THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE : THE CHRISTIAN MINDSET IN A SECULAR WORLD, PART TWO

Jesus presented the Christian mindset in the concept of a kingdom experience. He wanted us to know that by our citizenship of a kingdom, we are beneficiaries of the kingdom life. He introduced this truth to His disciples who asked for help to pray seeing that Jesus’ life was result oriented.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven...” Luke 11.2 NKJV

Why did Jesus lay emphasis on the kingdom being established on earth as it is in Heaven? The revelation will enlighten your mind to the glorious life and opportunities that comes with a kingdom attitude over the worldview. The answer also lies in the understanding of what kingdom and citizenship means for even some of its implications in the secular are similar to the spiritual.

The kingdom concept of rulership may not be relevant in most parts of the world today because of the growing influence of the democratic system of governance. It is a powerful and influential institution where it exists. Kings have complete authority over their people and made laws that were for their well being.

The citizens also had certain rights by belonging to a kingdom. There was a mutual goodwill between the king and his people and when there was good governance, both flourished. However, as in everything, there were exceptions to the rule of notorious wicked rulers.

But that is where the similarity in influence and power stops and the true experience of the kingdom begins with the rulership of God. He is the Almighty and perfect King. He reigns in Heaven and also over all creation. However, his rule on earth is not like the earthly type of a physical for and experience.

God’s rule is unique and spiritual as it starts from within to give a transformation on the outside that affects the world. This is what Light does. It makes an entrance that influences the area of darkness to cast it out. His rulership works from one individual heart to another. This is the reason Jesus said:

“You are the world’s light – a city on a hill glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father” Mathew 5.16 – 17. Living Bible.

By good deeds, he is not seeking philanthropic activities because unbelievers also do good works but He was referring to the works of the kingdom – manifestations that give light and validity to the kingship of God in your life. Jesus was saying we should live (thoughts, words and deeds) in a manner that will bring people to God in the same way they marvelled at the difference that Jesus made. Two testimonies in Jesus life show the operation of the kingdom.

Nicodemus said of Him:

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God, for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” John 3.2 NKJV

The kingdom was visible to him and others. He was later converted. Another incident was at the raising of Lazarus from the dead:

“Then many Jews who had come to Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him” John 11.46 NKJV

In other words, Nicodemus and the people at Lazarus’s tomb saw and allowed the kingdom influence to reign over their lives and transform them.  Like Jesus, we must seek to have the all powerful and sovereign rule of God as an experience in our lives first and then outward like a light to guide others. An attitude that leads people to the LIGHT in a specific an unequivocal way or else we will just a reflection of another light not THE LIGHT, another religion but not THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE – JESUS

Oh! You wonder, but how can I apply this principle to my work and life? Then learn from Daniel and Joseph. Daniel was in captivity yet thrived in a kingdom spirit that was the only thing that his detractors could use against him. He was one of the wise men employed by the king to give him counsel on all matters of state and personal life. It is like a modern day special adviser or ministerial appointment.

“Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other presidents and governors for he had great ability and the king began to think of placing him over the entire empire as his administrative officer. This made the other presidents and governors very jealous and they began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his affairs as so they could complain to the king about him but they couldn’t find anything to criticize!

He was faithful and honest, and made no mistakes. So they concluded “ Our only our chance is his religion”. Daniel 2-4, Living Bible (emphasis mine)

What a commendation! I pray that you and I will have this testimony of our lives as we strive to daily walk in the kingdom mindset – the Christian Life. How did Daniel achieve this feat? Simply, by following a divine protocol. He did exactly what Jesus said and which differentiates us from the worldview.

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right) and then all these things taken together will be given you besides” Mathew 6.33 Amplified Bible.

Jesus said, Go to God first about ANYTHING (whether of a spiritual or material nature) because often, we streamline our relationship with God only on the ‘spiritual’ while we ‘go to Caesar’ for the material. When we apply the divine protocol, we find that it becomes irrelevant to have recourse to anyone else.

For the wisdom, skill, resources, relationships and opportunities we need come as a complete package with the spiritual. The kingdom perspective is that one with God is a majority – COMPLETE AND LACKING IN NOTHING.

“ And you are in Him made full and having come to fullness of life ( in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead – Father, Son and the Holy Spirit- and reach full spiritual stature) and He is the Head of all rule and authority( of every angelic principality and power) “ Colossians 2.10. Amplified Bible

Daniel’s life influenced many and caused a nation to take notice. Even the king, Nebuchadnezzar who was feared by his people bowed before him in honour. Daniel had to solve a very complex task of finding out and interpreting the king’s dream. He rose up to the challenge unlike Isaac who initially sought to flee to Egypt.

Daniel fled first to God for refuge “a very present help in trouble” Psalm 46.1. He didn’t depend on his widely acclaimed intellectual mind, people or even to act beggarly towards the king. Rather, he went with confidence to him and sought a specific time to give an answer to the king’s request. The result of his action?

“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might and have now made known to me what we asked of You. For You have made known to us the king’s demand” Daniel 2.23 NKJV

The effect of this wisdom in solving the problem was astounding. Not only did he save the lives of all the remaining advisers but it made a huge impact on the king.

“Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face prostrate before Daniel...The king answered Daniel and said “ Truly your God is the God of gods; the Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets since you could reveal this secret” Daniel 2.46-47. NKJV (emphasis mine

Because Daniel distinguished himself as an adviser, his LIGHT overwhelmed and caused the king to bow to that GLORY of God revealed in Daniel. This is a fulfilment of the scriptures concerning the children of God to the effect that

“But the Lord will arise over you; His glory will be seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising” Isaiah 60.2-3NKJV

That is an established spiritual truth about us and which we must plant within  our hearts to live from otherwise we will never rise to the heights that Daniel, Joseph, Paul and others attained. Too many Christians are walking with an underdog mentality because they judge themselves by the parameters of the world.

The task before us is not to bring ‘the king’ into a physical subjection but how to influence others in a way that brings them to only one conclusion like Nebuchadnezzar – TO JESUS CHRIST, OUR GLORY AND LIGHT. For in achieving that, we have accomplished our end of the assignment. Therefore we must take definite steps to evaluate where we stand today in relation to what has been written concerning us and God’s expectation and from there we make all necessary adjustments.

We must live, breathe and influence the world for CHRIST by the kingdom spirit or nothing else. There are no options but ONE WAY ONLY! As citizens of an awesome Kingdom, we cannot accept less for ourselves.

IN CHRIST, God has provided us the REST of an inner peace and outward fruitfulness. Jesus had both and so must we aspire to experience the same. It is our rights as citizens and it is available now. I leave you with these scriptures to prod, push and encourage.

“Although GOD’s Promise still stands – his promise that all may enter his place of rest – we ought to tremble with fear because some of you may be on the verge of failing to get there after all.

“So there is a full complete rest still waiting for the people of God. Christ has already entered there. He is resting from his work just as God did after creation. Let us do our best to go into the place of rest too being careful not to disobey God as the children of Israel did thus failing to get in” Hebrews 4.1-2, 9-11. Amplified Bible.

God’s REST about any matter is an experience of trust and faith which comes from seeking Him FIRST and then ceasing from walking in our own wisdom in order to be led in His Righteousness. Only then will we have the EXPERIENCE OF JESUS - THE KINGDOM LIFE. Then we will have understood why Jesus prayed for the presence of the Kingdom in our lives and circumstances.

THE CHRISTIAN MINDSET IN A SECULAR WORLD, PART ONE

“For unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath “Mathew 25.29 KJV

This is a scripture that defines the Christian mindset, one of an abundance and provision; one that knows that he has an inheritance from which he resolves all earthly situations, laws, actions or systems. It is incorruptible because it is coming from a DIVINE SOURCE- GOD and it is not subject to manipulation or depreciation.

Why did the scripture speak of him who hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath? What does this mean as it seems contradictory? The Word was referring to a perception of lack not of the material. That one who does not appreciate the promises God has given in His Word will ultimately not receive the experience (he will lose it and suffer deprivation due to unbelief)

This is the experience of most Christians today. They are suffering out of an ignorance of how wealthy they are both spiritually and materially. That ignorance is coming from a mind that has been influenced by secular definitions of wealth and lack. The world says that if you don’t have it in a tangible form, you lack. But that is a belief that is an antidote to faith “And the just shall live by faith” Romans 1.17 NKJV. The spiritual form before we experience in the natural.

Christian live by faith, not sight. The world exits by sight not faith. Therefore, for a Christian to walk by sight is to subject himself to the experiences of the world’s influences. That is the foundational misconception of provision in the mind of most Christians and because of that they suffer unnecessary trials borne out of error and ignorance.

God says you must believe Him and his Word to receive from Him.

“You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him” Hebrews 11.6 Living Bible.

What are Christians doing believing the values of a world in darkness (spiritual) rather than their Father? That was what Isaac did before he received a revelation of the truth. He believed that he lacked and sought to flee from the famine at Gerar. But God came to him and said

“Do not go down to Egypt, live in the land which I shall tell you. Dwell in the land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and your descendants I give all these lands and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven. I will give to your descendants all these lands and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge , My commandments, My statutes and My laws” Genesis 26.1-4NKJV( emphasis mine)

The above scripture is so incisive for it illustrates the disposition that God expects of His Children – Divine protocol at work. The story unfolds that because of a famine, Isaac decided to leave Gerar for a better future in Egypt (Isn’t this scenario familiar?). Suddenly, God puts a stop to those ‘wonderful’ plans by telling him to stay......where? in the same Gerar. He then proceeded to remind Issac of his very important lineage – The Abrahamic Covenant which is one that does not quit but fights on to victory.

God informed him that Abraham succeeded because of his obedience – not the values of his world, men or systems. No! JUST GOD ALONE! And the conclusion:

“So Isaac dwelt in Gerar”. The effect of his obedience was:

“Then Issac sowed in the land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper and continued prospering until he became very prosperous for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him” Genesis 26.5,12-14. NKJV

Often, we have a tendency to limit the scriptures to a material interpretation as if the seeds he sowed were easily available from the beginning. If that was the case, he would not have made a decision to flee in the first place. Why where the Philistines also suffering from famine if they could readily get hold of those seeds?

Ponder! What God taught Issac was divine protocol that is to first seek the spiritual and the rest will unfold. This was the emphasis that Jesus made in Mathew .33 NKJV

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you”

What Isaac didn’t do was to reach out to his divine inheritance under the Abrahamic Covenant but saw himself in the same position as the Philistines and reacted in like manner.  God corrected this attitude by giving him His wisdom. That is what Issac first sowed in his heart and the material form began to come out of his obedience.

What were those steps he took? First he overturned his decision to leave Gerar and stayed in the place of famine. Amazing! Often when we experience some challenges, we put on a response of flight from the ‘inconveniences’ without first going to God to understand what should be done. At the very least, talk to Him about your plans and ask for guidance. It is so strange to find that many will tell all to their friends but leave God out and yet expect a divine intervention.

I found out that famine is not restrictive – a scarcity of food but it also refers to “a scarcity of something “as Webster’s English Dictionary defines it. In our lives, we may experience a famine of the Word for guidance and it is not by ‘fleeing’ from the famine that will provide a solution but finding the wisdom to stop it. Many run from one pillar to other seeking answers in strange places and people and often resulting to more ignorance and wrong decisions.

Avoiding a confrontation with our challenges is a hasty decision and is usually a first natural response which is not always the right one as we have seen many times in the Scriptures. Even in the instance of a natural famine as occurring in Sudan and Somalia, the United Nations prefers that people as much as possible stay in their countries where aid can reach them than flee. For in a lot of those journeys, they fall victims to raiders or die from weakness and diseases in the course of their long treks.

It is when you are obedient that you can hear God more clearly and know which steps to take about any issue. Disobedience leads to destruction and opens one to hear strange voices of error rather than the Voice of God.

“Before every man, there lies a wide and pleasant road that seems right but ends in death” Proverbs 14.12 Living Bible

Take note that God said He will show Issac the place to dwell and it turned out to be the place of famine. But you must realise that God does not dwell in famine or lack. Wherever His Presence is, will always be fruitful and that was what Isaac finally understood and his end was prosperous.

The Christian does not lack but has an abundance mentality. It is not a cliche or a self delusion but the TRUTH.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want “Psalm 23.1NKJV

And another

“The young lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing” Psalm 34.10 NKJV

Every Christian must understand that the kingdom we belong to is not like the earthly kingdom that has been influenced by sin and its consequences. Our Heavenly kingdom is perfect. God dwells in Glory in Heaven and it is from that place that we are expected to live experiential not theoretically. This is what Jesus’ lifestyle reflected while on earth. He always had the wisdom to act correctly and appropriately in every situation.

When the disciples were concerned about feeding the huge number of people that came to His crusade, all of them thought it an impossible task. But Jesus knew better because His faith was connected to the inexhaustible supply of Heaven. He took what was available (five loaves and two fish), gave thanks and the rest is history – He feed over five thousand people. I believe that even if the loaves and fish were not available, Jesus would still feed the people because the wisdom of God is manifold and immeasurable. It is because we put God in a ‘box’ of our wisdom that we do not have the experiences of Jesus in every situation.

Whether it was a storm, diseases, demons or death, Jesus manifested the mind of God in all matters. You must have a deeper insight than the obvious to speak to a stinking corpse to come out and it will answer. Such wisdom is what God has provided for us IN CHRIST so that we speak to all manner of circumstances and they respond in the appropriate way. That was the lesson that Issac learnt and so must we.

However, if we are still in denial, let us beware for it is possible to be on the wrong path and not know it. Issac thought so too. His brethren, Elimelech made a decision to move his family from Judah to Moab when there was a famine. In the end, he and his two sons died leaving Naomi his wife and two daughters-in-law.

“Then she arose with her daughter-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab for she heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread” Ruth 1.7

The rest of the story unfolds in the hardship she and Ruth underwent before favour came from Boaz and ultimately brought Ruth into the lineage of Jesus. It is obvious that by leaving Judah to Moab, Naomi and her family lost out in the end as what they desired of their life didn’t really work out. They were not any better in Moab than if they stayed in Judah and by the time they came back, they were at ground zero.

The lesson is not whether to leave or stay (As those who desire relocation may already want to debate) but whether Elimelech wasn’t hasty in his decision. Was his mindset that same as Issac? If you have the right attitude, then hearing from God will be much easier producing a guidance that is fruitful. This is what we saw with Jesus, Paul, Daniel, Joseph, David and other patriarchs of faith including others today.

“The preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from God”

“A man’s heart deviseth his way but the LORD directed his steps” Proverbs 16.1,9 KJV

The Christian mindset is anchored on three pillars – “hope, faith and love of which the greatest is love” I Corinthians 13.13. Our journey of life begins with a hope that is anchored on CHRIST. A hope we cannot see yet we take hold of it in our hearts to produce the faith we need for the expected outcome. It is a spiritual hope as against the natural that soon fades.

“He has given us both his promise and his oath, two things we can completely count on for it is impossible for God to tell a lie. Now all those who flee to him to save them can take new courage when they hear such assurances from God; now they can know without doubt that he will give them the salvation he has promised them.

This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls connecting us with God himself behind the sacred curtains of heaven where Christ has gone ahead to plead for us from his position as our High Priest with the honor and rank of Melchizedec. Hebrews 6. 18-20, Living Bible

In a practical form, this was the experience of Abraham when he waited for the fulfillment of the promise of a child by God: a promise that will ultimately give him a spiritual fatherhood that was beyond his initial plan of wanting an heir.

“ For Abraham, human reason for hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations as he had been promised ( So numberless) shall your descendants be” Romans 4.18. Amplified

This hope produced an inner faith in Abraham that gave him the patience to wait. This hope didn’t’ fail as he and Sarah at the age of a 100 and 90 years respectively gave birth to Isaac and through him came CHRIST “ the Seed” by which Abraham finally became a father of nations. There is a hymn that I love and which defines our Christian experience.

 My hope is built on nothing else but Jesus and His Righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly trust in Jesus Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

I leave you with this words that I read in a Christian magazine, Higher Way.

“Life’s realities may include fiery furnaces, lion’s den or thorns in the flesh but we rejoice in the face of despair, we find that we have a hold on something that will take us through”

THAT IS OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE!!!

THE BLESSING OF YOUR CALLING

“ For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable ( He never withdraws them when once they are given and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or whom He sends His call ) Romans 11.29 Amplified.

The knowledge of our calling and walking in it is one of the misunderstood aspects of life for all people and Christians are not immune. Webster’s Dictionary of English defined calling as ‘a spiritual summons’. God has called each person to a specific and definite assignment on earth and through which the world will be impacted. Christians have both a spiritual call:

“You are the light of the world.... Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” Mathew 5.14, 16 NKJV

And a secular call that is a profession or occupation:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” Jeremiah 1.5 NKJV

Therefore from the scriptures, it is clear that we were born with a divine specific task to accomplish as our primary role which works together with the spiritual. It cannot be changed neither amended to suit one’s desires. So the first step in life’s journey is to identify or discover your ‘identity’ as Jeremiah had to. The next step is to begin your walk in that calling in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Only with this twofold experience will you experience a joyful living. Jesus’ life exemplified this.

Your calling is not synonymous with your desires for you can have an incorrect desire for your life. Neither is monetary success a sole indicator of being in the right place. But what is clear is that who God calls, He has already given every provision and these include innate passion or unbridled zeal, grace, relationships, skill, wisdom, boldness, strength, health, resources.

 When you are in the place of purpose, there is a deep sense of satisfaction, peace and joy that cannot come from external factors. Though each call comes with its unique challenges but being in the right place helps you to rise above those obstacles and limitations with the right attitude. You know that this is what you were born to achieve. It drives you daily and opens up the flow of creativity within you for the task.

It is not some idea coming out of your motives, peer pressure or societal preferences. This is you in its true form. The delight is inexplicable – a glorious experience. Words of caution as so often people tend to confuse doing a task well and working at your calling. They may seem similar but the difference starts from the inner core.

When you are struggling to perform a task or despite external success you are still unsatisfied within you. Yes you may keep a happy face but there is inner turmoil. Watch out, you may be experiencing the symptoms of being out of joint with God’s ordained plan for your life. You are not in your place of call.

Many are unhappy even though they have pushed themselves to achieve financial success and societal commendation but inwardly, they are miserable and stressed. Recently, I watched an episode of Chopped on the Food Network where one of the Chefs spoke about leaving Wall Street and the money in order to pursue his passion for cooking. As he spoke, you could sense his joy at what he is doing. It seems unimaginable in a world where a lot of people are going in the opposite direction. But when passion calls, you have to answer.

“Come now therefore and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel out of Egypt” Exodus 3.10 NKJV

Moses grew up in the courts of Pharaoh, a royal prince destined for the throne with all the trappings of wealth and yet he was out of joint until he discovered his call as the one who will lead his people out of slavery

“Now the Lord said to Abram: I will make you a great nation... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” Genesis 12.1,3

Abraham discovered at 75years that he was called to be not just a natural father but a father of many nations. You must realise that Abraham in all of his wisdom could not by himself have seen nor comprehended the glories of his spiritual fatherhood as our father of faith. Not even in his wildest imagination would he have seen that you, I and billions of people will be speaking of his spiritual legacy today.

That is the awesome experience of walking in your destiny. It is beyond your sights and imaginations. Ask Dr Farrah, Chimamandu, Bill Gates, Oprah, myself and even YOU when you are in your calling regardless of what phase of it you are in today.

The stories of these two people are a lesson to us. Both Farrah Gray and Chimamandu Adichie typify examples of making the right decision.

Chimamandu Adichie is an internationally acclaimed Nigerian author. Acting under parental pressure, she initially went into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to study Medicine and Pharmacy. A year and half into her studies, she realised that she was out of joint with her identity and could not continue. She dumped the course and pursued her dream of writing culminating in a master’s degree in creative writing at John Hopkins University. Today her books, the Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun and a collection of short stories, The Thing around Your Neck are bestsellers and literary prize winners in various categories. Chimamandu chose to follow her passion and was rewarded.

Dr Farrah Gray at 26 years is a phenomenal person with an amazing story. He is a multimillionaire business mogul, motivational speaker, bestselling author who discovered his calling to entrepreneurship at the young age of.............six years

 (Please don’t ask me what I was doing because it was way off self discovery). Raised in the impoverished South Side of Chicago, he defied the odds to become a millionaire at....................... fourteen. He began his business career at six, selling homemade body lotions and his own hand painted rocks as bookends, door to door.

An excerpt from his autobiography Reallionaire is quite revealing:

“ I was only six years old but I was already becoming the Energiser Bunny. My mind was racing with possibilities and dreams. I didn’t allow any thoughts of lack and negativity to enter into my brain” Page 11.

Dr Farrah was “...the kid who wanted desperately to know how the world worked so that he could figure out a way to make enough money to support his family” Page13

Because Dr Farrah found his passion and went after it, he is a successful and joyful person at what he does with so much enthusiasm. I heard him speak at THE PLATFORM held in Lagos, 2009 and read his book, Reallionaire and it was very helpful in redirecting my life – discovering my calling for which I am truly joyful and living with inner tranquility.

