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Tag: Femi Aribisala

  • Understanding kingdom dynamics – By Femi Aribisala

    Understanding kingdom dynamics – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “The things of men are the things of Satan”.

    Christians do not love God. We are not interested in the kingdom of God. Instead, we love life. We love this world. We are lovers of pleasure. We do not want to suffer for Christ’s sake and for the sake of the kingdom of God.

    We love money, worship money, and serve money. We have idols in our hearts. We want to gain this world and the world to come. We want to have our cake and eat it too.

    Making godly choices

    But choices must be made. We either choose life and live, or we choose death and die. We either hate this life and live, or we love this life and die. Do we want this life, or do we want the life to come? We cannot have both.

    Are we living for this world, or are we living for the world to come? Are we living for man, or are we living for God? Are we living for the flesh, or are we living for the Spirit? Are our treasures on earth, or are they in heaven? Do we want the life we have, or do we want the life Jesus wants to give us?

    God kills before he makes alive. He does not put new wine in old bottles. The spiritual man is not a reformed man. The spiritual man is a completely new creation. He is the man birthed by the Spirit of God. Jesus says: “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3).

    Carnal Christians

    Paul berated the Corinthian church: “I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

    They were supposed to be spiritual but were carnal. They were behaving like natural men when they were supposed to be spiritual men. Paul says: “You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Romans 8:9).

    Carnality involves the preoccupation with things of the flesh and those pertaining to the material world. Spirituality involves the concern for heavenly things of the spirit or the soul.

    Man is flesh and blood, but God is a spirit. Jesus says: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6). The two are immiscible: worlds apart. Jesus says: “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

    Man is natural, but God is spiritual. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

    Man is flesh and blood, but God is spirit. Nothing good comes from the flesh. (Romans 7:18). The flesh is human nature. It is sinful nature. It is the body of death. It is the body of sin. It is that part of man that is always in opposition to God. It is the part that causes us to sin.

    “The works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.” (Galatians 5:19-21).

    Those who are controlled by the flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. But those who are ruled by the Holy Spirit are heirs of eternal life: “God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” (Galatians 5:22-23).

    Walking in the flesh

    God did not redeem the flesh. Instead, He condemned sin in the flesh. Accordingly, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8).

    Nevertheless, Christians continue to walk according to the flesh. We continue to talk like mere men. Even those who are born again are still carnal. The conundrum is that when we look in the mirror, we discover that we are looking the same after we receive Christ into our lives.

    After the advent of the Holy Spirit, we are still doing the same things. We are still eating and drinking. We are still struggling to make ends meet. We are still going to the hairdressers, going to the barber, buying and wearing new clothes and shoes.

    However, we ignore one simple injunction:

    “From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:15-17).

    We must not know ourselves again according to the flesh. How we look on the outside no longer matters. The issue now is how we look on the inside. “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).

    As a result, we are still mindful of the things of men and not of the things of God. Jesus says by their fruits you shall know them (fruit of the Holy Spirit). But we still know people by their outward appearance. We know them by how rich or influential they are. We know them by how beautiful, handsome, or well-dressed they are. We know them by what brand of car they drive, or what make of cell phone they use.

    Man-made things

    When Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross, Jesus rebuked him. He said to him: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23).

    This means, from God’s point of view, the things of men are the things of Satan. All the products of this world are man-made and not God-made. They all come from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This ensures that everything man-made is evil. No matter how “good.” Everything man-made has evil in it.

    However, everything God-made is good. Nothing God-made has evil in it. Everything God-made is a blessing: “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22).

  • Contradictions that do not contradict [3] – By Femi Aribisala

    Contradictions that do not contradict [3] – By Femi Aribisala

    “Do not let the everlasting love of God kill and destroy you”.

    Take a look at the blunder that Martin Luther made after reading Paul’s statement that nothing shall separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39).

    Luther says: “Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your faith in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. This life is not a place where righteousness can exist. No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery a thousand times each day.”

    This is nothing but a devilish statement from a so-called great Christian theologian. Our faith in Christ cannot be strong if we kill and commit adultery 1,000 times each day.

    Nothing shall separate us from the love of God. Nevertheless, sin separates us from the love of God. There is no contradiction because both statements are true.

    God continues to love us, even when our sins separate us from Him: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:9).

    When we sin, God’s love for us remains. Our sin does not make Him stop loving us. But when we sin, we separate ourselves from God’s love. God does not move away, but we move away: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13). God does not divorce sinners. But sinners divorce God.

    Kingdom dynamics

    Before we can internalize the scripture that nothing will separate us from God’s love, we must first acknowledge that sin will separate us from His love. Otherwise, we will abuse the privilege of God’s everlasting love. We will tell ourselves that it does not matter what we do, how we live, and how we behave. This ensures that His everlasting love becomes inapplicable to us.

    The scripture cannot be broken. God’s everlasting love will not come to an end. Nevertheless, we must guard it jealously. We must not take God’s love for granted because His everlasting love can send us into disastrous captivity.

    When Israel was going into captivity, God told the people: “I am sending you into captivity because I love you with an everlasting love.” “I am sending you into captivity because I don’t want anything to separate you from my love.”

    “After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11).

    We like to quote the end of this scripture, but we ignore the beginning. God loves the Israelites with an everlasting love, nevertheless, His love sends them into captivity.

    That gives us two options. God can love us with an everlasting love and His love sends us into captivity, or He loves us with an everlasting love and His love does not send us into captivity.

    Which do we prefer?

    We need to recognise that God’s everlasting love can kill us. And then, His everlasting love will bring us back to life. However, we would have gone through the agony of death.

    His everlasting love can forgive us our sins. Or His everlasting love can redeem us from destruction after we have been destroyed.

    Which do we prefer?

    Old Testament Jesus

    Everything changes when we come to realise that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament. It took me 25 years to realise this. It took Moses 40 years to be able to fulfil his ministry. It took Abraham 25 years to have Isaac. He even had Ishmael on the way. It was not a mistake, it was appointed.

    It took me 25 years to realise that Jesus is the God who told Saul: “Go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel, and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:3).

    If you do not believe, here is the same Jesus in the New Testament talking about killing children: “Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.” (Revelation 2:22-23).

    But how can the God who is love kill babies and nursing infants? Is that not a contradiction? I have news for you.

    God says: “You shall not kill.” However, God Himself kills millions of people every day. It is God who kills everyone who dies. It is God who appoints the day of death. Some He kills with death. Some He kills with sickness. Some He kills with accidents. Some He kills with old age.

    It is His prerogative. He is God and He is not answerable to anyone. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21). God has absolute rights over life and death.

    He says: “It shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’ Therefore, their goods shall become booty, and their houses a desolation; they shall build houses, but not inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine.” (Zephaniah 1:12-13).

    Enduring mercies

    God killed all the sinners in the time of Noah. Did He love them with an everlasting love? Before I answer, let me say this for emphasis: God killed everybody, only 8 people were left.

    But did God love them with His everlasting love? Yes, indeed! He killed them because He loves them. How do we know this? We know because when Jesus died on the cross, He went to Hades to preach to them and to save them. (1 Peter 3:18-20).

    God’s mercy always rejoices over His judgment. It is God’s mercy, and not His judgment, that endures forever. God even redeems those He destroys. The psalmist says:

    “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” (Psalm 103:2/4).

    He destroys us, redeems our lives from destruction, then crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Here is the process: “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.” (1 Samuel 2:6).

    “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.” (Isaiah 26:19).

    Do not let the everlasting love of God kill and destroy you.

  • Contradictions that do not contradict [2] – By Femi Aribisala

    Contradictions that do not contradict [2] – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “Must we reconcile ourselves to God or will God reconcile Himself to us?”

    Paul says: “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:38-39). I disagree, saying: “Sin can separate us from the love of God.”

    Am I not contradicting the scriptures? No! There is no contradiction whatsoever. The Bible says both and we need to know why. It says nothing shall separate us from the love of God, and it also says sin can separate us from the love of God.

    Jesus says: “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (Matthew 18:16). These scriptures agree with Paul that nothing shall separate us from the love of God:

    “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.” (Lamentations 3:22).

    “‘Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10).

    “The Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5).

    Nevertheless, when we hear that God loves us with everlasting love, we must make sure this everlasting love does not come to an end. Why? Because other scriptures tell us it can. They tell us sin can separate us from the love of God:

    “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

    “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favour and good success in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3).

    Note here that although God’s love is steadfast, nevertheless it can forsake us.

    “My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured.” (Deuteronomy 31:17).

    Here is the icing on the cake. God says:

    “All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds, I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more.” (Hosea 9:15).

    “I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you.” (Leviticus 26:30).

    The bible is full of these seeming contradictions that are not contradictions at all. They are kingdom dynamics. You see, before we can internalize the scripture that says nothing shall separate us from the love of God, we must first recognise that sin can separate us from the love of God.

    Ministry of reconciliation

    Look at this for starters. Must we reconcile ourselves to God or will God reconcile Himself to us? The bible says both will happen, and that is seemingly contradictory. It says God in Christ reconciled Himself to sinners, and it says sinners must be reconciled to God.

    “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

    “We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

    Now that is a contradiction. If Jesus reconciles Himself to the world, then we do not have to be reconciled to God. And if we must be reconciled to God, then God does not have to reconcile Himself to us.

    But here is the solution to the contradiction. The wisdom of God says Jesus reconciles Himself to the world so that the world can then be reconciled to God.

    Jesus teaches that His disciples must deny themselves. (Matthew 16:24). But Jesus never asks us to do what He does not do. (Acts 1:1). He denied Himself by reconciling the world to Himself. He relinquished His divinity and glory by coming down to our level as a man, associated with sinners and tax collectors, and agreed to die a shameful death on the cross for our salvation.

    “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

    We are equally required to deny our humanity by becoming holy and divine. So doing, we reconcile ourselves to God. Jesus endured the hostility of sinners to show us the way of righteousness.

    Similarly, there are disagreeable people that, as the redeemed, we must reconcile ourselves to, not because we agree with them, but because we want them to learn from us the righteousness of God.

    Assurance of salvation

    Last week, I said God told me personally in unambiguous terms that nothing will separate me from His love. The question then is this: “Why did He do this?” How am I supposed to react to God’s assurance of His unfailing love?

    Will it not make me complacent? Since I know that whatever happens, I will be saved, does that not mean I can live as I want, and sin as much as I want since my salvation is guaranteed?

    Certainly Not!

    When I realised that my salvation is guaranteed, I dropped everything to serve God. When I realised my salvation is guaranteed, I became fanatical with God. When He rebukes me, I burst into tears and beg for forgiveness. The law of my conscience tells me: “Femi, don’t allow sin to separate you from the love of God.”

    Thereby, the scripture is fulfilled in me: “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

    Responding to prophecy

    In the 1990s, I owned a video shop called Videonet in Victoria Island, Lagos. For three years, it never made more than N7,000 a day. But then in 1996, God showed me in a dream that my shop would make N23,000 in one day. How did I react to this prophecy?

    I did not relax, waiting for it to happen. I worked extra hard on the shop. I ploughed more investment capital into it. Then God said to me: “Because you believe me, I will tell you when my prophecy will come to pass. It will be fulfilled on 29th December 1996.”

    But on that date, the income of Videonet, Victoria Island, was not the N23,000 that God predicted. It was N29,000. When I asked God about that contradiction, He said to me: “Femi, you exceeded the prophecy.”

    I exceeded the prophecy because I was not complacent. I believed in the love of God, and in the word of God. However, I dare say, most Christians have yet to receive the love of God. They say they love God; they think they love God, but they do not love God.

    But then they quote the scripture: “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” In that confidence, they continue in sin. But when we continue in sin, it means that scripture does not apply to us.

     

    (CONTINUED)

  • Contradictions that do not contradict [1] – By Femi Aribisala

    Contradictions that do not contradict [1] – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “God has written some scriptures into our lives”.

    I told God in Lagos that I needed a car. He told someone in Porth Harcourt to send me his car. The Lord told him: “Femi Aribisala needs your car in Lagos. I want you to send it to him.”

    That is how I became the owner of a Toyota Rav 4.

    Nevertheless, when someone asked me, I maintained that a car is not a blessing of God. That is not a contradiction. That is wisdom.

    Solomon says: “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22). A car can add sorrow. It can be stolen. It can have an accident. It can kill you.

    I asked God to give someone a car. He did so within a week. Nevertheless, I say a car is an abomination to God. That is not a contradiction. It is wisdom from God.

    Jesus says: “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15). A car is highly esteemed among men.

    God says: “Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child!” (Isaiah 54:1).

    Nevertheless, when a barren woman comes to see me, I pray for her to bear a child. That is not a contradiction, that is wisdom from God.

    The same bible says: “No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land.” (Exodus 23:26). “Even the barren has borne seven,” says barren Hannah. (1 Samuel 2:5).

    God asked me to pray for someone going into politics. He said she should choose a post and I should pray for her to get it. Nevertheless, when a Christian brother asked me if a believer should engage in politics, I said “No!”

    “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:4).

    That is not a contradiction. That is wisdom.

    I prayed that God would make a man very wealthy. I prayed that He would put N1 billion naira in another’s bank account. Then I conducted a fellowship where I insisted that God is the God of the poor and not of the rich. The gospel of the kingdom of God is for the poor.

    That is not a contradiction. That is wisdom from God.

    The people rejected the contradictions of Jesus and left His church when He told them to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He did not persuade them to stay and even invited His disciples to leave as well.

    Love of God

    Jesus appeared to me in a dream as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The lion stood in front of me and played with me. He held out His claw and it extended as if by hidden hydraulics. He then used His claw to stroke my eyeball.

    The message was clear to me. Like Abraham, God wanted me to know that He is my friend. Although He is a lion, this lion has a contradiction. This lion will not hurt me. Indeed, this lion turns out to be my friend; a naturally unlikely proposition.

    Before then, the Lord spoke to me through my own lips. He said, “Femi, Femi, Femi, I have loved you from the foundation of the world.” I compared this with what Jesus told God the Father. He said: “You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24).

    So, God loved Jesus BEFORE the foundation of the world. But He loved me FROM the foundation of the world.

    He then gave me a scripture that is about Jesus. When I protested that this is about Jesus, God said: “Femi, it is also talking about you.”

    “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me.” “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’” (Isaiah 49:1-3).

    If you have read any of my books, you will find this scripture at the beginning of every one of them. If you have been to my YouTube Channel, you will find that I quote it in my Introductory Video.

    What conclusion can I draw from all this?

    Assurance of salvation

    Whatever happens, I will end up in heaven. Whatever happens, I will spend eternity with God. Since God says He has loved me from the foundation of the world, I know He cannot stop loving me. For He says: “I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” (Malachi 3:6).

    Even if I backslide, God will save me. Even if I deny Him like Peter, Jesus will pray for me that my faith should not fail. He even assured me of this by giving me another scripture:

    “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

    If you ever get to Isaiah 41:10 in the bible, you must not read it. That scripture is now my exclusive property. When the Lord gave it to me, I told Him I would never need any other reassurance from Him. Whatever happens, I know He will uphold me with His righteous right hand.

    Nevertheless, when I read Romans 8:38-39, I could not receive it.

