Matthew 5:8 says blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
God
is abundant in mercy. It is His mercy that keeps us alive, Lamentations
3:22. We are saved by His mercy. Romans 5:8 says while we were yet
sinners Christ died for us. For every sin we commit there is a death
penalty (Romans 6:23), but instead of giving us what we deserve which is
death by crucifixion God gave Jesus to die for our sins. God’s mercy
over a life can either be renewed or withdrawn. Mercy can be withdrawn
if abused or not appreciated. In the case of Uzziah the king of Judah,
mercy was withdrawn as a result of abuse, 2 Chronicles 26:1-21. God’s
mercy took this sixteen year old boy and made him king. He also
prospered him but when he was strong pride set in. Uzziah began to bully
the prophets of God and mercy was withdrawn immediately and he became a
leper. In the case of Saul, mercy was abused. God’s mercy took this
farm boy and made him king. He was giving a simple instruction to wait
for Samuel but he decided a king should not be kept waiting so he went
ahead to do the sacrifice in the absence of Samuel. Through God’s mercy
he received pardon .He graduated to a level whereby he began to pick and
choose which of God’s instruction to follow. He was instructed to
destroy everything in Amalek; he decided to kill some and spare some and
mercy was withdrawn. When David erred by taking a man’s wife and
devised a scheme that led to the death of the husband, instead of
destroying David God renewed His mercy over him. Why?
Matthew 5:8
says blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. The reason
why mercy was renewed in the case of David was because David was a
merciful man. David had several opportunities to kill Saul but he did
not kill him. Out of mercy David gathered vagabonds and those the world
had rejected and made them mighty men of valor. When you study the life
of Uzziah, there was not even a single act of mercy recorded against his
name. Saul on the other hand was wicked and merciless. The first war he
fought, three hundred and thirty thousand children of Israel went to
war with him, 1 Samuel 11:8. These men left their occupations to join
Saul’s army. After winning the war, Saul choose two thousand out of
these three hundred and thirty thousand and sent the rest away with
nothing, 1 Samuel 13:2 . He had no need for them again so he just dumped
them. Any man who will bask in God’s mercy must be ready to show mercy
at all times. Anyone who does not forgive or show mercy will suddenly
find mercy been withdrawn from him when he errs. If you are the type who
does not give second chance or forgive or you are too harsh, please be
careful so that God’s mercy will not be withdrawn when you need it most.
I think I have shared the story of my traffic warden friend who was
stopped by a traffic police for exceeding the speed limit for a
particular stretch of road. He explained to this police officer that he
exceeded the speed limit because he was late for work. The officer
ignored him and began to write a speeding fine .As the officer was about
to hand the speeding fine to him, he asked my friend, as a traffic
warden do you give second chance( my friend was in his uniform)? And my
friend replied that everyone deserves a second chance. The police
officer tore the speeding fine and said there you go your second chance.
KEY WORD: The amount of God’s mercy you are entitled to is dependent of the amount of mercy you are willing to show.
Monday 24 December 2012
Sunday 23 December 2012
WALKING BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT
2 Corinthians 5:7 – (for we walk by faith; not by sight)
Contrary to popular belief, seeing is not believing. We cannot see
ultraviolet rays, but we know it gives sunburn. We cannot see the wind,
but we must have seen it uproot a tree or flatten buildings. We cannot
see electricity but we know that it is dangerous to hold a live hot
wire. We cannot see carbon monoxide but we know it can kill. Hebrews
11:1 says faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of thins
not seen. Faith is a thing of the heart not of the head. Faith is taking
God at His word. It is confidence in God’s words and power to turn a
situation around.A man that walked by faith with God was Abraham.
Despite the age of Sarah and deadness of his body, when the Lord told
him that Sarah was going to conceive he believed God. He did not look at
what medical science had to say. He did not dwell on the fact that
Sarah had not menstruated in over thirty years; he took God’s word for
it and he held on it.
2 Corinthians 5:7 admonishes us to walk
by faith; not by sight. Why? According to Hebrews 11:6 without faith it
is impossible to please God. Also faith in God is a righteous thing,
Galatians 3:6. Another reason why we should not walk by sight is because
the things which we see are temporal, but the things which we see not
are eternal, 2 Corinthians 4:18. The things we see are challenges and
enjoyments. The riches, honors, pleasures, profits e.t.c are temporal
and they endure but for a time. So also the pain, sorrow and tears. All
that we enjoy, and all that we suffer here are temporal. Every visible
thing in this world is temporal but the things which we see not are
eternal. God is eternal, the joys and the glories of heaven are eternal.
