Thanks giving multiplies our blessings

 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. Luke 9:16 NIV

The examples of our Lord Jesus at giving thanks should challenge us all. He gave thanks for and in every situation.
One can easily tell when you have a large crowd of over one thousand people even without asking the ushers to count the number of persons in attendance. Imagine having only five loaves of bread and two fish to feed such multitude. That was clearly a situation of inadequacy but He didn’t complain. He knew what to do, in order to make the difference. He lifted the shortage to Heaven, gave thanks and contacted divinity.
How can anyone explain feeding hundred children with five loaves of bread and two fish, not to mention five thousand men, with possibly eight thoUsan woman and children (considering the average ratio of men to women and children).

In this season of global economic crisis, you can still walk into your abundance by following the example of our Master Jesus. Lift up that little thing left, and give thanks.
Also, let no one tell you that there's nothing left to lift up. Even if your barn is empty and your brook dry, your account red and creditors are threatening, there’s still something to lift up to  Heaven in thanks giving. Lift up your heart and thank Him for your life. Express your confidence in His steadfast love and limitless provision. He will surely respond to you with His blessings.

Action Point
Read Habakkuk 3:17 as a pledge to the Lord.

Are you the Taster?

I had a chat with my Sister this morning and we were both complaining about these messages that ask you to send to ten (10) persons in 5 minutes and see what will happen to you. “If you have time for Jesus, send this message to ten persons”...lols.

Anyways, I told her about a forum I belonged to which was supposed to be Ministers’ forum but such messages were never lacking there. I tried several times to explain the aim of such but I wasn’t just seeing any changes. Messages with spiritual insights was seriously in short supply in that forum. So, I got fed up one day and left the forum. When I got to the part of leaving the forum, my sister said “no, no, you shouldn’t have left, you would have stayed back to help correct them in love”.

I responded, “it didn’t seem like they were willing to learn, I was already beginning to look like an ‘ITK’ (I Too know).

She said “sis, you know you can’t be salt of the earth in the salt shaker”

And I said, “but if you add too much salt to soup, you will spoil the taste.”

She gave it back to me with this response- “are you the taster? It’s only the owner of the food that can tell when the salt is too much.”

My sister was right! We often measure our efforts at serving God by our own standards. Here I am feeling I had contributed too much but maybe on God’s scorecard, I hadn’t even hit a two digits score. 

Please always allow the TASTER,  the owner of the Soup to decide when the  salt is too much.

Meanwhile enjoy this Veges soup from me with love!!!💖💖💞💞

Thank you means 'Give me again'

Well,  I’m sure you are wondering where I got that from. It’s one of my late father’s many lessons. He never missed an opportunity to teach on the need to be thankful. It got to a point that we would always tease him about it. My little brother then would go and say 'Daddy thank you for that my biscuit', expecting to collect another one from him.

I wouldn’t know if my Dad took that message from the Bible but I was thrilled to see that God’s Word says ‘Thank you means give me again’ too in Luke 17: 15-19 and Psalms 67:5-7.

And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, nd fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

In Luke 17:15-19 above, we read the story of one of the lepers that returned to give thanks to our Lord Jesus after his healing. He didn’t  know that to give thanks was to get more when he went back to our Lord Jesus. He was truly grateful; it was heart felt appreciation. The Bible says that ‘he fell down to his face, giving Him thanks’. The result was that he got more than  his friends. He was made well (all round restoration).

When we show God true gratitude, He multiplies what He has given us. My father’s ‘thank you means give me again’ simply implies that we make the Giver to want to give us again when are thankful. Psalms 67:5-7 reiterates this divine mystery of increase- Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Action Point
Do you want more? Be thankful.

Steps to praying effectively

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6-7 NKJV.



It’s sad to think that the path to our victory lies in obeying very simple biblical principles yet we all seem to be missing it.
Be anxious for nothing
This first part of the instruction is very important because anxiety has a way of robbing you of every sense of reasoning. Some of us interpret anxiety as an act of being responsible. I was a victim of anxiety for a very long time. I would think I needed to do something about everything even when the solution was clearly not in my hands. My best efforts sometimes left me frustration.
A lot of us are like that. We wake up early, sleep late, drawing up plans and charts when we ought to leave God to do His thing. I also think this is the most difficult part of the steps because once this is conquered you'd be able to absorb and believe the Word of God for what it is. Anxiety is an expression of faithlessness and often times, fear.

....but in everything by prayer and supplication... There’s no situation that prayer cannot address. However, the content and mode of our prayers is sometimes the inhibitor to the answers of our prayers. We sometimes pray amiss not necessarily because we ask for such things that serve only for self gratification. When we come to God in prayer, grumbling and complaining, we automatically shut ourselves out. There is a failure proof recommended procedure for prayer and until we follow that procedure, we just might be like one beating the air.

....with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
It can be difficult to give thanks if we keep our focus on the weight of our problem rather than the infinite problem solving ability of God. Giving thanks in the midst of a pending need can sometimes feel very unnatural but that's the way to access the supernatural provisions of God.
The emphasis 'but in everything' is just to let us know that there are no exclusive situations.
Praying with thanks giving should serve for every kind of prayer, in every kind of situation.


Action Point
Take delivery of your testimonies, pray with thanks giving.

God fights our battles when we Praise!

You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”    

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20: 17, 20-21 NKJV)

You probably know the story in 2 Chronicles 20. How three cities came against the tribe of Judah for war and King Jehoshaphat panicked and went to seek God’s face. God asked them to position themselves and stand still and then, they will see what He’ll do. With this first instruction, they may have been thinking of strategies of how to stand still and win the battle. There was another part of the instruction which was to go against their enemies.

