Do It Again

Jeremiah 36:27 After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 “Take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up.

 

It took Jeremiah approximately 1 year to 2 years to write down the message that God had given him for the stubborn people of Israel. Jeremiah and Baruch were committed to this toilsome task with the hope that perhaps when the people hear, they will repent from their rebellious ways. Nevertheless, when the words of this book Jeremiah had written by the hand of Baruch were read on a day of fast, it only attracted defiance led by state actors that had grown insensitive hearts.

 

It is a shame that on the day of fasting, there was still no one ready to hear what the Lord had to say.

 

The officials of the royal palace notified the king about all that had been read at the temple by Baruch who was Jeremiah’s scribe. Obviously, Jeremiah could not make to read the scroll himself because he was in jail.  It can be seen the king was not interested  with the fast. He was missing at the temple as this came as news to him while he was at his winter house. 

 

At the king’s request, the scroll was brought and read to him. But see how he responded:

 

Jeremiah 36:22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.

 

Can you imagine all the nights Jeremiah had burned the midnight olive oil so that the people may be saved? Also, the inconvenience Baruch suffered when he had to go and buy another bottle of ink or get another scroll because he had exhausted inventory courtesy of the unending dictation of Jeremiah. Besides, what about the care they had while speaking in hushed tones because Jeremiah was in jail and the soldiers or other prisoners were not pleased by the noise. Not forgetting the quarrels that may have ensued because Jeremiah had to rephrase a sentense or paragraph and Baruch had already started to write the wrong one!

 

And yet the people were not moved! And to make matters worse, the king cut the scroll and burned it!

 

Maybe this is your story in some way.

 

You started a business. You started school. You started a family. You started work. You started ministry. You started constructing a house. You migrated to another city or country. And all that you started has failed or turned to ashes. You wonder, “where is the impact of my labour or dedication?”

 

You have been parenting those kids with the hope they will change the world but the world has ganged against them and changed them. You look at your age and feel as if your days have been cut down and burned down. You miscarried. Your promotions was cut down and burned down after all the years of putting your best foot forward.

 

Your boss has written you off. Your relationships have burned down. Your deteriorating health makes you endure like you are in the middle of the fire. Worse still, you feel your hope and strength is cut down piece by piece like that scroll Jeremiah wrote. Your life's dreams are in the fire and the anguish of your loss and sorrow are only known by you.

 

Let me take you to the beginning:

 

Jeremiah 36:1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now.

 

It was not Jeremiah’s own idea to write the scroll. It was God’s idea to start with.

 

One may wonder, “why then did God allow the scroll to burn with all the work Jeremiah had done?” I do not intend to answer this question in this article.

 

But I would like to invite you to think what it may have felt for Jeremiah to know that God told him to write the scroll and now it was all burned. This may sound like a good opportunity to give up and be depressed while complaining endlessly - right?

 

Despite all that had happened and who was involved, after the scroll was all burned down, it was not the end of the story. Nowhere, does God’s story end in defeat. Similarly, your story will not end in defeat. Neither does it end by the knife nor the fire of the king. 

He who began the good work in you is faithful and will carry it to completion.

 

That is why, God is calling you today and saying, “Do it again!”

 

Take another scroll and write on it.

 

Jeremiah 36:32 So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.

 

Go back to school. Send a new job application. Rekindle that relationship again. Start a new relationship. Call your mother or father. Reconnect with your children. Minister again.  Start a business again. Go back to work. Sing again. Rebuild that house again. Pray again. Believe again for the impossible. Do it again.

 

This time you will exceed expectations. The last part of verse 32 in New Living Translation records "Only this time he added much more!" May you receive the grace to start again!

Do it again. 

 

 

PS: All the scripture in this article is quoted from NIV

the Amalekite spirit

On one of those Friday nights, we were praying and I got an insight that I thought will benefit you as well.  Every other time God is calling us to a higher place. When you honor and and make the step into your destiny, you will face stiff opposition. This spirit that stands against you can be likened to the Amalekites who stood against the Israelite as they journeyed to Canaan.

The Amalekites are a tribe who were descendants of Esau. In Exodus 17, the Israelite had camped in Rephidim, a place that had no water. They had crossed the red sea, walked in the desert of sin and had been through several places. In Rephidim, God showed His faithfulness when Moses struck a rock and water came forth. The whole assembly drank from the rock. Paul in 1 Cor 10:4 tells us that the rock was Christ.

After this episode of God providing water, the Amalekites attacked the Israelite. This spirit waylays you when you are most vulnerable. It is a spirit that comes to delay, discourage and oppose. It seeks to destroy you so that you fail tot enter into your next level. The Amalek were defeated by Joshua's sword and Moses' lifted hands. 

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in the book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek [and his people] from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and named it The Lord Is My Banner; 16 saying, “The Lord has sworn [an oath]; the Lord will have war against [the people of] Amalek from generation to generation.”  Exodus 17:14 -16

It is interesting that you notice the last verse 16. The LORD will have war against Amalek forever. Even in my generation the LORD has war against the Amalek (the spirit). 

But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage]. 29 [The people descended from] Amalek live in the land of the Negev (South country); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the [Dead] Sea and along the side of the Jordan.” Numbers 13: 28 - 29

The spies who brought back the report of Canaan did not miss out the Amalek. This was a source of fear and intimidation for some of the Israelites, contrary to the word of God.  The Amalekite spirit creates fear and a feeling of inadequacy, hopelessness, despair and weeping.

After many years, God still remembered His covenant and promise that He will fight and destroy the Amalek. He commissions king Saul in 1 Samuel 15 to destroy the Amalek.

Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and pay close attention to the words of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts (armies), ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when Israel came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” 1 Samuel 15:1 - 3.

But Saul was unable to defeat them. The Amalek can only be defeated by the sword of the spirit and with lifted hands of prayer. The journey to his destiny was aborted instantly. The Amalelite spirit prevailed over Saul. 

Many destinies have been aborted. Many have been unable to fulfill their charge. Many have succumbed to this spirit. Dreams have been abandoned as fear and discouragement took over. But God has promised to fight the Amaleks from generation to generation. Take the sword and lift your hands, this spirit must be defeated and destroyed. You must overcome this year 2018! If you want to lay hold of your possessions this year, you must fight your way through this opposition. May you not be a victim of sabotage by this spirit.

Balaam looked at Amalek and took up his [fifth] discourse (oracle) and said:“Amalek was the first of the [neighboring] nations [to oppose the Israelites after they left Egypt],But his end shall be destruction.” Numbers 24:20

May you set your feet into your destiny this year. Wishing you a prosperous happy new year! 

resting place

“My people have become lost sheep;Their shepherds have led them astray.They have made them turn aside [to the seductive places of idolatry] on the mountains.They have gone along [from one sin to another] from mountain to hill;They have forgotten their [own] resting place."  Jeremiah 50:6

The LORD had this accusation against the house of Israel. They had forsaken their resting place and turned to seductive places. The heritage of God had become lost sheep going from one sin to another. The next verse clearly shows, by so doing, they had become prey to be devoured. Their enemies felt no guilt as they oppressed them for they knew, they had sinned against God their true habitation of righteousness and justice. Even God the confident hope of their fathers. This is exactly what happens when we abandon our resting place - the place of Grace, the place of Mercy, the place of abundant supply, the place of His presence, the habitation of righteousness and justice. Outside the place of rest, we suffer injustice, our enemies devour us, we suffer loss, defeat, reproach, weariness and there is none to help!

Quickly, let me remind you that God always has a place prepared for His people. This is our resting place. 

The Land of Goshen

Remember, when God was striking Egypt with plagues, he made a special place for His people, the land of Goshen.

But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. Exodus 8:22

The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were. Exodus 9:26

Elijah in the Drought Season

This man of God announced to King Ahab there will be drought in the land for 3.5 years. But God had a place prepared for him. The word of God came to Elijah telling him to go eastward and hide by the brook Cherith , which was east of Jordan River. This was an appointed resting place for Elijah. In this place he will not suffer what the rest of the land was suffering. In other words, he will be hid from all the suffering taking place else where. 

You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to sustain you there [with food]. 1 Kings 17:4

As Elijah obeyed, the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening and he never thirsted. The rest of the places suffered drought. Men, women, children and animals died. But in the appointed resting place, God provided, God sustained, God hid his man through His unlimited means. Even when the brook dried, God had prepared another resting place; never mind it was a widow with only one meal to go before she submits to death. In the resting place, God always performs a miracle.

“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 1 Kings 17:9

Jesus Christ our Resting Place

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” Mathew 11

Jesus Christ calls us to Him assuring us of rest. In all other places, beside Him is weariness, burdens, lack of peace and unbearable yokes. Just like Elijah, will you obey? Are you troubled and in the midst of chaos. Jesus Christ will take you with Him to a resting place.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:11

 There remains, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. We must make very effort to enter that rest, not following after disobedience. Disobedience will keep you away from the place of rest. 

for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his Hebrews 4:10

This is what Christ was alluding to in Mathew 11:28. When He gives you rest, you will cease from your works. It is no longer about you. For 3.5 years it was the business of God to feed Elijah. And He did not fail because He is able, He did not stop because he is faithful. God will take care of us is a certain place he has prepared. 

The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. Revelation 12:6

His presence will also be there.

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,    in secure homes,    in undisturbed places of rest.  Isaiah 32:18

May we find and dwell in our resting place. Shalom. 

a God who sees

 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Genesis 16:13

I have developed great interest on this scripture and could not help any more but blog and brag about it. Before I write anything more, just have a look at other translations:

1. Hagar named the LORD, who had been speaking to her, "You Are the God Who Watches Over Me." She said, "This is the place where I watched [the one] who watches over me." GOD'S WORD Translation

2.  And she called the name of Jehovah who spoke to her, Thou art the God who reveals himself, for she said, Also here have I seen after he has revealed himself.  Darby Bible Translation

3. She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."  New International Version

4. So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are 'God who sees,' because I have truly seen the one who looks after me."  International Standard Version

5. Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are God Who Sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here [in the wilderness] remained alive after seeing Him [who sees me with understanding and compassion]?” 

To put the above occurrence into perspective: we all know Hagar was the Egyptian handmaiden of Sarah. After ten years of waiting for God's promise to Abraham and Sarah to manifest with no avail, Sarah decided to give Hagar to Abraham that they may conceive a child. And so it happened that Hagar conceived. 

Perhaps feeling conceited, she despised Sarah who chased her away. On her flight, the angel of the LORD met her on the way and encouraged her instructing her to return to Sarah and reconcile. The angel also prophesied about the baby in her womb and as a result Hagar responded with the words above.

Two wrongs had been done after Hagar conceived; Hagar had been arrogant towards Sarah and treated her with contempt because of her infertility and Sarah had returned the 'favor' by being harsh and humiliating her till she fled.

All these happenings did not escape the eyes of God. God was fully aware of the affliction and frustration of these women. She was aware of the barrenness of Sarah and the hardships of Hagar. For the purpose of this blog, allow me to dwell on Hagar.

Hagar was a slave in the house of Abraham. An inferior place in the house of Abraham and a foreigner for that matter. By all means she had no association with God. God was interested in Abraham and not her. Further, God was focused on the offspring of Abraham through Sarah and not Hagar. Therefore, it baffles me that God was concerned about Hagar and Ishmael. God gave the name to Ishmael which means "God hears". Because the Lord has heard and paid attention to her persecution (suffering). 

Hagar must have been perplexed that God appeared to her! God is God, and contrary to popular thought, He appeared to this woman who did not deserve it. She had sinned against God and Sarah. God shows her what she needs to do. And Hagar felt that there is a God in heaven who does not only hear but sees. Other translations; a God who watches over us, who looks after us, who sees me with understanding and compassion. A God who sees.

God sees all that we are going through. He has seen the injustice and the accusations laid before you. He has seen every dream and desire in your heart. He has seen your offering and sacrifices. He has seen your heart. Not only does He hear, he sees! In the situation Jacob found himself, it is only that God had seen his affliction. I want you to know that it was not because Jacob prayed about it but because God was watching over Him according to Psalm 34:15 (The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;) 

"Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night." (Genesis 31:42, NKJV)

It was the same case in Egypt, after the people of God had been oppressed for many years by the Egyptians. God saw the affliction and delivered them. He both saw and heard. But the idea of hearing means there had to be a cry coming from the people. However, when it comes to seeing, it is all up to God. Without you saying nothing, God can still see. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. His eyes roam to and fro all the face of the earth, looking for a man who trusts in Him that He may show His strength on His behalf.

And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. (Exodus 3:7, NKJV) 

Even Leah, acknowledged that God had seen her when she bore Reuben. Leah was having a hard time getting the love of Jacob the husband. In the midst of all these, God was still seeing.

So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me." (Genesis 29:32, NKJV)

I have God who watches over me. He also sees you. Shalom. 

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],On those who hope [confidently] in His compassion and loving kindness, 
To rescue their lives from death And keep them alive in famine. Psalm 33:18-19

the remnant

I stood to give my first sermon in church in the year 2002 in our local church. Little did I know, that God had deposited something special in my heart and spirit; "the grace to understand His Word". The young me was eager to search in the scriptures on various subjects as I yearned to feed my hungry soul with the Truth. In a series of many sermons that quickly followed, I spoke with the help of the Holy Ghost about a subject I entitled "the remnants".

This blog is inspired by that sermon.

Today is another day. Deep down I realize we are getting closer to the coming of the son of man. And as the day draws nigh, my attention cannot help but notice the growing depravity and open transgression of divine order among our generation. Even among the people who are of the household of God; your ears will itch at the things they do.

For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. Ephesians 5:12

Young children are more familiar with all manner of wickedness than ever before in the history of mankind. Their innocence robbed so early. The teenagers cannot be contained any more. It is the most dreadful possession for a parent to have; a teenager.

It is almost impossible to find righteous men and women, young people who fear God, young children who are devotional. Churches are full of masses who only attend to clear their consciences and socialize. It is a thing of the past for young men and women to preserve their purity to honor God in their marriage. Even married people consider it a norm to have 'mpango wa kando'. The pastors are inspired by WIIFM; it's a business for them and all they care about is their belly and fame.

However, since the creation began, God has never lacked a man to stand before Him. He has always had a remnant: a people who have not bowed to foreign gods or corrupted their hearts.

1,600 years after Creation

This is the approximated number of years after creation that the flood began.  But those were terrible times. Angels took daughters of men as their wives. The earth was full of corruption and violence. But in the midst of this chaos, God had a remnant.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6: 5 - 8

Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

I Alone Am Left

This was Elijah's view after all the predicaments that had befallen him. It was natural of him to think that he was the only one standing for God in a nation led by idolatry by Jezebel. But God revealed to Him the remnant. In the midst of a kingdom that was corrupt and given to worshipping idols, the LORD revealed to Elijah a mighty hidden army who were on God's side. Elijah did not know about them until then.

"Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:18

It is Not Age that Matters

Consider the case of Eli's sons who were priests. The bible clearly says they were corrupt and did not know the LORD. They dared so much wickedness to the extent of taking forcefully the offerings and sacrifices from the people and laying with women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 1 Samuel 2:17

Although it seemed as though priesthood would come to an end and the honor due to God by way of Sacrifice and Offering will be shoved aside, God had a man.

But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. 1 Samuel 2:18

The Invisible Army

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Romans 11:5

 In 2016 also, there is a remnant. God has reserved for Himself a people. Thousands and thousands of men, women, young people who are sincerely and truly devoted to Him. Men in whose lips there is no deceit. An army that prays day and night. They are invisible. They may not stand in the pulpit for you to know them, but they are among the remnant. In the lambs book of life, their names are written. God knows them. His eyes are upon them always.

They walk and are led of the Holy Spirit. Sealed and marked for redemption. They are different from the world and have no desire to imitate it. They are set on pilgrimage, desiring a better home and city. They have dipped their robes in the blood of the lamb, that they may wear them white in the marriage feast of the lamb.

They are a prototype of psalms 1. They walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor do they stand in the path of sinners, Neither do they sit in the seat of the scornful; But they delight in the law of the Lord, And in His law they meditate day and night.

Although they are appointed to face fiery and severe persecution from the enemy, still God shall cause them to triumph. Do not forget, were the days not shortened even the elect may not stand.

And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. Mathew 24:22

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Psalms 20:6

God will do anything, (including shortening the period of tribulation), for Him to have a remnant.

Will you be the last man standing? Are you among the number? Are you among the remnant?

the transactional church

You get what you pay for. Those who give more money to the church are quickly identified and reserved a seat close to the man of cloth. They become instant friends and earn a name among the brethren: they are soon made the elders, the head of departments and from time to time in the pastor's sermon, they get their names mentioned as a token of appreciation.

If you are poor, never mind, no one cares. The ushers see you and quietly show you a seat at the back. You are not qualified enough to partake of the sweet fellowship which only some few enlightened folks have worked so hard to attain. Woe unto you if calamity befalls you. I have personally witnessed, a 'poor man' loose his father and a 'rich man' loose her mother in the same church almost the same timing. There was a huge contrast to the response of the church to the two cases. A large delegation went to the 'rich' man's home for burial and only one person (who is not even well known) was sent to the 'poor' man's home for the burial. Lets not talk about the money that was given ( I honestly do not know).

James 2: 1 - 4
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Let me tell a story I encountered. It was after my 2nd year in college and during my long break, I got an internship in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. I was residing at my Aunt's place and as a means of saving transport costs, I had to wake up early. That is how I found my way into a church located along Kenyatta Avenue ( I am not sure if it still exists now). It was a good thought, since I had a lot of time before the offices opened. Why not pray! Each morning there were a handful of us zealous to know God more and at least have some time (the elusive time from our schedules) of fellowship. It was not long, however, before I was conscious of how we were coerced to give money. I remember the preacher would ask us to remove our wallets and lift them up high to God before giving, so that he (the preacher) can bless our economy. 

We were told to repeat after the man of God and the prayer will be something like this: ".....Thank you Jesus (repeat).... Father we are lifting our economy to you... (repeat).... as I give the best note in my wallet now (repeat) ..... bless me Lord (repeat)...."

Right there in his prayers (ooohh, wait a minute, in my prayer because I said the prayer when repeating after the man of God) I made a pledge to God. I had just told God I was giving the best note in my wallet. So there was no room for giving my little coins that the matatu guy had given me as change. I was in an unpaid attachment. My auntie had given me the money for transport and lunch. I had all the money for the week in my wallet. There was a 1,000 Sh. note and few hundreds. 

It was time to give and it was expected from me that I give the 1,000 Sh. note. Nobody else knew about my thoughts, but I was stumbling right there in the fallacy and on a foolish pledge I had made. Yet I tend to think that when they stand in the pulpit and in their position, they exactly know what they are doing. They know the guilt will eat you up. They do not care, so long as their basket is full. Eventually, I had to stop going there as I had no enough money to keep pledging in my prayer every morning. I chose to sit in a city council bench and say my silent prayer with peace. What happened to ---" My house will be called a house of prayer"

In our churches today, they insist that the way to activate the Word of God in your life is by sowing what they call seed in the altar as the man of the cloth is on fire saying it. "Don't let that moment pass you!" when you hear a part that is interesting to you, get up, sow a seed and that word will be real in your life. You will tap into his anointing, they claim. What happened to faith?

Maybe the bible did not tell us how much the woman with the issue of blood had paid for her miracle! For her suffering was great and shameful for 12 years! What has happened to the free gifts of God. 

Acts 8:18-21
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.

The man of cloth received freely from God the anointing to preach, teach and share the Gospel. What has made it necessary that we should give our money to hear from him? Even he who leads the praise and the other one who leads the worship, they need to be paid first before they can sing in the house of God!

If you give your money and pray less, it is deemed okay. In the eyes of the transactional church, your money has covered for your other short comings.

Luke 21: 1 - 4
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." 

