Hold nothing back

You will find the story of Ananias & Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. The couple had sold some of their property and brought part of the money to the Apostles, claiming it was the full amount and keeping the rest for themselves. Peter, disappointed at the couple asked Ananias why he had let Satan fill his heart and why he had lied to the Holy spirit by keeping some of the money for himself, after all the property was his to sell or not to sell. Ananias after hearing this fell to the ground and died. About 3 hours later, he was joined in the grave by his wife, Sapphira. Dear believer, do you know that we are in a similar situation today. God has given us life, plus the free will to give him that life or not. When we confess him as Lord and claim we have given him our life, then we must be prepared to give him all. You can't afford to hold anything back, not yourself, your time, your money, your children, your dreams and aspirations... Nothing at all. There is no room for 'half-believers' in heaven, if there is any word like that. Our life is not like departments where you can have different Lords over the different departments. It's got to be one Lord, the One you confessed. Ananias and Sapphira were not strangers in the church but this is what the Lord says in Ezekiel 33 verse 13 'When I tell righteous people that they shall live, but then they sin, expecting the past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins'. Ananias and Sapphira gave only that which was convenient, what have you given him? You may need to pray for grace today, grace to give him all, all the time. Deuteronomy 23 verse 23 says 'But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God'.

I found victory on my knees

I found victory on my knees because not only did my knees bow, my heart also did and so did my will. My God, My Maker! I let go of every burden, I held on to him, to my future. My God, My Father! I looked up to heaven, convinced it was open. My arms were open, convinced I would receive. I exchanged my emptiness for his fullness, my ashes for his beauty. Silenced for too long, he gave me a voice. My God, My Shield! I went down empty, I rose up full. He restored unto me what the years had taken. My God, My Restorer! He poured his oil of gladness over my head and it runs to my toes. He silenced the wicked. He showed himself strong and mighty. My God, my Deliverer! Totally dependable, totally capable, more than able. In him there is no deciet. He is the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1 verse 17). My God, My Shelter! He has done exceedingly, abundantly, beyond all I could ever ask or imagine. Ephesians 3 verse 20 is my testimony. My God, My Song.... What can I say?

A time to put asunder

Fear is an intruder. It comes together with every new idea. Fear turns up every time you are about to take a bold step in the right direction. The good news however is that even though fear doesnt need your permission to come, it definitely cannot stay without your express permission. David never could have faced Goliath if he entertained fear, same for Jehu as he killed Jezebel. Gideon never could have faced the Assyrian army that was so many times larger than his own if he entertained fear. Fear is anxiety, fear cripples, fear blinds, fear delays, fear manipulates, fear steals your peace, fear aborts plans, it stops the future from the present. Fear is an incomplete picture. It is a voice you need to silence. Some of us are afraid of taking that bold step but Isaiah 41 verse 13 says 'for I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear, I will help you'. Some of us live in the fear of other people but the bible says in Hebrews 13 verse 6 'So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, What can man do to me'. Some of us are scared of taking that bold step because of the enemies we face today, But this is what Moses said to the people in Exodus 14 verse 13, 'Do not be afraid, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today, The Egyptians you see today, you will never see them again'. When you have a vision and fear tags along, quickly put asunder. Phillipians 4 verse 6 says 'Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. Verse 7 says and the Peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Dont let fear take away that peace today. Let God take the lead, all you have to do is follow.

Did I stop walking?

I asked myself the question, did I stop walking? I never did, I never will. The walk got tougher so I needed him more. It felt lonely so I needed him closer. I was weak so I needed his strength. Oppressed so I needed to look up to him. Weary so that I may know that without him I will achieve nothing. I got to a crossroad so I needed direction. He heard me, he held me, he led me and once again my heart is filled with praise. Lead me Lord, lead me along the best pathway for my life.

Peek-a-boo

Adam, where are you? God had asked after Adam and his wife disobeyed him. I heard you in the garden, Adam replied, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid. It was no game of peek-a-boo! The penalty was death. God cursed Adam and his wife because they had eaten of the forbidden fruit in the garden (Genesis 3).

The world today is like another garden of Eden. We know the forbiden fruits... Adultery, fornication, envy, murder, lies .. And the list goes on.

God is asking you the same question today, where are you? Are you busy enjoying the fruits the world has to offer? Are you hiding from God? Are you blaming someone else for the position you are in today? Are you afraid? Are you naked? Do you hear God in the garden? Do you hear Jesus knocking on the door of your heart? It is no peek-a-boo! What God has to offer is eternal life.

Stop hiding, run to him, naked as you are, fall at his feet, and receive gladly the gift of eternal life. His covering for you this time around is not made of animal skin, it is the blood of Jesus. A ticket to eternity!

Majesty!

I was at the live recording of the song 'Eternally' by Sister Tayo Adigun yesterday. One of the songs she sang was talking about the supremacy of God and she asked the question 'have you not known? Have you not heard?..'

Today, I will be taking us to the book of Isaiah, chapter 40. It talks about the majesty of the Lord.

⁴ Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.

⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

¹⁵ Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

¹⁷ Before him all the nations are as nothing;
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.

¹⁸ With whom, then, will you compare God?
    To what image will you liken him?

²¹ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

²² He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

²³ He brings princes to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

²⁴ No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

²⁶ Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.

²⁸ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

At crossroads?

Lot was moving about with Abram, and it got to a point where the land could not support them both, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between their herders.

So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

 This was a ‘cross road’ for Lot but this is what he did, he looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. He pitched his tent near Sodom!

Lot’s decision brought him a lot of trouble, and twice he had to be saved by Abram. The first time was when he was taken captive by the kings of Elam, Goyim, Shinar and Ellasar (Genesis 14 verse 16).

I’m sure we remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, how God destroyed the cities with a rain of fire and how, through Abraham’s intervention, God sent an Angel to take Lot, together with his family to a safe place, even though he lost his wife along the way.

We all get to crossroads in life, where we have to make decisions regarding our life partner, home, work place, church, a trip we want to make, a school for the children … anything at all. Remember, this one decision could be life defining.

Instead of taking a decision based on the physical things you see, some decisions are better taken with your eyes closed as you pray to God. Psalm 32 verse 8 says: “I will lead you along the best pathway for your life”

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take”

David formed the habit of constantly asking... Lord, shall I go?