The Living WORD.

There are times we feel so alone, wearied by people’s reaction to what we stand for “the Truth”. These are the times when those who ought to be ‘friends’ casts the first stone (and several more other stones) at us, Just like the Pharisees did to Jesus.
The Holy Spirit’s work is to comfort us and teach us, enabling us know better. But it is so sad that just the same way the Pharisees held on to the law they had, ignoring “change” when Jesus came then, so is same way the believers now hold on to the Bible, reading it with their understanding; not wanting to learn, to know the hidden mysteries of the WORD which can only be accessed via the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 48:6
“Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.”

1 Corinthians 4:1
“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.”

Matthew 13:11
“He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

Revelation 2:17
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

The letters in the Bible are just simply that – letters. The Holy Spirit is the one that gives life to those letters, turning it into a “Living Word(Jesus)”. At this stage, we become a carrier of not just ‘mere letters’ but ‘Living Word – Jesus’.

2 Corinthians 3:6
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

It is only when the letters we have digested is being ignited and turned to a Living Word via the Holy Spirit, that we can truly and boldly say “I am a Christian(Christ-like), a carrier of Jesus (the Living Word).

Shalom!

Articles → http://topetychus.wordpress.com/

Still Married? or Divorced..

Ephesians  5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."

Just as Marriage between couples doesn’t end on the day of the wedding but is a continuous process – till death; So is being a ‘convert’ in Christendom doesn’t end on the day of salvation(when we give our lives to God) but it’s a continuous process also – till death unite us with God.
Most couples who lack the understanding of being Married – joined as one, rush into it and still fail to understand & make amends even when in it, opting for divorce and separation. Most of these couples already have a “polluted” orientation about marriage even before entering into it which aids divorce and separation.

Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The continuous negative actions of one of both parties in the Marriage lead to divorce oft times i.e, serving two masters at a time (adultery). This is caused by either having a lackaidasical attitude, OR taking for granted, the deep love of the spouse.

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

…This is just the same way most believers get divorced or separated from their first love ‘Jesus’ (getting out from under the ‘covering’) and the devil is having a field-day, disciplining them.

Rev 2:4
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Shalom!

Right or Wrong?

My CEO amidst other CEOs in a get-together party called me to go and get him a glass of water. There and then, I immediately went to meet my immediate boss seated close by to ask which type of water I should get, which glass I should use, how full it should be. My boss then went to meet the CEO to confirm and the CEO was baffled.
He said to me “why didn’t you ask me all those questions when I told you to go get the water?” and since then, anytime he wants to send me, He goes through my boss but for others, he sends them directly. Was what I did wrong?
P.S: That’s actually not the first or second time I did that, It’s something I do often because I believe he is one very strict man (which I later got to find out he isn’t). Guess it got to him that day because he is actually caring to a fault (of which I know).

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This is just same way it happens with GOD and He can’t interact directly with most believers, because anytime He speaks to them, they run to meet the Pastor for confirmation. They have still not learnt the art of “Independence with GOD”. It looks demeaning kinda, doesn’t it? A WHOLE GOD speaking to you, and you going to meet MAN(no matter the anointing, GOD placed it there, if He removes it, we’re just mere men) for confirmation. Hmmm….God bless us with wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
Some believers hear from God and run to their spiritual father for confirmation. Who is supposed to be your ‘spiritual father’? Man or the Holy Spirit? (Ephesians 3:16, 1 Corinth 3:21 – Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;)
Even Samuel was taught independence then when he was told to go back and listen to God speak after running thrice to meet his “spiritual father”(Eli) after he heard a voice call him.(1 Samuel 3:1-18) 

Just like Eli did here, the Pastors, Prophets, etc should help their wards/fellow brethren to learn independence with God by sending them back to meet Him and listen carefully. They should be able to make their mistakes and learn from it to get stronger.
The only thing you need do is give advice (just like Eli did to Samuel) because you were once in their shoes.
When a baby starts learning how to walk, he falls and gets up to try another step, then falls again and rights himself until he is able.
The only thing the mother/father does is hold him by the hands at times as a support to enable the child take more steps.
She/He doesn’t cuddle/carry the baby when he takes his first steps and fall, thinking “I don’t want you to fall down so I’ll carry you all the days of your life because I know how painful falling down could be, I’ve been there before”. Which is what most “spiritual fathers” do to their “spiritual sons & daughters”.
If Eli had done this to Samuel, he wouldn’t have gotten that message from God concerning his own family.(nobody is perfect)
Take Heed!