My guess is that Jehoshaphat was  certain that God would give them victory but was confused about every other step. He wasn’t sure of the game plan! Someone once said that when you are not sure of what to do, do praise!

I want to believe that the king and his people were expecting to fight in the battle and maybe that was what it was supposed to be but they took their victory to another level through praise.

Jehoshaphat set the singers in front of the soldiers because he understood that if God said He’ll give them victory, then civilians or soldiers was immaterial. What mattered was to secure God’s presence and that they did.

Action Point
Secure your victory over that ailing situation. Put your singing before your efforts!

In everything give thanks?

This is one of the most difficult injunctions of the Bible 1 These 5:18. How do you ask someone who lost a spouse, a child or sibling in a tragic accident to give thanks? Can you imagine looking into the eyes of a family member of any of the Brazilian footballers who died in the plane crash and saying, ‘in everything give thanks’?

After I lost my first pregnancy at barely two months, I had another one that I carried to term. The scan said it was a baby boy and my husband and I were ecstatic. We prepared like every young family would, for the arrival of our first child. The big day came and I had him through caesarean procedure but the baby died after three days. He had enlarged heart as a result of congenital malformation. It was as if my world stopped. I was still in the  hospital trying to recover from the pains of the surgery. The only thing that would have been able to ease my pains would have been having my baby by my side. Other mothers in the ward had theirs and the crying of their babies was a constant reminder that mine wasn’t there with me. To make matters worse, his milk will flow out and soil my night dress and underwear.  It was a night mare I thought I’d never recover from.

My husband and elder sister tried everything to help me recover but nothing seemed to be working. I was withering by the day. My ever vivacious  niece, Precious couldn't get Aunty Amaa to smile or play. I was worried too.

One day, I decided I would go back and find comfort from the Lord, after all He is our Comforter. I started feeding myself with the Word afresh and listening to gospel songs. I pasted short verses of Scriptures all around by bedside. Habakkuk 3:17 was definitely in the center.
Bob Fitt’s You are so faithful was my daily companion. I didn’t just sing along but I let myself believe every word of its lyrics. I began to praise God!
Before long, the cloud rolled away and I could smile again. My fears left and confidence in God’s love returned. One year three months later, God gave us the most adorable daughter, Janelle.

I was the one who needed to thank God so that I could secure His presence for the next phase of my life. Giving my pains to Him in thanks giving turned my life around.

Are you beaten and confused? Break the chains today by thanking God for the life you have. The sun will shine again!

Praise Him for His Sovereignty!

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,
Who makes the clouds His chariot,
Who walks on the wings of the wind,
Who makes His angels spirits,
His ministers a flame of fire.
You who laid the foundations of the earth,
So that it should not be moved forever,
You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters stood above the mountains.
At Your rebuke they fled;
At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
They went up over the mountains;
They went down into the valleys,
To the place which You founded for them.
You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,
That they may not return to cover the earth.
He sends the springs into the valleys;
They flow among the hills.
They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
By them the birds of the heavens have their home;
They sing among the branches.
He waters the hills from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the service of man,
That he may bring forth food from the earth, 
Psalms 104:1-14  NKJV

Everyday nature lays God’s sovereignty bare before us. Sadly, we have gotten so familiar with these acts of nature that they no longer seem like anything to be grateful for. From verse 6 of the excerpted  Scripture above (... the waters stood above the mountains), to the end of the piece, the Psalmist was talking about rain, rain water! In his usual poetic style, he went on from when it forms a thick cloud to the point it descends on the mountains, down into  valleys and to the final point where it grows food for us. He praised God for the rains that we often complain about.

How much of God’s awesome blessings have you been taking for granted?

Action Point
Look around you today. Thank God for the rains, sun, night and day.

The Mystery of Praise 2

We saw from yesterday’s message that Leah changed the course of her life when she decided to praise God.

Judah was an exceptional child in every way. When the brothers wanted to kill their little dreamer brother Joseph, he was the one who helped preserve Joseph’s destiny. Judah was not part of the dastardly act of avenging Dinah’s violation. I want to believe his brothers didn’t call him on that mission because they knew about that compassionate side of him.

When Joseph asked his brothers to go back from Egypt and bring their youngest brother Benjamin, Jacob vehemently refused. Reuben offered to have his two sons killed if he didn’t bring back Benjamin  but that did move Jacob (Genesis.  42:36-38). However, Judah came and pleaded with their father Jacob, and offered himself as guarantor, their father listened to him and obliged him.
Why was the plea of the fourth son superior that of the first? Judah had integrity.

When Jacob was dying, these were the blessings he spoke over Judah:

Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father's children shall bow down before you.
Judah is a lion's whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (Genesis 49:8-11).

In this declaration, Jacob prophesied about Christ, the One to Whom shall be the obedience of the people. The big question for most people is, why wasn’t these prophetic pronouncements

to Joseph who was Jacob’s beloved? Well, the answer is- Jacob was responding to the presence of God that Judah carried.

Action Point
Now that you know how powerful praise is, dedicate something to God as a sacrifice of praise! It might be your time, property, talent...anything! Go ahead and rewrite your destiny!

The Mystery of Praise!

Praise is a mystery! Some times when we read that part of the Bible that says ‘God inhabits the praises of His people’, it doesn't quite strike a chord. Yes, I have found myself asking how and is it all the time? Anyway, Leah’s story in Genesis 29 helped to shed light on the depth of the mystery of praise.

You probably  know the story of how Jacob was tricked by his father-in-law who gave him Leah instead of Rachel. Jacob ended up marrying both Sisters but his heart belonged to Rachel. I can imagine how miserable Leah must have been. Leah however had something going for her; she had children.

Like with every polygamous  home, there was competition  between the two sisters. It was God Who chose to pacify Leah by giving her children (Genesis 29:31). Leah had the first child and called him Reuben  (the Lord has looked upon my affliction). She had another and called him Simeon (because the Lord has heard I was hated, he has given me this son). The third son was called Levi because she said this time my husband will be joined to me. What a name!
Leah had her fourth son and called him Judah (now will I praise the Lord).

 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Genesis 29:35a

Some of us waste situations that are meant for praising God on scorning or trying to spite our enemies. Leah had been using her sons to fight and spite her sister Rachel but none of those got her anywhere. When she took the path of wisdom, and called her son Judah, her story changed.

Leah brought in the Ark of God personified in a little boy Judah when she declared him a sacrifice of praise. Jacob had several other sons by his wives’ maids and even Rachel but none of them made it to the honour list in Matt. 1:1-17.

Action Point
What about dedicating ourselves to God as sacrifices of praise....all that is within  me, bless His Holy name. Sing to Him, praise Him!

Recipe for success- Courage of the Philistines

Courage: The quality of a confident character not to be afraid or intimidated easily but without being incautious or inconsiderate.

We couldn't have discussed the recipes for success without including courage. Courage is that element of character that spurs you to dare. It's that inner voice that believes in you; that always says "yes, you can".

There's an interesting story on the power of courage from 1 Samuel 4. The Israelites were up against the Philistines and after the first defeat they decided to go back with the Ark of God. The Philistines should have been afraid because they know that the Ark of God always guarantees victory. However, they encouraged themselves and went to fight the Israelites. Although they defeated them because God was not happy with the Israelites but how would they have known if they hadn't tried.

"Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!” 1 Sam. 4:8-9

The Philistines acknowledged the greatness of the God of the Israelites, yet braced up for the battle. That's courage in action!

Sometimes,  the very things we are afraid of are the things God has freely given to us. 
It's important to feed the fibres of your courage. You need it to succeed. Don't allow anybody or situation to make you small. You are created in the image of the infinite God; with all His capabilities endowed.

"Courage is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of it."- Mark Twain.

There are times when your most revered mentors will suddenly not believe in you. Encourage yourself like David and pursue; you'll surely recover all. Like Joshua and Caleb, go up at once for you are well able....and like the Philistines, brace up and fight! You will surely win the battle.

Action Point
Courage grows and feeds on the Word of God and prayers. Study the Word! Pray always!

Recipe for Success...Joseph's example

There is no one greater in this house than I; nor has he kept back any thing from me but you, because you are his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Genesis 39:9  NKJV

The story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is popularly taught from the point of resisting sexual harassment. That is clearly true but I want to share the story from another perspective as did a colleague.

The story is a demonstration of integrity in spite of the prize at stake. Yes the prize! You can bet that apart from the flitting pleasure, Mrs. Potiphar must have also offered Joseph some other incentives.

Now, let's take the story to a typical work place. Your manager asks you to falsify some documents in a bid to defraud your company. He goes on to promise you security cover in case...⚖.

Nobody has to know, he adds. Hmm..m, that sounds nice because such level of collaboration will help launch you into the league of big boys.

So, what would you do?

Can you respond like Joseph? 

What would be your biggest consideration? Not to sin against God or not to be caught?

Truth is, most times when we respond with 'God forbid! I can't!', it's because we are afraid of being caught. 

Anyway, we all know how Potiphar Group of Companies went aground. Had Joseph compromised, he would never have become a Prime minister in Egypt.

Child of God, nothing is worth trading your identify for. Ill gotten wealth never really adds to anyone. God gives success.

Prayer point

Lord, please help me to be a role model in the order of Titus 2:7.

Make the choice to Rejoice always!!

The lines may not always fall in pleasant places....we may not always get answers to the gnawing questions of our hearts but our best option is still to rejoice in the God of our salvation. 

Recipe for Success 1

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:2-3 NKJV

This is what happens when we put the Word of God at the centre of our lives. When we make a habit of eating, drinking, breathing and walking the Word of God.  

We shall be like trees planted by the streams of  waters

Growing up, one of the most memorable activities of Christmas was going to the stream behind our country home. Apart from the unequivocal coolness that greets you,  there was always the beauty of the lush greenery in spite of the harshness of the harmattan that gets the leaves off most trees. Now,  that's what happens to us when we soak ourselves in the Word. No matter the dryness in the land, we'll still be fre....sh, bearing fruits! What a blessed assurance!

We'll be yielding our fruits in our season.
We'll  be meeting every personal and Kingdom goals. Walking when we ought to, running when we ought to and soaring at the appointed time! Glory!

We'll prosper at whatever we do

The Bible defines prosperity as material health + physical health + SOUL HEALTH according to 3 John 2.

If we make the Word of God the delight of our hearts, then we are set to soar!

PRAYER POINT: 

Lord help me to put your Word at the centre of my life, so that I can become all that You planned for me to be.

Good Success

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8NKJV).

In these times when all we hear is economic crises and tales of woe, there is a seal of exemption for those who are ready to take God’s recommendation. Read Joshua 1:8.

The Word of God must not depart from your mouth. This can only be possible when the Word resides in our hearts. For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45c).
When we have not stored up the Word, there will be nothing to speak. We can recreate our world by speaking the Word of God to our situations (John 6:63). However, speaking the Word alone cannot bring us success; the cycle must be complete.

...meditate (think, ponder, consider, reflect, ruminate) in it day and night._ When we keep thinking about the Word of God, it will keep us focused on the realities of our redemption. It will produce a defense against every anti-covenant thoughts; such thoughts that produce fear and defeat.

...observe to do according to all that is written in it. This is what puts the seal on meditating and confessing the Word - walking the Word. No matter how much we confess or meditate on the Word, until we start doing what it says to do, it will never produce any result for us. The Bible is emphatic on DOING ALL.
We cannot choose which part of Scriptures to obey if we wish to PROSPER! How much of the Word we are ready to obey determines how much of the power in the Word that will work for us.

...then you will make your way: This clearly implies that we are the ones to determine if we’ll be prosperous or not. It is our responsibility to do as we have been INSTRUCTED if we must see the other conditions met in our lives. For us to see God’s manifestation in our lives, there’s always a part for us to play. 

Obedience is our part of the deal and the release of our blessings is God’s. When Jesus turned water to wine, it was because the servants obeyed and filled the pots with water (John 2:5-10). God is not limited; we set the limits for ourselves.

….prosperous, and then you will have good success. To be prosperous is much more than a fancy apartment, luxurious cars and even financial abundance.
This is God’s definition of prosperity-Soul prosperity is a healthy spiritual life that is based on obedience to the Word of God. Any kind of prosperity that excludes the prosperity of the soul is whirlwind. 

And good success? It’s that type that makes rich and adds no sorrow. It’s the type that stores treasures here and hereafter!

So, come on! Do your part and see His glory shine through!

You are God's Battle axe

 "You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you I will destroy kingdoms; With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider; With you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider; With you also I will break in pieces man and woman; With you I will break in pieces old and young; With you I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden; With you also I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen; And with you I will break in pieces governors and rulers (Jeremiah 51:20:23 NKJV)

 

The Lord our God, the mighty terrible one; the loving father Who becomes a consuming fire against the enemy does go to war and we are His weapons of war!!!

When He wants to disgrace the prophets of Baal, Amadioha, Odum, Ashtoreth, Ogboni and  the rest of them, He uses us to demonstrate His power. When he wants to part the sea His sends us. When He wants to demonstrate His power over fire, He sends us.

It is not the will of God that His weapons, you and I will be powerless. God has endowed us with so much in order that we will show forth His glory. It is an error for a Christian to fret at the threats of wicked men.

 

Where did we miss it? Are we guns without bullets? Are we  machetes that cannot cut a water melon? How is it that we no longer manifest God's power as we ought? Look at the Scripture again and see all that God wants to do by us. Imagine the most Powerful One desiring to express His Power through us. It is a great privilege! We must be ready to be used so that we’ll not be like that fig tree that our Lord Jesus cursed (Mark 11:12-14).

 

Prayer Point 

 Lord, I don’t want to be a toy gun in Your hands. Transform me by Your power in the name of Jesus.

 

We are Soldiers of Christ

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

In 2008 during the peak of the militancy crises in the Niger Delta, we had hundreds of soldiers living in our midst at my work base. That was the first time I got the weight of the scripture above. Every personnel who live in the camp has a minimum comfort of a three star Nigerian hotel .

These soldiers were all by the seashore in makeshift sand huts. It didn’t matter how hot it got during the day or how cold it got at night. Let’s not talk about the mosquitoes in these places. These soldiers would sit there round the clock without complaining and always looking combat ready. Also, their faces didn’t give room for any unnecessary pleasantries. They never compared themselves to us even though we were all facing the same threats.

How is it that Apostle Paul didn’t make reference to any other profession but rather used the military to illustrate what the life of a Christian entails? He loved Timothy and also knew how important it is for him to know the truth. We are called to warfare! As soldiers of Christ, we cannot afford to meddle with civilian affairs.
If we must please the One who recruited us, then we must stay focused.

Amongst the soldiers who were deployed to Bonny Island then, a few of them died from being careless. They crossed over to the civilian quarters and you know what, there are always distractions there. They let their guards down for a ve..ry..y short time but that was enough time for their enemies to strike.

No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life...NO ONE! It’s not true that the company you keep and what you do doesn’t matter. It’s not true! To endure hardship is to trust God in every situation...even when it's rough and unpleasant. To endure hardship is to discipline ourselves and tame our cravings.

Earthly soldiers 'obey before complain' but we are rewarded after obedience...no need to complain.

Action Point

Examine your life. Get rid of every civilian entanglement.

We are Christ's Ambassadors!

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV)

The ambassador is the highest representative of any country in a foreign land. He serves to represent the image and the best interests of his home country. He is the only person who is legally not bound by the constitution of the foreign land. He is governed by the policies and constitution of his home country while living in a foreign land. He has authority to take decisions on behalf of his country if the need arises. An ambassador depends on the economy of his home country and not that of his host country.

Every ambassador has a primary assignment, depending on the prevailing need in his home country. For instance, the Nigerian ambassador to Italy amongst other duties will be working hard to stop human trafficking. The Iraqi ambassador to America will be working hard to convince the world that Iraqis are very peace loving people.

As ambassadors of Christ, we have been given authority to take decisions on behalf of our Home country. Our needs are not met by the economy of our host country but rather by that of our Home country (Phil. 4:19). We do not live by the standards or ways of our host country (John 17:14-16).

As ambassadors of Christ, our primary assignment is to carry out the mandate, purpose and vision of our Home country, which is to reconcile men to God. The only need in Heaven is that sinners will come to repentance. …but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9b NKJV)

We ought to go out, pleading and persuading men on behalf of Christ- “be reconciled to God”.

Another important assignment of an ambassador is to uphold the honour and glory of his home country by the way he conducts himself. Ambassadors are role models.

