Category: Fire in my Bones

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Title: Adjusted circumstances|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: January 03, 2024|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 6, No. 34

“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” (Ex 13:21-22NIV)

Who is the text above referring to? It is the children of Israel that Moses led out of Egypt. And what is the point being communicated to us about them in the text? It is that they functioned under adjusted circumstances in order to safely get to the land of rest that God was taking them.As we see in the text, when these Israelites came out of Egypt, God provided a pillar of cloud to be over them during the day and a pillar of fire to be over them during the night.

Why? First, it was to give them guidance. Why did they need guidance? It was because they did not know the way to the place God was taking them. Yes, they knew that God was taking them to a place of rest, a land flowing with milk and honey. But how would they get there? They did not know. They needed God Himself, then, to guide them moment by moment till they arrived there safely. And did He guide them or not? He did guide them by providing a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way they should go during the day and a pillar of fire to lead them in the way they should go during the night.

So, when these pillars moved, they also moved and moved in whatever direction the pillars went. And when these pillars stopped moving, they also stopped moving and camped wherever the pillars stopped. That was how God guided them all through the time they spent in the desert until they came into the promised land. So, they were never clueless or ignorant of the direction they should go. (Cf. Deut 9:15-23)

Now God, of course, does not guide anyone in this manner anymore. But He is still devoted to guiding those who commit their lives to Him in the path they should follow to be established in His rest and prosperity. How? Basically, He guides them through His word and by His Spirit. There are also times that He guides them through life’s circumstances, visions, dreams, angelic visitations, prophecies and direct revelations of Himself.

We, however, don’t have to wait for any of these before we daily receive God’s guidance. We just need to give ourselves to reading, studying and meditating on His word. And He, by His Spirit that He has put in us, will teach us what is best for us in life and guide us in the way we should go. That being the case, we too, like those Israelites of old, will never be clueless where others are or be ignorant of which direction we should be going in life where others are ignorant of it.

The second reason God provided the pillar of cloud by the day and that of fire by the night for those children of Israel was that they may be able to travel anytime without hindrance. That explains why the Egyptians who were pursuing them could not move at their pace or catch up with them. Though they were moving at the same time and in the same place, they were operating under different circumstances. Why? It was because God adjusted the circumstances of the time and the place to favour the Israelites. (Cf: Ex 14)

In addition to that, God provided the pillar of cloud by the day for those people to protect them from the intense heat of the desert. Therefore, they could move around freely in the desert without fainting. Also, He provided the pillar of fire for them by the night to give them warmth, so that the cold of the night would not make them sick. And what do you call that? Adjusted circumstances! Now does God still adjust or tune life’s circumstances to favour men? Yes, He still does. He still adjusts life’s circumstances, so that those He favours can be guided, protected or granted speed for accomplishment where others are terrified or clueless.

And all that we need to see Him adjust the circumstances of life that are bound to make others fail, perish or stagnate for our good is to humbly entrust our lives and all that concerns us to Him. That way, even if where we are now is a desert, a dry and weary land in which there is no water, God will adjust the circumstances there to favour us and see us protected and prosperous.A word of caution, however: Always be careful to function only within the boundaries of the circumstances God has placed you in life.

Yes, if those circumstances are not favourable enough, you should talk to God about adjusting or changing them for you. But don’t ever try to run your life on the basis of the circumstances others have been placed in. Otherwise, you may have yourself ruined where they have excelled. Remember that the Egyptians tried to pass through the same Red Sea the Israelites passed through and at the same time. Yet all of them perished there.

Why? The simple reason was that though they were passing through the same place at the same time, the circumstances under which they were doing so were adjusted only for the Israelites and not for them. So, be discerning. Don’t foolishly copy or imitate anyone, just because you think you are operating under the same circumstances. You may just not be operating under the same circumstances. And if you copy them, where that is the case, you may end up having yourself to blame, if you are not shown mercy.Be discerning, then, my friend.

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

What it is your motivation? | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: December 27, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 6, No. 33

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.” (Eccl 4:4NLT)

We have, by the grace of God, come to another year-end. And as it should be, this is a time in which people should settle down to see how their lives have fared in the year. But while it is important that we settle down to evaluate our lives and affairs to see how things have been with us in the year, the yardsticks we use in doing so are even more important. That is the because the yardsticks we use in evaluating ourselves are what will determine whether our evaluation will be true, objective and reliable as a point of reference or not.

Now among the yardsticks people use in evaluating themselves is the measure of success or failure of their neighbours. And when we are talking about ‘neighbours’ in this sense, we are referring to anyone close enough to us to get our attention. So, that person may be a friend, a sibling, a colleague at work or in school, a church member or a business competitor. Whoever the person is to us, what is happening in their life is important enough to get our attention and make us judge ourselves as progressive, stagnant or retrogressive.

But is it right for us to judge ourselves as a success or a failure on the basis of what is happening or has happened in other people’s lives, even if those people are our blood relatives? No! Why? It is because the word of God says so. Look at the way it puts it: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (2Cor 10:12NIV)

Did you see that? It is a foolish thing to judge ourselves according to human standards. Yes, it is a foolish thing to compare our lives with the lives of others in order to determine whether our lives are doing well or not. Why? First, it is because God, who created all of us, has made each of us differently, with different potential and abilities. Second, it is because the circumstances of our lives are different, regardless of how closely related or bonded we may be. Therefore, God’s expectations on every life are different.

Since God’s expectations on every life are different, it follows, then, that He will be rating how each of us is doing in life according to those expectations. So, it is how well we meet up with His expectations on our lives that will say whether He will consider us to be a success or a failure, not how well we meet up with what is going in others’ lives or how better we do than them.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, most people evaluate their lives according to what is going on in the lives of others around them. Therefore, as Solomon tells us in our opening text, their motivation for success in life is envy, the envy of their neighbour. There is, of course, a good side to envy. That is when you envy certain attributes of success or devotion to doing what is right that you see in others, so that you can emulate them. But anything that goes beyond that is of the evil one.

What we are saying is that if the reason you want to be whatever you want to be or have whatever you want to have in life is that you are envious of someone, then, you are missing it. You are simply chasing the wind. In other words, you are going after the impossible. You cannot be another person, however hard you try. And you can never have what another person has unless you steal or buy it from them. Then, even if you possess for yourself what belongs to another person, you can never enjoy it the way they have enjoyed it or will enjoy it. That is because life is designed for each of us to enjoy differently, according to the measure of grace measured out to us by God.

So, stop drawing your motivation from what is happening in other people’s lives but from God’s expectations on your life. That way, you will not be evaluating your life according to their success or failure. This, then, means that you need to know God’s expectations on your life. And you can know them by giving yourself to His word, by praying to Him and also by fellowshipping with others who know Him. My prayer is that you will be guided and strengthened to evaluate your life in this light this year-end, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Cheers!

Copyright © 2023, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Title: Be thoughtful in appreciation|Fire in my bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: December 20, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 6, No. 32

“When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!'” “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”” (Est 6:6-10NIV)

The bible passage above is clearly a familiar one to many readers of the bible. And it speaks of how the great King Xerxes appreciated and honoured a Jew called Mordecai. As the story goes, Mordecai once exposed certain officers of this king that had plotted to assassinate him. Why did they plot to assassinate him? We are not told in the account. But we are told that Mordecai found out about them and was discreet enough to expose them before they were able to carry out their wicked plot or escape. (Cf. Esther 2:21-23)

However, as the account also further reveals, Xerxes did not appreciate Mordecai at all for this act of kindness done to him. Yes, what he did was recorded in the book of the annals of his kingdom right before him. Nonetheless, he did nothing to appreciate him. Why? We would not know. Maybe he did not consider what he did as anything special at the time. Or maybe he was just in a prolonged bad mood. We wouldn’t know.But there came a time when Mordecai really needed this man to return the favour and spare his life and the lives of his people too.

That, of course, was when God, who does not forget people and who knows how to turn people’s mistakes or omissions around for the good of His people, brought about circumstances that drove this king to revisit the matter. And when he did, he himself was surprised that he did nothing to appreciate Mordecai for his act of kindness and faithfulness to him and the realm. So, he immediately began to think of how best to reward him.Well, as he thought hard about how best to reward Mordecai, that is, in accordance with his own status as an emperor, his most beloved official, Haman, came in. It was he, then, that helped this king in properly dealing with the matter.

Of course, he came up with what he came up with because he had arrogantly thought that the reward was coming to him. But the fact that he put himself in the picture helped in coming up with a sort of appreciation that the king himself could not resist or reject. It was just perfect for him.What, then, is the account teaching us? First, it is that we should learn not to overlook people’s acts of kindness to us. Instead, we should appreciate them on time, that is, when it will make the most sense.

Otherwise, we may end up having God drive us to do what we have neglected to do, in a more expensive or grand way. Looking again at Xerxes’ case: if he had appreciated Mordecai immediately after he saved his life, he may not have needed to go through the trouble of treating him like an emperor. Delayed appreciation, then, will most likely cost you more. So, don’t delay or defer giving appreciation to whom it is due. And even if, for some reasons, you failed to appreciate certain people you should have appreciated, you should still appreciate them the moment your error is brought to your notice.

Why? It is better late than never. Another important lesson from this bible story is the need for us to be thoughtful in appreciating others. Don’t be involved in giving useless or meaningless appreciation or gifts to people. Instead, always be thoughtful about what you want to do. Appreciating people is never mainly about money but about our thoughtfulness in doing it. That great king, Xerxes, did not spend money in appreciating Mordecai. But the kind of appreciation he gave to him was more than what anyone in his kingdom could hope for in a lifetime. He made him wear his royal robe, ride his royal horse and wear his royal crest on his head. Then he had him led through the royal city by his most dignified official, with the herald ‘This is how the king treats the man he honours.’ That, of course, changed Mordecai’s status in the realm for the rest of his life.

So, it is not mainly about how much we are able to spend in appreciating those who have done us good in life. It is mainly about being thoughtful. It is mainly about carefully considering the best way to appreciate them, in the light of what they have done for us and also in the light of our own status. And if we know how to think well about ourselves, as Haman did, we should have no problem coming up with truly nice and pleasant ways of appreciating people. Will you try this, then, as we come to the last days of this year, as we come to this season of thanksgiving and appreciation? And may God load you with sufficient wisdom, determination and resources to appreciate well all the people that deserve your appreciation at this time, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Title: When your background is irrelevant|Fire in my bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones
Date: December 13, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 6, No. 31

“Where you began will seem unimportant, because your future will be so successful.” (Job 8:7NCV)

Recently, I congratulated one of my church elder brothers who was just awarded a doctorate degree by one of the prestigious universities in the land. And though the news met me as a surprise, I was really happy and grateful to God for him. Why? First, it was because I remembered where we started from. It was a little town that you could not find on the map of Nigeria of those days. It was really a rural place then and still won’t be considered by many as an urban centre today. Yet, against all odds, some people have risen from that same rural place to become great and mighty in the country. 

So, where you started from in life is not really what is important but where you eventually rise to. You may have started from an obscure and unknown place in life. But once you become successful and great in life, only few people will bother to find out where you started or how you started. What they will be concerned about is how they can be a part of your success or benefit from it.

Second, I was surprised at the news of his doctorate degree award because when we were still the young boys of the church, he did not look like someone that would go on to become an academic. Yes, he was one of our role models then, someone that would master anything he set his heart on to learn. But I personally still did not see an academic in him. Yet, at this moment, what I saw or did not see in him years ago is irrelevant. He is already what he is by the grace of God. 

And there is nothing anybody can do against that.What is the point of that? It is this: that you do not have an impressive look or beginning does not mean you are not loaded with God’s grace to become great and mighty here on earth. So, don’t let how you look or where you are taking off prevent you from dreaming great things for yourself in life. 

Instead, determine to take advantage of the grace of God to utilise to the full all the beautiful things He has deposited in you. And if you will do that, only God Himself can tell how far you will go and how high you will rise in life.Now that, of course, is the point being made by one of Job’s friend (Bildad) in our opening bible text. And though he was misapplying it at the time, we cannot run away from the truth it is communicating. What truth is it communicating? It is that your future can make your background irrelevant. 

In other words, what becomes of your life in the future can make your background, social, academic, financial or spiritual, irrelevant. What, then, will become of your life, when all has been said and done? Will it make your natural or spiritual background irrelevant? If it will make it irrelevant, in what way will it make it irrelevant? Is it going to be on a positive note or on a negative note? The future that that dear church elder brother of mine came into has made his natural background irrelevant on a positive note. 

Everyone will now relate to him on the basis of his new status, a doctor of philosophy, not on the basis of the littleness or insignificance of the town in which he was born and raised. But the same thing could not be said of the prodigal son. He was born and raised in wealth. But all of that, at some point, became irrelevant, since he failed to make the most of it in building a place of greatness for himself in life. (Cf. Luke 15)

Well, the point is that when the story of your life is finally completed, what becomes of you is what will really matter and not your background. My prayer is that you will be led by the Spirit of God to make the most of everything He has provided for you to be all that you can be in this life, irrespective of your background, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

It was nothing but a symbol | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: December 06, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 6, No. 30

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“When the ark of the LORD’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?” When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “We’re in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!” So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.” (1Sam 4:5-11NIV)

Why did the Israelites bring in the Ark of the Lord’s covenant into the camp on the occasion mentioned in our opening bible text? They brought it in because they thought doing so would give them victory over their enemies, the Philistines. And did things go as they had expected? No! On the contrary, they were soundly defeated by their enemies. Not only that, the Ark of the Lord’s covenant that they had brought in to save them was captured and taken away by their enemies.

Why? What went wrong? Well, the problem was that those Israelites made the mistake of misrepresenting the Ark of the Covenant for God Himself. And notice that even the Philistines, their enemies, also made the same mistake. When they heard that the Ark of the Lord’s covenant had been brought into the camp of the Israelites, they were sorely afraid. That was because they felt that God Himself had stepped into their camp and would fight for them.

But somehow, they managed to encourage themselves to fight and fight hard, even if it meant confronting the God of the Israelites. And their courage and bravery paid off. They defeated the Israelites, captured the Ark of the Covenant and took it away to their land, believing that they had captured the God of the Israelites. And did they really capture God? No! But they had to learn the reality about that in a very hard way. (Cf. 1Sam 5-6)

In any case, my point is that the Israelites made a mistake at that time to misrepresent the Ark of the Covenant for God Himself. That was why they tried to use it like a charm to defeat their enemies. But they were wrong. That Ark was not God. That Ark was only a symbol of God’s presence. It, therefore, means that if God Himself was not with them and on their side, the presence of His Ark with them would mean nothing.

Now what God with them and on their side at the time? No! As the account shows us, God was very angry with the people at the time because of their idolatry (1Sam 7:2-4). To make matters worse, their leading priests, the sons of Eli, that were supposed to set them right were also altogether corrupt (1Sam 2:12-17). Yet these men believed that as long as the Ark of the Lord was with them, God was with them. That explains why they were confident to take this Ark into the camp of the Israelites on the day of battle, believing that it was God they were carrying there and that He would surely perform.

But to their shock, God did not perform that day. And He did not perform because He was not with them. All they had with them was a symbol of His presence, not His presence. So, they lost their lives even though they had a symbol of His presence with them. What a shame!

Unfortunately, there are still many like the Israelites of that time who have no understanding that God is not a religious symbol or item but a real person. Therefore, they always expect Him to move on their behalf, irrespective of what they are doing with their lives or their attitude towards His word, just because they are carrying some religious symbols or items around. But they are simply joking.

See, God will not do anything for anybody just because they are carrying bibles, anointing oil, anointed handkerchiefs, anointed water or some crosses around. Those things are merely religious symbols and items, having no power of their own to do anything to or for anybody. So, God can do without them any day and anytime. And even if He decides to use any of them, He will only do so to the degree that the one handling it functions according to His word. If the person using it will not take His word seriously and act on it, he will soon enough find it utterly useless to him.

So, if you are one of those whose trust is in religious symbols and items instead of in God, you have set yourself up for constant defeat. That is because instead of seeing God move on your behalf in the face of life’s challenges, it is your symbols that you are going to be seeing moving. And of what help will those moving symbols be to you, then, if you are not shown mercy by God? Of no help whatsoever!

Likewise, if you are one of those who believe that once you carry certain religious symbols or items around, things will always work together for your good, regardless of what you do, you are simply preparing yourself for sudden destruction or defeat. Remember that the Ark of the Covenant, which was a symbolic presence of God with His people, could not save the sons of Eli when they really needed salvation. And why should it save them? After all, it was nothing but pieces of wood decorated with gold.

In like manner, what you too are carrying around, whether it is made of gold or silver and regardless of who prayed over it for you, is nothing but an item. So, it won’t be able to play the role of God and save you on the day of battle, if God Himself does not save you. And will God want you to save you in your hour of need, with or without your religious symbols or items? It all depends on how seriously you take Him and His word and what measure of mercy He decides to show you. I counsel you, then, to take Him seriously instead of relying on some symbols, for in doing so is real salvation.

Copyright © 2023, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

A blessing or a curse | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: November 29, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 6, No. 29

“Noah, who was a farmer, was the first man to plant a vineyard. After he drank some of the wine, he became drunk, took off his clothes, and lay naked in his tent.” (Gen 9:20-21GNT)

Why did Noah get drunk on the wine he had made? He got drunk on it because he did not know that too much of wine was capable of getting someone drunk. Truly, he was the one that discovered that wine could be gotten from fruits. And he made that discovery because God’s blessing of fruitfulness was at work in him.

However, it is not enough for us to discover anything, good or bad; it is also important that we possess adequate wisdom to handle our discovery. Otherwise, a discovery that is meant to be a blessing may end up being a curse.

Noah indeed discovered how wine could be made. And that discovery was meant to be a blessing to him. But it ended up exposing him to disgrace because he did not have sufficient wisdom to manage it. Yes, the wine he made must have tasted very sweet in his mouth and also felt quite refreshing in his body. But since he had never tasted or drunk it before, there was no way he would have known how his body would respond to it.

So, he should not have started by consuming a lot of it. That would have been his wisdom. But without knowing how his body would respond to the wine he had just made, Noah kept on consuming it until it he got drunk on it. So, he unknowingly exposed his nakedness and also ended up placing a curse on one of his grandchildren. (Cf. Gen 9:20-25)

What is this teaching us? Well, as I pointed out before, it is teaching us that it is not enough for us to possess the knowledge of anything, good or bad; it is equally important that we possess adequate wisdom to handle that knowledge. Otherwise, our possession of it may after all not do us any significant good. On the contrary, it may even end up harming us.

The discovery of crude oil in Nigeria, for instance, was meant to be a blessing, a very good thing to us as a nation. But has it been a blessing to us? No! Why? It is because, as a people, we do not have the wisdom to manage it. Yes, we know where the crude oil is located in our land. And we also know how to explore it. In fact, we explore and even export it every day. But has this improved our quality of living significantly as a nation? No! Why? Insufficient wisdom to manage it!

Personally, I am of the opinion that if we had not discovered crude oil as early as we had done, things would most likely have been better for us as a nation. At least, the country was doing relatively well before crude oil was discovered. And that was because those leading us at the time had sufficient wisdom to make use of the raw materials, which were mostly agricultural produce, that were available to them to make life better for us. If we had gotten much wiser, then, before discovering crude oil and the kind of money its exploration could make available to us, we may have been able to manage it better in making our nation great.

Well, my point is that it is not enough for you to labour to discover things or to acquire knowledge; it is also important you continually pray to God fill you with the wisdom to handle whatever knowledge you receive. Otherwise, as Paul tells the Corinthians, knowledge without adequate wisdom to handle it may end up making you proud, insensitive and reckless (1Cor 8). And these things are bound to make you stagnant or destroy you. Is that, then, what you want? Do you want that which is meant to be a blessing to become a curse for you? I am sure that is not want you want. So, don’t just seek to know; also seek to be made wise enough to handle whatever you know.

Cheers!

Copyright © 2023, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Title: No one knew what they were|Fire in my bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones
Date: November 22, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 6, No. 27

“One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine. He gathered some of its gourds and filled the fold of his cloak. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. Elisha said, "Get some flour." He put it into the pot and said, "Serve it to the people to eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot.” (2Kings 4:39-41NIV)

Who went out into the fields to gather herbs to cook? It was one of the sons of the prophets serving under Prophet Elisha. And what did he bring in to cook for his people? The gourds (fruits) of an unknown wild vine!Interestingly, when he came back with those gourds and began to cook them, nobody queried him or asked him questions, even though they did not know what he cooking for them to eat. Why? As the account shows us, it was a time of famine. So, food was scarce.

If someone, then, brought something into a house to cook, regardless of what it might be, those in that house may not ask him any questions, as long as there was something to fill their bellies with. (Cf. 2Kings 4:38)That was the situation that those sons of the prophets found themselves in. Because they were all starving, they did not bother to query their colleague about what he was cooking for them, even though not even he could tell them what it was. But it was not long after they started eating it that they all realised that it was poison they were eating. 

And if Prophet Elisha had not been around that day to supernaturally heal them and the food they were eating, the story would definitely have ended differently.Now what is the point of this bible story? It is that we must not allow any situation, however ugly it may be, to drive us into accepting to do something or consuming something that we have no adequate knowledge of what it is. 

Otherwise, we may end up consuming poison or getting involved in something that will ruin our lives before we know what has befallen us.How did some people end up being ruined through prostitution or money rituals? It was because when they were about to be introduced into these terrible things, they did not ask enough relevant questions from those introducing them into them. And why did they not ask enough relevant questions from them? They were desperate to come out of poverty and suffering. 

So, when some people told them that there was a way out, they did not bother to find out what way it was and what taking that way may do to their lives. They just sat down to eat what was set before them. And by the time they found out what was happening, they had taken enough poison to totally destroy their lives. If such people are, then, not shown mercy, they will surely be utterly ruined.In like manner, some have ended up in some deadly secret societies or in the practice of sorcery because they would not ask relevant questions from those offering them help to their problems. 

Maybe they wanted to have children, to become influential, to be healed of certain sicknesses or to be protected from some wicked enemies. Then, in their desperation, they agreed to do what certain individuals that volunteered to help them told them to do, without asking relevant questions. And before they knew it, what appeared altogether harmless when they got started became some kind of poison that was ruining their lives, homes and everything else that they held dear. If they also are not shown mercy, they can only be completely ruined.


So, again, before you settle down to eat that free food, know what it is you want to eat. And before you join that group or enlist for that business, know what you are getting involved in and what terms and conditions applied. Many all round this country are running from pillars to posts now because of some debts hanging around their necks. But how did they get into those debts? Almost unconsciously! Those who dragged them into debt did not make it look like a serious thing when they were offering them loans. They did not make it look like something capable of poisoning their world. So, they got involved without considering the reality about their abilities to handle the situations. 


And by the time the reality dawned on them, they had sunk so deep in some rivers of debt that it would probably take series of miracles from God for them to be saved.What is my point? Have adequate knowledge of whatever you are getting yourself involved in or signing up for, regardless of who is introducing it to you. Then you won’t have to needlessly surrender your life and world to be poisoned by some unknown quantity.
Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Title: When they are overreaching| Fire in my bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones
Date: November 15, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 6, No. 26

“Two years later, when Absalom's sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king's sons to come there. Absalom went to the king and said, "Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his officials please join me?" "No, my son," the king replied. "All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go, but gave him his blessing.” (2Sam 13:23-25NIV)

It is a natural thing for those who love us or who hold us very highly in their hearts to always look for opportunities to do things that will make us happy. And it will only be proper for us at such times to cheerfully and willingly accept the tokens of their love for us, regardless of how little they may seem. That is because it will show that we accept them as they are and are not ashamed of associating with them, though they may not be as wealthy, educated, influential or spiritual as we are.

However, there are times that such people may actually be overreaching in their attempt to make us happy or satisfy us. And it will only be wise and kind of us to prevent them from making us an unnecessary burden to them. Otherwise, in trying to make us happy, they may end up putting themselves in some avoidable problems. Are we, then, going to be happy to learn that the reason someone who loves and adores us is in a big financial, marital or social mess is that he wanted to please us? We will not at all, if we have any iota of human feeling.

A friend of mine was once very angry with me because of something along this line. What happened? Well, there was this particular bible that she had told me that she would love to have. So, I wanted to surprise her with it on her birthday. But I didn’t have enough money at the time to do so because of some commitments I had. So, I talked to a friend of mine to lend me part of the money for like a week or so. Unfortunately, somehow, she overheard us. And it got her very upset. She was like, “I understand that you are trying to make me happy here. But you did not have to do that. You did not have to borrow to make me happy.” Now, of course, we later resolved the matter. 

But I learnt my lesson, which is that those who truly care about you will not want to receive things from you, just because doing so will make them happy; they will also be concerned about what making them happy will cost you. Will it cost you your happiness? Will it cost you your job? Will it cost you your marriage? Or is it your reputation or life savings that it will cost you? They will be concerned about this and will do whatever they can to stop you from embarrassing yourself because of them. That, of course, is the main message of our opening bible text. 

Absalom was throwing a party for his sheepshearers and requested that his father, King David, and all his officials would be present there. But his father told him that he and his officials would not be attending the party. Why? Was it because he did not love Absalom or appreciate his generous invitation? No! He loved him and also appreciated his invitation. In fact, we are told in the account that he gave him his blessing.Why, then, did he insist that he and his men would not be coming? It was because he knew that their presence at the party would be a great burden for the young man. We are talking about taking care of the king and his high officials along with their servants and guards. 

The money and the logistics involved could be financially paralysing for him. And David did not want him to go bankrupt because of them. So, he simply gave him his blessing and told him not to worry about him and his officials.We too must be like that. We must be sensitive to people’s true conditions and not allow them to paralyse themselves because they want to please us or make us happy. Otherwise, once the harm is done, nothing we do may be sufficient in healing those involved.Then I want you to also keep in mind the fact that it is not every time that people give us the impression that they want to do something in our honour or to make us happy that they really want to make us happy.

 As we see in Absalom’s case, he really did not want David and his men to attend his party. That was because he already had plans of using the party as a cover-up for assassinating his elder brother, Amnon. And the presence of the king and his officials would not have made that possible. So, asking the king and his officials to grace his party was all pretence, something simply done to massage their ego. He already knew that they would not agree to come.

So, don’t ever assume that everyone that is giving you the impression that he will sacrifice himself to make you happy is actually willing to do so. They may just be flattering you and expecting you to stop them. But if you foolishly rest on their words, you will only have yourself to blame when those words break or shatter under you, leaving you injured and disgraced.Finally, it is important that we too are not overreaching in our attempts to make anyone in our lives happy. 

Otherwise, we may end up putting unnecessary and paralysing burdens on ourselves because of them. And are we going to be able to freely talk about the harm we have done to ourselves then? Not verry likely!So, know those things that are beyond your ability to give to people or do for them. And know the people that you have no true intention or ability to entertain and never insist that they visit you or be a part of something you are doing, just because you want to show them how much you respect them or because you want to use them to enhance your prestige. You may end up embarrassing yourself and feeling terrible for the rest of your life, if your best ends up not satisfying them or making them happy. Be wise.
Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Don’t make a monster of them | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: November 08, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 6, No. 26

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“Your servant is in your hands, “Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.”

(Gen 16:6NIV)

As we go through Scriptures, we see that Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is consistently described as a virtuous, holy and submissive woman. She was a woman who stood by her husband all the time and who was always committed to doing anything that would keep him safe and happy, even at the risk of her own life. It is not surprising, then, that married believing women are instructed to emulate her way of life, if they want to earn the respect of their husbands and become models for others to follow. (Cf. Gen 12&20; 1Pet 3:1-6)

Nevertheless, in our opening bible text, we are told of a time in which this same Sarah mistreated Hagar, her maidservant. And the maltreatment she gave her was so intense that she fled from her. So, Sarah too had a history of being cruel to someone. And is that something believing women should emulate as well? No!

See, though believing women are told to emulate Sarah, she does not represent a perfect example of who godly women should be. Only Christ Jesus represents a perfect example of who all of us believe in Him, both male and female, should be. He, then, is the only one we are to emulate in all things and at all times. Yes, Scriptures recommend a number of people for us to emulate. But they also tell us what to emulate in them. And we must not go beyond whatever they tell us to emulate in people. Otherwise, to our own disadvantage, we may find ourselves emulating in others attributes that God has already judged as wrong or destructive. (Cf. Heb 12:1-2)

In any case, what was responsible for the cruelty that, at some point, found expression in that beautiful, holy and virtuous woman, Sarah? What was responsible for that stain that was found on her white garment of integrity? It was the misbehaviour of Hagar, her maidservant.

As the story goes, Sarah, because she was desperate about giving her husband Abraham a son, came up with the idea of giving Hagar, her maidservant to him as wife. And her plan was to adopt any child that came of that union as her own child. But why did she consider Hagar for that kind of sensitive task? It must have been because she loved her dearly and also trusted her very much. (Cf. Gen 16:1-3)

Now we know that there is hardly anything that could be more difficult for a married woman to tolerate than to share her husband with someone else. Even Leah and Rachel, who were blood sisters, had serious issues sharing the same husband (Gen 29-30). So, for Sarah to consider Hagar as the best person to bring into her marriage bed in order to raise a child for her husband, she must have thought very highly of her.

But to her utter disappointment, as soon as Hagar realised that she had become pregnant for Abraham, she began to despise her. She despised her so much that she became frustrated. And in her frustration, she began to blame her husband for her suffering. But in the first place, it was her idea to bring Hagar into their bed. How, then, was she able to conveniently blame her husband for the way things turned out? Maybe Abraham overpampered Hagar. Who knows! But it is clear that Hagar got the wrong signal after becoming pregnant and began to think that she had arrived in a place where she could displace Sarah at will. (Cf. Gen 16:4)

Thankfully, Abraham loved Sarah too much to allow anybody to come between them or to insult her personality. So, even though Hagar was carrying his child, he told Sarah to fix her. And that was what awakened the monster in her. She got herself together and treated Hagar to so much cruelty that she ran away from their house. I mean that she showed her who the real mistress of the house was. And if God had not stepped into the situation, giving birth to her son and raising him would have been a sort of hell for Hagar. (Cf. Gen 16:5-16)

But would lovely and gentle Sarah have turned to a cruel monster overnight, if Hagar had not overstepped her boundaries? Not likely! She loved her and trusted her. But her pride made her betray her love and trust. So, even though she was eventually allowed back into that house, things never remained the same for her there again. Sarah, for instance, did not adopt her son to be hers again. And that was why when she had her own son, she insisted that Hagar and her son, Ishmael, leave the house. (Cf. Gen 21)

What is the point of all this? First, it is that we can turn very good and kind people into monsters through our misbehaviour to them. And when they strike, we may not be the only ones that will suffer – others in our lives also may suffer along with us. So, don’t take lightly those who have been good to you or instrumental to certain records of success you have in life, just because you are now richer or better placed in life than them. Don’t abuse their generosity or the rare privileges they have given you. Otherwise, the pains they may feel may be beyond what you can imagine. And those pains may be what will wake up the monster in them. Then you will be surprised to see that the same hand that once fed and nurtured you is now carrying a sword to severe your head.