It’s funny that most of us have sang this Don Moen song “I’ve made You too small in my eyes, Oh Lord please forgive me….” and are still making Him too small in our eyes. He talks to us but we don’t hear due to all the ‘strict’ definitions of Him we have in our head, due to how cunningly the devil is defining HIM to us as a ‘strict’, ‘don’t touch’, ‘not sensitive’ Being.
He speaks to most ‘Believers’(not ‘Unbelievers’) but we are still behaving like the Isrealites during the days of Moses (Exodus 19:9, 20:19-20) and it hurts HIM because He believes that after the coming of Jesus here on Earth, we all should know better now.
GOD help us to draw closer and really listen.

P.S: When you tell a child not to go near the fire; the first time, second time, third time and the child keeps moving towards the fire, you are forced to shout at the child to stop which gets to the child faster because he’s hearing you speak in a new way which you’ve never did with him/her before. Does your shouting (harshness) mean you don’t love the child?

Luke 11:13
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Shalom!

Heir

Hmm….
A popular Yoruba adage (when it comes to making money) says; “Teach me how to ‘fish’, don’t give me fish to eat.”

Jesus Himself came to teach us (and is still teaching us) how to ‘fish’(for men) not giving us fish to eat(which results in dependency, idleness and laxity). Jesus wants us to be independent like Him, working at getting in more souls into the Kingdom of God, so as to be abundantly favored by God now and also be worthy owners of “crowns” on that day.

Philippians 2:12  “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Romans  8:17  “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Being “joint heirs” with Jesus entails so much. We have to be ready to accept and conquer trials and tribulations like the “Soldier” we ought to be… (2 Corinthians 12:10)
We ought to start (if we haven’t yet) preaching the Word, liaising with the Holy Spirit, loving everyone irrespective of who they are, not repaying wickedness(evil) with same, etc.(Mark 7:21-23)
Remember, not all “Sons” are “Heirs” and some “heirs”(through birth right) have been known to loose their heir-ship to their brother (who the Father saw fit for it)

You REALLY want to be Christ-like?, Then begin to emulate  Jesus Christ, not the Pastors, Prophets, Apostles, Teachers, etc whose “anointing” came from God and who, when God decides to remove the “anointing”, are just mere humans like everyone else.

John 14:26  “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Pray for the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life. Surrender all to Him so that He can start teaching you all things. Tell Him you want to learn and is ready to be taught.
N.B: Please don’t just pray and forget about it. Let there be a yearning in your heart. Even if it will take you to fast&pray on it. Ensure you get results, be at alert for the response from God. 

I’ll leave you with this Bible verse;
Matthew 5:6  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

Shalom!

Free???

This came to mind yesterday and had me pondering…

We don’t want to have the bad habits we so much dislike in our parents. We don’t want to have their generational curse. YET, we are still following their lead, walking in their footsteps. And they in turn are still following the lead of the ‘cursed’. How then do we want to be free?

Matt 12:34
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

It’s just like praying to God for a God-fearing husband/wife, and one is still copulating with Guy(s),Aristos/prostitutes(any female not married to).

Your “Faith” which is supposed to be PARALLEL (directly proportional) to your “Works” is not, It is INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL.

 
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

One can’t know the TRUTH and still indulge in SIN because knowing the TRUTH will make SIN disgust you.

Matt 10:37
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Matt 10:38
“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

It’s not that GOD can’t answer our prayers on time, it’s just that our Faith and Works are still fighting each other. They’re not yet in sync.

“Often times, we postpone our miracle, because of our little faith.”….. #Bishop David Oyedepo#

God help us.

Paternity Test.

Still single and sexing, married and sleeping around, backbiting, stealing, lying, indulging in shady dealings, envying, hating, and then still saying; I am a Child of GOD, He is my Father. You sure you really know who your Father is???

Titus 1:16   
    They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.  (Matthew 10:33 “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”)

You might want to go to 1 John 3:1-24, 1 John 4:1-21 (emphasis on verse 17 & 20) for a paternity test. #just saying…

Titus 1
¹ Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
² In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
³ But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
⁴ To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
⁵ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
⁶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
⁷ For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
⁸ But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
⁹ Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
¹⁰ For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
¹¹ Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
¹² One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
¹³ This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
¹⁴ Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
¹⁵ Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
¹⁶ They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Stinking???

Isaiah 50:2
    Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. (compare Romans 1:28)

 Psalms 38:3-5    
 ”There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.”
 
Heard this from the Preacher in Church yesterday and would love to share; “As a believer, when you ‘stink’ in the realm of the spirit (due to SIN), You attract demons (‘stinking’ spirits).”
Like seriously, One can’t be the “righteousness" of God and be ‘stinking’ (unclean) or allow any form of uncleanliness whatsoever. Think about it.

 Matthew 9:16    
    No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

2 Corinthians 12:21  “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.”

 Revelation 7:13-15 
 ”And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.”

Shalom!