Category: Fire in my Bones

Watch how you follow them

Post author By Pastor J.O. Lawal
Post date September 10, 2020
No Comments on Watch how you follow them

“At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there — the one who told me I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.””
(1Kings 14:1-3NIV)

We have in the bible the story of King Jeroboam, the first king of the northern nation of Israel, that is, after God had divided the nation into two. This man was ordained to be king by God Himself. And He did this through the hand of His prophet, Ahijah (1Kings 11:29-39). But as soon as this man became king and was firmly established, he created new gods for the people and also personally ordained priests to serve them. Why did he do that? Was it because he did not believe in God, the one who ordained him king? No! Rather, it was because he was desperately trying to keep a kingdom that he did not give himself. (Cf. 1Kings 12:25-33)

Fire in my Bones Others

Don’t be carried away

Beloved: welcome to the second week of the month of September 2020. And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ overflow on your behalf, causing you to prosper in all good things, all through the week. Amen.

As we begin this new week, I want to admonish you with Apostle Peter’s words that say, “Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.” (2Peter 3:17-18NIV) What is Peter’s main instruction to us here? It is that we should be on our guard against the errors of lawless men.

Fire in my Bones

Know your enemy

“So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.”
(Job 2:7NIV)

One of the things anyone that is involved in any kind of warfare must know is who their enemies are. Why is this important? It is important because unless we know who our real enemies are and what they are capable of doing, we will most likely underestimate them or give ourselves to fighting the wrong persons. And that will surely result in defeat and perhaps destruction for us.

Fire in my Bones

What bad company can do

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.””

We don’t need to look into the bible for illustrations or examples in order for us to know that what Paul says to the Corinthian brethren in the above Scripture is true. That is because all around us are people that are illustrating the truth of it with their lives. I am talking about people whose lives were great and organised until they started moving with some individuals that got them involved in certain destructive practices that changed them from being good, kind, honest, trustworthy and loving individuals to wicked, corrupt, dishonest, violent and lazy people. So, indeed, bad company corrupts good character.

Fire in my Bones

What generosity can do

“The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them.””
(Luke 7:4-6NIV)

From what we know in Scriptures, most of the elders of the Jews hated Jesus because of His stand for righteousness and also because of His claim that He was the Son of God. Nevertheless, as we see in our opening text, there was a time when some of them were willing to put their hatred and bitterness towards Him aside and plead with Him to follow them to heal someone’s servant. And why? Based on their own words, it was because of the man’s love for their nation and religion. In other words, they could tell that he loved them and also cared about what they cared about. That was, in fact, why, as one man, he built a synagogue for them.

Fire in my Bones

Let Him drive them out

“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.'””

(Mark 11:15-17NIV)

Why would the Lord Jesus drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple area in Jerusalem on the occasion recorded for us by Mark in the bible text above? First, it was because they were using the temple for wrong purposes. As the Lord points out, that temple is God’s house, figuratively. And as the house of God, it was set up as a place of prayer and intercession for anyone who would come to Him for forgiveness of sins and for mercy and favour. Unfortunately, the Jews and their leaders allowed a market to be set up there, giving room for all kinds of people to gather there and do all kinds of unrighteous things. So, the Lord, in His great zeal for His Father’s house, had to step in and let them see that He would not allow them to carry on in the nonsense they were doing in it and with it.

The second reason the Lord drove out those people and cleared the temple of their mess was that He had the authority to do so. In the book of Hebrews, chapter 3, we are shown that He is the Son over God’s house. That means the authority to build God’s house and determine what is allowed or disallowed there belongs to Him. Actually, in John’s record of a similar incident, we see that immediately after Jesus did this, the people asked Him to show them the authority or right that He had to do so. And He told them that He had the right to do so because He is the builder of God’s real temple, which is man’s body. But they did not understand what He was saying. (Cf. John 2:13-22)

Well then, if the Lord would not allow God’s figurative house, the temple in Jerusalem, to be turned into a market and used for wrong purposes, do you think He will allow God’s real house, His real temple, which is you and me, to be used for purposes that are contrary to the will of God for us? The answer is ‘No’. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1Cor 3:16-17NIV)

Did you see that? We are the real temple of God, not a house, not a building, not an auditorium, however magnificent it may be. We are the house of God, the tabernacle in which He dwells. And He reserves to build us up the way He wants and determine what stays in our lives and what goes out of them. Therefore, anything or anyone that desecrates our lives and makes it unfit for God’s purpose is desecrating God’s house and making it unfit for Him to dwell in. And such a thing or person is in danger of being destroyed by God.

Unfortunately, many of us do not understand this, just as the Jews and their leaders did not understand how sacred and dear God’s house is to Him. So, we get angry when He moves to clean and clear our lives of the mess that men and the world are making of them. Yes, we get upset and even work towards hindering Him, when He begins to separate our lives from certain wrong relationships or take some things away from us. But, apart from the fact that He has absolute right to do with our lives as He pleases, He is doing these things in us for our good. He is doing them to make our lives fit for Him to live in and realise the purpose for which He has made us. And until we allow Him to do what He needs to do in us, our lives will remain a market for all kinds of individuals and things to operate in and mess up. Then He may be forced to reject us as unfit for the accomplishment of His purpose here on earth.

Now I don’t want to be rejected as an unfit vessel for the fulfilment of God’s purpose in this world. That is why I yield myself to Him to wash my life and rid it of all the things that are buying and selling in it and trying to use it for purposes different from what He has ordained it for. And will you too do the same? Will you yield your life to God to cleanse it and build it up to be what it is meant to be? Or will you keep struggling with Him and allow your life to remain a market for all kinds of people and things to desecrate? Well, the ball is in your court, and I counsel that you play it wisely. May God help you.

Copyright © 2020, 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)
By: J.O. Lawal | Date: August 12, 2020 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 13

Fire in my Bones

Don’t quit

Don't quit

“If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.”
(Eccl 10:4NLT)

I once worked with a boss that seemed at the time to take delight in ridiculing the jobs of his subordinates. He would just find a way to diminish the relevance of whatever you have done, leaving you with a feeling that you were useless, irresponsible and incapable of using your head to solve simple problems. So, many who came to work with us then in the office, simply because they were attracted by the outward glamour of all we were doing, could not cope for more than two months before they left. And that was because our boss was a very hard to please man. You know, he was the kind that would not mind if you put your life on the line in order to accomplish the measure of excellence he desired.

(more…)

Fire in my Bones

Put a knife to your throat

Post author By Pastor J.O. Lawal
Post date July 29, 2020
No Comments on Put a knife to your throat

“When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.”
(Prov 23:1-3NIV)

There is nobody in this life that will not at one time or the other need the help of others to go from where he is to where he is supposed to be. But it is important in seeking help that we look to God alone and not to men. That is because, first, if God does not help us, there is no one that can help us (2Kings 6:26-27). If God does not move people’s heart to help us or lift us, even if we live in a corner of their nostrils and they have all that it takes to help us, they will still not remember us or think of doing anything to help us.

(more…)

Fire in my Bones

Why do you choose them?

“After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.”
(Neh 7:1-3NIV)

When Nehemiah was governor of the land of Judah, he once needed to appoint someone over the city of Jerusalem. And interestingly, it was his brother, Hanani, that he appointed. But why did he appoint Hanani over Jerusalem? Was it because he was his brother? No! As the text above shows us, the reason Nehemiah appointed Hanani over Jerusalem was that he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.

(more…)

Fire in my Bones Life Application wisdom for living

Tell them the truth anyway

Post author By Pastor J.O. Lawal
Post date July 16, 2020
No Comments on Tell them the truth anyway

“”You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.””
(John 6:67-69NIV)

One of the things our Lord was known for during His days here on earth was saying things the way they were. He never lied to anybody about anything. He always told them the truth. And He did that, regardless of how they felt or what they thought.

(more…)