidates “ Jeroboam’s agenda ” as there is no united voice or moral authority to address issues of corruption, nation building, abuse of power, moral, social and infrastructural decadence … and worse, terror and fear seem to insulate against true faith and the gospel. But why are “Jeroboams” successful at their wicked craft?

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia addressing the World Evangelical fellowship on 4^th May, 2001 said..

“Intolerance breeds injustice, injustice invariably leads to rebellion and retaliation, and these will lead to escalation on the part of making reconciliation impossible.  It would appear that during times of stress, despair and frustration, people become increasingly irrational, and do things which they never think they are capable of…and so we see hideous brutality perpetrated by the gentlest people….Once started religious strife has a tendency to go on and on, to become permanent feuds. Today, we see such intractable inter-religious wars in Northern Ireland, between Jews and Muslims and Christians in Palestine, Hindus and Muslims in South Asia and in many other places. Attempts to bring about peace have failed again and again and again.  Always the extremist elements invoking past injustices, imagined or real, will succeed in torpedoing the peace efforts and bringing about another bout of hostility.”

John 5[1]  Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. [2]  Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate  a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. [3]  Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [5]  One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. [6]  When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” [7]  “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” [8]  Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

Religion is like the scenario of the invalid for 38 years in the great company of other disabled … it just will not get better, and will continue to be a vassal for powers that know how to exploit it.  A friend said recently that crises are good… if it makes us go again to Christ and begin to live for eternity again, a day at a time.  Crises wakes slumbering powerless Christians, depleted – by carnalities (formerly called sin) of once possessed inner strength … trembling like Gideon in a cave …  in need of revival and reconnection to the arm of the Almighty via repentance and rededication.  Granted I thought my friend to be harsh to say this at a time when many still mourn losses of lives from the Christmas day explosions in Abuja, Nigeria and many do the right thing to vigorously reposition to protect their families and property from further attacks.

2012 is the year I must be strong in my inner-man to be salt and light … inner strength that produces external victories to evangelise as Christ ordered with not just my lifestyle but to tell everyone there is power for them to begin to walk again … making disciples for Christ.  Every one rescued from Jeroboam’s grip is one less potential spiritual or physical terrorist.  Every convert lost or follow-up postponed can easily be gain someday for captains of evil spreading another gospel.  My undoing is my refusal to be salt and light and actively spread the gospel as my Lord commanded.  Where I refuse to shine, darkness creeps in. God forgive me.

John 18 [36]  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. …John 12 [25]  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

What does it mean to hate our life in this world? Strong words used by Jesus. Hate does not mean tolerate or endure peaceably but implies strong passionate disdain.  Jeroboams succeed because we love our life and our vanities and convenience.

Jonah 2[8]  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Our enemy is not Islam, politicians, Jeroboam’s priests or another new religious proxy but the lying vanities we observe that are leveraged to manipulate us … that cause us to forsake our mercies.  Let 2012 be different. Holy Spirit, Revive us again. Let God do a New Thing. God have mercy on us all. Come to Jesus.

Pray for Nigeria. Pray for your country…Pray for your leaders. May 2012 be a different year.

Amen

It is the period for lists … more exactly I mean shopping and gift lists, as malls are crowded with people. Lists are necessary so we do not rely only on our memory for things that are important. Every item on a shopping list has a price, be it a mink coat, Ipad or a Christmas card – and may often require that we forgo something else to acquire that listed as important.

I have compiled my lists …these are thoughts, experiences and principles I would wish to be real in my life and never forget. I look at each list and items as having tagged prices all pleading for a different sacrifice from me … as I remember that Christmas is about Christ who paid for my salvation.

Romans 12 [12:1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Top Ten most Comforting Thoughts in the Bible

1. We are saved by faith in Christ and not by our works of righteousness
2. The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sins confessed to Him from which we repent
3. Death has no sting nor the grave any victory for the saint
4. God is faithful to supply all our needs according to His limitless riches
5. The mercy and love of God reaches to the heavens and unfathomable depths … none has ever stretched it to its limit.
6. Saints are safely kept in the palm of God’s hands … God looks after us.
7. Christ who has gone to prepare a home for His bride is soon coming back for His own.
8. God lays a table before us in the presence of our enemies …our cup overflows.
9. By the stripes on Jesus at the cross we already are healed … Divine health is already our portion
10. None of God’s children will be forsaken or have cause to beg

Top 7 most joyful experiences/narrations in The Bible

1. The conception of Sarah when the odds were completely against her bearing a heir for Abraham. God is faithful to do as He has promised you.
2. Jacob’s realisation that Joseph was still alive and well and prospering. Never say it is over.
3. The transformation of the mocked and barren Hannah to a mother of many. Wait on God
4. The marriage of Ruth – a hopeless Moabitess to the kinsman Boaz. Soon you will laugh.
5. The welcome of the returning Prodigal Son. You can return to Christ and receive a rousing welcome.
6. The woman at the tomb realises that Christ is risen … the tomb is empty. Jesus is alive
7. The rescue of Rahab the Prostitute from the annihilation of Jericho and admission into honour. Do not say God cannot use or rescue you.

Top 10 most attacked Principles in the Bible

1. God wants us to prosper only as our soul prospers … spiritual prosperity – a righteous walk comes first
2. The debtor is a servant to the lender. Escape the bondage of debt.
3. Many will profess doing great things in the name of Jesus … yet He will say I never knew you.
4. There is no greater virtue than knowing God … no higher calling or assignment than worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth
5. We cannot serve both God and Mammon – we all love one and hate the other.
6. Without holiness … no man can see God.
7. God created us for His pleasure and not the other way round
8. The wages of sin is death
9. The best and worst are yet to come in God’s Eternity. Heaven and Hell are real.
10. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. God does not change.

The name Joseph means add on or increase…as I meditated on his life before becoming Egypt’s Prime Minister, Joseph seemingly was in a place of decrease and decay, he was in a dungeon. It seemed he lived contrary to the prophetic symbolism of His name.  However looking at ‘the ways of the Spirit’ constraint and emptying is in line with the process of bringing him to a place of enlargement or fullness .  Psalm 105. verses 10-24 remind us of the constraint of the feet of Joseph, until the time of release.  Feet released synonymous with agility, movement, relocation.

Similarly the famine constrained the Patriarch Jacob to Canaan.  I often wondered how the place of promise and inheritance, called Canaan now ossified into a place of dire famine.  Selah! The previous and divine injunction to Jacobs’ Father and Grandfather was ‘not to go to Egypt.’   Egypt in this dispensation has been come a place of providence.

In Egypt Joseph (the DREAM) is alive.  When Jacobs’s sons brought back word to Jacob that Joseph was alive, it was subtle but it was A NEW THING!  it was clearly recorded in Genesis 45 verse 26b that Jacob’s heart fainted, be believed them NOT.  The heart of the man fainted because; his heart had been broken and sorely disappointed, how many nights of agony, or longing for the return of the DREAM…Joseph.  Joseph that was a cursor of the future.

In the meantime Joseph had sent wagons and cart loads of provision for the journey of his father and the brothers to Egypt.  Goshen was waiting for them…A New place  The Bible clearly records that in verse 27  when Jacob saw the carts his heart revived.   There is a place for ‘seeing carts!!!’  that is both convincing and reassuring.  It encourages faith and its revives the heart.  It was an invitation to move out from a place of decrease and decay. Its causes us to do cartwheels, no pun intended!!!!!

So Jacob leaves for Egypt but via Beersheba (Genesis 46 verse 1).  Beersheba the place of oath, the place of revelation, and the place where God visits again, and reassures Jacob of the ‘way of the spirit’ is to go to Egypt and the added benediction that Jehovah will make you ‘a great nation there’. A  In Egypt God increased his people greatly (Psalm 105 verse24). He added to them, they multiplied; the prophetic name of Joseph was fulfilled in a most unlikely place and a most unlikely time…A New thing

Article contributed by Abby Olufeyimi.  Abby is the Parish Pastor of Builder’s House (Redeemed Christian Church of God), U.K

The Redeemed Christian Church of God – Annual Holy Ghost Congress – themed “A New Thing” will hold Dec. 12th- 17^th 2011.  Be there. You can also join online to be strengthened in your spirit.  See Trailer below for details.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Isaiah 51:7-8 “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” 

There is that subtle conflict that faces a man doing his best to follow the ways of righteousness and order his life according to the laws of God. Deep in his heart he knows that what he is doing is the correct thing. It is the lasting and eternally profitable thing to do. But then the rest of the multitude around him are making fun of him as if he is the stupid one.
They make him feel as if he doesn’t know what he knows. They deride him as if he’s behind, he’s backward… he’s outdated. The pressure often comes from the fact that he is alone and they are a multitude. He alone sees the value of what he is standing upon; all the others see value in something else. Worse still, the multitude can readily point to the benefits of their own way but he has to tell one long, lonely story of someone else, somewhere who benefited from this his own righteous way. And he and his principles look unreal, unreliable and in all sense unreasonable. That is the problem. That is the pressure. That is the source of the “fear” that God was talking about.

Yes, the righteous way is a lonely way. The godly route is a narrow route, it doesn’t accommodate the multitude. It doesn’t, most times, accommodate “colleaguing”! It doesn’t allow conferencing! No! It doesn’t allow comparisons and competition with mates and acquaintances. Those that must go that way must look straight on . . . focussed, only on Jesus and His demands. And that is a real pressure on mortal minds like ours.

Many times we wonder if God “understands” this pressure. Many times we wish He will just allow us go the multitude way . . . and, as God, still brings His will to come to pass, after all He can do all things. Can He not? Why doesn’t God work through the normal easy way of least resistance that the world and her multitude normally advocate? Simply because, God is not a man! And he is not like the sons of men that will eventually buckle under pressure! He knows the way of the multitude is the way of man . . . slippery and untrustworthy! He knows that one day, these same confident boasting crowds of men will come around to repent and say “I’m sorry, I goofed, after all, I’m only a man”. So instead of bending to our cry to save us from the pressure of shame and kindred resistance, He simply looks us in the face and says . . . .

Isaiah 51:12-13
“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?”

Who are you . . . that you should be afraid? I think that is where the problem is. I think that is the real issue! Most righteous men do not realise who they are. They probably know the value of the principles they try to live by, but they do not know the real value of being a righteous man! That’s why God asks the question . . . “who are you? Or better still . . . “who do you think you are?” Let’s get the question is simpler English . . .

Isaiah 51:12-13 – Bible in Basic English
“I, even I, am your comforter: are you so poor in heart as to be in fear of man who will come to an end, and of the son of man who will be like grass? And you have given no thought to the Lord your Maker, by whom the heavens were stretched out, and the earth placed on its base; and you went all day in fear of the wrath of the cruel one, when he was making ready for your destruction. And where is the wrath of the cruel one?”

Are you so poor in heart? Are you so unaware of the riches of Grace available to the righteous man? Are you so in disconnect from the reservoir of divine resources available in God and available to whosoever follows Him? Why are we so poor in heart? . . . And has so undervalued our heritage? Why do we fear the multitude . . .? and shrink under their mockery and reviling? Is it not because we have lost sight of who we are and lost sight of who our God is? Is it not because we have forgotten His antecedents? The Fear of man is poverty of a kind, a poverty of the heart!

Our poverty in heart is a reflection of our poverty of memory. The simple matter is that we forget. We forgot our Red Sea and the “standing wall of water” for us to pass! We forgot that He did it again in Jordan by another way . . . So He can be trusted to do it again and again in a million and one ways, if He says so! We forgot the Manna which our fathers freely ate and knew not how it came! We forgot the water flowing from the Rock inside an acclaimed Desert! We forgot the pillar of cloud by day, for shade; and the pillar of fire by night, for protection!We forgot, we forget. That’s the problem. We always forget! And so we focus on the wrong things and fear the wrong person!

Why fear man if you fear God?! Why succumb to Man’s pressure if you have yielded to God’s command?! Why shrink under the multitude’s reproach, if you have accepted God’s assurances?!

Our poverty of heart is often also a poverty of faith and confidence in God! We believe men more than we believe God. We fear more than we have faith. Meanwhile, Fear is faith in the opposite direction. Fear and Faith are equal and opposite. Faith says, “I believe God is able to do what He has promised. Fear says, “I believe the Devil is able to do what he has threatened. Fear is the exact reciprocal of Faith. As Fear is increasing, Faith is decreasing. As Faith wells up in the believer’s heart, Fear ebbs out from his thoughts and emotions! As you feed your fear with the words of men, you starve your Faith of the Words of God. So, really, its up to the righteous man to decide what to allow to fill his mind. So, let’s do a turnaround today! Lets give honour to WHOM honour is due and fear to WHOM fear is due! Let’s change the focus of our heart and redirect the thoughts of our meditation. Let’s dwell on the law of God hidden in our hearts. Let’s dwell on the righteous principles we already know. And the fear and the reproach of the multitude will soon lose their pressure on us.

Isaiah 8:12-14 “Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

Originally published under the title the “Poverty of the Heart” by Gbile Akanni (Gleanings – www.livingseed.org)

Deuteronomy 31[6]  Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Let God do A New Thing in your life.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God – Annual Holy Ghost Congress – themed “A New Thing” will hold Dec. 12th- 17^th 2011.  As part of the yuletide events try something different to set the tone for the holiday season by attending. You can join online to be strengthened in your spirit.  See Trailer below for details.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Another jolly season is here and many are making preparations to spread tidings of joy in remembrance of the Saviour that was born. Even those who do not see Him as the only way to salvation can revel in social activities and attend services – to embrace the positive merry mood, applaud theatre and music production performance, hear the very best choral and poetic renditions, exchange gifts, light trees etc.  Some will of course add the usual humanitarian touch for flavour as they share food boxes and presents to the poor orphan.

The climax is the 25^th. … this year, a Sunday …  except that some are concerned that our reunions, feasts, outings and get-togethers conflict with normal humdrum morning and evening devotion  – even as churches outdo themselves to make the Christmas Sunday a day not easily forgotten.  Many on that day will say our worship is in Spirit and not bound by days, location and venues – and perhaps rightly so, elect to enjoy the company of family and loved ones.  Those who sacrifice minutes of kin camaraderie for devotion will not expect to be confronted by anything of much gravity and will instead be compensated with the Pastor’s very best performance.  If there is a day that happiness of members count – it is this day.

Granted, it spoils the mood to bring to fore that our appointed modern holiday seasons and worship rituals have mostly pagan origins.  These are like consistent and regular  “lite” viral inoculations to confer immunity against any invading deeper truths.   The challenge therefore is always to restore truths and leverage evangelism to achieve the opposite of what the god of this world planned i.e.  be religious as you shop, browse, eat, dance and be merry for this is the season of joy.

Proverbs 23 advises on what to do with the turkey knife at high-status events.

Proverbs 23[1]  When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: [2]  And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. [3]  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

Our ways are deceived because our measures are often wrong. Indeed our worship is in Spirit but it is also in truth. Our scorecard is God’s commendation.

2 Corinthians 10[18]  For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

For example, Jesus said of the church in Sardis – they were reputed for being alive whereas they were dead.  Everyone knew of their church meetings  …  the excited crowds singing unto the Lord at a fourth jam-packed service … all this, while Jesus holds His nose.  The stench of decay is not completely deodorized by the hype of the jamboree. The few at the Sardis Christmas service who receive spiritual life from the shortest message preached on any Sunday only wait for that growing word to be choked at the banquet planned later in the evening.  The error of the church in Sardis is still with some today … please read the Open Heavens Devotional “Wrong Measures, False Results”.   Traditions ossified by literature like the “Christmas Carol” have embedded the thinking  that spending, consumption and mirth is the model of the “generous “spirit.

Some financial advice – do not spend to impress.  This is hedonism if not plain waste. Christianity is typified by moderation … and really you do not need another gadget even if Apple thinks so … stick to your budget … the borrower is servant to the lender.

Let the occasion be one for evangelism, focusing on God, giving and spiritual uplifting.  Go against the grain … seek God in a different way – let it be a time for urgent restitutions.  Know that careful and elaborate preparations have been made by the enemy of our soul to see that once again, the god of this world ravages the souls of men.   I recently read ( I recommend you read the linked essay ) of a new evangelical spectrum – from “hyperfundamentalist” to “indifferentists” which I suspected to be recasting what in the book of Revelation Christ termed “Hot – Lukewarm – Cold”.  Perhaps what many call a balanced conservative middle-ground positioning was what was commanded to be spewed out. We can determine to be “scalding” in showing the love of Christ and in our giving in the season. It is a wonderful opportunity for many to know Christ as Lord and Saviour. Christ waits to welcome the sinner home.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God – Annual Holy Ghost Congress – themed “A New Thing” will hold Dec. 12th- 17^th 2011.  As part of the yuletide events try something different to set the tone for the holiday season by attending. You can join online to be strengthened in your spirit.  See Trailer below for details.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It does take guts to go completely against the grain by encouraging those uniquely gifted to serve God … remaining single – without sounding like Mother Superior.