The question today is what are you striving for? Things which are seen
or things which are not seen? All your efforts today, are they directed
at the things of this world or heaven? Are you currently investing in a
property on earth or investing in your heavenly homes and palaces.
Whether you believe it or not there are palaces in heaven for everyone
winning souls, helping the poor, working for God in one capacity or the
other. All your labor of love in your churches are not in vain .For
every single thing you do for Jesus, there is a small reward on earth
and bigger reward in heaven. Do everything to make it to heaven and not
only that put more efforts into whatever you are doing for Jesus today
because there is a reward waiting for you. As you labor for the kingdom
of God on earth, there are angels building homes for you in heaven.
KEY QUESTION: are you working for the things which are temporal or eternal?
BURNING THE BRIDGES
1 Kings
19:21 – so Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke oxen and
slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment and
gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah,
and became his servant.
BIBLE STUDY: 1 Kings 19:19-21
Immediately Elisha received the call to serve, he killed his livestock,
gave away the farming implements, and followed Elijah the man of God. He
burned the bridge between his past and future. Many today who have
giving their lives to Christ are yet to burn the bridge between their
past and future. After giving our lives to Christ, the first thing we
need to do is to destroy anything that ties us to our former life. 2
Corinthians 5:17 says therefore is any man be in Christ, he is a new
creation: old things are passed way; behold, all things are become new.
As new birth bachelors and spinsters we no longer need to keep birth
control pills and contraception. These things are for fornicators not
for singles who are born again. We no longer need to keep clothes that
expose parts of the body that is meant to be covered so we need to
dispose off those clothing. We no longer need the contacts of our old
lovers because we now have a new lover which is Christ.
Why did
Elisha kill the livestock and give away his farming implements? He that
to avoid backsliding. He knew if kept the animals and farming
implements, he could be tempted to backslide. Elisha knew that his
attention will be divided between his oxen (past) and Elijah (future).
Because of this he decided to forego his past for a glorious future
ahead. We need to do away with our sinful past so as to avoid destroying
our glorious future. The chances of back-sliding are very high when
after giving our lives to Christ, we are still in close contact with our
ex-lovers; still keep birth control pills and contraception ; still
keep friends we used to commit sin with. If they have giving their life
to Christ no problem but if they have not we have nothing in common
again. After giving my life to Christ, the first thing I did was to
dispose off every material that does not glory Christ in my life. I
confiscated CDs, novels, DVDs, cards, e.t.c . After that I went to
preach to all my lovers both new and old. I politely told of all of them
that I am a new creation and I am no longer who I used to be. I
preached to my friends but I was still hanging out with them. I noticed
that this was affecting my spiritual life so I gave everyone up and
stopped calling them. I noticed that immediately I did this, I began to
grow spiritually. It is true I lost very close friends but I gained the
most valuable friend any man can have which Is Jesus. Why did Jesus ask
the rich man to give all he had away and follow Him, Matthew 19:21? So
that once he starts following Him, his riches and wealth will not draw
him back from serving Jesus. When Jesus called Peter, he did not destroy
his boats . Immediately Jesus was crucified, Peter went back to
fishing, John 21:1-6.
ACTION POINT: Make a list of what is affecting your walk with Christ and begin to take measures to deal with them.
Friday 21 December 2012
GOD’S ATTITUDE TO THE UNIMPORTANT
Proverbs 19:17 says he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.
God did not create anyone to be poor or unimportant. He definitely did
not create anyone to be invisible or be a ‘nobody’ (a person of no
importance or authority). There are several reasons why people end up as
nobody. It could be by virtue of circumstances at birth. The crippled
man in Acts 3:1-8 became a beggar because he was born with weak ankle
and limbs and his parents were poor. The only way to get money to feed
was to beg. Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1-16, was a highly respected and
celebrated general but because he was a leper he was confined to leper’s
colony. A high ranking general became unimportant because of leprosy.
No one reckoned with him because he was not fit to leave in the
community. Because of life challenges a very wealthy woman became poor
and lonely, Mark 5:25-34. The physicians knew medical science could not
solve her problem so they resulted to use her as a cash cow, and before
you know it, she exhausted all her resources; poverty crept in. At times
barrenness can make the favorite wife consider suicide, 1 Samuel 1:1-8.
Despite the fact that Elkanah loved Hannah, Peninah her rival made it a
point of duty to reduce her to tears daily because she had no child.
Also the enemy through their evil schemes can cause the favorite child
to become a slave in a foreign land. If you disagree with me, please
read the story of Joseph, Genesis 37:1-36.
How does God treat
these people- unimportant/poor/ disadvantaged? He treats them with love.
Proverbs 19:17 says he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the
Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again. Actually He
sent Jesus just because of them. Mark 2:17 says on hearing this, Jesus
said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I
have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”. When the poor,
disadvantaged, sinners came to Jesus, He treated them with love. When a
man comes to Jesus with his heads bowed, he leaves the presence of Jesus
with his shoulders held high. When they come to Him feeling invisible,
they left with a feeling of importance. The question is when people come
to us with their heads bowed, how do they leave – confident or worse?
How do we treat the beggar that asks us for a dime? How do we treat the
gateman, school janitor, and the homeless on the streets - like humans
or leave them feeling suicidal? How do you refer to people that are
below you? Jesus who was the savior of the world referred to the woman
with the issue of blood (an unimportant woman) as daughter, Mark 5:34.
How do we treat those that are not as intelligent, confidence, rich,
opportuned or as comfortable as us?
ACTION POINT: During this seasons remember the needy in your prayers. Also let the love of God radiate from you to them.
Wednesday 19 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
HOLY SPIRIT & PURITY
1 Peter 1:16 - be ye holy for I am holy.
The Holy Spirit gives power. Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit
performed mighty signs and wonders, Acts 10:38. The Holy Spirit gives
strength. In Judges 14:5-6, a lion roared against Samson and the Spirit
of God came mightily upon him. He grabbed the lion and tore it apart as
if he was tearing an ordinary piece of paper. Also in the strength of
the Holy Spirit, Samson was able to catch three hundred foxes, Judges
15:4. Anyone who knows foxes will tell you they are extremely smart and
quick moving. To catch a fox alive is a miracle talk-less of catching
three hundred foxes .The Holy Spirit gives wisdom, knowledge and
understanding. Daniel full of the Holy Spirit was found to be ten times
better than all the geniuses around, Daniel 1:20. The Holy Spirit is
able to protect. Isaiah 59:19 says when the enemy shall come in like a
flood; the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Also
the Holy Spirit impacts unshakeable confidence. The early disciples
found it difficult to witness about Jesus because they lacked boldness
but immediately they were filled with the Holy Spirit they began to
evangelize with boldness, Acts 4:24-31.
One aspect of the Holy
Spirit we do not often discuss is the purity aspect. There is no way we
will discuss about the Holy Spirit and not talk of purity. One of the
symbols of the Holy Spirit is the dove. The dove is an emblem of purity
and innocence. The Holy Spirit will only dwell in a clean vessel. He
will only dwell in a body that has been kept pure. The Holy Spirit can
do a lot in the life of a man but He expects such man to keep himself
pure. By purity we mean without spot or sin. We do not need to be pure
to receive the Holy Spirit but purity is essential to keep Him or else
He will take His leave. When we study the lives of men who attained
their potentials in God, they kept themselves pure. Daniel, Shadrach,
Mishael and Abed-Nego kept themselves pure by not defiling themselves
with the portion of the king delicacies, Daniel 1:8. Jesus kept himself
pure by not bowing down to Satan. Jesus was tested in every way and yet
did not sin, Hebrew 4:15. The mother of Samson was advised to keep
herself pure by not consuming wine or unclean food while pregnant with
Samson, Judges 13:3-4. To keep ourselves pure we need to appreciate a
life of holiness. We need to do away with sins like masturbation,
fornication, lying, backbiting, adultery, gossiping and so on, so that
the Holy Spirit dwell in us. We need to keep our hearts pure; no malice,
no hatred; no unforgiveness, no dirty thoughts. We need to do away with
things that pollute our minds and body.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, please purify my heart, lip, life and conversation.
Monday 17 December 2012
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