Our men of cloth despise your 50 bobs openly. They have rejected them already before even God had a chance to either accept or reject them! What if the 50 bob was all that I had? All my possessions.

I was in church one day. After preaching, the man of God said, " If you have this much money (deliberately omitted the amount) and would like to give, please stand, I would like to pray with you". Since it was so much money, more than half the church was seated. I cannot tell what went through their mind, but I can tell my thoughts.... 

I felt locked out from worshiping God just because I did not have a certain amount of money. I felt my God had suddenly become special and so far away. I could not reach Him because there was a certain amount I did not have. I wondered why He had a special anointing for those who have certain amount of money.  Then I quickly remembered He is not so. All He desires is a willing heart not a transactional heart.

Exodus 35:29
All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

2 Corinthians 8:12
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

Even in the old testament, God had room for everyone. The one who has a bull, a sheep or goat, even a dove or pigeon.

Leviticus 1:14
If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon.

Leviticus 14:21-22
“If, however, they are poor and cannot afford these, they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, and two doves or two young pigeons, such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

1 Chronicles 29: 8 - 9
Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

You may be having a share of your experiences as well. You may not agree with me wholly or partially. I am just sharing my concerns that the church has become a place of money transactions. The money factor is driving many of the churches and there is great danger in this fallacy. 
I am conscious to the fact that some may label me as critical but I am not opposed to giving money to the church or to the man of the cloth. However, we must do it scripturally.

May God help us to escape the spirit of deception.

Made of Clay

The hands are dirty but the masterpiece speaks of the creativity and ability of the designer. It is in his hands that this artwork has been molded and designed for a purpose.

The patterns and decorations are no mean task to accomplish, for it takes patience, effort and competence to accomplish in each and every of the many vessels that lie before them. And although modern manufacturing systems do not allow reworks and defects, it is different for him. Most of the vessels are reworks! The six sigma lean manufacturing endeavors to have only 3.4 defects out of a million opportunities. Hold on, this is not the only difference there is!

It appears he has become fond of working with this kind of material. Perhaps he just likes it. Not that he has no idea of how to work with another type of material, but his specialties are things made of clay. It is not the gold, silver, diamond or other precious materials that he has chosen to work with; no wonder his hands are dirty.

The patterns of decorations should not fool you to think that was all he was doing. Though a display of glory and an iconic trademark of quality, his main goal is to create vessels fit for purpose. He takes great delight in his work. Never mind that most of the vessels he had worked on them again and again. Reworking without feeling discouraged, till it was fit for purpose.

Jeremiah 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. (NKJV)

In the beginning God made man out of the dust of the earth. I believe this is very symbolic. It does not only apply to our human framework of body but everything about us. We are made of clay. God is the potter. In His hands we are continually being shaped and fashioned till we become all that He wants to make of us.

Isn't it then a wonder how we carry ourselves as though we are not made! Even to humble us more, made of clay.

We walk with so much pride in our hearts and the hardness of our hearts has blinded us from this realization that we are made of clay. We (the clay) go to great extent to make ourselves, to decorate ourselves, to choose our purpose, and even a more sad thing to question and attempt to counsel the porter.

Romans 9: 20 -21Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Pathway or Highway

We do not want to be the clay anymore. We deny it and work so hard not to appear as the clay whereas intrinsically we have no ability to transform ourselves. Instead of the highway designed for us, we have chosen the pathway.

“This is how I want to lead my life”, “no one can tell me what to do with my life”, “I am here to do this and that”. Since when did the clay choose? I know this is the hardest part for us to accept, submitting and being completely obedient.

Having no other desire or will of ours apart from his. Before you dismiss me, see how Christ was in Philippians 2:7 -8

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

He had no other purpose or ambition apart from that which the Father (God) had for him. Obeying till death, even the shameful death on the cross.

Battle of the wills

Similarly, those who chose to remain the clay and be made of clay, allowing the hands of the porter to work on them, became God's valuable assets and accomplished great exploits for The Kingdom.

