GENERAL

#Ministry Matters___ Doing Ministry with Your Unique Pattern

1 Comment



(For Preachers and Teachers Of The Word)

By Pastor Bimbo Animashaun

One of the greatest challenges you will ever face in ministry is meeting people or facing situations that tend to put pressure on you to change your God-given pattern in ministry.

As a minister, you must settle certain things in your heart early in ministry and one of them is to know that you’re called to please God and not to please men or play to the gallery.

Not everyone will understand you in ministry, and sometimes you will also see senior ministers who don’t flow with your pattern or style of ministry.

At this level, some young ministers bag down and begin to adapt to new modes that don’t really suit their calling, and they know that fact deep inside their spirits.

It will help you to know that not everyone will accept your ministry and not everyone will like your pattern and style – it has been like that from ages past.

And may I say very pointedly, emphatically and categorically that most of the criticisms will come from fellow ministers who don’t understand the peculiarity of your calling and who feel that their own ministry pattern is the only one validated by Scriptures.

For the avoidance of doubt, ALL OF US FOLLOW CHRIST AS OUR ULTIMATE PATTERN AND CHRIST IS OUR ULTIMATE MODEL AND EXAMPLE IN MINISTRY.

I understand that perfectly by God’s Grace. I also know that “apostolic doctrine” is the standard of the Church in all ages and across all generational layers – Acts 2:42, Eph.2:20.

But think about this; Christ is All shades of brilliance and various dimensions of manifestations and we see this running through like a thread in the New Testament.

For instance, the Word makes it abundantly clear that Christ is not divided – 1 Cor.1:13, Eph.4:5 but we realize that there are five ministry gifts, namely apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers which represent different dimensions of Christ relative to ministry – Eph.4:11.

DIVERSITY therefore is not equal to DIVISION, and even in each ministry office, we still have various dimensions of different proportions as administered by the Holy Spirit.

Christ is both THE LION and THE LAMB – Rev.5:5-6. And He’s both THE POWER and THE WISDOM of God – 1 Cor.1:24.

Preaching Christ therefore extends into bringing all His dimensions to the fore as they are built on the foundation of His finished works.

Having said that, it’s important to stick to your ministry pattern and grow in it and let God by His divine sovereignty take you from one phase of your assignment to another.

PATTERN in the context of Scriptures would mean:

(1) Christ.

(2) The divine template of your ministry.

(3) The people that God has set before you to follow.

I have dealt with point number one. On point number two, there’s always a template for your ministry.

We see this in the ministry of Moses and it’s also attested to by New Testament writings:

HEBREWS 8:5
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the PATTERN shewed to thee in the mount.

God showed Moses THE PATTERN of the tabernacle on the mountain, and He asked him to build in line with it.

The pattern of your ministry is therefore defined in the presence of God as you wait upon Him to know His mind. Several other examples abound in Scriptures.

Noah was instructed to make an ark of “a gopher wood” – Gen.6:14, not some other kind of wood. You see beloved, GOD IS A GOD OF DETAILS!

And then there are people ahead of you who represent the pattern of your ministry and sometimes they represent different parts of the jigsaw of God’s plan for your life.

John the Baptist had a pattern in Elijah – Lk.1:17. Time after time in the New Testament, we’re admonished to follow those ahead of us – 1 Cor.11:1, Heb.13:7, 17.

This is where you will need to stand your ground. There are ministers that God by His divine prerogative has ordained that you follow because they represent a part of the pattern that God has given to you in ministry.

Somehow somehow, something clicks in your heart when you listen to them. Something is stirred in your spirit when they speak.

Something is activated in your calling when you interface with them through their books, tapes, materials, at a meeting or one-on-one.

Now don’t ever play it down. It may not appeal to any other person but you have a spiritual connection with them.

I know fathers whose graces activate mine. I know what each person I follow represents in my calling and I don’t misplace them for each other.

For instance, each time I listen to Dad Hagin or read any of his materials, apart from getting blessed generally (which any other person can experience), something is activated in my calling.

