Enough is enough

Friends,

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles - when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
1 Peter 4:3 [NKJV]

These words hold true now just as they two thousand years ago. All of us has spent plenty of time acting as non-believers. To spend another minute practicing those habits is 60 seconds too many.

When we stop, though, we can expect them to speak ill of us. They will not understand our change in behavior. They will call us names, ostracize us, and seek ways -- overt and covert -- to persecute and afflict us.

Hold on tight, brothers and sisters. It promises to be a bumpy ride. But in these latter days, we can be confident that Christ's return is closer than ever. And our troubles will be forgotten as we revel in the presence of our conquering King.

Be encouraged, Jose

Triumph of Praise

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation; Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise.” Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 (NKJV)

When David succeeded in placing the Ark in the tabernacle, he gave thanks to God, acknowledging Him in all deeds and celebrating his triumph in praise. Every passing day gives us numerous praise opportunities. Today offers us yet another opportunity to roll out praise and thanks to the Lord our Maker. As we celebrate thanksgiving in this part of the world, let us remember the feeble, the weak, and the hopeless by doing everything we can too to bring them into the triumph of praise and thanksgiving.

It is in the triumph of our praise that the Holy Spirit inhabits. Bring the praise, bring thanksgiving, that His Holy Spirit may flourish in the midst of His people.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Why Are We Afraid?

The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5b-7 [KJV]

We are afraid when things change or are changing, when we see things that we don't understand, when we encounter something new, or any number of situations that come to mind or memory in our life.  However, we can be assured that the Lord is always with us and we don't have to live in fear.  We can turn everything over to Him.  How does this work?  Well, let's take the prescription in the verses above.

First, - remember that the Lord is with us always, even until the end of time, the age or the earth.  - Now we don't have to be concerned about facing anything alone.

Second - Don't worry about anything but with prayer and thanksgiving, tell God all about it - Don't keep your worries or concerns or hopes or fears to ourselves, but tell God like He was not there, but remember that He remembers all the details and He knows the solution.

Third -  God's peace will reach us - Once we tell God and believe that He will handle the things appropriately, not just follow our plan, He will comfort us with a peace that we can't explain to others when they look at our situation.

Fourth - He will keep our hearts strong. - We know that once the peace comes, other will tell us that we should not be so calm and peaceful because they can't see the outcome.  But we know that Christ is on the tasks and will handle everything appropriately.  

These four steps were not easy to write or will be as easy to follow, because they are asking us to give up on forcing our plan onto God and letting Him do what is truly best.  Not what is just best for us as we see it, but what will work out best for all involved.  God can do it if we let Him.  Why are we afraid?  Because we think that God's plan is different than ours.  Truth is, His Plan is different and better than ours and we need to trust and believe that He really has EVERYTHING under control.

Be Encouraged,

Martin

Peace in His Reverence

The fear of the LORD leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.
Proverbs 19:23 (NKJV)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To fear the Almighty God is to acknowledge Him in all our ways. When we operate in fear and reverence of the Most High God, our ways and thoughts are guarded from destruction, our choices are divinely informed and directed and we are enveloped in a divine assurance which gives us peace that’s beyond the reasoning of man.

Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
Psalm 25:12 (NKJV)

His fear inspires and emboldens us to detest sin in our lives and we are motivated to shun all acts of self-righteousness, pride and unrighteousness. Today, let us operate in the fear of the Lord that we may know true peace during rough and good times.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Being afraid

Friends,

The world has some very weird perspectives on God. One popular misconception regards Him as disconnected and passive. On the other end of the spectrum is the belief that He is out to get us... ready to crush us at the first wrong move. Neither are new and both create significant problems for anyone who subscribes to them.

At one point in his life, King David held to the second point of view, as described here...

David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.
1 Samuel 6:9-11 [NKJV]

King David had just seen a member of his staff struck down by the LORD for impudently touching the ark of the LORD. Naturally, all who witnessed this event were shaken and stunned. But rather than seek out God's counsel and thereby understanding why God did what He did, the king was paralyzed by fear. He was unable to do anything, even the right thing.

Obed-Edom, however, did do the right thing. The scripture is silent on how this man knew what to do, and I won't speculate here. But the result is plain... Obed-Edom was blessed.

For you and me the lesson is equally clear. The fear of the LORD is not the same as being afraid. And when we take action out of that holy and righteous fear, we will be blessed.

Be encouraged, Jose

A truly merry heart

Friends,

When a friend is down in the dumps, our natural instinct is find something that might cheer them up. That something might be reminding them of an encouraging memory. Or maybe it's a nice meal and quiet conversation. Maybe you tell them a joke, or you remind them that they are in your prayers.

Or sometimes, unfortunately, we sugarcoat the truth, water it down, or encourage them to ignore the reality of their situation altogether. These are dangerous options, for they undoubted leave the friend worse off than before.

Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
Provers 25:20 [NKJV]

A heavy heart does not need lies or entertainment or distractions. No matter the current emotional state, every heart needs ... and deserves ... to hear the truth. A wounded heart needs the truth, spoken in love, more desperately than we can imagine. Sometimes that truth is difficult to hear... and to say. Yet it is a healing balm. Yes, it may sting at first. But it provides a hope and an encouragement supported by a solid foundation.

Each of us, brothers and sisters, needs to understand the truth of our situation. We are all undeserving of a place in Christ's Kingdom. And yet He has nonetheless graced with adoption into His very family. And because that transformation is permanent and unchangeable, it is surest, fastest way out of the blues that inevitably creep into every man's life.

And when you get that truth into your spirit, the song you sing will echo throughout the heavens!

Be encouraged, Jose

Never waver

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)

Many wait on someone or just anyone to move concerning what God has spoken over their life. While it is a blessing to have a man or woman of God speak over us, we must never lose sight and focus of Him who has the finally spoken word over everyone - the Lord Almighty. Access to this final and eternal authority is made available to every child of God.

Our hope in Him must remain unshaken and the swift and gentle turns in life must not alter our connection with Him in any way. Has He spoken over you? receive it, get to work, be about your and His business. Keep the walk and work alive, never faint or tire, but receive strength, favor and grace from Him, for He who promised is forever faithful.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi