Sitting Pretty !

" And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." Amen. Revelation 1: 5,6.

While watching a wild life programme shot somewhere in the Serengeti,I was amused by the antics of the various breed of monkeys in the tree branches on the banks of a lake.
The serene and beautiful surrounding of the lake was dotted with all kinds of animals and birds, large and small, milling around ,to drink and swim in the watering hole.
Suddenly , all the animals , including the large ones like zebras and buffaloes moved away from the lake into the cover of the bush ; each letting out cries of fright to warn each other of danger. The calm of the lake was shattered!
There was panic amongst the animals because a pride of lions had arrived on the scene to quench their thirst!
The howler monkeys went higher up the trees and let out loud screams and howls ; while the birds and other animals joined the chorus of hateful alarm in their own peculiar "languages".
The lions ignored them and without even a glance at the gang of protesting animals, they drank water to their hearts content and then laid down on the shore for a rest.
As they laid there , the noise and commotion from the other animals continued.
Some of the animals ran away; while others shrieked , snorted and howled at the lions from a safe distance.
But none of them dared to return to the lake while the lions were there.
Meanwhile, the lions were unperturbed and indifferent to the commotion around them. Nor were they afraid that they were out-numbered by hundreds of howling and screaming animals who, were ,obviously, very upset at the lions' unwanted awesome presence!
Apparently , the lions were not hungry and did not come to hunt for prey but to quench their thirst.
The family of lions sat down , confidently ,took their rest by the lake, for as long as they wanted to do so; and then they walked away, majestically .
Such is the confidence and privilege which go with power, strength and dominion.
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion ".Proverbs 28:1.
Not until after the lions had left the scene could any of the other animals feel safe and bold enough to return to the lake.
Indeed , when the Cat is away, mice come out to play!

I felt sorry for the poor, harassed animals who had to endure this atmosphere of fear and intimidation from the lions, every day ,at their watering holes.
I could imagine the insults and threats those animals hurled at the lions and their anger and bitterness at being inferior in status and strength to the lions!
But, in this life , every one cannot be king .
In the jungle Someone had to be King; to rule and reign over the others.
The lion was chosen and endowed with strength to lord it over the other beasts of the jungle. Specially created as king of the Jungle , to reign over the pecking order of the food chain!
Lions know this and the other animals know this and accept that the Lion is king ; even if they do so grudgingly.
When the Lion speaks ( roars), no one dares to rebuke him into silence.
At the sound of his voice ,the earth trembles ; the other animals retreat into hiding and they quake with fear!
"...he uttereth his voice , the earth melted" . Psalm 46:6b
The King of the beasts eats and drinks when and where he pleases.
The King goes wherever he wants ; even where other animals would not dare to tread.

The lion walks tall , striding majestically before his enemies and is not shaken or deterred by their protests or disapproval!
"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6.
Someone has been given the mandate and power to rule and reign in heaven and on earth.
All usurpers, noise makers and pretenders to the Throne become silent in the presence of the King of Heaven and Earth!
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is Lord , in Heaven and on Earth.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father ". Philippians 2:9 - 11

Kingship is bestowed either by birth and or by anointing.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has bestowed power and dominion to rule and reign on those that are called by His name.
Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords .
He has made his people, called by His name to rule and reign in the midst of their enemies and the enemies of their God. Psalm 110:2.
The power and dominion which Jesus bestows for kingship flows from His Righteousness.
Jesus Christ,the Lion of the tribe of Judah has made us righteous to sit and reign in high places with Him, far above principalities and powers and every power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt us.
"For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ". Romans 5 :17


Just like the other animals dread and tremble before the lion , so God has put fear and trembling in the midst of our enemies to paralyse and render them ineffective in their evil devices against us!
"But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Psalm 1:33.
If only we believe and stand in the liberty which God has given us, always, deliverance, peace and victory shall be our portion in life. Amen.
"The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it,and is safe.” Proverb 18: 10.

My Redeemer Lives.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
And he laid his right hand upon me , saying unto me ,
" Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth , and was dead : and behold , I am alive for evermore. Amen;
and I have the keys of hell and of death". Revelation 1 :18.

LIFE is found in Him

Christianity is not a theory or speculation, but a life; not a philosophy of life, but a Living Presence.
"In him was life ; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not " John 1:4,5.
Most people think that Christianity is all about us seeking God when the truth is that it's more about God seeking us.
He works through events in our lives in order to put Himself in position for us to seek Him, reach out for Him, and find Him.
He is in white-hot, zealous, passionate pursuit of a relationship with each one of us.

