SEXY CHRISTIANS

MEMORY VERSE: God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 22

What does it mean to be sexy ? To be sexy means to be sexually appealing, attractive or exciting (Merriam Webster dictionary). There is this new trend, although it is not so new, of Christians wanting to serve God in spirit and truth (as advised by Jesus in John 4:24) and also wanting to be worldly. They want to be spiritual but not too spiritual. They want to be worldly but not too worldly. They want to be associated with Christ and also with the world at the same time. They want to be accepted by Christ and also by the world at the same time. They want to be Christ-like and world-like at the same time. Firstly, Christ and the world don't mix just as light and darkness don't mix . The bible categorically states that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). Unfortunately appearing sexy is nothing but being worldly. It is impossible for one to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). You will either serve one and hate the other, or hold one and despise the other. You cannot be a Christian and be worldly at the same time. Am i encouraging people to appear scruffy and unkempt? No! Although i was not there when Jesus walked on the face of the earth, i am sure He didn’t appear scruffy. Few brethren who have seen heaven (either in a vision or a dream) told us that heaven is a very beautiful place. Everything thing there, they said, is sparkling clean and tidy.

I hear people say that they are modern day Christians or civilised Christians. I don’t know what that means but God is not modern or civilised. No wonder the bible refers to Him as the Ancient of Days. The Lord Himself said in Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not.” The argument that many put up is we now live under grace and as such all those things do not matter. Are you trying to say Christ died so that we can throw modesty into the bin? Christ died to restore our relationship, which was broken as a result of sin, with God. Sin causes (and will always cause) separation between us and God (Isaiah 59:1-2).

The line between gospel songs and secular songs have now become so thin that we no longer know the difference. Gospel songs have now become so worldly that people now rock it in clubs. The line between a gospel artist and secular artist is so thin, now , that we no longer know the difference. Unfortunately, some of our Christian gospel artists are the ones promoting looking sexy as a Christian. Not all Christian songs help people get closer to God. Here is how you can test actually if a song is inspired by God, the flesh or Satan as describe by Bro Mack Major. When you hear your favorite gospel song being played, what does it make you feel like doing? Does it inspire you to worship God with all your heart and soul or are you really just moved to dance and gyrate? When you see your favorite gospel artist on stage performing or ministering, are they dressed in a way that speaks to holiness and godliness? Or do they awaken and excite feelings of lust, sensuality and worldliness? Appearing sexy as a Christian will only lead to sexual sins. We are to present our bodies holy and acceptable to God not sexy (Romans 12:1).

NOTE: If it won’t draw people to Christ then don’t indulge in it.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

AND WE SHALL SEE WHAT WILL BECOME OF HIS DREAMS

MEMORY VERSE: come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams, Genesis 37: 20 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Sam 15, 2 Cor 8, Ezek 22, Ps 3-4 

BACKGROUND: In Genesis 37:5 – 8 Joseph had a dream; he saw himself and his brothers binding sheaves in the field. All of a sudden his brother’s sheaves began to bow to his own sheaf. When he woke up, he told this dream to his brothers and the bible records that they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. He had another dream, this time around the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. When he woke again he told the dream to his family as usual and the brothers decided that enough was enough. One day his father sent him to his brothers, when they saw him afar off they conspired to throw him into a pit so that he might perish with his dreams. 

From studying the story of Joseph, the Holy Spirit helped me to understand that the brothers of Joseph were not after his coat of many colors. The coat of many colors simply represented God’s favor and blessing. The enemy cared less about his coat of many colors; one thing they were after was his dreams. Friends I want you to understand that the enemy is not concerned about your bank balances, booming business , growing ministry , well paid job, nice car , lovely house , academic qualifications ,  caring wife , obedient children , growing ministry ,etc. One thing the enemy is after is your dreams. The enemy understands that a fellow without vision or dream is as good as dead. The enemy will not waste his resources on such. Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision, the people perish. The enemy knows that the key to realizing your potential in Jesus is through dreams and vision, and he does not want that. 

