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
2019
Walking In The Supernatural
“And these signs shall follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18, NKJV).
The supernatural is the realm of the unseen. It is superior to the visible, natural realm and controls the events in it. There are two major dimensions of the supernatural: the negative and positive supernatural. These two dimensions are at loggerheads. As born-again believers, it is God’s intention that we represent Him in the seen realm by solving problems through our faith and influence in the unseen realm. Below are some of the ways by which we can rein and walk in the supernatural:
Walking in love: The main motivating factor in the positive supernatural realm is love, while hatred and enmity are what characterize the negative supernatural. Hatred for God and His creation is what motivates the negative supernatural. Divine (Agape) love is a force that is as strong as death. When it is in operation it is irresistible. Jesus walked in the supernatural while here on earth because He walked consistently in love. He walked into the funeral procession of a dead man who was the only son of his widowed mother in Nain, and on seeing the widowed mother the Bible says He had compassion on her and raised the dead child (Luke 7:11-16). Genuine, raw and unadulterated love of God will always manifest God on the scene (when necessary) and cause us to command victories in the seen realm. Walking in love is displaying the attributes found in 1Corinthians 13, particularly verses 4 to 8, on a consistent basis. May the supernatural love of God fill our hearts to overflowing in Jesus’ name.
Walking in the Spirit: Simply put is being under the control and influence of the Holy Spirit. When people are under the control of alcohol, they exhibit certain traits. They are loquacious, bubbly, intemperate, and irrational. When one is under the control of the Holy Spirit certain traits are also evident. Praise and worship, courage, joy, utterance, gifts of the Spirit, etc. become evident. The anointing within the believer is activated and rises to higher proportions for performance. The Holy Spirit is loosened, and the anointing is released. We are enjoined as believers not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Regular infilling of the Holy Spirit is necessary to check the unfruitful works of the flesh and cause us to walk in the supernatural.
Walking by faith: Faith in God deals with the unseen realm. Once something manifests in the seen realm, the work of faith is done over the matter. Faith is said to be the handle on things we cannot see. It lays hold on the promises of God (without letting go) till it manifests in the physical world. As believers we walk by faith and not by sight. The unseen realm is real to us and we seek to be influencers in the unseen realm. Once our influence increases in the unseen realm it will also increase in our personal world and in the natural realm. Abraham pleased God, became a friend of God, and had righteousness credited to him apart from works because he walked by faith with God. Apostle Paul, on seeing a crippled man from birth so enthralled and engrossed in his preaching perceived the cripple had faith to be healed. Paul seized the moment, joined faith with the cripple, and pulled him up and he began to walk (Acts 14: 8-10)
CONCLUSION: Walking in the supernatural also entails displaying the wisdom of God in every situation. The kinsmen of Jesus at Nazareth, while scoffing at Jesus, wondered and asked, “where did He get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” (Mark 6:2). Walking in the supernatural is about using divine resources to solve human problems. May the supernatural become common place in our lives and ministries commencing from this month in Jesus’ name.
2019
The Eagerness Of God
One dictionary meaning of eagerness is keen or ardent in desire or feeling, and impatiently longing. My first interaction with the title “The Eagerness of God” was in my teen years with a Christian radio program so called. My late father will gather my siblings and I around a radio every Sunday night to listen to this program. The program centered on world evangelism and the preaching of the gospel. And the renowned preacher (Apostle Timothy Obadare of blessed memory) was apt in capturing that title because God is very keen in saving the souls of mankind. Below are some other areas of God’s keenness and eagerness viz:
His eagerness to redeem: Redemption is about the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), deliverance from the power of sin (Psalms 40:2-3), rescue from the oppression and tyranny of satanic forces (Colossians 1:13-14), freedom from curses (Galatians 3:13-14), obtaining a glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18), and eternal salvation in Christ Jesus (Hebrews 9:15). All these and many more were purchased legally by the blood of Jesus. The ransom God paid, after the first man (Adam) sold mankind to sin and Satan’s captivity, was the blood of Jesus. God was so eager to rescue mankind that it pleased Him to make Jesus, His beloved son, the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
His eagerness for fellowship: God is a relational God who is always seeking for true worshippers (John 4:23-24). The reason for redemption is to draw mankind close to Himself so as to relate and have warm fellowship. God will always come down in the cool of the day to fellowship with the first human beings, Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8). The man Enoch, one of the patriarchs in Genesis, was recorded to have suddenly disappeared because he was taken alive by God to heaven. He disappeared because God so much enjoyed fellowship with Him (Genesis 5:21). When Jesus died the veil that was separating the Holy of Holies (where God dwells) from the inner court in the temple was ripped supernaturally. This signifies access and the eagerness of God to have mankind come to Him and relate with Him.
His eagerness to bless: Many people do not doubt God’s ability to bless but many doubts His willingness to bless them largely due to perception of their unworthiness and failures. In Matthew 8:1-3, a leper came to Jesus telling Jesus He has the ability to heal him, but he wasn’t sure if Jesus was willing to do so. Jesus responded promptly and said I am willing and He touched the leper (a symbol of sin) and healed him. It is through Christ that the blessing of Abraham comes to the Gentiles (Galatians 3:14). The blessing of the Holy Spirit is received because of faith in Christ not by works of righteousness (Galatians 3:5). God is eager to bless those who engage Him in childlike faith.
His eagerness for reconciliation with mankind: “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them…” (2 Corinthians 5:19). From the quoted scripture and some others, we see that the sins of non-believers in Christ are technically forgiven, and that God is just waiting for them to accept the offer of His forgiveness. Jesus Christ was given to mankind to save and not to condemn. People end up in hell by refusing the offer of salvation in Christ Jesus. God’s long suffering towards sinners is because of His eagerness to have them saved (2 Peter 3:9). And because of this eagerness He has given all born-again believers the ministry of reconciliation. We are to co-labor with Him in reconciling men to Him.
CONCLUSION: We serve an awesome God who is very zealous, enthusiastic, eager and passionate about man. In which way and manner has He been tugging your heart to get better and reciprocate His kind gestures? The Psalmist in relishing God’s goodness greatly declared “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). One good turn deserves another! Become better this month by becoming more zealous towards Him.
Ade(Gboyega) ESANwww.rccgpittsburgh.nethttp://gboyegae.blogspot.com
2019
WHEN FAILURE IS FATAL
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.
Failure is not intended by God to be fatal or terminal for a child of God. The scripture quoted above attests to the fact that we have setbacks or failures, but we recover from them by the grace of the Almighty. The downfall of a child of God is not his or her end. Failure really is a part of the process of success just as death is part of the process of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:36). Winston Churchill said, “Success is stumbling from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm.” Literally, all the patriarchs listed in the faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11 failed at some point in time but they bounced back to the point that they became models of faith. Even nature tells us that God’s intention is that we always recover. Trees that have become bare due to harsh conditions in winter always bounce back in spring and summer as they grow back leaves and luscious fruits. But there are occasions when failure can be fatal and terminal. Below are occasions when failure is fatal:
When we refuse to change: The Bible calls someone who refuses to change a fool. In Proverbs 27:22, the Bible says, “though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.” This scripture says if you afflict a fool with severe punishment akin to grinding him with a pestle in a mortar, he will still not change his ways. People who refuse to adjust and mend their ways make failure final. All men fall; it’s only those who refuse to get up that end up having terminal failures (Proverbs 24:16).
When we internalize failure: Failure is largely an external event. The fact that someone failed an exam or an event planned didn’t work out well doesn’t make one a failure. Just like success needs to be managed, so does failure need to be managed. We manage failure by separating ourselves from unfavorable outcomes particularly when we have a string of them. One isn’t a failure until one adopts a mindset of failure. People do extreme things like committing suicide because they internalize failure and make if fatal and final. We should teach our younger generation how to handle failure particularly those who are very competitive that failure is not an enemy and it’s ok to experience failure occasionally. That failure makes you a better person, more knowledgeable and adept. People we call successful today have failed in many ventures in the past.
When we isolate ourselves: The Bible says woe is the man that is alone when he falls because he has no one to help him up (Ecclesiastes 4:10). The prophet Elijah became depressed and suicidal principally because he was alone. He was alone on Mount Carmel when he confronted 450 prophets of Baal (an idol), and he attested wrongly that he is the only prophet left in Israel. The powerful prophet Elijah was a lone ranger with no affiliations whatsoever. There was no one to inspire or encourage him. Little wonder he suffered a burn out, became depressed and asked God to kill him when Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, threatened him. It was the mercy of God that intervened for the prophet whose ministry ended shortly after the encounter on Mount Carmel. When we have no positive and strong support, failure can be final and terminal.
CONCLUSION: Failure is fatal for the person who refused to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and lapsed into eternity in that condition. It is said that in the grave there is no repentance. God has provided a way out for mankind in the person of Jesus Christ. He is our Qualifier and Savior. Have a blessed month!
Ade(Gboyega) ESANwww.rccgpittsburgh.nethttp://gboyegae.blogspot.com