Pursuit of Pleasure

Sitting by the beach in a warm weather, sipping a cool glass of tropical punch, wearing comfortable slippers, my feet were breathing and enjoying the cool water wash over them, my sunglasses made me look like a movie star not only  protecting my eyes from the sun. I laid on my back and savoured every moment of it wondering what I should wear for the dinner later that night. It is a black tie affair and we have all been told to come in our best... The evening was such a classy one, from the senior executives to the junior associates, everyone looked dazzling and you bet the company must have spent a fortune on that get-away weekend... Did I hear you say life is good? Would you love to live a life of vacation everyday? Who would not?...

 

I have always believed in living a balanced life; work hard, live well within your means and in whatever way God allows you to enjoy what he has blessed you with. Do we have to draw a line or is there a limit to how much pleasure we should indulge in as Christians? We all enjoy having a good time, eating, hanging out with our friends and loved ones, that without a doubt is a blessing from God. However, pleasure as good as it is should not take over other important areas of ourlives.

 

The following scripture cautions me anytime I am overindulging myself:

1 Cor 6:12 KJV

 

"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient:  all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any".

 

What am I willing to give up at the expense of the Word of God, my time with God or the help am to render to those who need it? Watching movies, long talks on the phone, shopping till I drop and desire to possess the latest of everything; shoes, bags, watches, cars etc should all have limits as they have the ability to subtly master us. Does owing the latest of anything make you a sinner? No by no means at all, God wants us to have the best as His children...

 

We should only watch out to avoid becoming slaves to our possessions. You know those things that you say to yourself "I could kill for so and so". So before you decide to 'kill' for anything especially this season of blessings, remember "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient"

 

Blessings.

Risk of Faith

I always find myself amused when I see people designated as protocol officers carrying out their duties. Whether these individuals are working with a politician or a public figure, they are always looking stern and ready to harrass anyone who attempts to come near the individual they are ushering or accompanying.

 

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God has protocol officers assigned to usher him in and out of any arena wherever he goes. This is because he cannot successfully walk by himself anymore without fear of being mobbed... good trouble if you ask me.

 

It was such a situation that Jesus was in during His earthly ministry. The crowd will always throng him and of course, I imagine Apostle Peter, he would be ready to harrass anyone who comes anywhere close to The Master. Yet, everyone wanted to have a word, a touch, laying on of JESUS' hands, a meal and so on. A woman who had hemorrhaged, who probably lacked stamina, dared to touch the hem of Jesus' garment in the midst of that crowd, slipping in from behind! Jesus could read her thought and He understood.

Matthew 9:20-22 MSG

 

^20-22Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well." Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: "Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you're well." The woman was well from then on. "

What have you been imagining and contemplating about? What is that bold step you need to take to put an end to your unrest, confusion and frustration? It is all about taking a risk of faith... Jesus encouraged the woman after she had taken that risk. Have you noticed that nobody celebrates a mediocre? You need to step out of the shadows and into the limelight of what the word of God is telling you to do before attaining that height. Then and only then can you dream of being celebrated. 

 

You know how long you have been procrastinating and taking a step forward and 5 backwards totally unsure of what the outcome may be. Do you need to step up your walk with the Lord, launch out with that business idea, pursue your goal and purpose academically? Do you need to commit to a marriage relationship trusting God that HE will cause things to work out in your favour?

 

Whatever you need to do, I encourage you to go for it giving over the worst case scenario unto God! The year is fast approaching its end and will you enter the new year with regrets and disappointments? God's love is eternal and He extends it to you now all over again. Take a risk of faith, turn a new leaf and commit the future into God's own hand. Without any doubt He will catch you at it and encourage you. Just take a risk of faith!

 

Blessings.

Become What You Believe

Men (human beings) who have been able to achieve success at one point or the other have been able to perceive that in their minds. Some have with sheer determination become icons of greatness. I consider every patriach of old who walked with God, a whole lot of them were able to see things from their spiritual point of view. Abraham at a very old age was able to see his children, vast as the sand of the sea. Joseph dreamt as a teenager and he saw the future; his brethren bowing down to him. Even Rehab the harlot was able to see Israel's victory over fortified Jericho and hence, she saved herself and family from destruction and positioned herself in the lineage of the Lord Jesus.

 

What does your situation look like presently? What do you believe about it?. God requires your faith to execute His purpose. There are so many times God bypasses our limitations to do what HE alone is God to do. However, He expects us to walk with Him so that He does not deal with us like robots. The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, believed God when he was told that he would possess a city. I saw a glimpse of the place at its small beginnings, it looked nothing like a city! Infact, it used to be the height of inconvenience whenever I attended convention in the 80s. Today, the city that God promised him is now a reality with every amenity that could qualify any location as a city. He believed and saw what God was giving him.

 

Matthew 9: 29 MSG

"He touched their eyes and said, "Become what you believe.""

 

What do you believe that you will become? Has life doled you the wrong cards and you have accepted your lot? Perhaps you have given up on certain areas of your life; marriage(is it truly over?), child bearing, career, education, ministry, business. You have resigned yourself to fate. But you need your faith to activate a positive fate!

 

God is able to make a prisoner a president and not only in the old testatment! There is danger if you do not believe anything, according to His word today, you can only become what you believe. Let faith well up in you to believe and become.

 

God is reaching out to you today and He is saying; become what you believe!

Shalom!

Marriage: an unnecessary burden?

MARRIAGE: An unnecessary burden?

Marriage is God’s idea for a man and woman to come together and be united. His expectation is that there will be companionship, fellowship and procreation. Genesis 2:18 NKJ “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him a help meet for him”.

God recognizes that loneliness will set in regardless of your achievements; academic, career as well as ministry.  There comes a time when all your pursuits and accumulation of material wealth weary you when you do not have a soulmate to share it with.  God’s idea of marriage is that a man and a woman will come together and be one in body, spirit and soul in the union of marriage. It is meant for two individuals (no third parties!) Genesis 2:24 NKJV “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife:and they shall be one flesh”.

What obtains these days in the world and even among Christians shows that we have lost focus of what God had in mind when He established the institution of marriage. It is not meant to be a burden that ties you down, once you are in it, you cannot escape! No, it is meant to be an institution that you enter into with the utmost preparation knowing that you will put in work to make it work.  You are expected to be selfless and not look out for your own personal gain alone but look out for what will make you both happy.

Marriage is a major decision that should not just be made based on temporal things such as looks, material possessions or feelings alone. I say alone because these are important in deciding who to marry as well. Not too many of us are attracted to people that are not particularly comely. (You sometimes have 10 brothers within a fellowship ‘receiving’ the same beautiful and talented sister all at the same time! God is not an author of confusion) However, having been married my self for a few years; I have come to realize that good as these qualities may be, they could be the bane of a marriage relationship if it the foundation is not right.

What should be the most important thing in place before I can decide to marry a person? In a Christian marriage relationship, a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus is key and most important.  There is a need to be on the same page and have the same reference point with a man or woman you intend to spend the rest of your life with. I know this often present a challenge in a world full of deceit and lies. Be that as it may, God is in the business of leading His own. 

Prospect is another key thing; does this man or woman have prospects? What does that mean? Prospect is defined as “a probability of advancement, success or profit”. In our context, does that individual who is jobless today have the prospect of getting a job and having a bright future? Does that lady who comes from a struggling background have the probability of increasing business-wise years ahead? Prospect is not limited to profit making but it answers to looking forward and perceiving a positive result ahead.

Character is possessing qualities of honesty, integrity and courage. A man as well as a woman requires this in order to have a lasting marriage relationship.