Hidden covetousness

Friends,

Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
NKJV, emphasis added

When we desire that which is not rightfully ours, we are sinning. It is as simple as that. The object of our covetousness can be surprising, though. Here are some examples of coveting to help you examine your heart today...
The preacher who is frustrated because he also wants to be the lead singer
The wife who fantasizes about being freed from the obligations of marriage
The young person who wishes they were older
The old man who wishes he was younger

How are these examples of covetousness? Because each person is demonstrating - through their desires and dreams - a discontent with the portion our Lord has provided. It is not our place to be old before our time, for the old have their ministry and the young must not desire to take it from them. Likewise, it is not our place to be young forever, for the young are to play their part in the Kingdom plan as well.

The opposite of covetousness is contentment. And when we are content with what God has provided, and with where God has placed us, we can find peace and satisfaction. Christ has done the hard work of redemption and has given us the most sought after privilege. Rejoice in the salvation that He has granted.

Be encouraged, Jose

Not necessary Not sufficient

Friends,

The phrase, "Necessary, but not Sufficient" is a bit of technical language. It is a very precise means of describing an attribute that is required, but cannot - by itself - achieve the desired result. Here are a few examples. A human body requires bones, blood, a heart, a brain, and a host of other organs to survive. All of these are necessary, but without the breath of life from our Creator, we're just crunchy bags of water. A basketball game requires a court, 10 players, and 2 baskets. But without a ball, it's just a game of basket.... and it's not much fun.

2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -- NKJV

The world's religious "experts" have come up with a a long list of things that are required for a correct relationship with God. I will not comment on the accuracy of their teachings. But I will say this: None of those things will be worth anything when you come before the Lord. None of them are sufficient. (It may be that few, if any, are even necessary. But you will have to hear from God directly on that one.)

There is only one thing that is sufficient, brothers and sisters. That one thing is Grace. Without grace, there is no defense that can withstand the holy perfection of God's law. But with grace, there is no accusation that can prevail.

Be encouraged, Jose

Let your light shine

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)

The Lord stressed the importance to be a positive influence in our world. The ways and patterns of the world are like a rushing and powerful tide that can be very powerful, sweeping anything in its path. Yet we are to remain firm, unmoveable, adjusting to the times but keeping true to the values of our faith foundation. Staying relevant at all times with the goal to impact for the Kingdom, not acting as fanatics like the world fanatics do, but showing understanding and love to a misunderstood world and bringing them to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

... in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
Titus 2:7-8 (NKJV)

Everyday is a unique opportunity to shine and bring glory to our Creator. Never miss the opportunity to do so. The Creator even demands it.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Why Should We Stick with God?

When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice. (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Deuteronomy 4:30-31 [KJV]

God will stick by us in the midst of trouble if we have been obedient. Our parents, guardians, mentors or teachers gave us the same council. They told us if we were true and honest about their instructions, then they would be able to stand up for us. Knowing that we have someone who will stand up with us is a great feeling of comfort when we feel like nothing is going our way and we start to ask the "Why?" as was discussed earlier in the week.

We all want to know how to avoid trouble. Sometimes in our attempts to avoid trouble, we turn into its path. However, as we look at the promise of God above, we only need to obey Him for Him to remember the promise that He made to folks before us about us.

This promise should remind us to pray for our children and their children so that their generation will be able to obtain the protection of the Lord during their trials and tribulations. Think of it like paying insurance for a policy that someone will cash in and be thankful that we put the policy in place. Seems like a burden now, but the benefits are out of this world.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Real Help

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV)

The run and quest for better lifestyles though legitimate can launch us to even dangerous grounds, one that is capable of causing us great pain and ruin. The NIV verse specifically mentioned the 'love of money' as a lifestyle or desire we must guard against. That will imply a challenging task in a materialistic world of today. The resolution to the challenge is to cultivate a contented spirit and be satisfied with that which He has blessed us with. This is one sure word we can depend and rely on. He has pronounced that He will never leave nor forsake us, giving us the confidence to declare our resourcefulness in Him.

Because we depend on Him as our source and resource, fear and insecurity will never torment us for we have a sure word - He is our Helper.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

More than faith

Friends,

All of us will face moments that test our faith. Those moments can last for a few seconds, or a few years. But as the Lord brings us through those times, we may find ourselves faced with questions that we could never have anticipated.

Questions like...
If God is for me, then why is all of this stuff against me?
How is all of this evil still hanging around my life?
I cry out to my Father, but I still struggle. Why?
I believe this is what God has called me to do. But when is the fruit going to come?

These are legitimate questions to take before Almighty God. And sometimes, we will hear an answer that we can understand. But not always. Sometimes, His answer will bring us relief. But not always. At times like these, we must have faith... and we must trust.

Psalm 121:7
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul. -- NKJV

It's hard for me to articulate the difference between faith and trust. It's subtle, but I know it's there. Perhaps it's a simple as faith being something you have, and trust being something you do. But something (or some One) tells me that there's more to it than that. At the end of the day, though, we all have to come to terms with whether we really trust God or not. Do we trust Him with our work? Do we trust Him with "our" ministry? Do we trust Him with all the little details of life? Money. Kids. Health. Love. The price of fuel.

The place where we do trust Him is not an easy destination. Along the way, we encounter doubters on every side (even the inside). We will meet scoffers and intellectuals. And they will give us reason after reason to turn back. But persevere we must, for the destination is amazing. It is peaceful. It is content. It is courageous. It is a glimpse of Heaven.

Be encouraged,
Jose

The just response

Friends,

All actions have consequences. A good parent makes sure that her children receive a just punishment for their disobedience. Why would we expect less than from a a perfect Father?

Amos 3:1-2 [NKJV]
Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:
"You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

The LORD declares that He has a unique relationship with us, His people. It is much deeper and richer than what He was with those whom are not of the elect. We can describe that relationship as Creator and creation: He certainly cares for them and watches over them, but it is not the same. For us, He calls Himself Father. And because of the unique and perfect love that comes from that kind of relationship, He must discipline us differently than the nonbeliever. He must hold us to a greater accountability. It is one of the many, many ways that our Father proves His love to us, His children.

Be encouraged,
Jose

Convenient but not Benefical

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
1 Corinthians 6:12-14 (NKJV)


In a world so engrossed and taken in by its own defined freedom, the freedom without bounds, freedom to self destructive lifestyles and the like are rampant and gaining public acclaim by the day. Apostle Paul also agreed with the sayings of the day too. As I have the freedom to be whatever I want to be and do whatever pleases me, it isn't all things that are helpful and beneficial to my long term interests and eternity. Because I can doesn't mean I should plant the seeds of destruction in my life and my generation. The choice like in the days of the Apostle is ours to make. Our body and spirit are to bring glory to Him. Our actions are a by-product of our spirit content and that drives our physical actions. All immorality and evil are initiated and hatched from the heart and they must be dealt with at that source.

All things may be lawful and convenient, but not all are beneficial to our cause. In all things, we must glorify God both in body and spirit.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

He Is Everywhere

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Psalm 139:7 [KJV]

No matter where we are or what we do, God is there. He is with us always, even until the end of the age. He goes with us to all the great and wonderful places that we go. He is also with us when we are places that we should not be. He has promised to accompany us throughout life.

Are we ready for God to be with us everywhere? Sometimes we are not ready, but God is true to His Promise. He will always be there for us. He will always be there with us. He is always there. He is where we are and where we are going. Are we ready for that? If not, then we need to get ready.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Not about us

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:29-30 (NKJV)

The followers of John the Baptist took it really personal, they were disturbed that they were systematically being replaced from the headlines of that day by the activities of the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole world's attention was now on this Man from Nazareth. The world flocked to Him in droves and this bothered John's disciples. How true is it that we often in our professed walk and work for the kingdom unconsciously personalize the works we do and our ministries as a whole. That which we profess and proclaim ought to be to His glory and nothing more. As we are instruments and vessels unto honor, we must bring Him to focus at all times and diminish any of our personal and physical influences.

John was fast to recalibrate their (and our) mindset that In all things, events and activities in our world, the Lord must increase and while we must decrease. Until this becomes the case, then will our joy be full in Him. It is all about Him, not us.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

The underdog

Friends,

Of all the stories contained in the Bible, few have captured our imagination like David's victory over Goliath. The entire event is recounted in just one short chapter, yet its premise is used over and over to describe battles, sporting events, and even business competition.

Yet in all of those comparisons, we seemed to have missed a crucial point. Based on all outward appearances, Goliath was stronger, wiser, and more completely prepared for battle. Yet, in truth, he was the underdog. For David was on the side of God Almighty.

1 Samuel 17:45 [NKJV]
Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

Sisters and brothers, how many times have seen ourselves as being at a disadvantage to the world? Every time we do so, we are saying that God isn't enough, that He isn't powerful enough, wise enough or caring enough. But, as our Lord demonstrated on that battlefield thousands of years ago, God truly is Almighty. He is victorious. And when we go out in His name (not our own), in obedience to His word, we will share in that victory... and the world will marvel.

Be encouraged, Jose

Like those around us?

Friends,

Our God and Father is longsuffering. His chastisements are never for our destruction but for our benefit. And if there is one thing that gets His anger kindled, it is when we - His Church - behaves like the world around us.

2 Kings 21:1-2 [NKJV]
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

Scripture goes on to list some of the specifics of Manasseh's behavior, but today let us focus on the second half of verse 2: according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

The nations referred to in this passage are Israel's neighbors. For us, the application goes to our own worship and "corporate" behavior. The people of the world around us sing about themselves - everything is about me, me, me. As God's children, who are in the world but not of it, shouldn't we examine our own songs? Many are also about me, me, me - instead of about God, God, God, or even we, we, we! Yes, it is a personal relationship with God, but our corporate time of praise is no longer about just individual selves, but about our Lord and the body He has assembled before Himself. When we blindly sing about ourselves, we start to look and sound like the nations that God has cast out... like the unsaved world.

For leaders, the burden is especially acute. For the Lord holds them highly accountable for how they direct those in their care. Manasseh, Israel's leader in that day, has a name that means "forgotten." God makes sure that we know that He was displeased with this king. Let us not be the ones who forget that we are sanctified and set apart; that we are not to resemble the world. Let us resemble Christ. Let us worship in spirit and truth.

Be encouraged, Jose

The seat of desire

Friends,

Earlier this week, we explored (briefly) the relationship between a person's spirit and his body. Today, let's take a look at what bridges the two: the soul. Watchman Nee, who writes about this in his book called The Spiritual Man, brings for the notion that the soul is the essence of man. For a body is really just a movable bag of water, and a spirit has no form or substance with which to effect change upon its world. Bring these two together with a soul, however, and truly something wonderful is made manifest.

But what does the soul do for us? Of great importance is its function as the seat of our emotions. Brother Nee uses many scriptures to support this claim, but this is my favorite...

Psalm 84:2 [NKJV]
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

There is something truly moving about these three lines. And take note of who is doing the longing and the fainting. It is the soul. And from that deep desire flow the cries of the heart and flesh.

Emotions are powerful, and necessary, and beautiful, and terrifying. However, they must never take precedence over the spirit. For emotions cannot truly connect to the Lord. Only a person's spirit can speak to the Holy Spirit. And this verse conveys that proper relationship. The Spirit of God speaks to the spirit of this man. His spirit, in obedience & submission to the Father, directs his soul to long for Almighty God. In response, the body cries out.

Who is in charge of your life, brothers and sisters? Are you tossed about on seas of stormy emotions? One day on fire for God, the next in the depths of depression? Do you believe only when you're happy and full of joy? Then perhaps your soul has taken over the authority of your spirit. If so, it is time to focus on the things of the Spirit. Understand His word. Get to know His voice. Be aware of His constant presence. And heed, without question and without fear, His commands. In so doing, you will bring glory to Christ.

Be encouraged, Jose

Divine instruction

Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.
Luke 10:2-6 (NKJV)

Before the Lord's ministry was completed, He sent 70 disciples on a mission and specifically gave divine and simple instructions. It was a verbal road map for them to follow and a guideline to succeed. The disciples did as instructed and commanded. A humble and obedient heart went to play and the outcome was aptly described in the succeeding verses.

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Luke 10:17-18 (NKJV)

Because they carried the presence of the Lord with them, they operated with precision within the confines and guidelines of His word, they became a vessel of His Dunamis power. Even demons and the likes had no choice but to be subject to them. Their mission outcome was successful. As we embark on our own mission for Him in the present generation, we have a model for good success, let's follow it.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Be Found Out Praying

And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. Esther 6:3 [KJV]

We all know this story, but to recap, Mordecai saved the King's life. He did his best and went on about his life. The King went on about his life and they seemed to not cross paths again directly. I look at this like putting some seed money in a high interest savings account. We did it and it was good to do, but we have not seen the results we were looking for initially. We have seen some residuals, but not the big payout that we thought might happen.

We have two choices when that occurs, we can be caught protesting or be praying. Mordecai was concerned with other things going on concerning his life and the life of his people. He was praying to God and working with Esther to get some assistance. God places people in strategic places so that He can enact His Plan when ready. When we keep praying to stay in tune, we can benefit from listening to God's direction. Being found praying may save our lives over and over again before we go home to be with God. Let's realize that the seed money will grow and we will be the beneficiary of the patience.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Take heart

Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
John 16:19-22 (NKJV)

The disciples were perturbed, disturbed and worried as the state of things sometimes moved faster for their comprehension. They simply didn't get it. Fast forward to the present times. Events and the turn of events in life may move at a pace that is beyond our comprehensive ability. The Savior knew our vulnerabilities before time. He encouraged us to stay focused on Him as the passing challenging times will break out in joy unspeakable. One which once we receive no one will be able to take away from us.

Brothers and Sisters, we have something certain and sure to look forward to. Take heart and

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

The spirit within you

Friends,

Our humanity has been described by a profound prophet of God as existing in three manifestations: Body, Soul and Spirit. Without getting into the details, let it be sufficient that we understand that the body interacts directly with the physical world, and the spirit communes with the supernatural world; the soul bridges the two. When the body has dominance, the spirit of a man is weakened, for he gives in to whatever his carnal nature desires. But when a man's spirit is strong, then his body is in submission, and is kept under control.

The great question is, "What controls the spirit?"

1 Timothy 1:7 [NKJV]
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

If the spirit serves fear, then the body will be cowardly. If the spirit serves pride, then the body will be vain and boastful. In short, if the spirit serves anyone or anything but God, the body - the words, thoughts and actions - will be anything but godly. This describes the state of the unsaved.

But when the spirit serves God... when the person has been made whole again in Christ... then all the elements are in submission to the Lord. The spirit has authority, and therefore the body's activities - its speech, its movements, its imaginations and creativity - all are set apart by God for God. They become powerful, for God is all-powerful. They are loving, for God is unquestionably loving.

Sisters and brothers, be renewed today to be in submission to the Lord.

Be encouraged, Jose

What holds us up

Friends,

There is a big difference in the way that various buildings are constructed. A commercial building, like an office or church or apartment, must conform to different construction technique than does a barn or a shed. One is meant to last for decades, the other for years. That is why Christ gave us the parable that taught us to build upon rock, upon a solid foundation.

Ephesians 2:20 [NKJV]
...having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone

When our faith stands upon Christ, it is strong, like a great building that can withstand storms, earthquakes, fire and even attack. Of course, this being an imperfect analogy, we know that even the greatest of buildings will not last forever. Nevertheless, it should be easy for us to understand the main point. A building constructed upon the dirt can be impressive, strong and functional. But it cannot last. In order for it to last, you must build upon rock.

Brothers and sisters, faith that is built upon an emotional high cannot last. Faith that is standing upon an exciting conference cannot last. Faith that is rooted in a powerful sermon cannot last. Faith that rises up from an anointed song. Faith that is anchored by a caring, loving and genuine pastor cannot last. The only lasting faith is one built upon Jesus.

Jesus.

Jesus.

Be encouraged, Jose

His Power for our use

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NKJV)

The noble, learned and sometimes unbelieving believer like the Jews and Greeks seek a sign and wisdom concerning the move of God in the present times. But to those who are called, the message is simple, non-complex and above all wisdom and power of God. Have you received the message or word on your life? That is wisdom and power at your disposal for use. Receive, believe and use it. It may look like weakness in worldly terms, but it is Dunamis power and divine knowledge to successfully navigate the terrains of life without fail.

Plug into His spoken word; reuse it over and over again. It is part of your inheritance, use it and ...

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi

Safe in our Room

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4 [KJV]

A long time ago, there was unrest and rioting in Virginia Beach over a Labor Day weekend. Many people were arrested and hurt during the unrest. I was there with about 20 of my college friends but none of us were caught up in the unrest. We all watched the events unfolding outside our hotel rooms on the TV or through our hotel room windows. As our parents began to ring the telephones in the rooms to check to see if we were OK, we all checked out fine. We were our of harms way. There were many sighs of relief on the other end of the lines that day.

Afterwards, we realized that as children of God, He had provided protection and a sound sleep to keep us from harm and trouble that night. We normally would have been out with the crowd, but none of us were caught up in the misunderstandings that led to the actions on the street that night. This event was one of the first times that I realized that God could move silently in our lives to create an outcome that was positive. He was the only reason that we were peacefully sleeping in our hotel room on a big party night during a college getaway weekend. He moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. Let this happen to you.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Watch!!!

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
Mark 13:32-37 (NKJV)

The disciples (like many today will probably do) cornered the Lord and asked Him - "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?". The Lord help set their expectations and steered their hearts to what is more important and worthy of their attention. The time will not come until the gospel is preached to all the earth. If that is so, shouldn't our energies and lives be invested into the furtherance of the gospel? Shouldn't our lives be a living sacrifice for the gospel? Well... how can we do these in the midst of the numerous distractions and legitimate concerns of the world?

Like the Lord Himself responded to the disciples, we must take heed, watch and pray, lest we conform, blend and flow with the world thereby losing our bearings with our divine mission.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

A Plea for Healing

Friends,

Lately, the news has been full of reaction to what this preacher said about that politician, and what that politician has said about that preacher. I suspect this won't, unfortunately, be the last we hear of such craziness. "What's the point?" I wonder quietly to myself. And yet, it has served to expose a great divide. There are some who have determined that ethnicity somehow has become relevant to Christianity. We can turn to scripture, which of course has rendered race, politics and genealogy completely irrelevant to genuine worship and obedience of a Holy and Perfect God.

Galatians 3:28 NKJV
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

As we can see, this is an old problem. And one would think that men who have studied God's word would not be sucked into the unholy tasks of building walls and digging chasms between believers. Sadly, however, this history repeats itself, and I find myself asking preachers of all stripes:

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?
-- Galatians 3:1a NKJV

Brothers and sisters, it is time to see each other as God sees us. That means we may have to forget what our physical eyes see, and look at the heart. It means we may have to forgive each other for history and for speeches and for insults real and imagined. It means we have to examine our own motives and prejudices, placing them before Almighty God and pleading for His mercy and forgiveness. And then, perhaps we will begin to experience the unity of Christ, and the blessing that follows.

Be encouraged,
Jose