Redefining Our Purpose

Text: Mt.28:18-20, Jn.15:15-16, Jn.9:4

When God saved and called you and I, He did it for a purpose. But I am afraid; it seems to me that we have lost direction and the purpose why God called us. The present state or condition of the church is alarming and very dangerous. Believers have no more passion for souls nor is there any desire and hunger for God. There is apathy everywhere. When Jesus looks at the church, he is grieved and sad because we have lost our vision  and the sense of direction.

  GOD’S DESIGN FOR THE LOCAL CHURCH

1.What kind of relationships should exist among the followers of Jesus Christ?

2.How are we to function?

3.What should we look like to both believers and nonbelievers?

4.What qualities reflect our maturity?

The answers to these questions will help us to measure God’s standard for the church.  When He was on earth he revealed to us his heartbeat and what was his meat and drink. Jn.4:28-42, Jn.9:4 . Before He left this world for his throne in heaven, He commanded us to go into the world and make disciples from every nation, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. [Matt.28:19-20] .   He saved us so that we could save others. WE are His disciples called to make disciples for Him. He also said, “Occupy till I come”. [Lk.19:13]         When he said this, he did not say we should be occupied with our own selfish agenda but His purpose.

How come, there is so much evangelical crusades; millions of soul are saved in Nigeria and yet we are rated as one of the most corrupt nations in the world?. If the truth must be said, we are not making disciples for Christ but a bunch of self-centered  and counterfeit Christians who are not willing to change but want to be blessed.   Many of us are still following Him because of the loaves of bread and fishes. The gospel that says that it won’t cost you anything to follow Christ is a false gospel and it is designed to lead you to hell fire.  Jesus said that it will cost you everything and even your own life. Today, we pay people to come to church. People troop to our churches and crusade ground without conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment. They are always looking for miracles without any desire for true salvation that only comes through death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must re-define the mission and purpose of the church in this 21^st century. WE are selfish and self-centered. We do not care whether people go to hell or not. As long as the crowd and money are there, we are okay. We are not interested in winning souls, we cannot fast and pray. We cannot endure sound doctrines of the word of God.  We have itching ears and we are only interested in what we can get and not we can do for the kingdom of God. We a bunch of backsliders;  empty cistern that cannot hold water. There is no difference between us and the world. We are deft and dumb; we are blind and cannot see. The church is asleep. And the enemy is destroying our churches through deception, strife, envy, jealousy, bitterness and division. Our success is defined by what we have and not who we are before God. But we must remember that a man’s life is not in the things he has. We have been deceived to measure our success by material things instead of spiritual. We must return back to the bible and redefine our mission and Goal. God is calling us to repentance. We must go out and evangelize the community and the world. Let us make disciples and not just church-goers; who sit in our pews  every Sunday without making any impact in ministry and the community. 

What happened to the early church must happen to us.

We need a new heart and a new spirit.

We must be willing to lay down our lives for the One who loved and died for us.

Let His love constrain us. Be filled with Holy Spirit and a passion for the work of Christ.

If you try to save your life, you will lose it; but if you lose it for the sake of Christ, you will gain it.[Matt.16:25]

Church it is high time, we redefined our purpose.

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The Enabling Power of the Holy Spirit

The bible reveals numerous works of the Holy Spirit among men and understanding the works will help you to desire Him in your life.

Zech. 4:6 :

Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. The purpose of this teaching is to make every believer to know and understand that you cannot serve God in the flesh. And for your walk with God and men to be dynamic, you need a Helper and His name is HOLY SPIRIT.   

THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Moved upon the chaotic earth and restored it to a habitable state in six days and created  new life as we see it today.

Genesis 1:2: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Psalm 104:30: Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

 2. Gave Joseph power to interpret dreams.

Genesis 41:14-44: Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. [15] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. [16] And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. [17] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: [18] And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: [19] And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: [20] And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: [21] And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. [22] And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: [23] And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: [24] And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me. [25] And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. [26] The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. [27] And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. [28] This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. [29] Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: [30] And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; [31] And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. [32] And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. [33] Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. [34] Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. [35] And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. [36] And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. [37] And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. [38] And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? [39] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: [40] Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. [41] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. [42] And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; [43] And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. [44] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

3. Filled the workers of the tabernacle with wisdom and knowledge to make material things that ordinary man could not do.

Exodus 28:3: And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Exodus 31:3: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Exodus 35:31: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

4. Enabled Moses and the elders of Israel to give just judgment and endued them with physical strength that  no natural man could have had.

Numbers 11:10-25: Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. [11] And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? [12] Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? [13] Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. [14] I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. [15] And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. [16] And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. [17] And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. [18] And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. [19] Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; [20] But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? [21] And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. [22] Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? [23] And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. [24] And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. [25] And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

5. Gave Samson supernatural physical strength.

Judges 13:25: And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Judges 14:6: And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:19: And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

Judges 15:14 : And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

6. Anointed men freely like rain.

Isaiah 32:15: Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.

Ezekiel 39:29: Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.

Joel 2:28-29: And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: [29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

7. He has many times lifted up a standard  against the devil.

Isaiah 59:19: So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

8. Filled men with power.

Acts 1:8:  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Romans 15:19: Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Romans 15:29: And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

9. Has manifested great power through men.

Matthew 12:28: But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Acts 10:38: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 19:12: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Acts 5:15: Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

10. Caused men to have holy desires.

Romans 9:1-13: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, [2] That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. [3] For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: [4] Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; [5] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

11. Has enabled men to put to death the deeds of the flesh.

Romans 8:1-13: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. [10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. [12] Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

12. Has raised up Jesus from the dead.

Romans 8:11: But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

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The Pain of Waiting

 TEXT: 1 Samuel 16:13 (KJV)
^{13} Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.

  2 Samuel 2

¹After all this, David prayed. He asked God, “Shall I move to one of the cities of Judah?”

God said, “Yes, move.”

“And to which city?”

“To Hebron.”

²So David moved to Hebron, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ³David’s men, along with their families, also went with him and made their home in and around Hebron.

⁴The citizens of Judah came to Hebron, and then and there made David king over the clans of Judah. A report was brought to David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had given Saul a decent burial. ⁵David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead: “God bless you for this—for honoring your master, Saul, with a funeral. ⁶God honor you and be true to you—and I’ll do the same, matching your generous act of goodness. ⁷Strengthen your resolve and do what must be done. Your master, Saul, is dead. The citizens of Judah have made me their king.”{ The Message}

WAIT — to remain in readiness or expectation. In Scripture, the word “wait” normally suggests the anxious, yet confident, expectation by God’s people that the Lord will intervene on their behalf. Such waiting may be for answers to prayer (Ps. 25:5), for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4), for salvation (Gen. 49:18), or especially for the coming of the Messiah to bring salvation to His people and to establish His kingdom on earth (Ps. 37:34; Luke 12:36; Rom. 8:23; 1 Thess. 1:10). Waiting, therefore, is the working out of hope.

[1] Warren Wiersbe wrote, "The ability to calm your soul and wait before God is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. Our old nature is restless . . . the world around us is frantically in a hurry. But a restless heart usually leads to a reckless life." Have you ever waited such a long time for something that you thought it would never come? Many people wait for their first romantic relationship! If they wait long enough, they might question their own attractiveness or wonder if something is wrong with other people. After a while they start to wonder if something is wrong with God’s plan for them. Soon they lose patience and their impatience turns to pain.  How will you feel, if you were to serve somebody for seven years for a bride and only to be told that you need to serve another seven years for the same bride?

 Dealing With God's Delays

Waiting for an answer from God can be frustrating. Have you ever asked God, "Why the delay?" Consider:

(1) God may be preparing a situation or a person ahead of you. Joseph spent years in an alien land. Then, after he'd demonstrated his character and allegiance to God, he was thrown in prison. Joseph was ready to lead, but the people of Egypt, even his own family, were not yet ready for that leadership (Genesis 45:4-8).

(2) God may use delays to refine your integrity and deepen your trust in Him. Instant gratification and spiritual maturity simply don't mesh. Perseverance produces charcter, which brings hope to our lives. Remember, Moses lived in the desert for 40 years before he was spiritually ready to lead God's people (Numbers 12:3).

(3) Spiritual battles may sometimes cause delay. Daniel, mourned for three weeks, waiting to hear from God. When a heavenly messenger delivered the answer, he told Daniel. God heard immediately and dispatched an answer. But spiritual forces detained the messenger, and the angel Michael was sent to help him get through (Daniel 10:1-14).

I don’t know what you have been waiting for but I know that you have been waiting for something. Sometimes, it is very hard to wait. And sometimes, it is part of God’s plan for us to wait. Waiting is a serious business. It requires patience. It could be frustrating and painful to wait without any hope in sight. John the Baptist was sent by God to herald the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He did it until he was arrested by Herod and kept in prison. John waited for his release from prison and expected Jesus to help him out.  When Jesus was not forth coming, he sent a message to him, saying, “Are you the One to come or do we look for another? John the Baptist was going through the pain of waiting.

A pregnant woman expects that she will deliver at the end of nine months. But sometimes something goes wrong and her waiting and expectation turn to a painful experience. There is the pain of waiting.

It is my prayer for you today that your waiting will not be in vain. David was anointed king of Israel and he waited for 20 years before his dream came to pass. David knew God’s timing was perfect and God would fulfill His promise to him.

He knew that God was trustworthy. Psalms 40:1-3 (KJV)
¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
² He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
³ And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

I want you to wait on the lord and you will surely be rewarded. Don’t give up. It is not over. Your change is going to come. Hebrews 10:35 (KJV)
³⁵ Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

THE BENEFITS OF WAITING UPO N GOD

To wait on the Lord is to trust Him fully with our lives. It involves looking to Him as our source of help and grace in the time of need.

We must take a lesson from David. God will not rob us of the good things that He has promised us.  If has anointed you to be king, you will get there.

1. Total deliverance

Psalm 40:1-3

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

    I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. [2] He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. [3] And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

2.Saints have expectation in waiting upon God.

Psalm 62:5

    My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

3.They who wait upon God are blessed.

Isaiah 30:18

    And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

4.You will see His goodness if you wait. Lament. 3:25

    The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

5.You will not be ashamed.

Psalm 25:3

    Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

Isaiah 49:23

    And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

6.They shall renew their strength.

Isaiah 40:31

    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.

7.They shall be saved.

Proverbs 20:22

    Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.  

Isaiah 25:9

    And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

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Walking in Love

Love One Another 1John 3

¹¹This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. ¹²We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was right. ¹³So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters,^£ if the world hates you.

¹⁴If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who doesn’t love them is still dead. ¹⁵Anyone who hates another Christian^£ is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. ¹⁶We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. ¹⁷But if anyone has enough money to live well, and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person?

¹⁸Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. ¹⁹It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, ²⁰even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. ²²And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him. ²³And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. ²⁴Those who obey God’s commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

1 John 4:7-11 (KJV)
⁷ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
⁹ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

[Love] indeed, sees all the hatefulness and the wickedness of the enemy, feels his stabs and his blows, may even have something to do toward warding them off; but all this simply fills the loving heart with the one desire and aim, to free its enemy from his hate, to rescue him from his sin, and thus to save his soul. Mere affection is often blind, but even then it thinks that it sees something attractive in the one toward whom it goes out; the higher love may see nothing attractive in the one so loved,… its inner motive is simply to bestow true blessing on the one loved, to do him the highest good….

 I cannot like a low mean criminal who may have robbed me and threatened my life; I cannot like a false, lying, slanderous fellow who, perhaps, has vilified me again and again; but I can by the grace of Jesus Christ love them all, see what is wrong with them, desire and work to do them only good, most of all to free them from their vicious ways. (The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel [Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1964], p. 247)

Love's question is never who to love—because we are to love everyone—but only how to love most helpfully. We are not to love merely in terms of feeling but in terms of service. God's love embraces the entire world (John 3:16), and He loved each of us even while we were still sinners and His enemies (Rom. 5:8-10). Those who refuse to trust in God are His enemies; but He is not theirs. In the same way, we are not to be enemies of those who may be enemies to us. From their perspective, we are their enemies; but from our perspective, they should be our neighbors.

