TINUOLA.

Dear Friend,

You left without saying goodbye….. your family said you knew it was time…but to me, you left suddenly. Babe, you promised me something and obviously, you cannot fulfill it anymore and as I type this, I weep; I feel my head ache after so much tears but I still cry. It hurts me that I could not come for your baby’s dedication several months ago but I could spare time for a condolence visit now that you are no more. I AM SO SORRY!

Celebrating you as your mother said, I came to identify the joy of you being among the lucky few who were given “notice period” for their end date….and as a sharp babe, you made peace with all men and with your creator; I know that you are with Christ. I am still here in this sinful world wondering what tomorrow will bring meanwhile, because of His love for you, He has saved you from further pain.

This is my way of bidding you farewell my dear friend, this is to say “death where is your sting”. I pray none of your family or friend will have to go this way, your death sends a message to us all; it says

·         It could be sudden, it could be gradual, we will leave one day; where am I going to spend my eternity?

·         Go for cancer screening, there is no age that is too young.

AND I STILL WEEP; I WILL MISS YOU MY FRIEND.

BLESS ME FATHER!!!

In the Holy Bible, we have passages declaring blessings on the children of God. I try praying and meditating with those passages and claiming them for me and my family; but the passage below opened my eyes to a whole new way of personalizing these blessings.

And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:16.

Just like the regular tales of childhood that every mother tells a grown child, imagine being told by your mother that when you were younger, Jesus Christ came to preach in the neighborhood and before the end of his preaching, he called you and your friends out and blessed you.

I know that if I was told that kind of story, my outlook on life will differ. Whenever I want to make a decision, it would be easier; whenever I face challenges, I would be at peace; whenever I face trials i will pray with greater conviction that I am being heard; because I know that the Son Himself placed HIS hands on me and blessed me. I will close my eyes every time I need to feel HIM close to me and my whole world will be at peace.

But really, since the bible was written from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, every word in it should be personalized; every blessing written is from the mouth of our Creator and is to be treated as such. So, from now on;

·         I will walk as if I can see the angels on guard around me (a thousand shall fall by my right...)

·         I will plan as if God HIMSELF gave me the implementation plan (a voice in my ear...).

·         I will pray as if I am the Assistant Commander in Chief of the Host of Heaven (Those who rise against me shall be confounded....).

·         I will speak as if “like Moses” I hear from the Most High’s mouth directly (My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth..)

·         I will decree things as if they already are (Arise, shine, for your light has come ...)

·         I will live because His word to me is “I am the God of ALL flesh…Is there anything too difficult for me to do”

Because already in all areas...I am blessed.

What of you? Will you?

Shallom!!!

BURNING QUESTION 1 (MAN & LAW)

When I look at the laws of Moses which was straight from the Lord’s mouth and the Holy Bible; both are meant to guide mortal steps with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew chapter 12 and John 4 struck a chord in me.

1.       Jesus’ disciples were acting contrary to the law and Jesus said “it’s alright”. Does this mean that;

·         The law laid down by God himself from Moses does not matter here?

·         They have not done contrary to the will of God?

·         Things are not as it seems?

 

2.       Let’s look at when the adulterous woman was brought to him also; the Lord says “Neither do I condemn you..” From that moment ALL her sins have been forgiven her!

·         If she will pass by your husband and you “keep an eye” on her…YOU ARE THE SINNER.

·         If she preach the gospel to you and you scoff at her…. YOU WILL BE CONDEMED

3.       By the well with the Samaritan woman when Jesus says “the man you now have is not your husband….” Does this mean that..

·         Where the world sees her as being a wife the 5^th time, Christ saw her as a single woman?

·         So, where God says “I hate divorce” does not apply to her because she can leave her current “husband” and God will not mark her books that she is divorced!

·         If a man is to be directed to her from heaven, will the man be told that she never had a husband?

These three instances tell us that “Judgment is mine.. says the Lord”!!!  That woman/man you think it’s glaring is a sinner might not be; while you who are pointing the accusing finger have sinned. Remember that Christ spoke about those who will be tod "depart from me.... i know you not..."

The word of God says Christ’s crucifixion has stopped the curse of the law from being a curse for us. It is written that cursed is he that hanged on a tree. But from that “hanging”, redemption came to mankind. 

That is why we.. who are lawful captives can be set free from all curses, from all debts (known or unknown).

JUDGE NOT! HOLY SPIRIT… TEACH US. 

 SHALLOM!!!

NEW

The end and the beginning of a year signify many things to many people.  We “take stock”, thinking of where we are coming from, where we are, where we are going and how we get there and we make resolutions. I have stopped tagging them resolutions a long time ago but I have things I want to do in a new year and this year is no different. I need to make a move on some things as soon as possible and I have started making the move on others.

We do resolutions to do some things differently, to do some new things and/or to stop old habits. A lot of us got new things for ourselves as the year was rounding up and if we are the selfless type, we also bought for friends and/or family.

