Category: Youth for Jesus

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Who have they been with?|By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: November 30, 2022|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 29

“Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned for his son every day. After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years.” (2Sam 13:37-38NIV)

One of the things that are abundantly made clear to us in the bible is that the things in it are written down to teach us, to impart wisdom for living to us (Rom 15:4; 1Cor 10:11). It is then up to us to either learn and gain wisdom from what they are teaching us or not to.

Now one of the things we are shown in Scriptures is that it is important we pay attention to the kinds of people the people in our lives are interacting with or keeping as close companions. Why? First, this is so that we will know when we need to move in and separate them from destructive relationships. Second, it is so that we will know when we ourselves need to be careful of them and not foolishly become victims of any ugly change that has occurred in their lives.

For example, we are given in the bible the account Absalom’s rebellion and how it so upset the nation that his father’s men had to engage him in a battle that resulted in his destruction. But how did this young man become a rebel? How come no one, not even Joab, Israel’s cunny general, suspected him? The simple reason was that they all failed to pay attention to where he had been and the people he had been with.

As we are shown in our opening bible verses, after Absalom had murdered his elder brother, Amnon, he fled to Talmai, king of Geshur. And who was Talmai to him? Talmai was his maternal grandfather. In other words, his mother, Maacah, was Talmai’s daughter. So, where he fled to was also home to him. (Cf. 2Sam 3:3)

But Talmai was a heathen king. How come David married the daughter of a heathen king? Was he not aware that God had spoken against such marriage relationships? He was. Or was he not aware that God had said that such marriage relationships would certainly corrupt His people? He was. He married a heathen woman anyway. And the woman gave him a son that was heathen in his soul too. So, when we deliberately ignore the word of God in order to do what is convenient for us, a day is coming when we will reap fully a harvest of the seed we have sowed. (Cf. Deut 7:3-4)

At any rate, after this heathen son of David had assassinated his own brother, he knew there was no hiding place for him in Israel. He knew that he would definitely be found out and killed, in accordance with the laws of the land (Num 35:16-21). So, he ran to his mother’s people. And they welcomed him and took care of him, showing that they did not see anything wrong with what he had done. “His brother raped his sister and he killed him to protect her honour. What could possibly be wrong with that?” they must have reasoned.

Well, having spent three years among these heathens, Absalom came back a worse man that he had been. He came with a hidden plan in his head to become king in place of his father. How did that thought enter his head? Who sowed this evil seed into his heart and made him believe in its possibility? We are not told these things in specific words in the bible. But since he carried out his coup-d’état after he came back from living with King Geshur, his grandfather, we can safely assume that the seed was sowed in his heart while he was living with him and his princes.

What is the point of all this? It is that where people have been and whom they have been with are very important in determining what to expect of them. Though there are times we may have exceptions. There are times that a Samuel can come out of the house of Eli and not be corrupted by Hophni and Phinehas. And there are also times that a Judas can come right out of the house of Jesus.

But in most cases, if people have been with Jesus, they would think, speak and act like Jesus (Acts 4:13). In like manner, if people have been with Hophni and Phinehas, they will most likely be given to corrupt and criminal tendencies. Yes, they may have been good people before, people that you could trust with your very life. But if they are already moving with corrupt people or if they have been away for a while with very corrupt people (thieves, swindlers, rapists, prostitutes or any ungodly person), don’t assume that they are still who they used to be to you.

See, few days of interaction with a wrong person can change a double-minded person forever. Therefore, regardless of how much you love or care for them, take very necessary precautions in your dealing with such people, at least, till you know what they are up to. This will be your wisdom. Otherwise, you may end up being fooled by another Absalom. And who knows whether, like David, you too will be able to escape?

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Fire in my Bones General Post Youth for Jesus

How much are you worth?|By: J.O. Lawal|FIRE IN MY BONES

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: November 23, 2022|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 28

“A man can hire a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread…” (Prov 6:26GNT)

What is Solomon telling us here? Well, it is something many people are already aware of. And it is that the price to have a prostitute can be as low as a loaf of bread. In other words, just to have a loaf of bread to eat, there are ladies that will be ready to sleep with any man.

Now what such ladies don’t realise is that whatever price they accept, great or small, to give their bodies away to be defiled in this manner is what they are worth in their own eyes. Yes, that price represents the value they place on themselves. So, you who give yourself to be polluted by men because of a plate of food, a bowl of ice cream or a plate of fried rice and chicken are not worth more than that plate of fried rice and chicken in your own eyes.

This, of course, is not applicable to women alone but also to men. That is because there are young men as well that are ready to give their bodies to be defiled by any woman that is willing to give them money, buy food for them or give them some accommodation. These ones loiter from place to place, doing nothing tangible with their lives other than scout for women that will be willing to pay for their sex services. And what they also do not realise is that whatever they get from the nonsense they are doing represents nothing but all that they are worth in their own eyes.

But then, what I am talking about here goes beyond rewards of prostitution. See, any time we yield ourselves to do something that is obviously wrong because of monetary gain or some other forms of reward, we are merely declaring that we are not worth more than the reward we are getting. And it will amaze you what some people are worth in their own eyes. It will amaze you to know the price that some people are willing to receive to assassinate someone, pervert justice or lure a friend into a den of kidnappers or those who will use them for money rituals.

To say the fact, people take as low as N5,000 for these things. And I can’t dispute the fact that there might be those who will take even less and blame their desperation on poverty. Perhaps you too will take less than that amount to ruin your life or someone else’s life and destroy your soul hell. Who knows? God knows! You know!

But is there really anything in this world that comes any close in worth or value to what our souls are worth in the sight of God? Is there any price that we may be given in this world that is worth the destruction of our souls here in the world or in hell? There is none.

Our Lord Jesus, once while speaking to His disciples, said this: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt 16:26NIV) What does this mean? It means that even if this whole world were to be sold and its price presented for the redemption of a man’s soul from eternal destruction, it would not be enough. That is because a man’s soul is of much greater worth in the sight of God than the whole universe. And it is of much greater worth than the whole universe because while this whole universe as we know it will someday perish, man’s soul will always live on forever (Heb 1:10).

You can, then, see why our Lord Jesus would not bow to the devil when he offered Him all the kingdoms of this world and their glory. He knew that His soul was worth much more than all these things that would someday perish. So, He would not sell it just to have them. You can also see why the only payment that would do for our redemption from destruction was the sinless soul of a man, the man Jesus. (Cf. Ps 49:7-9; Luke 4:5-8; 1Tim 2:5-6)

So, stop undervaluing yourself before yourself and before others. You may not have all the resources you need or want at the moment. And you may not have yet attained the height you will want to attain in life. That still does not mean that you should sell your soul for peanuts, for the price of things that are bound to perish. What should keep in mind, instead, is the fact that the life of a man is not defined by the abundance of his possessions or by the position he is occupying. Rather, it is defined by what God says about it.

What God says about you, then, is what you should hold on to as the description of what your life is worth. And He is saying that you are worth the life of His only begotten Son, whom He sacrificed for you. So, take your place as His Son and inheritor of all that He possesses, things that can never perish, spoil or fade. And as long as you are living on this basis, you will never lose your mind or your soul for anything of this life.

Copyright © 2022, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Don’t be selfish | By: J.O. Lawal |Fire in my Bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: November 16, 2022|Series: Youth for Jesus|Number: Vol. 5, No. 27

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil 2:4NIV)

What does it mean to be selfish? It means to be concerned about yourself alone, especially at the expense of others. It means to do things or go for things for the sole purpose of satisfying ourselves and without considering how others are affected. And the word of God says that is a wrong way to live.

Now is it wrong to be concerned about ourselves? No! Or is it wrong to want to satisfy ourselves? No! Unfortunately, there are people who think we don’t have to be concerned about ourselves at all but about others and that we don’t have to satisfy ourselves at all but others. These are the kind that would say, “Always think of others first.”

But as nice and gracious as that may sound, it is not at all a godly philosophy. Why did I say that? It is because there is nowhere in the Scripture in which God tells us to think of others first. On the contrary, what we have are Scriptures in which God says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Why is God telling us to love our neighbours as ourselves? The reason is that until we learn to love and treat ourselves right, we cannot love and treat others right. (Cf. Matt 22:39)

By the way, even those who tell us to always think of others first are really not putting others first in their lives. I am saying this because the major reason they love to put others first is that it makes them feel good or accomplished. I mean that there is a measure of satisfaction these people derive or seek to derive from putting others first in their affairs. So, ultimately, their putting others first is not really about others but about themselves. Can we, then, say that they are putting others first? No!

