Category: Fire in my Bones

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Fire in my Bones Relationship (Singles)

When primitive men are better | J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: May 26, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 2

“Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.” (Gen 4:19-22NIV)

We often refer to the first set of men and women that walked the face of this earth as primitive, and rightly so. They were crude, simple and unenlightened in many ways, according to the standards of today’s world. But these people were not stupid, dull or unintelligent. On the contrary, they were highly intelligent and sound.

For instance, as we are told in the bible, though Adam, the first man, walked around naked while he was still in the Garden of Eden, he was super intelligent enough to name all the animals in the world, as well as the birds of the air (Gen 2:19-20). So, you cannot measure the level of intelligence of someone or their ability to do big things in life merely on the basis of what they put on or where they live.

Another thing about the so-called primitive people was that they drove their minds to work in order to discover their various abilities and use them to make life better and easier for themselves. For example, in our opening bible text, we are shown how certain descendants of Cain, the first son of Adam, pioneered animal husbandry, music and blacksmithing. These were supposed to be primitive men. Yet they used their head. They recognised their skills and abilities and developed them. So, they laid the foundation for whatever good things we are seeing or enjoying today in those fields of life.

But remember that there was no well-established system of government at that time apart from the home. So, there was nobody to rely on to create jobs, build roads, provide housing estates, provide security or any of the things that we now rely on the various governments of our countries to provide for us. Everybody had to fend for themselves. Everybody had to examine themselves to see what skills or abilities they had and that they could develop and put to use to make life worth living for them.

Unfortunately, the same thing cannot be said today of many of us who belong to this so-called modern world. That is because we hardly use our head. We hardly consider what abilities, skills or resources we have at our disposal that we could put to use to make life worth living for us and others around us. That is why we often rely too much on the government, certain support organisations and just anybody we find around to set the direction our lives will go for us and how much of life we will enjoy. And as long as we are functioning like this, we will never stop being small people, individuals who are hardly adding any value to the world they live in. That, of course, will make even the so-called primitive people better than us. That is because many of them added much value to the world they lived in.

Now I am sure you don’t want end up in life as a small person. You don’t want to end up as someone who, instead of adding value to the world he is in, is always relying on others to do for him what he can and should do for himself. So, wake your brain up and begin to put it to work. Yes, like the primitive people of old, drive your brain to begin to consider all the possibilities that you can actually explore in life with your gifts, education, skills and whatever measure of resources you have. Then, as you see these possibilities, put yourself to work, to work hard and smart. And who knows? You may just end up being the pioneer of something new the world has been waiting for. Even if you do not pioneer anything, as long as you are exercising your mind to put whatever abilities or education you have to wise and significant use, it is unlikely that you will end up in life as a small or useless person.

Copyright © 2021, 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

They stayed at a distance | J.O. LAWAL

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: May 05, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 51

“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”” (Ex 20:18-19NIV)

After God had safely led the children of Israel out of Egypt, their house of bondage, He told Moses to get them ready for a meeting with Him. And part of the instructions he was given was that the people should not come near the mountain of the meeting or go up it until they heard a long blast of a ram’s horn. Otherwise, death would be the penalty. (Cf. Ex 19:10-13)

However, when God eventually stepped on the mountain of the meeting, Mount Sinai, and the people saw His terror, they no longer desired to relate to Him directly anymore. In fact, they would not even go up the mountain again with Moses. They just stayed at a distance from God and His mountain and missed that fellowship experience that would have changed their lives forever. (Cf. Ex 20:21)

Now someone may ask, “Why did God appear to the people in that manner? Why did He have to show them His terror and make them sick with fear? He could, at least, have appeared to them in a gentle and yet majestic way. Then they would not have been so afraid of Him that they would not want to have anything to do with Him again.” Good questions! Good thoughts! But we are not in a position to choose for God how He is to manifest Himself to us. Rather, He is the one to determine how He will manifest Himself to us. Otherwise, His purpose in manifesting Himself to us will not be accomplished.

What I am saying is that God has reasons He manifests Himself to people. And it is the reason for which He wants to manifest Himself to them that will determine the means He uses in manifesting Himself to them. If we, then, do not want to miss the purpose of His manifestation, we need to look beyond the means He is using to Him. In other words, we should not get carried away by the awesomeness of the means He using to reveal Himself to us or get frightened by its terror. Instead, we should fix our gaze on Him. That way, we will be able to experience what He wants us to experience through His manifestation of Himself to us.

In the case we are considering, God chose to reveal Himself to the Israelites the way He did so that they would also know Him as a God to be feared. They had known Him as their saviour and deliverer, one that they could call upon anytime and any day for mercy and help and who would answer. But they also needed to know Him as one who must not be taken lightly, as one who could destroy them, as He destroyed their enemies, if they would not obey Him.

Unfortunately, they did not want to know God that way. They did not want to embrace Him as a God of terror and justice. So, they would not meet with Him or have Him talk to them directly anymore. Instead, they asked Moses to be the intermediary and mediator between them and Him. And that was how they lost the opportunity of knowing God personally and intimately and have their lives changed forever by their knowledge of Him.

Now there are many today like these Israelites, who do not want to have any intimate relationship with God. These ones have no problem accepting Him as a God of goodness, favour and mercy. And they have no problem accepting Him as a saviour and deliverer. But they have problems accepting Him as a God of justice and terror. What they want is a God that is good and kind and who will not punish sin or wickedness. They will be comfortable with that kind of God. But that kind of God does not exist. The true God must not just be loving, kind and merciful but also just and righteous. That is because it is not only His love and mercy that will change our lives and make them right but also His justice and discipline. And until we are willing to embrace His love, mercy, justice, discipline and whatever else He stands for, our lives will never be what they are meant to be.

For instance, why was Moses, whom the Israelites chose to represent them, different from them? Why did he end up becoming a man that God Himself commended as faithful in all His house? He too was a man like them. He too saw the same things they saw, heard the same things they heard and was as afraid of God as they were. But he had a burning desire to know God personally and intimately, regardless of the means He might use in making Himself known to him. Also, he was ready to embrace God in all His fullness, to embrace whatever was revealed to him about Him. So, he approached the thick darkness where God was in order to meet with Him and fellowship with Him. And that experience was not like anything he had had before in his life – it changed his life and ministry forever. (Cf. Ex 20-34)

If we too want our knowledge of God to change our lives forever, we must be willing to know Him in His fullness and regardless of the means He is using to make Himself known to us. And we must be willing to accept whatever He reveals to us about Himself, even if it is something shocking and awesome to bear. That is because, as I pointed out before, it is only as we embrace Him in all His fullness that our lives can be perfected. So, stop relating to God at a distance and stop looking for intermediaries between you and Him, especially since you are not coming to Him in the same manner as did the Israelites (Heb 12:18-24). Instead, freely and boldly draw near to Him through Christ Jesus and embrace all that He is showing you about Himself. And you will be amazed at how your life will be transformed from whatever it is now to all that it is meant to be.

Copyright © 2021, 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

Watch your love – J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

April 28, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Vol. 3, No. 50

“Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”” (1Sam 18:20-21NIV)

One of the things we need to be careful of in this life is what or who we fall in love with. That is because love opens the doors of our hearts and lives to whoever or whatever we are in love with. Therefore, if we are in love with the wrong person or thing, certain wrong things or experiences may just find their way into our lives. And who knows what sort of damage they may cause?

For example, we are told in the bible of how Samson, that great and mighty man of war, fell in love with a woman called Delilah. And because he was madly in love with this woman, he opened up to her about the secret of his power. Was it wrong to open up to someone we love about certain secrets of our lives? I don’t think there is a simple answer to that. It all depends on the measure of confidence we have in the person’s love for us and also on how wise we think they are in handling matters of life. (Cf. 1Sam 16:4-31)

If we are certain that someone loves us, just as much as we love them or even more than we love them, then, it may be okay to entrust certain things about our lives to them, especially if we know that they possess the wisdom to handle what we are entrusting to them. But if we do not believe in the love someone has for us or in their ability to manage information, then, it may not be wise to open the doors of certain areas of our lives for them to come in.

That being the case, we have no business going into a love relationship with anyone that we do not believe in their love for us or in their ability to handle our secrets. Unfortunately, most people who go into love relationships don’t think well about this before they commit themselves to their love affairs. This is why we have many marriages today in which those involved don’t trust their partners with what is going on in their lives. They married people whose love they have no confidence in. So, they often have to keep secrets and look over their shoulders in order for them not be hurt by their so-called lovers.

Now that, of course, is what we see in Samson too. Though he was really in love with Delilah, he was not confident of the woman’s love for him. So, for a while, he kept the secret of his power to himself and kept on fooling her, each time she asked questions about it. But then, when he could no longer bear her nagging, he decided to tell her the whole truth, even though it was clear to him that she was up to no good. And that was the end of him. His love for her became the trap that his enemies used in catching him and making the remaining days of his life miserable.

Therefore, just as our love for people or things can be a blessing, a door through which all kinds of wonderful things may flow into our lives, it can also be a curse, a trap that holds us down for the destroyer to afflict. As we see in our opening text, King Saul saw his daughter’s love for David as something he could use as a trap to catch and destroy him. And if God had not been on the side of that young man, he would have fallen into the trap set for him and died before his time. (Cf. 1Sam 19:11-17)

All of this is why we need to be careful not to fall in love with the wrong thing or person and not to put our confidence in the love of an unfaithful person. Solomon’s love for strange women was the trap Satan used in polluting him and destroying his faith in God (1Kings 11). And Samson’s love for an unfaithful woman was the trap that held him down for his enemies to destroy. Yours may not be love for a woman or man. It may be love for wine, money, fame, games or pleasure. Inasmuch your love is for something contrary to the will of God, as revealed in His word, it will always be a potential trap that Satan can use to afflict you, pollute you or destroy your life anytime. So, watch your love.

Copyright © 2021, 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

What kind of light are you walking with? – J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

April 21, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 49

“Make certain, then, that the light in you is not darkness.” (Luke 11:35-36GNT)

Light is anything that makes things visible. In other words, light reveals the true state of things. However, how well we see whatever we are observing is dependent on the quality of light we are using. For example, we know that even though both the sun and the moon give light, the quality of light they give differs. There are things that you can see very clearly under the light of the sun that you cannot see clearly or see at all under the light of the moon. So, if you do not want to make a poor or wrong judgment about those things, you won’t rely on what the light of the moon is showing you about them. Instead, you will wait until you have the light of the sun or some other better lights to examine them.

Furthermore, as powerful as the light of the sun is, it cannot see through our bodies and show us what is inside them. So, we cannot rely on it to examine our bones, intestines and so forth. We need some other kinds of lights to do this. And that, again, is telling us that it is the quality of light we hold that will determine what we see about whatever we are examining.

That being the case, as good, powerful and relevant as all these natural and artificial lights that we daily use can be, they are not sufficient for us to make those decisions that will make life meaningful and worth living for us. For instance, they cannot show us who to marry or who not to marry, what occupations to embark on or not to embark on, what people to keep as friends and what people not to keep as friends, what the future holds for us or what it does not hold for us and so forth. We need a higher kind of light to be able to see these things and make sound decisions about them.

What, then, is that higher light that we need? Is it the light of education or that of religion or that of superstition or that of philosophy? Indeed, education, religion, superstition and philosophy offer people some measure of light that can help them to make sound decisions in some areas of their lives and not get wounded. But the kinds of lights these things offer are also limited in many ways in what they can make people see. There are times that they even cast shadows, leaving people doubtful about what is right or wrong or them to do. And there are times that they do not give light at all about what people need to do about the situations of their lives.

All of this is why people, even with their possession of the light of education, religion, superstition or philosophy, often make foolish and harmful decisions that are capable of destroying them and every good thing they have. And we have examples all around us. We have examples of people who are highly educated but who the light of education they possess could not help them in getting it right in their marriages, finances and so forth. Then we have examples of highly religious and superstitious people that the light of religion or superstition could not help them with their marriages or finances or lead them out of their bondage to certain bad habits that are secretly destroying them.

So then, it is not enough to be confident that we possess some form of light in us to walk through this life; it is equally important that we are certain that the light we have is one that will not fail us when we probably need it the most. And that is exactly the point our Lord Jesus is making in our opening text, when He says, “Make certain, then, that the light in you is not darkness.” That is because if what you call light is darkness, then, you can expect it to fail you, when you need it. But if what you call light is light indeed, then, you have no cause to worry at all, for it will lead you to that place you are meant to be in life and also keep you from stumbling or going astray.

Now the only light that is truly light and that will never fail us is the word of God. As the bible puts it, it is the true light that lights every man that comes into the world (John 1:9). This light does not have darkness in it at all (1John 1:5). So, it does not confuse people or cast shadows of doubts on their paths (James 1:17). Instead, it shows them things as they really are, so that they can make wise and upright decisions about them. And this is the higher light you and I need to possess, embrace and walk with in this world, if we do not want to stumble and fall, and if we do not want to waste our lives pursuing shadows.

So, let us go for the word of God, my friend, which is already fully documented for us in the bible and begin to shine what it says on our lives and our paths. And as long as we are walking and living in its light, we will never stumble and fall or fail to be the people we are meant to be in our homes, marriages, businesses, neighbourhoods and our society as a whole.

Copyright © 2021, 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

Put it to work – J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: April 14, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 48

“So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’” (Luke 19:13NIV)

One of the reasons many have remained poor and will most probably die poor and small in life is that they will not put to work the skills, abilities, education or resources they have and increase in usefulness and fruitfulness with them. Why has God given us special abilities or enabled us to acquire some degree of education or put some measure of resources at our disposal? It is so that we may put these things to wise and legitimate use in order to thrive in life.

See, there is no way all of us could have been born into rich and influential families in this life. And there is no way all of could have the same measure of abilities, skills and education in life. But if we are willing, all of us, regardless of our handicaps, can put whatever little resources, abilities, skills or education we have to adequate and appropriate use and shine with it. So, instead of wasting all our energy in complaining about our government, and there is always a lot to complain about every government, or the bad circumstances of our lives, we should focus more on recognising the abilities, resources, education and skills God has put at our disposal and considering how we can make the most of them.

Now it is those who take seriously what God has given them, however little it may seem, and wisely put it to work that will keep experiencing progress or advancement in life. They are the ones He will keep elevating and promoting. And as long as they keep making the most of what they have, they will never be stagnant, poor or small in life. No, they may not become the richest or most influential person in the world. But they will know that they are fine and comfortable in life. And the bible story of a man who gave his servants some money to see what they would do with it over a period of time has a lot to teach us about this.

As the account goes, there was a certain nobleman that was going to receive a kingdom for himself. But before he left, he called ten of his servants and gave each of them some money, actually about three months salary, to work with. And why did he give them this task? First, it was to test their abilities and seriousness in handling little things, so that he may know how to promote them. Second, it was to let them discover themselves. In other words, by giving them that money to work with, he was giving each of them an opportunity to apply his mind and showcase the potential in him to thrive in the face of life difficulties.

At any rate, after a while, when he had been made king, this man came back and called in these servants to find out what they gained with the money he had given them. And the first one that came in told him that he had gained ten times the money he was given. So, his master said to him, “Well done, my good servant. Because you have been trustworthy in handling this little matter, I am putting you in charge of ten cities.” Then another servant came in and said, “Sir, I have made five times what you gave me.” And he said to that one as well, “Well done, my good servant. Because you have been trustworthy in handling this little matter, I am putting you in charge of five cities.” (Cf. Luke 19:1-19)

But then, one of the servants came in and said to him, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” (Luke 19:20-21NIV) Look at that. This servant did nothing with his own money because he was afraid he may lose it and then get into trouble with his master. And so afraid was he that he did not even apply his mind at all to consider any safe business he could invest the money in. He just hid it somewhere and spent his time watching others increase in usefulness and profitability.

However, as his master pointed out when judging him, if he was indeed afraid of being punished for failing, he could at least have put the money in the bank. Then he would have taken it back with some interest. That means it was not really fear that made him do nothing with what he was given; it was laziness of mind. And so, instead for him to be promoted like the others, he was demoted. What he had was taken away from him and given to the one who made ten times what he was given. (Cf. Luke 19:22-24)

That, of course, made those who were watching the appraisal process all the time protest and say to the master of the house, “But this man already has ten minas. Why give him one more?” So, the man answered and told them this life principle: “It is the one who has that will be given more, so that he can have much more. But as for the one who does not have, even the little he has will be taken away from him.” (Cf. Luke 19:25-26)

And is this not very true? Is it not true that those who do not have in this world keep getting poorer by the day and that those who have keep getting richer moment by moment? It is. Why? For the most part, it is because while those who do not have will not just intelligently apply themselves to see how to make the most of what they have, those who have keep thinking of how they can use what they have to get more of the things they want. Therefore, if you don’t want to be among those who keep losing the little they have but among those who keep increasing what they have, take an inventory of all the abilities, skills and education you have and begin to faithfully and diligently to put them to work. That is the Lord’s principle for promotion and advancement in life.

Copyright © 2021, 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

Are you learning from history? – J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones


Date: March 31, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 4

“Joab sent David a full account of the battle. He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? Who killed Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Also, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”” (2Sam 11:18-21NIV)

The message above, which was sent by Joab, Israel’s army commander, to David would never have been set forth the way it was, if David had not been bent of getting rid of Uriah, one of his most dedicated captains and whose wife he impregnated. But that is already history, which we can do absolutely nothing to rewrite. That being the case, the best we can do for ourselves is to see what lessons this history teaches and how we can adequately and appropriately apply them to our lives.

Now one main thing that stands out from what Joab said to the messenger he was sending to David is the fact that he would certainly rebuke them for letting some of his valiant men die because they would not learn from the mistake of the past. And he went on to specifically speak of an instance that David might cite, which was that of Abimelech son of Gideon, who, though was a valiant warrior and schemer, was killed by a woman because he moved too close to the wall of a tower he had wanted to capture. (Cf. Judges 9)

So, Joab had learnt from the mistake of Abimelech that it was wrong for them to move too close to the wall of the city they were fighting. He knew that doing so could get even the strongest among them killed. Why, then, did he allow some of his men to move too close to that city? It was because he wanted to get rid of Uriah in the process. So, it was not because he was not going to learn from the mistake of the past that he did what he did; rather, it was because he wanted to accomplish something evil.

Unfortunately, however, many today who won’t learn from the mistakes of the past are not up to anything cunny like Joab. They are just being foolish and dull. All around them are very perfect examples of people who made certain decisions about their lives, marriages, jobs, children, health and so forth and landed in trouble. Still, they are making the very same decisions that landed those before them in trouble. What do you call that? Stupidity! And they will someday pay dearly for it, if they are not paying for it already.

See, history is for us to learn from. And by learning adequately from it, our journey through life can be made easier and more enjoyable. But if, out of pride or dullness, we will not learn those things that are relevant to our daily living from history, we too will repeat the errors of the past and plunge ourselves into needless sufferings and pains.

One of the things I love about Joshua is that he was a man that took history seriously and learnt from it. For instance, when he was going to send men to go and spy the land of Canaan, especially Jericho, he did not send twelve men as did Moses. Instead, he sent only two. Why? Though we are not given any specific reason in the bible, we can infer that the man was acting on history. He was with Moses when he sent twelve men, one from each tribe of the Israelites, to go and spy the land. In fact, he was among the twelve men sent. But only two of them, he and Caleb, came back with a good report. The remaining ten men brought a bad report and polluted the minds of the people. And it was so bad that all the people ended up spending forty years in the wilderness because of their report, forty years for a journey that took those men just forty days. (Cf. Num 14)

So, when Joshua was going to send his own spies, he did send representatives from all the tribes. Instead, he sent only two men of faith, men that would not bring a report that would make their journey longer and more painful but that would bring a report that would stir their faith in God up. And that was exactly what happened. Those men brought a report that encouraged everyone to get ready to take what God had promised them. (Cf. Joshua 2)

In like manner, we too must not ignore history but learn from it. But we cannot learn from it, if we don’t know it. So, how much of the historical accounts that we have in the bible do you know? And what are you doing with the lessons they teach? Also, what is the history of that house or town you live in? What is the history of that office or organisation you work in? What is the history of that assembly you are fellowshipping in? What is the history of that family you want to marry from? Do you know it? If you know it, what can you learn from it or in what ways can it affect you, whether positively or negatively?

A man called Hiel ignored the history of the city of Jericho and of how Joshua cursed it and lost two of his sons for doing so (Joshua 6:26; 1Kings 16:34). I pray that you won’t have to first lose something very dear to you or even your life before you learn to pay attention to relevant histories and to adequately act on them, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, 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 alaythiabiblechurch@gmail.com / alaythia4all@gmail.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones

Title: The Lord put him to death – J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

April 07, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 47

“Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.” (Gen 38:6-7NIV)

In our opening text, it is reported that God killed Er, Judah’s firstborn, because he was wicked in His sight. How wicked was this young man? We are not told. But looking at the way the matter is reported in the bible, it is most likely that his wickedness was in connection with his marriage. At least, God did not kill him before he got married. It was after he had gotten married that He killed him. So, it may be that there was something he was doing or not doing to his wife that exposed him to God’s judgment.

Now you don’t have to accept that, for it is not plainly stated in the bible. But when you consider what is further said about his younger brother, you may want to agree with me that God most likely killed Er, not just because he was wicked to those in his world but also because he was acting in wickedness towards his wife. And what is it that is said about his brother? Well, it is said that when he was asked to take in his wife, Tamar, and fulfil his duty as a brother-in-law to her, so that she would have a son to carry on his name, he deliberately frustrated the process. (Cf. Gen 38:8-9)

Think about it. Onan did not refuse to marry his brother’s wife, Tamar, when he was asked to do so. Yet, in his craftiness, he made sure the woman could not get pregnant for him. Why? It was because he knew that the first son that came through that union would not bear his own name but his brother’s name, according to the customs of the land. But why did he marry her in the first place, when he knew he did not want his brother’s name to live on? Greed! (Cf. Deut 25:5-10)

See, if he had said that he did not want her, then, she would have been free to go and start her life afresh, perhaps with another man. But greed made him marry her. Yes, he knew that he had no intention of making her have any child through him. Yet he, like many young men of today, could not just let such a beauty go away. So, he decided to marry her to continually satisfy his lust and sexual appetites, while denying her the joy of becoming a mother. Therefore, the bible says, “What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so he put him to death also.” (Gen 38:10NIV)

Why did God put Onan too to death? It was because he treated his brother’s wife, who later became his wife as well, shamefully. So, Onan was not killed by God because he was a thief, a murderer, an idolater or even an adulterer. Rather, he was killed by Him because he was deliberately cheating his wife in bed. What is that? Killing someone for cheating their spouse in bed? Is that even fair? Yes, it is fair. It is fair because the wages of sin, any kind of sin, is death (Rom 6:23).

Does that, then, mean God may want to kill me for cheating while sharing food among people, for using my house maid as I deem fit or for making marriage promises to someone I have no intention of marrying? Yes! But how is that His business? Well, it is His business because He is the creator and judge of us all. So, everything we are doing to ourselves and to others, good or bad, concerns Him, and He will judge and reward us for it. Exactly how He will judge us for these things is something we do not know. But He is watching us, our thoughts and our every move and will surely respond, in righteousness, to whatever we are up to.

Therefore, we need to be careful in all that we do to ourselves and others and see to it that wickedness is not associated with us. Otherwise, we may not find His judgment interesting at all, even if we live to tell the story. Yes, He is a merciful God. And that is the reason many of us have not yet fully experienced His wrath for all our acts of wickedness against others and even ourselves. But as long as we continue to act wickedly, there will come a time in which this merciful God must also show Himself as a just God and judge us (Rev 2:20-23). And since we can’t tell how severe His judgment will be, the best thing we can do is to stay out of trouble. So, stay out of trouble.

Copyright © 2021, 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 alaythiabiblechurch@gmail.com / alaythia4all@gmail.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones

Title: The ships that never set sail – March 24, 2021

fire in my bones
fire in my bones


Series: Youth for Jesus
Number: Vol. 3, No. 45

“Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.” (2Chron 20:35-37NIV)

We have very clear accounts in the bible that show us that carrying out investments or projects that will be successful in life is not all about having the resources and people to do so. It is equally about being led or guided by the Spirit of God. Otherwise, apart from the fact that we may end up losing our investments or projects or paying very invaluable prices for them, we may also never enjoy their fruit.

For example, in our opening text, we are told about how Jehoshaphat, who was a godly king, got involved in some project with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was nothing but a wicked man. What was this project about? It was about building some fleet of trading ships that they could both use to enhance their maritime business. And did they succeed in carrying out this project or not? They did.

However, God sent a prophet to tell Jehoshaphat that He was going to destroy this project and made sure he did not profit from it. And that was exactly what happened. The ships never left their shores, for they all got damaged right where they were. How this happened no one can tell. But it did happen, and Jehoshaphat lost everything he had invested in the project.

But why? Was it because God did not want Jehoshaphat to get better in his maritime business and increase in wealth that He allowed his project to fail? No! Rather, it was because he did that project with the wrong person; he did the project with someone that was operating under certain evil influences that were bound to make him fail. And if God had not predicted what was going to happen by the mouth of His prophet, Jehoshaphat and His people may never have known what was responsible for the failure of that project and the loss of their investment.

What is the lesson, then? It is that God is not just concerned about our lives but also about our relationships. So, it is not enough for our lives to be right before Him; it is also important that the lives of those we get into close relationships with are right before Him. Otherwise, they may continually be the reason our ships of progress or advancement will never set sail, not to talk of bring us great rewards.

Is this, then, to say that we, as children of God, must not associate with those who are not children of God at all. No! In fact, the bible tells us that it is impossible for us not to associate with those of this world at all (1Cor 5:9-10). As long as we are in this world, we will always have one thing or the other to do with those of the world, who do not know God. So, we cannot totally excuse them from our lives. By the way, this is not just about those who do not know God but also about those who claim to know God but who are still living in wickedness, openly or secretly.

At any rate, as long as we are in this world, there are things we cannot get done without those who do not know God and even those who claim to know Him but are living contrary to His will. But then, there are things we cannot and must not do with them, if we do not want to fail miserably or be polluted. Some of these things are obvious because we are warned about them in Scriptures. For instance, we already know from Scriptures that anything we will do with an unbeliever or even a so-called Christian that will make us sin against God or become irresponsible in our lives must be totally avoided.

However, there are certain things that may seem totally harmless to do with unbelievers or erring Christians. For example, building a fleet of trading ships with King Ahaziah seemed like a totally harmless thing for Jehoshaphat. But it ended up being a disaster. In like manner, doing certain things that seem harmless with some people may end up putting us in trouble because of their sins or certain evil influences at work in their lives. How, then, do we avoid that? It is by developing a culture of always committing everything, little or great, we want to do into the hands of God. That way, we can trust Him to always guide us into what is best for us and away from those things that will ruin us, even if they have an appearance of being the very best for us.

So, learn to always commit everything you want to do to God, instead of making your decisions solely on the basis of what you see or hear or your understanding of things. This will definitely keep you from facing problems that are never meant for you.

Copyright © 2021, 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 alaythiabiblechurch@gmail.com / alaythia4all@gmail.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones

Title: Even if you have made a mess of your life – March 17, 2021

fire in my bones
fire in my bones


Series: Youth for Jesus
Number: Vol. 3, No. 44

“In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.” (2Chron 33:12-13NIV)

The world we live in is one in which we cannot totally avoid being faced with trouble. I mean that even if we are godly, of the best conduct and know how to relate to others in peace, there is still no guarantee that we won’t be faced with one form of trouble or the other. The only guarantee we have is that, as long as we recognise Jesus as our Lord, we will walk in victory over whatever challenge we may be confronted with in this world. (Cf. John 16:33; 1John 5:4-5)

However, in most cases, the troubles people face in life are brought upon them by themselves. Remember that Solomon says, “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.” (Ecc 7:29GNT) And that is the case with many people. Through certain bad choices and foolish decisions, they are continually making their lives, which would have been full of rest, joy and meaning, bitter, horrible and meaningless. In short, the decisions and steps some people are daily taking are those that can only keep them in perpetual trouble and pains.

Notwithstanding, even if we have made a mess of our lives through our foolish and bad decisions and steps, we can still experience mercy, forgiveness and restoration, if we will turn to God for help instead of persisting in our foolish ways. And that is one of the things we learnt from the story of one of the kings of Judah named Manasseh.

Now Manasseh was one of the kings that reigned the longest over the people of God, Judah. He reigned over them for fifty-five years. But he used most of those years to do evil. This man was not only wicked to the people; he was also hostile to God. He would not worship God at all, though his father, Hezekiah, loved and worshipped Him all the days of his life. Instead, he worshipped all the starry hosts, converted God’s temple into that of idols, practised sorcery, divination and witchcraft and even offered his sons in the fire to demons. (Cf. 2Chro 33:1-9)

In short, Manasseh gave himself to doing everything God had warned His people not to do and led the whole nation astray. (Cf. Deut 18:9-13) And though he was warned by Him, he paid no attention whatsoever. Therefore, God gave him over to his enemies, so that they could do with him as they wished. They put a hook in his nose, chained him like a commoner criminal and dragged him far away from his kingdom to Babylon. (Cf. 2Chro 33:10-11)

That, of course, should have been the end of that man. But it was not. Why? It was because, as we are told in our opening bible text, in his time of distress, he humbled himself greatly before the Lord and sought His mercy and favour. In other words, this man cried out to God for mercy and help. And did He answer him or not? Oh, He did answer him. In fact, using bible words, God was so moved by his honest and heartfelt prayers that He favoured him and brought him back to Jerusalem and to his throne, so that he ruled and did exploits again.

But what if Manasseh had not called upon God in his time of distress? What if he had continued to relate to God in insolence? Would he have been saved and restored? No! But because he cried out to God for mercy, He answered him and showed him mercy. Mind you, we are talking about an evil and injurious man here. We are talking about a man that God accused of being more wicked that the former inhabitants of the land of Canaan. Yes, we are talking about a man that was accused of polluting the land with innocent blood from end to end. Yet when he cried out to God for mercy, He answered him, forgave him and also restored him. (Cf. 2Kings 21:11&16)

In like manner, if you too will cry out to God for mercy, He will answer you, regardless of what mess you have brought yourself into. And it does not matter whether you are as bad as Manasseh or worse than him. All you need is to stop justifying your wickedness or trying to save yourself. The one who tries to save himself will certainly perish, for no man can save himself. But the one who cast himself on the Lord will receive mercy, salvation and restoration, however wicked or vicious he may be. So, cast yourself on Him now that there is still breath in you, and you will be glad you did.

Copyright © 2021, 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 alaythiabiblechurch@gmail.com / alaythia4all@gmail.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

Categories
Fire in my Bones

Title: He won’t listen to anybody – March 10, 2021

fire in my bones
fire in my bones


Series: Youth for Jesus
Number: Vol. 3, No. 43

“Please think this over and decide what to do. This could be disastrous for our master and all his family. He is so mean that he won’t listen to anybody!” (1Sam 25:17GNT)

The above remark was made by one of Nabal’s servants, who was quick enough to sense that disaster was coming for his master’s house and that if something reasonable wasn’t urgently done about it, they would all be doomed. But who was Nabal? Nabal, as the bible tells us, was one of the wealthy men in Israel during the reign of King Saul. And what made his servant make such a sharp and unkind remark about him? It was because his wickedness and bad manner were going to endanger the lives of everyone with him. So, his servant had to use very strong words that would make his wife appreciate the nature of disaster that was hovering over them and act fast for their safety.

But what led to all this? It was the fact that David had sent men to Nabal because he was having a celebration and had humbly requested that he would send something to him and his men to support them. And why would he do that? What relationship did he have with the man that would make him make that kind of request? Well, though he had no direct relationship Nabal, he did have a relationship with some of his men. (Cf. 1Sam 25:4-9&14-16)

As the account goes, while David and his men were wandering from place to place because of King Saul’s persecution, they had met certain servants of Nabal at Camel and had treated them very kindly, forming a wall of protection around them the whole time they were together. That, of course, was very unlike mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, which David and his men had become. They are usually known to be brutal and lawless, looting, raping and forcefully taking things that they are not given. But because David, who was the captain of these men, feared God, he would not allow them to maltreat Nabal’s servants, men who were merely doing their job, or steal from them. Instead, they treated them kindly and protected them.

Now naturally, if someone treated your workers, servants, children, parents, siblings or spouse well, you should hear about it, so that you can thank or appreciate them in whatever way you can. And you may, in fact, get angry with those involved, if you did not get to hear about such acts of kindness done to them on time. Unfortunately, that was not the case with Nabal. His servants did not even bother to say anything to him about the kindness of David and his men to them, even though it was the right and appropriate thing for them to do. Why? It was because he was a wicked and unreasonable man, one that would not listen to anybody but himself.

In any case, when David sent men sent men to him to give them something from what he had prepared for his feast, he would not answer them. Instead, he spoke harshly to them. And what was his excuse? It was that he had never heard about anyone called David. But did he find out from any of his men, if they knew anyone called David or if what those messengers of David had said was true at all? No! He did not even think about the matter. And that was because he was just being Nabal, a fool. (Cf. 1Sam 25:10-11)

Therefore, when David heard about the shameful way this man had conducted himself, he decided that he was going to wipe him and his household out for good and show them that he was not someone to be ignored or taken lightly. And if one of Nabal’s servants had not acted fast by telling his wife about the disaster coming on them, they all would have perished. (Cf. 1Sam 25:12-35)

Now think about it. Even when Nabal’s servants realised that none of them would be safe because of his bad manner, they did not approach him to say anything to him, good or bad. Instead, it was his wife that they approached. Also, when his wife heard of what was going on, she did not go to reason with him. Instead, she went straight to talk to David and persuade him not to act rashly and like a wicked man. And did David listen or not? He listened and repented of the evil he had wanted to do. In fact, he acknowledged the fact that it was God that sent that woman, Abigail, to prevent him from becoming a murderer.

But that was not the case with Nabal. Nobody, not even his wife, could talk to him or reason with him. And if what happened on that occasion had not happened, he probably would never have known how close he was to destruction, all along, because of his stubbornness and pride. But then, it was even too late for him, for God Himself would not tolerate his nonsense anymore and so took his life ten days later (1Sam 25:36-38).

What, then, is the point of all this? It is simple: don’t be another Nabal. Don’t be someone that nobody can talk to or counsel or reason with. Otherwise you may someday perish without remedy. Yes, it is good that we are firm and decisive in dealing with matters of our lives. However, none of us has what it takes to be absolutely correct or flawless all the time. Only God does. And that is why He often uses those around us to set us right and make us see the blind spots of our lives and be kept out of trouble.

This, of course, does not mean that we have to adopt every suggestion or counsel people bring to us. Rather, it means we are to have listening ears and be willing to see things through other people’s eyes. But if we turn ourselves into individuals nobody can approach or counsel, if we bring ourselves up to people that listen to no other person but ourselves, a day may come when, like Nabal, we will get into trouble and perish without remedy. And only God knows how many people, even His children, that have perished because they listened to nobody but themselves. So, watch yourself.

Copyright © 2021, 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 alaythiabiblechurch@gmail.com / alaythia4all@gmail.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)