Category: Fire in my Bones

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Be observant | By: J.O. Lawal. | Date: April 05, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 47

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up — one on one side, one on the other — so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” (Ex 17:10-13NIV)

When Joshua led the nation of Israel to fight the Amalekites, as we see in our opening bible text, Moses also went with Aaron and Hur to the top of a hill to view the battle. But soon enough, Aaron and Hur observed that Moses was not just there to look at how bravely their men would fight. Rather, he was there to intercede on behalf of those men so that they would win the battle.

How did Aaron and Hur know this? It was by being observant. As the account shows us, when they got to the top of the hill, they could see that Moses was holding up his hands. And I am sure they must have initially felt that he was just blessing the men to win the victory. But as they stayed longer on the hill with him, they realised that he was not bringing down his hands at all – he simply continued to hold them up. That was when they began to pay attention to the significance of what he was doing.

Now what they did they discover? They discovered that as long Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he grew tired and lowered them, the Amalekites were winning. That, of course, showed them that what Moses was doing was spiritual. Truly, he did not open his mouth to pray out. But he was actually in a position of intercession for his people to win that battle by lifting up his hands towards the throne of God.

See, Moses himself was observant and spiritually sensitive to what was going on at that time. He had sensed in his spirit that offering some minutes of prayer or words of blessings for Israel’s army would not be sufficient on that occasion. He would need to intercede for them from start to finish, if they would win that battle. And that was exactly what he intended to do. He intended to keep his hands up with a heart of intercession till the job was done.

In like manner, there are times that we need to stay in a spirit of prayer or intercession till some problems are once for all solved. For example, some people have had certain problems come and go in their lives for years or decades. When these problems show up and they pray about them, they will disappear. But once they have some days or weeks of relief, the problems will show up again.

Such problems are just like the Amalekites Moses battled with. And hands must be steadily raised in prayers and intercessions until they are permanently solved or crushed. But we need to be observant and spiritually sensitive to know situations of our lives that require such approach. Otherwise, such situations will not stop irritating us.

Moses was observant and spiritually sensitive enough to know that he would have to pray from start to finish in order to defeat the Amalekites. And he gave himself to doing just that. But then, at some point, as it was to be expected of any human being, his strength began to fail him. The battle was hot. He probably did not anticipate that it would take as long as it did to defeat the Amalekites. But that was the reality. The enemy was not giving up. And though he had access to God’s power to defeat them, his human strength was already failing him. What was he going to do?

Well, thankfully, the men he took with him were also observant and spiritually sensitive. So, they were quick to do the maths and decide how to respond to what was happening. And how did they respond? They found a stone for Moses to sit on, when he grew tired, and each of them held each of his hands up till Joshua won the battle. Praise God!

We too need such people around us. Yes, we need people that are spiritually sharp and sensitive in our lives as our closest companions. Otherwise, when we are faced with Amalek, they may not know that we are losing until we finally lose a battle that we could actually win. So, don’t just keep people as friends for the sake of doing so. Instead, keep as friends people of great spiritual substance that will be able to recognise your hour of need and give you adequate support in it.

Then you too should be that kind of person to those in your life. Be one that is not just looking out for himself but for others as well. Otherwise, if some trouble should come for those in your life, you will not know a thing until it has destroyed them. And if all the good people in your life should end up being destroyed in that manner, who would be there for you in your own hour of need? So, wake up and stop being insensitive to the needs of others. And may the Spirit of God enable you to do the right thing. Amen.

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)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Face the fact | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: March 29, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 46

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.” (Gen 13:5-7NIV)

Why did quarrelling arise between Abraham’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen? It was because the place they were staying could not support the two family-groups. Lot, as we are told in our opening text, had been moving around with Abraham, his uncle. And in the process, he too had grown tremendously in wealth. That being the case, Abraham should have anticipated that at some point there would be clashes of interests, if he allowed him to continue to stay with him.

But somehow, maybe out of blood sentiments, Abraham would not readily face the fact that it was time for Lot to be independent and go his own way to establish his household and generation. So, they continued to stay together in the same place, even though it was becoming more and more glaring that the place they were was too small to support both of them and their possessions. And because they would not face the reality about their situation and deal with it, at some point, quarrelling broke out between their workers.