I know what I’m talking about. There are other fathers in my life like that. Dad Hagin for instance represents my pattern in the teaching ministry.

So it will be a “self-inflicted error” on my part to treat his materials like any other minister.

By God’s Grace, I also have patterns in the apostolic, in the prophetic, in fathering, in the miraculous, in mass media, etc. and I’m not confused about that at all.

You just need to understand yourself in the light of the call of God upon your life.

If you have a pattern in a father like Dr. D. K. Olukoya and that’s how the anointing flows in your life, but because you want to feel among or because you want to appear “tush”, you start preaching like Joel Osteen, my Brother, I shake my head for you.

May God help you. You see, you don’t have to be ashamed of your calling and pattern; you did not call yourself and you did not anoint yourself. It therefore makes no difference what anybody says about you.

If you’re not radical, you can’t fulfill destiny. If you have a pattern in great men like Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola and as you’re ministering, all those rich and deep CAC songs are flowing in your spirit, but you want to suppress the flow and you’re singing Don Moen’s songs, I pity you REALLY.

I believe my point is clear Sirs and Mas? If you’re not dead to self and ego, you can’t do ministry.

You will operate in some dimensions and fellow ministers will tell you that you’re not deep. Tell them to go and tell God that you’re not deep. That’s not your palaver!

Sometimes you operate in some dimensions of ministry and people begin to call you “Pastorpreneur”. What do you do? Just keep preaching Beloved.

One thing you will notice about most fathers in the Body of Christ is that they don’t care what people say about them.

People have knocked MFM for their style over the years, but the more they knock them, the more great things happen and the more the ministry is growing and expanding.

You may not like their style of prayer. Instead of getting offended, find the one that suits your spirit.

How will you ever explain someone scratching his head and cockroaches are falling down? We had better wake up friends!

As a young minister, you want to tell Bishop David Oyedepo that there’s nothing like “demonic oppression” and that it’s just a figment of imagination. You will not finish your ministry without starting o.

You want to tell Dr. Uma Ukpai that we have to pray for witches and wizards because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. Abeg you had better follow your own pattern.

I have seen few things in the Body by God’s Grace. And I believe that there’s a burden in the heart of the Holy Spirit in this hour.

You can’t change people by attacking what they believe. And you can’t also change the pattern of people’s ministry by public criticisms, especially when such patterns do not compromise the moral standard of Scriptures.

You may not like prayers like, “Every demonic agent. What are you waiting for? Die by fire” but you not liking it has not made any difference.

That’s not my flow, but I bless God for what others are doing for the Kingdom.

Trying to focus your entire message on that in ministry in a critical manner as a young minister will waste the productive part of your years in ministry.

Sometimes when I teach, some people will say, “You teach like Hagin” and some people may think that I’m forming. You see, it makes no difference.

It’s between me and the Lord. You’re strong when you stay where God has called you and you grow there despite human pressure or misunderstanding.

Benny Hinn said he almost lost his ministry trying to internalize Kenyon’s teachings and pattern.

E. W. Kenyon was a great teacher (no doubt) but that’s not just Benny Hinn’s pattern. He has his pattern in ministers like Kathryn Kuhlman, Oral Roberts, etc.

I have all of Kenyon’s books in my library plus many books of Dad Hagin and several other ministers because my ministerial leaning is towards the Word Of Faith Movement and I’m not ashamed of it.

The following points should be noted on ministerial patterns:

(1) God determines your pattern of ministry.

(2) Your pattern of ministry is defined in the place of waiting upon the Lord.

(3) There’ll always be pressure and temptation to change your pattern of ministry.

(4) Not everybody will flow with or accept your pattern of ministry, including ministers of the Gospel.

(5) There’ll always be people who like your pattern and flow with it – don’t toy with them.

(6) Changing your pattern of ministry amounts to calling God’s wisdom to question in your life.

(7) Christ is our ultimate Pattern.

(8) God always sets men before you to follow in ministry.

(9) No pattern of ministry is superior to the revelation of God’s Word.

(10) You must keep growing in the knowledge of Christ as you seek to execute God’s mandate upon your life in line with His divine pattern.