" I am come a light into the world , that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." John 12:46.

LISTEN !
Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the
Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well lived makes
Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!

Glory in Liberty

I am crucified with Christ: nevertherless I live ; yet not I , but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2 : 20

The ability to analyse various options before arriving at reasonable conclusions and choices; sets Man apart from other creatures.
Liberty to choose a course of action , is one of the benefits bestowed on Man by God. Like any good parent would do, the gift given to a child is accompanied by a short instruction from the parent on how the child should use the gift.

When the relationship between God and Man started in the Garden, we see a loving God ; a Father who gave human beings the power to freely choose whether to accept or not , God as their Guide and their Father .
In the beginning , Man was given the role of “having dominion” over all the earth and its other creatures.
In addition to this responsibility , Man had the free will to choose between Obedience and Disobedience to God’s Law.
This freewill to choose between Life and Death was to be the deciding factor for the existence of Man’s relationship with God .
"Can two walk(or work)together except they are in agreement?"
The choice given to man was a simple one : to eat or not to eat.
“ Eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil and die ; or keep your fingers to yourselves , leave the fruit alone , zip up your mouth , keep moving and live !”
Genesis 2: 15 – 17.
To make this decision easy for Adam and Eve , God gave them thousands of other trees and shrubs from which they could eat.
It was not as if they were starving ; yet they choose to disobey God; out of their freewill .
They suffered the consequences of that choice during their life time and disobedient Mankind has continued to pay for that Original Sin , even till today.

Then , God sent His Son , Jesus Christ ; to offer Mankind a Way Out : His Salvation plan.
As it was in the beginning, so it is even today; the choice is simple : accept Jesus and live ; reject him and be condemned eternally. John 12: 44 - 50.
To facilitate Man’s choice , God provides GRACE to enable every Man make this right decision .
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2 : 13.
God has played His own part and then He leaves Mankind to freely decide to be or not to be partakers of the blessings of the Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ ; the Lamb of God , who was slain for the remission of our sins.
God made plain the benefits of this decision- making to enable Man realise the wisdom of MOVING UP from being “ just another of God’s creatures” to the elevated position of “Son ship / Daughter ship” . John 1 :12.
Therefore no human has an excuse for rejecting Jesus Christ.
The beauty in accepting Christ is ; it is by your own volition, for your own good.
No one is compelled to become a Christian by Birth or by threats of ostracism and by threats of death !
Every Christian has the liberty ; if they so choose , not to remain in the Christian Faith.
Every Christian knows that should he or she decide to quit the Faith for anything else ; their families and churches would not rustle up a murder squad to make them go “ missing ” and then deny all knowledge of what has happened to them!

A Believer’s knowledge of the Word of God concerning the repercussions for negative choices ; gives him the Wisdom as to the responsible use of his God – given freewill power to make choices .
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear ; but of power , and of love , and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1 :7 .
There are millions of “ways” and lifestyles clamouring for Man’s attention and set up as snares and distrations. Millions have chosen to follow these wrong ways .
But there is only One Way ; Jesus Christ , leading to the Father .
Very few are willing to follow Him to the end. Matthew 7 : 13 ,14.
God has given us the sound mind and power to weigh the consequences of our actions before making choices; so that the Word of God will ,always , remain true.
What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease ; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will shew them his covenant . Psalm 25 : 12 – 14.
I appreciate this great privilege of having the power to choose , freely .
The list of alternatives at my disposal , is quite lengthy .
I could have chosen to follow and remained on the wrong way , for life!
I do not cease to thank God that I am counted worthy to be among those human beings who have been given this unmerited favour of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have chosen to remain a Christian ; not out of fear and coercion and , definitely , not because I want to please or impress anybody.
I could decide to renounce my Faith , shelve my Holy Bible , stop going to church ; stop teaching and preaching , stop writing my blogs !
Nobody in my family or church would beat me or kill me should I decide to do these.
The Beauty of this Faith is that I have the LIBERTY to choose to make this drastic swing ; change to another religion and another lifestyle ; without fearing for my life and without having to go into hiding from my family and my church , for the rest of my life !
What could happen is I would receive a lot of "Why! Why ?!" emails and text messages and counselling!
Of course , I know my family , my friends, my pastor and my entire church would become highly alarmed and fear , greatly, about my mental well being .
They would immediately launch into unrelenting, feverish prayers and deliverance sessions for me!
This scenario is not going to happen because I intend to hold on to this Gift of Love which I have been given by my Lord and Saviour. I know I have made a perfect choice from a sound mind and this Gift shall endure forever .
The call from God to all Mankind remains the same . The Choice is up to you to make.
Deuteronomy 30: 19- 20 , Isaiah 1: 18- 20.
Today , is the your Day of Salvation. Decide now , who you will choose.


.

Making Choices : By Power Only

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear ; but of power , and of love , and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1 :7 .
It is a great privelege to be able to make choices concerning the desires of our hearts ;to be able to pick and choose without the restrictions of fear or other challenges.
We tend to take this privilege for granted until we hear of or see our fellow human beings who would love to be able to decide and choose to their hearts' content ; they have been denied the power to choose.
Man was created with the power to exercise his FREEWILL to make choices; in every aspect of life . However God- given power comes with conditions.
Our liberty to choose should be used in a responsible way ; bearing in mind that our actions and speech affect our future.

In the beginning , God gave Man the freewill to choose between Obedience and Disobedience ; and to make a crucial choice between Life and Death.
Genesis 2: 15 – 17.
We see a loving God ; a Father who gave human beings, His special creatures ; the power to freely choose or not to choose to accept him as their God and their Father
Deuteronomy 30: 19- 20 , Isaiah 1: 18- 20

Any system whether political or religious that is entrenched on coercion or death threat is not of God but of the Devil and from the pit of hell.
The beauty of the Christian Faith is the peace and respect it bestows or offers human beings .
That is why I and other Christians HAD A CHOICE before becoming Christians and why , even today, WE HAVE A CHOICE to remain or not to remain Christians.
Today or any time , we have the LIBERTY to choose ; bestowed on us by a kind and loving Father .
Decisions become easier when your will to please God outweighs your will to please the world.
This power to make choices is always attached to the knowledge of the repercussions of such choices.
God's call on our lives is to make the right and responsible choices ; FOR OUR OWN GOOD.
God has given us the sound mind and power to weigh the consequences of our actions before making choices; so that it the end of it all, the Word of God will ,always , remain true.
What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease ; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will shew them his covenant Psalm 25 : 12 – 14.

The Beauty in Power

Events of the recent weeks, as the Election Day in Great Britain , draws closer ; bring into sharp focus the beauty and glory in bestowing the privilege of choice on the citizens of any nation.
It is only in a place like Great Britain where democracy is allowed to thrive and the citizen rights are respected that the Prime Minister would "condescend" to walk on the street and speak to ordinary people . Even to the extent of apologising to a "mere woman" whose opinions he had condemned as "bigotry"!
I shudder to think what the security forces of some countries would have done to her ; for "daring to ask" the PM any such question!

There is POWER in the ability to be able to make choices , without coercion or fears; to be free to choose leaders who you think are the most qualified leaders to entrust with yours and your country’s destiny.
The politicians' knowledge that the people do have the power to make choices and have the final say in effecting numerous changes ; has made the various politicians eager to court and to please the electorate .
This is the beauty in having a choice .
It bestows power and glory on the citizens who have that choice .

Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant.
Anything short of this ability to choose freely is akin to the crime of rape of the citizens.
It is an unjust and sad situation for any citizen to be robbed of this God-given power.
In every decent society , the right to choose is given to the citizens as their fundamental human right; undeniable and non-negotiable.
The only persons who are not given the right to exercise this freedom
of choice are juveniles or persons of unsound minds.
Persons of unsound mind are deemed to be incapable and unqualified to make decisions about their own lives and about anything in general.
Children , imbeciles and mentally deranged persons are in this group of persons whose rights to make choices are curtailed and restricted by law and by general public opinion.

When a human being has been stripped of the power to make decisions as to his or her preferred choices , then that person is reduced to the level of mindless juveniles and persons of unsound mind.
When leaders of nations accord their citizens their rightful PRIVILEGE TO CHOOSE between the various Manifestos of the numerous political parties ; such leaders are saying two vital things about themselves, about their integrity and about their future plans for the populace.
One , they are saying they acknowledge and respect the CITIZEN’S ABILITY and INTELLIGENCE to be able to use THEIR SOUND JUDGEMENT to make their own decisions and two ; such leaders are saying they DO have something GOOD and DESIRABLE to offer their country.
Where leaders are on a self-serving mission and do not have the interest of the citizens at heart, they would ensure that such citizens are stripped of the power to choose or remove the leaders.

When a “god “ has nothing good to offer its worshippers; nothing to offer, except sugar-coated deceit and death, he delegates his demonic agents to employ the weapons of fear and threats of death to perpetuate an evil grip and to keep his followers in check and "faithful";thereby heading straight to the Lake of Fire !
If you are offering someone honey , which is regarded, universally, as sweet , desirable and healthy , you need not force or threaten human beings before they would, joyfully accept it , eat it and lick their fingers.
It is when people know that what they are offering is NOT GOOD ENOUGH and it is COMPLETE DECEPTION; then they resort to election rigging, to coercion and threats to life and properties to compel acceptance from the general public.

Democracy is built on the Christian ideals of FREE CHOICE .
That is why democracy CANNOT be accepted and it would not flourish in lands and societies which were not built on Christian ideals of the “ governmental love and care of the people , by the people and for the people”.
Whatever the present unfavourable values in the British society; it is on record that the political , welfare and legal systems of this great nation are based on the laws of God ; as stated in the Holy Bible.
We thank God that there are nations , very few of them ; still left on earth where democracy is allowed to thrive.
Great Britain is one of them and as such , she has become a beacon of Hope and Refuge to millions of people world –wide, who would do anything and say anything; just to be allowed to come in and enjoy a share of the dividends of true democracy.

All over the world , we see and hear of nations where the citizens are being “raped “, daily , in every way; because they have been robbed of their power to choose their leaders and , inevitably , denied the “PEOPLE POWER” to choose their own destinies.
Citizens are dehumanised and disrespected when they are disposed of the power to choose their own destinies through free and fair elections.
In such fake democracies , the governments in power are there because they are the most accomplished riggers of elections , not because they are the people’s choice.
This system of government by election riggers is a VERY PAINFUL rape and insult on the intelligence of the citizens of any nation .
Rape , in whatever form, is not only painful , its very destructive to the human psyche and it is UNACCEPTABLE to God.

When a group of unqualified and merciless individuals gang-up and force their odious selves on the disenfranchised populace of any nation ; such leaders and their generations will be judged; not only by posterity but by God ; whether they believe in God’s judgement or not.
In such situations anarchy and despondence are the order of the day.
Denying citizens to choose freely who leads them is an unwise invitation for diverse problems in the society.
When you dehumanise others you murder your own sleep.

Snippets of His Sovereignty

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our God is above all gods.
Whatsoever the Lord pleased , that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas , and in all deep places.
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. Psalm 135:5-7

 

 

 

Above are photos of my street and my front door, under eight inches of snow, last January.
Last winter , scenes like these of a white blanket of deep snow were the same not only all over London , but all over the temperate regions of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere.
Then, snow blizzards caused major disruptions to the normal rhythm of lives.
All means of transport; by road , rail , sea and air became "not fit for purpose"!
Offices and schools were shut; sporting events and holidays were postponed or cancelled. Human plans, forecasts and projects for the Christmas and New year holiday season were rendered "improbable".
Human societies were literally , grounded by snow storms.
Much to the annoyance of millions of people whose plans were cancelled or altered.
We thought we had seen it all .
And now this ; massive disruption and colossal losses to world economies caused by ash and smoke from a volcano in Iceland for almost two weeks now.
The ash and smoke aided on their merry way and dispersed by strong winds from Iceland to surrounding nations in Europe!


The Eyjafjallajokull
Volcano in Iceland; spewing fire ash , smoke and silicates.

Once again , like during the winter snow blizzards, puny Man , with ALL his claim to wisdom, scientific and technological "advancement" IS GROUNDED and can do NOTHING about it ; except to wait until this volcanic eruption ceases!
For how long will this Volcano continue to "misbehave"? No man can say.
What can be done about this ? NOTHING!
Mankind has been rendered impotent and awe-struck before this display of unfettered power!
This loss of control and loss of face caused by Man's impotence is indeed, an embarassing and irritating nuisance to millions.
Especially to those who think they know all the answers.
We have been regaled ,in the media; in recent days, about the " expert scientific explanations " from "renowned experts" as to why and how volcanoes , sometimes , decide to wake from their deep slumber and strut their stuff.
Without prior notice and without getting permission to erupt, from any man !

This is not the time for guess work ,scientific dissertations and permutations.
We have heard all that talk ,"hot air " from the know-it -all "experts" before.
Scientific explanations and analysis about the earth's geology do not restore cancelled flights and airports operations ; neither can they restore stalled human and economic activities.
A challenge has been thrown by a mere volcano to the "kings of the earth" and those men ( and women )who think they know all the answers as to when , why and how the earth was formed.
What are the SOLUTIONS to this disruptions? How will this end ?
In the face of this challenge, human knowledge and wisdom have been rendered " not fit for purpose"
And like ever before , human beings are grounded , powerless and speechless.
I was discussing this situation with someone ,over the weekend .
He was unhappy about this and was lamenting about his inability to travel to the U.S. from London, during last week, as he had planned.
" For how long ? We can't go on like this ", he said. Something has to be done about this mess from a volcano ; or else...!"
"Or else what?", I asked him.
Some stranded passengers have made claims of thousands of pounds each ; for loss of income and breach of contract against their airlines or travel agents .
The airlines and agents are now hoping to dodge payments of such huge sums by making a defence that their failure to perform is due to the volcano and this is an "Act of God".
Which "God" is this? Is it the one who is supposed to be "dead"?
Very convenient, isn't it; to remember to hide behind the name of "God" in the face of impending financial loss !
Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10.
Ultimate and absolute power belongs to Him who has the answers and the ability to CONTROL the elements on the Earth .
He is the One who seats on the Throne and he rules and reigns in the affairs of men.
This is a gentle remainder to mere mortals that Man DOES NOT control the reins that drive this planet.
Snow blizzards , economic crunch , smoke and ash are just a fraction; tiny, weeny snippets of the arsenal at God's disposal to show "know-it-all " mortals ,who, indeed, is in charge here.
The bitter truth for many to swallow is: Man , with all his scientific, technological and nuclear advancement does not have the final say in the affairs on Plant Earth and in human lives.
The Sovereign God , Creator of all men and the entire Universe does.
" I have made the earth , and created man upon it: I, even my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded". Isaiah 45:12.

This current situation is not a "punishment " from God .
Far from it. It is about Him asserting his ownership of His earth and of His Sovereignty in the earth.
For Believers ,there is peace in the midst of this chaos and confusion because our God is in control of this situation.
For all peoples of the earth; it is a call for sober reflections.
The message here is: get your facts right: about who God is .
Acknowledge that God is the God of the whole earth ; worship and exalt Him alone.

Dare to Dream !

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite , and Geshem the Arabian , heard it , they laughed us to scorn , and despised us, and said ,What is this thing that you do? will you rebel against the king?
Then answered I them , and said unto them, The God of heaven , he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build; but you have no portion , nor right , nor memorial , in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2: 19,20.




Dreams are linked to desires .
But realisation of dreams don't come easily.
The bigger the dream , the sweeter the victory !
Dream and go for it !

Dare to dream - Julie Anne Ford.
Let nothing hold you back from
exploring your wildest fantasies,
wishes, and aspirations.
Don't be afraid to dream big
and to follow your dreams
wherever they may lead you.
Open your eyes to their beauty;
open your mind to their magic;
open your heart to their possibilities.

Dare to dream.
Whether they are in color
or in black and white,
whether they are big or small,
easily attainable or almost impossible,
look to your dreams,
and make them become reality.
Wishes and hopes are nothing
until you take the first step
towards making them something!

Dare to dream,
Because only by dreaming,
will you ever discover
who you are, what you want,
and what you can do.
Don't be afraid to take risks,
to become involved,
to make commitment.
Do whatever it takes to make
your dreams come true.
Always believe in miracles,
and always believe in you!
~ Julie Anne Ford ~

Thank you Lord !

" I Am God"

And the Philistines took the ark of God , and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
When the Philistines took the ark of God , they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 1 Samuel 5: 1-2

There was a grim situation here ; one of astonishment , defeat and great reproach to the people of God and to God's holy Name! 1 Samuel 4: 1 - end.
Defeat and annihilation stared God's people in the face because Isreal had sinned ; the High Priest, Eli and his household were not worthy custodians of the ark of the Most High God . So Isreal was routed and in disarray and utter confusion before their enemies !
To compound their tragedies , the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts which dwelt between the cherubims was in the hands of the enemies of God !
This was seriously shameful!
"The glory is departed from Isreal!"

The consequences of such utter defeat are far-reaching because, usually , the enemy with the confidence of victory , would not stop at humiliating God's people ; they would always extend their "victory dance " to try to humiliate God himself.
Whenever I read this narration of the events after the unexpected defeat of the armies of Isreal by the uncircumcised Philistines at Eben-ezer; I marvel at the naivety and blindness of the heathen!How dare they compare their idol to the God of Heaven and Earth? Imagine putting my God , side by side with their own god; in the SAME room ?
What audacity !

The pill of utter defeat is very bitter to swallow. Especially when the bitterness is coupled with the noises of mockery and celebration from the enemy!
" They said they had an invincible God ! Where is their God now?"
"Have we not routed them , put them to flight and carried their God away ?!"
" See their God in a box! We have him under lock and key in our shrine!"
The celeberation in the camp of the enemy on that fateful day must have lasted all night long!

But! With the dawn of day ,even as the enemy's celebrations continued; the situation CHANGED!
"I Am That I Am " had arisen ; with GREAT victory and deliverance in his wings!
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence : a fire shall devour before him , and it shall be very tempestous round about him. Psalm 50:3.
God, immediately, began to declare His Power and Authority ; declaring His Names , even in the midst of the gathering of the enemy.
May our God arise , immediately, in our situations and fight for us! Amen.
The Man of War started confounding the enemy by first of all manifesting His disgust at the presence of the abomination called "Dagon"!
I can imagine God looking at Dagon from head to toe and laughing with the hosts of heaven , at the ridiculous graven image beside Him!
The angels of war struck Dagon down and broke him to pieces! The rest is history.

This beautiful story gives me immense joy , any time I read it !
We see God declaring to the enemy ,clearly, the difference between Him and other gods.
God would not tolerate a situation where the heathen would defile His Name and equate Him with counterfeit gods!
Even when He has allowed loss and defeat to happen in the lives of His disobedient children.
In His judgement,the covenant-keeping God would always remember His mercy and He would always arise to take the glory in every situation of reproach to His Name.
God will ALWAYS make the heathen to testify of His awesomeness and His Supremacy above all other gods; whether they want to testify or not!
The enemies of God would have no choice but to bow before Him.
Like He did against Egypt before He delivered His people from slavery , God also declared his supremacy to the Philistines , on this occasion.
God will remember His covenant and His mercy and save us from every affliction, in the name of Jesus Christ . Amen.
"Look unto me and be ye saved , all the ends of the earth: for I am God , and there is none else .
I have sworn by myself , the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear".
Isaiah 45:21-23

Once again , as God has sworn, when the enemies of Jehovah saw the manifestation of His power , they were forced to offer appeasement, to bow in worship to God and to confess with their mouth that Jehovah is God indeed! 1 Samuel 6: 1-8.
Not only that , the Philistines asked for a sign ; for a confirmation that this was the one and only Jehovah ,the Holy One of Israel, dealing with them.1 Samuel 6:9.
They got the signs and wonders they asked for!
Halleluyah!
The cart carrying the ark of God on its return journey back to Isreal was pulled by two milk cows; while the Philistines watched its journey from a respectable distance .
To the astonishment of the lords of the Philistines who followed the cart to the border with Isreal; the cows , unaided by any human being knew the way and followed the correct route back home!
"And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemeth , and went along the highway , lowing as they went,and turned not aside to the right hand and to the left;
and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemeth."
1 Samuel 6:12

What is that situation of shame and defeat in your life?
That dire situation which seems hopeless and insurmountable ?
I declare that the Lord God Jehovah , the Man of War ,I AM THAT I AM , Mighty in Battle; has arisen , right now, to your help with great victories , signs and wonders! Even in the presence of your enemies; in the name of Jesus Christ ! Amen!
I decree that the Egyptians and Philistines you saw , you will see them no more!
The Lord God of Hosts has performed it and you are blessed in Him . Amen.

Sports Relief Mile Run - 2010

The Sports Relief Mile Run 2010 took place at various venues around the U.K. to round up the Sport Relief weekend 19th to 21st March ; to raise funds for charities in and outside the country. Over 165,000 runners participated.
As at last night , a total amount of £31,633,091 had been raised.

There were slots of 1, 3, and 6 miles runs at the various venues.
I was at the Victoria Embankment venue , in London.

 

Some of the famous faces at the Run:
Christine Ohuruogu (800 metres World Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist)
and , below left: the "King", Daley Thompson ( Decathlon - Serial World Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist )

 

Guess Who! The Conservative Party Leader.

 

Becks and Smithy!

 

 

 

 

 

Forgiveness : The Paths of Wisdom .

"Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves". Matthew 10:16.
In all human interactions offences would occur at least once,in a while.
No one can deny not having experienced feelings of anger and hurt when offended ; for anger is the natural reaction of any victim to an offence.
This post is the concluding part of my previous post:
"Offences : Stepping on Sore Toes".
Some people, easily, forget and forgive wrongs done to them but some people are like the proverbial elephant who never forgets!
They harbour malice and thoughts of revenge in their hearts , until they exact their "pound of flesh" for every offence committed against them.
It is easier for the victim of an offence to forgive minor wrongs or unintentional wrongs than to forgive offences which were done intentionally to cause maximum hurt , pain ,anger , loss and humiliation.
Also an offender who apologises to his victim (s),who shows genuine remorse and makes amends for his offence is more likely to be forgiven long before the offender who is adamantly unrepentant.

But what does the word of God say about forgiveness?
Do we forgive when it is convenient for us to so ; or when we "feel" like forgiving others ?
Should forgiveness be dispensed in measured doses: for "small" or "too great, too bad offences" against us?
Or is it right to forgive only when the culprit has apologised and compensated the victim for the offence?
What does our God say about anger ,bitterness and forgiveness?
"Be ye angry ,and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give room to the devil". Ephesian 4:26
He even goes further by telling us how frequent and to what measure our forgiveness should be :Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times : but, Until seventy times seven. Matthew 18:22.

Forgiveness ,is the attribute of our Father, the loving , merciful Three -in-One God and it MUST be also inherent in us Christians, his children.
A child would always resemble his or her parents. Just as a dog begets a dog and a goat begets a goat!
God calls us his children ; and that is what sets the Christian apart from all the other peoples on earth who serve gods who are merciless and vengeful.
For those whose values and mind frames are based on the principles of "An eye for an eye!"; based on a culture of revenge, murder and mayhem, forgiveness is a HARD thing for them to do.
Forgiveness is a supernatural act. It is based on a determination to die to self; made possible by power of the Holy Spirit.
In the life of a spirit-filled Christian , the milk of human kindness should flow .
Whatever the offences against us, God demands that we forgive those who have wronged us ; as we have been forgiven by Him. Mark 11: 24-26.
Furthermore , Vengeance is God's responsibility. He knows how best to avenge for us, every wrong we have suffered.
I can testify that God does execute perfect vengeance on behalf of his children.
You could think you are strong or powerful enough to fight for yourself. Then you could decide to be hasty and exact revenge on your known enemies.
What of your secret enemies who know you but you don't even know them ?
Enemies who monitor your life ; watching your every action and speech ,plotting evil deeds against you ; yet you are not even aware of their existence ?
And when you are fast asleep, snoring, with your mouth open; who fights for you then ?
God neither slumbers no sleeps; he is omnipotent and omniscient and he alone has the power to fight and overcome all known and unknown enemies !

Someone had asked me if forgiveness was that easy , then why has God not forgiven Satan and restored him to his former position as second in command in Heaven?
People understand God better by asking questions . The answer to this question would give an insight into how God wants us to live a life of forgiveness.
We thank God for the liberty of being able to ask such questions in the Church, without fear of being beheaded or going into hiding for daring to ask!
God Almighty is the Sovereign God. Whatsoever he pleases , he does in heaven and on earth. He could choose to be or not to be merciful , gracious or accessible to certain persons . His ways are past finding . Who can question him?
As it is written , Jacob have I loved , but Esau have I hated . Romans 9:13
What was Esau's offence and why was Jacob , his younger brother preferred by God even BEFORE the twins were born ? Genesis 25:23.

