Like father like son

By nature, we are all born sinners. Sinners, not by what we did, but, by who we are – descendants of Adam. No wonder Paul exclaimed “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…”. This is true for only those, who through a proper understanding of Christ’s explanation found in John Chapter 3, are now born again.

Becoming a child of God transforms the believer, making him distinct from those who do not walk with Christ. Thus they grow in Christ, the world becomes less and less able to recognise or even relate to them. At salvation, a believer is delivered from the lies, selfishness, ungodly desires and hatred propagated by Satan.

At salvation, sinful actions become detestable and are rejected. When sin does occur in a believer’s life, it is not excused or ignored, but dealt with through repentance. It is a call for believers to embrace a lifestyle that actively shuns sin and pursues Christ – a dramatic change from their lives before salvation. Those who continue to allow Satan’s works to exist in their lives will soon begin to resemble him, not only in their actions, but also their desires.

Just as a parent passes certain traits to his or her children, being born of God has a fundamental impact on who we are, how we live and what we value. Genuine faith results in transformation, and we become dramatically different from those around us. Yet it is easy to become apathetic, and forget that putting our faith on display demands a daily decision to love.

Take a moment to think about those people in your life who might be moved by a display of Christ’s love in action. Is there a neighbour in crisis? Perhaps a sceptical co-worker who dismisses Christians as hypocrites. Or someone at church going through a time of discouragement.

Resolve to look for opportunities to put Christ’s love on display for those people. Make a personal sacrifice of time or resources to impact someone’s life this week. The bible said that the love we have for one another would identify us as God’s children. Are you experiencing a strained relationship with a fellow Christian? Take the initiative to begin the restoration process. Ask God for direction and help in demonstrating His love no matter the response.

Welcome back to Sunday School Diaries 

Tough Love

We people meet for the first time, they usually start with regular “hellos” and “hi”. They do not usually get angry over everything the person does because there is very little between them. They do not own each other much. When the relationship/friendship gets interesting or when it goes beyond mere acquaintances and starts developing into something deeper, there’s usually this question “who am I to you?” or “what are we doing?”

This question is usually followed by set of rules or conditions (can be said or left unsaid) which determines how the relationship is to proceed going forward. The dos and don’ts increase, small things offends the other, etc.

Same can be said of the relationship between Israel and God. They have been God’s people for as long as they can remember but where majorly on “hello – hi” level. They have never asked themselves what are we doing or who am I to you?

After the plagues and passing the Red Sea, God had demonstrated to the Israelites that He meant business in the relationship He was building with them. He had to give them the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments was and is still instructions concerning the goodness, righteousness, and godliness that God expects of those who identify as His children and walk in the Spirit. Those He had brought out of Egypt (sinful life) through many miracles, those who He had graciously redeemed. This commandments where to define them as a people.

Christians are not bound by the Law, having been freed from its obligations through Christ. However, the Law teaches principles concerning how to live under God’s blessings. Obeying God is no longer a matter of code, but of conscience. Scripture provides us with fundamental moral concepts, as well as instructions regarding holiness and separation from the world. These reveal to us what God desires of His people. As we follow His righteous plans, we will experience spiritual growth and vitality as well as intimacy with God.

As it is with human to human relationships, those dos and don’ts keeps the relationship alive; the dos and don’ts of God – His commands summarized in – Galatians 5:13 – 15 “…For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbour as yourself” keeps our relationship with him growing. Perform a personal inventory of you level of commitment to God’s Word today. How far is God from you? “If you feel far away from God, guess who moved?” Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you, James 4:8. 

A Life of Purpose

God’s hand in the life of Moses was manifested from the time of his birth. Just like He (God) said to Jeremiah "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.", God said same to Moses. The Lord who formed us, knows for what particular services and purposes he intended us. But unless he sanctify us by his new-creating Spirit, we shall neither be fit for his holy service on earth, nor his holy happiness in heaven. If the task God has given us to carry out is not bigger than us, such that we can only accomplish them by His help, then that task is not from God.

God deals with us individually and differently depending on the task God has given us to accomplish. God knows what He is doing, His thoughts and ways are far above ours. He has a plan for our lives. Most times, that plan cannot be understood until long after the events of our lives have unfolded. He prepares us to bring about the desired result in the right way.

As such, we must realise that our work for God must be precede by reverence for Him. Recognising both His holiness and our sinfulness allows us to honour Him in a way befitting His majesty. We are then prepared to hear His voice and follow His call. This makes us not to have the attitude of “let’s get God’s work done by all means.”

We see events from a limited perspective and with incomplete understanding we must trust God’s sovereignty by submitting ourselves to His plans and leaving ourselves in His hands. The preparation may be in the form of hardships, doubt, fear; but as we mature in faith, we realise the need to rely on God. God will then guide us in and give us wisdom. When it is time, the answer to that burning question of “who am I; who shall I say sent me and what will I say?” will be available.

It becomes us to have low thoughts of ourselves. Those who are young, should consider that they are so, and not venture beyond their powers. But though a sense of our own weakness and insufficiency should make us go humbly about our work, it should not make us draw back when God calls us. Those who have messages to deliver from God, must not fear the face of man. The Lord, by a sign, will give such a gift as is necessary. God's message should be delivered in his own words.

God is aware of our weakness and doubts. He is patient with our questions and insecurities. Asking God to choose someone else to complete His plans for us indicates a lack of trust. If God calls us to a task, He will furnish the resources for us to complete it.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Three angels visited Abraham. They came disguised as men, travellers along the road. Two of them went down to Sodom and Gomorrah, to observe first-hand the wickedness in those cities.

The other visitor, who was the Lord, stayed behind. He revealed to Abraham that he was going to destroy the cities because of the evil ways of their people. Abraham, a special friend of the Lord, began to bargain with God to spare the cities if there were righteous people in them.

First Abraham asked if the Lord would spare the cities if fifty righteous people lived there. The Lord said yes. Boldly, Abraham kept bargaining down, until God agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if even ten righteous people lived there. Then the Lord departed.

Then all the men of the city surrounded Lot's house where the angels had camped and said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." (Genesis 19:5, NIV).

A few points to note here:

o   God was mercifully willing to spare the cities for the sake of a few righteous people, but none lived there. The Bible tells us all the inhabitants were depraved.

o   One of the reasons God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was because he did not want the Jews to be influenced by this evil. As the Creator of all things, God has the divine right to destroy evil as he sees fit.

o   Lot and his family were spared, but his future sons-in-laws were destroyed because they thought Lot was joking about God's wrath. Millions of people today think God and sin are things to joke about. God does exist, and he does punish unrepentant sinners.

o   The Bible clearly states that the fire and sulphur, or brimstone, rained down "from the Lord out of the heavens" (Genesis 19:24, NIV), not upward from a volcano. Lot's wife, whose name is not given, became a pillar of salt. Some scholars believe she was covered with molten material.

Many people hold to misconceptions about God’s grace. Some hold to concepts that cheapen grace, for they deny the sinfulness of sin. The truth is that grace exposes the reality of mankind’s sinfulness and lustfulness. God, because He is gracious and merciful, has provided the way for people to be saved from the judgment sin brings. He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take the punishment for sin.

Sodom personified sin in every form: from pride and selfishness to perversion and idolatry. So the story of Sodom stands as an important warning to us: we must not tolerate any sin. Let us examine our lives to see if we have become permissive of any sinful behaviours or attitudes that can become spiritual stumbling blocks. If so, let us turn to God in repentance.

Father Abraham

Father Abraham, Has many sons,

Many sons has father Abraham,

I am one of them, and so are you

So let us praise the Lord

We all love to sing this song but how many of us are willing to do what it takes to partake of these Abrahamic promises. Abraham had to leave all that was familiar. He had to lay aside his old identity and everything he knew. Every aspect of his life would be altered forever. God did not tell Abraham where he was going or what events would take place when he arrived. The call was one of trust and submission. God expects His followers to step out in faith in following Him, even when the road ahead is not very clear or even when they do not know exactly where He is leading them to.

The story of Abraham demonstrates the ways in which God gives dramatic rewards for absolute faith and obedience. At God’s command, Abraham leaves his home to roam in a strange land; God’s reward is to cause Abraham to discover great wealth. Sarah, barren her entire life, gives birth to a son at the age of ninety, an event so unlikely that she laughs when she is told that it will occur.

And finally, Abraham receives God’s greatest praise when he obediently stands poised to kill the very son through whom God has promised to fulfil his covenant. These moments depict absolute faith in God, despite the fact that his demands may seem illogical or unreasonable. What God consistently rewards is the abandonment of human reason and free will in favour of actions whose purpose is unknown or unknowable. As a result, these stories establish a version of God who knows what is best for mankind, but who reveals his purposes only selectively.

Who then are the heirs of the precious and very great promises made to Abraham and to his seed? You are. To whom can it be said: Your sins are forgiven; God is for you; with all his power, goodness, and mercy he will pursue you all your life, and you will rise from the dead; your name will be great; your assembly as the stars of the heavens; you will possess the gates of your enemies, and the land of Israel and all the earth will be your inheritance; and you will fill the new world with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord? To whom can all this be said? To you, the children of Abraham through faith in Christ. "For all things are yours . . . whether the world or life or death or the present or the future, all (the promises!) are yours, for you are Christ's and Christ (the seed of Abraham) is God's" (1 Corinthians 3:21–23). 

Nigerian’s Heaven

“All those who are from Nigeria, join that queue, the rest of you, remain on this queue. Since you are Nigerian, giving or accepting bribe is ok; you can enter heaven. Or because you are Nigerian, it is not a sin to disobey government laws, or pay your correct taxes, levies and dues…” Many people expect God to say this to them when they get to the Judgement Seat.

The time of Noah is significant with what will happen when Christ comes. God will not spare the world, but the people’s righteousness will be used as a yardstick for punishing the ungodly. God is saying if my servant who was also in the world under the same sinful conditions as you were, was able to live right, why wouldn’t you? Chew on that! God will not spare the people of the old world as seen in Revelation. He intends to build a new pure Jerusalem.

After man sinned in the Garden of Eden, God was still merciful and compassionate that He still wanted to dwell with men despite their disobedience. Until He then saw that man had taken in the sinful nature of the devil and it was impossible to dwell in man. In fact God “strived” with men but because of man’s will (choice), God could not prevail. That is why it is impossible to mix both the flesh and the spirit. The flesh brings about – death/destruction while the spirit life – they are going to two different areas. So God said….. “for he is in flesh”. Men acted/thought flesh.

However, when we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds good behaviour. At the same time Christ-like love refuses to endorse misbehaviour. Jesus loved his apostles, but he wasn’t silent when they were faithless. Jesus loved the people in the temple, but he didn’t sit still when they were hypocritical.

God will use righteous people as a yardstick in judging others. The story of Noah explains that God will never lack a righteous person to use. As people will think that there are no more righteous people on earth, God is laughing saying that there is somebody who He can use. God CANNOT lack a vessel even in the midst of immorality in this pervert generation. Noah did not doubt or grudge when he heard God’s voice. He obeyed and it was counted to him as righteousness.

The question we should be asking ourselves is “Can God boldly say to me, that I am righteous before him in my generation?

Eat and Die

Man, as created, was good. God created man in His own image and likeness, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. Well, then, if God created man good, how comes it that all men now are bad? How did sin pass into all mankind? What caused this stupendous change from good to bad?

God created Adam, the first man, and Eve, the first woman, and placed them in a perfect home, the Garden of Eden.  In fact, everything about Earth was perfect at that moment in time. God put two important trees in the garden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Adam's duties were clear.  God told him to tend the garden and not eat the fruit of those two trees, or he would die.  Adam passed that warning on to his wife.

Instead of believing God, Eve believed Satan.  She ate the fruit and gave some to her husband to eat.  Scripture says "the eyes of both of them were opened." (Genesis 3:7, NIV)  They realized they were naked and made hasty coverings from fig leaves. 

That view of the matter becomes more explicit in certain important passages of the New Testament. In the latter part of Romans 15, in particular, the Apostle Paul makes it plain. "Through one trespass," he there says, "the judgment came unto all men to condemnation" (Romans 5:18). "Through the one man's disobedience," he says in the next verse, "the many were made sinners." In these words and all through this passage we have the great doctrine that when Adam sinned he sinned as the representative of the race, so that it is quite correct to say that all mankind sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression. There is a profound connection between Adam and the whole race of his descendants.

Christianity teaches that human beings are unable to overcome their fallen nature on their own and must turn to Christ as their Saviour.  The doctrine of grace states that salvation is a free gift from God and cannot be earned, merely accepted through faith.

The contrast between the world before sin and the world today is frightening.  Disease and suffering are rampant.  Wars are always going on somewhere, and closer to home, people treat one another cruelly.  Christ offered freedom from sin at his first coming and will close the "end times" at his second coming. 

The Fall of Man shows I have a flawed, sinful nature and can never earn my way into heaven by trying to be a good person.  Have I put my faith in Jesus Christ to save me?

God made it all

The birds and the bees, the flowers and trees,
The stars in the sky, the little butterflies;
The rivers and creeks, the cool summer breeze,
The clouds and the leaves, the plants and the seeds,
Everything we see, God made it all!

The rabbits and squirrels, little boys and girls,
Our fingers and hands, each woman and man;
The dogs and their fleas, the creatures of the deep,
The he's and she's, yes, even you and even me,
Everything we see, God made it all!

In summary, the simple truth of the creation story is that God is the author of creation. In Genesis 1 we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation.

God was very pleased with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stopped, observed his handiwork and saw that it was good. On final inspection of all that he had made, God regarded it as "very good." This is a great time to remind ourselves that we are part of God's creation. Even when you don't feel worthy of his pleasure, remember that God made you and is pleased with you. You are of great worth to him.

In verse 26, God says, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." This is the only instance in the creation account that God uses the plural form to refer to himself. It's interesting to note that this happens just as he begins to create man. Many scholars believe this is the Bible's first reference to the Trinity.

On the seventh day, God rested. It's hard to come up with a reason why God would need to rest, but apparently he considered it important. Rest is often an unfamiliar concept in our busy, fast-paced world. It's socially unacceptable to take an entire day to rest. Yet God knows we need times of refreshing. Our example, Jesus, spent time alone away from the crowds. So, we should not feel guilty when we take time each week to rest and renew our bodies, souls, and spirits.

The story clearly shows that God was enjoying himself as he went about the work of creation. As noted previously, six times he stops and savours his accomplishments. If God takes pleasure in his handiwork, is there anything wrong with us feeling good about our achievements?

Do you enjoy your work? Whether it's your job, your hobby, or your ministry service, if your work is pleasing to God then it should also bring pleasure to you. Consider the work of your hands. What things are you doing to bring pleasure to both you and God?