Quote for the Day 30Sep2013

All life is a risk - even crossing the street, or sitting in your easy chair. So relax, do not worry, and live the most productive and enjoyable life you can. - Author Unknown

Quote for the Day 29Sep2013

Do not base your judgment of people on outward appearance. Instead, pray for the discerning spirit to know the mind of men. - Bayo Afolaranmi

THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE

Dearly Beloved, THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV). "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment" (John 7:24 NIV). Samuel was a great man of God. Some Bible scholars have said that only Moses was greater than him in the leadership history of the people of Israel. The people respected him, and God also specially chose him to be His mouthpiece right from his childhood. In his life-long priestly and prophetic career, he made a silly mistake - judging by the outward appearance. However, God quickly called him to order before he effected his judgment and anointed the wrong person as the king of Israel. People have used their outward appearance to deceive other people - even men of God. They have appeared good outwardly, but evil inwardly. Openly, they say and do good things, but secretly, they are devils. Eliab is a good example. Samuel saw him as a good candidate for the kingship, but his true colour manifested when David decided to go and fight the giant Goliath. The Bible says he burned with anger and discouraged him from doing so (1 Samuel 17: 28-30). Do you deceive people with your outward appearance? What is your opinion about the saying, "First impression lasts long"? Do you also normally base your judgment of people on outward appearance? Pray for the discerning spirit to know the mind of men. In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). NB This message was first sent out on September 18, 2005.

Quote for the Day 28Sep2013

Instead of using whispers and gossip that can cause hurt and pain while serving no good purpose, we would do better to restrain ourselves and practice silence. - Bill Crowder

Quote for the Day 27Sep2013

Your life is a story. Each day you get to write a new page. So fill those pages with responsibility to God, to others, and to yourself. If you do, in the end you will not be disappointed. - Author Unknown

Quote for the Day 26Sep2013

If you have been looking unto yourself, it is time to start looking unto Jesus. Look unto Him, the author and finisher of your faith. And soon, you will be looking at your healing and prosperity! - Joseph Prince

Quote for the Day 25Sep2013

Knowledge can be found in books or in school. Wisdom, on the other hand, starts with God...and ends there. - Marie T Freeman

Quote for the Day 24Sep2013

With God as our defender, we don’t have to fear what others will do. We can trust that God will support us when trouble comes. - Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Quote for the Day 23Sep2013

Remember, you are given two ears, two eyes and one mouth. This means that you must hear and see twice as you speak. - Nelson Tunde Akinola

Quote for the Day 22Sep2013

Who owns your church? Ascribing the ownership of any church to any man or group of people is like sharing God’s glory with such man or group of people. - Bayo Afolaranmi

WHO OWNS YOUR CHURCH?

Dearly Beloved, WHO OWNS YOUR CHURCH? “...I will build My church...” (Matthew 16:18 NKJV). “...I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV). The word church has been used to mean many things. The term “church” can be referred to at least four meanings: one, a building used for public Christian worship; two, a local group of Christians (worshipping in such building); three, a particular Christian organization, typically one with its own clergy, buildings, and distinctive doctrines (another word for this is a denomination); and four, all believers in Jesus Christ or adherents of Christian faith. Simply, the church is the assembly of a local group of Christians living in a certain place or the universal church comprises of all believers in Jesus Christ both living and dead. There has been a trend where an individual or group of people refers to a particular church (local assembly) or a number of churches (probably a denomination) as “my” or “our” church. Some other people will refer to the church as “their” or “your” church. These references may be to the leader (or leaders) of the church or founder of the denomination. Undoubtedly, this trend has affected the way such people view or administer things of the church. However, the big question is: who owns the church? Jesus Christ, in His response to Peter’s confession, simply said, “...I will build MY church...” (Matthew 16:18 NKJV emphasis mine). By implication, the church belongs to Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul explained this further by referring to the church as “the church of the living God” (1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV). Each word here is very important. The preposition “of” is referring to who really owns the church. The church does not belong to any other person than the living God. The article “the” is emphasizing the fact that there is no other god, but the one and only true God. The adjective “living” is highlighting the eternity, strength and vitality of God. Lastly, the noun which is the most important word is referring to GOD, not man or any other thing. No wonder, Jesus Christ added that “the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18 NKJV). Who owns your church? Is it your pastor, general overseer or founder of your denomination? Are you even thinking that you are the owner of your church? Ascribing the ownership of any church to any man or group of people is like sharing God’s glory with such man or group of people. The only exception here is if the church is not a church of God. Who owns your church? In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Lord, help me to recognize You as the owner of the church.

Quote for the Day 21Sep2013

It is not the thing on which we spend the most time that moulds us, but the thing that exerts the greatest power. Five minutes with God and His Word is worth more than all the rest of the day. - Oswald Chambers

Quote for the Day 20Sep2013

Let me encourage you to continue to wait with faith. God may not perform a miracle, but He is trustworthy to touch you and make you whole where there used to be a hole. - Lisa Whelchel

Quote for the Day 19Sep2013

It is a great deal better to live a holy life than to talk about it. Lighthouses do not ring bells and fire cannons to call attention to their shining - they just shine. - D.L. Moody

Quote for the Day 18Sep2013

Christian suffering is not an indication that something has gone wrong: it is evidence you are on the right track. It is an opportunity to live like our Lord, to participate in the same life as He knew on earth, and to look forward to sharing His glory when He returns. - Ray Ortlund

Quote for the Day 17Sep2013

Discipleship is a daily discipline; we follow Jesus a step at a time, a day at a time. - Warren Wiersbe

Quote for the Day 16Sep2013

Think about yourself. Are you serving God the way you used to serve Him some years ago? Are you not deteriorating in your devotion to God? What went wrong? You have to think about it in your relationship with God. - Bayo Afolaranmi

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Dearly Beloved, WHAT WENT WRONG? "Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God" (2 Chronicles 14:2 NIV). "Asa was angry with the [prophet] because of [the admonition]; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people" (2 Chronicles 16:10 NIV). Asa was one of good kings of Judah. The writers of the Scriptures chronicled his good deeds thus: he did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God (2 Chronicles 14:2); he removed the foreign gods and the high places (2 Chronicles 14:3, 5); he expelled the male shrine-prostitutes from the land of Judah (1 Kings 15:12); he commanded the people of Judah to seek God and obey Him (2 Chronicles 14:4); he trusted God in time of war (verses 11); he repaired the altar of the LORD (2 Chronicles 15:8b); he led the people of Judah and even some from Israel to reestablish their covenant with God (2 Chronicles 15:10-14); he even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because of her idolatry (2 Chronicles 15:16); and his heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life (2 Chronicles 15:17). Because of these, God gave him and his people rest on every side (2 Chronicles 14:6, 7). Even when somebody with a vast army waged war against him, God gave him a resounding victory with many plunders (2 Chronicles 14:9-15). Nevertheless, his last years were a tragedy! He abandoned the almighty God for a mere man when another country waged war against him (2 Chronicles 16:1-6). When a prophet of God confronted him for his lack of trust in God, he was angry and put the prophet in prison (2 Chronicles 16:7-10). He also brutally oppressed some of his people (2 Chronicles 16:10b). When he was afflicted with a disease, he refused to seek God (2 Chronicles 16:12). He died in that disease! One may wonder what actually went wrong in the life of Asa. Why did he start well and ended tragically? The writers of the Scriptures did not give a hint to his decadence. Apparently, his successes went to his head and he forgot his God. This is a food for thought for all of us. Think about yourself. Are you serving God the way you used to serve Him some years ago? Are you not deteriorating in your devotion to God? What went wrong? You have to think about it in your relationship with God and "Give careful thought to your ways" (Haggai 1:5, 7 NIV). In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). NB This message was first sent out on September 11, 2005.

Quote for the Day 13Sep2013

The safest place to be in the whole world is the centre of the will of God for your life. - Author Unknown

Quote for the Day 12Sep2013

Put life into your work. Work, when performed with the right attitude, can be pleasurable and rewarding. - Amos O. Tella

Quote for the Day 11Sep2013

Money is a primary competitor with Jesus Christ for His lordship over our lives. - Moses Adebayo

Quote for the Day 10Sep2013

What comfort to know that God is at work in our lives through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit! - Randy Kilgore

Quote for the Day 09Sep2013

God can make all things beautiful in its time for you. As you involve Him in your daily life and trust His love for you, you will see Him lead and place you at the right place at the right time to enjoy His blessings. - Joseph Prince

Quote for the Day 08Sep2013

Be ready to pass through any trouble that comes your way with the belief that God will bring you out of it and make you better in Him through the trouble. - Bayo Afolaranmi

ACCEPTING TROUBLES FROM GOD?

Dearly Beloved, ACCEPTING TROUBLES FROM GOD? “Job replied, ‘Don't talk like a fool! If we accept blessings from God, we must accept trouble as well.’ In all that happened, Job never once said anything against God” (Job 2:10 CEV). Recently in the “Spiritual Digest for the Day” – an aspect of my Internet ministry where I send out an inspiring quote and an almost corresponding Bible verse, I used the above verse. One of my contacts asked me these questions: “Does God bring troubles?” and “Should we accept troubles from God?” These questions will be the bases for my devotional thought this week. To Job in the Bible, God brought his troubles and he was ready to accept them because of his understanding of God. However, since we have the privilege of knowing what happened in the background, we know that God did not bring the troubles of Job. Satan did! Nevertheless, God allowed Satan to do so for a purpose: to prove the righteousness of Job. In theology – the study about God and His relation with man, there is what is called “theodicy” – the goodness and justice of God in spite of evil in the world. The story of Job really illustrates this. God is good and just, but He allows evil by Satan and his cohorts for His divine purposes. Only those that have a shallow idea of God will blame God for the evil in the world. Expectedly, some have even because of the evil in the world declared that God does not exist. On the other hand, only a narrow-minded man like Job’s wife will think that evil will not or cannot happen to righteous people. There are two truths that one should bear in mind. One, since the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, this world is full of evil, but God assures us that the evil will not overcome us. Jesus Christ confirmed this when He told His disciples in John 16:33, “I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world” (CEV). See also Deuteronomy 31:6-8; Psalm 23:4; 46:4-7; 91:15; Isaiah 43:1-2; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Two, God is working through the evil of the world to bring out the best out of His children. In Paul’s words, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV). The analogy of a raw gold or silver that has to be refined in fire before it becomes valuable is a good example (see Psalm 66:8-12; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-9). Therefore, to answer the two questions posed by that contact, God does not bring troubles, but He allows them and works through them to fulfill His purposes in our lives. Also, we must be ready to pass through any trouble that comes our way with the belief that God will bring us out of it and make us better in Him through the trouble. In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray that you will be able to accept any trouble and allow God to make stronger in Him through it.

Quote for the Day 07Sep2013

You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. - Rick Warren

Quote for the Day 06Sep2013

There is no such thing as a hopeless situation. Every single circumstance of your life can change! - Rhonda Byrne

Quote for the Day 05Sep2013

Many times we struggle with the reality that our Father knows what is best. We assume our way is right. But, as we rest in Him, His purposes always prove to be for our good and His praise. - Bill Crowder

Quote for the Day 04Sep2013

Before you get into any situation, be sure that God is already there. He just wants you to experience His goodness in the situation. - Job Alabi

Quote for the Day 03Sep2013

If anyone has Jesus Christ as his foundation, no trouble can sink him. - Supo Ayokunle

Quote for the Day 02Sep2013

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. - Christopher Reeve