Now it is possible that those workers had been trying to keep their cool about the fact that the resources where they were could no longer support the two groups and that they both had to just tolerate each other. And that would be because they would not want to be the reason their masters, who were both relatives and who had been living together in harmony for years, would quarrel and become enemies. But that, evidently, did not take away the problem. That did not handle the fact that each family-group was simply trying to tolerate the other in using the resources available where they were.

A time came, however, when these two groups of workers could no longer hide their resentments and frustration. So, they let everything out and made it clear that, all along, they had just been trying to tolerate themselves in using the space and resources available to them where they were staying. And that was when Abraham realised that he had to face the fact about the situation and allow himself and Lot to part company, when they were still at peace with each other. Otherwise, the matter would grow worse and their parting then would most likely leave each of them with bitterness and pains.

What is the point of this? It is that when there is a need for us to make some changes in handling our relationships with others, we should do so and not allow sentiments to prevent us from doing the needful. Otherwise, what we are trying to prevent from happening may eventually happen and we may no longer be able to control its impart or outcome.

For example, it may be okay and very pleasant for you and a friend to be staying together as single brothers or sisters. But you need to accept the fact that, at some point, the circumstances of your life will not support your staying together. And if you are not prepared to do the needful before that day comes, though you are now good friends, you may end up becoming bitter enemies.

Or it may be okay for you to partner in business with a friend or a sibling when you are not married or when you are not occupying certain positions in life. But when some situations or circumstances change or begin to change in your life or in the life of that person, you need to face the reality about the impart this change will have on your lives and relationship and be immediate in doing the needful. Otherwise, what you are trying to protect or save may end up being lost.

The same thing is applicable to marriage relationships and the relationships between parents and their children. There are circumstances of life that will naturally affect these relationships, whether we like it or not. And how we handle the invasion or gradual introduction of these circumstances into our lives is what will determine whether they end up being a blessing to us or a curse.

For example, there are marriages that have been on fire since one of the couples got a promotion at work or got a better paying job. And there are parents that have been having serious issues with their children since those children crossed their teenage years. Is getting promoted a bad thing? No! But promotion can change a whole lot of things about someone. And if those in their lives will not face that reality, that promotion may end up being a curse to all of them.

Also, is crossing the teenage year a bad thing for any child? No! Every parent wants their children to grow up and become responsible in life. And all sane children also want the same things for themselves. But anyone who has crossed the teenage years is no longer a child but an adult. And if he and his parents are not ready to accept this fact and relate accordingly, they may end up being estranged for life, even though they have been best of friends before.

My point, at any rate, is that as your life’s circumstances and those of the people in your life are changing, face the reality about this change and be prepared to change accordingly. But if you allow sentiments to get in the way, the problem you want to avoid may end up coming up when and where you will have no answer for it. So, 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)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

A culture of making excuses | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: March 22, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 45

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’” (Matt 25:24-25NIV)

If we are ever going to become the persons God wants us to be and accomplish anything tangible in this life, one of the things we must rid our lives of is a culture of making excuses. An elderly friend once told me something a senior colleague had told him about excuses. And what was it? It was that excuses don’t move the work forward; excuses don’t get anything worthwhile done.

Now is that not true? Is it not true that excuses don’t get anything worthwhile done? It is true. So, don’t train yourself to be making excuses for not doing what you are supposed to do. Otherwise, you may end up keeping yourself stagnant for life.

As we see in our opening bible text, one servant that was given a huge sum of money to work with by his master only had excuses to give him, when he called him in to give an account of his service. His master, as the story goes, had gone on a long journey after giving him and two other servants of his huge sums of money to do business with. But while others went straightaway to put their money to work and profit with it, he was busy occupying himself with irrelevancies. (Cf. Matt 25:14-25)

Therefore, when his master came back and begun to question him about the money given to him, he lost no time at all to present his excuses. But he had months or perhaps years to work with what he was given. Why did he do nothing with it? Why was he comfortable playing around and doing nothing that his master would consider significant? The answer is simple. This man had no intention of working at all with what he was given. That was why, as his master pointed out, he did not even consider putting the money with him in a bank, so that he would receive it back with interest.

Now if you had ever dealt with people who have a culture of making excuses, you would have observed that they hardly use their heads. And don’t miss my point here. I am not saying that they are stupid. No, they are not. They are just people who usually don’t want to use their brains to get anything serious done well. So, while they are making excuses for their failure, non-performance or poor performance, what they could have done differently will be obvious to you. And you will be left wondering why they could not see something as obvious as that.

Well, the problem is that when someone has a culture of making excuses, it will rob him of initiatives. That is because instead of training his mind to solve problems, he will be training it to make excuses. Therefore, it does not matter how simple the task you give him is, he will surely find himself an excuse to fail at it or to defend his failure in handling it. And such a person has nowhere important to get to in life. He can only expect to daily diminish in relevance.

As we see in the case of the servant mentioned above, when his master would judge him, he called him lazy, unprofitable and wicked. Then he asked that the money with him be given to another person, who had shown himself profitable, and that he be thrown into a place of suffering. And that is the kind of sentence anyone who has a culture of making excuses can expect to receive from both man and God. (Cf. Matt 25:26-30)

So, if unconsciously or consciously you have been training yourself to make excuses instead of training yourself to get results in whatever you are meant to do, it won’t be long before you gain a reputation for being lazy, unprofitable and wicked at work, in your home, in your school, in the church or wherever you find yourself. Then all the people who could have done you good and help you rise in life will start withdrawing themselves and their favours from you.

Now that will be terrible for you, won’t it? It will. So, shape up and rid yourself of the evil mentality of making excuses for failure. And may God strengthen you to do so, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Be ready for Sanballat|By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: March 15, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 44

“But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”” (Neh 2:19-20NIV)

Why were Sanballat and the people with him not happy that someone with authority and brains had come to help the Israelites? Though we are not given any direct reasons in Scriptures, it must have been because they were happy seeing them wallow in poverty, misery and insecurity. Apart from that, they must also have been benefiting from their miseries.

See, when people are profiting from your poverty, shame or illness, they will not want you out of it. Instead, they will want your condition to remain the same or permanent. So, if such people should begin to see you rise above that situation or should see someone coming to help you out of it, they may get seriously offended.

Also, if people have been happy seeing you wallow in misery, stagnation or shame, probably because you have offended them in the past or because they are just jealous of you, they will not be happy, if you should begin to take steps to move out of that situation. Then if people have been together with you at a particular level of life, not necessarily that of extreme poverty, and have become used to it, they may not be happy for you, if you begin to take steps that will make you rise above them or if things begin to happen in your life that are taking you above them.

But then, it is not everyone that is unhappy about your progress that will take steps to speak against it or to stop it. Some will only be angry with you for a while and then get over it. Whereas some will go beyond being angry with you to actually doing things that will discourage you or stop you in your path of breakthrough and advancement.

Now people like that are just like the Sanballat and Tobiah of Nehemiah’s days. And you have to be ready for them, if you are praying to God to elevate you and also working hard towards being elevated. You have to be ready for their taunts, mockeries and even physical or spiritual attacks. Otherwise, they will frustrate all your attempts and steps towards rising above your current level or situation.

As we see Nehemiah’s account, even though Sanballat, Tobiah and the thugs with them knew quite well that Nehamiah had the authority of King Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and establish the people there, they still made up their minds to do all they could to discourage and stop him. They abused him and the people of God with him. They said the work they were doing was nothing, something that a fox could easily pull down by climbing it. They equally made attempts to attack Nehemiah and all the people working with him.

But did they succeed? No! Why did they not succeed? First, it was because Nehemiah did not show himself to be a weakling, someone that could easily be frightened or threatened through some small talks from some thugs (Neh 2:20). Second, it was because Nehemiah led the people to put their trust in God for their success and protection (Neh 4:4 & Neh 6:9&14). Third, it was because the man and his men were vigilant all the time. The moment they knew that Sanballat and his men would do anything to harm and stop them, they put everybody on red (danger) alert. So, while each of them was working with one hand, he was also holding his weapon in another hand (Neh 4:16-23).

In like manner, if you don’t want people like Sanballat and Tobiah who want to see you make no progress in life but to die in misery to succeed, you must first of all show them that you are not a weakling, one that they could easily frighten or discourage with some words of threats or mockery. Second, entrust your success and safety into God’s hands always. In other words, be devoted to praying and to proclaiming the good word of God concerning your life.

Then be always watchful and ready to do whatever lawful thing that is within your power to do to frustrate anyone that is trying to pull you down or hinder your progress. And just as God gave Nehemiah success and also protected him, so that he completed the wall of Jerusalem in just 52 days, He will give you too success and protect you, so that you will accomplish what you set your heart on accomplishing in record time.

Cheers!

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Beyond the face value | By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: March 08, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 43

“Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now.”” (2Sam 19:5-7NIV)

As we are shown in the bible, there was a time (before David became king) that three of his mighty men risked their lives by fighting their way through the enemy lines in order to get water for him from a well near the gate of Bethlehem. But he would not drink the water they brought for him. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to God (2Sam 23:13-17).

Why did he do that? Was it because he did not appreciate what those men did? No, not at all! He did appreciate what they did with all his heart. However, he felt that their sacrifice was way too much for him to utilise. In other words, he was looking beyond the water that was brought to him to the effort that made it available. He was considering what those men went through to be able to bring him the water. One, two or all three of them could have lost their lives while fighting to get the water. So, he reasoned that the cost of the water brought to him was the value of the lives of the three men that brought it and did not consider himself worthy of drinking it. That was why he offered it to God.

Unfortunately, years later, when an entire army risked their lives to save him from the rebellion of his son Absalom, he did not come out to welcome and celebrate them for what they did. He did not even think of giving God an offering for them. Instead, he stayed indoors to mourn his dead son, Absalom. And that was why, as we see in our opening text, Joab, the commander of his army, told him to his face that he was being ungrateful.

As Joab pointed out to him, instead of looking at the invaluable sacrifice his men made for him, his family and his dynasty, he was brooding over the loss a rebellious son that brought death on himself. He went on to tell him that if he failed to pull himself together and speak encouraging words to the men that sacrificed their lives for his safety, he would soon lose all of them along with his throne.

What is the point of all this? It is that there are times that we (all of us) also act like David and undermine the significance of what people are doing for us or have done for us. It is not that we don’t appreciate them at all. But we don’t appreciate them enough to show it. And that may be because we are looking at the face value of what they have done for us or given to us. Or it may be because we think they are more than capable of doing for us what they have done for us or of giving to us what they have given to us.

But people’s act of kindness or generosity are not to be treated by us like that. Instead, they are to be treated with consideration and thoughtfulness. In other words, we must always look beyond what we are receiving to what has accomplished it. What we are receiving may be free. But that does not mean it is cheap. And even if what we are receiving is free and cheap, it does not mean that the effort that made it available to us is cheap.

Why does our Lord say that He is going to reward anyone that gives any of His people just a cup of cold water to drink? Is it because a cup of water is expensive? No! A cup of water can be gotten free, even from strangers, in most cases, unless there is a drought where we are. However, even though a cup of water can be gotten from almost anybody for free, the effort that produces it is never cheap. (Cf. Matt 10:42)

Someone, for instance, fetched the water from which that cup of it that you are receiving is taken. Some people dug the well or sank the borehole where it was gotten. Somebody paid for the services of those who sank the bore hole. Somebody bought the equipment they used in sinking the borehole. Somebody also bought the cup you are going to drink from. Someone equally washed the cup and someone paid for the soap being used to wash it. Do you want me to continue to list the things involved for you? I am sure you don’t, for you will soon find it boring.

My point, at any rate, is that even if it is a cup of water someone has freely brought to you, appreciate the person for it. It may not satisfy you fully. Yet appreciate the one who has brought it to you profusely instead of allowing your emotions to get in the way. That is because the cost of everything you receive from people is always beyond what meets the eyes. Efforts beyond your imaginations have gone into the process.

So, before you open your mouth to say to anyone, “Is that all you can do for me?” or “If I were in your position, I would do more than this,” consider these things carefully. And don’t let the spirit of ingratitude rule you. Otherwise, it may not be long at all before you lose the devotion or help of most, if not all, of the good people in your life.

