2021
Healing Is The Children’s Bread
“But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” (Mark 7:27).
The above scripture was Jesus’ reply to a Greek woman who had approached him and pleaded for healing of her demonized daughter. Jesus insinuated that healing was the exclusive right and privilege of children – referring to the Jews. Non-Jews were not included in this blessing. He further insinuated that non-Jews could be likened to dogs. This woman persisted in her plea and eventually got the miracle she desired for her daughter. Below are some vital points to note:
Healing is the children’s bread: By Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, those who believe in Him and accept Him as Lord and Savior are now God’s children – whether Jews or non-Jews (i.e. Gentiles) (Galatians 3:7-9). Healing is the right and privilege of all such people who are born again by the grace of God. This is so because God in His love for mankind afflicted Jesus to purchase healing for mankind and particularly to those who are His children. “But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole, He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:5, NLT). God afflicted Jesus and made healing available in abundance to His children.
Expectation brings Manifestation: In the scripture above the Greek woman left Jesus with healing for her daughter because she will not accept a “No” from Jesus. In Acts 14 verses 8 onwards, we read the account of a crippled man who had never walked before receiving his healing through Paul. He was enraptured by Paul’s preaching, and Paul seeing his eagerness and attentiveness to the Word commanded him to stand up on his feet. This lame man got up and walked. The songwriter echoing John 3:14-15 says, “Look and live, my brother live, look to Jesus Christ and live, it’s recorded in His Word Alleluia, it is only that you look and live.” A childlike faith in God that brings salvation to our souls will also produce healing in our bodies.
Attend to His Word: The crippled man in Acts Chapter 14 who got healed paid undivided attention to God’s Word when Paul was preaching. We are enjoined in Proverbs 4, verses 20 to 22 to pay attention to God’s Word, keep it in the midst of our hearts because the Word is health and healing to our flesh. Many who seek healing do not pay attention to the Word of healing! They will rather pay attention to the disease and total undivided attention to their doctors. We must always realize that it is God that works through doctors and medications to bring the required healing. We must never be like King Asa who ignored God and turned only to physicians when he battled cancer of the feet. He lost the battle over the sickness and died (2 Chronicles 16:12-13). I can personally testify to so many COVID 19 patients who were in ICUs for several days and at the brink of death but bounced back miraculously through prayers and the mercies of God.
Leverage on different ways to healing: While God is the primary healer, He uses different ways to heal. It is foolhardy not to seek healing through medical science with all the awesome innovations and improvements of it. God gives wisdom to researchers, scientists, medical doctors, and natural therapists who daily seek solutions to sicknesses that befall mankind. Isaiah (through God) instructed King Hezekiah to make an ointment from figs and apply it over the boil that was threatening to take his life (2 Kings 20:7). Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to take wine regularly to alleviate his incessant tummy ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). The priests under the Old Testament were the ones to always check and confirm the healing of lepers, and also to certify them fit to live in society. The priests’ role was like that of dermatologists.
CONCLUSION: Healing starts from the inside. A robust, expectant, upbeat, faith-filled, joyful mind will bring healing readily and easily to the physical body. A crushed, defeated, doubtful, fearful and unforgiving mind will bring death easily to the body. Healing is the children’s bread and every good father provides bread when requested by their children.
2021
Wisdom From Above
“But the wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”(James 3:17-18).
The wisdom from above is divine godly wisdom. God’s wisdom is needed in this COVID-19 era. This era is the Church’s finest hour because we have access to the mind of God and His wisdom. The Bible says through the Church God will reveal His multi-faceted wisdom to the powers of darkness (Ephesians 3:10, AMP). Light shines brightest and it’s more impactful in thick darkness. The wisdom of God is a mystery, and not available to all, except those who seek for it diligently. Below are some characteristics of divine wisdom and how to access it:
Pure: God weighs the actions and the intents of the heart of man (Jeremiah 17:9-10). He looks inwards to check motives and intentions. King Solomon’s motives were pure when he asked for wisdom. He needed wisdom to govern the Israelites appropriately. He wasn’t seeking for wisdom for himself to self-serve and for personal aggrandizement. As a result, God was very pleased with his request (1 Kings 3:7-13). The Bible says, “Now God gave Solomon (exceptional) wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand of the seashore” (1 Kings 4:29, AMP).
Peaceable: Another attribute of God’s wisdom is that it is peaceable. To access it, one must have made peace with God (Romans 5:1-2) and also be a peaceable person. We are instructed to make every effort to live at peace with everyone and be holy in order to see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). The name Solomon means peace in Hebrew. King Solomon was a man of peace whose reign was largely characterized by peace. His modus operandi was to keep making alliances and building bridges with other kings and enemy nations. He prospered greatly because God favored him and he embraced peace.
Easy to be entreated: God is easy to be entreated. He is long suffering and doesn’t quickly react and fight His enemies. He is a Father who loves like a Mother. He is good to all and gives ample time for people to repent and change their ways. He is the Highest and yet He regards the lowly. At the core of divine wisdom is humility. Humble people are easy to be entreated. At the heart of stubbornness, obstinacy and quarrelsomeness is arrogance. The proud have a fragile ego, while the humble have a secure ego. The proud cannot access the wisdom from above because God keeps His distance from them (Psalm 138:6). The wisdom the proud at heart will access is demonic wisdom. Fathers and authority figures should be easy to be entreated.
Full of mercy and good works: The Bible contrasts between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom. The major difference between the two is that worldly wisdom is self-centered and selfish. Wealthy people in the world have two major temptations which are pride and trust in riches. The Bible admonishes them to be generous to those in need in order to open God’s bowels of mercy on them. We are to reach out and give generously in these unusual times. We are to give hope, encouragement, prayers, material possessions and share whatever we have with the needy world around us.
CONCLUSION: The wisdom Solomon received from God greatly enhanced his intellectual capacity. He wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs. He was a keen observer of the world around him. He had a keen sense of judgement, great insights and great discernment. He understood science and was of quick understanding and comprehension. May divine wisdom that will make us shining stars be our portion in this COVID-19 era in Jesus’ name.
2020
A Better Way To Pray
“Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As He finished, one of His disciples came to Him and said, “LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY, JUST AS JOHN TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES.” (Luke 11:1, NLT)
It is from the above scripture that the Lord’s prayer emanated. The Lord’s prayer is a model prayer. It teaches what to pray about and most importantly how to make prayers effective. Below are better ways to pray:
Prayer should be relational, and not religious: Jesus started the Lord’s prayer with “Our Father in Heaven.” It is noteworthy that literally everybody prays but many prayers are religious prayers. Religion is practices man engages in that he or she thinks is acceptable to God. But God wants relationship; He wants people to be born again and be renewed in their spirit man by the Holy Spirit. Then a relationship with God can start that makes the recipient of this grace to commune with Him acceptably (John 4:24). God is Spirit, and He is only truly reached by those who have the Holy Spirit resident within them.
Prayer should be God-focused, and not need-focused: Many people pray because of the myriad of needs in their lives. It is not wrong to approach God with our needs. The model Lord’s prayer shows us that we should take our needs to God. The challenge is that God is very relational. The Bible tells us that God will come in the cool of the day to fellowship with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8). This first couple in the Garden of Eden (before their Fall) didn’t have any need. Whenever God came to them, the intent was to fellowship with them. We can infer rightly that Adam and Eve’s dialogue with God was centered around His wonders of creation, and not needs. Everyday they saw a side of God that was hitherto unknown to them and was awe-inspiring. A better way to pray is to magnify God, appreciate Him for His lovely attributes and talk of His wonders (Psalm 105:2).
Prayer should be meditative, and not vain: Jesus said we shouldn’t pray vainly in a repetitive manner (Matthew 6:7). Effective prayers are not recitals, but rather they are heartfelt. It is not just from the head; it is from the heart. Meditation gives substance to our prayers. Taking time to digest relevant scriptures before praying is like the body breaking down food in the stomach and absorbing the its nutrients in the small intestine, while the useless (vain) elements are passed out as waste. Vain prayers lacking substance are ineffective (Scripture reference: John 15:7).
