Category: Fire in my Bones

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 32

“Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you.” (2Sam 19:37NIV)

Who said these words? Barzillai! And who was Barzillai? According to bible accounts, he was one of these few Israelite wealthy men that helped David with food and other things during the rebellion of Absalom. But he was not just a wealthy man at the time; he was also an old man, eighty years of age. (Cf. 2Sam 17: 27-29 &19:31-32)

Now because this man was crucial to David’s survival during Absalom’s rebellion, he wanted to bring him to live with him in Jerusalem after the rebellion had been crushed. And that, of course, was the highest honour the king may bestow on anyone. That means he would be getting the treatment of the king’s friend, eating and drinking regularly with him at his table, and perhaps also helping him with some state affairs.One, then, would think or expect Barzillai to jump at the offer, for it would give him access to greater influence and enjoyment in life.

Yet, as we see in our opening text, the man would not take the offer. Instead, he asked the king to let someone else, a gentleman that was most likely his son, take his place in accepting and enjoying the offer. Why?Well, as he himself pointed out, the reason was that he was too old and weak at the time to make the most of the offer. Yes, sometimes, we may come in contact with some eighty or more years old people that are still strong and agile and ready to take on anything life throws at them.

But in most cases, people of that age bracket are no longer willing to fight for positions, power, influence, wealth or enjoyment in life. They just want to make peace with their world or with their maker while they wait for their time to be done. Therefore, there are acts of kindness that will just be a waste them. And that was exactly what Barzillai thought of what David wanted to do for him. He saw it as an attempt to waste honour on him.

So, he pleaded with David to let someone else that still had the ability to make the most of that honour to take his place in receiving it. And as a wise and reasonable king, David listened to him and did as he had requested.Now what is the lesson for us in this? It is simply that it is not every act of kindness meant for us that we must personally accept and enjoy. There are acts of kindness meant for us that we may not readily have what it takes to enjoy.

If we, then, should insist on accepting and enjoying such acts of kindness by ourselves, we may end up wasting them. And that will be nothing but an expression of greed on our part. Wisdom, then, demands that we let others who can make the most of such acts of kindness take our place in such situations. That way, God and people will praise us for not allowing an act of goodness to be wasted on us.

Similarly, in doing good to others or in appreciating them, we must avoid wastefulness. Yes, someone may deserve our acts of kindness. But if such acts of kindness will only amount to a waste of kindness on the person, we should come up with some other acts of kindness that won’t be a waste on them. Or we can handle such acts of kindness in a way that those in their lives that have the ability to make the most of them can benefit from them. That will be our wisdom.Cheers!

Copyright © 2025, 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: 08146472876)

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 31

“So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.” (Nehemiah 4:6NIV)

Who were the people that worked with all their heart, as we see in our opening text? The Jews rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem with Nehemiah! And why did they work with all their heart? First, they worked with all their heart because they had a leader like Nehemiah, who not only spoke encouraging words to them but also worked with all his heart too.

So, if we want any group of people anywhere to work hard and with all their heart, we must give them a leader who is ready to work hard and with all his heart himself. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that such a group will succeed at any task before them.The second reason those people worked with all their heart was that they knew that what they were doing was for their benefit. Nehemiah had earlier told all of them that rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem would take disgrace away from them in unspeakable ways. And they all agreed with him because it was the truth.

So, when it was time to start working, all of them, including their priests gave themselves wholeheartedly to the work. That, of course, shows us that if we want people to work with all their heart in doing anything, we must endeavor to draw their attention to the benefits involved, whether material or spiritual. That is a great way to motivate people. (Cf. Neh 2&3)

Another reason those Jews worked with all their hearts was that God succeeded in stirring them up to do so. If God does not stir up people’s hearts to fully give themselves to doing what is right, they will not demonstrate any form of faithfulness in doing so, even if they have the most diligent and inspiring leader over them and even though what is to be done is for their utmost benefit. (Cf. Haggai 1:14-15)

For instance, despite the fact that Moses was a diligent, faithful and inspiring leader, most of the Israelites that he brought out of Egypt did not follow him wholeheartedly in doing the will of God.

Also, despite the fact that all that Moses was leading them to do was for their benefit, they still would not follow him wholeheartedly in doing the will of God. So, most of them did not make it to the Promised Land.Therefore, God needs to stir people’s hearts up to work with all their hearts in doing His will or in following any leader to do what is right and profitable for them and others.

That is why, as a leader of a family, an organization, a team or a Christian body, learn to pray that God will always stir up the hearts of those under your leadership to work with you with all their hearts in accomplishing your collective objectives and good desires. Otherwise, all you can expect are failure and frustration. And may you be kept from such, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Finally, if you are a follower in any place or a part of any team, learn to work with all your heart in handing any task you are given, as long as it is something good, righteous and beneficial. Don’t be the one to discourage your leader or team with laziness or meaningless talks. Remember that the word of God tells us to do whatever we find to do with all our might and as unto the Lord. That is because it is not only humans that will reward us for our works. God also will reward us for them. (Cf. Ecc 9:10; Col 3:23-24)

Now God’s rewards are always greater and better. Will you, then, someday receive His rewards or miss them? Everything depends on the heart with which you do whatever is entrusted to you. So, wake up and begin to handle whatever work that is committed to you with all your heart. It is one sure way not to waste your effort and life.

Cheers!

Copyright © 2025, 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: 08146472876)

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 30

“Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.” (2Chron 26:19NIV)

Who did leprosy break out on his forehead? Uzziah! And why did leprosy break out on his forehead? It was because he did not stay in his lane.As the account goes, Uzziah was an anointed king. He was anointed by God to be king over the house of Judah. And he did pretty well as king. In fact, the bible says that his fame spread far and wide because he was marvelously helped by God until he became powerful. (Cf. 2Chro 26:15)

But afterwards, he became proud. How? One day, he entered the temple of the Lord to offer incense. What was he thinking? Though he was anointed by God, he was not anointed by Him to be a priest but to be a king. Why, then, did he try to do the job of a priest? Pride!

See, Uziah, at the time, must have felt that there was nothing the priests were doing that he himself was not knowledgeable or anointed enough to do. What could have made him feel this way? We would not know.

Maybe he was not getting along well with some of the leading priests in the land at the time. Or maybe he felt that they were overrated and needed to be checked of their excesses. We would not know for sure.But even if some the priests in the land at the time were actually misbehaving, trying to take over their jobs in the temple was clearly not the solution. Those priests were set apart by God Himself to serve in His temple. They did not choose themselves. (Cf. Ex 28&29)

Then, when God chose their family, the family of Aaron, to serve Him in this manner, He was very clear about the fact that He would not welcome any argument about His choice of them. In fact, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, On and their families all perished because of their argument about this. That was to show how seriously God took the matter. (Cf. Numbers 16&17)

So, instead of trying to hijack the Aaronic priesthood from priests of the time, Uzziah should simply have prayed to God about their matter, that is, if they were actually misbehaving. But we do not even have it on record that they were misbehaving.

Therefore, it was completely out of place for him to enter the temple to do their job for them.At any rate, because of his arrogance, God immediately struck him with leprosy on his forehead, where everybody could easily see it. And that was to teach him and other arrogant people like Him that He was not docile and that He meant everything that He had said about the Aaronic priesthood.

Now are there lessons for us in all this? Yes, there are. And one of them is that we must learn to stay in our lane, especially where spiritual matters are involved. We all who believe in Christ Jesus are indeed anointed. And not one of us is more anointed than the others. But we all have not been set apart or gifted by God to do the same things.

So, even though you may know some things about what some other people are gifted by God to do, never try to minimize the relevance of what they are doing through your words or actions. Otherwise, you may get yourself wounded.

Often, I hear people say things like, “What is the big deal in being a pastor or a prophet? I too know enough Scriptures to be a pastor or a prophet. In fact, it is joblessness that drives many into calling themselves pastors, prophets and so forth.” People who speak and act in that manner are simply committing the sin of Uzziah. They don’t want to stay in their lane.

And if they are not shown mercy, they too, like Uzziah, will surely get wounded in such a way that they will not be able to hide their shame.Watch yourself, therefore, and stay in your lane. Yes, stay within the boundaries of the gifts, abilities and responsibilities given to you by God and even men. Otherwise, you may just expose yourself to problems that are never meant to be yours in life.

Copyright © 2025, 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: 08146472876)

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 29

“Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be the chief prince among his brothers, in order to make him king. He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.” (2Chron 11:22-23NIV)

Who acted wisely, as we see in our opening bible text? It was Rehoboam, the son of Solomon that succeeded him as king over the nation of Israel. And how did he act wisely? It was by seeing to it that he himself solved what could have become a problem for the nation after his death.

Now what was that thing that could have become a problem for the nation of Judah after the death of Rehoboam? It was kingship! Yes, who would become king after his death would have become a terrible problem for the nation, if he had not dealt with the situation when he still had the time, authority, power and resources to do so.Remember that, even in the time of David, who would become king after him created a big mess for the country.

First, we had Absalom, who was not even the first son or second son of David, putting himself forward to be king and starting a civil war that claimed the lives of many. Also, we had Adonijah, another son of his, putting himself forward as king, even though he did not have the wisdom or character required to be one. And if Prophet Nathan and Bathsheba had not stepped in on time to make David announce and anoint Solomon, the right man, as king after him, while he was still alive, only God knows how many lives would have been lost in the fight for his throne. (Cf. 2Sam 15; 1Kings 1)

But Rehoboam would not give room for any such thing during his own reign. So, while the kingdom was still firmly established in his hand, he proclaimed Abijah to be the crown prince. And in order to prevent his other sons, twenty-seven of them, from making trouble for Abijah, he scattered them throughout the country and kept them happy with abundant resources and many wives.

So, while he was still alive, he solved the kingship problem and ensured that the land could continue to enjoy peace after his death.Interestingly, Abraham had also done a similar thing in dealing with his sons. The bible says, “Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.” (Gen 25:5-6 NIV)

Did you see that? While he was still alive, strong, powerful and wealthy, Abraham solved the problem of who would inherit what from his possessions. He did not leave the situation to chance, fate or luck. Otherwise, some greedy and cruel child may just ruin the name and legacy of the family in his fight for the man’s inheritance.

Remember Gideon. Even though he did well by refusing to take God’s position as king over the people of Israel, he did not do well by not seeking God’s face to know and appoint a true judge that would take over from him in leading the people. Therefore, he gave room for the ruthless son of his concubine, Abimelech, to destroy all his other seventy sons and forcefully take over the leadership of the country. (Cf. Judges 8-9)

To say the fact, most of the judges God gave to Israel did not labour as Moses did to know His mind about who would take over from them and then hand over to such persons while they were still alive. So, the people often ended up as sheep without shepherds after their demise, having nobody to lead them in doing the will of God and being exposed to harm from all kinds of wicked and ruthless people and nations that may want to rule over them. (Cf. Num 27:15-23)

In any case, the point of all I have been sharing with you is that there are problems that only you are in a position to solve. And you should not ignore or avoid them, whether because you are afraid, indecisive or sentimental.

Instead, you should identify such problems and clearly solve them when you still have the means to do so. Otherwise, apart from the fact that you may give room for some foolish, irresponsible and godless individuals to ruin your good legacy, you can also expose your family, business, community, society or church to unnecessary and avoidable evil through your unwillingness to solve a problem that is in your power to solve.Therefore, mind yourself.

By: J.O. Lawal

Date: November 19, 2025

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 28

“Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.” (Neh 11:1-2NIV)

Some years ago, a church I was attending organised a crusade that ended very late at night. It was not planned to end as late as it did. But it ended late because the pastor of the church that was supposed to minister in it was caught up in a terrible situation that made it impossible for him to come.

So, last minutes plans had to be made to get someone else to preach in his stead. And what should have ended around 8pm or so ended after 10pm.Now because the crusade ended later than expected, getting some of the equipment used for the crusade back to the church meeting place became a very big issue for some logistic reasons. So, it became necessary for some of the members of the church to stay back overnight with the equipment.

Otherwise, nothing of it may remain on the crusade ground by the following morning.Who, then, among the brethren would stay? We ended the crusade late and getting back home for many at the time would be pretty difficult.

More so, it was not the brethren’s fault that the crusade ended late or that the church leaders did not make adequate plans to get the church equipment back to where they belonged. So, nobody, not even the church staff, could be commanded to stay back. The only available option was for the handlers of the crusade to look for guards that they could pay to watch over the equipment over the night.

Unfortunately, the money to even do that was not available. So, what we needed that night were volunteers, people who, out of a clear understanding of the situation and love for God and for His church, would willingly offer to stay back and watch over the equipment of the church.

Sadly, nobody wanted to volunteer to stay back. Even the church staff that one would expect a higher level of commitment from were unwilling to volunteer. Each of them was just giving all kinds of reasons they would not be able to stay back but must readily get back home.

Now when I saw how things were going and that much discouragement was already filling the heart of the assistant pastor of the church who, at the time, was the only remaining elder of the church that was still on the crusade ground, I spoke up and said that I would stay back.

