Olabode Ososami's Blog, page 80

The Message Without Darkness – By Gbile Akanni

I would like you to come with me as we now begin to examine what are the Guideposts that helped and held the Patriarchs, the Elders, the men that have embraced this same faith that you and I are embracing today. What are the Guideposts that kept them? What are the issues they obeyed? What are the words that God taught them that kept their lives the way it was kept. And what gave them the victory that they had over the devil, over sin, over the flesh and over the world system?

God is calling you into a fellowship and these Guideposts, these instructions that the Lord passed on to our Elders, that the Lord passed on to men of the earlier generation of believers and that God has continued to pass on to anybody that would hereafter believe, they are the issues that would make you to also have fellowship …when they say with us, that us includes all the Apostles, all the Patriarchs, all the Elders, all the martyrs of the faith. It includes all those that have served God in one capacity or the other and who have gone to heaven to rest waiting for the rest of us to join them.

Now one of the reasons that we need to pay attention to these Guideposts is because the fellowship unto which God is calling us – and truly that fellowship is with the Father and with the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that fellowship is with all the believers all over the ages, all over the world; regardless of their tongue, regardless of their culture, regardless of their upbringing and regardless of their civilisation. This means that the truth that God has presented to us is timeless truth, its truth that cannot be localised: it is not affected by our culture or by our upbringing.

1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

It says – This then is the message which we have heard of Him. Now, this issue weighs heavily on my heart.  If you say you are in the light and you walk in the light then we have fellowship with the Father? Are you truly in fellowship with Him? When you come under the light of His Word, His blood cleanses us from all sin, His blood makes us right with Him. I am asking you – Are you in the light or are you walking in darkness?

This is the message that we heard from Him from the beginning. The Guidepost we are dealing with is the Message that does not allow darkness, that does not allow any shadow, that does not allow any cover-up! This is the Message that will take you to heaven.

If as we are listening to the Word of God here today you discover that your life is not straightforward, the contract you are doing is not straightforward, your relationship with your wife is not correct, why dont you bow down and repent right now? I dont want you to go about with the false hope that you are in fellowship: You are NOT in fellowship with our Father! In this regard, I do not know who your father is.

Bow your head right now and say – Jesus, dont let me run in vain, dont let me deceive men, dont let men deceive me! Bring me into light, bring my life into light, bring my activity into light, no more will I walk in darkness.

Bow your head. Surrender every darkness, bring it to the limelight of the Word of God and God will use the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from every sin.

(Read the complete message)

Wrong Corrections

Gen 48:18  And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

This devotional is not to encourage rebellion or disobedience – but it is possible that the correction you are proposing is wrong – not of God.  How can you be correcting your spiritual father or leader?  It is true that you appear to have observed the mistakes of a blind man and have said nothing but now you must correct the elder on an important matter. You are convinced that you have a clearer sight and keener senses?  Often when we notice failing physical senses, we conclude the spiritual is also in decline.  But not necessarily.  Your leader may be aging, but his spiritual insight may still be razor sharp. Indeed Joseph had observed the blindness and it was obvious that Jacob who was in need of a guide to be led around will need help in blessing correctly.  Joseph concludes that here was a man who was ready to plunge into error.  Joseph proceeded like any other would – moving decisively and meaning well to correct Jacob – but this was a wrong correction.

Often times, youth will observe the faltering steps and the shaky steps of elders and come quickly to the conclusion that God has ceased to work through His authority in a situation. Remember that physical aspects are often very different from spiritual …and being able to drive home unaided or push aggressively on a matter is extremely different from spiritual accuracy.

Joseph was young, strong – the star in Egypt – the Prime Minister of a great nation – but he was very wrong spiritually and had perhaps the right heart but his father had a discernment that was for the far future – a dimension completely unseen to the young Joseph.

It is great to be young and full of new initiative – but remember not to be quick in dismissing leadership and the perspective of fathers – we need them to see into dimensions too far for us to possibly understand … we will need fathers in touch with God to unravel mysteries that are beyond human insights.  Joseph was young – but wrong. Do not be quick to despise the elders and do value the role of fathers – spiritual and physical – who God has preserved to correct our zeal.  Fathers have gone through much that we do not know and have been shown far more than we can possibly discern.  Jacob had paid a heavy cost in his life to eventually understand that God does not need help – even that of the virile, intelligent and honest Joseph. Ponder over this – when next you are tempted to deride the counsel of those who have gone before us – in ministry.  The wisdom of past fathers is priceless. May our fathers not be like Eli …who gave control to vagabonds.

Song.

O Master, let me walk with thee in lowly paths of service free;

tell me thy secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.

Help me the slow of heart to move by some clear, winning word of love;

teach me the wayward feet to stay, and guide them in the homeward way.

Teach me thy patience; still with thee in closer, dearer company,

in work that keeps faith sweet and strong, in trust that triumphs over wrong;

Prayer : Lord, open my eyes O Lord.  Spare me from presumption. Amen

The Purpose of Difficulties and Trials by Zac Poonen

David faced many difficulties and trials over a period of about 13 years through which he finally became a man of God and a successful king. Years later, he wrote these words: “You have tested me O God. You have refined me as silver is refined. You allowed me to be trapped in nets. You allowed heavy, oppressive burdens to be laid on my back. You allowed men to ride over my head. You took me through the burning fire and then through icy-cold water. But finally, You brought me out into a place of spiritual abundance and anointing, where my cup is now overflowing with blessing to multitudes of people. Praise the Lord” (Psalms 66:10-12 – free paraphrase).

Saul, on the other hand, grew up in a rich home, and went straight from that life of comfort to become a king. He never faced any trials or difficulties. So he never knew God and he was a failure as a king.  Solomon, who came after David, also never faced any trials or difficulties. He grew up in ease and comfort as a prince in the royal palace. He also became a failure as a king.

These examples teach us that it is only through trials and difficulties that we can know God and be effective and successful in our ministry. This was what made Paul such a successful apostle too (Read 2 Cor.1:4-11; 11:23-33). This is why many preachers today, who have become rich by preaching the gospel, and who live in comfort, are neither spiritual themselves, nor godly examples to their flock.

God may have called you to be His servant. But don’t imagine that you are ready to serve Him, just because you were called. If you don’t go through long periods of trial faithfully, you cannot be a spiritual leader of God’s people. You will only end up like Saul and Solomon, and destroy yourself finally. So God will have to first take you through long periods of trial and difficulties. He will allow others to misunderstand you and to be jealous of you. He will allow them to suppress you and to oppress you. If you humble yourself (like David did) and trust God, in all these circumstances, God will bring you forth one day, into a place of abundance and blessing.   He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Also Read “RCCG at 60 – No more Business as Usual” for Highlights of the 60th Annual Convention themed “Come up Higher” ..

Read The Pilgrim Post

Abandoning Arrogance

Dr. Dong-Jin Cho, executive director of the Dong-Jin Cho Missiology Research Center delivering a lecture recently at the recent Korean World Mission conference  had this to say …”Seeing how Europe changed from 1910, we should pray that Korean churches do not change like Europe 100 years later,” warned Cho. “We must abandon arrogance and rely only on God.”  What does it mean to rely only on God in this jet age with several props, hi tech and helps. I have often wondered why many missions in the West started so well with deep fiery preachers but somehow the work could not keep moving up and many simply slipped into decline …. In the words of Dr Cho, I sense the scriptures speaking to my spirit.