All this, however, is not an excuse for you to be stingy and doing for others less than you can. I mean that you should not use what I am saying here as your excuse for being stingy or for often running away from making sacrifices for others. God is watching you, if you are like that. And He will surely reward you accordingly. So, watch it.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Hearts always going astray By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: March 01, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 42

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'”” (Heb 3:7-11NIV)

What was the problem God had with the children of Israel that Moses brought out of Egypt, as we see in our opening text? It was that their hearts were always going astray. What does that mean? Well, it means that they were not consistent and faithful in trusting God and in following Him.

Now was is that God gave these people a reason not to be consistent in trusting Him and yielding to Him? No! On the contrary, everything He did for them was done to give them no room to doubt His faithfulness in taking care of them and leading them to the place of rest He had prepared for them.

Nonetheless, as the Spirit of God points out in our opening text, these Israelites would not utterly commit their hearts to following Him, despite all the miracles and signs that He performed for their salvation and prosperity. Instead, each time they faced a new challenge or problem, their hearts would immediately go astray. And they would be ready to grumble against Him and to turn their backs on Him.

Therefore, at some point, He got tired of their grumbling and unfaithfulness and swore that they would not enter the place of rest He had prepared for them. And did they enter it? No, they didn’t. Instead, they perished in the wilderness.

Now we are too are being warned by the Spirit of God not to be like these Israelites in our walk with God. Yes, as long as we are in this world, we cannot run away from challenges. In fact, our Lord’s own words about this are: “…In this world you will have trouble…” So, we should not consider it strange or unusual when we are confronted with diverse trials and challenges in this world. These things are to be expected. (Cf. John 16:33)

But then, in the same breath that the Lord says that we will encounter trouble in this world, He also tells us to cheer up. Why? It is because He has overcome the world for us. And as long as we put our trust in Him, He will make sure we have His peace and rest in our lives, regardless of what challenges we are faced with where we are.

So, instead of losing our mind when we are confronted with any challenge and allowing our heart to turn away from God, we should begin to remind ourselves of all the good things He has done for us in the past, which are actually uncountable. Then our hearts will be strengthened to trust Him again and again. But if we allow ourselves to forget that He has always been good to us and start talking nonsense or turning to the wisdom of men, simply because we are confronted with some challenge that seems overwhelming to us, we may just miss the experience of His rest and victory that could have been ours.

Similarly, in our relationships with men, we also need to learn to be faithful to those who have a record of being good to us or of taking good care of us. Yes, there may be times in which circumstances of life may limit them or prevent them from caring for us as they used to do or as they would love to do. Yet we must remain faithful to them. In fact, we must demonstrate compassion towards them at such times and consider ways to be of help to them.

But if we begin to abuse or threaten those who have been good to us or if we abandon them because of certain challenges they are facing that make it difficult or impossible for them to care for us as they used to do, we will be acting just like those Israelites of old that turned away from God any time things did not go smoothly for them. And where that is the case, there is every tendency that we will miss whatever rest or comfort God might have used them to bring to us in the future, when their lives and fortunes are restored.

Therefore, watch yourself.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Encourage them|By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: February 22, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 41

“Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD, the God of their fathers.” (2Chron 30:22NIV)

As we see in the bible, that is, under the old covenant, it was the duty of the Levites and their priests to learn and understand the written will of God about how He was to be served and worshipped. That way, they would be able to lead the whole nation of Israel to serve God faithfully and stay away from unclean and impure things. (Cf. Ezek 44:15-31; Malach 2:7)

But as we also see in the bible, it was not every generation of these Levites and priests that demonstrated understanding and faithfulness in handling the worship of God. To say the fact, most of their generations did not handle the service of God truthfully at all. Therefore, we have several prophets of God condemning them and pronouncing God’s judgment on them.

For example, we are introduced to the sons of Eli in 1Samuel and told how they were nothing but sons of the devil, even though they were the leading priests in the land. So, God had to ruthlessly judge them and their descendants after them. Also, we have God expressing His displeasure towards the ways of the priests of the time of Malachi. Look at how this is set forth in the bible:

“And now this admonition is for you, O priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me. “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will spread on your faces the offal from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. And you will know that I have sent you this admonition so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD Almighty.” (Mal 2:1-4NIV)

Did you see that? God had no word of praise for those priests at all. And that was because they were corrupt and would not serve His purpose for choosing them. In other words, instead of leading the people in the true worship of God, they were misleading them and getting them into trouble.

Since the nation of Israel, then, had a history of having corrupt and irresponsible priests and Levites, what should be the response of the people, if they suddenly stumbled upon an upright priest? It should be a response of gratitude to God and encouragement to such a priest.

Now that is what we see Hezekiah demonstrating in our opening bible text. This king was leading a spiritual reformation and restoration in the land at that time. So, he needed all the spiritual help he could get. And given the history of corruption of the priests and Levites in the land, he must have been surprised to find that there were still certain priests that understood how God was to be served and that were also devoted to serving Him accordingly. So, the least he could do was to speak encouraging and kind words to those priests. That way, they would be inspired to do better and better in their service to God and to His people who had abandoned Him for years.

In like manner, any time we see people in our land who are devoted to doing what is right and to maintaining justice where they are, we should do all we can to encourage them instead of discouraging them. We know what our country looks like today. We know that it is hard to find in our neighbourhoods, schools, government offices and business centres people who are upright in heart, diligent and trustworthy.

Therefore, anytime we come across anyone who has these qualities, anytime we come across anyone who has refused to be corrupted and made irresponsible by sick our society, we, like Hezekiah, should do whatever we can to encourage them. That is how to strengthen goodness and righteousness in our world.

Interestingly, Paul admonishes us to do similar things in the church. He tells us that wherever we see church leaders that are doing well in feeding us with the word of God and leading us in His will, we should doubly honour them. Why? It is because such leaders are hard to come by. (Cf. 1Tim 5:17)

As the bible shows us, even in the days of the apostles of old, there were so many so-called church leaders that were greedy, corrupt and irresponsible. Therefore, Paul wanted the brethren to know that they must learn to encourage the upright and faithful leaders among them. Otherwise, Satan may, at some point, get these also to lose heart and start imitating the greedy, immoral, manipulative and injurious church leaders around them. (Cf. Phil 3:17-19; 2Peter 2:1-3)

The point I am making, at any rate, is that we all who love righteousness must learn to appreciate it in others. Then we can strengthen it in our world instead of weakening it.

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Be of true help to them|By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: February 15, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 40

“..John Mark went with them as their assistant.” (Acts 13:5NIV)

Who did John Mark go with to assist? Paul and Barnabas! They were on their first missionary journey. And they needed a trusted brother from the church to be around them as their assistant. So, John Mark volunteered to go with them.

Now that reminds of a time in which I travelled with a highly respected pastor of mine to Accra in Ghana. He had just been transferred to the branch of our assembly in that city to get the work there established. And he seriously needed someone to be with him before his family would relocate to join him. So, when he asked me if I would want to go with him, I said ‘Yes’.

Why did I say ‘Yes’ to him? Was it because I was going to be preaching with him? No! Or was it because I was being given an opportunity to travel out of the country for the first time? Yes, that was part of it. I really wanted to see what life outside this country was then. But that was not my main reason for saying ‘Yes’ to him. My main reason for following him was that I saw that he could really use my assistance.

So, I went with him, not to preach with him but to help him in whatever way he wanted me to help him. That, of course, involved handling house chores for him, running errands for him, taking his phone calls and so forth. And when I was leaving about three months later, he wished he could keep me with him a little longer. But since he couldn’t, he sent me off with this prayer that I will never forget: God will grant that you will never lack helpers in your life.

Now what greater reward could I have hoped to receive from him other than those heartfelt words of prayer? None! And that is the greatest reward you too could ever get from anybody for faithfully and willingly making yourself available to serve them, especially in their moment of need. But will you get it? Will there be people in your life praying for you every time they remember you for being such a great help and comfort to them in their lives?

Paul, while addressing Timothy in a letter, says this about a man called Onesiphorus:

“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.” (2Tim 1:16-18NIV)

At a time when everybody abandoned Paul because of his chains, at a time when he was feeling all alone because there was no one around to minister to him with words of encouragement or resources, Onesiphorus was there for him. This man went out of his way to look for this apostle when he came to Rome. It was difficult for him to find him. But he did not relent until he found him and ministered to him. And all that Paul could do was pray heartfelt prayers for him and for his household that they would find mercy on the day of the Lord.

Unfortunately, even today, just as it was with Paul in those days, leaders often find it hard to find trusted and willing people to stand by them to assist or support them. Yes, they often find it hard to find people who will willingly want to make their load lighter, not because of what they want to get or because they are paid to do so but because they truly care. And this is equally true in the church. I mean that, even in the church, it is often hard to find people who are always genuinely looking out for their church leaders and seeking ways to make their load lighter. Most of us only want to serve if there is something for us to gain and if and only if it is convenient.

This, of course, explains why most of our leaders pray for us simply because it is their job to do so and not also because we are continually inspiring them to pray for us. It also explains why we are having fewer and fewer servant leaders in the church. Most of our leaders have not learnt how to genuinely and willingly serve others. How, then, can they teach others to do so? So, they have to resort to the use of money, force or manipulation to get people to do their bidding. And that is how many of them have ended up surrounding themselves with people who are only loyal to themselves and their bellies and not love servants.

Now my prayer is that you will not wake up one day to find out that all the people around you are loyal only to themselves and not at all to you. I also pray that God will provide you with true and willing helpers in your life, helpers who will continually seek to make your life and work easier and more productive. But you too should learn to sow the seed of true help and assistance into the lives of the leaders in your life, both in the church and outside the church. And their heartfelt prayers will water that seed, so that it will bear a great harvest of helpers for you someday.

Categories
Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Domestic oppression |By: J.O. Lawal | FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones
Date: February 08, 2023 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 39

“Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.” (Neh 5:1-6NIV)

As we see in the book of Nehemiah, in order for the Jewish exiles that had returned to Jerusalem to be rid of the harassment and disgrace they were facing from the hostile gentiles surrounding them, Nehemiah had to leave his comfort zone as King Artaxerxes’s cupbearer and come home to help them. Was it easy for him to get this king’s permission to do this? No! He really could have lost his life in the process of seeking it. But because he had first sought the Lord’s face and favour before approaching the man, his request was miraculously granted. (Cf. Neh 1-2)

Now when he eventually came and began to labour for the welfare of his people, he thought it was only the oppression they were faced with from outside that he had to deal with; he did not know that he would have to handle domestic oppression as well. But it was not long after he had successfully dealt with the external forces contending with the welfare of his people that he realised that the people he was working hard to save were equally oppressing one another.

Remember that Moses also had a similar experience. He had, on one occasion, killed an Egyptian in his attempt to save one of his own. But to his surprise, it was not only the Egyptians that were oppressing his people. They themselves were oppressing themselves. And when he tried to point this out to one of them, he ended up having to run for his life for the next forty years. (Cf. Ex 2:11-15)

In any case, as we see in our opening text, Nehemiah was really angry when he realised that while he was labouring hard to help his people get established in the land, there were still among them those who were using their positions of advantage to oppress others. And he had to call their nobles and officials into a meeting and bound them with oaths and curses in order to solve the problem. Otherwise, all his labour to comfort the people and give them rest would have come to nothing because of the domestic oppression going on among them. (Cf. Neh 5:6-13)

Similarly, in Nigeria today, there is much distress everywhere for the citizenry. And is this because our leaders are so cruel and unfeeling? No! Yes, we cannot run away from the fact that many of our leaders have not done well at all in caring for the people. But the truth also is that much of the distress we are now experiencing is not a direct consequence of their ineptitude but that of the domestic oppression we too are subjecting ourselves to.

For example, can we in all honesty say that our leaders are totally to blame for the outrageous increase in fuel prices that we are now seeing? No! That is an offspring of domestic oppression. Or can we in all sincerity put all the blame for the scarcity of the new naira notes that we are seeing on our leaders? No! That is also a product of domestic oppression emanating from many of our commercial banks and POS operators. Or can we say that our leaders are totally to blame for the daylight robbery of many Nigerians by those in the power sector? No! That is equally a product of domestic oppression.

Yes, our economy has been badly managed by our leaders for many years. And no one, as I pointed out before, can excuse them from taking responsibility for that. But we are the ones making this economy daily worse through our greed. Our greed is the force driving us to use the poor leadership in the country as an excuse for pursuing unjust profit in every possible way. So, our pains and miseries are mostly self-inflicted and our oppression largely domestic.