Well, my point is that being selfish is not basically about not putting others first. That is because you can be putting others first and still be dubious. Yes, you can be putting others first and still be cheating them. If you have younger ones and you grew up with them, you should understand what I am saying. Here you were, sharing a lump of meat among you and your younger ones. And you decided to first give them their own share, so that they would see you as selfless. But was that to say you did not cheat them at all? You know the answer.

So, the idea of putting others first may not eliminate cheating or selfishness. However, it is possible not to put others first and still not be selfish. This is a situation in which you are not just concerned about yourself but also about others. And that is what Paul is speaking of in our opening bible text. There he tells us not to look at our own interests alone but also at the interest of others.

What is the difference between a selfish person and an unselfish person? A selfish person is only concerned about their own interests and not at all about yours. So, for example, if they make or sell to you a product, they will only be concerned about the profit they will make from the sale and not at all about your enjoyment of it. That, of course, is the foundation for all fake products and substandard services. The people behind them are only concerned about their own gain and not at all about the benefit or loss you may derive from what they offer you. They are selfish.

Something similar can be experienced in relationships, whether natural or spiritual. When people are merely concerned about how much they can squeeze out of you and not concerned at all about how that will affect you or concerned about what they also can do to show that they care about you, they are selfish. And selfishness irritates. Selfishness puts off kind people. In fact, it will only take a kind person that is walking in the love of Christ to remain forever kind to you, if you are selfish.

So, don’t be selfish. Don’t be concerned about yourself alone but about others as well. If people are helping you or working with you, be genuinely concerned about their welfare as well and show it as often as you can. Yes, be sure you are regularly considering how you can show them that you too care about them and that you are not a parasite.

See, selfish people are parasites, always seeking to drain others. Selfish people don’t move the world forward or contributing anything significant to make it better. It is unselfish people that are moving the world forward and making it better and more enjoyable for everyone to live in. They are the ones coming up with new inventions and easier and better ways and methods of doing things. They are the ones making and selling to us products or services that give us value for whatever money we pay for them.

Yes, they too may be making profit and probably getting richer through what they are doing for us, depending on the kind of relationship we have with them. But whatever they do for us is not just about them but also about us. So, God is happy with them because they are making us happy. And He will be happy with us too, if we will stop being selfish and start making others really happy by being unselfish in all that we do.

Cheers!

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

More than competence |By: J.O. Lawal | November 09, 2022

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 26

“The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.” (Gen 39:2-5NIV)

Evidently, from what we see in Scriptures, Joseph was a highly competent young man when it comes to administration and management, whether of people or of things. But it was not his competence that took him to the top everywhere he found himself; it was God’s favour.

As we see in our opening bible text, when his master saw his competence and success in handling whatever was committed into his hands, Joseph found favour in his eyes. Therefore, he promoted him, made him his personal attendant and put him in charge of his whole household. But do you know that Joseph’s master may as well have ignored the competence he saw in him? Do you know that he could as well have considered his competence to be a threat to his own position as the master of that house?

See, it is not everyone that is comfortable with having competent people around them. There are people that feel threatened when they have a wise and competent subordinate or colleague around them. They see them as a threat to their current position or future position. So, they become jealous and start considering how they may pull them down or how they can show everyone that they are overrated.

Remember the story of King Saul and David. Remember that even though David killed Goliath and saved the nation of Israel on one occasion, King Saul never wholeheartedly accepted him as a loyal servant. Why? It was because he was not comfortable with his competence and the fact that God was with him everywhere he went. He was not comfortable at all with the fact that the young man might just become the next king, just by watching the way he was rising in the army and becoming more and more popular among the people. (Cf. 1Sam 17&18)

So, even though he promoted David and gave him a high rank in the army, he did it reluctantly. He did it because he had no choice, for the bible tells us that all his officers and the people of Israel loved the young man because of his competence and because he fought and won their battles for them. Then, even though he made him his in-law by giving him one of his daughters, it was not because he loved and cherished him as one of his loyal men. Rather, it was because he wanted the girl to be a trap that he would use in catching and killing him.

In any case, when he could no longer bear the thought of David becoming his successor, he, in his jealousy, began to deploy all the resources at his disposal to hunt him down at every given chance in order to kill him. If David, then, had not found favour in the sight of God, he would have perished at some point in the hands of this wicked and jealous king.

Therefore, the fact that you are competent does not mean that the people that matter where you are and who, to some extent, can decide how high you rise in life or how far you go in life will respect and appreciate you. They may not at all. Instead, they may be the ones that Satan will use to prey upon your very life. This is why you need to find favour in their eyes, even though they are wicked and unreasonable. And God can make that happen.

How reasonable and kind was Potiphar? We would not know, for we are not told in the bible. But we are told that Joseph found favour in his eyes. So, even though he was a total stranger to him and not an Egyptian, he kept on promoting him until he put him charge of his whole household. And how reasonable and kind was the prison warden that this young man met in the prison, having been shamefully treated by Potiphar’s wife? We are not told in the bible. But we are told that God caused Joseph to find favour in his eyes, so much so that the man recognised his abilities and put him in charge of the entire prison facility and all that was going on there. (Cf. Gen 39)

Also, we are not told how reasonable and kind the Pharaoh of Joseph’s days was. I suspect that he must have been a highly reasonable and kind man. But then, it would take more than being reasonable and kind to make a total stranger, one just coming out from the prison, your second-in-command and ruler over your entire nation. All the odds were against Joseph in that situation. But because God’s favour was working for him, Pharaoh and his officials did not see anything wrong with putting a man with such great competence over their entire nation, even though he was not a native. (Cf. Gen 41)

So, if there is anything you need more than competence to keep rising in life, it is God’s favour. It is good to be competent. And you should labour to be known and seen as a very competent person in whatever field you are working. But competence without God’s favour will never leave its prison room. So, crave His favour. Receive His favour. And whatever abilities you have will begin to shine forth and open doors of greatness for you.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

The relevance of moderation | Pst. J.O. Lawal | November 02, 2022 | Youth for Jesus | Vol. 5, No. 25

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“If you find honey, eat just enough — too much of it, and you will vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house — too much of you, and he will hate you.” (Prov 25:16-17NIV)

Years ago, as a boy in the primary school, I once fell terribly ill and had to be on drugs for some weeks. But instead for me to be getting better, I was only getting weaker and duller. It was so bad that I would sleep for most part of the school period. And when my teacher brought this to my father’s notice, he got really worried about it. Eventually, he went back to find out from the clinic where I had been treated and given medications what could be wrong. It was then he found out that he had been giving me an overdose of the medications. And if he had been a little late in finding out what he was doing wrong, the case would have ended differently.

Now what is the point of my story? It is that something that is meant to accomplish some good may end up accomplishing something bad, if it is not handled moderately. And it is this same point that Solomon is making in our opening bible text. According to him, as tasty and medicinal as honey can be, it is very little of it that our bodies can handle at a time. But if we ignore this fact and begin to drink it as one would drink water, it would not be long before we get into trouble. Then something that is supposed to heal us will end up endangering our lives. The same thing is applicable to salt and several other things that are available for our use.

Therefore, in using the things of this life, we must always pursue moderation. Yes, the Scripture says everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving (1Tim 4:4). However, if we do not know the right dose of these good things that God has created and use them accordingly, we will surely get ourselves in trouble. It does not matter whether it is food, water, drink, dress, sleep or even money that we are dealing with. As long as we do not use it moderately, it will lose its goodness and become evil in our hands, a channel through which Satan can afflict us. 

How, then, do you know that you are being immoderate or excessive in the way you are using things that are good and not bad in themselves? First, when through your use of something that is good, you endanger your life or others’ lives, there is a tendency that you are being excessive in your use of it. Second, when through your use of something good, people start seeing you as irresponsible, you may be certain that you are already being excessive. So, as you use the good things God has placed at your disposal, be careful to always use them in ways that they will not endanger you or others or make you appear irresponsible to those who care about you. 

Also, as Solomon further points out in our opening text, as important as it is to be friendly with our neighbours and to know how they are faring, it is not every time they will want us around them. Even if we think they need us, they may not think so. And if we are not discerning about this and be moderate in our dealings with them, we may end up unduly intruding or interfering with their lives and affairs. Then we may get to see what we should not see about them or get to access information or resources belonging to them that they don’t want us to have access to. And this may get them to become irritated about us or it may give room for them to begin to despise or disregard us.

Therefore, in handling our relationships, we must also and always seek to be moderate. Know when the visitation should end. Know when the chatting should end. Know where the quizzing should end. Master the art of getting to know how much of you people really want in their lives. Remember that even God usually does not come into people’s lives and affairs without first knocking and waiting for them to respond, even though He is the creator and owner of every one of us. And when He comes into our lives, He will still only move to the degree that we permit Him. Learn from God, then, and don’t unduly insert yourself into anyone’s life. (Cf. Rev 3:20)

Now someone may ask, “How do I know that I am already becoming excessive in my dealings with others?” First, when your dealings with them is making you irresponsible in any area of your life, preventing you from doing what you ought to do or paying attention to what you ought to pay attention to, your presence in their lives is becoming excessive. Second, when your dealings with them is making them irresponsible in any area of their lives, hindering them from being busy with what they ought to be busy with or resting when they ought to be resting, your presence in their lives is becoming immoderate.

Then when you can see that your presence in people’s lives or with them makes them uncomfortable or exposes you to things about them that you should not know or are not qualified to be part of, know that it is becoming too much or excessive. So, you need to excuse yourself. Otherwise, as I said before, they may end up being the one that will excuse you. And the disgrace or shame that will accompany that may be too much for you to bear. 

My prayer is that you will not be disgraced by those who are meant to honour you or being ruined through anything God has given for your good. But you too must learn and master the art of moderation in life. The benefits are just too immense to ignore. Cheers!

Copyright © 2022, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com  or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Don’t shut the door against His favour | By: J.O. Lawal | Fire in My Bones

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: October 26, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 24

“Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and your father’s house would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your family line and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, in your family line there will never be an old man. Every one of you that I do not cut off from my altar will be spared only to blind your eyes with tears and to grieve your heart, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.” (1Sam 2:30-33NIV)

Those were the words spoken to Eli the priest by the man of God that was sent to him. God, as we see in the text, said that He was changing His mind about the family of this priest. He had promised them before that they would minister before Him forever. But because of him and his sons He said that what He had promised would no longer happen.

So, if you think God never changes His mind about people, you are wrong. Yes, God will never change His mind about Himself. And He will never change His mind about His standards of righteousness and justice. But just as we have Scriptures that show us that He will not go back on any promise He has made, we also have those that show us that He can change His mind about people, for good or for evil, based on their attitude towards Him and His instructions.

As we see in the case of Eli, God changed His mind about him and his family. First, He said that He would not allow them to minister before Him forever again. That means, at some point, this man would no longer have any descendant as a priest before God. Second, God said that He would no longer allow them to live long. Eli himself died at the age of ninety-eight (1Sam 4:14-15). But God said that he would be the last person in his family line to live as long as that. Others would start dying young, starting with his sons, Hophni and Phinehas.

Why, then, was God so mad at this man that He judged him in this manner? It was because he allowed his sons to desecrate the priestly office God had given to them as a gift. Of course, he was not the one that committed all the atrocities his sons committed with their office. But as the head priest in the land, he was in a position to punish them for their crimes. But he did not. He did not restrain them but allowed them to continue to abuse and misuse their priestly office and privileges. Therefore, he unconsciously shut the door of God’s favour against his family line and his descendants.

In like manner, if we are abusing whatever position of advantage or privilege God has given us, we may just be shutting His door of favour against our descendants. This is why certain individuals, who were wealthy during their lifetimes or who once occupied very great and important positions in the world died and disappeared with their names, wealth and honour. Yes, they may still have living descendants that bear their names. But when those names are mentioned, they don’t ring any bell in anybody’s ears. And that is because those who now bear those names are some nonentities or irresponsible persons that no serious person wants to associate with.

Now such things, as I already pointed out, often happen when people abuse their positions and shut God’s door of favour against themselves and their family line. And if we don’t want similar or worse experiences in our lives, we need to watch how we too use whatever position of advantage God places us in life. That is because it can go a long way in determining whether His favour shown to us will flow down our family line to our descendants after us or will end with us. And may God fill your heart with the humility and patience you need to use whatever position of favour He places you in life in ways that will not deny those coming after you a similar or greater experience of His kindness. Amen.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

He loves a cheerful giver | By: J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: October 19, 2022 | Number: Vol. 5, No. 23 | Series: Youth for Jesus

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2Cor 9:7-8NIV)

Giving, without doubt, is one of the most controversial practices of the Christian faith. And that is because of the way preachers often abuse and steal from people through it. But the fact that there are many abuses of the practice of giving does not mean that it should be altogether nullified or that there is no proper and acceptable way to handle it before God.

As we see in our opening bible text, God expects every one of His children to be a giver. That is why Paul says, “Each man should give…” So, if you are a child of God, don’t be left out in the grace and practice of giving. That is because it is the will of God for you. God has given to us the indescribable gift of His Son and is also daily freely giving us all things (Rom 8:32). And if we are truly grateful for what He has done and is still doing for us, we too should be giving to Him and to all the people He wants us to give to.

But then, even though God wants us all to be actively giving for His cause, there are things He also wants us to keep in mind when giving. Otherwise, there will be no reward for our giving. Remember that though Cain gave to God, He did not accept his offering. So, it is not every kind of giving that is acceptable to God. And if we give in a way that is not acceptable to Him, our giving will be rejected, wasted and not rewarded. Only God Himself, then, knows how many are daily or weekly wasting the so-called tithes, offerings, seeds and so forth they claim to be giving to Him.

Well, if you don’t want to waste whatever you are giving to God or to His people, pay attention to what Paul says in our opening bible text. And what does he say? First, he says when giving, give as you decide in your heart to give. That means no one is to determine for you what to give to God but you. Otherwise, that may affect your willingness and generosity in giving. And once these are affected, you can lose your reward for giving.

What, then, are we to say about assemblies where targets are given to brethren or to their pastors of what to give to God? They are missing it, regardless of how big or influential they may be in the eyes of the world and regardless of what results they may seem to be getting by acting in this fashion. And a day will come when all the people they have misled to waste their giving will see the truth. But it may have become too late then to change anything.

Am I, then, saying that anyone that gives to God in response to a target set for him by some church leader will surely miss his reward? No! If the person’s heart is right in giving to God, he will still have his reward. But once we set targets for people in matters of giving, the tendencies are high that they may not be giving willingly but reluctantly.

Now that takes us to the second thing Paul says to us in our opening text about giving. He says when giving, we are to give wholeheartedly and cheerfully, not reluctantly or under compulsion. That means you must give to God and to His people only because you want to give to them and not because someone is forcing, threatening or manipulating you to do so. If you do not want to give, don’t give, whatever your reasons may be for not wanting to give. God will certainly get His will done whether you give or not.

However, if you must give, then give cheerfully and willingly, not because you want to please or satisfy anyone but because you want to please God. That is because, as Paul further says, God loves a cheerful and not moody or reluctant giver. It does not matter what you are giving to Him, whether it is praise, worship, facility or time, God will cherish it, only if you give it cheerfully. But even if you bring all your wealth to Him, as long as you are not cheerful or happy or excited about giving it, it won’t win His heart. Therefore, you won’t have any reward for it.

You can now see why many give and don’t get to receive from God for their giving. They are not giving in line with His will. And if you want to separate yourself from such fruitless giving, start giving as you purpose in your heart and cheerfully too. Then, He who sees your heart will reward you in His own way and at His own time. He may not give you money in return for money or facility in return for facility. But He will surely reward you according to His grace and mercy, not just here on earth but also when His Son returns.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Unless they receive a personal judgement | Pst. J.O. Lawal | October 12, 2022 | Youth for Jesus | Vol. 5, No. 22

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

“Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart.” (Ex 7:23NIV)

That was Pharaoh’s immediate and regular response to the disasters coming upon his land and his people as result of his refusal to obey God’s command. God had sent Moses and Aaron to him to command him to release His people, the nation of Israel, so that they would go and worship Him at a designated place. But he was unwilling to release them. Why? It was because he and his people were profiting from the miseries of the people of Israel. 

But then, when God intervened in the matter and began to afflict this monarch’s land, Egypt, because of His people, Israel, what should he have done? He should have let the people go, seeing that he had no power to resist God. Something similar happened when the Philistines defeated Israel in a battle and captured the Ark of God’s covenant during Eli’s time. Their land was grossly afflicted by God with an outbreak of tumours. (Cf. 1Sam 4-5)

And how did their leaders respond to that? They humbled themselves and sent back the Ark of God to Israel and with gifts. Why? It was because they cared more about their people and their welfare than their ego. And when they humbled themselves in this manner, God showed them mercy and withdrew His hand of judgment from them. (Cf. 1Sam 6)

Sadly, that was not the case with the Pharoh that Moses and Aaron had to deal with. When God began to afflict his people with all kinds of plagues, he did not take the matter to heart at all, as we see in our opening Scriptures. Initially, that was because his sorcerers and magicians were encouraging him with their witchcraft not to mind Moses and Aaron. But even when they realised that it was God’s fingers they were fighting against and withdrew themselves from the fight, he still would not take the matter seriously. 