Prayer  Point

Lord, please give me the grace to live and serve as Your ambassador.

You are a Living Sacrifice

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1 NKJV)

 

The Ibos in Eastern Nigeria  had an archaic practice of offering humans to the deities or idols. These persons were not to be killed but to live in the shrine, serving the idols. They were allowed to live but only in the confines of what the deities allow. They can get married and have children but must marry fellow servants of the gods. They do not defile (anything other than what is approved by their god is defilement) themselves by eating certain things or going to certain places. They and their generation are those some of us still call ‘Osu’ (slaves of the gods) or outcaste. Thankfully, the Osu caste system has been abolished by most communities. The Osus are the closest examples to who a Living Sacrifice is.

 

We are living sacrifices, our bodies and everything within us. And just as it was with the Osus, the offering of themselves wholly was what symbolized their service to their gods.

We also have to offer our bodies to God as living sacrifices. This means This means that we treat our bodies as items laid on the altar for  worship of the Most High. We can only go to places which our God allows; eat only the things which He approves and marry those who are under the same covenant.

 

 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave. (1 Corinthians 7:22 NKJV).

 

It’s so sad how we are daily distorting the Word of God in order to follow the Lord by our terms. Friend, that way leads to eternal destruction. We are Christ’s slave. No slave dictates to his master. Living Sacrifices enter into covenants not to sin against God with their bodies. Some fellows say, -‘Christianity is in the mind, it doesn’t matter what I do with my body’…Huh! It’s a lie from hell.

 

Prayer Point:

Lord, please help me to yield all that I am as a LIVING sacrifice to You. 

How good is your Bible Knowledge? Find out!

Growing up, Church time included Sunday school sessions where you are made to memorize at least one verse of Scripture. For most of us, some of the Bible passages we know by heart came from those classes.

However, with the growing trend of calling up Bible passages on your smart phones and other devices, the use of our small storage of Bible passages is fast declining. Some years back, I could readily search through my Bible without looking up any concordance or search app but it’s no longer the same now. So, I started asking me, “What happened?” And guess what? The answer is- I made my own natural memory obsolete.

I guess you can relate to this. Let’s do a little exercise. Without looking up any references, write 12 Bible passages on your own. Let me know how you faired.

Memorizing Bible passages help us to apply them when we ought (Psalm 119:11).

We are God's exquisite Fragrance

 

And I got it, thank God! In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. (2 Corinthians 2:14 MSG)

We saw in the preceding series what it means to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Both analogies emphasise our roles as ambassadors of Christ.

So, what does it mean to be God’s perfume?

Apostle Paul’s illustration of a triumphant victory parade was part of the culture of their time. Then, whenever a warrior conquers a territory in battle, the Commander will have a victory procession through the city. During these processions, someone would carry a jar of incense, shaking it continuously to make the fragrance spread through. The fragrance was symbolic of the Conqueror’s majesty and dominion.

We are in the victory parade with Christ and through us God brings the knowledge of Christ to the world. This time, no one needs to carry the incense for the Conqueror, we are the incense; the fragrance of His glory. As we pass through the city, we let out His exquisite perfume; declaring His majesty, victory, conquest and dominion.  

God wants us as Christians to live the supernatural life….always putting the devil where he belongs. In the next verses, the Bible says that the same fragrance holds different meanings to different people. To those who are partakers of the victory procession, it symbolizes life while for the enemies of the Lord, it represents death.

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corin. 15-16 NKJV)

We are salt and light but when we also become His fragrance, we exercise our authority!

Prayer Point

Lord please help me to live in the consciousness of my identity as an express expression of Your dominion and majesty.

We are Living Epistles

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (2 Corin. 3:2-3 NKJV)

Most of the books of the New Testament were letters (epistles) from Apostle Paul to the churches. These letters were mostly instructional messages on how to live with eternity in view. In very few cases, the epistles were written as commendation to a particular church (2 Thess. 1:1-4).

During a Bible Study class for children, the teacher shared so many qualities of Jesus Christ with the children. Suddenly one of the pupils started waving his hand in a bid to get the teachers attention. The teacher asked him to tell the class what he wanted to say. The little boy said Jesus was his neighbor. The other kids laughed but the teacher asked him to tell them why he said that. He said his neighbor fits all the description and has all the attributes of Jesus as was taught by the teacher.

We are the letters written by our Lord Jesus, to instruct men and show them the way of eternal life. People should not only hear us before they know that we are Christians. As living epistles, the Word of God concerning any matter should be better understood through our example. Let people be able to say that they’ve met Jesus after meeting us.

Prayer Point

Lord, please help me to be Your epistle, readable by all around me.  

Glow in the dark!

"You are the light of the world….Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:14a, 16 NKJV)

My husband and I had an intriguing experience with one of our specialty paints- Glow-in-the-dark. The paint is used to create special effects; making printed inscriptions to glow in the dark. We had a small jar of this paint and it always glowed in the store where we keep our paints. One day we opened the store and found that the jar of GITD paint had stopped glowing. We were initially worried; the paint couldn’t have expired.

Suddenly, my husband figured it out and said “I think it first absorbs light before it can glow in the dark and apparently it has dissipated all the stored energy”. It made sense but we had to experiment to be sure. We put the paint out in the light for a while and brought it back into the dark store. This time, it shone so bright that it literally lit up the room. Wow!

Christians, you and I are just like that paint. We can only glow in the dark when we have absorbed enough light by fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit Who is our source of Light. Also when we continue to stay in the dark for too long, no matter how much stored energy we had, we’ll soon burn ourselves out.

We store up our light deposit by studying and meditating on the Word of God. We are called to glow in the darkness of our world but if we do not recharge our spiritual batteries, we’ll soon become like every other opaque paint that we had in our store.

...that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Phil. 2:15 NKJV).

Action Point

Get the light that empowers you to glow so that men can see your good works and glorify your Father!  

You are the Light of the World 2

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"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (Matt. 5: 14-15 NKJV)

Our society today is in desperate need of role models who can correct some of the ills of the society; role models who can uphold a new value system that is built on integrity and truth. The Bible says that we are such role models in Matt. 5:14-15. We are to give light to all who are around us. We are to show them how to live.

A Christian should always be such a person that wherever he’s found, he will be the reference for incorruptibility. To be the light of the world is to be a trail-blazer, a pace-setter and an agent of positive change. The world is waiting for us to eradicate corruption, to start doing what we say.

For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth." (Acts 13:47 NKJV)  

We are sent as light bearers to the world, to bring salvation and deliverance from every works of darkness.

There’s so much we can do to bring about change and give direction to those who are lost. The role of living exemplary lives is not exclusive to leaders. You can be a person of influence at your own level.

Your style may not seem to be the popular way but never mind, keep doing the right thing. God will reward you and in due time, people will come to you for guidance.

Prayer Point:

Lord, please give me the grace to be a true role model that will bring glory to Your holy name

You are the Light of the World

 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:14-16 NKJV)

Like the salt adjective that is used to epitomize us, light is also a very profound word. Light is so important that it was the very first element of creation because everything else depends on it.

Again to fairly understand what the charge as the ‘light of the world’ means, we’ll take a closer look at some of the outstanding attributes of light.

First on the many attributes of light is it’s dominion over darkness. No matter how dark a place is, once light is introduced, darkness automatically exits.

Light in the context of our study is both spiritual and physical; the spiritual light being more important. It’s the spiritual light that determines how much of the physical light a man can enjoy. A lot of lives and destinies are held by spiritual darkness and it takes sufficient spiritual light to bring about liberation and illumination.

So, before we talk about the physical light, we must first acknowledge that the reason the Bible calls us light is not just for physical illumination. We are the light of the world not just to make places bright but to exercise the authority of our Lord Jesus over the enemy. As representatives of Christ Jesus, we carry His Light to the world, breaking the bands of wickedness.

For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ (Acts 13:47)

Prayer Point

Lord, please give me the grace to live and shine as the light that I am.

Get out of the salt shaker

"You are the salt of the earth;...Matt. 5:13a

Have you ever had difficulty getting salt out from the shaker? Some times after several attempts you’d just decide to open the shaker. In some cases some people would add few grains of rice in order to help agitate or stir the salt.

So many of us Christians are like that. We have become so cosy in our Church world that there’s no hunger to reach out. There’s no way we can be salt of the earth inside the salt shaker. Yes, there’s the fear of contamination which is the reason some of us prefer to stay inside but that is contrary to the Word of God. We are the ones to contaminate the world by our lives; by our saltiness and not the other way round. 

But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. (Acts 17:6 NKJV) 

Please read Acts Chapter 17. The verse of Scripture above is the statement the men of Thessalonica made about Paul and Silas. They said these men have turned the world upside down with their doctrine. These were just Paul and Silas. If we go out with the gospel of Jesus, we too can turn this world inside out to the glory of God.

Action Point

Get out of the salt shaker!

Salt of the earth (5)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matt. 5:13 NKJV)

 

We are still talking ‘the salt of the earth’. Before we round up on this instructional series, let’s touch a little on some of the sundry uses of salt.  

Medical science says that salt is the only element that is found in every single cell in the human body. And that without salt, humans would die. I’m sure you must have heard that before now. Salt water is great solution to kill germs. People gargle with saIt to get relief from sores in the mouth. Salt is used to remove stains from ceramics, keep ants and other insects away. Salt, salt, salt….

If God says that we are the salt of the earth, then we must make effort to function in all of these capacities that we have learnt about salt. Anything less could very well mean that we have lost our flavor and therefore will be thrown away….God forbid!  

Are you wondering how you can be all purpose; healing, preserving, beautifying, thawing etc? That’s who we are. That’s why He says “you are the salt….” 

However, sin is the one thing that throws sand into our salt. It incapacitates us in every area! 

Another hindrance is lack of fellowship to the source of our saltiness. When we do not stay in touch with the Holy Spirit, before long our salt will begin to absorb moisture and will soon be overtaken.

You are the salt; the definite answer to the needs of mankind.We must be conscious of who we are. It helps to keep us in check.

Prayer Point
Lord, please help me never to lose my saltiness.

Salt of the earth (4)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matt. 5:13 NKJV).

We are still looking at some of the outstanding attributes of salt in order to better understand who we ought to be as salt of the earth. During winter, snow falls everywhere including roads for vehicular movement. It could get so bad that if not properly managed, some roads will become completely inaccessible. In order to control this phenomenon, salt is applied to the roads to melt the ice and stop the ice from building up easily. 

There are several cold situations that desperately need the application of our salt in order to thaw and become natural. It is the iciness of the devil that has possessed the heart of the Boko Haram suicide bomber, the heartless assassin, the armed robber, fraudulent government official etc.

When we release the salt that we carry (the love of Christ), these evil hearts will melt and accept Christ Jesus. Their stony hearts will be replaced with a heart of flesh….hallelujah!! 

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV) 

We are the agents of this great surgery that only God can do.  We are those to make sure that the icy stony hearts are melted and ensure that they do not harden again. We do this by evangelizing and praying for the lost; by loving them.

