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THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I

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The Rock that is higher than I

Psalm 61:1-8 1Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 2From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 4I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 5For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. 6Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations. 7He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 8So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

A huge rock could be compared in strength to a concrete bunker that people hide for protection in times of war. You are at a vantage point when you are protected by a rock or mountain, because a rock signifies something that is stable and unshakeable. When you are faced with the issues of life that overwhelm you, who do you look or run to for help? Go to Jesus because He is the sure foundation. He is the solid rock of ages on which you should build your hope and trust. When we build our lives on Christ, we become unshakeable and immovable. We would not be as the shifting sand without strength overwhelmed and swept away by flood waters [Matt. 7:24-27].

You may wish to compare your life to some bible characters and see how they overcame challenging issues of life. For example, sensing persistent danger, David hid himself in clefts of rocks and caves from king Saul, his avowed enemy, who planned to kill him. His life was spared. Sin and fear will expose a person so he cannot hide in the rock for protection. There is no account David was living in sin and staying within clefts of rocks kept him and his army protected from Saul.

When you trust in Christ He not only becomes your Rock, but you become a rock yourself, because you have your origin in Him.

Isaiah 51:1 reads, Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

Further Scripture Reading
Psalm 31:1-4: 1In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 2Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. 4Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. 5Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Song:
I gonna stay right under th blood
I gonna stay right under th blood
I gonna stay right under th blood
Where the devil can do me no harm
No harm, no harm, no harm
No harm, no harm, no harm
Where the devil can do me no harm

Prayers
1. Lord Jesus, hide me under your mighty protective arms.
2. Lord Jesus, unravel and destroy all the plans and activities of Satan against me by your mighty power.

TRUE RICHES OF THE KINGDOM

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TRUE RICHES OF THE KINGDOM
This is a Bible Study outline prepared by the author and shared in one of our recent meetings. A lot has been said on prosperity and there are many divergent views. However, the Bible is very clear on what prosperity is and what it is not. As I was praying and meditating on the Word of God, I got the following points which I now share with you in questions and answers format.

Memory Verse
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth [3 John v2].

1. What is the meaning of prosperity? True prosperity is a blessing from God. God owns all the resources in heaven and on earth. He wants us to prosper in our body, soul and spirit. However, His love transcends what we have, owe or own. God prospers us so we can be of better service to Him.

2 Cor. 9:8
8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

2. Is it a sin to be prosperous? Prosperity in itself is not a sin. It is the means people used to achieve it that is a sin. Examples are hoarding, stealing, deception, etc.

11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase [Prov. 13:11]

3. What should believers do to prosper? Believers are encouraged to be hardworking, share with others what God has blessed them with, aspire to provide unique services in their vocation and pursue entrepreneurship as God gives you the ability.

4. Does the Bible encourage believers to be wealthy? How can we avoid being deceived? Believers are encouraged to seek the welfare of their soul first. That is the primary goal, having peace with your Maker. We are told not to take advantage of others in other to gain materially [1 Tim 6:17-19]. We are warned to avoid people who go about to deceive others [1 Tim 6:5, 9-11].

5. What is the balanced approach to prosperity? The balanced approach is to seek to live for Christ, glorify Him with all He has given to you but know you are mortal. Prosperity is not all about having a fat bank account which ends anyway when the person breathes his last breath. God is the one who adds His material blessings to you and me therefore it is wrong to hold Him to “ransom” with what He is freely willing to give to us [Matt. 6:19-34; 1 Cor. 4:7].

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you [Matthew 6:33].

6. Was Jesus Christ really poor or rich? Jesus is the King of kings so He is rich. All the Kings of the earth are subject to Him. He is the Word Incarnate that created Heaven and earth. However, He became poor to save us from our sins [Psalm 2; Heb 1:1, John 1:1, Rev. 19:11-17]

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich [2 Cor. 8:9].

7. Does wealth hinder someone from serving God better and is poverty a blessing? Wealth does not hinder someone from serving God better. However, it can be a big distraction if you remove your focus from the Giver Himself. Examples of Bible Characters who were wealthy are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, etc. Examples of wealthy people who became distracted by their wealth were Lot and the rich young ruler [Gen.13:1-13, chapter 19; Matt 19:16-26]. Examples of rich people who refused to serve God with their wealth or be generous to others were the rich fool, Nabal, the rich man in Jesus’ parable and Ananias and Sapphira [1 Sam. 25, Luke 12:16-21; Acts 5]. There were also those who were poor but devoted their lives to God some by being taught the principle of faith like the widow of Zarephath [1 Kings 17:1-16]. God judges everyone according to the state of his or her heart. How should you handle wealth if you find yourself blessed with an abundance of it? Handle it the way the Scriptures say in Tim 6:17-19 and Matt. 6:19-34. Do not allow the cares and deceitfulness of riches to choke the Word of God in your heart. Give no place to the devil to allow the god of “mammon” to be your master and lord.
The Bible states we should be content with what we have:

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out [1 Tim 6:6-7].