In it all, CHRIST IS OUR ULTIMATE PATTERN, and we must never forget that we CAN NEVER change people by criticizing their ministerial patterns.

All ministers cannot adopt the same pattern in ministry. We all represent different dimensions of Grace.

Stay with yours; grow daily in the knowledge of Christ as you seek to build your ministry on the eternal foundation of God’s infallible Word as witnessed to by God’s holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

Trust this is a blessing Sirs and Mas?

Spring time is here!

Shalom!!!

Pastor Bimbo Animashaun

Ministry

Ministers’ Corner: Ministry Gifts vs Natural Abilities

Leave a comment


By Pastor Bimbo Animashaun

That you speak fluently or have the gift of the gab does not make you a TEACHER of God’s Word; it’s by CALLING, GRACE and ANOINTING.

That you exhibit choleric tendencies and organize/mobilize people easily does not make you an APOSTLE; it’s by CALLING, GRACE and ANOINTING.

That you’re naturally blunt and assertive does not make you a PROPHET; it’s by CALLING, GRACE and ANOINTING.

That you’re nice and gentle does not make you a PASTOR; it’s by CALLING, GRACE and ANOINTING.

That you’re passionate and have good relational skill does not make you an EVANGELIST; it’s by CALLING, GRACE and ANOINTING.

Truth is that NATURAL ABILITIES are good and desirable but they can never be a REPLACEMENT for MINISTRY GIFTS.

Being an ORATOR does not qualify you as an ORACLE for God. Therefore a sound minister will not confuse NATURAL ABILITIES or PERSONAL SKILLS with MINISTRY GRACE AND ANOINTING.

To be a balanced minister therefore, you must prioritize CALLING, GRACE and ANOINTING while NATURAL ABILITIES or PERSONAL SKILLS are only used as a medium to promote your DIVINE ASSIGNMENT, and not to replace it.

The last days are upon us, and it’s important that we do things decently and in order, for in our time, the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church, is bringing MINISTRY GIFTS into their full strength, capacity and functionality.

May the Lord find you faithful and worthy of your CALLING.

Maranatha!!!


Pastor Bimbo Animashaun

GENERAL

A Message to the Critics of The Church

Leave a comment


During Solomon’s reign, he judged many cases with God-given wisdom. One day, two ladies were brought to him with a dispute. They both slept in the same place.

During the night, one of them had slept on her baby and suffocated it. She had awoken, noticed her baby was no more alive, and had quickly put her dead baby by the other woman’s side, and stolen her living breathing newborn.

In the morning, the other woman woke up and saw that the baby by her side was dead, but on looking closely discovered that it wasn’t her baby at all. She soon found out that her baby was with the first woman, and quickly realised what happened.

“Give me back my baby. This dead one is yours” she said.

“No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine”, the first woman replied.

The neighbours couldn’t tell the liar from the truth teller.

So they ended up before the king.

You know what Solomon said?

He told his soldier to divide the living child into two and give each half to each woman.

It makes sense, does it not?

Both women were saying “the living child is mine”….well, so let it be shared equally between you two!

But it does not really make sense, does it?

Cutting the child in two will make it as dead as the first baby!

So that was the plan. Solomon must have said it with so much seriousness and royal authority that everyone in the room thought that was his verdict.

The first lady said “Yes Sir! Cut the baby in two, and let us share! None of us will have a living baby!!”

You see, she wasn’t related to that living child. It wasn’t family; it wasn’t part of her, and she had no love in her heart for it.

That’s one.

Two. There were a lot of wrong emotions at play in her heart, one of which is envy “My baby is dead, and if I can’t have your baby to myself, then I wish it dead as mine is. Why should your baby be alive when mine is dead?”

Three. Notice that she agreed with the judgment of the government (only that there was a just judge at play here as we would soon see). She shouted,

“Yes Sir! Exactly! The government is right. I just want to stand for what is right! Probe them! Jail them!”

(I’m getting ahead of myself here. There’s no probing in the story.)

……… …………………… ……….

But the woman who was a part of that child and who was joined to it; the actual mother and family member. ..

She immediately cried out

“No! Please Sir!! Don’t cut my baby! Give it to the other woman. Please!

That was how Solomon discovered who the actual mother was.

I mean, it was clear to all and sundry, probably last of all the agitating woman…..probably.

So also we have so-called saints who are really after the destruction of the church.

Oh, how glad they’d be if all the “big churches” broke up and imploded.

These ‘Christians’, many of them are even ‘pastors’, who have not been as ‘successful’ as the “big churches”, who have tried this and that and it hasn’t quite worked out, who look over to the other bed and seeing a living child, now seek to use all manner of deplorable tactics to try to wreck others under the cover of night, by any and all means possible.

And having failed, will side with any verdict that will reduce those others.

“Depose the GO! Make him resign! Tax them! Seize their properties!”

By which they declare themselves thereby unrelated to the body, strangers to the commonwealth, and aliens to the household of God, and fitting handles for the hands of the accuser of the brethren.

O Christian, the imperfect church is your family -the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and the family of God.

Stand for the truth, but make sure your own heart is right.

Make sure you are speaking as a child of God and not as a member of the mob. Obey Caesar’s laws, but do not be Caesar’s friend (John 19:6,11&12), against Abraham’s seed (Obadiah 1:8-17….please read this).

Is fornication wrong. Yes it is. Greed, extortion, manipulation? Yes they are.

Have nothing to do with them. And concerning such things, always make it clear they are wrong.

But what has that got to do with vilifying people who you don’t really know, but who the crowd accuses?

Most of the ‘church folk’ -the charlatans involved in shady practices aren’t popular enough to be known by all and sundry, and they are so many!

Don’t buy into the fallacy that because something is big and successful or because someone is wealthy and well known, there must be something wrong with it.

Don’t speak out of envy and prejudice against anyone because they are wealthy or popular and therefore easy targets.

The crowd has no conscience. The crowd will crucify even Jesus.

Some of these so-called disciples are suborned men who have collected 30 coins from those detractors. Like that kiss of Judas, you see them taking pictures with those they disparage, but behind their backs will support anything negative against these people on or off social media.

Don’t let their bile-tipped hearsay and propaganda be fodder for any offense, doubt, or anger that might be in your heart.

Rather, turn to the Lord and let Him heal you, show you how to behave yourself wisely, and how to be used to help the imperfections that surround us all.

And in the day you are sent or called to the place of judgment to speak for God and for His Child, even if It is to go into the custody of the manipulator and the uncircumcised, it will be clear to all the family in heaven and on earth that your heart was in the right place.

And He will deliver both you and It, and His great name will be glorified.

Amen.

*The story of those two women may be found in 1st Kings 3:16-28. It is a true life story.

Ebele UzoPeters

GENERAL

A Short Admonition on Loving Jesus

Leave a comment

Many people think that Christianity is all about escaping hell. The purpose of God in redemption was not to produce escapees from hell, it was to produce lovers of Jesus Christ; a people who have seen Jesus

Christ as the pearl of great price and give up all else to have him. God is seeking lovers of Jesus Christ, not escapees from hell. God’s purpose was to produce a people who seek Him, know Him, love Him and serve Him as the overflow of their love for Him. God is seeking lovers of Christ, worshippers of Christ, devotees of Christ, people totally caught up with the person of Christ

Zacharias Tanee Fomum

This is a Cameroonian saint gone to be with the Lord, that God used and still uses to train others in what it means to learn Christ of whom it is testified that when he came to a church here in the southwest to preach Jesus a few decades ago, everyone in the meeting broke down in tears and wept, some rolling on the floor; with the pastor himself taking trips to the restroom not to use it for anything other than to weep freely before returning to the meeting.

And what was the theme and constant question of the message?

“DO YOU LOVE JESUS?”

The truth is that you may jump and shout when Christ is preached and run around as well. That is great because there is a height and a length and a breadth to the dimension of God’s love expressed in Him

But if you have never been transfixed on your seat for hours by this love, in deep silence of soul, or fallen off that seat in deep contemplation and poignant near-anguish for a life unworthy of this love

That message of love you have been listening to,

Is lacking in DEPTH.

Ebele UzoPeters

GENERAL

Practicals on Praying at Night

Leave a comment

The idea of praying through the night can seem daunting to some people.

It makes sense.

The world is dark, everything is closed, and most people are sleeping—except for the few night owls who should have been sleeping hours ago messaging you about not being able to sleep or work they’re doing.

Just the mention of praying in the overnight hours garners various responses, many of which are laced with disbelief, traces of shock, and often are accompanied with confused expression.

“Oh, I could never do that.”

“I can’t stay up that late.”

“I worked nights once—it was horrible.”

It’s understandable. Even the disciples had trouble staying awake to pray.

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:37–41)

A key component of night-and-day prayer is prayer that continues throughout the night hours. However, ever more significant than the time of day prayer is taking place is the reason why prayer is taking place and what it will yield. As we continue to bring our petitions before His throne, our generous Father reveals His desire to partner with us and bring about His goodness and answers to injustice in our present day. The act of praying at night is also a principle referred to in Luke 18, primarily linked to the Lord’s corrective response to injustice.

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1–8)

Although praying at night is a key component of night-and-day prayer, it really is less about when prayer is happening and more about what is taking place and why.

As prayer continues, we get to enter the reality of the Lord’s Prayer, seeing God’s will being done and His Kingdom coming, advancing, on the earth (Matthew 6:10).

This is what Jesus displayed, not just with His outward actions before men, but His times alone in prayer. Prayer during the night hours is noted throughout Scripture.

It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)

At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your righteous ordinances.(Psalm 119:62)

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25)

Although praying at night may sound like it would be a challenge—and sometimes can be—there are simple steps to help make it easier to stay awake and alert throughout the night.

Take Care of Your Body

Although we often think of prayer as an activity connected to the spiritual part of our being, what’s happening with our bodies can also have an affect on our times of prayer and what we think about these hours we invest in praying at night. Consider these three points and apply them to the idea of praying during the night.

1. Get Enough Sleep
This may seem counterintuitive, but contrary to popular belief, successfully praying through the night actually requires sleep. This is not an exercise in denying yourself rest, but in the discipline of self control as you modify your schedule to sleep at specified times so you’re better able to stay awake and pray throughout the night. If your time of praying at night is extended for a season and requires a complete schedule change, then getting the right amount of sleep for your body becomes a priority in order to maintain a consistent and healthy sleep schedule that works with your circadian rhythm.

2. Fuel Your Body
The human body doesn’t function that well without proper fuel. Unless there’s a specified time of fasting from food, it’s best to follow a balanced meal plan that allows for your body to receive necessary vitamins and nutrients, including fruits and vegetables. Caffeine and sugar may provide a temporary boost, but ultimately are only momentary distractions from our body’s need for balance.

3. Exercise
As a principle, the Lord made our bodies to feel better and function better when we get enough physical activity. Whether it’s our usual time spent in the garden or going for a jog or a walk, actually putting our bodies in motion helps with the overall rhythm of our sleep and alertness. Physical activity also has a substantial impact on our mood and outlook in life.

Get Your Mind Right

Even when all the physical factors of praying at night are working in your favor, it can still be a challenge to find a good routine if your perspective is off.

1. Watch Your Thoughts
When we start to magnify the difficulties, even our mental grumbling and complaining can undermine the current progress we’ve achieved in adjusting to the physical demands of a different schedule. If the constant meditation is focused on what you’re missing by changing your schedule to accommodate prayer at night, or what you’ve given up to make prayer a normal part of your routine, these may make praying at night a short-term experience.

2. Maintain Your Focus
During the time of actual prayer, having an outline of how you will utilize your designated time can be helpful. It could be a list of prayer requests from family members and friends or specific passages of Scripture that you desire to pray over friends, coworkers, people groups, or your own emotions. Actually having a technique for praying, such as pray-reading the Word, can help sustain prayer for longer periods of time, producing a dialogue with the Lord.

