Dear God

© 2015, Joy O Babafemi

Everytime I am straying from you

Put me back on the right track

Everytime I do what Jesus won’t do

Can you please show me the way back?

Let your spirit be dominant in me

And let my flesh be subdued

I don’t want to be a cursed fig tree

Let your steadfast love be renewed

I give myself as a sacrifice

But you have to provide the fire

To burn every bit and every slice

Of “me” that contends with the YOU in my life

By Rick Joyner

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We cannot walk with God without beholding His glory. If we behold His glory we will be transformed into His same image. We can therefore ask ourselves: Are we becoming more Christ-like?

Are we growing in the fruit of the Spirit? Are we growing in the gifts of the Spirit? All the gifts are aspects of Him. Is this transformation noticeable to others? If so, they too will be compelled to be reconciled to God.

When Jesus is lifted up, all men will be drawn to Him. If they are not being drawn to Him through us then we have somehow departed from the course.

 This drawing to the Lord can be for Christians as well as non-Christians. There are many who have "come to Jesus" but all that they ever received was a religion. The Lord did not save us so that we could become members of a church.

That is one of the benefits, and true church life should be one of the most fulfilling things that we can do on this earth, but we must have a greater vision than that. We do not serve God by serving the church; we serve God as members of the church. There is a difference.

Miracles for the Mistaken

By Dwight Clough

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"O sun, stand still ... " Joshua 10:12
I'm always struck by this passage. Joshua gives a command to the heavenly bodies, and God rearranges the laws of physics so that they obey him. It's one of the greatest s in all of scripture. In its scientific magnitude, it is an even greater miracle than the parting of the Red Sea.
...
But that isn't the main reason I'm so taken by what happened here. I'm struck by the context. Joshua had just blown it. The Gibeonites, posing as distant travelers, deceived Joshua and the other leaders into making a prohibited treaty with them. Joshua was clearly negligent for failing to inquire of the Lord before ratifying the treaty. Now, here in chapter 10, he's dealing with the aftermath of his mistake. The Gibeonites are in trouble; Joshua and all Israel are called upon to save them.


God could have washed His hands of the entire affair. He could have said, "You got yourself into this mess; you get yourself out of it. Don't look to Me to help you defend these wicked Gibeonites."


But He doesn't!!! God is a God of people who make mistakes, people who blow it, people who mess up.


I don't like making mistakes, but when I do, God gently reminds me that the work of God isn't about me and how perfect I am; rather, it is about the God who shows up despite our failings.

Amen!!!!!

THE TENT OF MEETING (Exodus 33:7-11)

© 2015, Ayobami Temitope Kehinde

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Moses pitched a tent outside the camp as a place to enquire from the Lord. The tent was for anyone and not for Moses alone. I don’t know if any other person usually went to the tent, but it is clear from the passage that everytime Moses was in the tent, Joshua, his aide was always there with him. But each time he left, Joshua would stay back. Doing what? Seeking the face of God, enquiring of Him, no wonder he was qualified to succeed Moses.

The presence of God is available for everyone to seek as the tent of meeting Moses pitched was open to all. But did all take advantage of the opportunity? I’m beginning to think it is possible Caleb used to go to the tent to dwell in God’s presence also. If not, how did he come about the different spirit the Lord testified about in Numbers 14:24? Definitely, it was not only Joshua that was constant in the tent, since it belonged to everybody and to nobody (pun intended).

There are secrets to learn in the presence of God. Stupid mentalities, habits and besetting sins are bound to set us free when we consistently abide in His presence. Being in the presence of God is not only reserved for folks ‘training’ to be pastors, evangelists, missionaries, bishops, mummy pastors, general overseers et al. It is for everyone. As a matter of fact the promise of God to His people is that they will be called His priests and ministers (Isaiah 61:6). So, if you belong to Him, that promise is yours, it behoves you to align yourself with it or choose not to.

Now, you don’t have to be a conventional pastor, minister or priest for this promise to apply to you. The promise does not automatically sentence you to seminary or becoming a ‘mummy pastor’. You can be a representative of God in your field. Actually, the mind of God is for us all to shine in the midst of the darkness of this world right where we are. So, if you are a seafarer like me, you are expected to shine for Him. If you are a teacher, your colleagues and pupils/students should know there is something different about you. Are you a nurse? Let that light shine as you attend to patients. I remember a few years back when one of my aunties, Auntie Voke, in Port Harcourt put to bed. My friend, Inikpi, who was living with the family then told me about a particular nurse in the hospital where she was delivered of the baby. That nurse was different, always joyful and tender with patients. Oh yes, she was a Christian. Unfortunately, I did not get to meet her when I went to visit.

Dwell in His presence. His presence is filled with everything we need to be the best in life. Every single thing we need for life and godliness is found in Him—2 Peter 1:3— innovations, uncommon ideas, inventions, award winning stories, songs, books, comfort in days of trouble, succour in the tempest, joy unspeakable etc. plus the grace and enablement to live a righteous and holy life in this perverse generation, you will find them there. If only we will jealously seek to be unrepentant carriers of His presence. Joshua always stayed back to seek Him even when his ‘boss’ in the Lord left the tent. Will you seek Him also even when others around you prefer to be spoon-fed and not seek to know Him personally, when they are contented with settling for crumbs, when the people you respect in the Lord ‘leave the tent’? There is no way you will be a carrier of His presence that you will not stand out.

This admonition applies first to me. What I say to myself, I say to you.

Father, help me to continuously desire and seek Your presence like Joshua did, even when I am weary and dreary, may I seek you still.

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Psalm 27:4-6 (AMP)

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. [Ps. 16:11; 18:6; 65:4; Luke 2:37.]

5 For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.

6 And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Isaiah 33:14-17 (AMP)

14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the godless ones. [They cry] Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with those everlasting burnings?

15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud and from oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil.

16 [Such a man] will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; water for him will be sure.

17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; [your eyes] will behold a land of wide distances that stretches afar.

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Photo Source: http://vfntv1.blogspot.com/2014/01/saturate-immerse-soak-called-to-be.html#!/2014/01/saturate-immerse-soak-called-to-be.html

Also featured on https://ayustoppydaykay.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/the-tent-of-meeting-exodus-337-11/

YOUR WORTH

©2015, Ayobami Temitope Kehinde

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If now that you have 'nothing' you don't know your worth and preciousness, even if you gain the whole world you still won't know it. The highest you can be then is to be pompous, a way of proving a point (in your own mind) that you have now arrived. Low self-esteem does not respect wealth and fame cannot curb it.

What you are now or have should not determine how you value yourself, a man's life does not consist in what he has (Luke 12:15). You are priceless no matter what. You don't have to own a car or ride the best car in town, work on a high-paying job, travel the world, be married (with children) etc. to feel good about yourself and hold your head high. Know what God says about your life, His word is the best antidote for a sense of worthlessness. You are worth the priceless Blood of Jesus.

Photo Source: http://www.atonewithnature.org/ariadna-gemstones/

Also featured on https://ayustoppydaykay.wordpress.com/2015/05/15/your-worth/

YOU ARE PRECIOUS

©2015, Ayobami Temitope Kehinde

Here is to women who have rough pasts. Listen (or should I say read) up.

IF you have truly repented of your evil ways and asked the Saviour Jesus Christ, into your heart as your Lord and Saviour and you allow Him work in you to will and to do of His good pleasure, you are as PRECIOUS as another daughter of His who has no sexcapades in her past, who gave her life to the Lord as early as three, four, six, eight or ten and has been walking with Him since then. Oh yes, you may have had several sex partners in the past, aborted countless times, contacted STDs or HIV (you might even still be infected), gotten your womb removed etc., yet are you very precious (I John 1:7).