 

In 1567 King Philip II of Spain appointed the Duke of Alba as governor of the lower part of the nation. The Duke was a bitter enemy of the newly-emerging Protestant Reformation. His rule was called the reign of terror, and his council was called the Bloody Council, because it had ordered the slaughter of so many Protestants. It is reported that one man who was sentenced to die for his biblical faith managed to escape during the dead of winter. As he was being pursued by a lone soldier, the man came to a lake whose ice was thin and cracking. Somehow he managed to get safely across the ice, but as soon as he reached the other side he heard his pursuer screaming. The soldier had fallen through the ice and was about to drown. At the risk of being captured, tortured, and eventually killed—or of being drowned himself—the man went back across the lake and rescued his enemy, because the love of Christ constrained him to do it. He knew he had no other choice if he was to be faithful to His Lord (Elon Foster, New Cyclopedia of Prose Illustrations: Second Series [New York: T. Y. Crowell, 1877], p. 296).

The Scottish Reformer George Wishart, a contemporary and friend of John Knox, was sentenced to die as a heretic. Because the executioner knew of Wishart's selfless ministering to hundreds of people who were dying of the plague, he hesitated carrying out the sentence. When Wishart saw the expression of remorse on the executioner's face, he went over and kissed him on the cheek, saying, "Sir, may that be a token that I forgive you" (John Foxe, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, ed. W. Grinton Berry [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], p. 252).

Our "enemies," of course, do not always come in such life-threatening forms. Often they are ordinary people who are mean, impatient, judgmental, self-righteous, and spiteful—or just happen to disagree with us. In whatever personal relationships we have, God wants us to love. Whether a conflict is with our marriage partner, our children or parents, our friends and fellow church members, a devious business opponent, spiteful neighbor, political foe, or social antagonist, our attitude toward them should be one of prayerful love.

pray for your persecutors

And pray for those who persecute you. (5:44b)

All men live with some sense of sin and guilt. And guilt produces fear, which in its ultimate form is fear of death and of what is beyond death. In various ways, therefore, most people have devised religious beliefs, rituals, and practices they are convinced will offer them some relief from guilt and judgment. Some people try to get rid of guilt simply by denying it or by denying the existence of a God who holds men accountable for sin.

 

Throughout history the worst persecutions have been religious. They have been the strongest against God's people, because the divine standards He has given to them and which are seen in them are a judgment on the wickedness and corruption of false religion. God's Word unmasks people at their most sensitive and vulnerable point, the point of their self-justification—whether that justification is religious, philosophical, or even atheistic.

 

Because persecution is so often the world's response to God's truth, the Lord assures us that, just as He was persecuted, so will we be (John 15:20). Therefore His command for us to pray for our persecutors is a command that every faithful believer may in some way have opportunity to obey. It is not reserved for believers who happen to live in pagan or atheistic lands where Christianity is forbidden or severely restricted.

 

Jesus taught that every disciple who makes his faith known is going to pay some price for it, and that we are to pray for those who exact that price from us. Spurgeon said, "Prayer is the forerunner of mercy;" and that is perhaps the reason why Jesus mentions prayer here. Loving enemies is not natural to men and is sometimes difficult even for those who belong to God and have His love within them. The best way to have the right attitude, the agapē love attitude, toward those who persecute us is to bring them before the Lord in prayer. We may sense their wickedness, their unfairness, their ungodliness, and their hatred for us, and in light of those things we could not possibly love them for what they are. We must love them because of who they are—sinners fallen from the image of God and in need of God's forgiveness and grace, just as we were sinners in need of His forgiveness and grace before He saved us. We are to pray for them that they will, as we have done, seek His forgiveness and grace.

 

Our persecutors may not always be unbelievers. Christians can cause other Christians great trouble, and the first step toward healing those broken relationships is also prayer. Whoever persecutes us, in whatever way and in whatever degree, should be on our prayer list. Talking to God about others can begin to knit the petitioner's heart with the heart of God.

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Trust-THE FOUNDATION OF RELATIONSHIP

Psalms 11:3 (KJV)
³ If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

1 Kings 5:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

1 Kings 7:10 (KJV)
¹⁰ And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.

¹⁰The foundation stones were huge, ranging in size from twelve to fifteen feet, and of the very best quality. [The Message]

Why do many relationships fall apart? Some marriages that started with great passion come to bitter end. Friendships that people hope will last for a lifetime falter and die.

The reasons for such breakdowns are many, but the cause that outweighs all others is broken trust.

What is trust?

The Webster’s dictionary defines trust “a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability, justice, etc. of another person

If people lie to you, steal from you, or physically harm you, then you know that you cannot trust them.

If you want people to trust you, what kind of person must you be in a relationship?

As I am speaking now, there are several cases in court; some are  yet to be charged to court. A husband may be sleeping with his wife on the same bed tonight for the last time. Divorce is eminent because of broken trust.

TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION OF ANY RELATIONSHIP.

Trust cannot be acquired. It must be earned.  It is given by co-workers and followers; and without it, the leader cannot function. 2007 is around the corner. Who is the man or where is the man that we can trust to rule and not ruin Nigeria? Where are the credible candidates that will not betray our trust?

TRUST IS THE FRAME OF ANY RELATIONSHIP

No matter how beautiful is the painting or picture, it is the frame that holds it together and that frame is trust. John Maxwell said, “ If you want to enjoy the beauty of a relationship, frame it with trust.”

TRUST IS THE HEIGHT OF ANY RELATIONSHIP

When there is trust, friendship will grow to the highest height.

HOW DO I EARN TRUST OF OTHERS?

1.Trust must begin with you. Self-deception is the enemy of good relationship. If you cannot admit your short-comings, you cannot improve them.

2. Trust cannot be put in a compartment. What you are at home is what you will be in the public place.

3. Trust works like a bank account. The more money you deposit, the more your money will grow with interest.

When you develop honesty and integrity and you discipline yourself to be faithful. When troubles come, you will have enough in your savings account that will deliver you.

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Give Us Barabbas

Text. Matt. 27:11-26, Jn.3: 19-21

There is a war going on; a war between good and evil; righteousness and sin; a war between God and Satan. The bible says that the lord Jesus Christ was falsely accused by the Jews of; sorcery, blasphemy and seditions.

He was brought before Pilate and Pilate found no fault in him. He was willing to leave him but the people wanted him dead. A choice was presented before them, Jesus of Nazareth, a righteous man and a notorious criminal, Barabbas. They chose Barabbas an evil man and rejected Jesus Christ, the righteous.

They all cried out loud “ GIVE US BARABBAS”. Today, the cry for Barabbas is more than ever before. In our homes the cry for Barabbas is very loud. Children are rebelling against their parents. They want to do their own thing and go their own way. There is serious face-off between parents and their children, mother and daughter can’t get along because one of them wants Barabbas. Father can’t get along with his son or daughter because somebody wants Barabbas. In the community and nation the cry for Barabbas is very loud.

 Nobody wants Jesus. Nobody wants righteousness and truth. Everybody is running after Barabbas. In the church the cry for Barabbas is becoming very loud. I was told that there is a gay church in Lagos now. The Episcopal Church in America ordained a gay bishop last year. So much evil and unrighteousness is being practiced in the church.

People no longer have respect for God and his church because there’s too much hypocrisy in the church. Why are they crying for Barabbas instead of Jesus?  The answer is, man likes darkness more than light. Barabbas is a symbol or type of sin and unrighteousness in our world today. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. He is the light. If we believe in him we shall have everlasting life but if we do not believe in him we are condemned already.

 God sent him to save us from the power of sin and death. He is our Passover lamb. He is our savior and lord. As many that receive him to them he has given power to be come the sons of God.

Today I want to urge you to cry for Jesus and not Barabbas. You can cry the cry of faith, little blind Bartimaius and you shall be made whole. Following Jesus Christ and practicing righteousness is a choice. Joshua told his people “choose ye this day whom you will serve, God or Satan; but as for me and my house we will serve the lord.

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Loving the Unlovable

Text. Mt. 5: 43- end

  Rom. 12: 17- 21

From the man who cuts you off in traffic to the former friend who betrayed you or spread Slanderous words about you, you are often hurt by the thoughtless and deliberate words of others.

How do you react? From worldly Perspective- It is do me I do you. But From Christian Perspective- It is totally the opposite. Mt. 5:43 I read a story recently about perseverance in marriage- a wife who hated her husband but allowed wisdom to prevail. You cannot deny your emotions but you can control them.

How to love the unlovable:

1. Forgive the Offender
2. Seek First to Understand before you seek to be Understood
3. Speak with Grace and not in a combative anger and rage. Eph. 4: 29

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