The Next Level

The anointing of God is the Spirit of God. Every child of God has a measure of God’s anointing. The anointing is the grace God gives us to make right choices as we should. Being born into the Kingdom of God qualifies us to become children of God and share the right of son ship with Christ. But what our life becomes stems from the choices we make henceforth. The Spirit of God given to us at salvation is to empower us to start making the right choices in line with our new found faith. Otherwise, one could be born again and still live in defeat, like every normal person. Jesus knew this and one basic choice He made was to love righteousness and hate iniquity, i.e consecration by will, not by legalism. As a result, God anointed Him above His fellows with the oil of gladness. The degree of God’s deposit in our lives is proportional to our level of consecration. Our choices differentiate us from the rest people. The call to be a Christian is a weighty responsibility and that requires the anointing in no mean  measure. Jesus knew His calling, hence His choices. God has called us unto noble responsibilities. What are the choices you need make to fit into that calling? The much we can do is to perform lifeless rituals without the corresponding anointing upon us. Borrowing a leaf from Jesus will be a good start. Love righteousness in its minutest level .Promote justice. Choose to do the right thing with passion whether other people join you or not. Stand for truth and God will build a tabernacle upon your life. On the other hand, hate iniquity, no matter how it’s decorated. Iniquity will drown you. Shun evil at all cost even if you have to stand alone. Heaven will send help on your way. I congratulate you as you begin this day, with the help of the anointing of God(the Spirit of God, the grace of God),to make the right choices that will move your life and our nation forward. Our country need me and women who can stand for truth in all circumsatnces. Be among them

References: Heb 1:9,Isa 61:1

He Got Your Back

The Almighty God cannot be swayed by mortal men. He knows the end from the beginning. The intention of our hearts is laid bare before Him, He need not that any should tell Him of any man for He knew all men. This alone should caution us to be careful what we imagine even before we execute them. However, the heart of man which is deceitful and desperately wicked cannot stay without longing for freedom to wander in its lust. The inclination of the heart is such that anything man thinks is evil. God already knows the doom ahead of our imagination and so He prepares for us before we land. But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Such is the magnanimity of God’s grace. The Lord engages any suitable means to forestall our impending betrayal. He wants to keep us aware of His love, such that even in our unfaithfulness, He remains faithful to us. He brings us to situations, places, events, people, etc., that will leave a definite positive impact in our hearts. Many times we tend to forget. But when the chips are down, He engages our conscience with those songs, words, films, books,etc, to remind us of His love and promises, just for our sake. Oh!, that we may cherish any moment we have to learn at His feet, whether in the car,office,market,school,church,etc.May we not repress those urges to listen to those edifying songs or messages, read those inspirational books, watch those Christian movies, read those Christian magazines, signposts, fliers, etc, for those are the arsenals He uses to guard our hearts in those unguarded moments when we are jeopardized by our environment and people around us. May we be open to His promptings as He keeps drawing us towards the narrow way.

References: John 2:25, Jer 17:9, Rom 5:8

Do It Now

Everything God does has a redemptive purpose. Man may have their own agenda but God's intention remains flawless. Again, God has a generation at heart any time He sets out to do a thing. When the Israelites were about to enter the promised land and the death of Moses was imminent, God would not let Moses go without consolidating what He started. He told him to write a song and teach the Israelites with their children so that when they enter the promised land and forget God in their prosperity, that song will be a witness to them. Moses wrote the song and taught them that same day. I cannot stop to imagine that the life of someone in a Christ less society, a prison or anywhere in the world is hanging on that song God has told you to sing, that book He has inspired you to write, that story/drama He has moved you write and act, that NGO He has told you to start, etc. I don't know what God has told you to initiate and you are still procrastinating. A generation is waiting for your arrival. Don't be sluggish anymore. We are running out of time. Pick your pen and write that song, book, story, etc. Will you wait till all have started worshiping other gods before you start? Now is the acceptable time. Wake up, child of God and do it NOW.

References: Deut 31: 19-22, 2Cor 6:2.

Get on board

We have work to do.We have been enlisted into the army of God for battle.Jesus was an example.He came to do the work of the Father and to finish it.He had focus.He was in agreement with God,for two cannot work together except they agree.Likewise,we cannot work for God except we agree with God.God has precepts,patterns and procedures.Unless we are ready to follow his methods,we cannot work with Him.The work of God starts from us,the life we carry.It is not a physical battle.It is a battle of kingdoms and no soldier entangles himself with civilian affairs so that he can please his master.The first platform we have to engage in the work of God is to carry the life of God.It takes God to do His work,we are only His agents,vessels or channels and God needs worthy vessels.The work of God is to bring the kingdom of God to earth, i.e to annihilate the ruler ship of Satan in the lives of men and on the earth and establish the ruler ship of God,the reign of Christ.God needs us for this task.The earth is gradually bowing to the ruler ship of Satan.Check out the entertainment industry,the government,education,etc.The kingdom of darkness is strategically extending their frontiers to every angle through every possible means.God has called us to lift up the banner of heaven wherever we are.We must not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believes.If the agents of Satan can even go naked to please their master and extend his kingdom,we (christians) must deny ourselves and follow Jesus all the way if we must win this battle.

References: John 14:12, Amos 3:3, 2 Timothy 2:4, Rom 1:16

Do a Check Up

Repentance (i.e., changing our hearts to turn to the Lord) is only a first step to partnering with God. When God sees a heart with a genuine repentance, a heart that has come to obey Him, a heart that is wholly given to Him and is bent on listening to His voice without any intention of going back, He responds to that heart. He responds by stripping that heart of anything that has held it captive: those habits, lifestyles, idiosyncrasies, etc, that keeps the heart away from Him, so that the relationship will blossom. No man knows true freedom whose heart is not submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants to restore our hearts to Himself. He seeks our allegiance. What we have suffered persists as long as we refuse to give our whole hearts to Jesus. He does not walk with an indecisive heart. He is not sure where we belong until He sees our hearts beating for Him, “for where a man’s treasure is, there his heart will be also”. We have to treasure God first, for Him to treasure us, “return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord”, “draw near to me and I will draw near to you”, “come now let us reason together”. The truth is, the Lord wants to do us good. He seeks for us to bless us but we are far away from him. We worship Him with our lips but our hearts are far away from Him. He cannot invest in an enemy. God can go to the utmost part of the heavens to make our restoration complete as soon as He sees our genuine repentance. Our enigmas, questions, lacks, healing, are all found in God. He wants to circumcise our hearts and the hearts of our seeds to love Him with all our heart and with all our souls that we may live. The whole essence of God’s quest for us is that we may live. What a wish! I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in good health even as thy souls prospers. The life we have now is as uncertain as we are. It takes the life of God in us to make us what we truly want to be. This life of God is Jesus. Does Jesus live in your heart? Is He really your Lord? In case, you’re not certain and you want to be, tell Him to come in now with this chorus;

Lord I give you my heart,

I give you my soul,

I live for you alone,

Every step that I take,

Every moment I’m awake,

Lord have your way in me..

(References: Deut 30: 2-6,Matt 6: 21,Zech. 1: 3,Jas. 4: 8,Isa 1: 18a,Matt. 15: 8,3 John 1: 2)

Remember me

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. I Cor. 11 : 24-25 (KJV)

To remember is to have in the mind an idea which had been in the mind before, and which recurs to the mind without effort. We are said to remember anything, when the idea of it arises in the mind with the consciousness that we have had this idea before. Remember is often used as synonymous with recollect, that is, to call to mind. (Websters). It is a natural tendency for us to forget, but not all things should be forgotten. The sacrifice of Jesus to secure a place for us in eternity through his body and to grant us access by His precious blood is historic. The aura of life He brings has the capacity to eclipse whatever we’ve been through in life. As the Israelites were leaving Egypt, God told them not to forget the Lord in those pagan lands, but they did. Hence, when He came for the ultimate sacrifice, He instituted the ritual of the communion and said “this do in remembrance of me”. He doesn’t want us to forget Him again like the Israel of old.

Remembering Him reminds us of the finished work on the cross. It will keep our life in check as we sojourn this earth, with all the pitfalls. Thus, in the midst of all the delays, sicknesses, pains, lacks, suffering, etc, He said, remember Me. It doesn’t matter what hell is throwing at us, making us feel that life is over and that it will never get better, He said remember Me.

Remember Me, because-

it is what I said that matters.

everything ends and starts afresh in My death

as I live in you, your life maintains the true flavor.

when you forget Me, your adversary will gloat over you.

If you desire to remain on the winning side of life, always remember Me.

For Me

He is the reason why everything exists,

but He risked the loss of that status and

came, for me.

Nothing appealing could have been

an attraction for Him here, but He

came, for me.

He could have garnered the command

of all by His appearance but He hid it

 and became like me, just for me.

Though He had all the authority to alter

anything to His taste, but He gave it

all up, for me.

His breath alone could put everything

out of balance but He submitted to shame ,

for me.

They even made a sport of Him as if

 He was nobody, but he allowed it

just , for me.

He could have existed happily without

 me but for love, He came,  for me.

Even when I was lost in my wanton

and riotous propensity, clad in sheer

 religious ritual in disguise for a quest

 for God, He broke the veil and reached

out, for me.   

His body could have been a wonder

 to behold. The texture of His skin would

 have made anyone to turn and look again,

 but He let it broken, for me.

Having given up all, for me, He deserves my all.

What about you?

When Fiery Trials Are Hot on Our Heels …

As I peer out the window of my home just outside Colorado Springs, I can see majestic Pikes Peak standing tall overlooking our city. I love the fact that every morning when I open the blinds, there it is. Barring some cataclysmic event, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, and that is comforting to me. Last summer as I witnessed wildfire explode across the canyon into our city, consuming trees and homes in its path, the mountain itself wasn’t consumed. Even when I couldn’t see it through the smoke, I knew it was there. In a similar way, the trials of daily living feel like they might consume us at times. We strain to see through the smoke, eyes squinting across the canyon of our circumstances. We’re hoping the fire won’t jump the ridge. But then it does. What we thought was manageable is now out of control and the thing we once dreaded is now a reality. What do we do then, when what is dear to us is being consumed before our very eyes? In John 16, Jesus is spending some final moments with His disciples prior to His arrest and crucifixion. These disciples left everything behind to follow and love Jesus for the last several years. They are His beloved friends. In the chapters prior, Jesus revealed to them that very soon He would suffer greatly, die, be resurrected, and then leave them. On top of that, He let them know the world would hate and persecute them. I imagine their minds may have skimmed over the part about the resurrection and highlighted in bold the fact that they were about to be without their Savior and best friend! The fire had just jumped the ridge. In those moments, everything they lived for must’ve seemed like it was about to be consumed. But then Jesus says some of the most compelling and compassionate words in verse 33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I imagine Jesus saw their panic and grief-stricken faces and felt compelled to give them this encouraging word, reassuring His friends that, while a lot of terribly difficult and painful situations were about to unfold, He had already made provision. No matter what lay ahead, death and tragedy would not have the last word in their lives. Essentially, Jesus was asking them to gain new perspective on what was about to come in light of what He was offering them—peace and certain victory. As I was writing for my new album, Jesus’ words “Take Heart” echoed through the depths of my spirit. In my own life, I have felt fiery trials hot on my heels, and all too often I have become weary of the struggle of this world, even heartsick. I’m guessing it’s safe to say you have felt that way too. But an amazing thing happens when we lift our eyes from the chaos of the canyon up to the face of our victorious Rock who is Christ Jesus. Our perspective is transformed. Our gaze steadied. Our vision clearer. We are able to reach out and take hold of the peace Jesus extends to us as we endure the fire. We no longer have to cower in fear—we can stand in Jesus’ sure and certain victory. My friends, let us lift our eyes to Him and take heart together! For, indeed, He has overcome the world. Source: RBC Ministries

When God’s Name is Unpalatable

While all this was going on, Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the Chief Priest's servant girls came in and, seeing Peter warming himself there, looked hard at him and said, "You were with the Nazarene, Jesus." He denied it: "I don't know what you're talking about." He went out on the porch. A rooster crowed. The girl spotted him and began telling the people standing around, "He's one of them." He denied it again. After a little while, the bystanders brought it up again. "You've got to be one of them. You've got 'Galilean' written all over you." Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears. Mark 14:66-72(MSG)

It is no coincident or surprise that sometimes we do not find it palatable to identify with Jesus. The natural man cannot but repel any affiliation with a holy God because such will confront and seek to dethrone the authority is has always enjoyed. Anytime an enclosure with the natural man seems comfortable, the name of Jesus often tastes bland. We all know those times when the object of our lust seem to present an occasion for us to take a bite, those times when licking the honey that was forbidden seem to have the greatest attraction for us, those times when our company looks so impeccable that the mention of the name of Jesus could seem to tarnish our personality, those times when a little lie to strike the next deal stands between us and the profession of our faith, those times when the sweetest note in seraphs song appear to be a out of tune in our melodies. At such times, God’s name is unpalatable.