Job 5:8   I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: 9  Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: 10  Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: 11  To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

Why do many scriptures emphasize humility and what does it mean.  According to wikipedia  … “Humility (adjectival form: humble) is the quality of being modest and respectful. Humility, in various interpretations, is widely seen as a virtue in many religious and philosophical traditions, being connected with notions of egolessness.The term “humility” comes from the Latin word humilitas, a noun related to the adjective humilis, which may be translated as “humble”, but also as “grounded”, “from the earth”, or “low”, since it derives in turns from humus (earth). See the English humus.[1]“

Humility is related to the word humus …from the earth …low.  Did you observe in Isaiah 6, the angels, as beautiful as they were and sang, still worshipped covering their face.  Why do angels need to be humble?   But this was the way they were accustomed to do as they brought their worship ..prostrate before God. Then I saw that God sets up on high those that be low.  We know what happened to the angels that set themselves up on high. Modern arrogance argues with the timeless truths of God. In the days of David …Uzzah was struck down for a subtle embellishment.  I see that trying to help God sets us immediately at the same level as God  for we can only help  those we at least equate ourselves to. Can we ever help the eagle we cannot even see as he soars and rests on the highest mountains or the mighty Lion searching for prey or can we help the sun burning with red heat?  Yet God created these..  It is worth meditating on what it means to rely only on God and abandon the arrogance that adds a little … and in many cases,  a great deal to suit the new appetite.  The height of arrogance is indeed helping God. Arrogance is having or showing an exaggerated opinion of one’s own knowledge, importance, merit, ability …being overbearingly proud. Today, pride has bowed to highest levels of arrogance and presumption….as scriptures are adapted in versions …primarily for the culture’s approval.

How will God keep me humble?  How must I humble myself? Who will check me if an arrogant spirit raises its head? Is it not true that the cousin of success is arrogance?  How must I succeed and yet drive off the bad relatives?   I perceive God trained His mighty instruments like Moses and David …over extended periods  of time …most of which appeared harsh, but primarily to help them see that they are nothing compared to God … like humus and not to deviate an inch from His word. I see I am far from where I need to be.  God help me. I am truly undone.

Perhaps when we eventually see that we are like the earth..like prints in the sand, that the waters can rush in and wipe off in a minute…then we would have positioned ourselves to remain useful for God for the long term.

Millions will gather (August 6th-12th, 2012) at the annual convention to mark 60 years of The Redeemed Christian Church of God – an awesome work of God moving in an emerging unlikely nation to prepare His army for Global Revival. The Theme is “Come Up Higher.”

The Author is editor of a New Christian News site – The Pilgrim Post

 

Blogging to Rebels

There are times when God helps us to see things very differently … like a man who boards a plane and takes off. He stares out of the window and the higher he goes, the different his perspective becomes. At the lowest level, he recognizes the people, the cars, admires the houses but as he comes higher these begin to disappear and look more alike until he does not see anyone again. Way up in the sky, the things that seemed so small, like the clouds now look so large and the things that seemed so important like the next door villa completely disappears from view. In the skies, he feels somehow more vulnerable to natural forces and fears even the storm may bring down the plane like a toy … life seems truly like vapor on an aircraft.

But if man goes even higher into outer space and were able to reach the sun …he now is like a speck before a huge bevy of galactic entities. His thoughts of how important or how correct he is vanishes. He is full of wonders and begins to think more of God. But still he is yet so far from the throne room of God …the most High. There are narratives of worshippers who went so high and found themselves in the very presence of God. I list only three here …Isaiah, Haggai and Ezekiel.

Isaiah saw God and said woe is me for I am undone . He receives a completely fresh understanding of his existence and calling. Isaiah discovers he is only a man of unclean lips who dwells amongst a people of unclean lips. Haggai went up high and abandoned his previous prosperity message and hears a different sound … for all to consider their ways

Hag 1:2   Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’S house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled 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. …

Ezekiel goes up higher and hears God. Eze 2:1  And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. 4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

It is far easier to come down. What a relief to leave the heavenlies and return to the familiar skies and to taxi down the runway of humanity again knowing that soon you will be greeted by all that you are used to. Your neighbors, people you see, your appointments for the week and your usual focus on yourself and the progress you need to make. How will you deliver the message of God …so different from the things men love to hear… to rebels? You then realize that you are just a pilgrim and your maker, the most High God will call you often to come … higher… and must remind other pilgrims….albeit at a time when they would rather watch the $14.4Billion Olympic games.

Isa 6:9   And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Hag 1:8   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. 10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

Ezekiel wonders how to blog to a rebellious people or what to say when they ask …what did God tell you?

The Author is Executive Editor of a New Christian Devotionals/News site … The Pilgrim Post.

Real Fire and False Fire by Zac Poonen

Zac Poonen

When we look at Jesus’ life, we don’t think only of His death at Calvary, but also of His whole life where He presented Himself to the Father fully saying, “A body Thou hast prepared for Me…..and I have come to do Thy will O God (in this body)” (Heb.10:5,7). Jesus never once did His own will in His body but only the Father’s. This is what it means to offer oneself as a burnt offering to God. This is what Paul exhorts us also to do in Romans 12:1. “Present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice to God….that you may prove what the will of God is” – exactly as Jesus did. This burnt offering was presented to God and burnt completely. The Bible says this was “a soothing aroma to the Lord” (Lev.1:17) – meaning something that God was very pleased with – “This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.”(Matt.3:17). Paul said that his life’s ambition too was to “please the Lord” (2 Cor.5:9).

When we present our bodies to the Lord, it is very easy to say, “Lord, I give my body totally to You.” But we don’t know whether we have offered it all, until we “cut it up”. We could be deceiving ourselves. What does it mean to cut it up and offer it piece by piece – as was done with the burnt offering? It means that we offer our bodily parts piece by piece to God.

We say, “Lord, here are my eyes. I have used them for the devil and for myself for the past many years, looking at and reading many things that offend You. But I am laying my eyes on the altar now. Never again do I want to use these eyes to look at or read anything that Jesus would not look at or read. I never want to sin with these eyes any more.”

We go next to the tongue and say, “Lord, here is my tongue. I have used this tongue for the devil and for myself for so many years, speaking whatever I liked, telling lies for my own gain, getting angry at people and gossiping and backbiting against others and accusing them. But I never want to do all that any more. Here is my tongue Lord. It is yours from this moment onwards – totally and completely.”

We go next to our hands and our feet and our bodily passions, one by one, and say the same thing: “Lord, here are the members of my body and my bodily passions, with which I have sinned and hurt You. Never again do I want to use these to please myself or to satisfy my lusts. They are all Yours.”

It is only as we cut each piece and lay them on the altar one by one, that we discover whether we really are offering our body totally to God or not. When the offering is cut into pieces and laid out on the altar fully, then you can say, “Now, Lord, let Your fire fall on the sacrifice and consume it.” We read in Leviticus 9:24 how the fire of God fell upon the burnt offering and consumed it. That fire is a picture of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire that comes to consume our sacrifice and to set our bodies on fire for God. But the fire never fell until every last piece of the burnt offering was placed on the altar.

What do Christians do when they don’t want to pay the price of yielding their bodies as a burnt offering and yet want to get the fire? They manufacture a false fire – a counterfeit one. And that is what we see in Leviticus 10:1,2: “Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron took firepans and put fire in them and offered strange fire before the Lord which He had not commanded them.” When we don’t have the real fire of God, and we want to be a part of those who have the real fire, the danger is that we can imitate what they have so as to be able to say, “Yes, we also got the fire. We also spoke in tongues!” God was so angry with Nadab and Abihu for imitating the real fire that He sent down another fire from His presence – this time not to consume the burnt offering but to consume these two hypocrites!

It is dangerous to imitate the real thing in spiritual matters. Yet, multitudes of Christians are doing this these days. They are being coached by preachers to speak in tongues, to work up their emotions and to experience psychosomatic “healings” (imagining that these are the same as being healed “in the Name of Jesus.”).

Those who have obtained the real fire from God have paid a price for it. They laid everything on the altar of God – their money, their eyes, their tongue, their hands, their all. They examined their lives and made sure that every piece of the burnt offering was on the altar; and God sent His fire on them. You watch the life of such a man, and you wish you had the same powerful anointing. But you are not willing to pay the same price for it and you still want to show others that you are anointed. It is then that you can do what Nadab and Abihu did – produce strange fire, work up your emotions, manufacture “tongues,” etc. Since more than 95% of believers don’t have spiritual discernment, you may be able to fool them that you have the real fire. But you know better than anyone else that what you have is self-produced and not from God. Beware! If God were to judge Christendom today in the way He judged Nadab and Abihu, I am sure that a lot of Christians would die.