3. Let the Lord Judge
It’s normal to start something with an idea of how it should look or what needs to happen. And it’s good to have goals, as long as they’re realistic and you’ve given your body time to adjust. But when there are moments in which your goals aren’t being achieved, you’ve dozed off again, and your body feels tired, instead of condemning yourself or giving into accusation that praying at night is impossible, futile, or worthless, remember to let the Lord judge how He thinks you’re doing. Seek His thoughts to find out what He speaks over your time of prayer before Him.

Whether you feel called to pray at night or just have the desire and the ability to spend hours at night praying, responding to the opportunity to pray when many around you are sleeping is a response the Lord see and appreciates.

As members of the body engage in the reality of Luke 18, we partner with what the Lord is doing in the earth at this time, praying His desires into the lives of those around us—whether we’re asking our good Father for healing, petitioning Jesus for salvation of entire people groups, or inviting the Comforter to sustain hurting people in the midst of violence and turmoil or to bring restoration of broken relationships.

Almighty God is powerful and wise enough to resolve all societal problems and turmoil simply, without hesitation. He has chosen to bring resolution by answering the prayers of His children in this span of time before His Son returns to rule as King of the earth.

In this exchange, we learn how His Kingdom works, how He rules, and what we can give to see His will accomplished in this day.

As we ask, seek, and knock in the nights, we are inviting the God of all the earth to invade the dark places in the lives of friends, family members, cities, people groups, and governments.

We are agreeing with Jesus.

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Written by fia curley

Source: http://www.ihopkc.org

GENERAL, Spirituality

The Faith that Imagines

Leave a comment

There is a kind of faith that rides on imagination. You see, the highest purpose of the mind, is to aid the spirit. A renewed mind accepts the logic of the impossible because it has been induced by God’s Word to raise antennas which can transmit and receive heavenly signals. That acceptance is called Faith.

This is the value of education and scholarship: to expand the mind such that one drop of divine electricity in the spirit can give God a real opportunity to make a difference in this world. There is a world of the spirit, and there is the world of the mind. Just like a step down transformer would take the ultra-high electric tension and make it just right for household appliances.

So also is the renewed mind. Like a transformer.

Take for instance the centurion, he was able to understand that Jesus could speak a word of healing from anywhere, and did not need to come to his house personally. This he knew because he was a man under authority, a man who had a hundred soldiers under him. Although there are a lot of faithless centurions, someone who has never led a disciplined unit or formation wouldn’t have known it like that. Most required a physical touch from the physically present Lord. This man by virtue of his expanded mind from his operational experiences, said ‘You could speak from there, and my servant would be healed.’

Leadership, scholarship, and life experiences are to open us up to divine possibilities. The mind is to aid the spirit. Even though it is not by itself enough; education is not opposed to faith. This is why Moses had to be raised in the palace so that his mind would be unencumbered by the crushing blow slavery inflicts on self esteem. He learned history, and leadership, and politics, but He had not heard God’s Word.

At the age of 40, he went about with his liberated understanding to accomplish a political salvation, but the greater deliverance to be accomplished was not from the prism shaped pyramids of the Pharaoh; but from the ignoble ignorance of the Immortal, and the Invisible God. Heaven might have said something like ‘this chap is not getting it, let us give him another kind of training’, It took another 40 years. Political without spiritual freedom is a superficial freedom. It does not at all touch the capacity of the incarcerated soul to perish, or the tendency of any human civilisation to inevitably self destruct.

By the time he was 80, Moses was ready. The anointing set to work, all yokes were broken, and all burdens lifted for a long time. A great deliverance was accomplished.

It is one thing to take the centurion’s understanding and invent systems like the PO Box, the facsimile, and instant messaging; achieving commendable feats on this earth realm. It is quite another thing to receive a divine word that heals a sick person, a sick economy, a sick nation- to place the Word upon your education; not as its antithesis, but as its superlative; to be spiritually minded; to employ an earthly system farther than the earthly plane alone by downloading heavenly graces into corporeal systems.