If we, then, are going to witness any relief soon, we all must choose to end every form of domestic oppression we are perpetuating or sponsoring in our offices, business centers, neighbourhoods, schools and even religious assemblies. Remember that, right now, we don’t have any Nehemiah that will compel us to do what is right. So, if we don’t begin to do what is right as a matter of urgency, it may not be long before our beloved country is totally colonised again by foreigners.

Now this sort of colonisation, of course, is not going to be territorial, as it was before we gained independence. Rather, it is going to be an economic thing. In other words, our economic independence will totally be taken away from us and we will be nothing but economic slaves of some other nations. My prayer is that things will not degenerate to that level before we all come back to our senses or before God sends a Nehemiah to us to redeem our honour. Amen.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Would He make a garment of skin for you too?| By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: February 01, 2023|Series: Youth for Jesus| Number: Vol. 5, No. 38

“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” (1Tim 2:9-10NIV)

The day we live in is one in which indecency and inappropriate dressing are now the order of the day. Yes, it is a day in which women, including some elderly ones, no longer see anything wrong with dressing like prostitutes or walking around almost naked.

Unfortunately, even our women in the church are not left out of this societal menace. Many of them are vitally contributing to it. And this is evident in the kinds of dresses they wear to our church meetings. No, they may not come for church meetings half-naked. But they will make sure they wear something that reveals enough of certain parts of their bodies, so that they could get someone’s attention. It is no wonder, then, that rape cases are daily multiplying at a very alarming rate in our country, just as cases of consensual sex among unmarried people are just too much to talk about.

But from what we see in our opening bible text, God’s people, God’s women, old or young, ought to be different in the way they dress and comport themselves. Is it that God does not want them to look beautiful and elegant when they dress? No! He wants His daughters to look beautiful and elegant wherever they appear. Otherwise, He would not create them to be beautiful.

Look, for example, at what the bible says about the daughters of Job that were later born to him: “The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.” (Job 42:14-15NIV) Who gave Job these extremely beautiful daughters? God! So, beauty, any degree of it, is a gift from God. And no should condemn or despise it.

Unfortunately, there are preachers who have mistaken what Paul says in this text to mean that God’s women are not to dress well or beautiful themselves at all, especially with articles of gold or silver. So, they condemn any woman who appears beautiful, without making any effort to find out what quality of life the person is living. But these same people may not see anything wrong with their own women braiding their hair or using bags or shoes with gold or silver plates. And that shows that they are ignorant of what this Scripture means.

I remember, for instance, how a so-called prophet once told a brother of mine that the Spirit of God wanted him to be careful of light complexioned ladies. Why? He had earlier that day seen him with a light complexioned lady. But did he know who she was to him? No! If he had, he would not have said that the Spirit of God told him what He obviously did not tell him.

In any case, what the Scripture we have above is telling us, first, is that God’s daughters are never to take their dressing or physical outlook more seriously than their conduct. So, we should not say that you, as a lady, are beautiful simply because of your hair-do, use of jewelleries and cost of wears but because you are a woman that is also rich in good deeds and character. In other words, if you are not rich in character, your physical beauty may as well be as good as worthless.

Second, this Scripture is telling us that when you dress, demonstrate decency. Cover what is meant to be covered and protect what should be protected. Yes, God has made you beautiful. But He does not want you to get outrageous in handling it. Or else you might soon turn yourself into a tool of seduction in the hand of the devil or open the door of your life for ungodly people or criminals to begin to desire you.

Remember that when the first man and the first women fell and the glory of God that was covering them left, the first thing they did was to cover their nakedness with garments of leaves. And when God came and met them in that condition, what did He do? He made garments of skin for them. Why? He could see that they were not adequately covered, even though it was just the two of them. (Cf. Gen 3)

Now if God should physically appear to you too today, what do you think He would do or say about your dressing? Would He freely settle down to relate to you or would He want to make a garment of skin for you to cover your nakedness? I am sure you know the answer. Therefore, what is acceptable to God is what you should always wear, whether you are a woman or a man and not what many of these movie, music or sport stars are leading you to wear. Otherwise, one might begin to wonder whether you are a child of God at all.