Building Nations on Integrity

There are many platforms on which we can build.  The Bible says the wise man builds his house on the rock. Christ is the Rock.  But He was a man of integrity and He taught in Matthew 5:37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.  Indeed we have gone beyond yea and nay to complex contracts and agreements and still find integrity lacking.  It is fashionable for business to adapt the concept of integrity –  to “think straight and talk straight” to the best of their ability.  Some succeed and some did not.

Integrity goes well beyond what we say and mean  -  to the intentions we wish to convey to those with which we communicate.  These can be two very different things.  For example, a man with very inadequate qualifications for a role goes to attend an interview and genuinely forgets his credentials .  He is extremely well groomed, tall and confident … exuding a confidence that he could handle the job.  He arrives at the interview and disarms the panel with a smile and politeness.  When asked about his credentials he admits he forgot to bring them.  The panel cannot find his CV – somehow it is also missing.  They ask him only one question. Do you think you can do the job and are you qualified? He says “Yes, I think so,  God helping me” …. The panel quickly decide this is the man.  He is offered the job.  Six months later he is discovered to be a fraud, who is quick to promise but lacks capability to deliver. Surely God did not help him.

Integrity is not just about adhering to contracts and documents but forensic accountants know well that the lack of it thrives where there are scanty documentation.  Where things will not be put in writing – do not search far for lack of integrity. Lack of criminal evidence or documentation that supports wrong does not equate to integrity.  Most people with no integrity will never be caught at anything.  Most of the motivational hype and exaggerated positivism passing for the gospel in some quarters is far from building on integrity.

A man goes to the negotiating table to deal and gives the impression in his gestures, confidence and clever use of words that he has more resources than he really has to bring to the table.  The deal is signed and the partner discovers he has been too trusting and should have slowed down the process to verify some impressions.  The ability to creatively manipulate what our words were understood to mean (not necessarily what we said) is the mastery of the one who lacks integrity.  The penchant to use communications skillfully to misrepresent situations for disguised benefits is at the heart of Machiavellian success.  But integrity, though less popular, is to plainly admit right or wrong.

I  heard a case of a student who confessed after becoming a Christian that he cheated at the admission examinations to the university many years back and would rather have his degree withdrawn …ready to start afresh … building this time on integrity.  While open admission of wrong, failure or inadequacy is one of the hallmarks of integrity as it creates the opportunity for paradigm shifts and improvements and for new bolder thinking to emerge  – cleaving to what does not work is a sure evidence of its dearth.  We of course all have wounds we prefer hidden, but we also know these are always  like ugly boils hidden under our armpit where the fresh breeze cannot find and heal, but bacteria and flies have a way of reaching to delay full restoration.  Everything that God has opened up has been rescued from the arrows of lack of integrity.  There is a strong link between transparency and integrity. Freedom of press/access to information and the integrity of the polity are likewise linked.

A pastor once went to his supervising elder and confessed things were not working so well in the parish and that it may be wise to find someone more competent. Many will think this to be a negative confession and voicing of doubts … only a few prayerfully considered that perhaps God had a replacement waiting for this man’s resignation.  Where there is no integrity, people cling excessively to protect roles they have no  business occupying.  Resignation is honorable where integrity thrives.  God will need violent processes to uproot some.  Integrity requires self-control and discipline and is not achieved in a default mode.

Where there is lack of integrity,  positions and views are always changing to protect interests.  People do not speak bold truths that could hurt these interests ostensibly because they love God and it is not scriptural to say negative things  -  but really to protect self from a possible future disadvantage and for fear of change. The (spirit behind) motives for obeying scripture matter even more than the letter.  To understand lack of integrity and its result, study the story and nature of  Laban in the Bible. Go through the scriptures and carefully understand how Rachel was skillfully used as his bait and how Laban was not caught saying anything wrong or sinful … even once.