Prayer should be proactive, and not reactive: Please note the subject topic is a better way to pray. By affirming God’s promises, making scripture declarations regularly, and praying in tongues or in the Spirit, we are praying proactively or in advance and ahead of circumstances. A reactionary prayer can be found in Acts 12 when the church was been persecuted. The patriarch James had just been murdered and Peter was arrested thereafter, kept in prison and awaiting execution. The church started praying after the arrest of Peter fearing that what happened to James will also happen to him. The problem with always praying reactively is that it makes us lose territories or at times even lose the battle. It is often rightly said that the best defense is a good offense.
Prayer should be prayed in faith, and not in fear: Just waking up from a bad dream or a nightmare will set many people, including some Christians, into a panic mode. Rather than just praying spontaneously about the nightmare, the better thing to do is to relax and switch to a faith mode. Reminding oneself of scriptures like, “Be still and know that I am God” or “God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble” or pulling out the Bible to assure one’s mind about His promises is a better way of approach. Starting to pray immediately after getting a bad medical report from the doctor will be tantamount to praying in a panic mode. It’s always better after a jolting news to calm down and then strategize. The Holy Spirit is best heard when we are still, and not panicky. It is the prayer of faith that gets the job done, and not prayer of anxiety (Scripture reference: Philippians 4:6-7).
CONCLUSION: It’s my prayer that the Holy Spirit, the Teacher Himself, will teach us better ways to pray and to be effective in prayers. Have a blessed new month!
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
2020
The Anatomy Of Temptation
“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:13-15, NLT).
Anatomy simply defined is the structure or internal workings of something. Temptation to sin has a structure. There is a tempter, there are cravings in the Adamic nature of man, there is a pattern or process that leads to the temptation, etc. Understanding the structure or workings of temptation will go a long way in helping serious minded believers to overcome temptation all the time. Below are some important truths to note:
Temptations are distractions that are attractive: The aim of the tempter is to distract and detour us from a good course we are charting. A temptation is an attractive offer. All of us, as human, have certain things to which we are prone to being enticed. We have different cravings and proclivities. Some people are disposed to envy, whereas others are prone to lust for material goods, power, women, etc. King Solomon was said to love many foreign women (1 Kings 11:1). Things appeal to us differently, but we all have one or two things that catch our attention and have the potential to draw us away from God.
Temptations are passing pleasures: The Bible says Moses refused to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25). Temptation is fleeting, not a permanent phenomenon. Just by holding on and exercising restraint a little bit, we can overcome temptation. But yielding to it weakens our resolve. And our resolve can be so weakened that we get captured by the woven fabric of sinful practices. We are to stand and remain standing and not allow entanglements in our Christian lives (Galatians 5:1).
Temptations test our loyalty and love to God: Every time we are tempted, it’s a time to choose between self-love and God-love. Jesus said, “if you love me keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Often, we delight in God’s laws but it’s clear that not all of us joins in the delight. Our human nature, with its desires, is a rebel against the laws of God. It takes a revelation of the love of God to choose the God way over and above the self-gratifying way. Every time we choose to obey and please God, it shows to Him that we love Him over and above ourselves.
Temptations are things within our reach we aren’t permitted to take: The instruction was clear to Adam in the garden of Eden. God told him that he is free to eat from all the trees in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). Every tempting offer is always within our reach. At times just walking away or looking away can go a long way to help us overcome.
Temptation has a pattern: Many tend to eat more when they are disappointed or depressed. Many tend to smoke and do drugs when the weather is cold. Men tend to be more frustrated, unkind and edgy when they are broke. We are susceptible to falling and foibles in particular seasons of our life. This is so because Satan is principally the mastermind behind temptations confronting the believer. He is very strategic and knows our weaknesses, especially when we are most vulnerable. Every believer should understand the pattern and processes behind his or her failings. And because temptation has a pattern, it can be nipped in the bud. We can debar our lusts from getting pregnant and delivering a baby. We can further disallow the baby from growing into adulthood where it becomes a killer.
CONCLUSION: The mature Christian is the one who consistently wins over temptations. And these folks are those who have really taken time with the Word of God, ingesting it until it registers in their subconscious and becomes their default mode of behavior. There is no short cut to winning other than opening one’s heart sincerely to the infallible Word of God and exercising oneself in godliness.
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
2020
VISION 2020
“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are – northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever” – (Genesis 13:14-15).
In the secular world, many organizations and countries have been counting down to the year 2020. Many have expectations and believe it’s a year visions and aspirations will be realized. The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999 launched a global initiative that by 2020 all cases of avoidable blindness would have been eradicated. The WHO launched Right of Sight for humans. Eye specialists also talk about vision 2020 as being good sight and use this as yardstick to measure eye deficiencies generally.
As it is in the secular, I believe so it is in the spiritual. The Bible says in the latter times that there will be a preponderance of visions and dreams because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:16-18). To have a clear vision from God the following are imperative:
Visualize: In our opening text, God instructed Abram to lift up his eyes and see. It’s a spiritual principle that whatever we see (and behold) is what we possess. Vision is a function of the heart, while sight is a function of the eyes. Real faith is a matter of the heart. God wants us to visualize His Word and promises in our heart till they become reality to us. Our hearts can be so flooded with enlightenment from the scriptures that we take a hold of spiritual realities even before they become physical realities. God responded to Abram’s complaint, when he said he has no child of his own, by bringing him outside in the night and asking him to look at the stars. We become what we constantly behold (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Inspire: Visions are often borne out of inspiration. Inspiration means breath. Breath is life, and breath animates. The scriptures say that divine breath in the soul of a man will produce understanding and insight in him (Job 32:8). David was inspired and animated when he saw Goliath. He saw differently than the soldiers of Israel. While the soldiers saw Goliath as too big to hit. David saw him as too big to miss. Inspiration makes one think, feel and act differently. On the other hand, a deflated tire will stagnate a vehicle. As we stay inspired in 2020, we will catch a vision.
Spiritual Intelligence: By deepening our walk with the Holy Spirit we become spiritually intelligent. Spiritual intelligence means we are able to evaluate and discern things from within our spirit man (1 Corinthians 2: 14-15). The Bible says because of the anointing within us we are able to know stuffs because the anointing teaches us all things (1 John 2:20,27). Many times, we don’t look for the witness of the Holy Spirit; rather, we are always prone to look for the spectacular (open visions, audible voices, etc) as God’s methods of communicating to us.
Insight: Foresight (ability to see ahead) and Far-sight (like God was recommending to Abram in our text) are critical and very important. Hindsight on the other hand is said to be 20/20 vision, because we have the benefit of clarity of vision after the event has taken place. Foresight and far sight are all based and hinged on insight. The light has to be turned on inside first before it can begin to shine all around. This light is the light of the scriptures. The Psalmist said in Psalm 19 verse 8b in the NLT version that “the commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.” May we all receive grace for ardent study of the scriptures in 2020.
Ownership: To have clear divine vision in 2020, we have to take ownership of the impulses and convictions of our hearts. We take ownership by journaling what we think the Spirit is ministering to us in times of prayers, worship, biblical meditation and other spiritual activities (Habakkuk 1:1-2). When Heaven sees we are diligent in wanting to know and understand, more visions and revelations are released. On the other hand, when we are carefree and careless about Heaven’s downloads, the visions are withheld.
New Perspective: Our perceptions usually are our realities. How we see colors what we see. The kind of sunglasses and goggles we put on will certainly color what we see. The new and better way to see and adopt is seeing through the lens of redemption realities wrought for us by Christ Jesus. To hear Heaven correctly it must be through salvation in Christ and also through the baptism and sanctification of the Holy Spirit. These are perilous times that Satan shows up as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
CONCLUSION: Happy New Year! Our Year of Perfection!
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
2019
God And Time
“But beloved do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)
God operates in eternity (Isaiah 57:15). God operates out of time but yet He is in time. God created time; He put time in place at creation (Genesis 1: 5,8,13,19,23,31). At the end of each day of creation, the day was announced. He created time but He isn’t bound by time. One of the definitions of time in the dictionary is the duration in which all things happen or a precise instant that something happens. This definition encapsulates both times and seasons (Ecclesiastes 3:1-12). A season is a process of time, while time can be defined as a point in a period. The scriptures say a thousand years with God is just as a passing day as brief as a few night hours (Psalm 90:4, NLT). Though God operates in timelessness, He still regards time (the times and the seasons of humankind). One resource that when lost is out of man’s control is time, but God has control over time. Below are ways that God can handle and control time:
God can collapse or compress time: “…. And Ahab mounted and rode (his chariot) and went (inland) to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah (giving him supernatural strength). He girded up his loins and outran Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel (nearly twenty miles).” (1 Kings 18:45b-46, AMP). God collapsed time for Elijah and gave him supernatural strength to bare-footedly outrun chariots. Elijah made the journey from Mount Carmel to Jezreel in record time because God facilitated time for him. May we all receive divine speed this month in Jesus’ name.
God can stagnate time: The Israelites who came out of Egypt’s captivity went around and round in circle for many years because they refused to learn the lessons God wanted them to learn. A journey of eleven days took them forty years, and a whole generation (except Joshua and Caleb) didn’t enter the land God promised them (Deuteronomy 1:1-3). If one refuses to use time well and appropriately God can stagnate time. When people think they have time, they take their time. We are enjoined to redeem the time and not trifle with it (Ephesians 5:15-17).
God can expand or extend time: “After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So, Job died, old and full of days.” (Job 42:16-17). After Job lost his seven sons and three daughters in one day, God gave him a new set of seven sons and three daughters, and also gave him long life (after healing him of a satanic affliction). God expanded Job’s time, allowing him to live till 140 years and to see 4 generations. It is God that determines when the sun sets for the righteous.
CONCLUSION: As 2019 ends and a new year approaches, we must be assured that our times are in God’s hands. He controls the times and seasons. Even though He operates in timelessness, He still regards us who live in the realm of time. As we cooperate with Him, He will compress time for us by blessing our labors and enable us to achieve more in a shorter period of time. He can also choose to expand our time by giving us more opportunities to fulfill life and ministry. Receive grace to end 2019 strong in Jesus’ name.
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
2019
Breaking Bad Habits
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).
The dictionary defines habit as a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior. It is an involuntary act that we do without exercising control. Human beings are creatures of habit. We create our habits, and our habits in turn determine the course of our lives. Great and successful people create good habits which bring them success and good outcomes, while less successful people create habits that bring failures and unfavorable outcomes. Bad habits are disastrous and create addicts, alcoholics, lazy, indulgent, miscreants and the likes. Below are some ways to break the yoke of bad habits:
Be Born again: Being born again is having an encounter with the word of God (1 Peter 1:23) and the Holy Spirit (John 3:6). A genuine encounter with God totally transforms and converts sinners into saints; weak and indulgent people into powerful and decisive individuals. It is a spiritual rebirth that changes the tastes, inclinations and proclivities of the individual. It is God coming to take up residence in a hitherto dead and unregenerate spirit man.
Renew your mind: As the mind goes, so does the man. The mind of man is very powerful. Habits are formed when the brain registers a particular event or action. If the act is repeated and it is pleasurable, it becomes reinforced in the brain. As this act is repeated the brain continues to reinforce it until it becomes a stronghold in the mind. This is essentially how people become addicts. Exposing the mind to large doses of the word of God continuously renews it and shatters negative strongholds in the mind. The word of God converts the soul (Psalm 19:7). God was able to deliver the Israelites from Egypt (Spiritual deliverance) but He couldn’t get them into Canaan, the Promised Land because of their unrenewed and slavery mindset. Mental strongholds, at times, are more difficult to deal with than spiritual strongholds.
Engaging the help of the Holy Spirit: It is by the Holy Spirit that we put to death the desires of the human nature (Romans 8:13). Without the Holy Spirit there cannot be permanent victory. Engaging the Holy Spirit by praying regularly in tongues is a must, if we want to overcome bad habits. The Holy Spirit is fire that destroys the yoke of sin and destructive habits. We also stir up the anointing of the Holy Spirit when we actively engage Him; it is the anointing that destroys yokes and undo burdens in our lives. Bad habits are yokes that are to be destroyed.
Affirm yourself constantly: One of the downsides of bad habits is that it makes us lose confidence in ourselves and taint our self-image. After doing something for a long time the tendency is for us to define ourselves as such. We are not what we do; we are what God, through the scriptures, say we are. A healthy self-image is a sine qua non to breaking bad habits. We will always rise or fall to the image and picture of ourselves that we carry within. It is vital we constantly affirm who we are in Christ regardless of our circumstances. Just like (in Christ Jesus) we aren’t our past, so also, we aren’t what we repeatedly do. As Christians we are God’s righteousness and we carry the seed of righteousness within us. As we affirm ourselves with the scriptures the hold of destructive habits will be broken.
Keep standing: To keep standing is to continuously maintain our victory in Christ. Our opening scripture in Galatians 5:1 lends credence to this. Freedom always comes with a cost. After colonized countries fight and obtain their independence, they have to keep maintaining their independence and seek total independence from their colonizers; otherwise, they will fall back in some bondage again (neo colonization). The Amalekites were a recurring enemy of the Israelites; from the time they came out of Egypt till the time of Haman the Agagite (an Amalekite), they constantly were a thorn in their flesh. There is need to totally exterminate and root out all evil habits in our lives, else they will be detrimental to our eventual success and wellbeing.
Conclusion: Other vital ways to break bad habits are to avoid idleness, to create good habits to replace the bad ones, and to have worthy mentors and accountability partners that you will open your lives to unashamedly.Have a blessed month.
Ade(Gboyega) ESANwww.rccgpittsburgh.nethttp://gboyegae.blogspot.com
2019
Faith, Hope And Love
“Three things will last forever – faith, hope and love – and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT).
Faith, hope and love are three virtues or graces that will transcend the temporal world. The opposite of these virtues is unbelief, despair (or hopelessness) and hatred. No one can make it to heaven with unbelief, hopelessness and hatred. These three virtues are to be carefully and diligently cultivated by every child of God. These virtues will give us a good and abundant life here as Jesus promised (John 10:10b), and also guarantee us a place in Heaven.
Faith: Simply defined is abiding trust in God and His promises. It is through God’s promises that we are able to share in His divine nature and operate as “gods” in this world (2 Peter 1:4). Peter the Apostle called God’s promises great and precious. It is the assurance of these promises that help us confront life and overcome life challenges. The rod in the hand of Moses by which he operated as a god over Pharaoh and with which he wrought many wonders can be likened to faith in God and His promises in the new testament. The word rod is “shebet” in Hebrew, and it means a tool for correction and a symbol of authority. David spoke about His rod and His staff comforting him. The Word of God (and His promises) is a tool for correction and also a symbol of authority. God said to Moses, “And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do signs” (Exodus 4:17). Believing and confessing God’s promises makes us to rule and reign in this world. We are saved by faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Hope: Simply defined is having a future expectation and anticipation. It relates to the future (Romans 8:24-25). While hope deals with the future, faith deals with the present. Faith gives substance to hope, converting future expectation to present reality. Jesus while still hoping to start His ministry of signs and wonders at a particular time in the future was compelled by the faith of His mother Mary to perform His first miracle i.e. the turning of water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-9). While faith obtains, hope sustains. As Christians, through the resurrection of Jesus, we have the hope of eternal life (1 Peter 1:3). Hope is confident expectation of eternal salvation. Hope transcends this present world to eternity. Apostle Paul said we are to be pitied if our hope in Christ is only for this world (1 Corinthians 15:19).
Love: This is the nature of God. As children of God we grow in this divine love as we progressively understand God’s love for us. The disciple Stephen was able to forgive those stoning him to death on the spot because he was filled with the Holy Spirit and also had a revelation of the love of God (Acts 7:54-59). This love overcomes evil by doing good; it is never conquered by evil. A testimony was told about a sister who had a stubborn neighbor who hated their guts because they lived in an upscale part of town that people of their nationality aren’t supposed to live. This unfriendly neighbor did everything possible to frustrate this sister and her family. This sister, rather than reacting to her hostile neighbor in kind, chose to pray for her in love. Within two weeks of praying, this neighbor surprisingly turned around and began to entreat this sister and her family. The turnaround of this neighbor was nothing but supernatural. The Bible says the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love (Galatians 5:6, NIV). The new testament way of relating with our enemies is to feed them when they are hungry, and give them drink when they are thirsty. Love is the greatest of the virtues.
CONCLUSION: As potent as faith is, it only works and produces by divine love. As futuristic as hope is, it needs faith for the future and the One who holds the future. Love is a stand-alone virtue. Just as everything rises and falls on leadership, in God’s kingdom and economy everything rises and falls on agape love. Love is the ultimate!
Ade(Gboyega) ESANwww.rccgpittsburgh.nethttp://gboyegae.blogspot.com
2019
The Blessing Of Work
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” – (Genesis 2:15, NIV)
Work, as defined by the dictionary, is an activity that involves mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result. God’s intention is for man to work. He put Adam, the first man, in the Garden of Eden to tend and cultivate it. In creation, God worked daily for six days and after ending His work, He rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-2). Jesus also declared, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day…” (John 9:4). Below are some benefits and blessings of work:
Work Releases Potential: Potential simply defined is unused ability. It is what one can do that he or she hasn’t done. It is also what one can become that he or she hasn’t become. Work provides the opportunity for us to grow, develop and evolve. It leads to self-discovery and self-awareness. It is by working we discover our talents and sharpen our potential. It is also by working and releasing potential that human beings contribute their quota in solving human problems.
Work Brings Fulfillment: According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-actualization or self-fulfillment is a human need, and it is the greatest need humans desire to fulfill. Though work, in itself, cannot bring maximum fulfillment (only God can), it still brings sufficient fulfillment to man. Even God as He created the earth was proud of His work each day. The Bible says, “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (i.e. suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely” (Genesis 1:31, AMP). After each day of creation, it was written that God saw that what He created was good, fitting, admirable and He approved of His work. In other words, God got some fulfillment from the work of His creation.
Work Releases Creativity: Human beings are co-creators with God. At creation, God gave man the basic raw material to continue the work of creation with Him. We unleash the creativity in us by applying ourselves to work, thinking through processes, and working with our hands to create and produce. From mixing ingredients and making food, drawing architectural plan and building structures, developing software programs and driving technological advancement, the creativity and ingenuity of man is released through the endeavor of work.
Work Is Antidote To Idleness: The Bible warns against idleness. Apostle Paul admonished young widows not to be idle and become busybodies as a result (1 Timothy 5:13). The truth is that we have a higher tendency to sin when we are idle. King David was idling in his palace at a time of war when he ended up committing adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-6). The Bible says in Proverbs 16:27 (TLB version) that, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop, idle lips are his mouthpiece.” The reverse is also true. We think less of indulging the human nature when we are productively engaging the mind and putting the body to work.
Work Brings Profit: The Bible says in Proverbs 14:23 that in all labor there is profit. It also says in Proverbs 12:11 that anyone who works his land will have plenty of food. Profit and productivity which come as a result of work supplant poverty. God has designed creation in such a way that we will always reap the labor of our hands. In His wisdom as we put our hands and minds to work, He blesses our work and teach us to be profitable (Isaiah 48:17).
CONCLUSION: Some spiritual, exercises as good as they are, cannot replace work. Prayer and fasting have their role, while working with our hands also has its place. God works through our prayers to accomplish for us what we cannot do. God will not do for us the tasks we can do for ourselves. And the dominion charge he gave man in Genesis 1:26-28 is still in operation and has not expired. It is all encompassing and will remain so possibly till God creates a new earth (Revelation 21:1).
Have a blessed month.
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
www.rccgpittsburgh.org
2019
The Eagle Christian
“There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: THE WAY OF AN EAGLE IN THE AIR, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a virgin” (Proverbs 30:18-19).
The eagle is a mysterious and amazing bird. Just as the lion is the king of the jungle, so the eagle is the king of birds and the air. God created the eagle to be amazing to illustrate to His children the kind of amazing life He wants them to live. Below are some characteristics of the eagle Christian:
Eats only fresh stuffs: The eagle bird, unlike the vulture, does not eat dead things. Christianity is a faith that truly offers living hope and life after death. The eagle Christian has his gaze on the future and doesn’t dwell on the past. He doesn’t dwell on past mistakes, past hurts and offences, past disappointments, fake doctrines, etc. He realizes the past depicts the tomb, while the future depicts the womb. The womb carries potential to deliver life and the future. The tomb is undesirable because it has no potential nor possibility in the land of the living. Scripture reference: Isaiah 43:18-19.
Ascends to high altitudes: Some eagle birds fly as high as 30,000 feet where jumbo airplanes operate. The eagle soars and don’t flap its wings while at high altitudes. This energy efficient way of flying helps it to travel far without getting tired. And because it flies high it’s able to have a panoramic view of things. With a very astute eyesight, it can spot a prey five kilometers below. The vision of the eagle bird is very sharp. And it also deals with its enemies, like the snake, by picking it with its strong beak and traveling high with it till it becomes destabilized. The eagle’s enemies are no match for it in the high altitudes it operates from. The eagle Christian who operates regularly in the Spirit confuses and totally unsettles his enemies. By soaring high with God in the heavenlies, the eagle Christian gains heaven’s perspective on life matters.
Gathers with other eagles. Eagles do not mix and associate with lesser birds. Most birds fly in flocks, but eagles usually fly alone or in pairs and only with other eagles. It doesn’t associate with the turkey that is a lazy, heavy and earthly bird. Though the turkey has wings it rarely flies. The eagle also does not associate with the peacock that is showy, self-absorbed and prideful bird. Neither does the eagle associate with parrots that are usually talkative and mimic others. The eagle is a very disciplined bird that minds its association. The eagle Christian is mindful of his association. He knows bad company corrupts good character and only seeks relationship with other eagle Christians that can sharpen him.
Leans on God: The eagle believer, like the eagle bird, trusts entirely on the Wind (Holy Spirit) to soar. The eagle bird will sit on a rock and wait patiently for wind currents to come when it wants to soar and travel to another location. We are only able to soar and do great exploits in life as we partner with the Holy Spirit. And partnering with the Holy Spirit requires patience, obedience and faith in God. By the flesh or human effort shall no man prevail. The eagle Christian realizes that he is God’s representative on earth, so he/she learns to wait on God for directives, renewal of strength and working of miracles.
Embraces storms: The eagle bird isn’t one to shy away from storms or challenging weather. While other birds are scampering for safety in trees and hideouts, the eagle stands tall against the storm. Its mentality is that of conquering the storm not being subdued by it. The eagle is confident in the storm because it knows it is equipped and built to overcome it. King David, an exemplar of an eagle believer, said should war break out against him, he will be confident (Psalms 27:3); Apostle Paul says in all things we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37); Apostle Peter said we should not see it as strange when trials come (1 Peter 4:14). Storms and challenges of life come to certify the Christian and his faith. We don’t pray for storms to come but when they do come, we are assured by the grace of God because we are overcomers in Christ.
CONCLUSION: When the eagle bird is caged, it begins to live the low life and do things it wasn’t designed to do. It becomes lazy, eats dead stuffs, and its beak becomes weak, and it operates far below its potential. The Bible says we should stand firm in the liberty Christ has given us, and we should not be entangled again by any yoke (Galatians 5:1). May we live up to our potential in Christ in Jesus’ name.
Ade(Gboyega) ESANwww.rccgpittsburgh.nethttp://gboyegae.blogspot.com