Now why was this monarch like that? Why was it convenient for him to watch his people suffer and not do anything about their suffering, even though he knew the right thing to do? It was because he had not fully shared in the affliction of the land. But the very day the affliction of the land fully entered his place and took away his heir, he lost no time to set the Israelites free. (Cf. Ex 12:29-32)

What is this teaching us? It is that unless callous leaders share fully in the affliction of their people, they may never do what is right about their welfare. Just like Egypt of Moses’ time, different nations of the world today have leaders like Pharoah, who will see their people suffering, crying and wallowing in poverty and will still not take what they see to heart at all. There are equally leaders of organisations and industries like such. It does not matter what they hear or see about the suffering of those under them, they will not take it to heart.

Why? Some of these leaders, like Pharaoh, have diabolical people around them that are encouraging them to act indifferent to the plight of their people or the command of God. Some others just don’t have any conscience anymore. Their consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. So, even if the skies are falling down on their people, they will not be moved. The only thing that such people respond to is personal judgment.

Therefore, if you are under their leadership in any way and want relief from their oppressive and wicked rule, your constant prayer must be that God will move quickly to judge them in a personal way and let them have a full dose of the consequences of their wickedness. That is the only way you will ever be delivered from their bad leadership, if they do not have a divine encounter that will lead to their repentance. 

Then, if you too are like Pharaoh, indifferent towards the plight of those under your care, whether at home, in your office or wherever you may be, know that you are not far from receiving a personal and huge judgment from God, especially if those you are oppressing are crying out to God against you. so, repent now that you still have time to do so. Otherwise, the coming judgment may be too terrifying for you and those with you to bear.

Copyright © 2022, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com  or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Be on your guard against them | By: J.O. Lawal |

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: October 05, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 21

“Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.” (2Tim 4:14-15NIV)

It is true that the word of God tells us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us, so that we may be like God our Father, who shows mercy and kindness to even bad people (Matt 5:43-45). But that is not the only thing it tells us about how to relate to our enemies and those who persecute us. It also tells us to be on our guard against them. Otherwise, though we love them and are praying for their good, we may end up being victims of their wicked schemes.

For example, in our opening text, Paul tells Timothy to be on his guard against a certain man named Alexander the metal worker. Why? It is because he has been a victim of the man’s wickedness. He says, “He did me a great deal of harm.” What sort harm the man did Paul he does not say in this letter. But it was bad enough for him to warn Timothy to be on his guard against him, so that he too would not become a victim of the man’s wickedness.

In like manner, if we do not want to unnecessarily become victims of people’s wickedness, we must know those that we need to be on our guard against. For example, people who are directly attacking our faith in Christ Jesus are suspects in this matter. We must be on our guard against them. This, of course, does not mean we are to be like them and start attacking them as well or that we are not to pray for their salvation. No, we must not be like them. And we must not stop praying for their salvation, for that will be acting contrary to the will of God who wants all men to be saved (1Tim 2:1-4).

However, we must not foolishly or ignorantly walk into whatever traps they may be setting for us. Instead, apart from praying to God to frustrate their wicked plots against us, we must also be ready to take whatever legitimate step we can take as humans to stay away from their trouble. For example, when Paul learnt from his nephew that there was a plan afoot to assassinate him by some Jews, he did not dismiss it as a rumour or say, “Don’t worry. God will protect me from them.” Instead, he told the young man to discreetly inform the commander in whose barracks he was being held. And the commander did the needful and arranged some soldiers to take him to safety.

Why did Paul function like that, instead of foolishly or arrogantly walking into a death trap, all in the name of trusting God? It was because he knew that the reason God revealed the matter to him was so that he could act on it and save himself. And if he had not made a wise use of that revelation, he may have lost his life in the process and also ended his ministry before his time was up. We too must learn to use whatever God reveals to us about those who oppose us to protect ourselves. Otherwise, we may end up being victims of evil people without need. (Cf. Acts 23:12-34)

Apart from those who oppose our faith, people who are ruthlessly ambitious, envious or greedy are also individuals we must be on our guard against. They may not reveal themselves as our enemies in an open or direct manner. But some of them are like Joab, who would call you ‘brother’, even though he had the dagger he would use to kill you hidden away in his dress. And some of them are like Judas, who would betray you with a kiss to anyone who paid him enough money for your head. (Cf. 2Sam 20:8-10; Matt 26:47-50)

In any case, however close anyone may be to you and whatever pet name they may be calling you, as long as you know them to be greedy, ruthlessly ambitious or envious, be on your guard against them. And I pray that God himself will continue to keep you safe from all harm and from the schemes of wicked and unreasonable people, including enemies that pose as friends. Amen.

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Learn to show proper respect | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: September 28, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 20

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Title: Learn to show proper respect | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: September 28, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 20

“Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1Peter 2:17NIV) One of the things I have learnt by experience is that people, especially in my own part of the world, open doors of attention and favour more readily to those who show them proper respect. Someone may lack character or abilities in many ways. But if they know how to show proper respect to those in their lives or those that they come across, certain doors of favour will have been opened for them before anyone starts asking questions about their character or competence.

So, when we are told in our opening bible text to show proper respect to everyone, it is for our own good. You too know how you often feel when someone does not give you the level of respect you believe you deserve. You feel bad and irritated. You may not show it, so that you don’t appear arrogant. But you know in your heart that certain doors of favour, attention or help have automatically closed against that person who has disrespected you or who is continually disrespecting you.

In like manner, when you too disrespect people that you are supposed to respect or when you do not show them adequate and proper respect, you are unconsciously shutting against yourself certain doors of attention or favour that they are in a position to open for you. And unless God Himself ministers to them and causes them to overlook your flaws in this area, you may never get anything good from them in life.

By the way, some people so detest being disrespected that they are willing to punish those who disrespect them in very terrible ways. You may be familiar with the bible story of Haman and Mordecai. Why did Haman make a move to wipe out all the Jews in the kingdom of King Xerxes? It was because of Mordecai. But what did Mordecai do to him to warrant that? Mordecai would not give him the respect that he believed he deserved as the emperor’s right-hand man. (Cf. Esther 3-7)

Now was Mordecai right to disrespect the emperor’s right-hand man? No! God did not put this story in the bible to teach us that nothing is wrong with disrespecting our leaders or those we are supposed to honour. That would be against His will as revealed in all Scriptures. Rather, He put the story in the bible to show us how far certain people may go in order to punish those who disrespect them. (Cf. Rom 13:1-7; 1Peter 2:13-14)

Haman was willing to wipe out an entire nation of people simply because one of them dishonoured him. And if God had not stepped into the situation to show this wicked man, who was himself arrogant, that he had gone too far, many lives would have been lost in his quest to preserve his honour.

Interestingly, there are still people like Haman in the world today. There are still people that will be willing to take away your life, your job, your position or certain beautiful things that could be yours because you will not show them proper respect. And my prayer is that you will never be a victim of the anger of such people, in Jesus’ name.

However, you too should learn to recognise those in your life and in your world and to show them proper respect, based on their status or their relationship with you. Learn to show proper respect to your parents, the elderly people around you, your superiors at work, the dignitaries in the society, your instructors, your leaders in the church and even your friends. Yes, you may be older, richer or more knowledgeable than some of these people. But the word of God to you is that you are to show them proper respect. Otherwise, it is not only their reward that you may miss; you will also miss the reward of obeying God’s word.

Do you know that you can also close certain doors of favour against yourself by not showing your friends, subordinates or younger ones adequate respect? A younger person in your family or neighbourhood may be in a position to help you in certain ways. But if you are continually talking down to them and ignoring the need to respect their status in life, maybe their marital status or academic status, they may just shut their heart of compassion against you where they could have been of great help.

Remember that one major reason our Lord Jesus could not do any mighty work in His own hometown was that they did not show Him proper respect (Mark 6:1-6). And only God knows how many are missing the miracles and promotion that could be theirs because of a similar culture of disrespect. So, change your ways, if you are one of those arrogant and disrespectful ones that don’t take anyone seriously. Or else you may someday learn your lessons in a very hard way.

Copyright © 2022, 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)