Righteousness of God seen in His justice

Bible Reading: Jan 2: Gen 4-6; Matt 2

After the fall, Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain whose name signifies possession. Eve said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Perhaps she thought Cain was the promised seed. But this would have been a great disappointment. They also had Abel whose name means vanity. Religious worship of God started after the fall. The offerings of Cain and Abel were different. Abel’s offering was done in faith (Heb 11:4); he was seeking the benefit of the covenant of mercy, through the promised seed and God accepted his offering. Cain developed an evil spirit of discontent and rebellion against God. God notices all the thoughts of our minds. He does not want us to sin, He always warns us but we have the choice to our decisions.

Abel was the younger brother of Cain. A brother Cain was supposed to love, a younger brother which he had to protect, the only brother from the same mother; but Cain murdered him out of malice that started in the heart. He remained impenitent with pride and unbelief and denied the crime as if he could hide it from the omniscient God. Even when God gives His punishment, Cain focuses on it rather than the sin. He complains of the weight of the punishment rather than the weight of the sin. Harden heart! Eventhough Abel was death his blood speaks, telling us of how serious the guilt of murder is, and so warns us of the wrath of God. This guilt can only be taken away by the blood of Jesus. So the Bible warns us today, not to be like Cain who belonged to the Devil, because his own actions were evil while those of his brother were righteous (1John 3:12).

Cain departed from the Lord and so could not have rest, he became a vagabond. He dwelt in the land of Nod which means “Shaking” or “trembling”, showing how restless he became without God. Cain’s generation was one of wickedness as we see how Lamech broke the law of marriage and took for himself two wives. The descendants were interested in making money through bronze and iron works, making string instruments for pleasure and keeping lives stock but no one had concern for God. Lamech killed a man for wounding him and seems to abuse the patience of God in sparing Cain, into an encouragement that he may sin unpunished.

Adam and Eve gave birth to another child Seth which means “settled” or “placed” in whose seed mankind will continue till the messiah should descend. The worshippers of God began to do more in religion through the descendants of Seth.

The bible says Adam fathered a son named Seth in his own likeness, after his image. So Seth was not only like Adam with body and soul but he was a sinner like his father Adam (Gen 5:3). This was the reverse of the Divine likeness in which Adam was made; having lost it, he could not convey it to his seed. Adam died at 930 years according to the sentence passed upon him, “To dust thou shalt return.” Though he did not die the same day he disobeyed God, he became mortal that same day and so was wasting out with time.

All the other people mentioned in the genealogy lived and died but Enoch who was the seventh from Adam did not die but was taken up by God without seeing death. Because he walked with God, meaning he set God always before him, to act as always under God’s eyes. God had translated Enoch and he was not found (Heb 11:5) and his faith in walking with God was commended as righteousness.

Comparing to the ages of people who lived at that time, 365 years of Enoch was small. God often takes soonest those he loves best. The time they lose on earth is gained in heaven, to their unspeakable advantage; “He was not, for God took him.” He was changed as the saints shall be, who are alive at Christ’s second coming. Noah was born to Lamech from the generation of Seth and his name signifies “rest.” His father hoped for comfort in his son and today we need a better comforter who is Christ.

The wickedness of the world was too much provoking God’s wrath, but Noah found grace by faith and obedience. When the sons of God married the daughters of man, the marriage was cursed. If we say we are sons and daughters of the Lord almighty, we must not marry without His consent. He will never give His blessing, if we prefer beauty, wealth, honour from men, power, to faith and holiness. Anyone could see the wickedness of man, but God saw that every imagination or purpose, of the thought’s of man’s heart was only evil continually. That was the root of the corrupt life. God hates sin and can we not go back to Him with repentant hearts? God repented that He had made man, but He never repented that He redeemed man. After God’s spirit has been long striving with unrepentant and disobedient people who hate to be reformed by the grace of God, then they can be punished; but the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him (Psalms 25:14). God told Noah His intentions to destroy the wicked world by water. God could have saved Noah without asking him to build a big ark by himself, but he allowed that for the trial of his faith and obedience. Our struggles in the way to eternal life is to improve us. Jesus Christ the true Noah, had by his suffering prepare the ark and is inviting us by faith to enter in. Listen and obey His voice.

Matthew chapter 2 tells us how Jesus, the true Noah came into earth. The wise men were revealed the truth by God and they worshipped the king in the manger with only one attendant, the mother. They offered him gold, which I think is what helped the poor carpenter to take his family to Egypt. They also gave frankincense representing the priesthood of the messiah just as the gold represents his kingship. Then myrrh was used to embalm the death; but the child was not death. This signify that he was to die to save mankind. Egypt has been a place of bondage to Israel and now it is to be used as a place of refuge to the Holy child Jesus. God can make the worst of places serve the best of purposes. Joseph and Mary confirmed their faith in this trial to take the baby to Egypt. Herod killed all the little children in Bethlehem and the villages in the city in the hope of aborting Old Testament prophecies but the counsel of the Lord shall stand. We shall all be glorified with Him, if we suffer with Him.

Prayer: Holy and merciful God, I bow down my heard to worship you. I thank you Lord for the opportunity you’ve given me, poor in holiness, with nothing desirable that I could come before you in prayer. Lord your mercy has no limit for you loved us even when we were yet sinners that in your blood oh Jesus you made us right with you and the Father. Holy Spirit of God, come into my life and take your throne at the center of my heart, reigning in my life. Have your way in my life and be my reward. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

God’s mighty strength and love displayed (Daily Bible reading comments)

God’s mighty strength and love displayed

Daily Bible Reading: Jan 1: Gen 1-3; Matt 1

In our Bible reading text we learn how God creates the universe. He is the engineer behind our existence. With whom can we compare God? He created the light (G1:3-5) just as He gave us the light of the world. Without Jesus we will be in darkness and lost. In creation, God shows how omnipotent He is. He is the ancient of days. The oldest in existence who never changes in His goodness and mercy. Time has no effect on God, because He created time when matter was created. Time never existed when there was nothing, because time is the change of events and events cannot change when nothing exist. God sustains the universe by the word of His mouth.

The son of God, one with the Father, was with Him when He made the universe. The universe was made by Him, and nothing was made without Him. This is the God whom we worship, and of the great mediator in whose name we pray.

There comes the Holy Spirit who works in our heart to bring us closer to the Father. In the beginning there was nothing to desire, for the world was without form, and void; it was confusion, and emptiness. It is when the spirit of God moves over this confusion that something desirable can be born. The work of grace in the soul is a new creation. An unbeliever has a graceless soul and here, there is disorder, confusion and every evil work. It is empty of all that is good because it is without God. It is in darkness and can only see the light of the world when grace works a change in that life.

God spoke into existence everything we see on earth but for man. We need to give God the glory to all that we see on earth. That is the master’s hand work. The beauty we see and enjoy every day; the landscape, the rivers, flowers, animals and trees, etc. Do we honour God for this master’s touch? God’s wisdom and power are to be admired. The power of God’s providence preserves all things, and fruitfulness is the effect of his blessings.

God said “let us make man in our own image.” Man, when he was made was to glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Into that name we were baptized, for to it we owe our being. It is the soul of man that bears God’s image. In this image man’s behavior was regular and fixed on God, thus holy, thus happy, were our first parents in having the image of God upon them.

God did not rest on the seventh day because He was weary, but as one well pleased. Genesis 2:4-7 makes us know that the earth did not bring forth its fruits of itself; this was done by Almighty power. Thus grace in the soul grows not of itself in nature’s soil, but is the work of God. Rain is the gift of God. It did not come till God caused it to rain. Divine grace comes down like the dew, and waters the church without noise.

Eden was not a place but a garden which God created for man’s delight and pleasure. Two trees were at the center of the garden:

1)      The tree of life. If man eat of this he would live. Christ is now the Tree of life (Rev 2:7;22:2) and the Bread of life (John 6:48,51)

2)      The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But what is good? It is good not to eat of this tree.

In these two trees God set before Adam good and evil, the blessing and the curse. Today man still stand between these two choices; to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour or to reject Him.

The serpent deceived Eve and so Adam and Eve transgressed the Divine command, and fell into sin and misery (Gen 3:6-8). Today Satan does the same; he sends temptations by hands we do not suspect and by those that have most influence upon us. He tempted Eve so that by her he might tempt Adam. He quoted God’s command wrongly in order to deceive Eve. It was Eve’s weakness to enter into talk with the serpent because he had no good design. The question we have to ask ourselves is Has God said, ye shall not lie, nor take His name in vain, nor be drunk, nor fornicate, etc.? YES! So by his grace I will abide by it. To sin Eve took her step downward.

1)      She saw (lust: matt 5:28)

2)      Then she took (her deeds). Satan tempts but he cannot force (matt 4:6) that is why we are instructed to resist the devil and he will flee.

3)      She did eat. Perhaps she took not to eat but it ended in that. Its wisdom to stop the first move of sin, and abandon it before it meddles with you.

4)      She gave it to her husband. Those who sin are always willing to draw in others to do the same.

5)      He did eat. He did not eat of the tree of life which he was allowed to eat, but ate of the forbidden tree of knowledge. He plainly disobeyed God (Romans 5:19).

There was no corrupt nature within him, to betray him because he had the image of God. But he had free will in full strength. That is why he is responsible for his sin. The way to the tree of life was shut but God revealed this to Adam to quicken him to look for the life and happiness in the promised seed, by whom a new and living way into the holiest is laid open for us-Jesus.

Matthew chapter 1 let’s us know in the genealogy that Jesus was to come from Abraham’s seed (Gen 12:3; 12:18) and the promise to David (Samuel 7:12, Psalms 89:3). This to show the authenticity of Jesus as the promised Messiah. It was ordained that Christ should partake of our nature, yet that He should be pure from the defilement of original sin, which has been communicated to all the race of Adam. That is why He was fit to take away our sins; no one was worthy. The child was to be named Jesus because He will save people from their sin, from the guilt of sin by the merit of His death, and from the power of sin by the Spirit of grace. He was not to save people in their sin but to save people from their sin, for He is separate from sinners.

Will you submit your life to Jesus who can wash away your sin? He who has taken our curses and given us life? He who is willing and standing with arms wide open to receive you into His kingdom? He loves you and has given His life for you. You just need to accept Him.

Prayer: Mighty and everlasting Father, creator of the universe, I worship you and glorify your name Lord. Thank you for revealing your great works to us that we may be strengthen in your love and worship you. Great Lord cause that we will continuously see your mighty power in creation and your love in sending us your son into the world to take our place and give us a new life. You knew we will bruise Him and smite Him off the earth but your love could not stop but draw us to you. Thank you Father. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Releasing God’s healing power

Healing is one of the most controversial issues in the church today. But what is true about it is that by the stripes Jesus endured before going to the cross we are healed. At 2 am this morning while I was listening to the radio on CRTV, a listener presented a problem he has which he himself feels is spiritual requesting for help from wise men. (His problem was that he worked with a man in Lagos Nigeria and this man settled him with 2 millions which he still has some left over as he came back to Cameroon. His fears are that all those who had worked with this his boss had no success after settlement and some have died. He believed the boss spiritually ties down his servants after settlement especially that he has the information that the boss has been driven from his village in Nigeria because of those practices). A man called the radio and advised him to get into prayers and meet a man of God to also pray for him. Another one called and said prayers are not important but he instead gave his telephone number for this guy to call him. He claimed he will help him and that God is the reality and that God made everything good and they are connected: plants to earth to stars and moon and sun. I understood this man is a magician, a liar!

This discussion on the radio caused me to wake up from my bed and reflect on this issue of prayers and God’s healing power. One thing is true:

“But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

Why do people and even Christians think that healing is not real? Why do some think that healing power was manifested of old and that today is different? As if God has changed! Matthew 8:16-17 says “ When evening came, they brought to Him many who were possessed with demons. And He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick, so that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sickness.’” Then first Peter 2:24 says “ He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, so that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose wounds you were healed.” (1Pet 2:24)

With the early Christians, they received healing and miracles as well. Health and prosperity were also objects of prayers for the believers as we can see in John’s letter in 3 John 1:2. If we as Christians truly reflect God’s presence as the temple of the holy Spirit, then where ever we live on earth we need to manifest God’s work on earth. (1Cor 3:16). Should we have problems when the Spirit of God manifests? Obviously No! then why should we be troubled when we see miracles and the manifestation of the spirit of God?

The question we may be asking is whether God heals everyone? Why are some people not healed? Whose faith is necessary for healing? That of the sick or the minister’s faith or both? The answers maybe very difficult to answer because God is not a Robot. He does as He wills. But the word of God gives us some clues:

   a)      The Gifts and anointing to heal. God at times releases His anointing and gifts of healing in some places and at that time of saturation, people are healed even through contacts with shadows or clothes which are used as points of contact. The Bible tells us how Paul did Miracles and even through handkerchiefs in Acts 19:11-12. Healing is a gift given for the benefit of the church and for God’s glory (1cor12:9)

  b)      God’s healing power is also release through the laying on of hand. When any true believer lays hands on a sick and pray for recovery, a spiritual transference takes place in the invisible realm (Mark 16:18)

  c)       The prayers of elders and anointing oil releases God’s healing power. The believer willingly calls the pastor to pray for him. Confession and heart preparation in this case is necessary. Note that the oil here just symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit. It is not paracetamol which you can use at any time as if God is a robot (James 5:14)

  d)      Speaking the word to the sickness releases God’s healing power. Confidently the believer speaks clearly the word to the sickness until the sickness goes. Mark 11:23 says “For truly I say to you that whoever will say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and will not doubt in his heart, but will believe that those things that he said will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.”

  e)      Agreement also release God’s healing power. As a church God has made us understand the power of agreement. Psalms 133 tells how God’s anointing flows on the people when they are in agreement. You can now see why you need to ask the church to pray for you when you are sick. Jesus reminded the disciples of this again in Matthew 18-19-20.  

  f)       Your faith releases God’s healing power. Faith prepares everything and goes on in spite of the sickness. In Mark 11:24, Christ says pray and believe that you receive and you will have them. He did not say; have them and believe. No, you believe that you receive first, then you have them.

  g)      Through the name of Jesus, God’s healing power is released. The name of Jesus is a powerful force against sickness and devils (John 14:13-14, Acts 3:1-8)

  h)      Praying for others releases God’s healing power. Job received his healing when he forgot about his self-interest and started praying/interceding for his wayward friends even though he was in deep sickness. “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”(Job 42:10)

  i)        The faith of others release God’s healing power. Believers should pray for others and by their faith, they will be healed. Jesus healed a paralytic because of the faith if his friend. The friend’s faith moved him to bring his paralytic friend to Jesus. He knew Jesus would heal his friend. (Mark 2:5-11)

  j)        Through medicine. This may surprise you. God has built defense systems in our bodies to help fight against diseases in our body. Because He has done this He can use medicine to heal, helping the natural defense processes in the body. Only those who are sick need a physician (mark 9:12). God uses innumerable ways to bring healing to his children and many people today can be healed except its God’s time to take them home.