Therefore, this man Moses wrote the first five books of the bible, and so we are not lost today. We are not confused as are the propagators of the big bangs and the ape theories. It is the same for the other man, the apostle Paul; who wrote about two thirds of the New Testament. He was learned, erudite, and was trained under the best. Therefore, when his word came, he was persuaded strongly persuaded concerning the plan of God, having discovered the true purpose of earthly knowledge, which is to lay down its comparatively pale brilliance as the bulb through which true light might shine, and as the wires and transistors through which heavenly voltage may give power to both Jews and Gentiles, enunciating clearly from Romans through Ephesians to Titus…

The manifold wisdom of God.

And this is our reasonable service of life, our spiritual act of worship in all areas of human endeavor- to take our everyday living, and learning, working, and earnings ….reading all books of science, literature and art, researching and studying, exploring and discovering the wonders of the world; advancing in careers and businesses and other things…for no other reason than presenting it to God, neither as a something sufficient for anything, nor as a curriculum vitae; but as parchment for the writing of His Word; a substrate for the combustion of the Spirit; for the diverse expression of an eternal God on this temporal sphere. That is, using the visible as a launch pad, as an Enter key to download…what eyes have not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of men, to prove that good, acceptable and perfect will of God

And this is the meaning of Romans 12:1; presenting your body

A living sacrifice.

Wisdom is therefore the principal thing, therefore folks, get wisdom. Read books. Get an education. Train yourself. Learn everyday… but with all your getting, make doubly sure you as well get understanding from the Word.

It will put all your life’s talents and strengths into proper perspective so that we may be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, subdue it, and have dominion…without wars and murders, slavery and racism, crime and environmental destruction, having the capacity to destroy the works of darkness, and to prove the will of God.

Ebele UzoPeters

Spirituality

A Short Admonition on True Christianity

Leave a comment
Image Source: VectorStock

It is not in the church that Christianity is demonstrated, but in the world.

Christian worship is not just a matter for Sunday, but for Monday to Saturday. Not when you are singing in tongues with the microphone and choir on stage; not when you are dancing with glee during the praise session. Not when you raise your hand in the amen corner to say “Preach it sir”; not when you go to greet the pastor in his office.

Not when you are completing the minister’s scriptural quotations. Not when you are teaching Sunday School and feeling cool. Not when you sit under the teaching or fall under the anointing

(I tell you even an unbeliever can do all these things WELL)!

BUT

When a fellow driving poorly hits your car on the free way, or grabs the parking space you were waiting patiently for. When your subordinate does not greet you or is rude to you in the workplace.

When a fat smelly lady sits beside you on the bus. When the smell of freshly cooked egusi comes wafting your way on fasting day

When you discover your neighbor’s unprotected WiFi.

When your house–help drops your precious plate and it shatters everywhere on the floor.

When you get home tired and your wife starts nagging about everything. When some young ladies insult you because they boarded the same vehicle with you.

When you wake up with a headache, it is raining heavily and there’s no light (electric power).

When someone snatches your phone or purse.

When someone who owes you money is avoiding you you.

When your friends tell you to follow them on Friday night and to stop dulling,

When you are in the fifth month of a six month visa and thinking of staying,

That’s the time for songs,
That’s the time for tongues,
That’s the time for scriptures,
That’s the time for confessions,
That’s the time to dance in the Lord,
And to show you are a child of God,

That’s the time to demonstrate your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that proclaims you righteous.

Brothers and sisters, if you want to worship God

Don’t just present yourself in your Sunday clothes.
Don’t just present your splendiferous songs.
Don’t just present your religious or spiritual Sunday self.
Don’t just present your footwork, waist bending or other dancing steps.
Don’t just present yourself as a pastor, an usher or protocol member following the pastor to and fro.

No, you must follow Jesus. Christianity is not only about being in Christ. It is also following Christ. To be in Christ is to be in the Spirit. And to follow Christ is to walk in the Spirit.

And to do this, you have to present your body, your very self; your inward and outward life to God as a living sacrifice. Not chic or tapping or slaying; but holy and acceptable.

This is your spiritual and true worship. It is your reasonable service. It is an all time Monday to Sunday two-four-seven thing.

