Monday, January 31, 2011
Quote for the Day 01Feb2011
It is a new month! The Lord will let something new begin in your life; new blessings, new breakthroughs, promotion, great achievement and success. Amen. - Bayo Afolaranmi
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Quote for the Day 31Jan2011
You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth. - Evan Esar
Saturday, January 29, 2011
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE
Dearly Beloved,
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3 NKJV).
The writer of the book of the Proverbs was frank in his remarks about some salient issues. Righteousness and justice are ones of such issues. Both of them are interrelated. An English dictionary defines righteousness as “acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin; [to be] morally right or justifiable; [or something] arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality.” The same dictionary defines justice as “the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments [or simply] the quality of being just, impartial, or fair.” These two virtues are more acceptable to God than attempts to please Him through sacrifices or good works.
Many people today are religious. They are ready to do anything to please God, especially when they want to get anything from Him. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that most of such people are not righteous and just to God, not to talk of other men around them. Such people are deceiving themselves because their acts of religiosity cannot be accepted by God unless they are behaving righteously and justly before Him. God sent Prophet Isaiah to His people that He did not have interest in the religious activities of the people, that they should rather “learn to do right [and] See that justice is done” (Isaiah 1:17 TEV. See also 1 Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:33).
Do you want your religious services to be accepted by God? Do you want Him to be pleased with you? Then do righteousness and justice.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3 NKJV).
The writer of the book of the Proverbs was frank in his remarks about some salient issues. Righteousness and justice are ones of such issues. Both of them are interrelated. An English dictionary defines righteousness as “acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin; [to be] morally right or justifiable; [or something] arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality.” The same dictionary defines justice as “the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments [or simply] the quality of being just, impartial, or fair.” These two virtues are more acceptable to God than attempts to please Him through sacrifices or good works.
Many people today are religious. They are ready to do anything to please God, especially when they want to get anything from Him. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that most of such people are not righteous and just to God, not to talk of other men around them. Such people are deceiving themselves because their acts of religiosity cannot be accepted by God unless they are behaving righteously and justly before Him. God sent Prophet Isaiah to His people that He did not have interest in the religious activities of the people, that they should rather “learn to do right [and] See that justice is done” (Isaiah 1:17 TEV. See also 1 Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:33).
Do you want your religious services to be accepted by God? Do you want Him to be pleased with you? Then do righteousness and justice.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
Friday, January 28, 2011
Quote for the Day 29Jan2011
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. - Robert F. Kennedy
Quote for the Day 28Jan2011
Sometimes life’s upsets can make people more open to the gospel. Do you know anyone who is going through a crisis? Prayerfully stay in contact with them, and be ready to share a sensitive word of witness. - Dennis Fisher
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Quote for the Day 27Jan2011
Failure is only postponed success as long as courage "coaches" ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory. - Herbert Kaufman
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Quote for the Day 26Jan2011
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. - Reinhold Niebuhr
Monday, January 24, 2011
Quote for the Day 25Jan2011
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
- Adelaide A. Pollard
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
- Adelaide A. Pollard
Quote for the Day 24Jan2011
Whenever you see your situation through God’s eyes, you will find that your situation will change because when you see as He sees, you allow Him to work as the Almighty in your life! - Joseph Prince
Saturday, January 22, 2011
BEWARE OF YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS!
Dearly Beloved,
BEWARE OF YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS!
“In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ‘Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly” (Isaiah 38:1-3 NIV).
While God may decide not to answer our prayers in our own ways, He may sometimes leave us to have our ways in our self-centred prayers to our detriment. That is why we have to be very careful of our prayer requests.
King Hezekiah was ill to the point of death. The absolute will of God for him was to die, presumably because he had fulfilled his assignment as a king and the next thing for him in God’s agenda was to die honourably. As any other man, Hezekiah did not want to die. He made his mind known to God. He prayed and reminded God how faithful he was in serving God. It was evident from the content of the prayer that Hezekiah was self-centred. In His infinite mercy, God heard the prayer and extended Hezekiah’s life by fifteen years. However, those fifteen years were his undoing! A God-centred king suddenly became self-centred. He was no longer conscious of God’s glory, but his prowess. No wonder, when a foreign king sent emissaries to him to congratulate him on his recovery, instead of pointing them to God, he was busy showing them what he had as a king. God rebuked him harshly on this and it led to the fall of his kingdom, though during the time of his descendants (see Isaiah 39). The land of Judah would not have had a wicked king in Manasseh who was born during those added fifteen years if Hezekiah had accepted the absolute will of God for his life (2 Kings 20:21; 22:1; Jeremiah 15:4).
On many occasions, we also are preoccupied with what we consider “good” for ourselves. We are not mindful of “the best,” the absolute will of God for our lives. We pressurize God to do what we want, and at times, He may let us have our way which may have bad consequences. Jesus Christ, in the Garden of Gethsemane, allowed the absolute will of God to be done in His life, even when He knew that it would result in His death (Matthew 26:39-42). God was indeed glorified in the life and death of Jesus Christ and Jesus was given a name above all names (Philippians 2:5-11).
Beware of your prayer requests especially when you are desperate in getting anything from God. It is better to allow the best absolute will of God to be done in our lives than to impose our good will on Him.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
BEWARE OF YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS!
“In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ‘Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly” (Isaiah 38:1-3 NIV).
While God may decide not to answer our prayers in our own ways, He may sometimes leave us to have our ways in our self-centred prayers to our detriment. That is why we have to be very careful of our prayer requests.
King Hezekiah was ill to the point of death. The absolute will of God for him was to die, presumably because he had fulfilled his assignment as a king and the next thing for him in God’s agenda was to die honourably. As any other man, Hezekiah did not want to die. He made his mind known to God. He prayed and reminded God how faithful he was in serving God. It was evident from the content of the prayer that Hezekiah was self-centred. In His infinite mercy, God heard the prayer and extended Hezekiah’s life by fifteen years. However, those fifteen years were his undoing! A God-centred king suddenly became self-centred. He was no longer conscious of God’s glory, but his prowess. No wonder, when a foreign king sent emissaries to him to congratulate him on his recovery, instead of pointing them to God, he was busy showing them what he had as a king. God rebuked him harshly on this and it led to the fall of his kingdom, though during the time of his descendants (see Isaiah 39). The land of Judah would not have had a wicked king in Manasseh who was born during those added fifteen years if Hezekiah had accepted the absolute will of God for his life (2 Kings 20:21; 22:1; Jeremiah 15:4).
On many occasions, we also are preoccupied with what we consider “good” for ourselves. We are not mindful of “the best,” the absolute will of God for our lives. We pressurize God to do what we want, and at times, He may let us have our way which may have bad consequences. Jesus Christ, in the Garden of Gethsemane, allowed the absolute will of God to be done in His life, even when He knew that it would result in His death (Matthew 26:39-42). God was indeed glorified in the life and death of Jesus Christ and Jesus was given a name above all names (Philippians 2:5-11).
Beware of your prayer requests especially when you are desperate in getting anything from God. It is better to allow the best absolute will of God to be done in our lives than to impose our good will on Him.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
Quote for the Day 22Jan2011
The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. - Benjamin Mays
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Quote for the Day 21Jan2011
Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill
Quote for the Day 21Jan2011
Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Quote for the Day 20Jan2011
There is no one that has stayed so long in the valley that God cannot lift to the mountain top and there is no one who has stayed so long on the mountain top that cannot be brought down to the valley. The more reason why we need God whether we are in the valley or on the mountain top. - Bayo Oladeji
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Quote for the Day 19Jan2011
Let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin]. - Apostle Paul (in 1 Corinthians 10:12 AMP)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Quote for the Day 18Jan2011
Take risks: if you succeed, you will be happy; if you fail, you will be wise. - Anonymous
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Quote for the Day 17Jan2011
You do not need to know where you are going if you know God is leading. - Our Daily Bread
Saturday, January 15, 2011
HE HAS THE RESOURCES, BUT...
Dearly Beloved,
HE HAS THE RESOURCES, BUT...
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3 NIV).
On many occasions, people wonder why God do not answer their prayers the way they want it. This has made some people to think that God probably cannot provide for what they are asking. Some have even concluded that there is no God. However, God exists and He has the power to answer prayers and give more than enough to provide for people that are requesting for one thing or the other from Him. Paul exhorted Timothy to charge the rich in the world not to rely on their riches “but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17 NIV). There are other Scriptural passages that reiterate the richness of God (see Psalm 36:8; 130:7; Romans 9:22; 11:33; Ephesians 1:7, 18; 3:8, 16; Philippians 4:19). In spite of these, He may decide to deprive us of some of these riches if He knows that we will not use them profitably or for His glory. Most especially, He would not grant our requests if such requests are asked with wrong motives for personal gratification (see James 4:3).
I understood this principle more with a recent incident in my family. My ten-year-old has a mobile phone. His desire is that I frequently credit the phone. Because of his careless use of previous credits that I had given him, I decided to limit the amount of credits I will be giving him. It came to a point that I did not even give him any credit for a long time. Then one evening after he had slept, my wife pleaded with me to transfer to him some credits out of the abundance of credits that I had on my phone. I conceded to the plea and made the credit transfer without the knowledge of my son. However, I warned my son the second day that I would not give him more credits in the future if he does not use the one I gave him prudently. The obvious lesson that I learnt from that incident is that inasmuch as I would be reluctant to give my son credit in spite of the fact that I have it in abundance but because of his misuse of previous credits, God also would be reluctant to give us anything if we ask amiss.
What have you been asking from God? What is the motive behind such request? Will God’s answer to such request glorify God? Will it be profitable to you and others around you? Are you not asking with wrong motives for personal gratification? He indeed has the resources to answer your prayers, but....
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
HE HAS THE RESOURCES, BUT...
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3 NIV).
On many occasions, people wonder why God do not answer their prayers the way they want it. This has made some people to think that God probably cannot provide for what they are asking. Some have even concluded that there is no God. However, God exists and He has the power to answer prayers and give more than enough to provide for people that are requesting for one thing or the other from Him. Paul exhorted Timothy to charge the rich in the world not to rely on their riches “but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17 NIV). There are other Scriptural passages that reiterate the richness of God (see Psalm 36:8; 130:7; Romans 9:22; 11:33; Ephesians 1:7, 18; 3:8, 16; Philippians 4:19). In spite of these, He may decide to deprive us of some of these riches if He knows that we will not use them profitably or for His glory. Most especially, He would not grant our requests if such requests are asked with wrong motives for personal gratification (see James 4:3).
I understood this principle more with a recent incident in my family. My ten-year-old has a mobile phone. His desire is that I frequently credit the phone. Because of his careless use of previous credits that I had given him, I decided to limit the amount of credits I will be giving him. It came to a point that I did not even give him any credit for a long time. Then one evening after he had slept, my wife pleaded with me to transfer to him some credits out of the abundance of credits that I had on my phone. I conceded to the plea and made the credit transfer without the knowledge of my son. However, I warned my son the second day that I would not give him more credits in the future if he does not use the one I gave him prudently. The obvious lesson that I learnt from that incident is that inasmuch as I would be reluctant to give my son credit in spite of the fact that I have it in abundance but because of his misuse of previous credits, God also would be reluctant to give us anything if we ask amiss.
What have you been asking from God? What is the motive behind such request? Will God’s answer to such request glorify God? Will it be profitable to you and others around you? Are you not asking with wrong motives for personal gratification? He indeed has the resources to answer your prayers, but....
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
Quote for the Day 15Jan2011
You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short range failures. - Charles Noble.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Quote for the Day 14Jan2011
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. - Apostle Paul (in Philippians 1:6 AMP)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Quote for the Day 13Jan2011
Christianity is an intimate, growing relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. It is not a set of doctrines to believe, habits to practice, or sins to avoid. - Henry Blackaby
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Quote for the Day 12Jan2011
With courage you will dare to take risks,have the strength to be compassionate,and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity. - Keshavan Nair
Monday, January 10, 2011
Quote for the Day 11Jan2011
A life of obedience may not be easy, but it will be blessed. - Julie Ackerman Link
Quote for the Day 11Jan2011
A life of obedience may not be easy, but it will be blessed. - Julie Ackerman Link
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Quote for the Day 10Jan2011
If you want to feel rich, just count the things you have that money cannot buy. - Wale Oyenekan
Saturday, January 8, 2011
BLESSED TO BLESS OTHERS
Dearly Beloved,
BLESSED TO BLESS OTHERS
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram left, as the LORD had told him...” (Genesis 12:1-4 NIV).
My New Year prayer wishes to people in the lists of my Internet ministry was based on the promises that God gave Abraham when He called him to leave his native country to a land that He would show him. Let me also base my first message for the year on the promises. The promises are basically promises of blessings. God promised to make the name of Abraham great. This promise was fulfilled in the lives and nation of the people of Israel, the Jews. Even till today, these people and their nation are still great. God promised to bless Abraham. This blessing was in many ramifications. However, he would be blessed to be a blessing to other people. He would be a channel of God’s blessings to other people. In fact, another related promise is that all peoples on earth will be blessed through Abraham. Although, many people and nations were blessed through Abraham and his descendants, undoubtedly, this later promise was fulfilled through Jesus Christ who came as the Seed of Abraham (see Galatians 3:16). The life of Abraham was indeed a blessing to people that he came in contact with. He willingly took Lot with him when he was leaving his people, and Lot became a great man through Abraham. Even when Lot seemingly cheated him and paid dearly for it, he went out to rescue him from his captors. Abraham was a blessing to the king of Sodom when he refused to claim the plunder. He was such a blessing that he was a blessing to angels unknowingly through his unreserved hospitality (see Genesis 18; Hebrews 13:2).
The promises to Abraham seem to be unconditional, but it is evident that they would have not been fulfilled if Abraham decided to be indifferent to the initial command of God to leave his country and his relatives. His obedience to the call of God is pivotal to his blessing and being a blessing to other people.
Do want to be blessed this year? Be ready to obey God and be a blessing to other people. He will make you a channel of His blessings to other people if your make yourself available to Him. You will be blessed to bless to other people this year in Jesus’ name. Amen.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
BLESSED TO BLESS OTHERS
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram left, as the LORD had told him...” (Genesis 12:1-4 NIV).
My New Year prayer wishes to people in the lists of my Internet ministry was based on the promises that God gave Abraham when He called him to leave his native country to a land that He would show him. Let me also base my first message for the year on the promises. The promises are basically promises of blessings. God promised to make the name of Abraham great. This promise was fulfilled in the lives and nation of the people of Israel, the Jews. Even till today, these people and their nation are still great. God promised to bless Abraham. This blessing was in many ramifications. However, he would be blessed to be a blessing to other people. He would be a channel of God’s blessings to other people. In fact, another related promise is that all peoples on earth will be blessed through Abraham. Although, many people and nations were blessed through Abraham and his descendants, undoubtedly, this later promise was fulfilled through Jesus Christ who came as the Seed of Abraham (see Galatians 3:16). The life of Abraham was indeed a blessing to people that he came in contact with. He willingly took Lot with him when he was leaving his people, and Lot became a great man through Abraham. Even when Lot seemingly cheated him and paid dearly for it, he went out to rescue him from his captors. Abraham was a blessing to the king of Sodom when he refused to claim the plunder. He was such a blessing that he was a blessing to angels unknowingly through his unreserved hospitality (see Genesis 18; Hebrews 13:2).
The promises to Abraham seem to be unconditional, but it is evident that they would have not been fulfilled if Abraham decided to be indifferent to the initial command of God to leave his country and his relatives. His obedience to the call of God is pivotal to his blessing and being a blessing to other people.
Do want to be blessed this year? Be ready to obey God and be a blessing to other people. He will make you a channel of His blessings to other people if your make yourself available to Him. You will be blessed to bless to other people this year in Jesus’ name. Amen.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
Friday, January 7, 2011
Quote for the Day 08Jan2011
The real quality of our life is not determined by what we have won from it, but by what we have discovered within it. - Guy Finley
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Quote for the Day 07Jan2011
Do not seek fame, seek to serve others. If you do your impact will be greater than your image and your eternal reward greater than anything you can drive, wear, live in, or hang on a wall. - Bob Gass
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Quote for the Day 06Jan2011
Our lives improve only when we take chances ... and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves. - Walter Anderson
Quote for the Day 05Jan2011
It is not always easy to forgive, but make the effort again and again. Nothing else you can ever do in life will repay you as richly as forgiving and loving those you have called enemy. - Author Unknown
Quote for the Day 05Jan2011
It is not always easy to forgive, but make the effort again and again. Nothing else you can ever do in life will repay you as richly as forgiving and loving those you have called enemy. - Author Unknown
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Quote for the Day 04Jan2011
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called Present. - Anonymous
Quote for the Day 04Jan2011
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called Present. - Anonymous
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Quote for the Day 03Jan2011
Every day is the perfect day to ask yourself questions about your life goals, and how you plan to address those goals, but there is a special tradition of asking those questions as each new year begins. - Author Unknown
Quote for the Day 02Jan2011
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet. - Author Unknown
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