His own house first

Friends,

The day is coming. It is a day when the the Lord will judge. Be assured ... Every man is subject to His perfect justice.

Ecclesiastes 3:17 [NKJV]
I said in my heart,
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Notice a subtlety here. The righteous are listed first. The LORD will judge all men, but He starts with His own people first. He holds us all to the same standard of holiness, and therefore cannot exempt the believers from justice.

Of course, the believer's sins are judged, and the sentence has been carried out by Christ. But that does not give us license to ignore the laws of God. So, we must live lives of holiness, proving our love of Jesus.

Be encouraged, Jose

Declaration

Friends,

What do your words declare?

Proverbs 12:17-18 (NKJV)
He who speaks truth declares righteousness,
But a false witness, deceit.

Let your words be the truth, so that the righteousness of God will resonate throughout the earth.

Be encouraged, Jose

 

Unity to succeed

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)

We must not be naive about the end game of our common adversary. A relentless campaign to change mindsets of a generation, one person at a time. They bombard our individual minds and our environments and spheres of influence to alter how we respond and interpret God's truth and how we are guided by them in the world. The truth cannot and must not be compromised. We must be our brothers keeper. We need each other to succeed and establish God's kingdom here on earth.

10 For “He who would love life And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
1 Peter 3:10-12 (NKJV)

Our mission is aligned with bringing more into God's kingdom. Our pursuit of love, peace and righteousness must be relentless. For this reason He came and the goal is clear, we must not deviate from it.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Who we are is what we receive

Friends,

Life, in all is glory and misery, happens to all people. We all experience sickness, health, joy, grief, loss and gain. The difference is in how we experience these events. The difference is based on our position before God.

Proverbs 3:3 [NKJV]
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the home of the just.

The justified woman recognizes that the everyday of life is a gift from a kind and loving Father. The carnal man sees the everyday of life as monotonous drudgery.

As believers, we have access to the vision of the abundant life in Christ. Take hold of that vision today.

Be encouraged, Jose

Hearing the secrets of Heaven

Friends,

Over and over, we see people celebrated and honored, only to learn that they are weak, perverted and immoral. Celebrities are credited with the most noble of motives, even though their actions betray their intentions as self-serving and selfish.

It's easy to get caught up in their celebrity and covet it. It's tempting to compromise our beliefs in order to curry favor with the popular way of thinking.

Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,
But His secret counsel is with the upright.
Proverbs 3:31-32 [NKJV]

Throughout scripture, our Heavenly Father describes His hatred of those who oppress the poor, the widow and the orphan. In short, He reserves great anger for those who use their strength to abuse those who are weaker. Brothers and sisters, do not envy the man who does this, for you are envying an enemy of God.

Instead, stay focused on righteousness. Seek it with all your heart. In doing so, you will unlock the great and deep mysteries of holiness, justice, peace, faith and love.

Be encouraged, Jose

Evidence of righteousness

Friends,

Let your heart be governed by a simple instruction:

Psalm 4:5
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the LORD. [NKJV]

Do not over-complicate this with burdensome rules, emotion-filled rituals, or distracting traditions. Seek righteousness and demonstrate it with every word, thought and action. Such a sacrifice will be opposed by the enemy. It is evidence of a heart that trusts in the LORD. And it will shout the good news of salvation and victory!

Be encouraged, Jose

Dressing well

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Ephesians 6:10-17 (NKJV)

It is appropriate that we dress-up for the right situation and occasion always. It will be out of place to don the best corporate suit, shirt, tie and shoes to match for a football battle on a field of play. With no protection to the body and the right gear, a wrongly dressed person is just a disaster waiting to happen. Our new man requires this new outfit for effective engagement in our daily encounters and interaction with the world. From the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for the feet that spread peace and good news, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation to the sword of the spirit, the new man is well equipped to engage the world and dominate according to God's will for our lives.

Are you well dressed on a daily basis? Take a cue from these important accessories of the perfect dress code, lest you make some areas of your life vulnerable to the the tricks and onslaught of our common adversary. Dress well always and

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Not in vain

15 My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself; 16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things. Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; 18 For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.
Proverbs 23:15-18 (NKJV)

God is interested in our fellowship. When we set our hearts to wisdom, we excite heaven. When we exude righteousness, Our Lord rejoices at our Kingdom stance. Though doing this may be unpopular, politically incorrect and not savvy in the eyes and minds of the present age, but our choice of love, righteousness and godliness will not go unnoticed. Even when the freethinkers, sinners and 'anything goes' folks flourish, it must not rock our resolve for righteous living, but our daily walk must remain in the path and fear of the Lord.

Keep up the faith, 'For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off'.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

The evidence of triumph

Friends,

The very first Christians were utterly convinced of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus, having witnessed the following event:

Mark 16:19
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

And how did they respond to this?

Mark 16:20
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. [NKJV]

Surely, we who call ourselves Christians are likewise convinced that Jesus did what He - and His word - said He did. By the grace of our Lord, we can believe this.

And how do we respond?

• Do our actions demonstrate our belief?
• Do our words speak of our belief?
• If someone was to charge you and me with the "crime" of being Christian, would there be enough evidence to win a conviction?

Daily, we must examine our thoughts, words and deeds. Bring them before the holy and perfect standard of God's righteousness. Only then can we enjoy the peace of genuine repentance.

Be encouraged, Jose

Who do you love?

Friends,

Even the atheists have an object of worship. The proof goes far beyond the cavalier.* The one who decides that there is no moral difference between the uniformed soldier fighting in the open and the man shooting his gun from inside a schoolhouse has come to that conclusion from some moral starting point, some code. Where did that code come from? A romantic might say that looked deep within himself. And that is the problem.

Psalm 18:1-2
I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

There is a massive difference between loving the LORD, between worshiping, trusting and obeying Him and loving, worshiping and trusting only ourselves. God is the same. His Word does not change. His commands never lose their power or their relevance. The same cannot be said for you or me.

Like it or not, we all have a code we live by.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...
The God of King David and King Solomon...
The One who stepped off the throne in order to redeem His people ...

Jesus calls us to live by His code.

Be encouraged, Jose

* When an atheist flippantly exclaims, "Thank God!" ... just who are they talking to?

Seek this

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

In all your gettings and doings, what drives you and what keeps you going? What are you motivated by? Do you just seek the things of life or goals in life? Are these things to gratify self, achieve a certain status, or desire to be accepted socially, politically, etc? Well, the drive to succeed in all we do must be anchored around the scripture above. Only when we are guided and driven by the motivation of seeking this will our toil, efforts, labor, etc be meaningful, fulfilling and rewarding at the end of the day.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Righteousness Pays

Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Psalm 112:1-2 (NKJV)

The path of the righteous isn't always a glamorous one. In today's world, it is undesirable, not fascinating and defies the norms and rudiments of today's modern culture. As dull and uninteresting as the world may portray righteous living, it is the best way of life. One that not only keeps the righteous in the present but also preserves his legacy and sustains his future generations.

I have been young, and now am old;Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
Psalm 37:25 (NKJV)

The requirements may be stringent, the pressure of compromise may be intense, the way of the righteous may be seasonally lonely, but it is the best way of life, both for now and for eternity. So brothers and sisters, let us pursue righteousness with all our might and heart. We will never go wrong on the side of righteousness.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Prepare today

Friends,

How are you preparing for Christ's return? Does it even cross your mind to get yourself ready?

2 Peter 3:14
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; [NKJV]

Certainly no one knows whether our Savior will make His return this afternoon or one hundred years from now. But we have a choice today. I pray we choose to live as though He might reappear at any moment. So that no matter what, we are found living a holy life... and not a carnal one. That we are found in pursuit of His Kingdom and His righteousness... and not our own.

He is returning, brothers and sisters. Are you ready?

Be encouraged, Jose

By Faith

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith
Romans 1:16-17 NKJV

Apostle Paul in his days was accosted by many, some came to hear him speak, some with a different intent, but the power of the word of God goes to work in any heart that is open to it and is able to receive it. Being unashamed to speak the word and act the word in a hostile world is an hallmark of a believer in the 21st century. You may or will be detested and scorned for your hard-line postures most times, but because your agenda is not to prove self but to love and woo all to salvation and love of Christ. To as many that are able to receive and believe the truth of the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed in them giving them the secret of successful living.... The just shall live by faith, not by what we are able to amass or our strength, or what we have. Everything, including life is a passing vapor which is visible one time and invisible the next moment.

Live your life on faith. In it is power and revelation to full life. Faith in the Creator who is able and true forever more.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

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

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

God's limits

Friends,

How often have we deceived ourselves into believing that God's mercy precludes Him from exercising perfect justice? How many times have we accused our Lord of cruelty when He does exercise perfect justice?

The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it,
And until He has performed the intents of His heart.
In the latter days you will consider it.
"At the same time," says the LORD, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."
Jeremiah 30:24-31:1 [NKJV]

Even though translators have these verses in separate chapters, we can see that they truly flow as a continuous thought. And in this single, unified word, we see the goodness and the severity of our LORD.

Indeed, He is kind and merciful and longsuffering and patient. And truly, the LORD is fiercely just, and exercises perfect judgments over all mankind, including His precious children.

Be encouraged, Jose

Deliver us from evil

Friends,

All around us is evidence of man's depravity. We see murderers set free. Praise and worship is heaped upon pedophiles. Matters of life, death, sickness and health are twisted into instruments of political advantage.

And yet, the LORD, the God of the Covenant, promises ...

Obadiah 1:17a
But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,
And there shall be holiness; -- [NKJV]

Almighty God keeps His promises. He delivers His people. And there is no deliverance without holiness. We cry out for deliverance, but do we live holy lives?

Pursue what is holy, what is distinct and separate from the world. The day of deliverance will be closer than you can imagine.

Be encouraged, Jose

Know the path of those who walked before

Friends,

Certainly we know that man has changed very little across human history. We are still tempted by the same desires. We are still committing the same atrocities. We are still falling into the same old snares and stumbles as we did hundreds and thousands of years ago. Along those same lines, Paul instructs the believers in Corinth to study what happened to our ancestors as they navigated through the wilderness from Egypt to the Promised Land. He admonishes them, and us, to understand that what they did lead them to incur God's wrath. Their stories were recorded so that we would learn from them and not follow their unholy examples:

1 Corinthians 10:9-11
nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. [NKJV]

Sisters and brothers, it is time for us to ask ourselves the tough questions: Are we tempting Christ? Are we complaining about what God has chosen for our lives? Have we failed to learn from what our forefathers experienced?

We have their stories to learn from. Let us do just that ... learn from them. By doing so, we open our hearts to experience the mercy and blessing of our Father, the Great and Almighty God of Heaven and earth.

Be encouraged, Jose

No apology necessary

Friends,

Too many preachers and pastors have tried to over-explain and apologize for Almighty God. They do this for many reasons, of course. Some may do this in order to gain acceptance by the world. Others do this in order to attract new followers. But Christ Jesus never watered down the Gospel in order to build a following. He never "marketed" His ministry. He simply laid out the plain, simple truth:

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.

-- 1 Timothy 3:16 [NKJV]

Some men may find this difficult to believe. And some men will be greatly offended by such a simplistic explanation. But such eventualities do not change the truth of God's word.

Therefore, we have the duty and the freedom to present Christ as He truly is.
Holy
Righteous
Just

Without apology and without fear.

Be encouraged, Jose