Laban would not let Jacob go, and tried to hold on to him with more tricks. What is the result of lack of integrity? It creates an addictive dependence on the flesh … meaning dependence on a person, system, group, interest, God father  -  anything but God, as lies are needed to cover more lies – and only the flesh (never the Spirit of God) can supply a continued dose of it.  There are temporal benefits but the eventual outcome is always mediocrity.

May God give us, our families and our nations –  good success as we hearken, trust and obey Him.  You can begin to build again. Amen

Curing Depression with Bible Habits

Does the Bible establish proven ways to help the depressed? I discovered five restorative habits from the narrative on Jabez. A recent article in Time Healthland reported findings from a new study on college students with depressive symptoms — recently described by its authors in the New YorkTimes — that they compulsively check email, watch many videos, spend a lot of time playing games and chatting, and frequently switch back and forth between applications. But there are indeed Bible habits that, if prayerfully applied, can be curative.

I Chronicles 4[9] And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. [10] And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Jabez excelled though born in very depressive circumstances (details are not given of causes of a deep and foundational genre of depression – it does not seem to matter) for it is said he was in spite of this – more honourable than his siblings.He did not need to seek expansion because he was already ahead in many ways, but Jabez was one to take risks to move forward. He did not thirst for blessings because he was in a rut … he simply wanted what God wanted for his life…knowing that is far more than we often imagine. Therein lies an important principle to shine out of depressive circumstances and that is to cultivate the habit of going to God for more. Going to God for more is neither pride nor disobedience. Rather it tells God who always has far more to give that we can ever be ready for, that we are set to be equipped for another mission impossible.

Jabez was not just asking for resources, but by seeking an enlargement of his coast, he was seeking God for expanded accountability. Seeking a greater and farther reach for impact and influence is not cheap … it will require more – emotionally, physically, financially… in all categories– and especially in our mind-set. Jabez wanted God’s hand with him i.e. to be God’s battle axe, acknowledging that evil was present all around him and especially in the places God’s hand will move him, but God will keep him from evil. Many do not see evil as evil and rather justify it or downplay it. Finally, Jabez acknowledges that blessings can cause even more depression without God’s help. God must grant our pleas.

In summary, I listed five easy to remember points as you go to God for His panacea for depression.

Challenge your current scope of influence – seek through prayer for more, be ready to be used in unfamiliar terrain. Be unafraid to start afresh. Put the past victories and hurt behind you. Practice the habit of new beginnings.
Be aware of the presence and mighty hand of God and lean on that strength, permitting that hand to take you where it wills. Practice the habit of devotion and quite times to hear God and discern his leadings for you. Be easy to lead. Learn to suffer as God’s Battle axe.
Evil is ever present and – good as you are – you were not made to defeat it without the Keeper of Israel. Do not trivialise the impact of evil or be anaesthetized to imagine you are immune. Ask God to always keep you from evil. Appreciate the victory in Christ and by His blood over and in spite of evil rather than justifying, accepting or underestimating evil and their destructive arrows. Practise the habit of being watchful.
There are blessings that grieve and those that add no sorrow. Simply dreaming big is foolhardy if God will not be there to help apply the brakes. The richest people can be the most vulnerable. Practice the habit of rejoicing in God’s brakes and not just in what you can get from Him.
Finally, God was pleased to grant Jabez that which he asked for. Practice the habit of living to please God. Our righteousness are like filthy rags, but simply asking God “ is what I am doing pleasing you?” can result in unexpected conversations. God is God and not the butler or errand boy. Fear and respect Him. Worship Him and Him alone.

The Bible says little of Jabez. But the testimony that God granted his request is enough to appreciate that he lived in a joy that defied depressive circumstances … complex plots that could not reach far enough to pull him down. Learn from Jabez. Do not hold your circumstances responsible … rather blame your self-justified docility – confused for virtuous meekness.

Wake up, stop staring at your computer screen … or randomly trying out new applications … or rehashing yesterday’s glitch. Get ready for something new. Celebrate the truth that the best of God is still in your future.  Enjoy reading Havard Business review article. Happiness will not be downloaded.

Till You Find Your Dream

Climb Ev’ry Mountain, from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music, is sung by the Mother Abbess to take every step towards attaining one’s dreams. We often do not hear much about dreams but they are important in the Bible. Men of vision, great dreams and foresight are rare. Having the guts to “ford every stream” … is perhaps even less common.

The expression to ford refers to a noun or verb …a place in a river which is so shallow that you can wade through … the act of walking through is to ford. There is a miracle for someone who truly believes in moving forward through the waters. The sea you see in front of you has an unseen ford and you are uniquely positioned to wade through where others sank. But you must move forward.

Joshua [13:1] Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

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This is the same Joshua who stepped into the Jordan river to see it part and possess the land in Joshua 3[15] And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) [16] That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. [17] And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

How come there was still so much land to be possessed for such a valiant man? Somewhere along the line Joshua felt accomplished, became hard to lead by the Spirit of God and eventually relaxed to accept yesterday’s victory. He did not read his frustrations as God pushing him through another impossible obstruction and started playing it safe and watching men. Our God is saying to someone to move on even higher …leave behind your frustrations …follow the light of God leading you and do not see the waters before you as impassable. I guess after what some may call quick-wins, Joshua now considers the terrain yet to be possessed unconquerable – with many blocks; forgetting that God has always accomplished the impossible with ease. Joshua grows old doing well but not achieving what God had destined.

Therefore …move forward, move up …keep moving … be frustrated with yesterday’s success … look up again …climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, ’til you find your dream!

 

A Special Father’s Day Devotional.

Before Jacob was born, he was already blessed because God had so ordained it. But can we accelerate the time of the Father’s blessing through craftiness leveraging a weak unsuspecting aging parent? Indeed it appeared to be so. But what did Jacob obtain from this venison inspired blessing garnished with falsehood? True blessings will not come through any means … nice as these blessings may sound in the ears of the deceived or the deceiver. Honour your father always with truth.

Genesis 27 [ [6] And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, [7] Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.

 … . [21] And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. [22] And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. [23] And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him. [24] And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am . …. [27] And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: [28] Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: [29] Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

The true father’s blessing is the transfer of what belongs to you by the Spirit of God through a father figure. Indeed Rebekah fooled the aging Isaac leveraging his weakness – a hunger for venison and misguided senses …but what did this produce but lies. It produced a wrong and painful courtship in the house of Laban to the alluring Rachel who introduced idolatry into his life. It was a premature and forced blessing that had nothing to offer but more foolishness, family trouble, guile, theft, conflict, pain, barrenness and ultimately death. But God had ordained that Jacob was going to be blessed and this was still his destiny despite false starts.

Eventually Jacob realises he picked up nothing but empty words and becomes a perpetual hunter for the blessing he knew was rightly his …having dreams and visions of blessings which he never quite entered into, wrestling with an angel who introduced a limp to slow down his surefooted plots. But it was not until in Genesis 35 when Jacob confronted all the strange gods in his household (Gen. 35:2…put away all the strange gods that are among you and be clean, and change your garments…”) – that he makes an altar in the place called Elbethel and God appears to the now broken and ready Jacob … eight chapters and many years after his self-willed deceptive encounter with his father, Isaac .

Genesis 35 [9] And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. [10] And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. [11] And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; [12] And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. [13] And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. [14] And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. [15] And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

Get rid of the idols, lies and strange gods. On this day, honour your earthly father – remembering that God has chosen him as an instrument of blessing for your life. Do not be in a hurry to move ahead of the direction and guidance of parents. Do not be envious of your brother who seems to have an edge over you – there is no need to scheme for that which is not being offered to you … shun competition. Your race is uniquely yours. Fathers, do not tempt your children to bribe you with gifts. The best thing you can give your children is not money – but the knowledge and fear of God in a culture that disdains God. Children, be careful how you treat your father. Deception will only harvest more deception. A bribe to obtain the love and endorsement of an aging dad may succeed to manipulate him but you will only have reaped the wind.

Jacob’s blessing was reserved for him and he still found it. You will still be blessed.