What every son longs to hear

Friends,

Lately, I've been reminded of the amazing healing that I enjoy because of my relationship with Jesus. I have been adopted into a family ... and I have been granted everything that the sons have received. It is difficult to declare one blessing greater than another. However, these words contain enormous power:

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:17 [NKJV]

These words were spoken over Jesus, and therefore they were spoken over me. My Father is pleased with me. No matter what wounds may have been caused by my natural father ... either through neglect, anger, or selfishness ... I know that I am loved, valued and affirmed by the Lord God in heaven.

Contemplate that for a moment. For if you are my brother or sister in Christ, you too are loved, valued and affirmed.

Be encouraged, Jose

Things worth keeping

Friends,

We sure have a lot of stuff. Just two generations ago, it was uncommon for an American family to have more than one car. now it seems that just opposite is now true. And it isn't surprising to find that people hang on to the stuff they no longer use for some reason or another.

But what should we be keeping? What should we be throwing away?

Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
Proverbs 7:2 [NKJV]

Our Lord, the source of all wisdom and knowledge, tells us to keep His commands. He desires that we have a passion and an affection for His laws and perfect truths.

Brothers and sisters, nothing else is worth keeping. For these are the only things that have lasting, enduring, even eternal value.

Be encouraged, Jose

Nobody, Nothing, but God

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Romans 14:6-9 (NKJV)

Often in life, getting to the place of peace can be as simple as releasing ourselves to the natural routine of sleeping and waking. Of course, there is so much that goes into those two actions that most of us come to the conscious state of just releasing it all and letting the natural sequence have its way. So also we ought to live our life releasing all to God. Our whole being in life and death belongs to Him, so shouldn't we just live to woo, please, attract, impress, etc our Maker. He is the one that matter and His standards, values, mission, goals, desires, kingdom, etc ought to be the core drivers of our own life and pursuits. To pursue the standards, values and material tendencies of the world is to walk away from the path of peace and ultimate fulfillment.

Whether we live or die, we belong to Him. If so, what or who else matters? Nobody, Nothing, But God.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi