Take off your shoes

Friends,

Long, long ago, when vengeance was called for, one of the victim's family members was designated as the one to carry out that act... he was called the "kinsman redeemer." If, for whatever reason, he could not execute justice, the tradition was that he removed his shoe and handed to the one who take that role in his place.

Even as a young man, Moses knew that he was called to lead God's people out of captivity and into the lands promised to their forefathers. And from what he did as a young man still in Egypt that perhaps he decided to use his own wits, training and charisma to free the Hebrews.

But when God confronted Moses in the desert, speaking out of a burning bush, He told the former prince -- and now shepherd -- to take off his shoes. Yes, this was an act of respect for the land which God had declared to be holy. And yet, there is a deeper meaning, for God's plan was to free His people Himself.

Exodus 3:7-8a
And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey

Did Jehovah use Moses in a mighty way to accomplish His plan? Absolutely.
Does He now use you and me to bring the Gospel to all people, thereby accomplishing His plan of salvation? Certainly.
But, Moses could not rescue God's elect, and neither can we. We must take off our shoes, as he did, and stop thinking that we are saving people. For the glory of that act must always be the Lord's.

Be encouraged,
José

Bless your land

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
Jeremiah 29:7 (NKJV)

In his letter to the Captives that were taken away from Jerusalem to Babylon, Jeremiah advised the Israelites to seek the peace of the city of their location. He stressed the need to pray for the Land as well. By lifting our cities, states and countries before the Lord, we are impliedly lifting ourselves before Him. In the peace of these places, we also become recipients of the peace of the land.

Have you blessed the land and region around you? What goes around comes around.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Give Me a Sign

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. Judges 6:36-38 [KJV]


Gideon needed confirmation. He was concerned that God was not the one sending him out on this mission. He needed a sign (actually, many signs) to confirm that the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob was speaking to him.

We are sometimes in the same spot as Gideon. We may need a sign or many signs from God to assure that we are hearing from Him. God know what we need just like He knew what Gideon needed to go out and represent Him against the enemies of Israel. We may not have to lay out the fleece to verify that God is speaking to us, but when we ask for a sign, we need to keep our senses alert, for God may use anyone or anything to confirm what He wants us to do.

God knows what we need before we ask and will provide when we need so that we can receive our notification properly.

Be Encouraged,


Martin

The bruises are His

Friends,
Here in America, we are blessed with a pretty effective justice system. Criminals, when caught, are given an opportunity to defend themselves and, if convicted, are subject to fair and reasonable punishment. Thus, a shopkeeper can be confident that the man who robbed his store will pay a price for those evil actions.

Our own transgressions against the Lord are no less offensive to God than the robbery is to the store owner. Yet instead of expecting the criminal to serve the justly determined sentence, our merciful Father has decided to take the punishment upon Himself. It is as if the merchant, having had the one who stole his livelihood brought before him, steps into the jail cell on that criminal's behalf.

Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

Such mercy and forgiveness stretches our ability to comprehend. Yet it is real, and it is new every morning.

Be encouraged,
José

Praising at the right time

Friends,
Have we become too timid to praise? Are we sensitive to our surroundings when giving glory to God? Should we really allow society's standards to govern how we speak about the Lord?

This can be, no doubt, a tricky subject... but only if we are concerned about what the world thinks is appropriate. Rest assured, friend, that the world will never give us "permission" to speak boldly and confidently about Christ. Witness not only the blatant persecution of Christians in China, but the subtle and insidious censorship of God-fearing men and women in England, Canada and the U.S.

The proper response to the world is found, of course, in God's word:

Psalm 138:1-3 (NKJV)
I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

Whenever you attempt to worship Christ with your whole heart, the gods of this world will make every attempt to silence you, just as they did to David so many thousands of years ago. They will tell you that such words do not belong at work, or in the restaurant, or at the grocery store. But in that moment, brothers and sisters, cry out to Almighty God, for He will make you bold with strength!

Be encouraged,
José

God is with Me

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3:17-18 [KJV]

Sometimes when the threat comes, we have to be like Shadrach, Meschach and Abed-nego. They were dedicated to God till death. They even stated that if God did not deliver, their belief would not change. How many of us have lost some faith in God when He did not do what we wanted? ......

Now how many of us as we look back on one of those situations realize that God was right all along and wished that we had been more faithful. God has the ultimate plan and He has promised to take care of me. So my faith is not like today's society, "what have you done for me lately?" but "I believe if you don't do anything else". We must keep our faith in the faith of God. He will take care of us just as He promised. Remember that "God is with me"

Be Encouraged

Martin

No place for fear

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 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 in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:7-9 (NKJV)

The nation of Israel had just lost a leader they have grown to know throughout that generation. A huge vacuum has been left, but the old must pass for the young to emerge and flourish. The responsibility and pressure on Joshua was immense and expectations on him seemed huge and challenging. The human mind will always crumble at the face of daunting and gigantic challenges. The All-knowing God knew he would buckle and shrink at the realities and pressures of his time; hence He gave him the roadmap plan and strategy to succeed.

The LORD is on my side;I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:6 (NKJV)

Every now and then, fear must be confronted and overcome by every child of God. We must be bold, strong and courageous, lest the spirit of fear rob us of our God-given abilities and set destiny. What ever the Joshua challenges of our day, we only need to be strong and of good courage; we must never yield to fright or concerns, neither should we be anxious for nothing. For if the Lord is with us, we have no excuse to entertain fear or be afraid.

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi

One Hand Washes The Other

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:22-24 [KJV]

Have you ever tried to wash one hand while keeping the other one dry and out of the way? How successful were you? I know that in all the times that I have tried that, the hand never comes out as clean as I would like. The same is true with faith and no doubt. We have to have both when we go to God. Faith is believing God is who He says He is and no doubt is knowing that God will always keep His Word. I love the verse Numbers 23:19. To me, that speaks to the very essence of God and how He is completely different than man. God gives us access to His Power by asking us to "have faith and no doubt". Can we do that today and each day going forward?


God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19 [KJV]

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Unashamed

Friends,
Sometimes we fall into the trap of apologizing for God. Somehow, we get stuck on a notion that if God is good -- and He is good -- then He cannot possibly be behind events that displease us. We say, God "allowed" this one to get sick or that one lose a job. When those unpleasant circumstances arise, are we embarassed by the Lord? Be honest, brothers and sisters, for He knows the heart. Besides, my teenage kids are frequently embarassed by the things. I don't love them any less, nor am I ashamed of the things I've done to spark their emotional response. Our Heavenly Father is the perfect standard for this...

Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: Romans 11:22a (NKJV)

God never apologizes for anything He does. And God is completely sovereign over every single thing that happens. He is worthy to be praised -- and thanked -- for every event (no matter how we feel about them).

To do this is to remember and celebrate that He is good, and that all He is does is good.

Be encouraged,
José

Put fear in its place

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
Judges 6:12 (NKJV)

A prolonged condition has the ability to shape the mindset of a person. We come to accept an identity, condition or image that is totally contrary to who we are. The case of Gideon comes to mind who together with his folks had become a slave to fear and their oppressors. Because history corroborates the situation or our long-gone folks confirm it doesn't mean that we have to accept the status quo. The Lord's report to all His children is "I am with you" and His love for us is perfect and one in which there's absence of fear. The peace we get from His love and word swallows all of our concerns and worries combined. Fear must be seen for what it is and put in its right place.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Seize the opportunity

But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 2 Samuel 10-13 (NKJV)

King David had just been forced out of his throne by his own son Absalom. He had suddenly become a fugitive in his own domain. His erstwhile subjects even switched allegiance in the blinking of an eye. His critics jeered and made fun of him, some even went as far as cursing him out. Shimei of the house of Saul cursed him out big time and made a vocation at that. David's response was amazing. Contrary to the advise of some of his loyal guards and followers, he opted to letting the man curse and using him and his curse as a point of reference to make his case before His Creator God.

When setbacks, tragedy, failure come by, we can use the opportunity to seek the Lord's grace and mercy. Even when it all looks like the tide on every side is against you, look at it with a different view, an eye to reflect on areas we may have missed it, an opportunity for a new beginning and a chance to seek His face and mercy. In all things, there is always an opportunity.

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi

Unity Brings Strength

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? Matthew 12:25-26 [KJV]

We all know that working together, we can get more accomplished. However, in the time of me, myself and I, we all seem to have little tolerance for differences. Whether that is of people, opinions, viewpoints, etc., if there ideas are not how we would like them, then we dismiss them completely.

Timex, the watch company got their big break that way and so did a small company called Microsoft. The older, more established organizations that dismissed the ideas on which these two companies now base their businesses on, are in fierce competition with Timex and Microsoft. Can we work together so that our House, the Kingdom of God is not brought down? We must overcome our differences for the sake of Christ.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Self-importance

Friends,

It is so easy to convince ourselves of our own significance and honor. The fall of man begins with a vain attempt to take God's place of authority. Our own attempts are equally futile, and are foretold in Scripture:

For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own names.
Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:10-12 (NKJV)

We can and should be confident that no other creature is made in God's image, and surely we occupy a special place in our Father's heart. But let's not get too wrapped up in gaining prestige during this short time on earth. Nothing of this world will last, even if they name a building after us. But fellowship with Christ is a treasure to be desired, nurtured and chased after... for it endures forever.

Be encouraged,
José

What He does

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.
Psalm 72:18-19 (NKJV)

Whatever the Lord does is good. The book of beginnings (Genesis) attests to that. None of His works contain a flaw. They are flawless and it is in this consciousness that we ought to bless the Lord at all times for all the wonderful things He has done and will do in our lives. There are times that we won't be able to rationalize and make any sense out of the work process (events), but at the end His faithfulness is never in doubt.

Let everything that has breath and all that is in the world be filled with His glory, Amen and Amen.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Learn from them

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10:6-11 (NKJV)

History usually serves as a guide towards shaping our future. The wise will take a cue from the past, learn from them and focus on the future by being careful not to repeat the same mistakes or misdeeds of the past. As it was in the days of old, so it is now and applicable to our present modern times. In all our undertakings, we must never tempt our Savior or complain like the hopeless and faithless. To every action after knowledge has been received, there is a consequence.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NKJV)

But we have a gracious and merciful God who will always make a way for us at crunch time. We must therefore, move towards perfection, making bigger steps of faith and not falling into the traps like the people of old did.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Faith Alone Misses the Mark

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:17 KJV

"Be well, be warm, go in peace and be full". These words do not give any comfort without actions. James warns us that the blessings from the mouth do not give comfort to someone in need. When we are in need, we want actions, not just words. Words make the person that is saying them feel better, but do nothing for the hearer in need.

Actions on the words above, make both the hearer and the speaker understand the love and compassion that God has for us. Think about the last we were in need. The actions of those that helped us are burned into our memory. Let's take our faith to the action level and represent our God properly.

Be Encouraged


Martin

The Word needs Faith

Friends,

No doubt you are familiar with the admonishment that "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:17 - NKJV). But did you know that mere intellectual acceptance of the Word is equally dead?

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. Hebrews 4:2 (NKJV)

Accepting the scripture as infallible and factual is relatively easy. Having it burn into the deepest part of the heart is an act of supernatural power.

It is the essence of the "call."

It is life-changing, for it compels us to hear Christ as He speaks. The event is life-changing, for it conforms our will to His, bringing to death the old man and release the new creation into freedom. Indeed we are free to serve the Lord, in heart, mind, body and soul.

Be encouraged,
José

Wanna succeed in life?

This is what the LORD says - your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17 (NIV)

The pursuit of our life's goals usually demands the best of us and the end result can be fulfilling or frustrating. With appreciation for our God given abilities, it is unwise to wholly depend on only our abilities, rather true wisdom comes from Him who even in our endowed abilities leads us in the path of righteousness and way of everlasting. Our vision may be able to take us as far, but our God who is 'all knowing' knows what is best for us. His directions are on point and never failing.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.
Psalm 32:8-9 (NKJV)

Let us continually seek the Lord for directions on our goals and plans in life. His instructions, teachings and directions are the perfect success plan for every living soul. Get wisdom and...

Be encouraged,

Afolabi