Friday 31 October 2014

The EVER-PRESENTNESS of God



***Not less than ten people had invited me to a Praise/Gratitude challenge at different times in the last couple of months. Even though I hadn’t responded to any of the challenge the way the invitees expected, this post seeks to fulfill a part of the Praise Challenge.

Chief on my #ReasonsForPraise list is the “ever-presentness” of God!

The psalmist chanted it… “God is … a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
I discovered it two mornings ago as I stood in a cemetery, flanked on either sides by countless tombs…

“God, in all of these, where are You”, I asked. “I AM!” He responded. Just two words “I AM!” Moses heard it first… “tell them that I AM sent you” (Exodus 3:14).

What a response! Think about it. When we say “I am,” we always add another word.

“I am clean.”
“I am happy.”
“I am strong.”
“I am Joseph.” 

God, however, starkly states, “I am” and adds nothing else. Jesus came and continued the mystery. "Before Abraham was born, 'I AM'." (John 8:58 GNB).

“You are what?” we want to ask. “I am,” He replies. God needs no descriptive word because He never changes. Yet, Jesus offered few descriptions for our simile-programmed minds:

·“I am God’s Son.” — John 10:36
·“I am the resurrection and the life.” — John 11:25
·“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” — John 14:6
·“I am the true vine.” — John 15:1

He is what He has always been. He speaks of Himself ONLY in the PRESENT TENSE! The “present-tense” God. He NEVER says, "I was." Never. His immutability motivated the psalmist to declare, “But thou art THE SAME” (Psalm 102:27 KJV).

Unlike us. We WERE younger, faster and prettier. We WERE less indebted and more innocent. We are proned to be a people of the past tense.

Not God. Health changes. The weather changes. Relationship status changes. But the Yahweh who ruled the earth last night is the same Yahweh who rules it today.

Same love.
Same plan.
Same mood.
Same convictions.

He never changes—a still point in a turning world.

He sleeps through storms and calms the winds with a word. Cancer does not trouble Him, and cemeteries—yes—cemeteries do not disturb Him. He’s here before they came. He’ll be here after they are gone.


From the center of each storm, the unwavering Jesus shouts, "I Am!" He’s bold against the Galilean waves…why not invite Him into yours?

ICU.
Ebola.
Debts.
UTME.
Battlefield.
Prison cell.
Boardroom.
Heartbreak.
Post UTME.
Boko Haram.
2015 elections.
Maternity ward—

…whatever your storms, He remains the "I am!"

Give Him praise—for there is His address!


***Your turn: what’s topmost on your #ReasonsForPraise list? (Drop it as a comment…let’s saturate this page with His praise!)

Sunday 26 October 2014

I’M A JOYFUL SLAVE!






The other day, a sincerely perplexed friend asked me:

"Some believers do say CHRISTIANS are SLAVES to JESUS. Most times, I counter it that I'm NOT a slave but a real child of God. Please enlighten me, which is true? Are we really slaves to Jesus?"

I doubt if she’ll be the first to ask that question. Here’s my response…

Checking the meaning of the word "slave" will be a good point to start... I found these:
  • someone who is EXCESSIVELY DEPENDENT UPON AND CONTROLLED BY another.
  • a legal property of someone (the master) who must be obeyed.


So sieve your question through that filter.

  • Are Christians not supposed to be excessively dependent on Jesus? Jesus said “you can do nothing without me” (John 15:5 GNB).
  • Are Christians not supposed to be controlled by the Spirit of Christ? Paul said “Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children” (Romans 8:14 GNB).
  • Are believers not legal properties of Christ? Paul said “You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 GNB).


Some of the apostles identified themselves as "bondslaves" of Christ. (In their culture, bondslaves are the most hopeless of slaves...lol). Paul, in his letter to the Romans introduced himself as “a devoted slave of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1 MSG).

My perception is that, you're scared to be identified as a slave, no thanks to our cultural understanding of slavery (a visit to Badagry slave port will worsen that understanding). But my encouragement to you is to understand that it's one thing to be a slave to a task-master, it's another thing to be a slave to Love!

Being a slave to Christ is the ONLY realm where SLAVERY is an equivalent of SONSHIP and HEIRSHIP—CO-HEIRSHIP, as a matter of fact!

No honour could be greater, my Dear.

I’m a SLAVE—WE are slaves, happily so, gladly so, who have been bought out of another slavery, the slavery to sin and death and hell. We have been bought and redeemed from the slave market of souls under the power and authority of the devil himself. We have become God’s own purchased possession. He has made us not just slaves but sons, not just sons but joint heirs, not just joint heirs but rulers who will reign with Him forever and upon whom all the glories of eternity will be showered.

We are slaves who are loved. We are slaves who are beloved by our master.

Happy Sunday!

Sunday 19 October 2014

FINE GIRL, BEWARE!!!


FINE GIRL, BEWARE!!!

She’s just 13. Brought up in a Christian family. Her Dad is the Senior Pastor of Oaks Tabernacle. She’s a part of the Teens’ Choir. She loves singing. She loves writing. She loves smiling. She loves nature. She’s just a good girl. Oh! Her name? She’s Sara.

 But Peter. Peter is 17. He attends the same school with Sara. Peter is in the Senior High; Sara is in the Junior High. And one more thing – they attend the same church. Peter’s Dad is also a Pastor—the Assistant Pastor of Oaks Tabernacle. Peter is handsome – any girl will know that without much assessment. And you need to see Peter on sax. The last time he sustained his breath on sax for like 3 minutes, Sara had to fix her gaze steadfastly on the youngster. She was overwhelmed by this great talent which Peter has. She respects Peter for this.

 But I need not be silent about how that Peter silently respected Sara. Peter was a silent admirer – admiring from a distant. A kind of an aficionado. I could remember a day like that – I was coming from the children’s chapel and I was moving towards the mission house. But while I passed by the church, I saw a young man tip-toeing to the side entrance of the tabernacle. I heard a sonorous voice rehearsing a solo. It was Sara’s. And guess who was tip-toeing to the side entrance to stealthily watch the lady indoors rehearse? You guessed right. It was Peter. I did like I saw no one and walked past briskly.

 I respect them both, too. And I know they could be a nice combination for a Mum and Dad role in a drama. And perhaps, a good combination for the life investment called marriage.

 All these happened last year.

 But permit me to tell you that the story is now a different story. Sara, now 15, is heavy with child. She’s presently not in school – she’s at home. She doesn’t sit with the choristers again – she sits among the women in the back pews. She doesn’t take solos again – she sings “a dirge” on daily basis. She doesn’t smile again – she weeps. Not only because she’s pregnant but because she disappointed her parents. She misrepresented the church. She failed so many people. How did it all happen – within 15 months!? Hear Sara retell her story in her own words:
********************

 “I’d just finished taking a special number in our last youth convention. It was a solo and Wow! – It was lovely. I personally felt this awesome feeling while taking the solo. By the time I brought the solo to a close, the whole church was already on their feet. Some lay on the floor weeping and praying. Some others lifted up their hands to God, pleading for mercies. It was a wonderful ministration. And guess who spiced it all up with Davidic skills on the sax? You guessed right again. It was Peter.

 After the meeting, Peter came to me where I was sitting awaiting my Mum who had been busy attending to some of the “Good Women” of the church. Then he talked “that was not a bad performance – you know?” “Thanks” I simply responded with a broad smile. Then he smiled back, too. He proceeded and asked “And have you ever perceived that God has got great plans for you in this music ministry?” Then I paused for a moment and then responded “What do you mean?” At that point, he took his seat on the pew opposite mine such that he was facing me, sitting with his legs crossed. I was wearing a “dinner gown” but it wasn’t that long so I had to adjust my sitting posture so that Peter is not seeing “anything” that he’s not meant to see.

Then he talked further. “You see, Sara, I’d always had this great dream of playing sax around the world to bless the name of God and to minister healing to the people. And as you stood on that stage today to take the solo, I got this conviction that you will be just the kind of ministry partner I’d always prayed for. I don’t know if you really understand what I’m trying to pass across”. Then I cut in “I think I got your point quite well. But as you know, I’m still in school. I don’t even know what Dad and Mum will say about such stuff. I mean there is still a long way to go if that were to be a reality.” Having said that, he bent forward as though trying to stand up, and then he said “I understand perfectly. You don’t just worry. I just feel like letting you know what is on my mind. We’ll still see and talk more.” Then just as he stood up to take his leave, he brought his mouth close to my ears and whispered a simple statement – “You are looking good”. I smiled and said thanks. But deep within me, I was much happier. It was as if I’d never heard that statement all my life.

 When we got back home, guess what was the first thing I did – I rushed to my sister’s room to have a look at myself again. And I smiled at my image in the mirror. Just then, my eldest sister came in. She smiled at me and asked – “What are you looking at?” Guess what was my response? I asked her a question – “Am I not looking good?” She laughed as she made a statement I should learn from. She said “And are you just discovering that for the first time?”

 Ever since that Sunday, I’d had this strange desire to always want to be around Peter.

 To cut the story short, one evening, I told my mum that I was going to play with Elizabeth – Peter’s sis-ter. And I left. When I got to their place, unfortunately, Eliz wasn’t at home – but fortunately, Peter was. Unfortunately, Peter was the only one at home – but fortunately, he still welcomed me and made me feel at home. I was wearing a short skirt and a fitted top. He was wearing a v-neck and a three-quarter jeans. He was actually doing some rehearsals on the keyboard when I came in. so he went into the kitchen while I lay on the rug to play the keyboard. He stealthily walked in and kept on looking at my “rear” when I suddenly looked back and he gave me a big appreciated smile and cut in “Have you been learning the keyboard before?” “Why did you ask?” I asked back trying to get myself composed again. “Those chords you are playing are too complex for someone just handling the keyboard for the first time” he explained further. “Then you guessed right” I replied and with that brought the conversation to a close.

 He handed me a tumbler and filled it with some apple juice. As I took the first sip, he went on and said “Has anyone ever told you that you are beautiful?...as in…your eyes…your nose…your lips…your golden black hair…everything is just superb”. At that point I must confess, my head began to swell and he never stopped as he kept on down pouring some romantic rhymes and he kept on coming closer. I was too ecstatic to catch those words in my memory but it was as if those words were working wonders on my body – in and out!

 Then suddenly, his lips located mine and…he kissed me. That was exactly where I lost my guard. And before I knew it he had me. I never believed I could be deflowered so cheaply. And after the whole thing, we became Adam and Eve. Our eyes were then kinda opened…but it was too late. He gave me some contraceptive pills which I used… but it was too late. He gave me a douche…but it was too late. I wept…but it was too late. I dressed up and looked innocent again…but it was too late. I went back home to pick up my books and continued my preparation for my “A-Levels”…but it was too late…”

 ****************

 Let’s cut Sara short before she begins to weep over this screen.

 Did you learn the lesson?

 I’d come to realize that most of the times that “we” ladies sell out ourselves so cheaply, it’s just because one guy came and tell us things we ought to know – but which we tend to have forgotten.

 “You are looking good”…and so what? You should have always known that (See Psalm 139:14).

 “You are beautiful”… and so? Should that be new to you? (See Psalm 139:14).

 “You are the one that makes my world go around”…says who? What makes you think he hasn’t said the same thing to ten ladies last week?

 Let not those words unnecessarily disrupt your internal physiology and metabolism.

 You need wisdom.

  I’ll leave you with this verse – Proverbs 7:4,5 from four different Bible translations.

·         ·         Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend. They will keep you away from other men, from men with seductive words. – (Good News Bible. Words in italics mine)
Let wisdom be your sister and make common sense your closest friend. They will protect you from the flattering words of a strange man – (Contemporary English Version. Words in italics mine)
·         Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion.
They'll be with you to fend off the Tempter-- that smooth-talking, honey-tongued Seducer. – (The Message)
·         Say to wisdom, "You are my sister." Give the name "my relative" to understanding in order to guard yourself from an adulterer, from a loose man with his smooth talk. (God’s Word Version)

 ****************

 Then, here is the concluding part of the Sara’s story: I FINALLY WOKE UP FROM MY DREAM. Then I discovered there was actually no Sara. No Peter. No Oaks Tabernacle. No sax. No solos. No rehearsals. No juice. No kisses. No sex. No….. It was all a dream.

 But who knows? The Sara might just be you. And the Peter might just be that guy with a baritone voice that called you on extra-cool last night.

 Just beware. Indeed, you are looking good. But beware. Before it’s too late.

Saturday 4 October 2014

THE TOILET MINISTRY (2 of 2)

THE TOILET MINISTRY (2 of 2)

Remember where we started from in the first part? With a joke about a man that found himself in a females’ toilet and started pressing “the buttons he had sworn not to press”…and you remembered where he landed? “Yeah! You remembered. On the hospital bed!”
(If you did not read the first part of this piece, U can check it out on my notes on my profile page).

 Let me start this second part with a true life story. This happened years back (over a decade actually) so don’t crucify me.

 There was this day that my Dad was taking bread and tea in the afternoon (back then, those were really rare delicacies. Especially the tea…the family takes that once in a week thereabout). So I was expecting my Dad to call me like he always did to come and finish the remaining tea in his cup…but alas! He didn’t! But there was a part of me that was dying to have a taste of the brownish thing in whatever form—powdery or liquid. Covetousness, you may choose to call it. Or “hunger”—perhaps, that was what I thought it was. But whatever it was, the thing led me to do what I shouldn’t have done but which many of you would also have done if you were in my shoes.

 I thought to myself “I will go and take some of the Bournvita…scoop as much as my tiny little hand can contain…then rush to the toilet—the place where nobody sees me—the place where everyone respects my privacy. Then when I enter, rather than do what the toilet was meant for—I will satisfy my throat with the sweet sensation the powder as it journeys down my oesophagus to my alimentary canal…” Those were thoughts—the “innocent thoughts of a 7-yr old.

 And that was just what I did. Went into the room where the beverages were kept…climbed on a stool to carry the tin from the shelf…opened the tin with my metallic belt tip…then…dipped my innocent little hand in…and scooped a handful of bournvita…then rushed to close the tin with the lid…then I heard some foot steps approaching…so I took the other exit (without returning the tin back to where I picked it from)…and I hurried towards the toilet. 

 But as I was reaching for the knob to the toilet door from outside (with the second hand), the toilet door was opened (from inside) and my Mum came out of it. (We lived back then in a house with only one toilet!...but now, we live in a house with three!) Shocked…I quickly hid my second hand behind my back and displayed a restlessness that was too obvious to be hidden. Mummy asked “what’s that?” “what’s what?” I replied. “What are you hiding?...bring me your hand…”…the rest was “history”. I was given a “beating I will never forget”.

 Don’t just laugh…because I’m sure you’ve been there before too. Haven’t you?

 You know, as I was typing this note, it dawned on me that the “toilet” literarily has its own function. But some people go there to do other things besides the function it was meant for. So let me remind you of what “toilet” means as far as this write-up is concerned:

 "Toilet" in the context of this write-up is taken to mean "that place where no one else goes with you to"..."that place where (as it were) no one sees you"..."where nobody is there, except you...alone." and like I said in the first part, “toilet ministry” means…what you do…when nobody is there!

