Word of God

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Do you love me

Do you love me?

Songs of Solomon 3:4 says Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the one I love, I held him and would not let him go , until I had brought him to the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

When we mention the word love, a lot of things come to mind for example giving. The bible says in John 3:16 that for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. Love is not only about giving but it is about giving one’s best. That was what the Lord gave, His son – His best, it’s really not about giving one’s best but it is about giving all. The bible says He gave His only begotten son. The only Son He had He gave. No wonder the bible says He loves us with great love in Ephesians 2:4

Another thing that comes to mind when we talk of love is forgiveness.1 Peter 4:8 says love will cover a multitude of sins. Proverbs 10:12 says love covers all sins. Love does not only forgive but it forgets. Proverbs 17:9 says He who covers transgressions seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friend.

Also love is kind and patient. Colossians 3:12 says therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. Ephesians 4:32 says and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave. There is a lot to learn from love. According to 1 Peter 1:22 love is from the heart. 1 Peter 4:8 says love is fervent. 1 Timothy 1:5 says love is from a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith.

There are different grades of love .One of the grades is found in Mark 12:31 which says love your neighbor as yourself. What you want for yourself is what you want for your neighbor. Many of us do not take alcohol because we are Christians but we do not mind buying it for people or entertain our guest with them. That is the highest level of hypocrisy and wickedness. If Salvation is good for us, it should be good for our neighbors, friends and families, how come we are reluctant to share Christ with our friends and family. Remember, we can only claim to know God when we show love to our neighbors 1 John 4:8

Another grade is the one between couples .Ephesians 5:24 says just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. The submission of the church to Christ is total. This is the standard God expects from a Christian wife. Ephesians 5:25 says husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her. Jesus did not only give Himself for the church, He sacrificed Himself for the church. A man that demonstrated this was Jacob in Genesis 29:18-20.Out of love for Rachel, he served Laban for seven years and the bible records that the seven years looked like days. This is the standard God expects from husbands .

The highest grade of love is found in Matthew 22:38-39, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind. This is not only a grade of love but it is a commandment. Paul demonstrated this in Acts 21:1-13. While everyone was telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem or else he will be arrested. Paul told them he is not only ready to be arrested but to die for Jesus.

In what way can we express our love to Him? Through our obedience to His commandments. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep My commandments”. John 15:10 says if you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I kept My father’s love and abide in His love. Our love is measured by our obedience to His words. We cannot say we love Jesus and refuse to evangelize. Luke 11:23 says he who is not with Him is against Him, he who does not gather with Him scatters. Jesus says in John 14:21 “he who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he, who loves Me, and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him”.

To proof our love for Him, we must walk according to His commandments. 2 John 1:6 says this is love that we walk according to His commandment. If we say we love Him, what are willing to do to please Him? Our love for Him is measured by what we are willing to go through for Him. What are we willing to suffer for Him?

Our love for Him is measured by what we are willing to sacrifice for Him? Paul sacrificed his status – a prestigious Pharisee to follow Christ, Peter gave up his fishing profession to follow Christ, and Elisha gave up his father’s farm to follow Elijah. Our love is measured by the level of insult we are willing to take for His sake. Also our love is measured by what we are willing to give to Him, Abraham gave Him Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19, Jesus gave His life to Him.

Our love is measured by what we are willing to give up for Him, I know of a brother who gave up a job that pays around 1400 pounds for a job that pays around 600 pounds just to have time for church, help in opening and closing the Church. Our love is measured by the price we are willing to pay to be with Him, what we are willing to do support His projects. Jesus told Peter if you love me , feed my sheep , John 21:17 .How many of his sheep have we fed ?I know of people who have sold their cars to support Kingdom projects. Sometimes back in other to show our gratitude to Him and express our love to Him, in a single day we shared tracts from house to house (telling the world about his faithfulness) for over ten hours with no break or rest.

Someone might ask, what is in it for the individual who is prepared to love the Lord? Proverbs 8: 17 say He loves those who love Him. What happens when He loves a man? Well an example could be found in 1 Kings 3:4-12. He told Solomon to ask, after he asked, He gave him his request and what he did not ask for. If you love Him, He will tell you to make a request , out of His generosity He will grant your request and also give to you what you did not even ask for

The first step to love Him is by giving one’s life to Christ. If you have not given your life to Christ or you have before in times past but you have back slidded, please return to Him today.

The bible said in Romans 3 v 23 that for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6 s 23 says for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The gift was explained in John 3 v 16 , For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. What shall we do to be saved? The bible says in Romans 10vs 9 that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10 v 10 – For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with our mouth that you confess and are saved.

Pray this prayer from your heart today!

Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and rose again on the third day. I confess I am a sinner. I need your love and forgiveness. Come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I receive Your eternal life. Confirm You love by giving me peace, joy and supernatural love for others, Amen.

Welcome to Christ brethren, Please join a bible believing church.

Samuel Oluwatoki

Please forward this newsletter to a friend, family or colleague. Remember Matthew 10 v 32 which say whoever confesses me before me, him I will confess before my father who is heaven.

Thursday, 6 September 2012

TRADING IT TO SIT WITH JESUS

Psalm 16:11 says You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right are pleasures for evermore.

Anyone in search of fullness of joy should do everything possible to earn a place at the side of Jesus. One of the things we all wish for is an opportunity to meet or sit with the queen of England or the king of Spain or meet the president of our nation or the U.S president. Jesus is more than a king, according to Revelations 19:16, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

He owns everything. John 3:35 says the Father loves the son and has given all things into His hands. He says in Matthew 28:18, “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth”. No one can do anything without Jesus; Proverbs 8:15 says by Me kings reign and rulers decree justice, why? Because Jesus is the wisdom from God, 1 Corinthians 1:30.According to John 13:3, God had given all things in His hands.

To really know what it is, to sit with Jesus, we have to study the lives of those who sat with Him in the bible. To better under gist, we will look at the lives of the twelve disciples. One thing we will notice is there was no record of sickness among the twelve disciples. Why? According to John 15:5, He is the vine and any branch connected to Him will receive health from His body. If a vine withers automatically the branch will wither but because Jesus remained in perfect health everyone connected to him remained in perfect health. Do you know that because Jesus never failed, if you are connected to him you will never fail? Because Jesus conquered the world and death and was victorious, you will emerge a victor in life? You will in Jesus name. According to Exodus 15:26 He is the great healer, and Malachi 4:2 says healing is present in His wings. You cannot sit with Jesus and not receive a touch from Him.

There was no record of lack among those who sat with Jesus, they lived in abundance. Studying Matthew 14:13-21, you will agree with me that a man living in lack cannot feed 5000 men not counting women and children and still had 12 baskets left. Where did you think Judas was stealing from? From the money box –John 13:29, although the money box was used to buy gifts for the poor according to John 13:29.Even when He had no physical cash on Him, He was able to tell Peter to go to the sea and catch a fish, inside the fish was a gold coin-Matthew 17:24-27.This He did when He was asked to pay for temple tax.There is a gold coin in the mouth of every every fish you catch for Jesus, fishing for Jesus is evangelizing.

Also those that sat with Jesus enjoyed maximum protection. Most of the time we trust the police or legal system to protect us but we fail to remember that the police officer coming to protect you has wives and kids at home, he is scared of dying just as you are scared. So also the armies, they do not go to war to die? They go to live that is why they undergo several training on how to stay alive at boot camp. Is there any man on earth who can save you from having nightmares? Any that can rescue you when a dog is chasing you or someone is beating you up in the dream? No one can save from sickness or failure except Jesus. Jesus told David in Psalm 110:1 “sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a foot stool”.

The disciples enjoyed round the clock protection from the host of heaven while they sat with Jesus. Jesus at the point of His arrest could have easily called for backup from heaven, the bible says in Matthew 26:53, that a back up means sending up to 12 legions of angels to defend Jesus. If a legion is over 10,000, 12 legions will be around 123,000 of angels. According to the bible an angel is able to take care of 185,000 armies not civilians –Isaiah 37:36. If one out of the 123,000 angels could handle 185,000 soldiers can you guess what 123,000 of those will be able to do? Thank God He didn’t because if He had done that there will not be salvation for men. Elisha saw a glimpse of the host of the angels standing on guard in 2 Kings 6:8-18.

Also amidst the twelve, there was no record of failure instead there was little effort producing massive results. In Luke 5:1-7, Peter cast his net once, and he caught a great number of fish to the extent two boats began to sink. Before the arrival of Jesus, he casted his nets all night and caught absolutely nothing. Also the same peter preached a message and 3000 souls were won In Acts 2:41.With Jesus, little effort brings maximum results. Hannah had been trying all her life and there was nothing to show for it. Immediately God got involved, every effort yielded result no wonder between 1 Samuel 1 and 1 Samuel 2, Hannah went from been barren woman to become a mother of six. Do you know that as you sit with Jesus a little effort will bring great results?

Also those who sat with Jesus received life. Everything dead thing in their life came back to life. Why? Because they sat with Jesus and heard His words. According to John 6:63, the words that come out of the mouth of Jesus are spirit and life. The word is also a hammer and fire according to Jeremiah 23:29. We know that fire consumes and hammer breaks rocks. Anything preventing the glory of God in your will be broken as you sit with Jesus hearing His words.

According to John 8:12, Jesus is the light of the world. When light shines, darkness disappears. Every darkness in the life of those who sat with Jesus disappeared because His light radiated into their life. The mad man of Gadara mentioned in Mark 5:1-14, was filled with darkness .Inside him was a legion demons but immediately he came near Jesus those demon ran away. Mary Magdalene was one of those who sat with Jesus. Before sitting with Jesus, she had 7 demons in her life- Luke 8:2. Light came in and the darkness in her life vanished. As you sit with Jesus, those dark forces will disappear.

One thing with those who sit with Jesus was they became like Jesus. Acts 4:13 says when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and they realize they had been with Jesus. Because they sat with Jesus, the glory of God was visible in their lives. Those who sat with Jesus were called Christians- Acts 11:26 .Christian means Christ like or like Christ.

What God did through Jesus, He did through them. Jesus told those that sat with Him in John 14:12 that they would do greater things than He had done. The evidence is found in Acts 19:11-12 where God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. We know that the shadow of Peter was healing the sick in Acts 5:15.

Those who sat with Jesus got new names, Saul became Paul, Samuel Fatoki became Samuel Oluwatoki .Fatoki means Ifa (Yoruba god) is worthy to be adored and Oluwatoki means The Most High God is worthy to be adored. Let somebody shout Hallelujah. Evil spirits were subject to those who sat with Jesus; those who sat with Jesus moved from people no one recognized to people the whole world knew-nobody becoming somebody.

Their names were written in heaven, Jesus says in Luke 10:20 nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Those that sit with Jesus will get a crown of life- Revelations 2:10.Those who sat with Jesus also had unusual wisdom; we know that Jesus is the wisdom from God.

To sit with Jesus one must be willing. Secondly one must be prepared. The bible is full of stories of people who were willing but not prepared to sit with Jesus. One of such is the rich man mentioned in Mark10:17-25, He was willing but was not prepared to part away with worldly goods-riches. Anyone who wants to sit with Jesus must be prepared to put Him first. Thirdly the one who wants to sit with Jesus must be committed. The bible is full of this group too, they would walk with Jesus today and tomorrow they were gone. Where were the 5000 men that were fed when Jesus was having the last supper with the twelve? They were not committed. They put pleasure and money before Jesus.

Anyone who wants to sit with Jesus must be committed; you cannot sit with Jesus and still be making dirty jokes. You cannot sit Jesus and still have people you don’t greet, you cannot sit with Jesus and be fighting with your parents, you cannot sit with Jesus and attend service only on Sundays, you cannot sit with Jesus and not be witnessing. The way you dress must change, you cannot continue to give people visa to hell by the way you dress, wearing tight fitting trousers and skirts to show your body shape or worse still wear short skirts or even show cleavage and you say you are a Christian ? Although every man looking will be punished but the one who has caused them to look will not be spared.

Those who sat with Jesus received forgiveness, Judas was forgiven so many times but he did not repent from his sins. Jesus kept on forgiving him but at last his sin caught up with him. To sit with Jesus, the first step is giving your life to Christ.

Monday, 3 September 2012

His Words

Psalm 33:8-9 says Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him for He spoke, and it was done; He commanded , and it stood fast

When we talk of God, we talk of His name. According to Philippians 2:9, His name is exalted above every other name. Proverbs 18:10 says the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and is safe. Romans 10:13 says whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. According to Psalm 103:1, His name is Holy, all powers submit to His name –Philippians 2:10.

Talking of God, there is His touch. His touch brings healing; Malachi 4:2 says the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings. In Mark 1:30-31, the mother in law of Peter was down with fever ,Jesus held her hands and immediately fever left her body. His touch can bring about reconstructive surgery. In John 9: 1-12, Jesus performed a reconstructive surgery on a man who was born without eyes. He spat on ground, made clay with it and anointed the man’s eyes. He asked him to go and wash, the man came back with brand new eyes.

His touch can bring the dead back to life and also awaken every dead cells in a body. In Mark 5:38-43, Jesus touched the daughter of Jairus and said “Talitha cumi” which is translated, “little girl, I say to you arise” and she arose. His touch brings about multiplication. Talking of God’s multiplication, according to Isaiah 60:22, one can become a thousand. In Matthew 14:13-21, 5 loaves of bread and two fishes multiplied after Jesus touched it. There were twelve baskets left after 5000 men had fed not counting women and children. That is why those who do not pay their tithes asides robbing God are robbing themselves of God’s multiplication because in the spiritual realm once you pay your tithe God touches the rest. I pray that God will give us understanding in the name of Jesus.

Still talking about God, His presence commands joy. Psalm 16:11 says in His presence there is fullness of Joy. In His presence our enemies to flee, Psalms 68:1 says let God arise and His enemies are scattered. His presence signifies an opportunity for salvation, Revelation 3:20 says behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me. His presence causes increase, Elijah the carrier of God’s presence visited the widow of Zarapheth in 1 Kings 17:10-16. Throughout his stay the bible records that her bin of flour was not used up, nor did jar of oil run dry.

It was the presence of God that parted the red sea. The bible says in Exodus 15:8 that at the blast of His nostrils the waters to gather. His presence at times could signify trouble for the disobedient. Hebrews 10:31 says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

We have talked about God’s touch, His presence and His name and they are all good things to experience for example we all want God to touch us so that we will be made whole, we want to be in His presence always so as to enjoy fullness of Joy. We want to be able to shout Jesus and every demon or force operating in our vicinity will vanish. There is something more powerful and greater than all these and it is the word of God. Psalms 33:8-9 says the reason why we should fear God is because of His word, once He says it consider it done. According to Psalm 138:2, God places His word before His name. To proof that He holds His word in high esteem, He swore by Himself in Isaiah 45:23 that the word that has gone out of His mouth in righteousness shall not return.