    Paul says: “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    This scripture obviously agrees with the assurances God has given me. Nevertheless, I disagreed with it. I said: “No! Sin can separate me from the love of God.”

    Is that not a big contradiction? No, it is not. It is wisdom from God.

    Revelation

    God has written some scriptures into our lives. We do not need to read them in the bible, they are already in our hearts.

    I asked Martins Hile: “Are there things you discovered you know even though you never learnt them?” Martins was very excited because he knew exactly what I was talking about.

    The Holy Spirit cleanses us from all sin by writing scriptures in our hearts. He knew us even when we did not know Him. He has been working in us from the foundation of the world.

    “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know His law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.” (Romans 2:14-16).

     

    (TO BE CONTINUED).

  • Denying self for Christ’s sake – By Femi Aribisala

    Denying self for Christ’s sake – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “One of the major idols we worship is ourselves”.

    Parents make sacrifices for their children. They go through ordeals so their children will not have to go through them. Not so with Christ. He goes through ordeals because He wants us to also go through them and follow His examples.

    Accordingly, Jesus denied Himself. Then He says: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself.” (Matthew 16:24).

    Jesus denied His exalted throne of glory in heaven to come down to earth as a menial servant of men. The King of glory: “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:7-8).

    Disciples are now required to follow Jesus’ example.

    Following Jesus

    When we deny ourselves, Christ increases, and we decrease. (John 3:30). We forget out past and forget our sins because: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has (God) removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12).

    We also forgive ourselves for past sins and forget about them. We no longer define ourselves by them. As new creations in Christ Jesus:

    “Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19).

    Thus, Christ denied Himself by associating with prostitutes and sinners, and He ate and dined with even extortionate tax-collectors. (Luke 5:30-32). We must also follow His example if we are to be “the salt of the earth.”

    Idol worship

    If we are to deny ourselves, we must stop worshipping idols. One of the major idols we worship is ourselves. Every day, we bow down and worship at the church of the self. We are devoted to ourselves. We feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, and adorn ourselves. We glorify ourselves and exalt ourselves.

    This self-worship must come to an end.

    Women are the greatest self-worshippers. They worship and magnify every part of their bodies, from their hairs to the eyelashes, eyebrows, earlobes, lips, necks, breasts, nails, fingers, and hips.

    All of us; men and women, are preoccupied with ourselves and mindful of me, myself, and I. Moreover, we obey our flesh in its lusts and desires. This also needs to stop.

    Ignoring yourself

    Ignore your needs and concentrate on the needs of others: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4).

    Never be too busy to listen to the needs of others. “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” (Philippians 2:14). “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9).

    Do not trust yourself. Trust only God. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Only God can. You cannot.

    Henceforth, you are your greatest enemy. The only evil person you know is yourself. Therefore, die to self. Do not waste time defending yourself in interpersonal relationships. Accept that you are always wrong, and the other person is always right.

    Never condemn anybody. Jesus says: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.” (Luke 6:37).

    The disciple of Christ must make a habit of ignoring himself. Stop paying attention to what you think, what you want, and how you feel. “Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Romans 13:14).

    We must not be addicted to anything, for we must remain under the singular authority of Christ. Thus, Paul says: “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

    Give up your right to think your own thoughts: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:7).

    Stop talking to yourself. Start talking to God instead, even in your mind: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8).

    Do not be bothered by what men think about you. (John 5:41). Solomon says: “Man is tested by the praise he receives.” (Proverbs 27:21). Jesus concurs: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:11).

    Having nothing

    When we deny ourselves, we lose our possessions. Jesus says: “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33). As a result, we have nothing, nevertheless, as God’s children, we possess all things. (2 Corinthians 6:10).

    As Christ’s disciples, even the money we earn is no longer ours. We can be called upon to give it to someone else at a moment’s notice. Therefore, we do not spend all the money we have on ourselves.

    We recognize that we are stewards of the money we have and not the owners. Jesus says: “If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Luke 16:12).

    So, we do not lavish money on worldly things. “Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” (1Timothy 6:8).

    Loss of rights

    When we deny ourselves, we lose all our rights with men and only have rights with God. Marriage is not an institution where we stand up for our rights, but one where we lose them. Never seek fulfilment in marriage, in having children, or in having a good home. Only seek fulfilment in Christ and His righteousness. (Matthew 5:6).

    With Christ, we lose our right to live by our own rules. We give up our right to live by our own righteousness.

    We give up our right to self-defense. Jesus says: “I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matthew 5:39).

    “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45).

    We give up our right to hold a grudge. Instead, we bear with one another and forgive one another, just as Christ our Saviour forgave us. (Colossians 3:13).

    We also give up our right to revenge wrongs done to us. Paul says: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).

  • From faith to faith – By Femi Aribisala

    From faith to faith – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    The Saviour who we believe has come to save our life insists we must lose it.

    All men are born blind. Even those of us who can see are also blind. We think we can see because we see natural things. But, in reality, we are blind because we cannot see spiritual things. Spiritual things, of course, are far superior to natural things because God is spirit.

    The irony here is that those physically blind can circumstantially be better off than those who have natural eyesight. They may be blind naturally but can see spiritually, while those who can see naturally may be blind spiritually.