God is also giving and doing new things. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

Do you need to key into this scripture for the new things expected for this year? Those seemingly impossible things you want?  Those “pipe dreams” you talk yourself out of? Those "way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland" dreams? It's time for it to come true.

 

Please sit up, take action and key into the new things God is prepared to do because He has more than enough to go round.

SPECIAL!!!

I look out across the lagoon this special morning and realized how special humans are and how wonderful God is. Looking at the water, it came to me that water does not have replacement; it’s either water or others.

As the bible rightly says, the human mind cannot comprehend the magnitude of God whose names are (but not limited to); the MOST HIGH GOD, the LIVING GOD, the UNCHANGEABLE CHANGER, the MERCIFUL GOD, the LORD STRONG AND MIGHTY, the I AM THAT IAM, GOD THE FATHER.

Everything created by God for those 6 days + humans does not have a replacement.

·         You can’t compare natural daylight with artificial lightening

·         You can’t have a structure/pillar as solid as the separation of sky from ground

·         No dam can separate the water of the whole world as God did to bring land

·         No supplement can take the place of farm-grown plants; either leaf, seed, tuber,  e.t.c.

·         Beef or fish are in a class of their own.

·         What about the Sun, Moon and Stars?  They are a masterpiece. Setting seasons and times.

·         LAST CAME THE MAN IN GOD’S IMAGE AND LIKENESS.

I was created by God and do not have a substitute. No one else has my genetic makeup. No laboratory can re-create the most useless part of me (my excrete) with all its contents and ..yes, nutrients.  I am special.

On this special day, I am saying to my special God a special THANK YOU for being my God. He did not die for me because I am faithful or holy, not my parents’ purity or my ancestors’ righteousness; it’s God’s grace and mercy upon me.

I am not a limited edition, I am not one in a million, it’s just me in the whole world. I AM SPECIAL

PRAY FOR THE SAMSON IN ME. (Judges)

In Chapter 14 and 16, Samson fell in love; but he did not fall in love according to the will of God for Israelites; he fell in love OUTSIDE the will of God; for someone who “led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines” Judges 15:20, he cannot claim ignorance of the law of the Lord which forbids them from marrying from the Philistines!

Since none of Samson’s love do not stand for anything of God, it means that they have alliances, groups and caucus of several people not of God. This simply means that in loving Delilah, Samson is now within the reach of lots of things/persons/danger not of God.

Samson’s love, Delilah showed her treacherous side several times but Samson was able to overcome her because he preserved what/who he is; he was able to keep that thing linking him to Heaven….His Hair! Until he let down his guard thinking “it is nothing” and he met his death from that single decision.

I have my own Delilah (e.g. idle talks) that I am yet to let go of totally and I know it is dangerous even though talking is not a sin.  Even though the school of thought says that “it is nothing” even though I know better; it could LEAD to sin (gossip, backbiting, lies, e.t.c.).

What is your Delilah?

·         Like me, is it idle talk which could lead to gossip, backbiting and/or lies.

·         Love of food which makes it difficult for you to fast.

·         Sleep, that affects your prayer times ALWAYS.

·         Watching many movies which consume your time so much that you don’t study your bible.

·         Gossip which is almost the same as backbiting and could also be lying.

·         “Harmless lies” which grows into harmful lies.

·         Aggressive ambition which leads you to do/go what/where you are not supposed to do/go.

·         Procrastination

·         Let the Holy Spirit reveal several others hiding in you…..

Just like Samson, these “harmless” sins can kill our spiritual strength. It can wreck homes, ministries and even generations (ask Gehazi). If not for the Grace of God, I would have been consumed. The flaw that has destroyed many did not destroy me because of Grace. The “gist” that have sent some people to jail did not cross my ears at that time (I’m serious oh).

I still pray for the removal of Delilah from me and I pray it will not kill nor destroy me before it is gone. Are you praying for the Samson in you not to fall in the hands of Delilah? Do you have faith that God can do it? Don’t forget that faith without work is dead; as you pray about it, and you have the grace to manage it, please work towards letting it go.

 If not for the grace of God where will I have been? 2 Corinthians 12: 8-10.

That’s why it is called AMAZING GRACE.

THINKING OF GEHAZI!!! (2kings)

When people demand bribe and generally act in a corrupt manner, we fail to acknowledge greed in their action but easily “pass the buck” to poverty. Today, we are introduced to Gehazi in chapter 4 and from the little things to the big thing he did I can’t help but think he is naturally just a bad person hiding under the shadow of a prophet.

Before Elisha could sentence Gehazi and his generation to an eternity of leprosy, it was an accumulation of previous grievous faults (written and not written in the bible) because I am sure Elisha had come a long way from the Elisha in Chapter 2 who caused the death of 42 boys!