There are few things we want to remind you of about the words of God. When we talk of the words of God, we are referring to His words .John 6:63, the word that comes from the mouth of God are spirit and they are life. The absence of life signifies death, just the way darkness literally means the absence of light. Darkness and light cannot co-exist, so also life and death. One must give room to another; thank God death gives room to life from God. The word of God is life and when it is applied to any situation death takes its leave. A word came out of the mouth of the Most High God to Sarah in Genesis 18:10-15 and the womb that the bible described as stone dead came back to life. Within a year she became a nursing mother at the age of ninety.

According to Hebrew 4:12, the words spoken by God are alive and powerful. Power is the capacity to do things. Present in the word of God is power-the capacity to make the impossible possible. One story that always fascinate me is the story of the widow of Zarapheth in 1Kings 17:10-16, how the Lord fed Elijah, the widow and her son for several months with a handful of flour and a little jar of oil. How the Lord did it that it was not used up I do not know, all I know is the bin of flour was not used, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah-1 Kings 17:16.

The Most High God describes His word as Fire and a Hammer in Jeremiah 23:29. The bible says for our God is a consuming fire, Hebrew 12:29. The word of God contains fire that consumes everything preventing the manifestation of God’s glory in our lives. The presence of fear in the life of Peter prevented the manifestation of God’s glory in his life. Immediately the fire of Holy Ghost fell on him on the day of Pentecost, fear disappeared and through a sermon, 3000 souls were won. According to Jeremiah 23:29 , the duty of the hammer is to break rock into pieces and if there is any rock on your way to success the word of God will break them.

Once the Lord speaks, consider it done. He told Peter in Matthew 16:18 that on this rock(referring to Peter)will I build my church meaning I will promote you far above your pairs, through you I will shake the world, by your hands I will perform wonders; through your ministries millions of souls will come to Christ. The devil heard this and began to wage war against Peter, it got so severe that Peter found himself denying Jesus in Mark 14:66-70. Despite all this, the Lord still fulfill His promise in the life of Peter. Has the Lord promised you a promotion, a child, success in an endeavor or told you about His plans for your life and the enemies are waging war? Do not worry; as far as He has said it consider it done.

The word of God has its foundations in heaven, that it is why it is potent and cannot be broken. Psalm 119:89 says forever o Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Every promises God has made to you has its foundation in heaven. That is why I can assure you that every promise He has made to you will surely come to fruition. The foundation of a thing is very important; no wonder the bible says when the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do, Psalm 11:3. If your foundation is rooted in the word of God, I can assure you I will see you in heaven. The reason why the word of God is powerful is because it is settled in heaven where no one can get to and change it.

Do you know that He has promised that whatever comes out of your mouth is what He will say amen to? Numbers 14:28 says say to them, ‘as I live’, says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you. If you say you are tired of Life, He will amen, if you say all is well with you, He will say amen! This is the essence of positive confessions.If you say I am the head and not the tail He will say you are the head and not the tail. If you say I am clothed with favor and grace, He will say you are clothed with favor and grace.The bible says life and death are in the power of the tongue, Proverbs 18:21

Brethren you do not have to wait to hear Him speak because He is speaking to you right now and He is saying be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to him.

Founded in heaven is Isaiah 41:10 which say fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. So also founded in heaven is 1 John 4:8 which says He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Whoever does not love is in danger of hell. Also founded in heaven is John 14:6 which say Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one goes to the Father except through Him. We can choose to believe it or not, we can argue against it, we can do all we can but this not change the fact that the only way to God is through Jesus.

If you have not accepted Jesus into your life as your personally Lord and savior please do so because that is the way to Heaven. If you have back-slidded , why not come back to Him today? Founded in heaven is the fact that He is coming back and if He comes back now and finds you in sin, then it will be too late to repent.

How you treat His words will determine the results you get from His words. If we obey His words, we will get the results for example if we honor God with our substance and the first fruit of our increases, He will expand us beyond –Proverbs 3:9-10.He has said in Matthew 11:28 come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and i will give you rest.

Sunday, 26 August 2012

WHEN A MAN’S WAY PLEASES GOD…

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John 3:22

One thing to take from 1John 3:22 is that there is a reward for pleasing God. Our God loves to give reward. Hebrews 11:6 calls God a Rewarder. Reward is a thing given in recognition of a service, effort or achievement. Jeremiah 17:10 says I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. Jesus says in Revelations 22:12 “and behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give everyone according to his work. For everything we do there is a reward.

According to James 4:8, the reward for drawing near to God is that He will draw near to you. The reward for honoring God is that He will honor you in return - 1 Samuel 2:30.1 John 3:22 say when we please God whatever we ask we receive from Him. When we please God He gives up peace all around. Proverbs 16:7 says when a man’s ways please the Lord; He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

A typical example of what happens when a man’s way pleases God is found in 1 Samuel 27:1-7. Of all places to run to, David ran to Gath when Saul began to seek to kill him. Earlier he had killed Goliath, Gath’s champion – 1 Samuel 17:4.Because David’s way was pleasing to God, Achish the king of Gath allowed David to live with him .David lived In the country of the Philistine for sixteen months and no one raised a finger against him even Goliath’s four giant brothers were at peace with him while he stayed In Gath.

How does God make one’s enemy to be at peace with him?

· He makes the enemy favorable disposed to the individual. He gives them favor in the sight of the enemy. According to Leviticus 26:9-11, God’s favor brings fruitfulness, multiplication, abundance, His presence, signs and wonders. The favour of God brought more than peace to the Israelite. Exodus 12:36 says and the Lord had given favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

· He makes His fear fall on the enemy. Psalms 33:8-9 says let all the earth fear the Lord and the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him, for He spoke and it was done. Psalms 68:1 says let God arise, let His enemies be scattered. It is His fear that causes His enemy to run when He arises. Jehoshaphat lived in peace because the fear of God fell on his enemies. 2 Chronicles 17:10 says and the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.

· He can make the leader or boss of your enemy to order your enemy to look after you. Jeremiah found himself at the mercy of Nebuzaradan in Jeremiah 39:8-14.Nebuzaradan was the captain in charge of the captives from Jerusalem and Jeremiah was not his friend. The Lord made Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) to order Nebuzaradan to take Jeremiah and look after him. He specifically warned him not to harm Jeremiah but do to him just Jeremiah says. Nebuzaradan had no choice than to take care of Jeremiah. I pray that the Lord will make the boss of your enemy to command him to take good care of you in Jesus name.

· He can make your enemy be at peace with you by showing you mercy. Lamentations 3:22 says through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fails not. Psalm 103:11 says for as the heavens are high about the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear him. The Lord’s mercy on a life causes the whole world to show such a life mercy. The Lord told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 42:12 that He would show him mercy so that the king of Babylon will have mercy on him.

· He can also touch the heart of your enemy. Esau hated Jacob with a passion because he stole his blessings. He hated him to the extent he planned to kill Jacob and Rebekah heard of the plan in Genesis 27:41-42.She advised her son and that one ran away. Several years later, Jacob decided to return home. Esau heard of his coming and he took four hundred bodyguards to go and meet Jacob on the road and consume him. On his way the Lord touched the heart of Esau and when he saw his brother he began to cry. Genesis 33:4 says but Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

· Another way He makes one’s enemy to be at peace with him is by personally warning the enemy. Hebrew 12:29 says our God is a consuming fire. Exodus 15:3 calls Him a man of war. Psalm 97:3 says fire goes before Him and consumes His enemies. Laban did everything in his power to keep Jacob with him because he knew that the Lord blessed him for the sake of Jacob –Genesis 30:27.Because of this, Laban wanted Jacob to be in his house forever and serve him as his slave. Anyway Jacob decided to leave with his children and wives .Laban heard of this and went after Jacob. Because Jacob’s way pleased the Lord, He personally went and warn Laban. Genesis 31:24 says but God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad”.

The Lord can make one’s enemy to be at peace with him or her in various ways .Isaiah 55:9 says for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. One way the Lord gives peace is by keeping one’s enemy busy. Once your enemy is busy and occupied, you will have peace. That is why Jesus admonishes us to pray for our enemies in Matthew 5:44. An idle enemy is a terrible one to have because he or she will keep himself or herself busy with causing us grief. Every time Saul closed in on David, the Philistines would invade the land and Saul would have to return to war against the Philistines-1 Samuel 23:26-29. The Lord adopted this method to give David peace. Once the Philistine s left he would return to chase David again. I pray that the Lord will keep your enemy permanently busy so you that can peace in the name of Jesus, amen.

This brings us to an important question, how can I please God? How can I make my ways pleasing to him?

1. By working according to the rule of His word. Joshua 1:8 says this book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written it. For you then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

2. By walking after the spirit not after the flesh. Romans 8:5 says those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the spirit. Romans 8:7 say carnal mind is enmity against God. Romans 8:14 says those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

3. By walking by faith. Hebrew 11:6 says it is impossible to please God without faith. Romans 1:17 says the just shall live by faith. Genesis 15:6 says Abraham believed in the Lord and the Lord accounted it to him for righteousness .Romans 14:23b says whatever is not from faith is sin.

4. When our actions and ways are directed to the glory of God.

The glory of God should be the motivating factor for our actions. We must do things to glorify God. Jesus says In John 10:17 “therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. The death of Christ was for the glorification of God. Colossians 1:20 says and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. The death of Christ was to bring us to Himself. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not inputting their trespasses to them.

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

Fear Not

When we study creation ,looking at Genesis 1 and 2 ,one will come to the conclusion that our God is always prepared .

Before He created the mouth, He created what the mouth will eat first. He prepared the lands where legs will walk on before creating legs. Before creating eve, He had gotten ready a man who had dominion over everything on earth .

Do you know that long before you were born , God had arranged all your needs to be met till you sleep in the Lord ? Long before that challenge you are going through now , My Father in heaven had provided solutions . Fear Not!

Sunday, 19 August 2012

if God is For us

IF GOD IS FOR US?

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Who is the God that is been referred to in Romans 8:31? According to Lamentations 3:35, He is the Most High. Psalms 113: 5 says the Lord our God dwells on high .Psalm 97:9 says He is the most high above all the earth, exalted above all gods. He Is the Commander-in –Chief of all the forces in heaven and on earth. Jeremiah 11:17 calls Him the Lord of Host. Songs of Solomon calls Him the Chief among ten thousand. When it comes to war, He is not gentle at all. Exodus 15:3 says the Lord is a man of war, the Lord is His name.

He is also very powerful. Mark 14:62 calls Him Power. Psalm 62:11 says power belongs to God. This God Is so powerful, Isaiah 13:13 says He can shake the heavens and earth will move out her place. Psalms 77:16 says the waters saw Him and they were afraid, the depths trembled.1 Chronicles 16:25 says He Is to be feared above all gods. Psalm 33:8-9 says let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him, for He spoke and it was done; He spoke and it stood fast.

Psalms 10:14 calls Him the Helper of the Fatherless, Jeremiah 17:17 calls him the Hope in the day of doom. According to Psalm 18:3, He alone can save from enemies. Psalm 113:7-8 says He raises the poor out of the dust that He may seat him with princes. Psalm 145:15 says He feeds the whole world. According to Psalms 99:8, He is the God who forgives.

If this God is for us, every door shut against us will be opened. According to Revelations 3:7, He possesses the key of David, He opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens. In Exodus 14:21-28, Red Sea parted before the Israelites because the Lord was with them. In John 9:1-7, is the story of a man whose doors were shut from birth. Because the door of his eyes was shut, he lived in darkness all his life. Jesus got involved in his matter and the door that had been shut from birth opened. The door of provision was shut at the widow of Zarapheth courtesy of the famine in the land and her resources began to dwindle until she was left with her last meal-1 Kings 17:7-16.Thank God for his mercies ,He sent His prophet-Elijah and the door was opened all through the famine.

If God is for us, our victory is guaranteed. It does not matter, the physical size of the enemy, their numbers, experience or resources. As far as the Lord is for you , victory is guaranteed, Goliath was bigger than David, had more experience ,definitely came with more resources but at the end the bible records that David stood over the philistine – 1 Samuel 17:51. In Judges 7:1-25, Gideon went to war against an army who the bible describes as numerous as locust and their camels without numbers, as the sand of seashore with three hundred civilians. Because God was for them, this three hundred chased the armies of two great nations –Amalekites and Midianites.

When God is for you, you can be rest assured that you will fulfill destiny .The Lord says in Isaiah 55:11 that the words that go forth from His mouth will not return to Him void but shall accomplish what He pleases and shall prosper in the thing which He sent it. Numbers 23:19 says God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has he said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken and will He not make it God?

Regardless, you will fulfill destiny. Saul tried to kill David, he threw spears at him - 1 Samuel 18:11, he gave him an impossible task of providing one hundred foreskins of the Philistine for the hands of Michal in marriage- 1 Samuel 18:20-27,he chased David until he ran to the land of the Philistine yet David return to Israel as king. The brothers of Joseph were aware of the plans of God for his life, they sold him to slavery to thwart the plan of God –Genesis 37:3-36 , the wife of Portiphar lied against him – Genesis 39:7-21 , those that promised to help him forgot him Genesis 41:9-13 despite all this Joseph emerge as the prime minister in Egypt.

When the Most High is for you, every weapon fashioned against you shall not prosper. Isaiah 54:17 says that No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you in judgment He shall condemn. Nebuchadnezzar commanded that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be thrown into the fire because they refused to bow to a golden image – Daniel 3:1-28.Because God was for them, they came out unhurt. In 2 Kings 1:9 -15, the king sent a captain and fifty men to go and arrest the man of God, Elisha called down fire and they were roasted. This happened three times. The third time, the captain was smart; he knelt down and politely asked the man of God to go with them.

When the Lord is for you, you will have the last laugh. Peninnah took it upon herself to make life unbearable for Hannah because she was barren – 1 Samuel 1:6-7.By the time we get to 1 Samuel 2:21, Hannah had become a mother of six. When Hagar saw that she had conceived her mistress became despised in her eyes - Genesis 16:4 .Because God was for Sarah, she gave birth at the age of ninety, she was so full of laughter that she named the boy Isaac meaning laughter. I prayed that you will have the last laugh in the mighty name of Jesus.

When God is for you, success is sure. Psalm 75:6-7 says for exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south but God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another. Psalm 60:12 says through God we will do valiantly. Deuteronomy 8:18 says the power to get wealth comes from Him. Because God was for Isaac, he sowed during famine and reaped in the same year a hundred fold – Genesis 26:12.In 2 Chronicles 26:1-19 is the story of a prince who became king at the age of sixteen. Because the heavens were for him, God made him prosper. He was very rich and the bible described in military terms as been strong. What adults could not achieve, He achieved it. King Uzziah had three hundred and seventy five thousand (375,000) active military personnel in 750 BC and today Israel has around one hundred and seventy six thousand, five hundred(176,500) active military personnel in 2012.

This brings us to the question, what can I do to qualify for God’s backing?

Be humble, James 4:6 says God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.1Peter 5:6 says therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Another thing to do is evangelize. Luke 11:23 says He who is not with Me is against Me, and he does not gather with Me scatters. Evangelism is a way of gathering with Him. If you gather with Him, He will back you.

Anyone who wants the Lord to be for Him must be hardworking. The Lord hates laziness, Jesus says in John 5:17, “My father is always at His work to this very day and I too am working”. Proverbs 10:4 says lazy hands makes a man poor. God is love -1John 4:8, anyone who wants God to be for him must also have love in his heart. God dwells where there is love .God is always for givers .Proverbs 11:25 says the generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 19: 17 says He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what He has given.

If you are obedient to God, He will be for you. Exodus 19:5 says if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all the people for all the earth is Mine. The Lord says in Jeremiah 7:23 obey Me, I will be your God and you will be My people. Anyone who wants God to be for Him must first become a worshipper. Psalm 22:3 says God inhabits the praises of His people. The Psalmist says in Psalm 47:1-3, clap your hands, all you people, shout to God with the voice of triumph! He will subdue all the people under us and the nations under our feet.

When we study Romans 8:31, we will notice that the question was not answered, why? It is because it is a rhetorical question. We know nobody can be against us except our self. Just like people can decide to turn down help, so also we can turn down God’s help. It is true God loves the prosperity of His children – Psalm 35:27, but He needs our cooperation to prosper us. Revelations 3:20 says “behold I stand at the door and knock, if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him which means we can hear His voice and refuse to open. No wise man or woman will hear the voice of the creator of heaven and earth and ignore Him.

God is saying to you, I want to be for you .I want to fight for you, I want to be your God, are you willing to take His offer? If you are willing why not give your life to Christ today .Jesus says in John 14:6 says I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through the son. Is there anyone who has backslidded? God wants you back too , please come back to Christ today .

Friday, 17 August 2012

God of open doors

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, “These things say He is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”. Revelations 3:7

One of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Door. John 10:9 says “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. Aside been the Door , He also possesses the key of David.

One of the delights of God is opening doors. Psalm 35:27 says God has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Ecclesiastes 3:13 says the gift of God is that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. Because He delights in opening doors, you can go to Him over any door and He will open it. Isaiah 45:11 says Ask me of things to come concerning My Sons, and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. If the Lord decides to open a door, no one can stop Him. Isaiah 14:27 says For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hands is stretched out, And who will turn it back?

A door is used to keep what is inside in and what is outside out. Once a door is opened what is outside can come in and what is in can go out.

The Most High opens doors in different ways. He can do it physically. In John 9:1-9 is the story of a man who was born blind. The door of promotion, happiness, progress, wealth to mention a little were shut at him. Just by anointing his eyes with clay made from mud and saliva,Jesus opened the doors that were shut at him. In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus touched five loaves of bread and two fishes and the door of multiplication opened. Five loaves of bread and two fishes fed five thousand men not counting women and children and there were still twelve baskets left.

The Lord can command doors to open. Psalm 33:8-9 says the whole earth should fear the Lord because He spoke and it was done. Hebrews 4:12 says the word of God is living and powerful. Jeremiah 23:29 says the word of God is like a fire and a hammer. In John 11:1-45 is the story of Lazarus. This man was dead for four days. At this point, all the doors in the world were shut at him. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth and he did-all the shut doors were opened .For over seventy years, the door of fruitfulness was shut on Sarah but the Lord visited her in Genesis 18:1-16. While He was leaving He told Abraham, by this time next year Sarah will be a nursing mother and she became pregnant and gave birth at a very old age. In Mark 2:1-12, a paralytic man was brought to Jesus. I do not need to tell you that the door to health was shut at this fellow .Jesus forgave him and told him to take his bed and walk and he did.

He can command animals to open doors. Psalms 50:10 says all the beast of the forest belongs to God.God gives understanding and wisdom to animals . According to Job 39:17, God made the ostrich forget her wisdom and did not give her a share of understanding . Whilst famine ravished the land, God used ravens to open the door of provisions for Elisha. When you look at the species of birds , ravens are known as micers . They are even stingy to thier children .There favorite food is meat ,In 1 Kings 17:5-6, ravens brought him bread and meat twice a day. In 2 Kings 2:23-25, God used two female bears to protect the dignity and respect of Elisha .After the bear incident no one ever looked down on Elisha or make fun of his baldhead till he died.

He can also use the enemies themselves to open doors .Proverbs 21:1 says the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, He turns it wherever He wishes. In Numbers 23:1-24, Balaak an enemy of Israel hired Balaam (another enemy of Israel) to curse the Israelites. Every time Balaam opened his mouth to curse this nation, blessings began to flow instead of curses. In Exodus 1:22, Pharaoh commanded that every son born to the Hebrews be cast into river so as to peg the growth of the Hebrews. When Moses was born, the Lord used the greatest enemy of male Hebrew children to raise him up. By the time we get to Exodus 2:7-11, Moses was on his way to live with Pharaoh in the Palace. The resources of Pharaoh were used to raise Moses as a prince and the mother of Moses got full salary for raising her son -Moses.