Really, I just joined the assembly at the time. But I just could not cope with the fact that none of all the old members of the assembly would readily volunteer in that situation to do the needful for the safety of what belonged to the church. What was I thinking at the time, by the way? Did I think that I could, as one person, actually keep the equipment safe from robbers or thieves till the following morning?

No! The truth is that I was not thinking at all. I was not considering the consequences of my decision at all. All that I simply had in mind was to do what I believed to be right for the church. And guess what? The moment I said that I would say, some other brothers of the church began to say that they also would stay back. And before long, we had enough people on ground to make any group of robbers think clearly before they would attempt to rob the place.

Glory to God!Now when the pastor of the church later heard what I did, he was really elated. And that, of course, forever affected our relationship. That is because, from that time on, he literally took me as a younger brother and ministry companion.

Well, I shared that story with you to let you know that there are times that what God needs for certain things He wants to accomplish are volunteers and not just those who will be acting on His orders. Yes, He can command us to do anything He wishes.

But it is not every time that He wants to do that. There are times that what He wants is for us to willingly offer to do what He wants, even though He is not making it an obligation for us to do so. And if we will volunteer to do what He wants in such situations, the commendation that will follow will surely be greater than any reward we can hope to receive from handling His work like an obligation.

As we see in our opening text, when the Jews of Nehemiah’s time were trying to re-inhabit Jerusalem, they needed more than those chosen by lot to do so. They also needed volunteers. Yes, they needed people who would willingly relocate to Jerusalem from wherever they were living, not minding the cost or the inconveniences. And those who volunteered in this manner were greatly commended by them. That was because they made what God expected them to do easier to be done.

In like manner, when we volunteer to do whatever has to be done in the kingdom of God, not looking at what it will cost us or the inconveniences that may follow, we are making it easier for the will of God to be accomplished in our world.

In fact, we may just be inspiring several others to also volunteer to make the accomplishing of the will of God on earth easier. And where that is the case, God will not forget our labour of love but will reward us accordingly when the time is ripe. But are we willing to volunteer to do anything for God or for His kingdom? Are we willing to volunteer to do anything at all that will make life easier or better for others? Or is it only those things that will earn us money or prestige that we are always willing to do?

Well, those who volunteer to do the will of God and make Him happy, where others are shrinking back, will never be forgotten by Him. They may not be duly rewarded in this world for what they have done or are doing for Him. But He will not fail to reward them adequately in His eternal kingdom, when all has been said and done.

Cheers!

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 27

“The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!”” (2Kings 7:2NIV)

One of the things we must train ourselves to do is to be careful of what we say when we are around those who have been well established as true servants of God. It may be, in fact, best for us to be altogether quiet when we are with them than to say something untoward. That is because anything unprofitable we say around them may just be the different between life and death or success and failure for us.

For example, as we see in our opening bible text, an officer of the king of Israel once said something unprofitable in the presence of prophet Elisha. And what he said cost him his life and an experience of the goodness of God.

What exactly happened? Well, as the account goes, there had been a famine in the land of Israel that was so severe that people were eating their own babies. And when news of this got to the king, he suddenly woke up and remembered that there was a man of God in the land that could have spoken to God on their behalf. But instead of going to meet him in humility and asking him to intercede on behalf of the land, it was a death threat that he sent to him. (Cf. 2Kings 6:24-33)

Now that is typical of unspiritual and irresponsible leaders. First, they will not wake up to respond to the yearnings of their people until the crises of the people are brought to their doorsteps. Then even when they are eventually confronted with the magnitude of the distress of their people, they will not admit that they are responsible for it. Instead, they will look for someone else to blame, someone else to make the scapegoat for their irresponsibility.

Well, in spite of this king’s irresponsibility, God, in His mercy, still ministered to Prophet Elisha for the people. He gave him a word for them that there was going to be a supernatural supply of food and other good things that would totally eradicate the famine the following day. According to him, the supply would be so abundant and unbelievable that people would not need much money to get food for themselves. (Cf. 2Kings 7:1)

Now what did the king say in response to that? Nothing! Why did he say nothing? It was because what he heard was totally unbelievable. But then, since he knew Elisha to be a true man of God, one whose words had never failed or fallen to the ground, he just held his peace, hoping that what he had heard would actually come to pass. However, his closest officer would not act like him. He would not hold his peace or keep his unbelief to himself.

So, he told the man of God to go to hell. He told him that even if God were to open the floodgates of heaven and rain down food, as He did for the Israelites in the wilderness, the kind of abundance he had prophesied could never happen. Why did he speak like that? It was must have been because he wanted to prevent the man of God from giving the king and the people false hopes.

Unfortunately for him, the man of God told him that he would actually witness that abundant miraculous supply of God but would not enjoy it. And that was exactly what happened to him. He did witness the abundant miraculous supply of food and other kinds of good things that Elisha had prophesied about. But he lost his life while he was trying to manage that supply. What a shame! (Cf. 2Kings 7:17-20)

What is the point of this? It is that even where we do not believe or are struggling to believe a prophecy of an acclaimed servant of God, we should just keep our unbelief to ourselves. We should not spread it or infect other people with it. And I am not referring to a case in which a so-called servant of God is saying something that is entirely contrary to what is in the bible and misleading people.

In that case, we have a duty to warn people against his lie or error. That way, we will be good ministers of Christ that have been well brought up in the truth (1Tim 4:6).

But where our reason for not believing what a servant of God has said is simply that it is contrary to common sense and not to the word of God, we should keep our unbelief to ourselves and let God Himself prove that person to be telling the truth or lying. Otherwise, if we should voice out our unbelief and infect others with it, God’s judgment is what will surely follow, if such a servant of God happens to be telling the truth. Who, then, knows how He will judge?

So, mind yourself.

Copyright © 2025, 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: 08146472876)

Series: Youth for Jesus

Number: Vol. 8, No. 25

“So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”” (1Sam 29:6-7NIV)

From what we see in our opening bible text, the only reason Achish, a Philistine ruler, would not allow David and his men to march with his army on that occasion was that other Philistine rulers did not approve of him.

As for Achish, he trusted David very much and considered him to be one of his loyal servants. So, if he had any battle to fight, he would not hesitate at all to allow him to fight along with his men, even though he was not a Philistine but an Israelite. And that was because David had cleverly done all that he could to gain the man’s trust.

However, that day, the battle was going to be between the Philistines and the Israelites. And though David had gained the trust of Achish, he had not gained the trust of the other Philistine rulers. So, they judged that he may suddenly go back to his former master, King Saul, in the heat of the battle, and betray them. And that was unacceptable for them.

Therefore, they insisted that Achish send him and his men back home, which he did.Now were they right to judge David in that manner? Yes, they were. To say the fact, if Achish himself had known all the truth about what David had been up to, since he started staying with him, he would not have trusted him as he had done.

And even if David had been entirely true to him, it would still have been unwise for all those other kings to assume that they would have his unfailing devotion in fighting against his own people, the Israelites. So, they were right to send him and his men away that day. (Cf. 1Sam 27)

Did that, then, please David and his men? No, it did not please them at all. Why? It does not matter, actually. That is because whether they intended to truly fight for the Philistines or they planned to betray them at the battle front, their expectations did not come to pass.

So, they couldn’t have been happy. But since Achish had told them not to do anything to anger the Philistine rulers, they had to leave in peace.Thankfully, that disappointment turned out to be a blessing in disguise for them. How? Well, as we are further shown in the account, while they were with the Philistines, getting ready for battle, Amalekite raiders were already raiding their camp. And by the time they got back there on the third day, all their wives, children and possessions had been captured and taken away. (Cf. 1Sam 30:1-2)

That, of course, demoralised all of them terribly. But David still managed to find strength in God in that hour to purse those raiders and take back all that they had stolen from them. And when they came back from dealing with them, they had become exceedingly wealthy. (Cf. 1Sam 30:3-31)

But what if they had not met with disappointment from the Philistine rulers? They would certainly have gone with them to battle against the Israelites. And regardless of the outcome of that battle, they would not have been in a position to save their families and possessions from those Amalekite raiders. It would just have been too late for them to do so. So, the disappointment they suffered was actually a blessing in disguise.

What, then, is this teaching us? It is that we should not lose ourselves or our minds because of any form of disappointment. And we should not allow any disappointment to make us destroy or discard a good and edifying relationship. That is because that disappointment may just be a blessing in disguise.

See, one main reason people disappoint us, even when they mean well, is that they are not God. As such, they are not in charge of life or its circumstances. God is the one in charge of all of life. And because He is the one in charge of life, He can turn any circumstance of life, including a disappointing one, around for our good. (Cf. Rom 8:28)

So, we should learn to anticipate disappointments and to prepare our minds not to allow it to discourage us or to ruin beautiful relationships for us. That way, if we are disappointed by anyone, we will be able to see what God has done, is doing or can do to turn that disappointment into a blessing in disguise.

Cheers!

Copyright © 2025, 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: 08146472876)