Tag: Fire in my bones

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

A lesson from Bathsheba | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: June 29, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 5, No. 7

from pastor's desk

“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.” 2Sam 11:2-4NIV)

The story of David’s scandal with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, is one of the most popular stories of the bible. That is because it illustrates for us those warning words from the Scripture that say, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” David fell when and where he never thought he would fall. And the consequences were of very terrible proportions for him and his family. (Cf. 1Cor 10:12)

But then, was it only David that fell? It was not only David that fell into the mud of adultery. Bathsheba also fell into this same mud because she too was married. Yes, God held David more responsible for what happened. That was because he was the one that initiated the whole thing. He was the one that sent for Bathsheba and most likely sweet-talked her into committing adultery with him. But it was not a rape case. It was a voluntary sexual escapade between two consenting adults.

So, David was not the only one to blame for this gross sexual misconduct that eventually led to the murder of an innocent man. Bathsheba was also to blame. It is true, according to the account, that David was in a wrong place at the wrong time. He was not supposed to be in town at all at the time, for it was a time when kings led their armies to war by themselves (2Sam 11:1). But for reasons best known to him, he chose to send his general in his place at the time. And that was what exposed him to the situation that Satan used to ruin his testimony as a man after God’s own heart.

Therefore, always avoid being in the wrong place at any time, not just the wrong time. Avoid making excuses for not being where you should be when you should be there. That is because you don’t know when your being in a wrong place will expose you to battles you should never have any business fighting or to situations that may damage your life, relationships or reputation permanently.

But as I pointed out before, David was not the only one to blame for what happened. Bathsheba also was to blame for it. How? Was it her fault that she was beautiful? No! Or was it wrong for her to take her bath the very evening David saw her? No! How, then, was she also to blame?

Well, for the most part, she was to blame because she did not take her privacy seriously enough. Think about the case yourself. Was she living in a village, where life was low and the people uncultured? No! She was living in a city, in fact very close to the palace of the king of the land. What, then, made her, a married woman, choose to take her bath in a place so open or conspicuous that anyone aimlessly wandering around could see her? Only God knows. But poverty of a good bathroom was most certainly not the reason.

Yes, I am certain that this woman did not go out that evening expecting the king to see her while taking her bath. But she ended up exposing herself to the sin of adultery by not taking her privacy seriously. And even at that, she could have politely rejected the king’s adulterous proposal. If she had, David would have needed to rape her to succeed. Then the story would have ended differently. But she did not. Why? I will leave that to your sanctified imaginations, since we are not told the reason in the bible.

At any rate, what I want you to learn from her is the need for you to take your privacy seriously and to guard it jealously. There are many women today, married and singles, who, like Bathsheba, do not take their privacy seriously at all. They wear whatever they like, regardless of where they are or of where they go. And they often blame this on weather, fashion, pregnancy, motherhood, tiredness or anything else their mind can think of. We now even have those who record and store their private activities, especially immoral ones, on their mobile phones.

Now what all such people need to know is that they are playing with fire. And someday, like Bathsheba, they may get burnt. They may end up exposing themselves to people or situations that will take away from them things that neither money nor time can buy. Then their lives, happiness or reputation may be gone forever. And if you will ask around, you will discover that some are already living testimonies to this. So, watch yourself.

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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General Post

Dealing with the unreasonable | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: May 11, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 52

“…and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.” (2Thess 3:2NKJV)

Why does Paul ask that this kind of prayer be offered for him and his companions? It is because he acknowledges that the world is not in shortage of wicked and unreasonable people, who have no fear of God in their hearts. And unless God Himself rescues us from their schemes, if we encounter them, we cannot be safe.

Recently, an uncle of mind shared with some of us in the family an account concerning a friend of his who had lost a large portion of his land to some wicked and unreasonable fellow. According to him, this friend of his had bought a large portion of land a number of years ago and had perfected its papers. He even got the Certificate of Ownership (C of O) for the land from the government, so that he would forever have rest over it.

But to his surprise, some years later, out of the blues, a man showed up and gave a huge sum of money to those who had sold the land to him in order to have it. He simply insisted that he must have it and that there was nothing anybody could do to stop him from having it. In response, my uncle’s friend decided to take up the matter legally and put an end to the nonsense. But some people who knew the person he was dealing with well and who also cared about him came to warn him to drop the case and accept whatever portion of the land he was given. Otherwise, he may lose his life in the process. And that was how he gave up and accepted defeat.