It is of concern that many are struggling both inwardly and out because they are out of joint with God’s plan for their life. It does not have to be for you can start TODAY. It is not too late. You may not have discovered yours like Farrah at six but even Abraham began at 75years, Moses was 80 years and yet they went on to accomplish their divine assignments.

Ask the Holy Spirit for help in this matter for you need clarity and discernment. But start now for if you are not living in your divine call, you merely exist. What a TRAGEDY!!!!

THE GIFT OF RESTORATION

Growing up, I enjoyed reciting a lot of nursery ryhmes. One of my favourites was "Humpty Dumpty". While pondering on God's love, it's implications and my experiences of it recently,I realised the contradictions of that ryhme to God's love is as night is to day or as The Bible says the thoughts of God to ours is as far as heaven is to earth.( my paraphrase).

The ryhme goes thus " Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the king's horses and all the kings men, coudln't put Humpty together again.
Visualise Humpty as someone who probably weighs half a tonne( 500 kilos- hey don't laugh, there are a few people like that.It is not a pleasant sight to behold the human body left to degrade through indiscipline). However the real Humpty was not a person but a cannon sitting on a wall in some english town called Colchester during the medievial period. Yes, the rhyme has a real background.

Now consider this- all the king's horses and men tried but couldn't put Humpty back again, perhaps because it was so broken to pieces.BUT I AM SO GLAD that despite the "ton" of mistakes we make in life, GOD'S PERFECT LOVE is always there to put us back together AGAIN. I call it the gift of RESTORATION and there are two scriptures that describe this beautifully.

Joel 2.25 " So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust and the chewing locust..."
Isaiah 55.6-7 " Seek the Lord while he may be found, Call on Him while He is near.Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrigheous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, A nd He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

This gift is wrapped up in the love of the Father that is so perfect that it straightens the crooked paths of our life. But the best aspect of it all is that it drives out whatever fears we have about our mistakes and deals lovingly with all our cares and concerns.1 John 4.17-18 " ...God is love.....there is no fear in love ; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment..."

The LOVE of our FATHER is PERFECT.It is complete. With the help of the Holy Spirit, immerse yourself in it and allow it to cleanse your soul.Drink from it so that it quenches all thirst; Feed from it so that it nourishes and gives you life and live out of it so that exceeeding joy is a continious experience.

OUR FATHER'S LOVE puts together PERFECTLY what the best of the King's men and horses couldn't DO!!!

THE NECCESSITY OF PAIN

Ouch a painful topic you may say. But back several years when I was a little naughty sweet kid, we had a family ritual that involved taking malaria tablets every sunday.The thought of taking those horrible tasting nivaquinne tablets is still a nightmarish experience. I bet if I grew up in the US, my mom would have been charged with child abuse, period!! Another of her favourite health rituals was the foul tasting egg nog that was made with raw egg in my favourite cup of bournvita( caught her on that one by scooping underneath my cup and that was the end of it)But my wonderful and absolutely loving MOM would swear by her rituals that it was to keep me healthy and for the most part, it did. It was a painful experience but it did the work.

Recently, while meditating on the homily in my church's Nutshell bulletin titled the Gain in Pain, it made me realise how far I had come in the understanding of the neccessity of pain in achieving success in my life and indeed fulfilling God's plan and purpose.I recommend reading Nutshell for those of you who do not attend Covenant Christian Centre.It is of tremendous spiritual value.Simply go to insightsforliving.org.In a very uncanny way, the homilies have provided me with practical guidance at very crucial times of my life and at other times, gave encouragement and confirmation in times of uncertainty.

The neccesity of pain for change was brought home to me vividly about a month ago when I woke up one morning with a massive attack of backpain- the excruciating type that renders you helpless and in tears. That was my lot. But the thoughts and actions that I took that brought me through to my healing and into a new level of experience of spiritual truth is what I share with you.

Prior to recent and continious changes( I am undergoing a painful remodelling to bring me into God's plans and purposes)I was a CHALLENGEPHOBIC!!! yeah, you know the kind that does not want challenges beyond my comfort zone. I abhored anything that caused me some measure of pain, grumbled, murmured and in lots of cases APPEALED TO GOD to please let this cup pass me by.( sounds familiar? well you are in good company as Jesus also went through that same experience. But!!how did He handle it?) When my tears didn't move God and I came through it, I didn't learn the lessons because I was full of annoyance. What a waste.

However, through various teachings from church, books, people and my personal experiences, the Holy Spirit has been at work to changing my mindset. Slowly, steadily but surely I have come to understand the neccessity of pain for CHANGE.The word challenge, trials, problems, persecutions (and whatever name you give these painful experiences) took on a new meaning and somehow in that process of my mind's renewal, I understood and experienced the scripture in James 1v2-4 " Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows it's true colours. so don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in anyway." ( The Message Bible) Then the Japanese understanding of the word "danger" as crisis and opportunity was finally stamped in my mind

Eureka!!! I finally GOT IT ( well I am also in good company with Apostle Paul)There is a threshold of pain for every successful task and desire. Such pain can be minimal or maximum depending on what level of task and your success expectation but it is THERE. You can't buy your way out of it and you can't delegate this. the pain is completely YOURS. One of my favourite scripture on this and very apt too is 2Corinthians 12v7-10" .....satan's angel did his best to get me down, what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that and then he told me, My grace is enough, it's all you need, My strength comes into its own in your weakness.Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer , these limitations that cut me down to size- abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! AND THE WEAKER I GET, THE STRONGER I BECOME." ( The Message, Emphasis mine)Having understood the neccessity of pain in the above experience of Paul; his ministry made great impact on millions of lives all over the world.