See, the way we see is not the way God sees. Our ways are not His ways neither can our thoughts be compared to His (Isaiah 55:6-9). If you are not as precious as that other Christian lady who married as a virgin, then the Blood of Jesus was shed in vain. Stop looking down on yourself. Brace up and get past the past. Don’t you realise the Lord is able to do anything? He can make a message out of your mess, a silk purse out of your sow’s ear, and spin gold from your straw. The Blood that Jesus shed on Calvary is strong enough to wipe off the most stubborn stain of sin.

Yeah, you might be feeling guilty because you were a serious child of God who backslid into sin. Praise God you’re back now, He found you again. If you want to know what is in God’s mind about you regarding your backslide and return, read the story of the prodigal son again (Luke 15:11-32).

Now, the fact that you have a past you are not proud of does not mean you should say yes to every Tom, Dick or Harry that comes to ask for your hand in marriage even if he is a Daddy GO or Bishop. There is a tendency for you to want to feel undeserving of a good man because of your past records. Remember you are now washed and God sees that past no more. You don’t believe me? Read Ezekiel 18:21-24 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. Don’t forget also that we have established the fact that you are as precious as every other daughter of the Most High. Therefore, do not settle for less than God’s best when deciding who to marry.

Let the Lord guide you to the best man He has prepared for you. Don’t let any man guilt you into marrying and make you feel grateful for even considering you for marriage despite your past. There is a man out there for you, he understands that he was saved by grace also and that even if he doesn’t have a horrid past, he was still saved by grace. He understands that all men (humans) have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, even if they are morally upright(Romans 3:23). He understands that being a good person outside of the righteousness faith in the Blood of Jesus bestows is likened unto a filthy rag in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). No man is doing you a favour by thinking of marrying you. Please get that straight.

There is a man out there who will stick to you even if you are wombless, who will be willing to adopt children with you if God doesn’t replace the womb. Even if you are HIV positive, you are not hopeless, so far you are now on God’s side, He has the best in stock for you. Just make sure you tell the man you want to marry. Not telling him is deception and God won’t be pleased. Let him decide if he wants to stay or go. Someone else will come. Actually, the main thing is your relationship with God, if it is sound and working, every other thing will fall in place with time (Matthew 6:33). God is the best thing that can happen to you, He is your exceeding great reward (Genesis 15:1), so hold tight to Him.

Note, that you are now in Christ (or are back in Christ) does not mean you will not face the consequence(s) of some of your escapades. That is normal. It’s just like if you don’t study for an exam, even if you pray all night before the day of the exam, you will fail woefully. For example, if you have aborted once or more, you face the risk of not being able to conceive again. But that does not change the fact that you are precious to God neither does it make you less forgiven. He will be right by your side to encourage and comfort you in the trouble your past brought into your life and if it pleases Him, He can make that wrecked womb whole again or make a new womb grow in place of the evacuated one.

For you woman living a reckless life and you think God can never forgive you because you have gone too far, He can and will. Maybe you never planned this kind of life. Possibly, you were sexually abused by someone you trust—parent, brother/sister, cousin, aunty, pastor, uncle, neighbour etc.—and you got launched into promiscuity. Your own case could even be that you have no one to sponsor your education and the ‘only’ option available was sleeping around. Maybe you have no reason, though no reason is justifiable, for living this way. Anyhow, He has promised to not cast away anyone who comes to Him, no matter what (John 6:37). He will not cast you away if you will humbly come to Him and let Him save you. He wants you to come as you are, He wants to make you whole.

That woman caught in adultery was taken to Jesus, her accusers (maybe the man she sinned together with was among them also) thought Jesus would condemn her, but to their shame, He asked the sinless among them to cast the first stone. And, one by one, they left. The only thing Jesus says to you today, like He said to that woman is “Go now and leave your life of sin.”(John 8:11 -NIV). And after you have come to Him, remain in Him (John 15:1-17). Shalom!

ON THE OTHER SIDE

Author Unknown

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side." Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know." "You don't know?" the man said.

"You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear."

"I know little of what is on the other side of death," the doctor continued, "but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness."