The goal of faith

Friends,

What is the goal of your faith?

Is it to live a better, more moral life?
Is it ease your conscience?
Is it part of your search for peace and tranquility?
Is it your antidote to despair and hopelessness?

In and of themselves, these are wonderful outcomes of genuine and authentic faith in Christ Jesus. But they are not the ultimate aim of His quickening.

receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:9 [NKJV]

Salvation.

This is the high-note of the Gospel. It is the only goal worth pursuing. With salvation, everything has meaning; every day has hope; every word can edify and transform. With salvation, we have confidence in eternal life. Without salvation, though, everything is dead, worthless and subject to the inevitability of time and death.

On this day, pray that the Lord make this your compelling vision. Pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. For these are the greatest gifts.

Be encouraged, Jose

Over in a few

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

Its that time of the year for stock-taking. Time to be thankful and grateful for making it to the end of another year. Many started the year together full of hope and energy and great dreams, but are no more today. Many lay indisposed, sick and incarcerated. One thing everyone with the breath of life can do is to be thankful and grateful for the gift of life, for with the breath of life, anything is still possible.

To as many that have struggled and surged through the storm of 2009, I congratulate you, to those not so fortunate, I say thank God all the same, for as the scripture above says, there is a time for every purpose and season under heaven. Let us keep the faith, thank God for His goodness and faithfulness in all things. The world system may fail and malfunction, but the God of all creation never fails. Whenever we lose grasp or understanding of the present circumstance, lets release and let go, let God

As we bid 2009 farewell in a few, lets thank God for His blessings, victories, grace and favor. Let us be thankful for finishing power in 2009 and pray for starting, sustaining and finishing power for 2010. Remember it's got to be power for something purposeful.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

The Father's Business

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 (NKJV)

The above scripture resonates with the ferocity, fierceness and urgency of now in today's world. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and is not taken by timidity, nor with a siddon-look (Sit down and look) approach. Rather it is taken with force. Our world is hounded on all sides with old and recycled failed gimmicks and lies, kingdoms are re-positioning themselves and aggressively pursuing their agenda with passion and commitment. Can the believer stay aloof and stand akimbo thinking the Kingdom of heaven will reign here without raising a finger? Far from it.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 (NKJV)

The alternative kingdoms will not let down and are relentless. Believers like Apostle Paul did, ought not opt for slumber nor sleep. As we count down to the end of the year and usher in the new year, we must be about our Father's business.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

More than mere gifts

Friends,

It occurred to me the other day that I have been diligently praying for God's gifts. That doesn't sound like a bad thing to pray for, does it? We know that every good gift comes from our Lord, and He certainly desires to bless His people.

Nevertheless, I came to conviction after reading a passage from Matthew Henry's commentary regarding inheritance. He referred to this verse from Paul's letter to the church at Rome:

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Romans 8:17 [NKJV]

Almighty God gives provision and gifts to all creation. He makes the rain to fall on the believers and the unbelievers. Generally speaking, Christians and heathen enjoy health, wealth and prosperity to largely the same degree across the world. Of course, there are exceptions, but to focus on God's gifts misses a larger and more important issue.

The Father reserves His inheritance for His children. When we die, my wife and I will leave our modest estate to our children and grandchildren, not to our friends, our co-workers or the next-door neighbor. In the same way, the great blessing of His Kingdom is left not to the world to inherit, but to the family of God. And that is my new prayer.

Heavenly Father, cause Your people to desire the inheritance which You have ordained for us. Grant to us the vision of Your Kingdom, that it will advance across this world and be established according to Your perfect will.
Amen and amen.

Be encouraged, Jose

Beyond addition into multiplication

Friends and fellow pilgrims,

When you multiply anything times zero, the result is zero. This is a mathematical truism. Keep that in mind as you read the opening verses of Peter's first letter to the believing church that had been scattered throughout the world.

1 Peter 1:1b-2 [NKJV]
To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

I have taken the liberty of emphasizing that last line to illuminate a critical truth. The true believer need not pray for grace and peace, for both have been given to us. They are part and parcel of the unmerited favor that Almighty God has bestowed upon His sons and daughters.

Let it be our prayer today that these gifts be multiplied. That the grace and peace that reside in us with Christ become an outpouring of grace and peace to our brothers and sisters. That this overflow would cause the world to stop in awe and wonder. And that, in so doing, we would give proper honor and worship to Christ our Savior and King.

Be encouraged, Jose

The Right Focus

Friends,

If you find that your attention has been focused on the things of this world, then please listen to the newly posted lessons at Bible Study Audio. I confess that I have allowed myself to be distracted by what others might think of me, instead of what God has declared of me. These lessons were extraordinary in their conviction. I pray that you, as well, are blessed by them.

Be encouraged, Jose

Treasure place

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Mathew 6:19-20 (NKJV)

Its simply human to cherish and secure our most priced possessions. The above scripture used that simple truth to advise us to lay up our treasures in the heavenly places. A place that is void of a cycling economy, unpredictable stock market, slumping house market, Equity (one that disappears from ones investments overnight), 401Ks, IRAs, etc. This place is also immune against the elements of the world that can corrode, rust, melt or even steal away our assets.

It is a smart idea to lay up our treasures in a place void of 'up today, disappear tomorrow'. Where are you laying your treasures?

Be encouraged,

Afolabi