Have you been wondering why ever since you gave your life to Christ, the enemy has been waging war against you? The reason for all these is because of your dream to make it to heaven and reign with Christ forever. There are few things you need to know. Those mighty dreams the Lord has shown you are not for all ears so you need to watch who you share them with. Joseph made the mistake of discussing God’s plan for his life with his brothers and that almost cost him his life. Do not boast with God’s plan for your life. Every dream you have had, every great prophecies you have received are just your potential in Christ. You have a role to play in bringing them to reality. The fact that God has promised to do something mighty in your life does not mean you should rest on your oars. Lastly there are two people responsible for the fulfillment of your dreams, you and God. God is ready to play His part but you must be ready to play your part. Playing your part includes working hard and running away from sin. 

POINT: Your dream and visions makes you a terror to the enemy.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.

ACT AFTER PRAYING

MEMORY VERSE: nevertheless we made our prayers unto God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them, Nehemiah 4:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 16, Rom 14, Lam 1, Luke 21

Christianity does not exempt you from life challenges. The fact that you serve God in spirit and truth does not exempt you from facing challenging situations. The fact that you are a faithful tither does not mean you will not have challenges. If anyone tells you that once you give your life to Christ, you will stop facing challenges they are telling you a big lie. According to Psalm 30:5, the righteous will face many unusual challenges but the Lord will deliver him out of it all. John 16:33 says these things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. In our lives we will experience storms but we have nothing to worry about because we have the Prince of peace in our ship. Nehemiah and co were rebuilding the house of God yet the enemies planned an attack.

The first thing to do when you face challenges is to pray not cry or ask questions e.g. why me or panic. The news that the children of Israel were rebuilding the house of God angered Sanballat and Tobiah so they decided to attack them. Immediately Nehemiah and co heard the plans of Sanballat and Tobiah,  they prayed not run to herbalist as some do. Many of us are quick to run to people not God when we face challenges. Instead of abandoning the rebuilding works in the temple or giving up on the entire project, they prayed. By reporting a matter to God, you have won 80% of the battle.

After praying they took action. The reason why many of us pray and don’t get results is that we pray and don’t take action. Some of us pray for provision but we never sow after praying. Without sowing there will not be a harvest. There maybe one or two who nurse the ambition of lending to nation like me, we would need to give our first fruits after praying. Do you want expansion? Pay your first fruit increase. Proverbs 3:9-10 says honor the Lord with thy substances and with the first fruit of thy increase so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Many of us have been praying that the Lord should open the windows of heaven, do you know it is tithing that opens the windows of heaven, Malachi 3:9? According to James 2:14-26, faith without work is dead. After we must have prayed for promotion, let us take action by working on our character, integrity and punctuality at work. After we must have fasted and prayed that the Lord should empower us, lets us take action by living a life of holiness. Not only that, let us begin to study our bible daily , pray in tongue daily , give to the poor .

ACTION: Take action.

INTERCESSORS REQUIRED

MEMORY VERSE: and I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it: but I found none, Ezekiel 22:30 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 17-18, Ps 55, Isa 7, Jas 1 

Who are intercessors? Intercessors are individuals who stand in the gap to pray to God on behalf of friends, families, colleagues, churches, pastors, countries, leaders’ e.t.c. Intercessory prayers have been practiced by all of God’s saints throughout the scriptures. God loves people who are preeminent in their anxious desires for the good of others and fervent in prayer to that end. When you take an inventory of people who God used mightily, you will find out that they were all intercessors. Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Solomon, Peter, Paul to mention a few. One of the criteria God looks at when promoting a fellow spiritually is his attitude to intercession for brethren. One of the reasons why Moses was able to see God and live was because of his exploits in intercession for the children of Israel. At a point while interceding for the children of Israel, he told God ‘If you will not forgive the sins of the children of Israel, please blot me out your book, Exodus 32:32. ’ God did not blot his name out of His book because He knew that Moses was not trying to be rude but he was just passionate about the children of Israelite. 

