DON’T GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORISE: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 29-32

After a man gives his life to Christ, God puts His Spirit, Holy Spirit, inside him. First Corinthians 12:13 says this: “for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit acts like a conscience in that, He warns us when we are about to do something wrong and convicts us when we sin against God. He also assures us that we belong to God. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” He leads and guides us - believers. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The Holy Spirit does not lead a man to disobey God. The Psalmist says, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm23:3b). The Holy Spirit leads a man into God’s will for his life.

The Holy Spirit does far more than I have mentioned. Some years back, a colleague at work misplaced his bunch of keys which contained his car keys, home keys and locker keys – I think. He searched everywhere and didn’t find it, so he came downstairs to inform us. As he spoke, the Holy Spirit told me where the key was and I told him. He doubted me, so I went to where the Holy Spirit told me it was, and he followed me. When I got there, I lifted a particular chair up, lo and behold; the key was underneath the chair. Sometimes last year, I, a pastor, and another colleague of mine were looking for a particular document. We literally turned the office upside down and didn’t find it, so I told them that the Holy Spirit will find the document and they said amen. We checked the office again and we found the document where we had checked 4 times! The value of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer cannot be measured.

Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The first thing I want you to know is that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Secondly, if a fellow continually grieves Him, He will take His leave. Can the Holy Spirit leave a man? Oh Yes! After Saul repeatedly disobeyed God, the Holy Spirit left him. First Samuel 16:14says, “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” This brings us to the question, how does one grieve the Holy Spirit? We grieve the Spirit by living like pagans (Ephesians 4:17-19), by lying (Ephesians 4:25), by being angry (Ephesians4:26-27), by stealing (Ephesians 4:28), by cursing (Ephesians 4:29), by being bitter (Ephesians 4:31), by being unforgiving (Ephesians 4:32), and by being sexually immoral (Ephesians 5:3-5). The moment He, Holy Spirit, warns one not to do something, and the fellow goes ahead and does it, He becomes grieved. When a man continually grieves Him, He will leave.

QUESTION: Are you grieving the Holy Spirit by the way you live your life? Does your conscience still convicts you when you tell little white lies?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me never to grieve you again.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

MAN’S REVIEW VS GOD’S REVIEW

MEMORY VERSE: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 16-20

I was informed, recently, by my Mobile Network Provider that i was due for an upgrade. Since i had two mobile phones in mind but i wasn't sure about which one to pick, i went online to see what experts and users of both phones had to say. I also spoke to some colleagues at work who owned both phones to get their opinions. As i considered what everyone had to say about these phones, this dropped into my spirit, “you have checked man’s reviews of both phones, how about God’s review of both phones?”

As this question sank in, i realized how little i depended on God. It dawned on me that i only run to Him when i am about to make a big decision like the choice of where to reside. For one reason or other, i just felt that God was not in interested in trivial matters like mobile phones. Is it not disturbing how technology and the internet have in one way or other reduced our dependency on the Holy Spirit? When we don’t understand a bible verse, instead of asking the author which is the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16), we check Google. There are a lot of good materials on the internet but be careful of the wrong interpretations too. We are eager to hear what people – experts, business associates, friends and families – have to say concerning a particular move we are about to make not what the Holy Spirit has to say. A fellow, who wants to relocate to an area, will first inquire from the people who have lived in that area or who live in the area not the Holy Spirit before making the move. One thing he does not know is that the Holy Spirit knows that area even more than the residents. Many have missed their ‘God-sent helpers’ simply because they made the right journey at the wrong time. A man wanted to buy a plane ticket for his junior brother who was coming from abroad. Whilst booking, he saw that the flights on 26th December where cheaper than those on the 24th December. Rationally, he would have booked the flights for 26th December but he didn't. As he prayed, the Holy Spirit told him to book the flight for 24th December and he obeyed. Unknown to him, his God-sent helper was also coming from abroad on the same flight. Whilst he was waiting at the airport, something let to another and he got talking with a man. Later they both shared contact details and left. His ministry and life changed that day forever because a lot of big things happened in his life as a result of that meeting.