 So what’s the danger in “going to the toilet”…as in “going to those places where nobody sees us…?”. I have come to understand that going to such places is not the problem. The problem is from what you go there…to do! Fine, people will always “respect” your privacy when you enter the “toilet” but a day is coming when the unforeseen will happen and you will need the help of people that are “outside the toilet” but because they “respect your toilet privacy”, nobody will come to your rescue! I SPEAK IN PARABLES…

 I said in the last write-up that I was going to tell you of a King in the Scriptures that died like that. An enemy came and smartly gained entrance to his presence to stab him. The security guards were expecting him to come out, but on assumption that he was in the toilet, they respected his “toilet privacy” and decided not to check. But after a while, by the time they broke the door in to check, behold…the king is dead.

 I am not formulating stories. Let me quote the scriptures and you will see what I’m saying:
Judges 3:20-25 God’s Word Version(20) Ehud came up to him as he sat alone in his room on the roof. He said to the king, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his throne,(21) Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right side, and plunged it into Eglon's belly.(24) After Ehud went out, Eglon's advisers came in. They were surprised that the doors were locked. "HE MUST BE USING THE TOILET," they said.(25) They waited and waited, but Eglon didn't open the doors. So they took the key and opened the door. They were shocked to see their ruler lying on the floor, dead.

 That’s why I wish you could see the “foolishness” of the “toilet ministry”. Think twice when no man is watching. Ask yourself, “can I do this if my Dad was here?” “or if my Mum was here?” “or if my fiancé(e) was here?” “or if my best friend was here?”….and most importantly…“If God was here?”…AND HE IS! YES! He’s right there with you everytime.

 So when next you want to rush to those hiding places to do the “ungodly”, just remember…GOD IS WATCHING!

 I actually planned writing something entirely different for this second part…but as I started typing this note, the flow changed. This is yet a reinforcement to the first part. If God permits, there will yet be a part three, where I will show you the “concept” behind why you act the way you do…especially in the toilet!

 God loves you Sweetheart…and so do I.

 Enjoy!
/jeuzIf/
© Feb, 2010

Wednesday 1 October 2014

THE TOILET MINISTRY (1 of 2)




THE TOILET MINISTRY (1 of 2)

Let's start it all with a riddle. A riddle with an obvious answer. 

 Take me for a country. Every "normal" human being comes into that country at least once in three days. As a matter of fact, some even come to that country as frequently as everyday. And one unique thing about this country is that once you enter the country, you automatically become the president of the country. Everything you do in the country cannot be challenged by anybody. And what's more? You can choose to even stay in this country for as long as you want! You are—simply put—in charge! So which country do I represent? 

 Yeah! You got it. I am "The Federal Republic of Toilet!"

"Toilet" in the context of this write-up will therefore be taken to mean "that place where no one else goes with you to"..."that place where (as it were) no one sees you"..."where nobody is there, except you...alone."

So what does the phrase “toilet ministry” mean? That will depend on what you think ministry really means. From my own extensively simplified dictionary, ministry simply means “what you do!” I guess that sounds too simple. Right? That’s why I called it an extensively simplified dictionary. In any case, it can therefore be inferred that the phrase “toilet ministry” means…what you do…when nobody is there!

I have come to understand that the struggles every Christian youth carry in their hearts are majorly about things they did when nobody was there. The reason why many people suffer from different addictions is simply because the things they did when nobody was there had overcome their innocence…taking over it completely, and placing a heavy load of guilt in their tender loving heart!

That’s the power of the toilet at work. The power of secrecy.


Let me share this little joke with you.


There was this man on a flight who tried to use the men’s toilet in the airplane but discovered it was always occupied. In a bid to help matters, one of the attendants told the man that he could use the ladies’ toilet in as much as he would not press any of the buttons on the wall of the ladies toilet. The man agreed to the deal and entered into the ladies’ toilet…
He did what he needed to do and as he sat there, he noticed the buttons he had promised not to touch. Each button was identified by letters; there were four—labeled WW, WA, PP and a red one labeled ATR. “Who would know if I touched them?”—he thought to himself. He couldn’t resist. So he pushed the WW button. Warm water was sprayed gently upon his bom-bom from beneath. Wow! What a nice feeling! He thought to himself. Men’s toilets don’t have all these nice things??? Anticipating greater pleasure, he pushed the WA button. Warm air replaced the warm water, gently drying his underside. 
When that stopped, he pushed the PP button. A large powder puff caressed his bom-bom adding a fragile scent of spring flowers to this unbelievable pleasure. The ladies’ toilet was more than just a restroom; it is a place of tender loving pleasure. When the powder puff completed its pleasure, the man couldn’t wait to push the ATR button which he knew would bring him the supreme ecstasy. 
But alas! The next thing he knew was that he was in a hospital as soon as he opened his eyes. Then he saw a nurse starring down at him with a smirk on her face…“What happened?” He asked. “You pressed too many buttons” the nurse said. The last button marked ATR was an automatic tampon remover. You can imagine what the ATR will do to a man who wasn’t wearing any tampon in the first instance. The ATR will just assume that a tampon was where it was meant to be and as expected of it, it will do all he can to “remove” the “tampon” which for a man, will be equivalent to what part of his body? Fill in the gap.

What do you think gave this man the unnecessary “castration” he gave himself? The enticement of the deceit of the “toilet ministry”. This man simply thought to himself—who would know if he pressed any buttons? And that’s just the same foolishness that has gotten many people entrapped in addictions they were never meant to be in...

...Who will know if I smartly asked my friend the answer to question 2 during the mock test? Who will know if I was the one who actually took the money? Who will know if I went into the toilet to masturbate? Who will know if I’m facebooking in church while the Pastor is preaching? Who will know if I went to the party with the guys? Who will know if I visited a pornographic site while browsing on my phone? Who will know if I was the source of the backbiting? Who will know if I slept with my boyfriend in town? Who will know what we did together in Roots Hotel? Who will know that I didn’t have my bath this morning? Who will know if I wear clothes I can’t wear at home in school? Who will know….???

But how I wish we could see the foolishness in those assumptions together? Listen to this foolish woman—“She sits in front of her house and on the highest hills in the town. She shouts to everyone who passes by, "If you are stupid, come on inside!" And to every fool she says, "Stolen water tastes best, and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all." (Proverbs 9:14-17 CEV). Jokes apart, isn’t it a fool that will say that stolen waters tastes best? Or how can the food you eat in secret with the fear of being caught be the food that tastes delicious the most? Obviously, something is wrong with such a person that believes that. But unfortunately, that’s our status each time we choose to think the “who-will-know-thoughts”. We suddenly suffer from short sightedness.

But have you ever thought about what could make Joseph keep his own integrity even when none of the men of the house was there within? (Gen 39:2b) Obviously, he saw something we’ve not been seeing each time we give in. he said “shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” That tells me that he was aware of one thing though—GOD SEES IT ALL! See how Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message Bible— Can anyone hide out in a corner where I can't see him?"…"Am I not present everywhere, whether seen or unseen?"…Jeremiah 23:24 MSG.

Maybe David had better words for that. He said: Is there any place I can go to avoid your Spirit? To be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute-- you're already there waiting! Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I'm immersed in the light!" It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you. Psalms 139:7-12 MSG

So when next you want to “enter into those places you go alone”, do well to remind yourself that even if all eyes are off what we do, some eyes can’t just stop seeing what we do. The eyes of the Master. He’s already waiting for you there.

In the next edition of this write up, I will enlighten us more on the “foolishness” in the idea of a toilet ministry. And I will show you a king in the scripture that “died because of the power of the privacy of the toilet”. Watch out.


Much love to you all…

(a message preached on Jan 17, 2010 @ TACSFON OAU)