Pain in itself is not a welcomed visitor, but it is often a very vital component of change. And we are often too set in our ways to change by ourselves and so God has to sometimes introduce pain to free us from the bondage of stagnancy for our good.Consider that a visit to the dentist is not fun for anyone but if you must be rid of that hurtful toothache brought by your own action of absorbing sugary substances, then you must go through the ritual of having that tooth pulled out and that is P-A-I-N-F-U-L!!! trust me. I made a lot of visits to my dentist.In the end I felt well and learned better dental hygiene that preserved the rest of my teeth.

In our daily lives, we have piled up a lot of spiritual garbage that is causing all sorts of disharmony in our lives and relationships. How do we get rid of them. Ooops, you won't like it but pain is involved. Like the rotten tooth, do we leave you with it or do we cause you to go through some measure of pain and get rid of it as well as learn the right lessons.I know that in my life , God has been walking me through change that involved painful adjustments. It is not fun but the results are amazing and wonderful. Lots of times The Holy Spirit reveals layers of garbage that I was not even conscious of in this process of change.But I have also seen a huge amount of the GRACE of GOD that has held me together. I look back at past experiences of pain and I realise the tremendous amount of GOD's LOVE. This was the process that brought me into the Experience of GOD'S PERFECT LOVE ( See my note on the gift of restoration)

In the midst of my backpain, I determined to face this challenge with a renewed mindset and not to quit. I created confessions of life from the Word, held on to my mindset of victory in Christ, scriptures ministered to me from Isaiah53v5 to John 16v33. I took steps of going about my daily tasks in the midst of the pain. I didn't quit on my walk exercise even though I cut down on the distance. I often was a sorry sight to behold in my bodily movements but I DIDN'T QUIT.There were times of temptation to give up and declare a loss on my healing but I hung in there. The result was that I came through the threshold of pain and gained my victory of healing And unlike in the past, I didn't grumble, mumble or plead to God to take it away. I did what God expected of me- HANG in there and experience the victory. It gave me the boldness to confront my fears.I am back in full health but with that and daily experiences I am learning to trust in God wholly and not in myself or in others.

So when I read the homily, It was a joyful confirmation that life can be conquered even in the midst of pain. Daily in the challenges before me, these experiences are what I take with me on my journey of change.I am no longer CHALLENGEPHOBIC. I know, understand and have learnt the valuable experience that pain is neccessary and indeed sometimes a component of change.It's a whole new ballgame for me. Whatever may be your life's challenges( good or bad) your desire for it's accomplishments may often involve some measure of discomfort,.Am I asking you to seek for pain?God forbid! But When you want change and some measure of pain is involved , before you holler to heaven for the angels, STOP!LOOK! and LISTEN! That may be God's wakeup call for you in that situation just like symptons are an indication that something is wrong with our bodily system. Brace up for it and understand that GOD is there to walk you through the process of change. LEAN ON HIM AND HIM ALONE.

THE DECEPTIVE HEART

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out
“Jeremiah 17:9. The Message

How the heart can become deceptive is one of the mysteries of life. But thankfully, we can decode this mystery and learn how to deal with it using the Word of God and the help from the Holy Spirit.

In Scripture, the word “heart” is used in six ways namely the physical form, the soul, the conscience, human nature, the centre of anything and the mind. It is the mind that is the focus of the deceptive heart series. Since the introduction of sin into the earth, the forces of good and evil have their influences upon our lives and it is a wise person that will take heed to learn how to navigate through life so as not to be influenced by evil.

Many Christians have a lack of knowledge and understanding about the heart and its influence in their lives. The significant role the mind plays in our relationship with God and each other was clearly stated by Jesus to his disciples “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” Mathew 22:37 -38 KJV

Therefore it is important that we have a full grasp of how the mind works in order to utilize it in the service of God rather than of self that leads to destructive behavior.

In this series, you will gain insight into the deceptive heart and how to guard against it. Then your decision making process will be enhanced and an understanding of your experiences in the light of such knowledge will be evident

The mind is the seat of a person’s thoughts, words and action and this is an experience that begins from within. It is your thoughts that informs the quality of your decisions. It is also the place where deception can take place if vigilance is not the watchword. Two scriptures aptly give a good description of this truth
“Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life” Proverbs 4:22 KJV.

 “ For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders….All these evil thought come from within and defile the man” Mark 7 : 21 KJV.
Three sources of thoughts flow through our minds regardless of our personalities. God, satan and worldview. The latter are thoughts that come from the opinion of people, books, personal observation etc. Unlike God’s thoughts, the worldview is most likely to be influenced by selfish interest, error and ignorance. While satan’s thoughts comes in the form of manipulation of God’s word and the events of our lives. Apostle Paul emphasized this truth

“But I fear lest some how as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” 2Corinthians 11:3 NKJV


God’s thoughts are pure – the good and perfect gift and this comes from the Scriptures and the guidance the Holy Spirit gives in specific situations.
“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope” Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

These thoughts are the best for us – the crème de la crème as it were. They are priceless, free and easily accessible from a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Our sensual experiences are too limiting to comprehend the thoughts of God by itself.

When we are disappointed, hurt, offended, feel cheated it is often easier to look for a scapegoat “I never knew so and so could behave this way:, why am I being unfairly treated?” why didn’t I see that things would turn out this way?”. We never stop to ponder how we got ourselves into such circumstances. Our senses and emotions lure us into placing the blame on others and giving ourselves a pass on judgment. But alas! Your heart has misled you into the action you took which didn’t appear so initially. No! No! No! You argue, I am not the deceived.I am the wise not the foolish; the educated not the illiterate; the achiever not the underperformer and so on as the clichés will allow. Wait a minute – pause; isn’t your experience telling you differently that what informed your decision making process was a product of your mind?

To illustrate this truth – here is a simple heart check. How many decision have you made with all confidence, certainty and sincerity that you were RIGHT and in comes the cold startling realization later that you were WRONG!! The hindsight factor starts to weigh in the reality of your decision and mindsets. If you are truthful (and I trust you should be), it is a lot. That is the reality of what informs the deception of the heart. This deception exacts a huge toll in our lives from the spiritual, financial, relational and sadly in death too. That is why you can’t afford to continue to believe that you know your heart better than God.

The plan of God for us is wonderful. It is one experienced from His insight and foresight. The revelation of God is a beautiful adventure beyond description. It is light in gross thick darkness; a generator when PHCN strikes; like water on a parched throat. It is cold water splash on a very hot day. Such has been my experience as I gain more spiritual insight in the matter of the heart. It finally clicked why God made the very shocking statement about our heart.

The heart is the seat of our will, emotion and actions. Left by itself, it can be a tool of deception. Without the rein of God’s Word, it can become an unruly horse that will throw you off so fast that you wouldn’t know what hit you. The heart can be a master of grand deception. Having understood and experienced this truth, I am often concerned at people who declare that they know what they are doing by themselves. Oh! How their heart has deceived them.

In dealing with the heart, be careful because your motives may often be wrong yet you are deceived to be in denial of the truth. In other cases, you may believe you have the right motives and intent, but you have acted in ignorance. This history of deception began in the Garden of Eden – a place of   spiritual and natural paradise that was poisoned with sin when Eve’s heart fell in a masterstroke of grand deception by satan. Imagine this scenario for a moment. You have a wonderful relationship with God, everything is perfect – nothing missing nor broken and suddenly sneaks in the temptation that you can get better by yourself because God is hiding more goodies from you.

Your heart starts analyzing whether this is true. You haven’t even given a thought to discuss the matter with God. You plunge into the decision that you can indeed be wiser than God in this matter. Well does this sound familiar … of course it does. It is not just the satan / Eve confrontation (read Genesis. 3: 1 -7), it is also the way we daily conduct our affairs without God’s input. The grand deception wasn’t satan’s temptation for that was only an offer but Eve’s decision to accept.

“When the woman saw that the tree looked good eating and realized what she would get out of it – she’d know everything! – She took and ate the fruit and gave some to her husband and he ate. Immediately the two of them did see what’s really going – saw themselves naked! Genesis 3: 6 -7. The Message

Once Eve ate the fruit that she thought would make her as wise as God, along with her husband, they realized they had been DECEIVED - they discovered the first consequence was not just a physical nakedness but spiritual too. God all along had been their COVER and they realized it in their fall. Today, this deceit has been passed down through the ages and when we discover the truth, we are exposed to our naked form – our ignorance, mistakes, and errors.


How then do we deal with the heart in order to serve God with it and make good judgments. Here are some principles to follow.

1.   Take personal responsibility for your actions. Don’t live the ‘blame game’ way. The goal is to learn how to live right.

2.   Recognize that by you, it is impossible to discern the thoughts of God from others. It is not a work of the senses but of the spirit and it is the Holy Spirit that can guide you to the truth on any matters. The deception of satan and the errors of the worldview are subtle.

   “There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death” Proverbs 16 : 25. Amplified.

     The ways of spiritual and sometimes physical death are error, ignorance and deception.

3.   Completely rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance even in the most insignificant things – they may turn out to be the “like foxes that spoil the vines”. God gave the task of revealing the truth for our benefit to the Holy Spirit because He knew we can’t handle it ourselves. So don’t be proud. Ask Him daily for guidance both in the little and big things. I have come to rely on the Holy Spirit for various matters ranging from wisdom to correcting  mistakes in cooking, choosing the right outfit ( He is the best style coordinator); finding missing objects to a life challenging decision on the choice of the right hospital for my surgery ( that was a life saver and a story for another day).

      Even in my law practice, He is my salvation. He has given me counsel that made impossible cases achievable. One such case in real estate saved my client from a 32 million naira fraud. A fraud that was difficult to uncover in all the due diligence we did. Even the seller was dumbfounded on how we uncovered his almost perfect false documentation. When I started out a Christian, I didn’t have a personal intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. But in the past five years, that has changed and I have taken new steps to continually grow in His guidance and friendship. I relate with him as a friend and frankly He is the ULTIMATE BEST FRIEND FOREVER (UBFF). He shares in my joy, grief, hurts, disappointments, every kind of challenge and SECRETS (Yes!! – you can’t get a more loving dedicated and sincere friend than the Holy Spirit). Treat Him as a living being rather than a religious icon which unfortunately many do. You will be amazed at your discovery. Start today He is already waiting for you.

4.   Wake up each day with a heart of gratitude for what you have (and you do have a lot if you take time to check) and what will yet be. Acknowledge before God that you are not the “I know it all” but a child, teachable and ready to learn. Be willing to make the adjustments as instructed. God guides our steps at a time.  The wisdom of God comes in many ways that will impress upon your heart the right thoughts about each matter. Thoughts precede your choice of words and actions. Your actions come from your thought pattern whether consciously or of the subconscious (habitual pattern of behaviour).

      Thus if you are cut off from the flow of life, you open yourself to wrong influences. Having a willing heart to learn and receive correction is the beginning of wisdom and its benefits. Solomon was brought up as an heir to the throne of David. He must have been tutored and studied on how to succeed as a king yet he recognized that all of the secular knowledge without the guidance of God would be ineffective and limiting. He went to God with a humbling prayer not carried away by his intellectual prowess. Solomon prayed and so should you.

     “Here’s what I want: Give me a God – listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people” 1 Kings 3: 9. The Message.

      God was delighted with Solomon’s prayer and replied”

      I’ll give you what you’ve asked for I’m giving you a wise and mature heart….”
1 Kings 3:12. The Message.

It is not complex or rocket science to experience this. I know this personally. All it takes is a sincere heart to be led by God in His will not as your sidekick to answer to your desires. You are the clay not the potter. You answer to God and not Him to you. If you walk in this order, you will be astonished at your new experiences. God is not far neither is His guidance. We are the ones who choose to go on a self righteous mode of “I know it all” and that is a wrong attitude towards God.

5.   There will be mistakes made on your learning journey but be ready to eat a lot of humble pies (for the only weight gain is priceless wisdom) it is a daily journey that is endless. You can’t learn enough to outgrow God. No graduation party to look forward to while on planet earth. God honours a repentant heart. You may initially not get it right away but in the calmness of your heart, it will quietly come upon you that you have missed the mark – that is the loving correction of the father. Hear and make adjustments. I have found out that with God, His correction is not to condemn but to restore. He wants our mind to be set right in order to act right.

6.   Many Christians do not discern the various thoughts that filter through their mind and are often quick to accept the first. But be vigilant. Often the loud thought is the deceptive one wanting to drown out the quiet still voice of the Holy Spirit that is heard in calmness.  Not all thoughts that seem good are in your best interest. Recall Jesus’ conversation with His disciples about His impending death and Peter’s quick response to the contrary. However good the intention, Jesus was not misled as to the source of those thoughts. “Get behind me satan …” Mathew 16:23 KJV

      Consider that Peter was wise to identify Jesus as the Messiah when other disciples were still struggling with the question yet in another breath; he was in error about the purpose of the Messiah. What does this show? – That you can never be so confident to think you can figure all things out.
      “For being ignorant of the righteousness that God ascribes (Which makes one acceptable to Him in word, thoughts and deed) and seeking to establish righteousness (a means of salvation) of their own, they did not obey or submit themselves to God’s righteousness”. Romans 10:3. Amplified.
     
      Jesus was aware of who had infiltrated Peter’s mind. So would you, regardless of what form such deception takes when you are guided by the Holy Spirit to the truth as Jesus was.

      Guidance is continuous. It is not a one –off affair nor one that is dependent on mood swings. It is a deliberate decision to be led accurately always. God’s guidance while of a spiritual nature is practical. It is active and not of a passive kind – “faith without work is dead”. It does not contradict the scriptures (which in themselves are not subject to intellectual reasoning) nor the personality and character of God.

      Too often Christians import worldly (ungodly) views that are contradictory to the scriptures hoping that somehow they will slip by the consequences. For example the scripture is clear that God created Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve nor Eve and Eva. Yet some Christians accept homosexuality as a way of life. Others flaunt fornication as a fashionable lifestyle. These are some of the ways that the unguided mind has been misled. Many of such errors are seen in personal choices that are made in marriage, parenting, financial, spiritual and other aspects of life.

      In making the right decisions, two essential points were emphasized by Jesus

      “Be careful therefore how you listen …” Luke 8:18 Amplified
      “And He said to them” Be careful what you are hearing…” Mark 4:24 Amplified.

      It is important to know what to give attention to and what to discard because all things are not always helpful or wholesome (for our relationship with God) as well as the effective way to listen and discern the truth. These choices affect the mind and ultimately your thought and action.

      Prayer is a key component for spiritual development leading to a fully grounded and fulfilled life. Man is a spirit being with a soul encased in a physical body. When your spirit is in alignment with God, everything falls into place and the restoration to the peace of Eden before the fall becomes your experience. That is the essence of the gospel – our salvation. Some prayers to get you started – read the scriptures first.

a.   Mark 4:22 – Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you the hidden errors, deception and ignorance in your life

b.   Pray for such revelation of truth in your various relationships – business, marital, friendships etc.
c.   Pray for the revelation of truth about any issue regarding the decisions you have to make
d.   John 16:13 – Pray for guidance in your choice of thoughts, words and action.

Finally, the ultimate choice lies with you as to how to make your decisions but as
 “You sow, so also shall you reap for God is not mocked”. God’s guidance is a 24/7 hotline without fail. USE IT ALWAYS and not only in EMERGENCIES