    Blind Bartimaeus

    Bartimaeus was naturally blind, but he recognized Jesus as “the son of David.” The Pharisees could see but could not recognize Jesus.

    The scriptures reveal that it is God who makes men blind. It is also God who makes “the seeing eye.” (Proverbs 20:12). Indeed, it is Jesus who opens the eyes of the blind. In His ministry, He proclaims “the recovery of sight to the blind.” (Luke 4:18).

    Jesus admonished those who: “though seeing, they do not see, (because) they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes.” (Matthew 13:13/15).

    But He is not inclined to open our eyes unless we first admit that we are blind. He says:

    “‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains.’” (John 9:39-41).

    God says: “Who is blind as he who is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Seeing many things, but you do not observe.” (Isaiah 42:19-20). This means we are, one and all, blind Bartimaeus. It is imperative that we go to Jesus and, instead of our propensity to ask for bread and for fish, we should say to Him:

    “Rabboni, let me receive my sight.” (Mark 10:51). “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” (Psalm 119:18). “Give me the ‘spirit of wisdom and revelation’ in the knowledge of You, so that the eyes of my understanding may be enlightened.” (Ephesians 1:17-18).

    Healing process

    Even when God answers our prayer and opens our eyes, the process is often not straightforward. This is because we sometimes do not receive 20:20 vision immediately.

    In the scriptures, when Jesus opened the eyes of a blind man in Bethsaida, at first the man looked up and said: “I see men like trees, walking.” “Then (Jesus) put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. (Mark 8:24-25).

    This two-stage process is replicated in believers. When our eyes are open, there are some things we see immediately and there are others we only see much later. On one occasion, Jesus opened the eyes of a blind man, but the man did not know Jesus. Later, Jesus revealed Himself to the man, at which point the man believed in Him. (John 9:35-37).

    This was my predicament. When I met the Lord, He said to me: “Blessed are your eyes for they see.” (Matthew 13:16). I knew it was Jesus who opened my eyes, but it took me another 25 years to realise that Jesus is God. It took me that long to recognize that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who called Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments, was Jesus.

    This is because “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” (Romans 1:17). It is easy to recognize Jesus as Saviour, but more difficult to see Him as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and as a trap and a snare. (Isaiah 8:14-15).

    Thus, John the Baptist who had earlier identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), later sent emissaries to Him asking: “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).

    The same thing happened to Peter, who was quick to identify Jesus initially as: “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16). This earned him plaudits from Jesus who said to him: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17-18).

    But when Jesus revealed that His ministry leads to the cross, Peter could no longer recognize Jesus. He said to Him: “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:22).

    Suddenly, Jesus’ favourite disciple became the devil. Jesus answered: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:22-23).

    The cross

    Christians can see the glory, but we are blind to the cross. We can see the glory, but we refuse to see the shame. We can see the prosperity, but hardly ever the affliction. We readily embrace the blessing of riches but reject the blessing of poverty.

    But the gospel of the kingdom of God says, “no pain, no gain.” It says that Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith:

    “For the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

    And so, when our eyes are opened and we finally see clearly, we discover that the joy of the Lord that is supposed to be our strength is the cross.

    We discover that the pleasure of the Lord is not food and drink but our pain and suffering. We see what God did to Jesus:

    “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” (Isaiah 53:10).

    We discover that God is not pleased when we are promoted at work. He is not pleased when we marry wives and have children. He is not pleased when we build beautiful mansions, buy the latest fast cars, or change our wardrobes. On the contrary, Jesus says: “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15).

    Then we discover to our cost that the Saviour who we believe has come to save our life insists we must lose it. Jesus says:

    “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35-37).

  • The blessing of forgiveness – By Femi Aribisala

    The blessing of forgiveness – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “The greatest thing God has ever done for us is to forgive us our sins”.

    God made a promise to Abraham: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2).

    What exactly was the blessing the Lord promised Abraham? Was it that he would be rich in cattle and in lands and houses? If that was God’s intention, what would happen to the lands and houses after Abraham died? Abraham would have to relinquish them so they would stop being blessings to him.

    What difference would it make if God made Abraham’s name great after he died if Abraham does not have eternal life? What does it matter if Lagos is named after you, or if you are known as the father of the Nigerian nation, if you end up in hell? Jesus asks: “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Matthew 8:36).

    Blessing of forgiveness

    There has to be a more fundamental blessing that God had in mind for Abraham than silver, gold, cattle, lands, or property. What is that blessing? The blessing the Lord had in mind for Abraham was to make him sinless by forgiving him his sins. Peter reveals this to the Jews after the Pentecost:

    “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” (Acts 3:25-26).

    God said to Abraham, in effect, the greatest way I can bless you is by delivering you from your sins. The best way I can bless you is by breaking the power of sin over your life. The best way I can bless you is by making you sinless. Thus: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1).

    Salvation from sin

    Many of the Old Testament Jews had their own concept of blessing. They were convinced the Messiah would come to establish an opulent society on earth. They believed when the Messiah comes, he would shower them with wealth, prosperity, and unending happiness. They thought he would give them all the world’s resources and positions of power. Many Christians are also schooled in these misconceptions.

    However, Jesus confounded all vain expectations. As far as God is concerned, the greatest blessing he can give man is deliverance from the grip of sin through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the angel said to Joseph: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21).

    So let me repeat my earlier submission here. What is the greatest thing God has ever done and will ever do for man? The greatest thing God has ever done for us is to forgive us our sins.

    God’s greatest work

    God spoke creation into existence. Within seven days, he created the heavens, the earth, and all living beings. But salvation was entirely different. Salvation could not be established by merely saying: “Let there be salvation.”

    God had to wait for over four thousand years. And then he had to come down to earth personally in human form through the womb of a woman. Then he had to be crucified, to die and then be raised from the dead. Without a doubt, salvation is the greatest and most complex work of God known to man.

    Therefore, David does not say “blessed is the man who is made the king of Israel.” He says: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2).

    Let me be even more categorical here. There is only one way by which God truly blesses a man: by forgiving him his sins. Without the forgiveness of sins, all other so-called blessings are baseless and practically useless.

    You want to see a man who is blessed, don’t ask what kind of house he has. Don’t ask for his wife and children. Don’t ask him what kind of job he has. Don’t ask him how much he has in his bank account. Don’t even ask him about his health. Ask him if his sins are forgiven. If his sins are not forgiven, every other thing is a waste of time.

    Key of the kingdom

    It is the forgiveness of sins that ushers a man into the things of God. It is the forgiveness of sins that brings the precious Holy Spirit. It is the forgiveness of sins that reconciles man back to God. It is the forgiveness of sins that makes it possible for man to inherit eternal life.

    If a man has all the wealth in the world but his sins are not forgiven, he is a poor man indeed. All his wealth is going to end with his death, and then he faces an afterlife of poverty, pain, and anguish.

    Every blessing has its foundation in the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, everything a believer does should have its mainspring in the fact that his sins are forgiven. It must be the basis and foundation of all action in the life of a believer. It is tragic that this truth is little understood even among Christians.

    The Bible reveals that God is love. But what does this mean in practical terms? For God so loved that he gave. (John 3:16). The first thing he gave was Jesus. The second thing he gave was forgiveness. The third thing he gave was eternal life.

    Forgive to live

    If the greatest thing God does for us is to forgive us our sins through Christ Jesus, then the greatest thing we can do for others is to forgive them their sins. It is more difficult to forgive than to give. It is so much easier to give money than to forgive others. We can give under duress. We can give even though we don’t want to. But we cannot forgive by force. We can only forgive from the heart. And we cannot truly give unless we forgive.

    Jesus says the extent of our love of God is a function of our appreciation of the forgiveness of our sins. Indeed, the extent of our understanding of the Christian faith is determined by our understanding of the centrality of the forgiveness of sins. Simon, the Pharisee did not understand this, therefore he despised the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with precious ointment and washed his feet with her hair.

    Jesus said to him: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:47-48).

  • Confessing Christ before men – By Femi Aribisala

    Confessing Christ before men – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “Every Jack, Jill, and Harry has a Ph.D. in Divinity”.

    Jesus says: “Everyone who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33).

    How exactly do we confess Christ?

    Confessing and denying

    Many Christians take this to mean answering an altar call and declaring that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour.

    This is based on Paul’s assertion that: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).

    However, Paul himself does not believe that a once-for-all declaration is sufficient. He writes to Titus about people who: “profess to know God, but in works they deny Him.” (Titus 1:6).

    Christians readily confess our churches. We are quick to declare our denominations. But we do not confess Christ. In critical situations, we discover that we do not know Him. Or we pretend that He does not exist.

    Do Christians know God? If you were to talk about aeronautical science, most people would shut up because they know nothing about it. But if you talk about God, everybody becomes an expert. Every Jack, Jill, and Harry has a Ph.D. in Divinity.

    “But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers. You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you.’” (Psalm 50:16-21).

    Peter was the first person to “confess” Christ. When Jesus asked His disciples who they say He is, Peter said to Him: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16). But this same Peter went on to deny knowing Christ not once, but three times on the trot when He was arrested.

    Peter denied Christ, saying: “I don’t know the man.” How do we say: “I don’t know Christ” today? We deny Christ when we tell a lie. We deny Christ when we cheat and steal.

    When Peter denied Christ, Jesus was in the same room. Peter looked up and saw Jesus looking directly at him. Their eyes locked.

    Similarly, when we tell a lie, Jesus is right there with us. He is right there in the room. And yet, we say we do not know Him. We talk as if He does not exist. Then we go to church and sing “Praising the Lord, always.”

    Lip-service confessions

    Jesus maintains He is not interested in lip-service confessions. He says: “You will recognize them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:20-23).

    This shows that even preaching the gospel and engaging in evangelism is not enough. Confessing Christ before men means living according to the way, the truth. and the life. (John 14:6).

    When we confess Christ, we fail at the job interview because we tell the truth. But when we confess the devil, we get the job because we tell a lie.

    When we confess Christ, we must resign our appointment because we are required to cook the books. But when we deny Christ, we say we are thirty when we are forty. When we confess Christ, we call a spade a spade. But when we deny Christ, a spade easily becomes a cutlass.

    Failing the test

    Bolaji was taking her exams and everybody in the centre was cheating, with the connivance of the invigilator who had been bought over. Does she join them and succeed, or does she ignore them and come last?

    Should she decide to pass her exam, or should she agree to fail? If she passes, she denies Christ. If she fails, she confesses Him. If she fails, she cannot gain the world. But if she passes, the world is her oyster.

    Therefore, Jesus says: “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35-37).

    With God, the decision to fail in the name of righteousness amounts to good success, while the decision to pass through unrighteousness amounts to bad success.

    Accordingly, God said to Joshua: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8).

    In effect, the requirement to confess Christ is not a call to hypocrisy. Jesus says to His disciples: “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

    We witness to Jesus by being like Jesus. We witness to Jesus by being the Jesus that people will meet in the flesh. That means you cannot confess Christ without first denying yourself. Denying yourself means you no longer exist. When you confess Christ, you lose your life. Christ becomes your life. (Colossians 3:4).

    Denying yourself means that: “the sharing of your faith (will) become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” (Philem 6:7).

    Inviting trouble

    This is where the confession process becomes troublesome. Confessing Christ is costly. It takes us out of our comfort zones. It requires us to carry our crosses and follow Jesus. It means we are naked and not ashamed.

    To confess Christ as your healer, you need to fall seriously sick. To confess Him as your provider, you need to become seriously broke. To confess Him as the resurrection and the Life, you need to fall down and die.

    Moreover, since Christ is a rock of offense, we become offensive to people in the world. They cannot rely on us to back them up with lies. They take offense that we refuse to walk with them: “in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.” (1 Peter 4:3).

    Confessing Christ sets sons against fathers, daughters against mothers, and daughters-in-law against mothers-in-law. According to Jesus, when we confess Him, our enemies will become members of our own household. (Matthew 10:34-36).

  • Christians do not believe the report of the Lord – By Femi Aribisala

    Christians do not believe the report of the Lord – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    When God gives a prophecy, He does not allow anyone to exclude himself.

    Isaiah asks: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1). Christians have become so self-confident that we procedurally disbelieve the report of the Lord.

    Jesus says to His disciples: “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me tonight.” But Peter challenged the report of the Lord. He said: “Even if everybody is made to stumble, I will never be made to stumble.” (Matthew 26:31-33).

    And so, Peter not only stumbled, but he also fell headlong. What should he have done? He should have agreed with the report and then asked the Lord for grace so that he would not be made to stumble. Indeed, if it were not for the Lord’s mercies, Peter’s discipleship would have ended prematurely.

    Jesus said to him: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32).

    Don’t despise prophecies

    Christians do not know how to handle biblical prophecy. If the prophecy is about breakthrough, showers of blessing, or prosperity, we embrace it. If it negative, we ignore it saying: “God forbid bad thing.” But did God forbid Noah’s prophecy about the destruction of the flood, or did He establish it?

    Jesus says: “All of you will be made to stumble because of me.” This is a word of prophecy, and we must not insist it cannot be applicable to us.

    The scriptures say Jesus will be: “As a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken, be snared and taken.” (Isaiah 8:14-15).

    God then tells Isaiah: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples.” (Isaiah 8:16). How then can we say it will not apply to us? Are we Jesus’ disciples or not?

    But then we stumble at the word. How can God be so categorical? Why does He say: “all of you will be made to stumble?” Why does He not say: “some of you will be made to stumble, so we can conveniently exclude all of us?”

    I am called as a prophet. I wrote a book entitled: “Why Christians Won’t Go to Heaven.” Christians ask me: “How can you have that kind of title?” Why do you not say: “Why Some Christians Won’t Go to Heaven?” Why can you not say: “Why certain Christians won’t go to heaven?”

    When God gives a prophecy, He does not allow anyone to exclude himself. He says: “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). He does not say: “Some of My people perish for lack of knowledge.”

    Jesus says: “Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11-12).

    He says categorically the children of the kingdom will be cast out. He does not say some children of the kingdom will be cast out. He does not say certain children will be cast out.

    Betraying Jesus

    “When evening had come, (Jesus) sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.’ And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, ‘Lord, is it I?’” (Matthew 26:20-22).

    “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10). Therefore, O great Christian, go to the Lord and ask: “Is it me?” “Father, help me so I am not the one who betrays you.”

    But the Christians of today are made of sterner stuff. I can envisage someone raising his hand today to say: ‘Lord, I am so glad you made that statement. I have been meaning to say so myself, but I was not sure if I should. But now that you have mentioned it, let me say this. The person who will betray you is Kunle. He is just not committed to you.”

    And the Lord will give such proud upstart the shock of his life. He will tell him: “You are the one.”

    David told Nathan that the rich man who took the little lamb of the poor man should be put to death. But Nathan said to him: “You are the man.” (2 Samuel 12:1-7). In effect, had it not been for the grace of God, David pronounced a death sentence on himself.

    Be warned. You are the one. The bible is talking about you.

    Jesus says: “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” (Matthew 26:21).

    Who is going to make everyone stumble? God is. Why is He going to make everyone stumble? He wants to see how many will get up.

    Knockout punch

    They told you it was a boxing match, but you thought it was a walk in the park. They told you many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalm 39:14), but you say many are the showers of blessing. But by the time you got into the ring and your opponent landed some hard blows on your chin, all the prosperity scriptures that you had crammed flew out of your head.

    One left hook switched off your light and when you opened your eyes, you saw the referee leaning over you, counting: “One, two, three.” Will you get up or will you be counted out?

    When we are made to stumble, we become offended. We cry out: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me? Why don’t You even listen to my groans? I cry out to You in the daytime, but You don’t answer. I cry out to You at night, but I find no rest.” (Psalm 22:1-2).

    So, the Lord becomes a stumbling stone indeed. He becomes a rock of offense, and biblical prophecy is fulfilled. Therefore, John the Baptist sends emissaries to Jesus, the same man he witnessed to as the Messiah, asking:

    “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:3-6).

    Blessed is that man who is not offended by what God decides to do and what He decides not to do.

    Let us be instructed by the counsel of Isaiah. He says whatever the situation: “I will wait on the LORD, who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him.” (Isaiah 8:17).

  • God’s fullness of joy – By Femi Aribisala

    God’s fullness of joy – By Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    “Many Christians have the joy of the Lord but do not realise it”.

    Joy is one of many things that only come from God. It is the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). That means it can only find true expression in those who have received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and have been gifted with His Spirit.

    In effect, joy is one thing that many claim they have but do not have. This is because it is only God that makes us joyful. (Ezra 6:22).

    Counterfeits

    Since joy only comes from God, there are many counterfeits. Be suspicious of anything that gives you joy outside of Christ. There is no real joy in anything you do without the Holy Spirit. There is no joy in anything you cannot do in the presence of God.

    Counterfeit joy includes the so-called joy that comes from buying and selling. It includes the “joy” that comes from possessions, the joy that comes from achievements, and the “joy” that comes from eating and drinking.

    “But the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17).

    When we eat and drink, we are never full. Soon, we have to eat and drink again and again. But with joy in the Holy Spirit, we can be full and fulfilled.

    Accordingly, Jesus told a Samaritan woman by the well of Jacob: “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14).

    That water that flows from the city of God is the Holy Spirit. It is water drawn from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3).

    Happiness

    What is the point of joy that does not last? What is the point of happiness that only happens occasionally? What is the point of the fleeting joy that is here today but gone tomorrow? What is the point of joy that is never full and always incomplete?

    But the joy of the Lord is full and fulfilling. It is immune to the vagaries of life. It is not subject to situations and circumstances. It remains and abides forever. It ensures that even when we are sorrowful, nevertheless, we are always rejoicing. (2 Corinthians 6:10). It guarantees that we are exceedingly joyful even in all our tribulations. (2 Corinthians 7:4).

    Jesus says: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

    The bleaker things are in the world: the snugger we feel in Christ. The darker the night: the brighter the day. The darker the berry: the sweeter the juice. Whatever happens, the joy of the Lord remains.

    Many Christians who have the joy of the Lord do not even know they have it. This is because if we have it, we need to express it. But many have it and do not realise it.

    Joy of the Lord

    God desires that we have His joy. He wants us to: “rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:9). He gave us His commandments because He does not want sin to impede our joyfulness.

    Jesus says: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:11-12).

    God, Himself, is our joy. Therefore, all our joy must be in Him and from Him. Nine times in the scriptures we are told to rejoice in the Lord. We are told to rejoice in the salvation of God, to rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and to rejoice because our names are written in heaven.

    Accordingly, Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

    When barren Hannah travailed in prayer and finally gave birth to a son, she did not rejoice in the child. She said: ‘My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation.” (1 Samuel 2:1).

    The same thing happened with Mary when she was told by the angel that she would have a child by the Holy Spirit. She said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47).

    The joy of the Lord is the satisfaction and sense of well-being that we get when we are secure in the love of God. That makes it more of a lifestyle than an emotion. Our emotions are controlled by our flesh. But joy comes from the Holy Spirit.

    It comes from having a loving and cordial relationship with God. It comes from knowing that all things work together for our good. (Romans 8:38). It comes from knowing that it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13). It comes from knowing we are accepted in God’s beloved. (Ephesians 1:6).

    Nobody else gives what God gives and God is the only person who gives anything that is valuable.

    Man gives perishable goods. If a man is pleased with you today, he can be displeased with you tomorrow. If he gives you something today, he can ask for it back tomorrow. In any case, whatever he gives will soon run out or expire.

    But God’s favour everlasting: “His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5).

    God is exciting, exuberant, and fulfilling. There is no good thing outside of the Lord. (Psalm 15:2). Therefore, our fullness of joy is realised from fellowshipping with God the Father and Jesus the Son.

    Exciting God

    God is someone to be enjoyed by man. The whole point of our privileged personal relationship with God is to have fun with him. Our joy in Him comes from the fact that believers dwell in God and God dwells in us. (John 14:20). God has put gladness in our hearts: “more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.” (Psalm 4:7).

    By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are now seated: “together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6).

    Jesus reveals that at the resurrection: “All our ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. (Matthew 22:30). Moreover, “In (God’s) presence is fullness of joy; at (His) right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11).

    “Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).