That, is the time to be a Christian.

Ebele UzoPeters

GENERAL, STORIES

The Pregnant Woman and The Labor Room: An Anecdote

Leave a comment

Once upon a time, a medical doctor was to take the delivery of a baby. The pregnant mother was fully dilated and it was time for her to start the series of pushes that will force the baby, head first and then shoulder next, out. This doctor had seen different kinds of mothers in obstetric labor and no matter how many times he had witnessed this matter, every one still proved to be awesome.

The wonder of carrying another human being in yourself for months and then having him or her delivered from you whether by pushing or by cutting, was never lost on him. In fact, he had since reached the conclusion that childbirth was proof that, generally speaking, women whether mothers or not, were stronger than men. God had equipped them with a little more of that inner capacity to withstand adversity, than men.

This is medical science. Girl babies, especially, premature ones, are stronger than boy babies. They survive more. If ten premature babies die for whatever reason, maybe only 3 will be girls. It is also biblical. The first woman was created to help the first man. That word “help” is like the word “helper” used to describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is a very powerful word. God likes to hide great strength under humility. Just as the Helper submits to the name of Christ in everything and is not with us in His own name (John 16:13-14), the real God-given power of the wife is seen in submission (1 Peter 3:4-5). May worldly ideas not rob our sisters of their mighty estate.

Anyway, where I am going is that this remarkable strenght of our wonderful wonders, also comes with remarkable drama. Real men know how to handle the drama and focus on the strength. Foolish men complain or fight or try to dominate and control.

So that was how this our doctor was to take this delivery and he was monitoring all the 3 Ps of labout [powers (the pushing mother), passageway (the birth canal), and the passenger (baby)], with all the required seriousness; and you wouldn’t believe this woman in labor. She said

“Doctor you are not smiling. You have to smile”

“Wha….What?! Madam?”

As in “Pardon?” He did not see that coming. At all.

“I said you cannot take my delivery with this frowning face. You have to smile”

(Hey! Dear nurse, are you hearing this? Are we all okay? Is this low blood sugar? When last did she have a meal? Is her blood pressure high? Is she dehydrated?)

“Madam please can I see your tongue?”

She shows Mr. Doki. Tongue is wet enough. She’s not dehydrated.

“Doctor I’m fine. I just want you to smile”

(For wetin? In this fairly hot room (cannot be too cold, baby will soon be out and babies don’t do cold) where I’m covered in long gloves, aprons and stuff?
Inside labour you are also monitoring my face? These people have strength. Women can monitor 23 difrerent things at the same time with equal effectiveness.)

“Madam please let us work together to get a smooth thing going here. My smile has nothing to do with this”

“Doctor, I can see your face from here…if you don’t smile I won’t allow you deliver my baby!”

The doctor looks at her. Gosh! She is serious! Ah!

(Goodness me! Worrisdis?! If I don’t smile??? Reeaallly? If I don’t smile?!!! What of if I don’t spectranet?)

Drama drama drama drama

So our doctor had to ask, out of sheer perplexity

………”Why. Do. You. Want. Me. To. Smile?”

She said…..”Doctor, your face is the first face my baby will see when she comes into the world. I want her to see a smiling face!”

(Chei! Say what? Wetin you talk madam? So overgasting and flabberwhelming!)

He did not have time to explain that babies come out with eyes tightly shut and you had to clean their bodies and faces, and so they couldn’t see anything for the first few minutes; couldn’t see beyond some centimetres for the first few days, and couldn’t recognise smiles or frowns for the first few weeks.

No time. Head was wrapped tightly in a small corridor. Imagine this woman!

Maka why?

Tell me, can a man ever put you through this kind of nollywood something, even if he is in labour? Drama upon drama upon drama upon drama! Biko carry your inner strength and be going. Leave us alone.

That was how Mr. Doctor stepped out for 1 minute, and with immediate effect and automatic alacrity, recomposed his serious work-face into a smiling face for our drama queen in labor (It was a real smile too. He understood)

And everything went well.

Communion with God through Literature

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started