A Solitary Example

Friends,

At the hour of our Lord's greatest need, He left His friends behind and went to be in the presence of the Father.

Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. Mark 14:39 [NKJV]

In the hour of our greatest need, where do we go? Is it the familiar routines of work and busy-ness? Do we seek comfort in the sinful patterns of our youth? Do we wallow in despair? Do we seek the company of friends and loved ones?

Or do we follow the example of Christ?

He did not abandon His friends and followers. He went away, though, to seek the comfort of the One True Source of all comfort and strength. And then, when He returned to His disciples, He brought with Him all of the strength and power that the Father bestowed on Him.

You see, Jesus' purpose in these solitary times was not to disconnect from His people, but to more deeply connect with the Father. The renewal that we all receive when we reconnect with Almighty God is what He brought back to the disciples, and to us. In our greatest need, we must return to the Father.

Be encouraged, Jose

Being a ruler

Friends,

Being a ruler carries great responsibility and privilege. When we carry out God-given authority according to His will, the results can be amazing, even awe-inspiring.

Psalm 132:11-12 NKJV
The LORD has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.
If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”

The condition we must meet in order to experience this authority is the keeping of God's covenant. But you and I know that we cannot do so. Within minutes of waking each morning, we have broken His law. We may have grumbled at the kids. We might have yelled at the slow driver in front. Or perhaps we have given less than our very best to whatever work God has called us to perform.

Christ, though, has fulfilled every aspect of the covenant. He has broken no law. He has lived - and continues to live - a perfect life. If we have died to ourselves and now live in Him, then we are restored to the place of rulership that Adam abdicated. We are placed on the throne, at God's right hand.

Today, turn away from the imperative of pleasing yourself. Die to yourself and live in Christ.

Be encouraged, Jose

To be in His image

Friends,

Here in the United States, we have set aside this day - the last Monday in May - to recall and honor those who gave their lives for the great privileges we enjoy as citizens. On a daily basis, we honor their actions by exercising responsible citizenship.

Of course, Christ Jesus paid the ultimate price. Not only did He die, but He took on the full and unrestrained wrath of Almighty God. It was so steep a price that the Father enveloped the earth in darkness lest our frail eyes be forever scarred by the sight. Remembering these events helps to put into perspective the unimaginable value of the gift Christ has given to every believer.

Knowing that He has given us such a gift, what are we to do with it?

2 Peter 3:17-18
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [NKJV, emphasis added]

Among the most important traits of Jesus' gift to His people is the knowledge of Him. That knowledge is pathway to deep intimacy with Christ Jesus. As His bride, we must pursue intimacy with Jesus, our bridegroom, at every opportunity. It is the key to our becoming fully restored into the image of our God and Father.

Be encouraged, Jose

He will Restore

Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
1 Samuel 30:4-6,8 (NKJV)

When the strong man in us is distracted, subdued or disengaged, the adversary takes advantage of this window of opportunity to debilitate, wreck havoc and take us and our treasures hostage. This was exactly what King David experienced in the hands of the Amelikites. A brief moment of grief and sober reflection may be in order, but to move on, David had to strengthen himself in the Lord after which he received power and stamina with a new strategy. David did the right thing; He went to Him who had the answer and blueprint of tomorrow and his future…

So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. 19 And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.
1 Samuel 30:18-19 (NKJV)

Have you suffered or experienced loss lately, have the grain and wine of your field been decimated lately? Turn to your Creator and seek His strength and play your part in obedience, He's able to recover and restore all that may have been carted away, but our obedience and trust in Him must be total.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi Oghafua

No place for pride

Are not the Abanah[a] and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
2 Kings 5:12 (NKJV)

It was the preceding narrative of Naaman's encounter with the servant of God. He was a very influential man in Israel and always got whatever he so desired. On this day, he was shocked to noted that while he came to visit the man of God with all his toys and chariots and materials of influence, the man of God didn't even see him in person, he only gave the word through his servant... 'Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean'. Naaman struggled with this initially in his mind, wondering why couldn't this man of God come out to me, (doesn't he know who I am?) he was angry but eventually complied. He overcame pride, followed through with the prophet's instruction and his healing was perfected.

For those desirous of an intimate relationship with the Lord, pride has no place.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi