The Prerequisite of Walking in the Way

Way contextually talks about the UNIQUE  and PECULIAR features or methodology attributed to a particular thing.

One can be in the way (Jesus) but not adhering to His ways.

Likewise, one can be in the other way yet cleaving to the dictate of Jesus.

Both are considered inappropriate; therefore, unacceptable.

Path A spells it out that it strictly adheres to methodology 1.

Path B openly proclaim to uphold methodology 2.

Mixing or intertwine of either the paths or the methodologies makes each and both mediocre, inappropriate and unacceptable.

Christians have come up with STRANGE identities.

Identities that aren’t after nor in the express image of the Father, Jesus Christ.

Hybrid specie or tribe whose classification is not of the twelve. 

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us…

They would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Way from the above statement means ACCESS.

Truth from the above statement means the METHODOLOGY.

While life implies RELEVANCE, IMPACT and ESSENSE.

One cannot decide to access the Father without using the mandatory methodology- truth.

“The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

Jesus said but by me; meaning His terms.

We don’t decide the terms and conditions, the way- Jesus Christ does.

We simply strictly obey and adhere to His percepts. 

There are certain world standard doors that have their respective way of unlocking and accessing it.

Else, no way forward.

“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

Let’s all check out the way (methodology) and the way (path in which we trend).

Shalom!

An Exegesis on Matthew 24:12

Matthew 24:12 says that “and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

If you’ve taken out time to patiently read and meditate the whole of Matthew 24, you will realize that there aren’t any good news in it. But the peculiarity of the chapter of this book is that it centers on the happenings in these last days. This chapter has its witnesses from other books of the bible like Joel(2), Isaiah(60), Revelation, I Timothy and II Timothy and others. 

Our focus of discussion isn’t the whole of Matthew 24 but verse 12. Although it is doctrinally unacceptable to seclude a verse from previous or next few verses for “isolated” interpretation or meaning. We will try as much as possible to make very few references to previous or verses after or even references from other books of the bible. Carefully look at verses 10, 11 and 12, these three verses starts with the word “and.” 

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

That is to say that the beginning of these three verses (10, 11 and, 12) especially is at least from verse 8 or 9 which says  “8 all these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”  Just as verses before verse 8 meant the all these in verse 8, likewise is verse 9 downwards a revelation of the second phase of what to expect before Jesus’ appearance in the sky. 

Verses 9 to 12 told us what to expect in its full strength. They are afflictions, killings, hatred, offences, betrayal, increase in the number of false prophets, deception, increase in iniquity and lately, adverse effect on ones love.  Almost all these 9 influencers in the last days are unutterable except for the last one. The first seven influencers are very certain and unchangeable simply because they were in days of Jesus and His disciples/apostles. 

What I meant by being certain is that they cannot be stopped or changed. They will happen as prophesied, but the last influencers can be changed or otherwise. There are six determinants to how ones love will be. There are 3 positive and 3 negative determinants. The 3 positive determinants are: conviction, commitment and contention. While the 3 negative determinants are: compromise, complacency and convenience.  Each group of three determinants whether in the positive or negative side work hand in hand. 

Let’s examine the positive determinants first, thereafter we will look into the negative determinants. The leading determinant among these three positive determinants is conviction while the other two determinants follow suit. As conviction leads, to contend wouldn’t be a problem neither will commitment be unattainable. It’s those that don’t have a conviction primarily that will either struggle or their love for God is zero. 

Convenience leads the other 3 negative determinants. It is when one is at ease that the other two negative determinants express themselves effortlessly. A Christian that does his responsibilities when he’s at ease, certainly, the quality of what is done will reduce with time. The dangerous thing about convenience is that the activities will still be evident but the quality of what should be done will deteriorate gradually until nothing is left. 

In conclusion, let’s ensure we are on the positive determinants side and we can do this by taking hold on God’s helping grace for those of us whose love is already cold. Then, we push through with the help we’ve received. The Lord will help us to make our love for Him relevant in Jesus name, amen.

Shalom!!!!

Wishes, Ditches and Riches

Wishes are totally free.

Ditches are undesirable and probably consequential.

Riches are desirable but demanding.

Men will rather choose two of these three- riches and wishes.

Who then wants or has ever imagined falling into a ditch?

Though ditches aren’t pleasant, are they without purpose?

Job(a bible character) had riches.

He made so many wishes.

But fell into his own ditch.

Job uttered statements of wishes like “may”, “why” and “Oh.”

Words like “touch”, “strike”, “potsherd”, “scrape”- are all pointers to Job’s predicament.

“For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me.”

“And what I dreaded has happened to me.”

“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;”

“I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Take it or leave it- ditches are purposeful and necessary.

Haven’t you ask yourself this question?

Why should Jesus learn obedience by the things He suffered!

That implies that there is positivity in every negativity.

Despise your ditches and forget about its glory.

Embrace your ditches and in the right time, its glory will show forth.

Joseph accepted and embrace his.

Other patriarchs took theirs upon themselves.

So why won’t you?

Accept your ditch(es), stop making wishes and you will enjoy its riches.

Shalom!

Lesson Learnt From Plants

Looked closely and openheartly to see and know a great lesson from plants.

The plants were and/or are basking in the overflowing presence of light.

They supposedly look like they don’t need the life in light at maturity.

But at their tender days, their growth, life and existence solely depends on the proportion and direct of light tapped into.

If a plant were to be put in the middle of a dark room, or close to the window.

Such plant grows in the direction of (sun)light. 

They(plants) care less about the direction in which they grow.

As long as they are growing in the direction of light, satisfaction is obtained and achieved.

That’s why we see some plants bending even at full maturity.

It’s simply because without light, there is no life.

You remember John 8:12?

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

The point is that we literally have so called Christians that don’t pursue and seek God’s light.

We do so many things in darkness of all shades.

Little wonder, people are not glorying our Father in heaven as before and as expected.

We constantly need to seek for God’s light, for therein lies life.

(Life) circumstances may necessitate it that one grows in a particular direction. 

What’s important is growth in the direction of light.

Of course, one can grow in the absence of light, such growth is called stunted growth.

In summary, there is life in light and there is light in life.

Jesus is both the light and the life I speak of.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Shalom!

Man as God's Tenant

 

Possession alone does not imply ownership.

Possession plus total control will then mean true ownership.

God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Man became the temporary possessor of the life given to him.

Man’s tenancy of the given life is seemingly permanent.

This tenancy is short term compared to eternity.

A landlord leases his house to a tenant for a specified period of time.

The duration might be lengthy yet measurable.

All that is within the leased house is temporarily possessed by the tenant.

It’s unwise of such tenant(s) to think or believe that he fully owns those things handed over to him.

Man’s tenancy in regards to God is not just short but also accountable.

Remember the parable of the talents.

The actual fact is that the master owns those distributed talents.

Those servants only possessed those talents.

They don’t own what they were given.

They accounted for what they were given.

Our sojourning here on earth is in the similitude of the servants with talents.

There is a definite reward for being faithful servants.

Moreover, it’s a great privilege to be partakers in God’s husbandry.

It’s likewise a privilege of partnership.

Never let us think God’s work will be left undone without us.

“And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

God is all sufficient in and by Himself.

Man has never and will never for once complete God at its least.

Man is made complete in God and with God.

Accountability of man’s tenancy goes beyond the life given but what he did with that life.

Though the given life was handed over to man, he does not have total control.

God oversees and order life’s occurrences.

Best and blessed for being faithful.

Shalom!!!

Fundamentals of Christianity

 

Basics is primary.

Basics are unavoidable and very necessary.

It’s the foundation.

What’s the essence of the secondary when the primary isn’t properly placed!

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

With which other building structures gain firmness and depth.

Let’s check our foundational doctrine and belief.

Lest other structures on it collapses.

We however don’t stop at the foundation.

Can a man having done the foundation of his house claim to have completed the building?

We move on to other and more heavier matters.

Meaning, foundation precedes other building structures.

However, other building structures is deeply rooted on the foundation.

Ensure to have a proper, appropriate and standard foundation.

Proceed to build on it.

“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God…”

“And are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.”

“Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”

“Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

How then shall we be able to relate well with teachings on Melchizedek?

It’s high we went back checking and/or rebuilding.

Lest all we’ve built for years fall in the twinkling of an eye.

Remember, it’s far much easier to destroy than to build.

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.”

“But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.”

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”

The Lord help us to see and make proper corrections.

Shalom!

Our Journey of Faith

We took off on the journey of faith.

Not knowing what’s ahead of us.

Got to check points, only for us to realize that certain 'contraband' and unacceptable personalities of whatsoever were taken away.

Continued the journey with lesser burden.

Remembered His words that says “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We’ve been scrutinized to a great extent.

Upon entering into another season.

Shall we repay His goodness and kindness with our faithfulness?

The journey of faith takes a lot.

The great cloud of witnesses “had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.”

“They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented.”

“(Of whom the world was not worthy), they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.”

We, who are in the fulfillment of the promise gat to do twice as much as theirs.

Remember that “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

Hope we won’t fall below the expectation of the great cloud of witnesses and other hosts?

The season is upon us.

To “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

To ensure that we are “persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come…”

“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

For “the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

And lastly, “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hold unto Him no matter what.

Elisha held unto his master, Elijah.

If not, wouldn’t have gotten what was transferred to him.

He’s worth waiting on and dying for.

There is reward for all that we do.

Shalom!