The Reward of Repentance

Friends,

Repentance is hard. It means giving up that with which we have grown comfortable. It means turning away from the familiar and moving into something new and untried. And yet, the reward of repentance is remarkable...

Luke 15:10
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. [NKJV]

Jesus proclaims that all of heaven rejoices over your repentance and mine. He is both describing this and commanding it.

Imagine all of God's Kingdom rising as one to cheer and celebrate each act of repentance that takes place. Having this vision should give you and me the encouragement and strength to overcome any obstacle that the enemy places in our path.

Be encouraged, Jose

He shows us favor

Friends,

LORD, You have been favorable to Your land;
You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
You have covered all their sin. Selah
Psalm 85:1-2 [NKJV]

Our Lord has taken up residence in the hearts of believers. His "land" (from verse 1 of this passage) is, therefore the heart that beats inside of you and me.

Look back upon the history of your walk with Jesus...

Has He not been favorable to you?
Has He not freed you from the captivity and bondage of sin?
Has He not forgiven our iniquity and covered all of our sin?

Gratitude is not a one-day affair. For what our Lord and Savior has done -- and is doing -- for you and me, our words and songs should be full of praise and thanksgiving every moment of everyday.

Be encouraged, Jose

Attitude of appreciation

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:31 (NKJV)

The Lord's goodness and mercies are from generation to generation. They just never cease. The Savior displayed this attitude of appreciation while with us. In all things, He gave thanks, at the challenging times for feeding the multitude, at the tomb of Lazarus, at the last supper table with His disciples, at the revelation of the things of the spirit to humble minds. He simply made thanksgiving a way of life, a life of gratitude and appreciation. Permit me to share the following phrase in my native Yoruba native dialect...

"Bi eda ba mo inu ro, oye ko dupe"

Translated to ..."If a person is deeply thoughtful, he/she ought to give thanks".

...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)

Let us give thanks anyhow, anywhere, anyway, any-day, anytime to Him who is forever faithful.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

The void we carry

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Genesis 2:8-10 (NKJV)

When the Chief Architect and Designer completed the blueprint of man, He had embedded voids, places set aside specially for a specific purpose and occupation. Just as He created the Heavens and Earth and declared how beautiful it was, so He marveled at the beauty and creation of man until man and woman altered the plan of God for man at creation.

God created a void in us for Him to fill and the other for fellowship with our fellow brothers and sisters. Life quickly becomes an endless chasing of bubbles and air when we fill these voids with the wrong things. No amount of laid up cash, material toys and wealth, societal status, accomplishments, connections, and all of whatever we can amass can fill these void. No matter how smart, hard we try as individuals, people or a nation, the void for God and fellowship must be filled with God and fellowship with God's creation, acting as a channel for the reaching of lost souls for God again. To do otherwise is to live a life of frustration, near-misses, lack of fulfillment and recycling of misery experiences.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Two paths everyday

Friends,

Thousands of years ago, a young woman named Ruth came to a crossroads in her life. Down one path was the security and familiarity of her old life. Down the other was unknown territory, but it was the territory of Almighty God. She was given every opportunity to return to her old ways. But the Spirit of God had taken hold of her ...

But Ruth said:
"Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God."
Ruth 1:16 [NKJV]

In our modern world, we encounter these crossroads seemingly everyday. One path leads us back to the familiar surroundings of our fallen, carnal nature. Down the other is the responsibilities and spiritual riches of the Kingdom of God. One path will be burned up and forgotten; the other is eternal. We'd be crazy to spend our energy on what is doomed for decay and destruction, but the enemy tempts us with what is comfortable and predictable.

Resist that temptation, brothers and sisters.

Today, when you are faced with a decision -- and you will be faced with one -- remember that following Christ only seems crazy to the flesh. Along that path we will have His protection, His leadership, His victory, and His rewards.

Be encouraged, Jose

The latest Bible studies

Friends,

Be sure to visit Bible Study Audio for the latest sessions. The group is coming to the close of Zechariah, and there are important lessons for all believers in this fascinating book. And in Numbers we are learning more about the blessings of being totally committed to the Kingdom of God.

Be blessed, Jose

The Shield of Faith

Friends,

The Word of God is the most potent defense against the attacks of the enemy. Even when those attacks seem more like a barrage, relentless and spiteful, we can find protection in the words the Lord has given us.

Psalm 6:8-9
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my supplication;
The LORD will receive my prayer. [NKJV]

Implicit in these words is the fact that affliction will be directed towards the believer.

But more importantly, we see the explicit promise given by Almighty God: The LORD hears us. He heard David thousands of years ago. And He hears you and me today.

Be encouraged, Jose

Not Business as usual

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Exodus 3:2-4 (NKJV)

Moses was right in the thick of things taking care of everyday normal business, tending the flock of his in-law on this fateful day. One of the unique things was that he led these flocks to the outskirts of town (like we will call it in today's lingo). In the outskirts there is less distraction, but for some, distraction isn't just about the physical environment, its about the complex cluster of thoughts in our mind. When God appeared to Moses, the conversation never began until Moses acknowledged the 'unusual' in this present circumstance and he instantly created attention and time out of none in his busy schedules to that strange visual encounter at Mt Horeb. Many times, God appears to us in various forms and ways, but some never even acknowledge the presence, talk less of even responding with the required attention.

Moses' response marked the beginning of the emancipation of an entire nation. Today it can't be business as usual. A heart glued on to God will be attentive, receptive and connected to the signals of the spirit. God wants to speak strategy with you, are you ready to receive? For that new thing to happen, that critical first step of a receptive heart must be brought forth. It can't be business as usual.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Marriage as a Study

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matthew 19:6 [KJV]

Let's remember that marriage is a prayer promise to God about being committed to one spouse. God uses this institution to simulate the relationship that we have with Christ. We are the bride and Christ is the groom. He always gives Himself for us. When we join the family of Christ, we become one with Him. When we committed to our faith, Christ committed Himself to us. As we look at marriage, we see that folks are together through the good and bad times, the happy and sad times, the easy and hard times. The commitment shows a great example of not taking the easy way out. We can all leave, quit or abandon any task that we consider hard and that will be OK with society. However, would we want God to treat us the same way. Absolutely not!!! We want God to stick with us through all good and bad times. Let's use the true commitment of marriage as an example for sticking with our faith for all times.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

No Hiding

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
Genesis 1:8-9 (NKJV)

When we derail and become mis-aligned with our Maker, we naturally become hiding creatures. We suddenly yoke up tightly with secrecy and detest the light for fear of being exposed. Because its our natural instinct to just cover-up our spills, shortcomings and disobedience, we even try to cover-up before the omniscient and all-seeing God. What a dumb and wrong move for man to embark on! Adam and Eve displayed this instinct before a loving God that offered continuous fellowship to them.

What can turn us into hiding before the Lord our Maker? Rebellion, Disobedience, Sin, etc? Bring it all to Him, lay it out before Him and receive His grace and gift of forgiveness so that His fellowship may be restored to you. To be out of His fellowship is to live like a fugitive and vagabond. Let's give up hiding and walk back into His peace and fellowship.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Who we are

Friends,

Every man and woman experiences a time in their life when they feel just a little bit lost. This is true for the believer and the non-believer, and it is a consequence of the limitations of this world. We have far fewer answers than we have questions.

And some of those questions run deep:

Who am I?

For we are the circumcision,
who worship God in the Spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh
Philippians 3:3 [NKJV]

I have taken the liberty to break up that verse into four distinct parts. Each is a statement that gives the believer and identity. Each can be used to answer the question, "Who am I?"

Who am I? I am a man whose total confidence is in Christ and Christ alone. Not in my flesh or in anything that proceeds from the flesh.

Can you see how liberating and clarifying this one simple verse can be? Do you recognize, dear brothers and sisters, the authority and power of these words?

Who are we? We are the circumcision, sanctified and set apart for God's perfect will. We are the ones who worship God in the Spirit according to His law. We rejoice always in Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation! We trust Jesus, the only One who is truly trustworthy!

That is who we are.

Be encouraged, Jose

Catching up on Bible Studies

Friends,

Bible Study Audio has been updated this week with four recent lessons. Our study of the minor prophets continues with two more chapters from the book of Zechariah. And two more sessions from our study of Numbers have been added, as well.

I pray you are blessed by these studies. Please feel free to add your comments on them!

In Christ, Jose

He moves with purpose

Friends,

The Lord does nothing by accident. Every step He takes. Every word He speaks. Every action is done with a purpose. Jesus, being God, conducted His earthly ministry in exactly the same way. The well-known event in Jesus' ministry wherein He commanded demons to leave a man and enter into a herd of swine demonstrates this fact ...

Mark 4:35 - On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, Let us cross over to the other side.
Mark 9:2 - And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit
Mark 9:17-18 - Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.
NKJV

In this event, Christ got into a boat and crossed a storm-swept sea for one purpose... to free a man possessed by demons. He did not cross on a whim. It was not coincidental that a demon-possessed man was there to meet him when He arrived. Christ knew the man was there. He knew that it was His Father's will that the man be freed from those demons. And He knew that He had arrived at the precise moment in history when this release was to be fulfilled.

There are so many lessons to be drawn from this fact, brothers and sisters. But let us begin with a simple one:

You and I are here by divine appointment.
Our Father does nothing by accident.
He has a perfect plan for this time and this people.
Seek Him and His will for your life today.

Be encouraged, Jose

God of Integrity

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)

I have seen men and women of various caliber and status fall short on promises, covenants, contracts and various obligations. It just so happens naturally and while this creates a trust and dependency crises, it creates a thick cloud of suspicion which in turn leads to many things... resentment, anger, envy, killing, war, and the list goes on. The enemy knows this critical component of relationships, both between men and God and between man to man/woman and all relationships combined and he goes about sowing the seed of discord and mistrust. Having seen men fall short many times, in our government, national and local stages and even in our families, its not impossible to have this unconscious natural condition to respond to God with suspicion borne out of our human encounters and experiences. Will God lie?

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 good?
Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)

Every word God spoke reflected His character.... step out, cast your nets, pursue, overtake, sow a seed, start it, build, etc. Everyone that have taken that first step of responding in the affirmative to God soon discovers the faithfulness, trustworthiness and dependability of God. He is a God of integrity. When you come to Him, erase any reference(s) to built up suspicion caused by our past encounters and experiences with men. God is not man, He is trustworthy and forever faithful.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Wait For It!!!!!

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 [KJV]

The verse rings true to all of us. If we had not seen the goodness of God, we would have quit the race long ago. God's sustaining power allows us to be more patient and more hopeful. Because what is faith without hope. We know that God can, but we must believe that God will. He is able to strengthen us and keep us. There is an old hymn, that states that "He will carry you through". When I was younger, I liked the melody and the tune, now that I have had more life experiences, I like the words and what they really speak to my soul.

As we all live and know that God is truly able, sometimes, we have to "wait for it". The waiting time may not be as fun as we like, but the victory at the end is absolutely worth the wait. Let's not rush the time, but enjoy the process. As we do, we will understand that God absolutely is worth the wait.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

The place of obedience

[Blessings on Obedience ] “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:1 (NKJV)

The cares and issues of life often puts us on the spot. The adversary comes subtly to us with this known vulnerability of ours - 'the fear factor'. Our response to stimuli and situations are informed by self. Yet the Lord continually whispers and converse with us at all times with "Do not fear". Do not fear to take action by finding the place of obedience. Fear attacks our obedience, it decimates our ability to trust and ultimately derails us from the place of obedience. But the place of obedience we must all find. We must diligently seek it out and get to this place where things connect and happen to the glory of God.

At the place of obedience....
Miracles happen, Deliverance and victory collides.
Faith grows from the place of obedience.
Favor flows effortlessly from the place of obedience,

The nation of Israel and Moses obtained deliverance at the place of obedience (Red Sea)
The widow of Zarephath gained at the place of obedience (1 Kings 17)
The Master Fisherman's productivity exploded at the place of obedience after days of toil and frustration with human know-how (Peter at the letting down of the nets)
Daniel overcame his travails at the place of obedience.
Joshua and Israel recovered at the place of obedience after the humiliation of Ai.

Are you at the place of obedience? Seek it out, find it and remain there for the next move of your life and destiny. Get to the place of obedience and the One with the best direction will mount the wheels of your life and direct from there.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

More than Words

Friends,

For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
-- 1 Corinthians 4:20

Too many Christians talk a good game, but fail to back up their words with powerful action. Christianity is more than just kind words. The life in God is full of power and authority. Authority over principalities and afflictions. Power to overcome every obstacle and evil.

Is your life a demonstration of God's might and power and sovereignty? Or do you insist that the Lord must "make sense?" That His will for your life align with the limits of your imagination and intellect.

It is time, sisters and brothers, that we demonstrate real faith, that we take the risk of truly believing everything that God says in His word. Only then will we fulfill the promise to do "all these things and more."

Be encouraged, Jose

Are you forgiven?

Friends,

Believers have reason to be joyful every moment of every day. It doesn't matter what transpires in the political, economic, military, or even social realms. Those events are hear and gone like a wisp of smoke. Therefore, we who follow Christ do not depend on them for happiness or comfort.

Our greatest joy comes from these words ...

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.
Matthew 9:2 [NKJV]

The Christan's sins ... all of his sins ... have been forgiven. If you do not have this assurance, then know that, today, the Lord stands with arms open wide, ready to forgive you. By His grace, you will learn to obey Him, to hear Him, and to pray to Him. And by that same grace, which is sufficient for all things, you will receive comfort, joy and a peace that is beyond all understanding.

Be encouraged, Jose

Teach by Showing

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:7 [KJV]

When you teach your children about God, teachable moments happen all the time and everywhere. Let us realize what Moses told the people is still effective today. We must teach our children everywhere we go and everywhere we are. God is with us all the time and guides our lives. My wife always says that we should pick our battles so that our teaching will be well taken and more effective. Can we recognize what we should and should not do? Of course, we need to truly lean on the spirit of God to get the guidance needed to navigate this life and leave our children with the ability to live for God in a world that is not focused on God, who He is or what role He has in our lives. Let's start classes now.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

You need a higher authority

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Have you murdered and also taken possession?”’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours.
1 Kings 21:17-19 (NKJV)

Naboth was just a regular guy in Israel who happened to have an inherited and choice real estate landed property that was close to the king's palace. Suddenly and as it still happens today, the powerful, the connected and the one in authority covets what you own and they bully their way to acquiring your inheritance. Naboth was murdered and killed by an overbearing ruler because he refused to let go his inheritance. What do you do when you are confronted with someone who is bigger (physically), powerful (more authority) wealthier and materially buoyant than you? You need a higher authority. A higher power who is the Creator of heaven and earth, the One who directs the hearts of kings and rulers.

The ruler's act eventually caught up with him and he paid dearly for his actions together with his household and generations. Our actions either ways have consequences. We must operate in the fear of the Lord and never take His will for our lives for granted. To be under the protection and domain of His kingdom has innumerable benefits. To make it through our earth realm, you need to have a higher authority and power over your life.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Higher than your mountain

Friends,

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Psalm 61:1-2 [NKJV]

This is a remarkable prayer. It is not a plea to remove troubles from us. It does not give voice to a desire to escape the troubles of the present day.

It is a solemn and humble recognition that there is a place that is higher than any issue, than any obstacle, than any concern of this world. The psalmist asks Almighty God to bring him to the rock. You and I might even go so far as to capitalize the "Rock" in these verses. For it is entirely appropriate that, when our heart is overwhelmed and our vision is consumed by the mountain before us, we call upon the Lord to bring us to Himself.

The troubles may still be all around us. But we will stand upon the Rock ... and be strengthened.

Be encouraged, Jose