Another way He opens doors is through His presence. According to Psalms 16:11, His presence can open the door of Joy. Psalms 21:6 says for You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence. The presence of God parted the red sea before the children of Israel. Exodus 15: 8 says at the blast of Your nostrils, The waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. In Acts 16:25-30, Paul and Silas began to pray and praise God and the Lord visited the prison. His presence caused an earthquake that rendered these men free.

Aside opening doors , he can also shut doors for example in 1 Kings 17:7-16 ,the door of poverty, death, loneliness was wide open to the widow of Zarapheth but the Lord sent Elijah to her and all the doors were shut. In 2 Kings 6:24-30, the Syrians besieged Samaria and this resulted in a terrible famine. The Lord took interest in the matter and used Elisha to shut the door of national recession, national sadness, and national darkness to mention a few.

Someone might ask what about broken doors? Well He can fix or replace a broken door. In Mark 5:25-.34 is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. The door that controls the flow of blood in her body was broken and blood began to flow nonstop for twelve years. Just by touching the hem of the garment of Jesus, She received a brand new door and was healed immediately.

This brings us to the question, what opens doors?

·         Holiness – Psalm 84:11 says no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Hebrews 12:14 says pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Psalm 34:15 says the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. Holiness is the key .Hebrews 1:9 says you have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, there God, Your God, has anointed You with the Oil of gladness more than Your companions.

·         Obedience –Isaiah 1:19 say if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. Exodus 23:22-26 says if you obey God, your enemies will be His enemies, you will be His special treasure and you will not be sick. Jeremiah 7:23 says if we obey God, He will be our God and we will be His people. Deuteronomy 28:1 says if you obey God, He will set you on high above nations.

·         Prayers –Psalm 91:5 says He shall call upon Me, and I will answer Him. Matthew 7:7 says Ask, and it will be given to you; Proverbs 8:17 says those who seek Me finds me. John 16:24 says ask and your will receive, and your joy will be complete.

·         Hard work –Proverbs 28:19 says he who tills his land will have plenty of bread. Proverbs 27:18 says whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit. Proverbs 10:4 says He who has a slack hand becomes poor but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

·         Words & Confession –Matthew 12; 37 says for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Proverbs 6:2 says you are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. Remember Samson and Delilah, his words handed him to his enemy who plucked out his eye. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue. Numbers 14:28 says say to them, ‘As I live’, says the Lord, ‘Just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.

·         Forgiveness – when you forgive people, it will open the door of forgiveness for you too. Mark 11:26 says But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

One thing to note is this; how you treat the doors the Lord has opened to you will determine if He will open more doors for you. The way you handle the doors He has opened matters a lot. That is why we have to take His errands or task very serious. When the Lord sends us on an errand it is for our good. The Most High God is not a user, He will always reward no matter how small the task is. The question is this, how do you treat the task He has committed to you? Do you do them at your convenience, do you put all the strength you have into it or just do them rush rush.

Take for instance soul winning, how are you taking the door to share Christ? How about the door to be a blessing to a sister or brother in need or even the church? The door of tithes and offerings, how are you taking those doors? These are doors the Lord has opened for us to get blessed!

The doors of employment in your place of work, that business venture how are you taking those doors? Are you hardworking enough or procrastinating ?

There is a particular door the Lord has opened to everyone living and it is the door of Love. Matthew 22:37 says love your neighbor as yourself. 1 Peter 4; 8 says and above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins”. How are you handling this door talking of the door of love? God has opened the door to us to love our neighbor like ourself . Anything we do that is void of love is just an exercise and it has no reward. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 points that whatever a man does or achieve outside the perimeter of Love is zero and God counts it as nothing .1 Corinthians 13:1 says if i speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a sounding piece of brass or a clashing cymbals. I pray that the Lord will not count your efforts as nothing in Jesus name.

How are you taking the door to love God? Proverbs 8:17 says I love those who love Me. Are you taking those doors serious? Are you maximizing them?

Anyone who wants the Lord to open doors for him or her must first open the door of their heart to Jesus. Revelations 3:20 says “behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.

The bible said in Romans 3 v 23 that for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6 s 23 says for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The gift was explained in John 3 v 16 , For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. What shall we do to be saved? The bible says in Romans 10vs 9 that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10 v 10 – For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with our mouth that you confess and are saved.

Pray this prayer from your heart today!

Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and rose again on the third day. I confess I am a sinner. I need your love and forgiveness. Come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I receive Your eternal life. Confirm You love by giving me peace, joy and supernatural love for others, Amen.

Welcome to Christ brethren, Please join a bible believing church.

Samuel Oluwatoki

Please forward this newsletter to a friend, family or colleague. Remember Matthew 10 v 32 which say whoever confesses me before me, him I will confess before my father who is heaven.