Back to my story, as i pondered on the question, i remembered a major incident that happened last year. One of the biggest car companies in the world recalled 1.75 million cars in England alone due to faults in their break systems, faults in the fuel deliver pipe systems and faults suction plates. Anyone who knows about cars will tell you that a faulty fuel deliver pipe system could cause leakage which increases the risk of the car catching fire. Had it been the owners sought for God's reviews, they probably would not have bought that particular model at that time. But as usual, people always prefer what experts write in car magazines not what God has to say. A similar one occurred in Australia where a mobile phone company had to recall a particular model of phone due to technical faults. Many who were not good with phones lost contacts, pictures, files, etc. God's review on this particular brand would have saved one a lot of hassle. In these two instances, we saw the limitation of human reviews. God’s review is always better as it not only focuses on the present but on the future too.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: The length of time we are willing to wait on God determines how dependent we are on Him. Those who really depend on God are willing to wait on Him no matter how long it takes. It is those who wait that end up with a meaningful achievement (Isaiah 40:31).

QUESTION: How much do you depend of God?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

MEMORIZE: And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Genesis 3:10-11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 6-8

As we heard at the beginning of this year, 2015 is going to be a year of meaningful achievement. Every genuine child of God will have cause to rejoice because of what God is going to do in their family, marriage, career, ministry, business and work. However, there are conditions attached to the fulfilment of this promise. One of them is taking responsibility. Anyone who will have a meaningful achievement this year must take responsibility. One of the things people do when they don’t want to take responsibility for their actions or their life is they look for people to blame. Friend, you do not need your parents to succeed. The fact that your father practiced polygamy is not the reason why you are not where you are meant to be. There are a lot of people who their father practiced polygamy who are doing fine. The fact that your parents did not send you to school is not an excuse. There are people who did not have that opportunity but worked hard, saved some money and enrolled themselves on a part time course. Today they are graduates. The fact that your parents were not there for you when you were growing up is not an excuse because we have seen orphans who became employers of labour. Stop blaming your mother who left your father when you were a kid or your father who left your mother when you a kid for your current problems. There are people who went through worst things and still made something out of life.

This year, you want meaningful achievement? Take responsibility. Accept that you are where you are because of the decisions you took in the past. I found in counselling that one of the most difficult people to help are people who do not want to take responsibility. They are always looking for people to blame. Maybe they entered into courtship with the wrong man; instead of taking responsibility, they blame their aunt who introduced the man to them. Some brothers fall into fornication and blame the sister they are in courtship with. “I fornicated with her because that sister is too weak” they will say. What an irresponsible brother! I have seen parents who instead of taking responsibility for their child’s terrible behaviour, they blame the school. “Junior became a bad boy when he joined that school,” they will say. Is Junior the only child in that school? How come other children in the same school - and in the same class with junior - are behaving well? Oh sherry failed that exam because of her teacher. Really? How come other class mates of sherry passed the exam? Is Sherry the only student that teacher taught? Some blame the internet? How come other children who use the internet don’t do the terrible things your children are doing? Some blame the society; how come in the same society we have youths – male and females – who are still virgins? They don’t have two heads. I have met some adults who blame their current lack of self discipline and character on their upbringing. If you believe your parents are at fault for that, why not re-train yourself now that you are an adult? Adam’s problems started when - instead of taking responsibility for his actions - he began to blame his wife. Genesis 3:10-11 says, “And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” God asked Adam “have you eaten from the tree you should not eat from?” All he needed to say was either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. But he didn’t, he was looking for who to blame for his nakedness so he blamed God- first, and then his wife.

ACTION: Start taking responsibility. People will only waste your time if you give them your time to waste. Take responsibility for how you spend your time.

CONFESSION: As from today, i refuse to allow people to waste my time and my life.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.     

DON’T GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORISE: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 29-32

After a man gives his life to Christ, God puts His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, inside him. First Corinthians 12:13 says this: “for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit acts like a conscience in that, He warns us when we are about to do something wrong and convicts us when we sin against God. He also assures us that we belong to God. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” He leads and guides us - believers. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The Holy Spirit does not lead a man to disobey God. The Psalmist says, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b). The Holy Spirit leads a man into God’s will for his life.

The Holy Spirit does far more than I have mentioned. Some years back, a colleague at work misplaced his bunch of keys which contained his car keys, home keys and locker keys – I think. He searched everywhere and didn’t find it, so he came downstairs to inform us. As he spoke, the Holy Spirit told me where the key was and I told him. He doubted me, so I went to where the Holy Spirit told me it was, and he followed me. When I got there, I lifted a particular chair up, lo and behold; the key was underneath the chair. Sometimes last year, I, a pastor, and another colleague of mine were looking for a particular document. We literally turned the office upside down and didn’t find it, so I told them that the Holy Spirit will find the document and they said amen. We checked the office again and we found the document where we had checked 4 times! The value of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer cannot be measured.

Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The first thing I want you to know is that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Secondly, if a fellow continually grieves Him, He will take His leave. Can the Holy Spirit leave a man? Oh Yes! After Saul repeatedly disobeyed God, the Holy Spirit left him. First Samuel 16:14 says, “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” This brings us to the question, how does one grieve the Holy Spirit? We grieve the Spirit by living like pagans (Ephesians 4:17-19), by lying (Ephesians 4:25), by being angry (Ephesians 4:26-27), by stealing (Ephesians 4:28), by cursing (Ephesians 4:29), by being bitter (Ephesians 4:31), by being unforgiving (Ephesians 4:32), and by being sexually immoral (Ephesians 5:3-5). The moment He, the Holy Spirit, warns one not to do something, and the fellow goes ahead and does it, He becomes grieved. When a man continually grieves Him, He will leave.

QUESTION: Are you grieving the Holy Spirit by the way you live your life? Does your conscience still convict you when you tell little white lies?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me never to grieve you again.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

“GOD SAID, IT IS NOT GOOD THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE”

MEMORIZE: and the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 1- 5 

Our God is all knowing i.e. omniscient. Job 37:16 says, “Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” God knew Adam before He created him. Jeremiah 1:5a says, “Before i formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” He knew what his needs were going to be so He made provisions for them. He knew Adam would need food so He created lots of trees in the Garden of Eden. He knew Adam would need to drink water after eating so He put a river in the midst of the Garden (Genesis 2:10). He knew Adam would not need clothes because His glory was going to be his covering so He didn’t bother to give him clothes. Whatever Adam needed, He created them either before creating him or after creating him. God in His wisdom knew that Adam was going to be alone in the Garden and would need a wife. The question is why didn’t He create a woman from the man immediately after He created the man? He obviously knew that the man He had created would be in need of a wife, why wait a while before giving him a wife? 

Adam went through several stages in his life and every man or woman reading this – especially single people- are presently in one of these stages. We find ‘stage 1’ in Genesis 2:7 – “and the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Adam – at this point – did not know where his life was going. He had no job or responsibility. God had not even showed him His purpose for his life. He was more like a floater in the Garden. At stage 1, God did not talk about giving him a wife because he was not qualified to be any woman’s husband. Then Adam moved to ‘stage 2’ in Genesis 2:15 – “and the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Adam now had a job – he was responsible for dressing and keeping the Garden. If it was today, i would have said Adam was now earning salary. Yet at this stage, God did not give him a wife. He did not even consider it. Why? Although Adam was now gainfully employed, he still cannot be a husband because he had not learnt to walk with God. The fact that a man has a job does not mean he is a marriage material. The fact that he can put food on the table does not mean he is God's will for your life. Shortly after this, Adam moved to the next level, ‘stage 3’, in Genesis 2:16-17 – “and the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Adam now had a proper relationship with God. He was able to hear the voice of God and talk back to God. God was giving him instructions and he was following it. His relationship with God was growing. It was at this point God said, it is not good for the man, Adam, to be alone. Genesis 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” The man was already in ‘stage 3’ before God decided that it was not good for him to be alone. The time of waiting on God for a marriage partner is not a time to go from party to party hoping to meet a man. It is not a time to give your mobile number to every random guy that speaks to you on the bus. It is a time to work on your relationship with God. It is a time to develop your spirit man because you will need it in marriage. 

ADVISE: If you have a friend, a brother, a sister or child that is of marriageable age who is yet to be married, please do not put pressure on them. A lot of us indirectly put unnecessary pressure on single people and these causes them to fall into the wrong hands. The best way to help our single brothers and sisters is to pray for them not put pressure on them or remind them that they are getting old. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, please provide our single brothers and sisters with the bone of their bones and flesh of their flesh. 

twitter@BroOluwatoki 

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus. 

“GOD SAID, IT IS NOT GOOD THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE”

MEMORIZE: and the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 1- 5 

Our God is all knowing i.e. omniscient. Job 37:16 says, “Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” God knew Adam before He created him. Jeremiah 1:5a says, “Before i formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” He knew what his needs were going to be so He made provisions for them. He knew Adam would need food so He created lots of trees in the Garden of Eden. He knew Adam would need to drink water after eating so He put a river in the midst of the Garden (Genesis 2:10). He knew Adam would not need clothes because His glory was going to be his covering so He didn’t bother to give him clothes. Whatever Adam needed, He created them either before creating him or after creating him. God in His wisdom knew that Adam was going to be alone in the Garden and would need a wife. The question is why didn’t He create a woman from the man immediately after He created the man? He obviously knew that the man He had created would be in need of a wife, why wait a while before giving him a wife? 

Adam went through several stages in his life and every man or woman reading this – especially single people- are presently in one of these stages. We find ‘stage 1’ in Genesis 2:7 – “and the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Adam – at this point – did not know where his life was going. He had no job or responsibility. God had not even showed him His purpose for his life. He was more like a floater in the Garden. At stage 1, God did not talk about giving him a wife because he was not qualified to be any woman’s husband. Then Adam moved to ‘stage 2’ in Genesis 2:15 – “and the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Adam now had a job – he was responsible for dressing and keeping the Garden. If it was today, i would have said Adam was now earning salary. Yet at this stage, God did not give him a wife. He did not even consider it. Why? Although Adam was now gainfully employed, he still cannot be a husband because he had not learnt to walk with God. The fact that a man has a job does not mean he is a marriage material. The fact that he can put food on the table does not mean he is God's will for your life. Shortly after this, Adam moved to the next level, ‘stage 3’, in Genesis 2:16-17 – “and the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Adam now had a proper relationship with God. He was able to hear the voice of God and talk back to God. God was giving him instructions and he was following it. His relationship with God was growing. It was at this point God said, it is not good for the man, Adam, to be alone. Genesis 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” The man was already in ‘stage 3’ before God decided that it was not good for him to be alone. The time of waiting on God for a marriage partner is not a time to go from party to party hoping to meet a man. It is not a time to give your mobile number to every random guy that speaks to you on the bus. It is a time to work on your relationship with God. It is a time to develop your spirit man because you will need it in marriage. 

ADVISE: If you have a friend, a brother, a sister or child that is of marriageable age who is yet to be married, please do not put pressure on them. A lot of us indirectly put unnecessary pressure on single people and these causes them to fall into the wrong hands. The best way to help our single brothers and sisters is to pray for them not put pressure on them or remind them that they are getting old. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, please provide our single brothers and sisters with the bone of their bones and flesh of their flesh. 

twitter@BroOluwatoki 

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus. 

THINK LONG TERM PART 2

MEMORIZE: 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 1-4 

Hebrew 12:2 says, “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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We look up to people we aspire to be like. We look up to our role models. We look up to people who have already achieved what we are trying to achieve. We look up to people who are better than us. We look up to people we know have a proven track record of success. We look up to people who know something we do not know. We look up to people who we know in our heart of hearts can help us and want to help us. We look up to people who have not stained their garments. We look up to honest and intelligent teachers. We look up to people who have raised leaders and are still raising leaders. The only One who is all of the above is Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”  John 1:16 says this: “And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” 

We look unto Jesus to learn from Him. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29a: “take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” We look unto Him to observe and do what He did while He was on earth, deal with issues as He dealt with issues, walk as He walked and to also imbibe His mentality. As i mentioned yesterday, Jesus thought long term not short term.  People who think short term only look at their current situation or circumstances but people who think long term look at what God has to say about their future. People who think short term only put their present situation into perspective when taking decisions but those who think long term put their future into perspective when taking decisions. The short term thinking is full of many disadvantages with little or no advantages. For example, people who think short term i.e. always looking at their present circumstances, become easily frustrated. The reason is that they are always seeing facts and evidences that encourage them to give up or quit on themselves or whatever good they have started. A man or woman who is always looking at his current circumstances will always see reasons to give up. Such fellow will always see reasons why he or she cannot succeed. They see reasons why it is impossible to achieve a thing. Whilst people with short term thinking rarely have the energy to carry on, and many a times they end up giving up on life, people with long term thinking are always having their strength renewed. The reason is that they are always seeing their future not their present circumstances. Whilst a medical student with short term thinking sees all the exams he has to sit for, before qualifying as a medical doctor and becomes depressed, another student with long term thinking sees limitless opportunities awaiting him after graduation and his strength is renewed. It is this type of students that pass in colours. They see what lies behind the mountains and are encouraged not the mountain. People with short term thinking don’t make plans because they cannot see beyond their nose but with long term thinking make plans so as not to miss their glorious future. 

WISDOM NUGGETS: People with short term thinking, especially the youths – married and unmarried, only focus on their outward appearance but people with long term thinking focus on their inward appearance. They spend time developing their spirit man through regular study of the word and praying in tongues. They also devote time to reading. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me to realize my potential this year. 

twitter@BroOluwatoki 

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.