We forget, all too conveniently, that Christ was single as well as the most prolific of contributors to the New Testament, Apostle Paul.  I published a related article by Brother Gbile on a different Deliverance from Earthwardness . Abby writes to her daughter …

Daughter dearest,

I have not written in a while, you know a proper letter, fold the paper and put it in an envelope (matching envelope please) seal the envelope and place the stamp (correct postage ) in the right hand corner of the envelope (and not up-side-down), letter!  I like the world of instant, Blackberry messengers, facetime, twitter, and facebook …but a letter…this will be one of the many I will be writing…it is my pledge to you  (nay to myself).

I was at the grocery store today and on offer were instant oats in all varieties and flavours. I settled for the long cooking one, nothing like soaking the oats in water with a pinch of salt (the way your Nana taught me) and then on low heat, simmer, the smell, the warmth…and then poured into a bowl and sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar. It’s the preparation….

And now to your question, ‘Mother give me 5 reasons why I shou1d remain single?’ It’s the preparation

I remember the words of the old Diana Ross and the Supremes song ‘you cann’t hurry love, you just have to wait….’ I may not have 5 reasons but I do know, that you are beautiful, and a treasure and a gift, God’s gift…I know this, but do you know this, do you believe this…at this time of your life you are being divinely prepared, all that you are and even going through is preparing you for LIFE…whether as a single young Lady or a married one

Are you enjoying the preparation or enduring you…are you being the best you? You for your Lord and You for yourself. Your singleness is a gift….a wonderful gift of God’s grace…a time for you to know You, discover you, love you…..and don’t get me wrong I am not saying that you cannot be YOU in a relationship, but so many women go into a relationship looking for the other person to ‘define’ them. I long for you Child to embrace your singleness and for the Lord’s Glory to come through… in every area, the vocation you chose, your creativity, in play and recreation, even in the hard places of life.

Another November, for it was in November my husband died and I too died, died to my ideal life but then came alive again … .and I went on ‘exeat’ to Chelsea yesterday. Popping into my favourite shops, the shop windows are such a delight, not shopping ( I lie, I did buy one or two things)  just browsing on Kings Road, hopping on the bus at the Duke of York Square  and off again, I treated myself to a cuppa (chai latte with soya milk extra hot and a sprinkling of cinnamon), I bought myself lunch at the Stockpot and I wondered if ‘Johnny English’ was showing yet at the Odeon for I will come and see it alone and laugh alone!!!!! I wondered in Anthropologie bought some soap and browsed through some books, a title grabbed me ‘the Happiness project’ hmmm wonder what that is about? In the middle of musings and browsing it occurred to me I have been a single woman for 15 years; having been previously married for 17 years. Almost half and half, can I honestly look at my 17 years of being married and claim they were better that the 15 years of being single….NO, not better, both gifts…it was Elizabeth Elliot through her writing, (some of the books are no longer in print) books like ‘Loneliness’ ‘Let me be Woman’ that I discovered (funny I read most of her books when I was married, that ‘singleness is a gift’…. and daughter dearest I pray you will fully live, embrace and appreciate your ‘gift’

With all my love always

Mum

(this letter was first posted to http://www.milkandhoneymedia.co.uk/5-reasons-you-should-stay-single/ and is written by Abby Olufeyimi . Abby is the Parish Pastor of Builder’s House (The Redeemed Christian Church of God), a church plant and community outreach of Jesus House (RCCG), England)

“O that my heart was pre-conditioned to seek Thy face!  O that my reins would evermore long for Thy presence!  O that my mind, my thoughts and imaginations are perpetually fixed on Thee! And my words, my deed, my daily traffic, all completely centred on You.” Prayer by Brother Gbile Akanni.

Enjoy related video by John Piper …

John Piper interview from women's katoomba convention from kcc on Vimeo.