When it is time, you can do anything you want, meet the best man of God, and meet the best doctor in the world. Nothing will change. No one has power over the life of a child of God except when God allows at His time.  Shalom!

With who are you in ally?

 Isaiah 39:6-8

Introduction

An Ally is an associate, a partner or one to whom you seek favor. World leaders love to ally with stronger or richer nations in order to have either protection, peace, wealth and to develop. In Cameroon we’ll hear of a “win-win relationship.” But most nations do not look at the implications of the alliance. King Hezekiah also sought for alliance with Babylon in order to escape the hand of the Assyrians. Many people today and Kings forget where they come from and so get lost in the choices for allies.

  a)     From where are you coming?

Isaiah 38 tells us how king Hezekiah was very sick to the point of death and prophet Isaiah prepared him for his death. “Thus says the Lord, set your house in order, for you will die and not live.” (Isaiah 38:1b)

i)                    God always listen’s to His faithful children

Hezekiah turned towards the wall and prayed and cried to the Lord; “Lord can the death glorify you?” Is 38:18. He was like saying, you allow me to live so that I can praise you. So that I can celebrate you, so that I will continue to hope in your truth (faithfulness).

                Sometimes in our problems, we list a lot of things we’ll do to God if He answers our prayers. I remember as a child when I lost something I’ll ask God to make me see it and that when I’ll grow I’ll refund. In almost all of those situations, God will make me find my lost item. I’m sure it worked for you too but today many of us have failed in our promises to God. We do not give our time to God, our money, our services and life to God.

                Hezekiah prayed in hope of glorifying God as a living being and God answered his prayer. God added 15 years to his life (Isaiah 38:5). He did to Hezekiah as he requested. To Boko, and to you sitting here God has given you life, a job, children, wealth, you do not lack. You have good health while others are in the hospitals with pain now. You have forgotten your promises to God, though He has been faithful to you in everything you need. I’m thankful to God that we have our pastor here with us. It has been my desire, your desires. Did you ever ask yourself what you’ll do top God when He provides a shepherd for His church? In your prayers for a pastor, what promises did you give to God? Are you willing and ready to fulfil those promises? That is where we are coming. From a point where God has been so good to us and is taking us from glory to glory. But what do we give back to God?

ii)                  When God answers we may become happy and carried by pride

When Hezekiah received the word from Isaiah he could not believe and requested for a sign (2 Kings 20:9-11, Isaiah 38:8, 2 Chr 32). Isaiah said time will go forward 10 steps more or faster. Hezekiah like some of us today said NO; it is too easy for time to run faster but I want time to instead go backward 10 steps in the dial of Ahaz. It happened and today science accepts that some time in history, time was lost to the order of 10 degrees (equivalent to 40 minutes) including 23hrs 30 min at Jushua’s time.

                Hezekiah was happy, and God blessed him with riches as you can see in 2 chr 32. In Isaiah 39:2 Hezekiah showed all his riches to the people sent by the king of Babylon because of his pride in the riches of Judah. This is what will bring the Babylonians 100 years after his death. Well, not because Hezekiah showed then riches but because God will render judgment for their apostasy through it.

                The King of Babylon sent them to be spies but Hezekiah thought he was making good allies. He did not trust in the power of God to save Judah from the Assyrians.  In Is 38:6 God said “I will deliver you and the City from the hand of the King of Assyria.” But in Isaiah 39, King Hezekiah was looking for favor, for help, for support from Babylon.The Babylonians wondered on the great thing God had done in Judah to heal king Hezekiah and turning back the clock of time 10 steps behind on the dial of Ahaz. But Hezekiah was seeking their favour rather than the favour of God.

                Many of us are like that today. God does mighty things in our lives but we seek favour elsewhere. In fellow men rather than God. We create allies that will not glorify God, just because of pride and worst still in the things God has given us. You maybe carried by pride in your riches, your intelligence, your success, even in discerning God’s word. All these come from God and He has given you these for His glory and nothing else. Can you for ones trust God?

  b)    Where are you going?

Are you allying with God or with man? If you do with man, then you’ll fail. You’ll lose all that God has given you. Hezekiah’s alliance deal with Babylon to play politics for deliverance of Jerusalem was a big failure. He did not trust totally in the Lord of Armies, and so Judah will pay the price. Isaiah then gives king Hezekiah the judgment of God in verse 6-7 of our text. If you are still trusting in a brother, a sister, a pastor or a deacon rather than in God, then you have failed. No prophet can save you from the hand of God. God only wants your trust. Seek His favour alone and from no other man. See verse 6 of our text. A time is coming when everything will be taken to Babylon.

You may think you are comfortable now, or that you have prepared for your family or your retirement already. You may have a life insurance in a company, but if your trust is shifted away from the prince of peace, the one we’re celebrating, the King of the universe, do not be shock when the enemy carries your wealth away. Your goods, your health, your peace, etc can be carried away from your palace. Those things you treasure so much.

Perhaps your father kept you some property – land, house, money, cars or whatsoever as inheritance. All what your predecessors stored up for you will also be lost, if you shift your trust from God. Can we learn from the life of Hezekiah?

  c)       What is your answer? Verse 8

When Hezekiah heard God’s judgment he was instead happy. Pride has not yet finished in his life. He says “Good is the word of the Lord that you have spoken… For there will be peace and truth in my days.”

                What a terrible selfishness and resignation. He only thought of himself and his days. Some Christians today are like that. There can be problems in the world, in the church even in the families as long as they will not touch us. Hezekiah thought to himself:

-          In my lifetime, I’ll not experience calamity

-          I’ll have male offspring- of sons to sit upon my throne, so

-          I’ll be saved from the curse of childlessness.

-          We’ll have a tranquil time, a breathing space (Ezra 9:8), a quiet resting place (Isaiah 32:18)

Is like a man who wants to live his life regardless of how his children will be or feel. Enjoying his life and keeping nothing for the children or the future. Everything can be consumed in his life time and the rest can go to hell.

You maybe happy today that things are going well with you and in your days. But you are a loser. Great soldiers of the Lord are people who continue to the end. They are never happy in the failures of others before or after them. They love to have everything go well even in their absence. God knows they are present because He sees the human heart and intentions.

Illus: Some 10 months ago we’ve been praying for my Dad who was sick. I remember around June he was almost dead and was carried to Mbingo Baptist Hospital. My sister and brothers had called me early that morning at 3:30 am that he will not arrive the hospital. My sister told me she had called Rev. T Genesis asking that we prepare the man for his death. So, when the man arrived we prayed with him reminding ourselves of what God did to Hezekiah and God showed him mercy. The man who was coming to the Hospital half dead, left the Hospital on his legs with no medication. Today, my Dad who had been passing off without even knowing is very strong and we do not think he will leave us soon.  God has not changed, he has never failed me and we shared from the preacher of last Sunday that God has never failed him too. What can make me loose trust in Him? Nothing!

                You need to repent from your pride and selfishness and make an alliance with Jesus. He’ll make a sure and lasting relationship with you. Surrender your life, pride and humble yourself to serve the king of the universe whom we started celebrating since 2 days ago. The time is now because the grave cannot praise God. Hezekiah had the chance that God gave him 15 more years. You may not have that opportunity. You may not even see the 1^st January 2016. It will not surprise me.

                But what will you tell God if you find yourself before Him this night? What makes you think He can allow you into His kingdom when you are carried in pride, you trust your friends rather than God, you live in fornication even on days we’re celebrating Christ. Whom do you think you are fooling? Make the correct alliance today with Christ and it shall be well with you else you are heading for a swimming. Swimming into the lake of fire. It shall not be in a fresh water like the one we saw last Sunday as our brother and sisters were baptizing. Make a decision now!

Shalom!