Now what that means is that there are times that even the law of the land or the agents enforcing it may not be able to save us, if we are dealing with wicked and unreasonable people. That is because these are individuals who care only about themselves and what they want. They don’t care about what they do to have what then want, who gets hurt in their process of getting what they want or what repercussions may follow the steps they take in getting what they want. Such people are nothing but a law to themselves.

So, you cannot threaten them or make them change their minds with the law. They know their way around the law. They know how to break or bend the law and get away with doing so. Sometimes, they do not even care about being caught or punished by the law. So, unless you are like them and are ready to fight dirty with them, regardless of it might cost you, you will have to entrust yourself and all that is yours to God to keep you safe from them.

Remember Jezebel of bible days. Remember how she killed Naboth and took his land for her husband, Ahab. Interestingly, it was the judges of Naboth’s city that she used to get rid of him. And they succeeded. Yes, God eventually judged Ahab and his household for this wickedness. But that did not bring Naboth back to life or restore his land to his family. (Cf. 1Kings 21)

So, if you have to deal with an unreasonable and wicked person at any point in this life, don’t ever rely on your wisdom, wealth, influence or the law of the land. It won’t work, for they don’t play by the rules. Instead, rely on God solely for your safety and victory. Then know when to give up or lose what can be bought or replaced in order to preserve what cannot be bought or replaced (Luke 12:13-15; 1Cor 6:7). That will be a sign that you are not greedy or foolish., And God who sees every heart and who has power over all things will vindicate and honour you at the right time.

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

Why the longer route? | J.O. Lawal

from pastor's desk

Date: March 09, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 43

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.” (Ex 13:17-18NIV)

Have you ever wondered why it is taking God so long to fulfil certain dreams of yours in life or to fulfil certain promises of His to you? At least, He is all-powerful and there is nothing too hard for Him to do. And we have examples in the bible of the manifestation of His great power in changing circumstances of life almost in no time. For instance, we are told in it of how, in the days of Prophet Elisha, He ended a very severe famine of some unspecified time in just one day. And since this is the case with Him, it really should not be taking Him long or forever to fix our problems or to exalt us from where we are to where we should be. (Cf. 2Kings 6&7)

Yet, often, it looks like it is taking Him forever to accomplish His good purpose for our lives. There are, in fact, times that we may feel like He may never get the job done in our entire lifetime. So, we are tempted to give up on Him and take our lives and future in our own hands. But once we do that, are bound to create problems for ourselves that may stay with us for generations to come.

Remember, for instance, what Abraham and Sarah’s impatience with God brought on them. God had told them that He would give them a child of their own, even in their old age (Gen 15). And though they believed Him when He made this promise to them, the older they got, the more impatient they became with Him. Eventually, at some point, based on Sarah’s suggestions, Hagar, her maidservant, was brought into the scene, so that they could build a family through her. Unfortunately, that decision almost ruined their beautiful marriage. It would, in fact, have ruined it, if Abraham had not truly loved his wife, Sarah, and listened to her. Nonetheless, it brought into the world generations of a man of violence, a man that does not know how to live at peace with anybody, even his own brothers. (Cf. Gen 16)

So, we need to learn to walk with God with patience. That is because if He has promised to do something for us or if He has shown us visions or dreams of His purpose for us, He will surely fulfil them, however long it might take Him. And remember that we are the ones that are often worried about time. He does not worry about it at all, for He is the author of time. So, as Peter says, whether it is a day or a thousand years, it makes no difference to Him – what He has promised to do, He will surely do. (Cf. 2Peter 3:8)

But then, for our comfort and encouragement, we are shown some reasons in the bible why it may take God a longer time than we expect to bring about the fulfilment of His purpose in our lives. And we have one of such reasons in our opening bible text. There we are plainly told why God led the children of Israel through a longer route, when He brought them out of Egypt.

As the account shows, these Israelites came out of Egypt ready for battle. But were they really ready for battle? In their own estimation, they felt that they were ready for battle. But God knows that they were not ready for it. He knew that if they saw war in the state they were at the time, they would certainly change their minds and turn back to Egypt for help. Therefore, He did not take them through the land of the Philistines, though it was a shorter route. Instead, He took them through the desert road and towards the Red Sea.

Now was He right about them or not? He was right about them, for when Pharaoh came out with his army against them in order to bring them back into slavery, they did not march out to fight him. Instead, all they did was cry and blame Moses for delivering them. That shows that they were not ready for battle at all. And if God had not been the one behind their deliverance, they would not have escaped Pharaoh’s chains of slavery that day. (Cf. Ex 14:5-10)

So, there are times that we ourselves are the reasons God is taking long in fulfilling His purpose concerning us. We are not just ready to handle what is coming. We may think we are ready for it. But when we are confronted with some circumstances, we will see clearly that we are not just ready to handle the promotion, increase or independence our hearts are yearning for. And our failure at such times may so fill us with discouragement and fear that we may totally turn away from all that is meant to be ours. Can you relate to that?

Well, in order to prevent such things from happening to us, God, in His wisdom and patience, may decide to take us through a route where challenges and trials of life will not frighten us and drive us permanently away from His purpose for us. This route, however, may be long and winding. But if we are patient with the one leading us, he will surely bring us home in one piece and at the right time.

So, when next you are worried that the fulfilment of certain promises of God to you or certain dreams and visions of yours is taking too long, remember how God dealt with the Israelites and stay encouraged. Then keep on praying that He will perfect all that is lacking in your readiness to take and enjoy what He has prepared for you.

See you at the place of your dreams!

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

Rule over us | Pst. J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: March 02, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 42

“The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson — because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.” But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.” And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)” (Judge 8:22-24NIV)

Why did the Israelites come together as one man to ask Gideon to become their king? Why did they want him to establish a dynasty with his family line among them? It was because he delivered them from the cruel rule of the Midianites.

As the account goes in the bible, the Midianites had oppressed these people for seven years before they were delivered by Gideon. And their rule oppressive rule was so severe that the Israelites had to hide in caves and mountain cliffs in order to survive. They simply made it a business to impoverish these Israelites and keep them in misery and shame.

But at some point, the Israelites remembered the God of their forefathers who brought them into the land they were occupying and cried out to Him for help. And it was in response to their cry that He raised Gideon for them and used him to deliver them from the cruel rule of the Midianites.

Now, having being delivered from the Midianites, who should these Israelites naturally praise and yield to His absolute dominion over their lives and nation? God! Was He not the one that raised Gideon for them? Was He not the one that built courage and faith into him, so that he was able to confront their enemies with only 300 men? And was He not the one that caused all their enemies to turn against one another and slaughter themselves? He was the one who did all these things.

Yet, after the people had gotten their liberty and comfort, they immediately turned away from the one that delivered them unto the instrument that He used in delivering them and asked him to rule over them. And if Gideon had been a foolish man, if he had quickly forgotten that it was not by His power that he delivered these people from their enemies, he would have listened to them. That, then, would have been the beginning of his ruin.

But Gideon was not foolish or thoughtless. He knew how God brought him up and empowered him to rescue his people. He knew that everything came from Him and so all the glory and honour of their victory should go to Him. So, very politely, he refused the offer made to him by his people to rule over them. And not only did he tell them that he and his family would not rule over them, he also told them the one that would over them. He said, “It is the Lord that will rule over you.” In other words, he was saying that it was the Lord who saved them that would continue to be their king. Therefore, He was the one they should submit to.

What, then, is the point of all this? It is that regardless of what great things God has used or is using anybody to do for us, we should not give them the place of God in our lives. Otherwise, apart from the fact that we will be guilty of idolatry, we may also end up becoming slaves again, slaves of those that God has used in saving us helping us at one time or the other.

And how many today have become slaves of certain family members, neighbours, colleagues at work, men of God or women of God in this manner? They were helped by these people at some point in their lives, and they were truly grateful for the help. But they also went too far by trying to replace them with God, the God who made everything possible in the first place, in their lives. Therefore, before they knew it, they had put themselves under another form of slavery. And if they do not repent of their sin of idolatry and allow God to take His rightful position in their lives, it may take forever before they and their generations after them become free.

But then, I do not want you to miss my point here. I am not saying that you should not be grateful to those God is using to bless, lift or save you. Be grateful to them, for the word of God teaches this. However, the word of God also tells us not to become slaves of human beings. Why? It is because we are God’s properties and not men’s properties. (Cf. 1Cor 6:19-20; 1Cor 7:23)

In like manner, don’t make yourself anybody’s God and begin to rule over them because you have helped them in certain ways. Remember that you can only help or save those that God has already saved. And you can only do good to anyone because God has enabled you to do it. So, even if some people that you have helped are, in their ignorance, pushing you to take the place of God in their lives, be wise enough to quickly reject the offer. Otherwise, you may end up receiving glory, honour, responsibilities and even wars that are never yours to take and bring yourself to ruin. So, be smart and learn from Gideon or be foolish and end up like King Nebuchadnezzar or King Herod of Peter’s day. (Cf. Dan 4; Acts 12:19-22)

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

What makes you defenceless | Pst. J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

February 16, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 40

“A man without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls.” (Prov 25:28TLB)

Apart from the defence that we can employ through the use of arms, ammunition and trained security personnel, there are other forms of defence that we can daily take advantage of for our safety in this life. And these are mentioned in the bible. Money, for example, is described in it as a form of defence (Ecc 7:12). This, of course, is true, for there are problems we can successfully defend ourselves against with plenty of money.

Also, wisdom is described as a form of defence, for with it you can keep yourself safe from unnecessary problems and wars and win even wars that money cannot win (Ecc 7:12). Faith in God is equally described in the bible as a form of defence, for with it you can protect yourself against any attack (spiritual, physical or mental) of the devil on your life (Eph 6:16).

It will be good of us, then, to possess all these forms of defence in the right measure. That way, our safety and peace of mind in this life will be guaranteed in most situations.

But there is another kind of defence that is mentioned in the bible, which our lack of it can render our possession of all the other forms of defence useless. Solomon speaks about it in our opening bible text. He refers to it as self-control. And according to him, if a man does not have self-control, if a man does not have a grip over himself – his passions and appetites – he is as good as defenceless in life. In other words, it does not matter what quality or quantity of security personnel, money, wisdom and faith he has, he will still be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive influences and circumstances. And he will be the very one making himself vulnerable to these things.

For example, as mighty as Samson was in battle, his lack of self-control in sexual matters ended up making him vulnerable to Delilah. He could protect himself against all the hosts of the Philistines. But he could not protect himself against this one woman and her evil schemes, even though he knew what she was up to. So, eventually, he lost his ministry of saving his people and died a brutal death with his adversaries. And only God knows how many people have, just like this man, become defenceless and lost their lives, marriages, empires or purposes in life because they could not control their sexual passions. (Cf. Judges 16)

What about Esau? What prompted him to sell his birthright, something that wishes, tears or all the wealth in the world could not give to him? Godlessness fuelled by lack of self-control! Yes, he was very hungry that very day, hungry to the point of fainting. But he did not have to eat Jacob’s red stew in order to quench his hunger. He could have eaten anything else and be fine that day. But because he could no control his appetite just for some minutes, he lost not just his birthright but also his right to partake in the covenant God had made with his forefather, Abraham. So, though today we have the nation of Israel among us, the nation of Esau has disappeared into oblivion. (Cf. Gen 25:29-34)

In like manner, everyday many all around the world are becoming defenceless and losing their lives and other precious things that money, time, wishes or weeping cannot buy through their inability to control their unclean appetite for things they can do without, things that perish with time. Therefore, you have to give serious attention to those passions and appetites of yours that have tendencies to take over your life and lead you to act against common sense or against the word of God, so that you may take advantage of the grace of God to utterly subject them to your control. Otherwise, you may not know at what point they will leave your life, home, business or accomplishments defenceless for your enemies to destroy.

My prayer is that God will supply all that is lacking in your self-control, so that you may take the control of your life back from the hands of those passions and appetites that have become unclean and have been controlling you and exposing you to destruction, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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

He can make you outstanding | Pst. J.O. Lawal

fire in my bones
fire in my bones

Date: February 16, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 40

“Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” (Ps 144:1NIV)

All kinds of wonderful things are reported in the bible about David’s exploits. First, we are told of how he killed a lion and a bear while taking care of his father’s sheep. Then we are told of how he killed that warrior-giant, Goliath, with just a sling and a stone. Also, we are told of how he never lost a battle or war, since he began to lead the armies of Israel in their campaigns. He was, in short, such a great warrior and warlord that even God testified that he shed much blood on the earth.

But how did a shepherd boy like him grow up to become as skillful and talented as he was in matters of warfare? He answers this question for us in our opening bible text. There he tells us that it was God Himself that trained his hands for war and his fingers for battle. That means he got his warfare skills and abilities through the blessings of God. Yes, he too must have subjected himself to thorough discipline, training and education in war matters. But if God had not blessed him with the abilities to comprehend warfare and to fight and win, all his devotion to training himself in the art of warfare would not have amount to anything.

Now one may wonder and ask, “But why would God make a young man like David a talented killer and warlord?” Well, it was to save and protect His people, the nation of Israel from their enemies. Remember that he did something similar with Samson. He gave him supernatural strength and abilities to kill for the protection of His people. And He still acts in similar ways today. I mean that He still gives people special abilities to create things or systems or to acquire skills and education useful and relevant in war matters in order to protect their nations. So, those nations that are now seen as world powers are what they are because they have been gifted by God with individuals who have special abilities for warfare and who are also willing to use those abilities to keep their nations safe.

But then, it is not only in war matters that God enables people to be outstanding in life. He equally enables people in other areas of life to become outstanding. In fact, there is no aspect of life in which God is not able to empower people with abilities that will make them outstanding enough to bless those in their world. For example, as we are equally told in the bible, David was not just a skilful killer and warlord, he was also a great psalmist, musician, organiser, leader and architect.

Just consider some of the things said about him in the following bible texts:

“These are the last words of David “The oracle of David son of Jesse the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs…”” (2Sam 23:1NIV)

“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” (Ps 78:72NIV)

“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the LORD, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.” (1Chron 28:11-14NIV)

“All this,” David said, “I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.”” (1Chron 28:19NIV)

Now since God was able to make David outstanding in these various areas of life, He is also able to do the same for you and me. He is able to empower us with the abilities and aptitudes we need to acquire skills, training and (or) education that will make us outstanding in one or more fields of life. But first, we too, like David, will need to love and trust Him with all our hearts, knowing that we cannot accomplish anything apart from Him. That way, He can guide us into those fields of life where He wants to use us, for it is in those fields of life where He wants to use us that He will make us outstanding. (Cf. John 15:5; 2Cor 3:5-6)

Second, we need to rid our lives of laziness and yield ourselves to get the necessary training, discipline or education to become outstanding. If we are lazy in our minds or in culture, it does not matter how blessed of God we are, we will never be outstanding in life. Instead, it is people with lesser abilities and skills that will take the places meant for us.

Third, we need to cultivate the right mentality, the mentality of the man God makes outstanding. And who does He make outstanding in life? It is that person that is always seeking to use the abilities He has blessed him with to do those in his life or world good. So, if we are always seeking to do others good or make life better for them with the abilities God has given us, however small or insignificant those abilities may be, He will certainly empower us to become outstanding with them. Then, someday, people will adore us for standing out in life as special with professions, abilities or skills that many consider as ordinary or useless.

My prayer, then, is that God will work out in your life all that is required by Him to make you outstanding with His gifts in your life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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

Prepare yourself for the top | By: J.O. Lawal Date: February 09, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 39

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…”

(1Cor 9:25NIV)

Most people start out in life desiring to be at the top. And nothing is wrong with that. That is because even God wants all His people to be at the top in life (Deut 28:13). That, of course, means there is enough room for everyone at the top. This, however, is not to say that all of us have to occupy the same office in life or be dignified in the same way. Rather, it means that each of us can distinguish himself from others in this life as unique through the things he does and by the way he does them.

But will everyone end up at the top in life? No! Why? It is because it is not everyone that develops or trains himself for the top. As Paul shows us in our opening bible text, there is a measure of discipline that we must strictly put ourselves through in life in order to accomplish certain things or attain certain heights. Of course, accomplishing anything at all in this life goes beyond the amount of effort or skills we put into it. God Himself, the creator and ruler of all things, must also permit or enable us to accomplish what we set our hearts on accomplishing. Otherwise, whatever we do to get it done will not work. (Cf. Ps 127:1-2; Ecc 9:11)

However, even if God wants us to get something done or attain some position in life, if we do not possess the discipline or character needed to be there, we won’t get there. And even if by virtue of our relationship with some people we do get there, it won’t be long before we drive ourselves out of there through our lack of fitness or character.

So, if you desire to be at the top in any field of life, identify the discipline you require and strictly give yourself to getting it. Also, identify what discipline or skills you will need to stay at the top and begin to develop or acquire them. That is because one may possess what it takes to get to the top and not possess what it takes to stay there. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, had all the natural advantages he needed to be at the top of the kingdom his father left behind for him. But he did not possess the character to remain at the top of it. Thus, he lost a very large part of it. What about King Saul? He had all the natural attributes needed to become king. But he lacked the qualities needed to retain the kingdom for himself and his descendants after him. (Cf. 1Sam 9-16; 1Kings 12)

If you, then, do not want to end up like any of these men, don’t just trust in God to lift you to the top, also begin to train yourself for the top. Remember Joseph. He not only trusted God to take him to the top in life; he also developed himself for the top. He used every opportunity he had to serve in life to train himself and to prove himself as someone that could be trusted with people and resources at any level, in in the prison. And when the time came for him to be set above a whole nation, nobody thought it was a bad idea to do so. (Cf. Gen 39-41)

Remember David too. Yes, he trusted God to take him to that high place He had anointed him for. But before that time came, he developed himself for it. First, he so mastered his skills of playing the harp and of relating to people that when the king of the land needed someone to play for him, he was the best hand that could be found around. Also, he used the opportunity he had to directly serve the king during that period to learn all he could learn about the palace life and how to be royal and majestic. In addition, he used his time in the army to learn and show all the people that he could lead them well, from victory to victory. So, when he was given a high rank in the army, all the troops and their officers as well were pleased with it. And when he eventually became king, the whole nation had no problem following him. (Cf. 1Sam 16:14-25; 1Sam 18:5)

So, again, I am saying that if you desire to be at the top someday in life and to also stay there, then, prepare yourself for it. Get the skills and the discipline you need to be there and to stay there. Also, drop whatever attitude or mentality you have that does not belong at the top. And may the good Lord Himself give you wings to rise to that place at the top that He has prepared for you in this life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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

She missed her opportunity | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: January 26, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 37

“And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.”

(2Sam 6:23NIV)

Why did the Spirit of the Lord move the writer or writers of 2Samuel to inform us that Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death? It was because He wanted us to see why she had to live and die without having any child of her own?

And why did Michal live and die without having any child of her own? Was it because she could not get married? No! She got married. She got married to David, the man of God. In fact, she was his first legal wife. What, then, was the problem with her? Why could she not conceive for her husband, not to talk of have her own child? Was it because her husband had health issues? No! Her husband was fine. In fact, her husband had several children from his other wives. (Cf. 1Chro 3:1-9)

So, the problem was with Michal. She was the one that was barren and could not conceive. But we do know from Scriptures that she was not the only barren woman in bible days. There were other barren women that are mentioned in the bible. Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah, Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth are all familiar bible names. These ones were barren for years too. Yet they were all cured of their barrenness. In other words, they did not die without having their own children.

Why, then, was Michal’s case different? Why was she not cured of her barrenness? Was it because there was no cure in the land? No! God was always there with them in the land. And He had already told them that as long as they were serving Him, He would cause His blessings to be on them, so that none of them would miscarry or be barren (Ex 23:25-26). So, though Michal was barren for years, the blessing of God was able to take away her barrenness, especially since the whole nation at that time was being led by David to truly worship God.

However, that did not happen. God’s blessing did not work in favour of Michal to take away her barrenness. Why? It was because she missed her opportunity to receive it. As the story goes, the very day God’s Ark was brought into the city of David and placed where he had prepared for it, he went back home to bless his household. Interestingly, who was the first to come out and meet him? It was Michal. And what should she have done when she came to him? She should have knelt down to receive his blessings. That, of course, would have been the end of her years of barrenness.

Remember that the bible shows us that Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was cured of her barrenness because her husband prayed for her (Gen 25:21). And a similar thing could have happened to Michal, if she had received her husband and king’s blessings that day. At least, the man actually came home that very day with the inspiration of the Spirit of God to bless his household. But did Michal, his wife, humble herself to receive his blessings? No, she did not! Instead, she took the moment to accuse him of embarrassing himself before the whole nation, all in the name of worshipping God. Therefore, instead for him to bless her, he just walked pass her to go and bless other members of the family. What a shame! (Cf. 2Sam 6:20-23)

Now this remark, which we have as our opening bible text, is added at the end of the story: “And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” That shows that the reason she did not have any child to the day of her death was that she missed her opportunity to be blessed to be fruitful. Why did she miss it? It was because she despised her husband and king, who was bearing God’s authority to bless her and cure her barrenness.

In like manner, there are people today who, like Michal, have missed or are missing their opportunity to experience God’s blessing to be fruitful in certain areas of their lives because they are despising those sent by Him to them or certain authorities placed by Him in their lives. And unless such people’s eyes are opened to see what they are missing or have missed, so that they may humble themselves before God and obtain His mercy, they may die without ever experiencing His blessings and provisions for them in those areas of their lives.

So, if you are one of those who take delight in despising authorities or spiritual leaders because you feel they are not dignified enough for you, this is a call for you to repent and humble yourself. Otherwise, God’s blessing to experience certain things you seriously desire to have in life may never find expression in your 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

Remember where you came from | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: December 08, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 30

“Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.” (Deut 24:17-18NIV)

Among the things that are most difficult to manage in life is comfort. And that is because it can make one totally forget where he is coming from or what he has been through in life. To say the fact, God loves to do for people things that will make them forget their years of pains, miseries or sufferings. And that is to show them how powerful He is. For instance, when Joseph would name his firstborn child, he called him Manasseh, meaning God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household (Gen 41:51). That means God did for this young man things that made him look like someone that had never suffered in life.

In like manner, He is still doing for people today things that will turn their lives around and make them forget all their years of pains and sufferings. And why is He doing this? It is so that those He is lifting and comforting may also use their position of comfort and prosperity to help others who may be suffering or experiencing pains the way they used to.

Look at what Paul says about this: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2Cor 1:3-4NIV) Did you see that? Apart from the fact that God wants us to live in comfort in life, He also wants us to be instruments through which others will experience His comfort in life. That means we are not the only ones He has in mind when He leads us into comfort and prosperity; He has others around us in mind as well. And we will do well to keep this in mind, so that we do not allow our comfort and prosperity to make us blind to the sufferings of others around us.

Unfortunately, there are many today that comfort and prosperity have blinded already. These ones were lifted by God out of some sticky mud of misery and poverty and set on a solid rock of comfort and prosperity. And they were lifted up by Him like this so that they too could begin to do things that would lift some others out of their muds of misery, poverty or shame and set them on some solid ground of peace and prosperity. But instead of allowing themselves to be used by God in this way, they are yielding themselves to be used by the devil to add to the sorrow and pains of the afflicted ones around them.

You only need to look at the way some rich and influential people today treat their employees, neighbours or other people that are subject to them, and you would most likely conclude that they had never tasted suffering in life. But they have tasted it. In fact, if you hear the stories of what some of them experienced in their days of poverty, you would know that only God could have made them survive. Yet these same people, who have had their own fair share of oppression and affliction, now no longer see anything wrong in oppressing or afflicting others. Why? They have totally forgotten what it looks like to suffer. And if care is not taken, at some point, God may have to send them or their descendants back to where they came from, examples of which abound all around us.

At any rate, it is so that God wouldn’t have to treat us in that manner that He sends us the warnings that we have in our opening bible text. There He tells His people, the Israelites, to remember where they had come from in order to settle in that land of comfort and prosperity that He gave them. They had come from Egypt, that house of furnace, where they were shamefully and brutally treated for more than three hundred years. And now that they have rest and peace of mind from Him, if they are not careful, they also will not know when they will start treating the strangers and the poor and weak people among them just exactly the way the Egyptians treated them. Then, they would open the door for the wrath of God to come upon them.

In the same vein, if, in our days of comfort and prosperity, we do not continually remind ourselves what life once looked like for us, if we do not continually remind ourselves of how God set us free from the hands of certain powerful people that would have made an end of our lives or of all the pledges we made never to oppress anyone if God should deliver us, then, we too may end up becoming worse than our oppressors. Perhaps you have already become worse than those who once oppressed you, especially in the way you treat the people that are now under you. The word of the Lord is coming to you now in order that you may retrace your steps and repent before it is too late. Otherwise, God may change His mind about you and send you back to where He picked you up from or put an end to whatever plans He has to further lift you up or prosper you (Jer 18:9-10).

I pray that things won’t have to end like that for you. I pray that God will never have to send you or your family back into any place of suffering that He already rescued you from, so that you may learn afresh whatever you failed to learn before about how to treat people. But you too have to learn to do what is right and pleasing to Him with whatever measure of peace of mind or comfort He has given you in all your relationships with others. And may you be continually strengthened to do so, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

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Fire in my Bones Youth for Jesus

Guard yourself against them | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: December 15, 2021 |Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 31

Guard yourself against them
Guard yourself against them

“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)

God, as we see in Scriptures, is able to protect and safe His children from all kinds of wicked and unreasonable men. He is, in fact, able to protect them from all the traitors and saboteurs in their lives. But then, His children also must learn to be on their guard against individuals that have clearly revealed themselves as enemies or as having tendencies to become enemies. This is so that they will not foolishly walk into their traps or snares.

For example, in our opening bible text, Paul reminds his son in the faith, Timothy, of a man called Alexander and of how this man had shown himself to be his enemy. Why? It is so that Timothy will be on his guard against him. God, of course, is able to protect Timothy against all of this man’s wicked plans and works. However, it will be foolish of Timothy not to take whatever righteous measure that is in his power to take to protect himself against this man, seeing that God has already revealed him as his enemy.

See, we must understand that it is not everybody that their earthly life is meant to end the way our Lord’s earthly life ended. Our Lord surrendered Himself to be betrayed and killed because He knew that God was going to use His death and resurrection to save the world. So, even though He knew the traitor among His men and all that this traitor was doing to hand Him over to His enemies, He did not do anything to protect Himself against him. But since none of us has been chosen for that purpose, it will be unwise of us, then, to ignore any sign or revelation to us from God about what certain people may be planning to do to hurt us.

To say the fact, one of the ways God protects us against the wickedness of our enemies is by revealing who they really are, what they are capable of doing and what they are planning against us to us. Yes, of course, we will still need to function by His wisdom to make use of whatever information or knowledge He gives to us along this line. But we must surely make use of it. Otherwise, we may end us suffering or dying where He never intends us to die.

For example, there was a time that some Jews, more than forty men actually, bound themselves with an oath to kill Paul the apostle. And they told their religious leaders what to do in order to make this happen. But God, in His kindness, revealed their plot Paul’s nephew. And he came and told him about it. Interestingly, the night before those people hatched their wicked plan, the Lord had appeared to Paul in a vision and assured him that he would certainly testify about him in Rome. That means it was not His intention for this man to die at that time. Yet He did not say anything to him about what those wicked Jews were planning. Instead, it was his sister’s son that He used to reveal it to him. (Cf. Acts 23:1-16)

Now why did the Lord not reveal that matter to Paul in that vision? Though we are not told the reason in the bible, I personally believe it was because the soldiers holding him at that time would most likely not have believed him. And if they did not believe him, they would not do anything to protect him. But when his nephew came with details of the plans of those wicked men and shared everything with the commander of those soldiers, he believed the young man and immediately made adequate and effective plans for Paul to be protected and taken away from that region. (Cf. Acts 23:17-35)

What is the point of all this? It is that it is not every time that God will use His angels or some supernatural acts to warn or protect us from our enemies. There are times that it is people or circumstances that He will use to reveal our enemies and their plots against us to us. And when this is the case, He expects us to take whatever legitimate steps we can take to frustrate them or guard ourselves against them. That is what we learn from Paul’s case. Though he may have prayed to God to protect him against his Jewish enemies, he also took advantage of the fact that he was in a military camp to protect himself against them.

So, when God’s has revealed your enemies or what they are doing to you, don’t stop only at praying for protection against them; instead, also take whatever honest or legitimate steps you can take to guard yourself against them. And may you continually be filled with the right measure of wisdom and boldness to make the most of God’s revelation to you in protecting yourself and all that is yours and that you love against all forms of wickedness and evil. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)