Gehazi shows us that not everyone working with a Man of God is Godly. Gehazi also shows us that we should not label a ministry from the behavior of the workers in that ministry. Even our lord Jesus Christ had a traitor/thief among his disciples! Judas was there for a reason but I still wonder why Gehazi was placed with Elisha.

Nobody is immune to the vices of the devil including people working in the Lord’s vineyard; so we should be as careful when interacting with them too.

We were charged to “test the spirit”; let’s not forget that.

SHALLOM!!!

PATIENCE

I am sure we have all wondered why father Abraham will go into his wife’s maid despite the assurance from God Himself that Abraham and Sarah will be parents to a whole nation.

o   Are you righteously thinking of the Word that said “wait for the appointed time, even though it tarries….” ?

Are you sure that you did not laugh at Isaiah when he ran away from Jezebel despite his recent defeat of more than 300 prophets of baal which showed that God was with him?

o   Thinking of “touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm….” right?

 
Like me, did you also wonder why the Israelites were afraid of the giant inhabitants of Canaan despite God assuring them of victory?

o   We know of “heaven & earth can pass away but my word does not return void…” hmm?

Even I believe that I can never do as King Solomon did by eventually turning to idolatry despite his beginning with the Lord.

o   It rings in my ears that “let he who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall…”

 

My “flash-scriptures” above and several more instances and supporting scripture running through our individual minds are sins of impatience/doubt on the part of the perpetuators. But let us ask ourselves; are we not guilty of the same things in our own lives?

At one time or the other we have been promised something  by God and we had faith (at that moment) that He is more than able to do it and thanking Him in advance for it; but during that difficult and trying period of waiting, we go weary and look for alternatives. We even second-guess what we heard from God and think “maybe it was not God, Maybe I did not test the spirit sufficiently to know if it’s the Lord or maybe God meant something else”

Let’s not forget that Abraham’s “alternative” result into the Israeli/Palestine war that is plaguing Abraham’s generation till date and the Israelite’s fear of the Canaanites resulted into 40 years wandering in the wilderness where the doubting generation had to die!!!

We should be VERY careful about our decisions and its consequences when it comes to manipulating God’s promises to suit our weary minds. Even when what we currently see is not even close to what we were promised, let us not forget that “wait for the appointed time, even though it tarries….”

We are not perfect, that is why we ask for Grace to follow Him till the end. Let us hold on. His Grace is sufficient for us.

 

SHALLOM!!!

 

RABBI

We call him Rabbi, which means teacher. Do you ever wonder what God can teach you? The bible passage below shows the unlimited teaching ability of the Holy Spirit.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.  I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.  I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.  They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”  And they praised God because of me. Galatians 1: 15-24

Let us not forget that he had no “blue print” to follow, no formal or informal training on the Gospel he has to preach, but fourteen (14) books of the New Testaments were written by Apostle Paul. This is not a mean feat for a man who did not follow Jesus for 3-4 years, he did not sit with any of the apostles; he was personally unknown to the churches of Judea, STILL they heard the report of his works and teachings and they praised God because of him. This can only be achieved through the Holy Spirit that is working in Apostle Paul.

After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit turned the fearful disciples into fearless preachers. In this century also, the Holy Spirit turned Pastor Adeboye (a mathematician) into a town planner who built a whole town in addition to winning souls!!!

This should tell you that when God sends you, he gives you ALL that you need to excel. So, what is it that God has placed in your heart to do and you think that you don’t have the required skill?

Don’t forget what Jesus himself said:

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things John 14:26

 

GO IN THIS THY MIGHT. SHALOM!!!

THE FAVOURITE.

This is a message to those God has favored enormously.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. (Mathew 11:23) Do you know that Capernaum can be called Jesus’ 1st home when he started his ministry? When John was imprisoned, Jesus’ ministry started and I believe it started from his home.

In Capernaum Jesus healed the centurion’s servant; the centurion with the great faith. Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, Jesus was crossing from Capernaum to Gadarenes when he calmed the storm and so much more as written in Mathew 8:16-17. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
and bore our diseases.”[b]

Can you imagine what could have caused Jesus himself to curse Capernaum? Because as Jesus “1^st born son” he expected great things from Capernaum but Capernaum did not repent. Jesus’ 1^st set of anointing was used in Capernaum, He healed ALL the sick brought to Him, He passionately preached on the streets and even got some of his disciples from there!!! I know Capernaum occupy a special place in the heart of Jesus.

Are you Capernaum? Has the Most High blessed you enormously? Has He healed you in a miraculous way? Has he protected you and your family mightily? Do people call you blessed? But you know in your heart that it is not Christ that you follow.

I want you to know, that even as Christ loved Capernaum, he cursed it. So also, if you fail to follow Christ in Spirit and in Truth, all that you have can be taken away. Do not let His anger be kindled before you do the will of your Creator. What has He asked you to do and you are still dragging your feet and trying to negotiate?

YOU ALREADY HAVE THE GRACE, TO DO IT NOW!! And it shall be well with you in Jesus Name.