 Peter came to this same point and did what many of us have done, is doing and will do. He denied his Master. How do you think it's that simple to identify with the man who everyone is set to crucify? How many people will stand at such times? Really, there are times when the name of Jesus tastes unpalatable. What is the way out at this crossroad? Maybe, he shouldn't have been there in the first place after all he couldn't have preached to anyone at such environment and he was not ready to die with the Master. These are times when our feet surreptitiously drag us to our death. Peter's presumptuousness gagged his testimony. It will always pay to give up on self and follow Divine wisdom. Jesus went to eat with sinners when He had time to be their physician and not when they sought to take His life before the appointed time, though He is the Son of God. Wisdom is profitable to direct. It is more profitable to avoid these near-death scenarios than to fall headlong especially when we know the possible outcome. It takes a Daniel to fall into the lions’ den and not eaten up as well as it takes the three Hebrew boys to go into the furnace and not burnt. They were moments of Divine manifestation and a season of national revival. Unless, we are bidden for such end, it will be very foolish to enter the enemy's courtyard and expect to profess the name of God freely. While you still have time, retrieve your feet from the atmosphere that makes the name of Jesus taste unpalatable, that company where you cannot boldly declare that you belong to Jesus. When Peter became a victim, he collapsed in tears. I guess not before the people he had denied Jesus. Should you not as well leave that environment now and go cry bitterly for mercy? Even when we are faithless (and treated His name as soured), God remains faithful. Welcome home.

After three days

    [Saying], Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be turned over to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn and sentence Him to death and turn Him over to the Gentiles.And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and whip Him and put Him to death; but after three days He will rise again [from death].Mark 10:33-34(AMP)

    

     It sounds totally absurd and perhaps even ironical that the Son of Man will be turned over to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn and sentence Him to death.....what an abnormality! However, the fact that the statement is coming from the Master, Himself calls for a rethink. In our self exalted position of our base nature, we often think it out of context to imagine a sour situation trailing our paths. We normally assume that the vicissitudes of life are the bane of the unrefined, uncultured and down-trodden. It will be alright if the publicly acclaimed ‘nobodies’ suffer, but for us, it can only be an attack of the devil and his cohorts and so must go back to the sender. How then is the Son of Man announcing His own death at the peak of His fame? No wonder Peter had to take Him aside to caution Him (Mark 8: 32). Oh! the depravity of our vision.

     They will mock and spit on Him and whip Him and put Him to death; but after three days He will rise again (from death).It is interesting to note here that He did not only announce His death, but also his resurrection, after three days. We cannot put up a proper attitude for the death we must die if we cannot see the glorious end. The fact remains that we cannot escape this humiliation and death on the path to glory on our sojourn here on earth. We must pass through the waters and fires of delays, losses, betrayals, etc that lies on our path. Prayer cannot avert it, the best it can do is to supply the necessary grace to pass through it. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12: 8-9.Paul's attitude changed when he understood the divine locus on his seeming death situation. There is a circle you must complete for your resurrection to come. Don't be too eager to extricate yourself from the scourge, because you did not put yourself there in the first place so you don't even know how to come out. Just wait for the three days. Jonah did not stay beyond three days in the belly of the fish neither did the Son of Man stay beyond three days in the belly of the earth and so yours cannot but last for just three days. It cannot be before, but after three days, you will rise again from the death. Remember, how you'll rise is not certain. Jonah rose to go to Nineveh while the Son of Man rose to glory. It doesn't matter what you will rise into, but one thing is sure, that after three days, you will not remain the same. Your life will have taken the right course to the fulfillment of destiny. Wait till after three days.

He Speaketh

Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

Put them in fear [make them realize their frail nature], O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! -Psalm 9:19-20(AMP)

Up, GOD! Aren't you fed up with their empty strutting? Expose these grand pretensions!

Shake them up, GOD! Show them how silly they look-Psalm 9:19-20(MSG).

     The different renditions of this verse from these two versions of the bible shades more light to the meaning. Sometimes, we need certain experiences to show us our true nature. What we think about ourselves can only be born out of pride in our paraphernalia. But that doesn't define who we are. Sometimes also, the glory of these things makes us to consider ourselves gods of a sort, fit to be worshiped by others. With this attitude, we position ourselves to be opposed by God, because "God opposes the proud". No matter how great we become in life, we must not forget that ".......by strength shall no man prevail-1 Sam. 2:9.

     God did not design us to live outside His help and anytime we tend to do that, God will arise, for He "will let not man prevail". Man here is our sinful nature and tendencies that opposes the will of God in our lives. Just like it happened to Nebuchadnezzar, God will always make us realize our frail nature, that we may know ourselves to be men. All our facades are “grand pretensions”. What God resists is who we are by nature that tends to oppose Him and take His Glory. Therefore whenever, we are shaken by God or face situations that puts us in fear, God only uses them to humble us. It is not a time to fret, fight or prove smartness. It is a time of deep contrition and repentance. When we recognize that we are men, limited in all ramifications, we should let God be God. God cannot help but continually shake us till we know that it is hard for us to kick against the pricks and seek for His guidance.

     Check the events surrounding your life and recognize if it is not God trying to bring you to His Lordship. Don't wait to be transformed into an animal and sent to the forest to eat grass before you confess like Nebuchadnezzar said " And at the end of the days [seven years], I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding and the right use of my mind returned to me; and I blessed the Most High [God] and I praised and honored and glorified Him Who lives forever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion; and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. And He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand or say to Him, What are You doing............. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, Whose works are all faithful and right and Whose ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase and humble-Dan. 4:34-35,37

God bless you.

                                                                                                                                          

Fit to Worship

And he went on to say, "It is what comes out of you that makes you unclean.

For from the inside, from your heart, come the evil ideas which lead you to do immoral things, to rob, kill, commit adultery, be greedy, and do all sorts of evil things; deceit, indecency, jealousy, slander, pride, and folly- Mark 7: 20-22 (GNB)

All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God-Mark 7: 23 (CEV)

   

     The controversy that led to this teaching by the Lord is from the law concerning outward cleansing which the Pharisees pointed out that His disciples did not obey before eating. Hence, claiming that the food will make them unclean before God. A closer look will quickly decipher that a constant to all mankind is the desire to be clean before God. Man will do everything he can, to be clean before God. It is a quiet cry of every heart to be at peace with the Maker, though many, unfortunately, deny this fact. Man believes that his physical activities can make him stand clean before a Holy God, what a deception! We often presume that our tact, panache and rituals can guarantee us a clean standing in His Presence. That is to say cleanliness from outside to inside. This can at best make us to “honor Him with our words, while  our hearts are really far away from Him”-Mark 7: 6 (paraphrased).Unfortunately, this trend has continued even to our days. In response to this, Jesus said, "it is what comes out of you that makes you unclean. For from the inside, from your heart, come the evil desires.......".Our heart is the center of our personality, whatever we project on the outside is a reflection of what we have first become on the inside. Our inside controls our outside, not the other way round. God is a Spirit and cannot be deceived by our rituals. He judges us from who we are on the inside rather than who we are on the outside. Jesus said in essence that every negative attitude we exhibit is first of all an evil idea which comes from the heart. This is an excellent diagnosis that cannot be faulted. Ideas are mental images of what we expect. Therefore, when we are busy painting the image in our hearts, God already knows and that makes us unfit to worship Him. The problem is that many are busy hacking at the branches of the real problem of man, while a few are the ones striking at the root. We cannot assume to be fit just by mere physical man-made rituals when we all know about the riots going on in our hearts. We all know about the carefulness we take to appear impeccable even after perpetrating the worst of all crimes. The only person we can deceive is man, not God. Already, we stand disqualified by mere trying to appear clean when we should be crying out for mercy, no wonder many of us come to God's presence and go back without His loving touch.(Luk 18: 9-14).God wants to reach our hearts and change it, for until we are changed from the inside we can never experience the freedom we so much long for. Only a change, not amendment, of heart can suffice for this malady. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

     That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God-Ezek. 11: 19-20(KJV).God's prescription for our woe is a change of heart. It is the only panacea to be fit to worship Him. However, because of the strongholds already existing in our hearts, it is often difficult to subscribe for this divine surgery. But how long can we hold up if we really want to be fit for this worship? It doesn't matter how long or how much we put in our rituals, it can never make us clean before Him, because "....we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags;..."(Isa 64:6).God's verdict cannot be changed, it is us that must be changed. Until our hearts are changed by the Lord, the best we can do is but a lip service. Men can applaud us but, heaven does not recognize such worship.

I pray that the Lord will give you this change as you give up your heart for His surgery. God bless you.