Intercessory prayers open the doors of restoration for intercessors. Job 42:10 says and the Lord turned the captivity of job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave job twice as much as he had before. The long awaited restoration and breakthrough of Job did not come until he enrolled as intercessors and began to pray for his friends. The reason why many are yet to get their restoration is because they are selfish or don't intercede. They only think of their needs alone and not the needs of others. Another reason why you need to intercede is because of the laws of returns. The law of returns is also known as the law of giving and receiving. It basically states that what you give, you receive. When you intercede for people, God blesses those you are interceding for and you get double blessings too. A wise believer will spend more time interceding than praying for himself. 
Whether you believe it or not, one of the reasons why the world is where it is today – recession in almost all the countries, lack of jobs , wars and rumors of wars is because of the increase in the number of complainers and reduction in the numbers of intercessors . The body of Christ lacks power and fire because people instead of interceding are busy chasing after money and wealth. Crimes is rising by the day not really as a result of lack of job opportunities but because people have refused to stand in gap for their friends and family. Complaining and blaming the government rarely solves any problem, it is prayers that changes things. Ezekiel 22:30 says and I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it: but I found none. If we do not take responsibilities and begin to intercede for our families, friends and nations things will get worse. This is why we need to go back to intercessory prayers for families and our nations. God requires serious and dedicated children who would intercede for the nations, leaders, pastors, family and friends daily so that He can bring about change. 

ACTION POINT: Set time out from time to time to intercede for our countries and people in power that the Lord will put His fear in their hearts.

ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

MEMORY VERSE: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you, Matthew 7:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 6, Ps 40-41, Sng 4, Heb 4

The onus of asking rests on you. James 4:2 says ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. God rarely gives people what they don't ask for. When you study the bible closely, you will find that almost everyone who the Lord gave something they did not ask for disappointed God. Virtually all of them did not appreciate what God gave to them, they abused what was given to them and most of them used it as an opportunity to sin against God. Nine times out of ten, God actually regretted giving them what they did not ask for. Starting from Adam, out of noble intentions God decided to give him a wife. Although he did not ask God for it, God felt the need for this man to have a companion – someone he could hold hands with and talk to, someone he could share his love and affections with. What did Adam do after eating the forbidden fruit? He literally told God told to His face that He made him sin. He told God in Genesis 3:12, the woman you gave to me offered me the forbidden fruit and I ate.

Solomon did the same thing. All he asked for was wisdom but God decided to be generous towards this young man and He gave him wealth – something he did not ask for. When Solomon got hold of money, what did he do? He began to marry women. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines! He so wasted the money, he himself confessed in Ecclesiastes 2:10 that, anything he wanted, he took and did not deny himself of any pleasure. God decided that the best way is that men should ask and he will only give them what they ask for. That was how Matthew 7:7 which says: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you came about. 

There are several ways to ask for a thing. Actions they say speak louder than words. Even the elders have saying, actions breeds’ reactions. Luke 6:38 says give and it shall come back to you. When you give, you are simply asking for God to give back to you and it has been proven that those who give always have something to give. According to Exodus 20:12, when you obey your parents you are asking God for long life and prosperity. Matthew 5:7 says blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. When you are mercy to people, you are simply asking God to be merciful to you. Proverbs 8:17 says those who love Me, I love. When you love God, you are simply asking God to love you in return. How does a man love a God? John 14:21 says he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. John 14:15 says if you love me, keep my commands. When you keep God’s commands, you are showing Him love and asking Him to love you in return. One of the commandments of God is Go ye into the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation, Mark 16:15. Ever since you have giving your life to Christ, you have never won a soul for Jesus and you say you love Him. This year alone, you have not witnessed to a soul and you are singing that you are a friend of God, are you really a friend of God?

QUESTION: Since all our actions are a requests before God, what are you asking from God?