8. What was the approach of the Apostles to prosperity? The apostles were chosen for a specific mission and they each achieved his calling. None of them taught that poverty was a blessing. Neither did they teach greediness. The early church was one where people were encouraged to give according to the measure God had blessed them. Some brought everything to the Apostle’s feet, others did not and suffered the consequences [Acts 4:32-37; Acts 5]. Jesus taught his disciples to be fed by those whom the gospel is preached to [Luke 10:7]. In doing this both the giver and receiver learn to trust God to meet their needs, a lesson taught by Elijah to the widow of Zarephath [1 Kings 17; 2 Chron. 20:15-30, v20]

9. What are the conditions we must satisfy to truly say you are prospering? We are required to fear God, obey His word and serve Him in Love [Deut. 28:1-10].

10. What do we teach our children about prosperity? We should teach our children the fear of God and that they should grow in his wisdom [Prov. 4:1-11]

11. What investments should believers invest in to prosper? Christians should learn how to sow like the farmer. There are many opportunities out there to prosper. However, do not sow into a bag with holes. Prayerfully seek what to invest in. Seek counsel from those who know about wise investments and from your leaders.

12. How do we sow into the work of God? By looking at areas of need in your local assembly, mission field, blessing the Pastors and ministers as the Lord leads you, etc.

13. Tithing? Learn and continue the principle of tithing Principles and accountability to God. Serve God with what you have. What He has given to you is able to sustain you. Proverbs 3:5-10.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it [Mal. 3:10].

14. What is the role of wisdom in Prosperity. Godly wisdom is very important. The wiser we are the more God wants to bless us. He will only entrust true riches to those who would be accountable to Him.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? [Luke 16:11]

CONCLUSION I hope the study has been a blessing to you with better understanding of what true prosperity is. In conclusion, pursue the things of the Kingdom first. The Lord has promised to add all other things to you. Know that it is God’s utmost priority to bless you as emphasized in 3 John v2, 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Also know that there are diverse kinds of prosperity from God. At the time the Apostle John wrote this verse in this personal letter to a saint called Gaius, John was in his eighties or perhaps nineties. As he personalized the letter, so God personalizes His prosperity to you and me. He knows what to do and when to do the addition as you diligently serve Him. If you already are already enjoying His grace in this area of life, continue to serve Him and give Him the glory in reverence and awe. Only then will you continue to enjoy His true riches.

1 Cor. 4:7 says: 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

The Sin of Rebellion [Part 1]

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The Sin of Rebellion (Part I)
Gen. Chapters 3 and 4; 1 Sam. 15:22-23; Num. 13:1-13

Rebellion is from the Greek word meree and it means to rebel or be bitter or resist or disobey or grievously provoke. Rebellion is bitterness. Webster defines it as open opposition to any authority. The rebellious shows open discontent with the goodness and love of God [Rom. 11:22, 33]. The rebellious resists the authority and Lordship of Christ over his or her life. He does not see the reason why he should be subject to the law of God. His natural mind is perjured. He operates on a carnal realm. He reaps his reward.

There are two types of rebellion. Open rebellion like the sons of Korah did to Moses, and subtle rebellion, whereby you challenge the authority of the word of God. In this message we will discuss the sin of “subtle rebellion” or “faithlessness”. Note that both open rebellion and subtle rebellion carry the same consequence. They cannot stay in God’s presence or enjoy God’s promises for their lives. Adam and Eve were rebels for example. They rebelled against the word of God. Theirs was a “combo rebellion” consisting of “open rebellion” and “subtle rebellion”. The “combo rebellion” is a deadly rebellion, totally extricating a person from the presence of God. Adam and Eve suffered the “death” penalty for their combo rebellion. Another person who partook of combo rebellion in Scriptures is Cain [Gen. 4]. Even when God warned him of the danger of rebellion, he still went headlong and slew his brother, Abel. God banished him from His presence. No wonder he went away to land of Nod. He became a wanderer [Gen 4:1-16]. Another person who had the sin of rebellion in his heart always was king Saul. We can say Saul’s rebellion was a subtle rebellion but grew to become an open rebellion eventually ending in a combo rebellion. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Both sins carry the same penalty.

The rebellious dwell in a dry land, David says [Psalm 68:6]. Obedience is the exact opposite of rebellion. Obedience brings honour and promotion while rebellion brings shame and destruction. Through obedience we have access to the blessing of the Lord through the finished work of Christ on the Cross. The Word of God is a two-edged sword. To the obedient it grants you the riches of His grace but to the rebellious, it drives you away into the wilderness [Heb. 4:12].

Isaiah 1:19-20 reads: If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land, but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured for the mouth of the Lord had spoken it.

Prayer Points

1. I bind every spirit of rebellion. I shall not stray away from my destiny. Let your counsel prevail over my life in Jesus name.
2. Lord, let every stubbornness of my will against your word be broken in Jesus name. I yield my will wholly to the Holy Spirit.

CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART II]

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CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART II] Author: Pastor Godwin Okafor

Today, I continue my write up on Christian Parenting. I am not just writing about child upbringing in the world, which is mainly based on the psychology of children, but on Christian upbringing of their children in godly manners. Why has it been difficult for godly parents to “produce” godly children? This had bothered me for many years, especially after noticing that the “bad kids” come from the homes of ministers of God. I will be bringing excepts from my forthcoming major book, which centres on ministering prayers to children and babies, right from the womb. Prayer is spiritual forth-telling of what would become of something, situation, including a child being prayed for. Enjoy your reading of these pieces.

Matt 19:14: “… Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them,… “ said Jesus.

Ministering to children, especially babies, (including those in the womb), is a very challenging matter. It has become too complex, and is almost non-existent in many Christian circles, as the enemy of mankind becomes more subtle in his sinister dealings with earth men, as the last days approach. This is more so, because of the erroneous assumption that the child is innocent till he or she attains the so called “Age of Accountability”. Yet many things, too difficult to explain, happen to children before this age arrives, even while they are still in the wombs of their mothers. The bible affirms that even the unborn child is already tainted by sin, and that God requires that the unborn child should be taught wisdom, even from its mother’s womb.

Ps 51:5-6: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.”

Yes, God is concerned about the unborn child, and had to send an angel to Samson’s mother before he was conceived, to watch what she ate and drank, because of Samson’s special mission to His people. The doctors still tell expectant mothers today to watch what they eat and drink in order to ensure they had a healthy baby.

Judges 13:3-5: “The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, ‘You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.’”

David, the psalmist, said that wickedness could start right from the womb when a child “does not know anything”, according to our estimation.

Psalm 58:3: “Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.”

David seemed to have very deep insights beyond the ordinary person. I believe that was why he was said to be a man after God’s own heart, as the Almighty found him. David seemed to see what only God saw. Should it be a wonder then, if the spirit of an unborn child is initiated into witchcraft or any other evil cult before it is born? We need the Holy Spirit to help us, lest we perish in gross ignorance, wondering and bemused. God desires that unborn children be spoken to, or taught the truth while still in the womb. God is spirit, just as His word is spirit. While a child is unborn, it is more spirit than body; that spirit could learn spiritual truths or wisdom that no flesh could hardly comprehend or interpret. However, the wisdom taught or learned by the unborn child could be demonic and can easily be used against mankind in future. To counter this situation, Christian parents or ministers should learn and practice speaking positive spiritual truths to their unborn children.

Psalm 51:6: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.”

It is regrettable to note that the agents of the dark kingdom seem to know this more than the agents of the kingdom of light, and exploit it to contaminate the unborn children, whom they initiate into the dark kingdom while still in the womb, awaiting their birth into the earth’s atmosphere. The spirit of the unborn is older than its physical age, because God’s Spirit, which He breathed into man when he was created, and which gave man life (and which brought man’s spirit into being), is ageless.

CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART I]

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CHRISTIAN PARENTING by PASTOR GODWIN OKAFOR
The other time, I responded to a father’s concern that his kids do not have any interests in the things of God. He had wanted to know how others whose kids seem to have greater interests in the things of God have achieved their successes.
By God’s grace, and as ministerial time permits, I intend to share some spiritual insights which the LORD has enabled me to gather from His word over the years I have been on the pilgrim’s journey and in ministry.
The task of bringing up godly kids is a huge one, and lack of knowledge of God’s mind on this has resulted in all sorts of spiritual mishaps in this venture. So many Christian homes with beautiful Christian couples have made complete shipwreck of parenting.
In this first write up on Parenting Tips, I wish to call the attention of Christian parents that ours is a spiritual walk, and anything we do, including parenting, must be guided by spiritual principles. And since the spiritual knowledge of the Christian comes from the word of God (John 6:63), we must turn often to it, to discover the foundation of raising godly kids.
However, the fundamental question we need to deal with, first and foremost, is: How many Christians are spiritual, or how many Christian parents raise their kids according to God’s mind on the issue? I hope I will not be misunderstood here. Knowledge of the Bible, “the letter” of it, does not suffice. The application of God’s word holds the key in making godly homes, and then raising godly kids in such godly homes. The formula could go like this: godly couples = to godly homes; godly homes = godly kids. And of course, godly kids = godly society, et cetera.
I have seen may Christian homes who started their journey with carnal considerations, thereby violating God’s rules of holiness in starting up godly families. One of these is the placing of emphasis on what a man has accumulated before proposing marriage to a Christian lady, and in fact, his capability to support the carnal needs after the marriage. What of the Christian man who looks for beautiful Christian sisters who work in banks or other such places, have cars, or who must be well educated and have rich parents.
Or the more sinful ones (in our sight), of those who want to ensure that the intending couples are “compatible” (whatever that means), before marriage. What of those who want to make sure that the lady would have children for the family after marriage? I have been told of ladies who would make sure that their future husbands could get them pregnant before they agree to marry them.
Let me ask us, would God’s favour rest in such homes later, when they face the challenge of unruly or ungodly kids? When the foundation of the home is destroyed from the onset, why hope to raise godly children? The “god” the couple served before marriage would certainly seek to dominate the home thereafter. (See Psalm 11:13). What can the righteous do? Repent, do restitution, and ask God for mercy, and ask Him to show you how to remedy the situation. Surely, such children would have encounters with Jehovah, if their parents seek the LORD in repentance.
I will continue from here in my next write up. I appreciate those who are concerned in this issue of Christian Parenting, especially Sister Emem, with that broad smile. Remain blessed all of you.

Forgotten Sacrifices II?

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Forgotten Sacrifices (II) ? Author: Esther Agbi
King David would not give to God anything that cost him nothing [2Sam 24:24]!
This is in line with giving something special. That is the right attitude. No little wonder
God testified that David was a man after His Heart!
Cornelius was another man whose offering stood out [Acts 10]….. “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God”, an angel of God told him. This is very fascinating! His prayers and offerings were stored up for future blessings. God remembered Cornelius. He and his household were blessed.
There is a Lady I know of who loves offering sacrifices to God even when she does not have. As her story goes, a man of God called for the members to give sacrificially to foreign missions, assisting refugees. She had no money at the time to donate, but somehow, material goods were being accepted. She had this beautiful and costly attire with shoes and jewelry to match. She contemplated for a long time because she really loved the attire. Finally, she decided to give it up as a sacrifice for foreign missions. A prayer was said that day, according to her, she never thought that she would ever be in that situation in her life time because she was very comfortable at the time. The Man of God prayed that no one who has given towards the missions would ever become a refugee in a foreign land.
Somehow, after many years, this lady found herself as a refugee in a foreign land. She remembered that prayer, and I believe that God remembered that prayer too because she was set free from that situation and now a Citizen of that country. That prayer by the Man of God was stored up for a future blessing. God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.
The Lord will remember you and me for greater blessings in Jesus Name.
It is good for us to give to the Lord because we care. Give because you love, give because God demonstrated it by giving his only SON Jesus to die for us. Give because God instructed us to do so [Luke 6:38] and there is a reward. God will remember someday. It may not be in your life time, maybe your children or generations down the line.
Sacrifice may not be monetary only. It could be just a smile, a nice compliment that is sincere, or a phone call to brighten someone else’s day, a quiet prayer for someone you know or don’t know. You could sacrifice your talent or your time even when it is not convenient. That is why it is called a sacrifice. If it were convenient, it would not have been called a sacrifice. When Jesus gave his life for us, it was not convenient. That is love.
Solomon gave a sacrifice, and God asked him what he wanted [1 Kings 3:5]. Has God ever testified of your offering/sacrifice? Has He asked you what you wanted after you gave your offering? The same questions I would ask myself.
It is good to ask from God, but it is better to be asked by God what we want. I believe that the Lord is working on us all and he will grant us wisdom to work in line with HIM in Jesus Name.
My prayer for you is that the Lord remember all your offerings in whatever form you have given to Him in support of His kingdom and that He fulfill all your heart desires in Jesus name [Psalm 20:3, 5], Amen.