Father Abraham left following his will when he was called by God to leave his land and go to a foreign land. Moses left the riches and pleasures of Egypt and chose the wilderness life just to serve and worship God. Apostle Paul ceased making himself into something else and let God make him. Job did not deny being in the hot kiln for a while knowing the porter still had a purpose at the end. All of them knew, they were made of clay.

Why is it that we wrestle with releasing ourselves for His will. For how long shall we contend with being torn in between. The hands of the porter are strong enough to make, skillful enough to design for honor, merciful and gracious enough to rework and remove defect, tender enough not to break and unashamed enough to make out of clay.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I think it is the hardest thing for a man to do: to release you will and let God form His will in you. To obey Him fully and completely. That utmost surrender, where nothing else matters but Him. Where all that you are is a piece of clay in the hands of a potter. When you are made of clay.

Let the will of the Father be done in my life

Just who was King Hezekiah?

Introduction

I can bet most of us know about King Hezekiah because of his sickness. And when Prophet Isaiah visited him, he told him to put his house in order for he will die and not recover. It has been preached to us or we have read ourselves, that the king turned to the wall and wept bitterly calling on the LORD in prayer to remember his deeds and good works.

God heard the prayer of Hezekiah and while Prophet Isaiah was within the courts, God sent him back to announce 15 more additional years to the life of King Hezekiah.

What they missed to say

King Hezekiah was only 25 years old when he begun to reign in Israel. He reigned 29 years of which we know 15 years were a bonus. Without his prayer, he would have reigned 14 years!

In his bitter prayer (above), he was referring to his good works which included Spiritual transformation and reforms of his people at a time where every man and woman in Israel had turned away from worshiping the true God.

Previous Kings before him had made the hearts of people to turn away to false foreign gods such as baal and sacrificing on defiled alters to evil spirits. The priests too had defiled themselves and vacated their vocation. The temple too  had been rampaged, even the beautiful temple that Solomon had built and overlaid with gold and which God had chosen to let His glory dwell there. It lay in ruin with neither the beauty of the gold or the glory of God. Neither its occupants who were supposed to be the priests were available for service. The Kings before Hezekiah had done very great abominable things including burning their sons with fire as a sacrifice to the foreign gods that could neither speak nor deliver.

This was the state of affairs when Hezekiah assumed the throne as a youthful King.

Leading the Reforms

He opened the doors of the House of the Lord that had been shut by his father Ahaz and repaired them. His callout to the Levites that they should sanctify themselves and cleanse the temple was the starting point for restoration of true Worship in Israel and Judah.

He was determined to renew the covenant between God and His people Israel. He gathered the elders and the priests in the house of the LORD and commanded that burnt offerings for sins be offered. Every part of the service was divinely ordered just like at first when King Solomon dedicated the temple. The King and the people rejoiced greatly.

Hezekiah then invited all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come up to Jerusalem, and hold a Passover to the Lord in the second month. This is despite the fact that the Passover was to be kept in the first month! This is a clear illustration that the King was very willing to obey God and all that was written in the law.

His messengers (couriers) were met with great opposition from the people especially in Israel, who mocked them. But Judah was different. They had one heart and they took away the idolatrous altars.

The priests were ashamed, those of them who had been dilatory or negligent in sanctifying themselves were put to the blush and stimulated to their duty by the greater alacrity and zeal of the people.

A multitude of people ate the Passover while they had not sanctified themselves according to the written order but Hezekiah prayed for them and God heard him and healed the people.

They kept the Passover for 7 days with great gladness. Surprisingly, the revival had begun and the people agreed to keep the Passover for 7 more days. King Hezekiah who led this, gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings!

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21.

The Rumor of War

After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself.

He had a host of army that could not be numbered.

He encouraged the captain of the army by telling them, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles."

He also sent to the Prophet Isaiah to inquire of the LORD for him. He himself went to the House of The LORD with the letter the King of Assyria had sent to him mocking God and intimidating the people. Hezekiah presented the letter before the LORD and prayed before God.

 God sent His angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. 185,000 lay dead in the morning and Sennacherib king of Assyria returned to his country where he did.

Hezekiah did not have to fight the battle.

His Sickness

King Hezekiah became sick and near death, but he prayed to God and was healed. However his heart was lifted up because of pride and the LORD was displeased. In the end he repented his sin.

Lessons from His life

1.       He was fully dependent on God. He fully relied on the help of God and when faced with difficult situations, his first resort was prayer. Prayer is a sign that we are trusting (counting) on God. He was counting on God to the point he took the letter of Sennacherib before the House of God and “read it to Him”. I suggest we bring those medical reports, academic reports, termination letters, auction letters or eviction notices before the House of the LORD.

2.       Past obedience is not a guarantee of future obedience. Just because we obeyed in the past does not mean we are not prone to disobeying God now or in the future. Therefore, we ought to be careful and not allow our past relationship with God cause a sense of familiarity to the point we disobey God.

3.       God is yet to do more with our lives, if we let Him. The 15 additional years were more significant for King Hezekiah. The next king was born during this time. (Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 33:1)

Also remember, he reigned in Jerusalem for 29 years, 15 of which were additional. If not for his prayer, his reign would have been 14 years!

 Shalom!

Just discovered another blog with great lessons from King Hezekiah: Lessons of Life from Hezekiah: A Man of Action

Say to the Righteous

Just last week, my mother had a situation. Her small project she was doing that involved construction had some visitors from the National Construction Authority. The officers who visited the site decided to put the red X on the site. This thing troubled my mother so much and when she called, I told her the Scripture I have been meditating on for some time now.

“Unto the upright (righteous) there arises light in the darkness; He (the LORD) is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice (the righteous man). For (Surely) the righteous will never be moved (shaken); he will be remembered for ever. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established (steady);” Psalms 112:4-8

The focus of my post today is not on how to be righteous or what righteousness is, but a simple message to the righteous. God has said in His Word, that the righteous shall never be moved. It does not matter the intensity of the darkness, still light will arise in the midst of that darkness.

We all know that light and darkness cannot exist together. When the light comes, darkness has no option but to disappear. It is not darkness that has authority over light, instead light prevails over darkness. There is no negotiation that goes on between darkness and light. Is there a situation that you have observed where there was light and darkness refused to go away?!

Light dawns (is sown) for the righteous, and joy (gladness) for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11

For the sake of the righteous, God is willing to do anything and I mean anything to deliver them. He is both willing and able to make healing dawn for you in the midst of sickness, cause financial increase though you are in scarcity, and open a door that is impossible to open by ordinary means, if you are the righteous. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. 1 Peter 3:12.

The bible has many examples of righteous men and women who were never moved. God intervened quickly (just like light travels at very high speed) on their behalf to save them. Our enemy the devil may think he has succeeded in marking you for demolition, but our God is in heaven and alive. He did many things to Brother Job, but Job was never moved. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34:19. He was not afraid of the sad news of the messengers that came to tell the tale of loss of his possessions and children.  Light arose in the darkness and the latter days were much better. He was a righteous man. God will not permit him to be defeated.

Brother Daniel too was in the den of lion, but his heart was steady, trusting in the LORD. In the morning, the King came to confirm that the righteous shall never be moved. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were put in the fire that had been multiplied seven times. The mighty men of valor who threw the righteous into the fire died because of the heat of the furnace, yet the righteous even in the fire were never moved. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalm 37:39.

God intervened for Esther and Mordecai in the matter against Haman and overturned the calamity that was to befall the Jews.  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

God has anointed me to tell the righteous that rumors of war may arise at your work place, rumors of layoffs, terror groups may rise but you will never be moved or removed (The righteous shall never be removed Proverbs 10:30). Your heart shall be established trusting in the Lord.

I began by the story about my mother. The third day after that incident, she went to their office and as they were talking the officer admitted that the marking was put by mistake since the construction was complete already. She was advised to remove the mark and given a letter to that effect. This confirmed the Word of God: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. Proverbs 12:3

The righteous shall not be forsaken. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25. Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: Proverbs 10:28. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish (be hungry) Proverbs 10:3. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield Psalm 5:12.

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Isaiah 3:10

Shalom.

In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. Proverbs 12:28