Friday, March 18, 2016

Made By Grace (March 2016)

“So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:6, NIV)
Biblical grace has a few definitions: It is God’s power at work in the believer (Acts 4:33). Grace is also unmerited favor and kindness of God brought to man by Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9). Grace is also charis, from where we have the word charisma, which is a divinely conferred gift or talent (Romans 12:6-8). Below are some different manifestations of grace that is expedient for the Christian in order to maximize life here on earth:
Sufficient Grace: “And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness... Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). God spoke to Apostle Paul (and to us), in the above-quoted Scripture that His ability is at our disposal whenever we are at our wit’s end. When we are helpless in ourselves is really when Divine help is most available. There is need for Christians to carry the mentality of sufficient grace particularly in times of distress.
Sustaining Grace: This grace makes the believer a finisher. It sustains the believer in times of great opposition and challenges. It also enables the believer to hold on and finish well. Zerrubabel, the Governor of Judah, was encountering challenges from the Samaritans in finishing the temple he started.  Zerubbabel was instructed to shout Grace Grace at the place of the construction (Zechariah 4:7). Grace will produce divine supply to finish whatever He has purposed to do in our lives.
Sanctifying Grace: The Word of God sanctifies and cleanses through the vehicle of grace (Acts 20:32). The grace of God does not justify sin, but justifies the sinner. The woman, who was caught in adultery by the Pharisees and scribes and brought to Jesus, was instructed by Him to go and sin no more (John 8:1-12). The words Jesus spoke to her were empowered words of grace that produced divine ability in her, which effected a transformation in her. This grace produces discipline in the Christian, enabling him or her to fulfill divine purpose, and to live above sin (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Superabundant Grace“That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7, NKJV). Divine grace is always massive and cannot be maxed out.  In reality, we cannot earn divine blessings by our own efforts.  God’s intention is always that by blessing us beyond our imagination, the undeserved blessing will spark off thanksgiving, worship and outright obedience to Him. If divine blessings are truly earned by human effort, it will result in boastfulness which God abhors. This grace is released because of the ministry of Jesus (Galatians 3:13-14)
Saving Grace:  “For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through (your) faith.  And this (salvation) is not of yourselves (of your own doing, it came not through your own striving), but it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Our ultimate salvation, as Christians, rests totally on the grace and mercy of God.
CONCLUSION:  As money works for rich men, so does God intend that His grace should work for the Christian in this world. The currency we spend and invest in as Christians is the grace of God. The grace of God is a maker of enviable destinies. Align yourself with God today and let Him raise you.  Stop abusing grace by justifying sin, and stop killing grace by condemning those God has justified. Step up in grace by the grace of God.
 

Embracing Change

Change is an inevitable part of life. Change will always come to everyone whether they are prepared for it or not. We shouldn’t see change as an enemy because it is a reality of life and necessary for growth and development. The world we live in has undergone many changes in the last ten years in technology. Older gadgets have giving way to newer, better and more efficient ones. Mankind is daily discovering and improving on things that make the world a better place. The only constant in life is change.

To embrace change, we need to realize that life will constantly demand changes from us, and hence we should be willing and ready to make the necessary adjustments when the need to do so arises.  While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22). Different seasons of life call for different adjustments. For instance, warm clothes are needed in winter; spring signifies hope and preparation for summer; summer brings sunlight and vitality, signifying action time; and at fall when the trees begin to shed off their leaves, it may be necessary to take inoculation against flu. Each of these seasons come with demands on mankind to make one adjustment or the other, and such is the reality of life.  Below are some truths to consider about embracing change:


Change is God ordained: God doesn’t change (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6); His love is constant and His faithfulness is sure. However, He initiates changes, and this is why He is called the unchangeable changer. The Bible says He changes times and seasons (Daniel 2:21). And because He causes change to occur, He will sometimes force change on us in order to move us to the next season or level in life. Most often than not, change is required to enter into the next level of our lives.


Change is challenging: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spot? Then may you also do well who are accustomed to do evil" (Jeremiah 13:23). This scriptures point out how difficult it is to change what one has been accustomed to. We should realize, as Christians, that God doesn't want us to change independent of Him. Change is difficult, but it is possible with the help of God.


Change is necessary: If we fail to change, we will stagnate and remain in the rut. A story is told of the Swiss watchmakers who manufactured 65% of watches in the late 1960s, with 90% of the profits in the world market. The time came when the technology of the quartz crystal became the fad, but the Swiss refused to embrace this change and kept sticking to their brand. By the 1980s, Japan had become the largest manufacturer of wristwatches in the world. People lose their territories when they fail to make the necessary changes.


Change is possible with God’s help: Right thinking, right beliefs and right exposure to God via the influence of the Holy Sprit and His Word can make change not as daunting as it appears to be.  “Not in your own strength, for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you energizing and creating in you the power and desire both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight” (Philippians 2:13, Amp).  For change to be effortless, what is needed is Holy Ghost power and not self will power.