Second, don’t allow anyone to turn you into a monster and forever ruin your testimony before God and His people. It will always be on record that Sarah once maltreated someone. No, she never thought it would come to that. But her bad decision of bringing Hagar into her bed made things come to that.

So, as we relate to people, we must not allow any form of desperation or excitement to lead us into taking them to beds they are never supposed to be sleeping on or into giving them privileges that they are not mature or wise enough to manage. Otherwise, they may end up using what we have given to them to do to us things that will not only fill us with regrets but also fill us with strong desires for vengeance. Then some monsters will have been created. And it may take God’s intervention for such monsters not to destroy everything in their paths or themselves before they are healed and restored. Therefore, mind yourself.

Copyright © 2023, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Title: Be willing to associate with them|Fire In My Bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones
Date: November 08, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 6, No. 24

“…Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” (Rom 12:16NIV)

Twice we are told in our opening bible text not to be arrogant but to be willing to associate with people of low position. Why? First, it is because God Himself was willing to associate with us when we had nothing to offer Him. And why? It was so that He would be able to save us and elevate us to the position of sons in our relationship with Him. So, the bible says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8NIV)

In like manner, by associating with people of low position in our neighbourhoods, workplaces and even the church of God, we can be used by God to elevate them or protect them from some oppressors. Truly, we may not see ourselves as being in any position to elevate or protect anybody. But the truth is that, no matter how low we may think of our current place in life, we will still find people who will wish they were in that position. And that will be because they see us as living on a higher plane of life. 

Now it is such people that the word of God is telling us to be willing to associate with. That way, we may just be able to help them rise in life or save them from some situations that may lead to their disgrace or destruction. Look at Jonathan, the son of King Saul, for instance. Even though he was the crown prince of Israel and a mighty warrior, he was willing to associate with David when he was but a boy. Yes, David did something outstanding at the time for him to be noticed by Jonathan. Nevertheless, if he had been an arrogant prince, he would still not have associated with him, seeing that he was younger than him and also did not come from a wealthy family. (Cf. 1Samuel 18:1-4)

But Jonathan was not a proud prince or warrior. So, he came down to David’s level in order to make friends with him. And because he did this, God was able to use him to save the young man from the jealousy of his father, King Saul, and send him away from the land in peace, so that the purpose of God may be fulfilled in his life. (Cf. 1Samuel 19-20)   

Consider Joseph too. When he was in the prison, he had the rare privilege of meeting two important officials of the king of Egypt. These men offended their master, the king of Egypt, and were imprisoned for doing so. And as people had been used to power and money, they may have chosen not to associate with anyone in the prison, while waiting for the king’s judgment. But they humbled themselves and associated with Joseph, a slave and prisoner. So, God was later able to use one of them to save him from this prison that he had been unjustly sent to and to also open the door for the great dreams He had given to him to come to pass. (Cf. Gen 40-41)

In the same vein, by humbling ourselves to associate with those who are occupying lower social positions than us, we may just be making ourselves available for God to use in fulfilling His dreams of greatness for them. And where that is the case, they also may eventually be used by God in fulfilling certain dreams of His for our lives or be used by Him in rescuing us in some period of trials. But if arrogance had prevented us from associating with them, who are we going to blame, if they too are unwilling to associate with us if life becomes better for them?

So, the second reason we should be willing to associate with people of low positions is that they also may be occupying greater positions than ours tomorrow. See, the fact that someone is occupying a position lower than yours today does not mean that the person is a moron or that you have better abilities or prospects in life than them. David, at the time Jonathan met him, was a lowly Bethlehem boy. But he was also the one chosen and anointed by God as the future king of the land. So, by treating him well, Jonathan was simply helping his own future in the land.

Similarly, even though Joseph, at the time that the chief cupbearer of the king of Egypt met him, was just a common slave and prisoner, he had been chosen by God to be a father to Pharaoh and the saviour of the world of the time from a coming terrible period of famine. So, by associating with him, the man was just unconsciously building a relationship with a future world leader. And think of how he must have felt on the day Joseph was made the prime minister of Egypt by their king.

Well, the point of it all is that don’t allow pride or arrogance to keep you from building great relationships with the people of low position around you. That is because apart from the fact that God can use you to lift them up in great ways, He may also have appointed them to be the people that will lift you too up in a time of need. And if you allow arrogance to despise them now, how do you think they too will treat you, if the tables were to be turned? Only God can tell.

A word of caution, however: don’t associate with people of low position because you hope that God will want to use them to help you someday. That may not be in God’s plans at all. Even if it is, such people may forget your kindness or not permit Him to use them for you. And where that is the case, bitterness may overtake and ruin you, if your reason for helping them now is that they too may help you in the future. So, mind yourself.