Be Ready to go

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:43-33 NKJV

You may have felt bound up and locked in for a very long time. The odds may stack up against you. Lazarus in his day was a hopeless and forgone situation. His issue already attained the stinking status having died and been put away for days. Not fit to be among the living, yet the resurrection power of our Lord was available for his situation. That which had died was quickened. The same docile, weak and dead areas of your life can receive divine quickening too. You need not lose hope or be discouraged. The same transforming power is still available too.

There is abundant life in you, you can’t be bound or restrained forever, you and I must be ready to go all the way for the Kingdom of God while we still live.

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi Oghafua

Faith

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

Are you following God's command? Are you walking in the steps that He has directed you to walk or are you following your own way? In this world, with the many influences from the outside, we can all get caught up in how my neighbor is doing or what my neighbor is doing. Remember that after Christ rose from the dead as was talking to Peter about service and when Christ had ask Peter about how far he would go to serve God. Peter began to worry about his walk versus another disciple's walk. Let me share those verses with you.

Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. John 22:21-22 (KJV)

Christ wanted Peter and wants us to focus on following Him alone. Our walk with Him is distinct and personal. Let us continue to follow Christ no matter what another person's walk looks like on the outside. Keep the faith and follow Christ.

Be Encouraged,

Martin A. Rayner

Know Repentence... Know Peace

There is more to salvation than confession. For a confession is empty without repentence.

They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. -- Jeremiah 25:5 (NKJV)

To repent is literally to turn around, to change our direction from that which is toward sin and death, and to life and righteousness. Sisters and brothers, do not neglect to do this each day. For every day, we find new and inventive ways to stumble. But with a heart intent on true repentence, we will press on to that place of true peace.

Be encouraged,
José

Dependable and Faithful

Hebrews 10:19-23 NKJV
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

I was opportune to watch a musical drama presentation of the travails and sacrifice that the Lord had to pay for us all at the cross of Calvary. What sacrifice could be greater than this? The shed blood and His flesh (veil) did it all. We must therefore not be subject to the destructive yearnings of the flesh with its evil tendencies, but our hope and confidence in our faith must be firm and strong even in the face of negative influences surrounding us. We must arrest every thought that tries to exalt itself against the knowledge of God in us. Denials, restraints and refraining from things may be painful, but our focus must not be taken away from the prize and what was put on the line for our sake. There must be no shaking concerning our faith, because the one who promised is not only faithful, but also dependable.

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi Oghafua

Know the Word

As a child, whenever I had to really learn something, my mother would insist that I write it down. There's just something about using pen and paper that helps our minds commit things to memory. I don't think this is by accident.

Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for Himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes - Deuteronomy 17:18-19 NKJV

The LORD commanded Israel's kings (even before they had an official king) to write down His words. We would do well to heed this. By doing so, we will be arming ourselves with the most effective weapon against the evil plans and plots of the enemy.

And so, brothers and sisters, pick out a psalm, or an epistle... something... and write it down. Be committed to knowing the Word of God, and you'll be amazed and blessed by how much better you'll know God Himself.

Be encouraged,
José

Hear the cry

Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard.

There is a preponderance of struggling individuals, families, cities, states and even countries. It isn’t because these are not hardworking or not smart, but conditions and circumstances that have overtaken them and for most of these life is a struggle and endless chasing of bubbles. For the privileged and blessed ones, it is an opportunity for ministry to God’s creation. Abraham interested God because God knew through him; the nations of the world will be blessed.

Isaiah 58:9-12
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

Hear the cry around you, build the old waste places; Raise up the foundations of many generations, do not forsake, neglect or disregard them. Do that which you have the ability to do, so that when your crying season comes on, your Father in Heaven may hear and respond to you.

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi Oghafua

Grace for the Purpose

1 Corinthians 15:10-11 NKJV
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Paul acknowledged something crucial and important for all God’s children. He recognizes how far the Lord has brought us. He also identified the enormity of the Creator’s grace on His life (as a former persecutor of the Church) and more importantly, he was being conscious of the fact that his being a recipient of this grace was not in vain but for a purpose. The steadfast love and newness of His mercies for you and I are not in vain, but for the purpose of the fulfillment of a mission and goal.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

We must not forget the purpose of our calling and the freely given grace. The Kingdom work and our role must never take a back sit, but we must abound in Kingdom work, for the grace is for a purpose and our efforts are not in vain.

Be Encouraged,

Afolabi Oghafua