Change should be embraced: Many times, God ordained changes come wrapped up with challenges and seeming setbacks.  Abraham was asked by God to leave his family to an unknown place that will be shown to him as he embarks on the journey (Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham obeyed, not knowing he was signing up for a glorious future.  Today, virtually all world religions acknowledge Abraham as their father. What change has God been demanding from you? Has He been demanding genuine repentance from you? What instructions have been coming to you persistently with little nudges? Obedience to God is signing up for a glorious and unfathomable future (Ephesians 3:20).

Conclusion: Embracing genuine and lasting change is embracing the eternal Word of God wholeheartedly. Jesus Christ is the Word Personified (Revelation 19:11-13).
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN




Living Intentionally in 2016

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:15-17 AMP).

To be intentional is to be deliberate about something. It is to take utmost responsibility for one's life and actions.

 Set Goals: One definition of goal is the end to which effort is directed. Apostle Paul says he presses towards the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14). He had a goal in mind he was aiming for. Having no goals is like playing a football match without a touchdown line or playing soccer without goalposts. Goal setting also involves identifying something one wants to accomplish, and then establishing measures to accomplish it within a set time frame. Nothing is dynamic until it first becomes specific.

 Redeem The Time: Time is the only commodity that is irreplaceable in life.  Note that time is a commodity to be traded. When it is diligently and wisely used, it yields handsome dividends. Time invested in good education produces a strong mind over time. Time is of such great importance that when someone spends time with us, we thank them for their time. While money is replaceable, time isn't. To redeem the time is to be diligent and maximize the opportunities we get in life. It also means having a sense of urgency about one's assignment because the days are evil. To make the most out of time, one has to be careful to avoid procrastination and idleness.

 Die Daily To Self: Living in pleasure (of sin) is not living intentionally. Apostle Paul said I die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31). Jesus said we should carry our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). The cross implies the crucifixion of the sinful Adamic nature in us. To die daily is to (daily and regularly) deny our human nature of its lusts and cravings. It is to tow the line of self discipline by the help of the Holy Spirit resident within us. By dying daily we are able to manifest the holiness and glory of God to our world (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

 Lean On Grace: Grace, as defined by someone, is the power of God available to meet our needs without any cost to us.  Grace is a maker of men and destinies (1 Corinthians 15:10). Grace makes us accomplish great things for God (Zechariah 4:6-7).  A resolute mind isn't enough to live intentionally in 2016. His grace is greatly needed. Even when we fail, we are able to recover ourselves, dust ourselves up and continue by His grace (Proverbs 24:16).

Do The Expedient:  The expedient things are the helpful and beneficial activities we engage in. By doing the expedient regularly, we cultivate good habits. Psychologists tell us it takes 30 days to change a habit. The convenient is contrary to the expedient, and it usually doesn't deliver good results. Doing the convenient all the time is akin to cultivating poor habits that will never yield great results. Success is not a product of one time event; rather, it is a product of a string of expedient activities.

Give Yourself Away: "Now when David had served God's purpose in his own generation he fell asleep" (Acts 13:36, NIV). Jesus said he came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom (Mark 10:45). You are never remembered for what you get; rather, what you are remembered for is what you give. To intentionally live is to serve your generation according to the will of God. Look for ways to serve in your family, church etc in 2016.

Sow Seeds: The law of reproduction is predicated on planting a seed (Genesis 8:22). Every seed reproduces after its kind. Deliberate living is to plant seeds of what you intend to harvest. Farmers are deliberate seed planters.  A farmer who doesn't plant in the planting season will have nothing to harvest during harvest seasons. Prudent farmers don't consume all their harvest. Every harvest includes the seeds for the next planting season, and the number of seeds sown determines the size of the next harvest. Believe in this principle to your benefit; ignore it to your disadvantage.
Conclusion: May your life take a leap forward in this leap year in Jesus’ name, as you make every effort to live intentionally. Happy New Year!

Memorial Stones (December 2015)

Memorial stones were monuments set up by God’s people in the Old Testament to celebrate and commemorate His goodness, faithfulness and interventions for them. The Bible is replete with such monumental events. For example, Jacob set up a memorial stone and called the place Bethel when he had an open vision of God reaffirming the covenant He had with Abraham, his grandfather (Genesis 28:10-22); the Israelites were instructed by God to celebrate the Passover as a memorial of how they were delivered from bondage in Egypt. The Passover feast is a memorial stone (Exodus 12:21-27); Joshua was instructed by God to take out twelve stones from the Jordan River after the river was parted by God for the Israelites to pass through. The stones were set up at Gilgal (Joshua 4:1-8,21); Samuel, after the Israelites’ decisive win over their Philistine arch enemy, took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called it “Ebenezer”, saying, thus far the Lord has helped us. (1 Samuel 7:12). Some significance of memorial stone includes the following:



Reminder of Divine Help: The spot where the Israelites defeated the Philistines (after national repentance and fasting) was the same place Samuel set up a stone, calling its name “Ebenezer”. Twenty years before, they had been defeated by the same Philistines at the same place. However, this time round, God turned the tides against their enemies and gave them victory, and hence the memorial name “Ebenezer”.  Thus, the place of their former defeat now became the place of their victory.



Reminder of Divine Encounter: Jacob saw a vision of open heaven and angels descending and ascending. He set up a stone and called the place “Bethel”, meaning the house of God (Genesis 28:18-20).  At salvation, when a sinner genuinely repents and turns to Jesus, the light of Heaven shines into his or her soul, and inexplicable joy invades the soul. This experience is a divine encounter. Reliving past encounters is always a spring and motivation to ride on with God!


Reminder of Our Divine Inheritance: Another memorial instituted for Christians by our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord’s Supper, also called Holy Communion (Luke 22:17-21). Rightfully partaking in the Lord’s Supper brings to our benefit the redemption riches and treasures we have in Christ (e.g. divine healing, protection, illumination, etc). It also reminds us of the great sacrifice which Jesus undertook on our behalf. And for this, we should be eternally grateful to God. When we participate in this sacred memorial, we obey our Lord Jesus and declare that He is our eternal portion.

Reminder to Future Generations: Because God wants His people to always remember what He has done, and also relay same to succeeding generations, He asked Joshua to pick out twelve stones from River Jordan and set it up as a memorial. We have celebrations, thanksgiving services and testimonies because we want to communicate God’s faithfulness, goodness and mercy to generations coming after us. Similarly, the Thanksgiving was started in 1621 by the early settlers in North America to celebrate God’s goodness. Today, it has been statutorily adopted as a national holiday, serving as a memorial to this and future generation of the goodness and faithfulness of God to their ancestral parents.

CONCLUSION:  Memorials are necessary because humans have a propensity to forget God’s goodness in times of adversity, turmoil and challenges. Many look back at the end of the year and feel God hasn’t done much for them. Many may have real reasons not to grateful, but God still wants us to set up memorials for what He has done – however great or small they might be. We may have lost certain things, but He is the reason we have not lost all.


Drop That Burden (November 2015)

Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “burden” as something oppressive or worrisome. It is something one bears with difficulty and obligation. A burden is opposite of a blessing; while blessing brings delight, a burden causes pain. A burden weighs down the soul and the body (Luke 13:10-13). A burden casts down. It causes a bowing down of the head. Below are different types of burden people bear:

Burden of Sickness and Affliction:  In Luke 13:10-17, we read the story of a daughter of Abraham who was bent over for 18 years. A spirit of infirmity was responsible for her condition. When Jesus met her in the sanctuary on a Sabbath day, He healed her. Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil in our lives, to relieve us of heavy burdens, and to rescue us from the tyranny of oppression. His power and anointing are still the same as of old. Fasting and fervent prayers in the name of Jesus will break the yoke and burden of affliction.

Burden of Sin: Habitual sin is a sickness of the soul. It weighs on the soul, leaving a dent of no-confidence on the sinner in the presence of God (Luke 18:13). The Bible calls sin a weight which hinders us from making strides in the spirit. It is a wedge that causes separation from God.  The burden of sin is removed when a sinner receives the forgiveness Jesus offers to all mankind. Jesus was manifested to save from the power, penalty and eventual presence of sin (Matthew 1:21).

Burden of Shame:  Shame or reproach is something that denotes disgrace, dishonor and embarrassment. Shame is a burden that bows the head. Shame is the "buts" in our lives that question the authority and power of God. Shame points to those bad reference aspects of a person’s life: “Naaman was also a mighty man of valor BUT a leper” (2 Kings 5:1). However, in Christ our case is different: “For Christ did not please Himself, but it is written, the reproaches and abuses of those who reproached and abused you fell on Me” (Romans 15:3, AMP). Jesus suffered shame on the cross of Calvary so that we will be partakers of His glory.

Burden of Debt: This is a burden people impose on themselves. Borrowing money to buy liabilities and finance our lusts isn’t God’s will. Borrowing money to buy assets isn’t God’s best either. Not having debt is God’s will. The borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). The borrower who can’t pay his debt will always be afraid of the lender. God wants us to be totally free and not in any form of captivity. As we become financially responsible and eschew profligate and ostentatious lifestyle, God clears our debts and blesses us.

Burden of Care: The care and concern of this world can constitute a burden. When we focus our thinking on the issues and necessities of life, we worry and become burdened by them. We lose confidence and trust in God as a result. The cares of this life are thorns that emasculate the efficacy of the Word of God in a person’s life. This care, if not dealt with, releases negative toxins into our bodies that lead to all manner of sicknesses (Proverbs 17:22).

CONCLUSION
Let us receive grace in this new month to drop our burdens at the feet of Jesus, the only true Burden Bearer. Let us receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit afresh that terminates yokes and burdens. Jesus’ burden is light and easy. As we team up with Him by taking on His burden, He will relieve us of other illegal burdens in Jesus name.