Prayer Point
Lord, please endue me grace and love for the lost. I want to partner with You as You transform the hearts of men from stone to a heart of flesh.

Salt of the earth (3)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matt. 5:13 NKJV) 

Back in the days when Adire (tie-and-die) patterns where the rave, most of us experimented with the craft. It was very common for Creative arts teachers to ask students to create a pattern of Adire as part of their assessments. I was one of those who got on that very interesting experiment. We were told that if the colours will last; without fading, then we must wash with salt. Later on, I learnt that you have to introduce salt early in the process if the dye will be properly fixated on the fabric. Salt is used as a fixative for dying in textile industries. 

So, how exactly should we manifest this amazing attribute of salt? As the salt of the earth, we are expected to retain or sustain beauty…wow!
Colours shouldn’t fade around us! Destinies should be recovered and restored through us. When there’s gloom and hopelessness, we just light up the place with simple honest smiles. As salt, we should be willing to offer our shoulders to the teary and heartbroken. 

Today, a lot of people are going through all manner of difficulties. There’s a little thing you can do to make sure they do not fade away. You can help clothe someone today. You can help put food on  somebody’s table, regardless of the economic recession. You can also pray for someone's restoration.
Go on, let the world know that you are salt indeed!

Action Point

Determine today to help preserve someone’s colour from fading. Locate a needy and take action.

Salt of the earth (2)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matt. 5:13 NKJV).

Another very important attribute of salt that we’ll be considering today is its use as a preservative. We may have all seen people in the rural areas use salt as a preservative for storing ‘dry fish’ and ‘dry meat’. Salt was also believed to be a remedy for  the much dreaded Ebola disease to the point that so many people bathed with salt. 

If we are truly the salt of the earth, then there should be something about us that heals and preserves. We must be those that manifest our mandate from Mark 16:18- they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."(NKJV) 

We can also bring healing and preservation by being honest; upholding the truth at all times. If 30% of the professing Christians in Nigeria are salt indeed, nobody will brand us ‘fantastically corrupt’. We can remove moral and social decadence from our land when we become salt. 

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You (Psalm 25:21 NKJV).
Integrity and uprightness must be part of our lives if we are salt and that’s the only time we can preserve the world from decaying…from eroding.

Daniel’s uprightness and integrity were part of the reasons God used him in Babylon, the way He did. Daniel was such a man who carried God’s power to the point that God used him to preserve the dynasty of the Babylonians starting from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar to that of Darius. Also, the salt he carried preserved the lives of his fellow astrologers when the others couldn’t interpret the king’s forgotten dream. 

If you and I can become salt indeed, the problems of our communities will be half solved.

Prayer Point 

Lord, please make me salt indeed. I want to be able to heal and preserve.

Salt of the earth

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matt. 5:13 NKJV)

The adjectives used in Scriptures to describe us as children of God are so profound and instructive that they leave us with no excuse for carelessness. We are the salt of the earth. Salt is commonly known and  used as seasoning  to enhance the taste of food but there are other more important uses of salt.

The use of salt as a preservative dates back to the days when there was no electricity. Medical science says that salt helps to control fluid balance and the functioning of the nerves and muscles. Salt is used to control friction during winter by melting the ice and also keep it from forming easily.

Ok, today’s  message is not to tell us about the usefulness of salt but it’s just to better understand the dimension we are expected to function as salt.

Looking at salt for enhancing taste, are we really living up to that function as Christians? The only way we can enhance the taste of this world is through love. We must be the ambassadors of the boundless love of Christ.  

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NKJV)

Without love, we are nothing and therefore tasteless! And the Bible says that if the salt is no longer showing the attributes that it is celebrated for, then it is no longer useful and will then be thrown away.  The love of God is what makes Christians different from every other people.

We must enhance the taste of the world by loving sinners to Christ; by showing compassion, by being a support system for the needy.

Action Point

Start loving the lost to the Lord!

Identity Consciousness (Conclusion)

 It is who we are in the time of trials that best define the depth of our faith in God. The decisions we take at such times will be reflections of the depth of our relationship with God and also, our confessions will help to tell the world, who we truly believe in.

No matter what life presents, holding on to our faith in God and holding on to our identity as Christians is a sure path to victory.  

Moses was another man who understood the importance of identity. He had the option of enjoying the luxury of the king’s daughter’s house but that did not mean as much to him as his true identity. He saw the suffering and hardship in the camp of the Israelites but he knew that that couldn’t change their true identity. He preferred to suffer the persecutions that his people suffered, so that he will also partake of the revelation of the glory of God in their lives.

  

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:24-27.

We have come to the end of the series on identity consciousness. We looked at some great Bible characters who either made a mark by being conscious of their identities or ruined their lives by being careless. 

In the context of our study, identity transcends family and educational background, ethnicity,  nationality or financial status. It's based on who we are in Christ. When we know and understand this, we can never be caught in any compromise not to mention failing.
Sadly though, we often pay more attention to our physical identities, forgetting that the spiritual controls the physical.

In case you are asking what the big deal is, take a closer look at all those who failed and you would see that it was always at the point where they stopped paying attention to their spiritual identities. When Daniel turned down the king's offer, it was because he was thinking about himself in the light of God's covenant although he was a slave by  physical standards.
Samson failed because he dwelt more on his physical attribute of strength, which was only a product of his spiritual endowment.  

Action Point
 
Seek to know and guard your divine identity. It is crucial to your living a victorious life.

Identity Consciousness (Solomon)

"So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded." 1 Kings 11:9-10 NKJV Solomon was another person who paid dearly for not knowing who he was. Being conscious of our identity is so important that if you make light of it, it can mess up everything else. Imagine that in spite of Solomon's wisdom, he still fell. Just the same way Samson fell in spite of his strength and anointing. What business did a man who God appeared twice to, have with building altars for Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, Ashoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians and for the gods of all his foreign wives? These were idols of nations from which God warned His children not to marry. God also warned him specifically about going after other gods. Of course God was talking about these foreign women and how they'll influence him if he's not careful.  So, what really happened to Solomon? Did he forget what God said? No! He didn't forget what God said but he forgot who he became after God appeared to him- God's oracle! Well, or maybe he didn't but couldn't just care more. Hey! it's possible that he even thought he'd secured God's love for life and there was nothing he could do to offend God. It's the same way some of us think we have secured so much of God's love to the point that He'd look away from our carelessness. It only takes one little act of carelessness to open the door for the enemy and if we are not careful....hmm!  I don't think Solomon set out to disobey God but anytime we let down our guards, the devil strikes.  We can see the consequences of his actions in 1 Kings 11:31-43. Prayer   Lord, may my knowledge of who I am translate to the fear of You.

Identity Consciousness (Samson)

So the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor may she drink wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean. All that I commanded her let her observe.” Judges 13:13-14

Samson, a man of valour and unusual anointing, lost his life to being careless with his identity. The Scripture above was the instruction God gave Samson's mother at his conception. He was not an ordinary man in any sense. If God could be asking his mother to avoid any form of defilement during her pregnancy, then you can agree that he carried God's presence.

Delilah would not have succeeded in deceiving Samson, if she had not met him at the point when he had broken his covenant birth right. When a man forgets his true identity as a child of God, just anything can happen to him.

Samson's mother was not to eat anything unclean, yet he eat honey from the carcass of a lion and patronise a prostitute. (Judges 16:1-3)

Samson's strength had long left him before Delilah took off his locks. That was only the physical manifestation of it. Otherwise, how could anyone been as foolish as to keep getting closer to his own death in such simple and undisguised noose? (Judges 16:4-20)

That is usually what happens when we forget who we are. It's important to guard your identity as a Christian diligently. There are things you just can't do!

Prayer point

Lord please help me to understand and uphold Your purpose and identity for my life.

Identity Consciousness (Joseph)

So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. (Gen. 39:10 NKJV) 

Today, we'll take our study of identity consciousnes from Joseph's example.

Joseph’s brothers sold him to slavery believing that that would put an end to his ‘dreaming’.   Truth is, when God makes you a promise, it does not matter what the devil may plot against you. The more the devil complicates his plot, the more he helps facilitate your breakthrough but that is only if you keep holding on to your identity as a child of God. Joseph went from the Ishmeelites to the house of Pharaoh’s  Security Chief. The Bible tells us that the Lord was with Joseph and prospered all that his hands found to do.  

So, in spite of being a slave, Joseph had the honour of being the over-seer in Potiphar’s house. He was steadfast, diligently going about his duties. It was that diligence and aptitude that drew Potiphar’s wife to him. There was also the part of the glory of God upon his life (God’s glory makes us attractive and draws people to us). 

This must have been a tough temptation for Joseph, given the excuses I hear men make when they are posed with such situations- it is our nature, you can’t blame or control nature. For Joseph, he was able to put off the fires of such evil nature because he upheld his identity as a child of God higher than the pleasures Potiphar’s wife had to offer him. Some other young men would have jumped at Potiphar’s wife’s advances because it would have meant double honour for them; being equal with their master. Genesis 39:7-13. 

Joseph never wanted to sin against God even though he would have been able to justify that by saying- “where was God when I was sold into slavery?” as we often justify our sins when we are going through trying times. Although the evil woman maliciously lied against Joseph and he was thrown into prison, that did not make Joseph deny God. And the promise of God about rewarding us when we do not cast away our confidence was greatly fulfilled in Joseph’s life.   

Do not throw away your identity and heritage; nothing is of more value. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark 8:36 The Bible records how God blessed Joseph and restored all those years that he seemed to have lost.

Prayer

Lord, I pray for the grace to never forget who I am in You.

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Identity Consciousness (Esua)

…lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears (Hebrews 12:16-17 NKJV)

Today on the subject of identity consciousness, we’ll look at the case of Esau and his birthright. Esau never took his identity as the first son  seriously. If Isaac was a king, then Esau ought to have been the heir apparent; the next king after his father, yet he blew all that away over a plate of pottage.

The act of trading our identity is likened to profanity in Hebrews 12:16 where the Bible referred to Esau as a profane person. That is, someone who lacks respect for God and the things that are Holy. The Bible further compared such a person to a fornicator. 

When we trade our rights for temporal wealth and riches, the same thing that happened to Esau will happen to us. So many times we are so focused on the hunger and thirst for ‘one morsel’ of food that we miss the bigger picture. Some make ungodly compromises over things that are transient, forgetting that God can give us those things beyond measure. 
Esau got the food and also got the satisfaction for the moment but that was at a cost which he never finished paying.

We know how difficult it was for Esau to get any blessings from his father Isaac. The Bible says that he sought his father’s blessings diligently with tears. Was it difficult for the father to speak again, after all it was mere words that he spoke to bless Jacob? No, but a spiritual bargain had been sealed even before those words came forth.
In the same way, when we submit to certain covenants and compromises, we make the Word of God and prophecies to have no effect in our lives.

Esau paid dearly for that act of carelessness or foolishness if you like.
He didn’t think there was a big deal to being the first son but Jacob knew better.

Prayer Point Lord, please take away from me every spirit of carelessness and desires for things that do not have eternal value.