The Bible says , " And there was war in heaven...." Revelation 12:7-9.
If Satan could look God Almighty in the face and wage war against God inside heaven ; why would anyone be surprised that he and his demon-possessed children are waging wars all over the world ; against everybody and even against themselves!
Satan was cast out of heaven for his rebellion against God . Isaiah 14:12-15.
God could have ordered his angels of war to destroy Satan , immediately after his sin of rebellion and treason ; but God allowed Satan to leave heaven and make his abode on Planet Earth.
Although Satan received mercy from God , Satan has not forgiven God and has continually waged war against God ; for two main reasons.
The first reason being Satan's anger and bitterness because of his failure to usurp control from God which led to his humiliating exit from his exalted position in Heaven. Satan was thrown out, accompanied by millions of fallen angels whom he had succeeded in deceiving to join him in his rebellion.
These evil beings made the Earth their place of abode and operational headquarters.
Today , Satan and his millions of evil spirits are worshipped as "gods" by billions of peoples on earth.
These demonic spirits enter into and possess human beings and use them to commit horrendous offences against mankind , all over the earth.
From the beginning of Satan's presence on the Earth, billions of people have been deceived and are being deceived even till today, by Satan.
Satan , the perpetual liar and impostor appears to them , demanding their worship and he makes them believe that they are worshipping the one "true God"; when they are actually, worshipping Satan and his evil spirits! John 10:10 .
" There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" Proverbs 14:12.

Secondly, Satan hates God and cannot forgive God for coming to the earth; in human form as Jesus the Christ , the Son of the Living God.
Jesus Christ came to expose Satan's lies and to show Mankind the Way back to God!
" He that committeth sin of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested , that he might destroy the works of the devil".1 John 3:8b.

When you hate someone , you hate his children and everything and every symbol which reminds you of that person.
The same implacable and passionate hatred which Satan has for God ; he and his children manifest the same hatred against the Gospel of Christianity, the symbol of Salvation which is the Cross, against the Church and born again Christians!
Nothing drives Satan and his children mad and incensed with rage than the mention of THAT name JESUS and the sight of a Christian preaching the message of the Gospel!
Of course , Satan doesn't mind the existence of dormant Christians!
Satan uses his nation on earth; comprising of millions of demon-possessed persons as his weapons of hatred to attack, weaken and kill as many people as possible , especially Christians.
Their feet are swift in shedding blood ; NEVER in doing anything good!
In fact , nothing sets them off into wild cheering and jubilation, than the news or sight of war, of beheadings and bloodshed ; especially the blood of Christians !
"You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it". John 8:44.

As Satan and his gang of murderers were defeated in the beginning ; so they remain our defeated foes even till today. They are under our feet.
We are required to forgive our foes as our God forgives us .
But , Wisdom is "crying in the streets", on our behalf, that we MUST RECOGNISE and DISCERN the difference between Forgiveness and Foolishness.
We endeavour to follow peace with all men , as is required from us as Christians ,in a hostile world. But God does not demand for foolishness leading to ultimate destruction as a proof of our obedience of His commandment of Forgiveness .
The lives and properties of many Christians have been lost and destroyed because of ignorance and lack of knowledge of the Word of God about forgiveness !

The Wisdom of God cautions us against those people we have forgiven, who continue to harbour implacable hatred and thoughts of murder in their hearts against us !
The following Bible verses are, all , apt descriptions and symbols of the Enemy, Satan; as they manifest in demon-possessed men and women.
"...wolves.." Matthew 10:16, Luke 10:3.
"....serpents and scorpions.." Luke 10:19.
" .. thieves , robbers , liars and murderers." John Chapter 10.
"... a roaring lion ,walking about, seeking whom to devour". 1 Peter 5:8;
"..they have become unprofitable,..the poison of asps is under their lips. Romans 3:13
" They do not know the way of peace, destructions and misery are in their ways. Their feet are swift to shed blood. No fear of God in the eyes ". Romans 3:14 - 18.
"... beasts at Ephesus...." 1 Corinthians 15:32.
These characters sound scary but they are real and are very active all over the place!

The Good News is that we have been given power to tread on them and to over overcome them with love and forgiveness.
But we should not give them easy access into our lives and allow them to wreck havoc !
God has not sent us on a mission of self-destruction by foolish living!.
People keep wild animals and poisonous snakes as pets. They tame these pets , feed them and treat them with love and affection.
Yet they keep these wild and dangerous creatures where they belong ; in cages!
No sane persons would give free access to dangerous characters to enter their lives and give them their privileged secrets .
You could forgive lions and serpents who have vowed to kill you ; but do not " forgive and forget" past offences and then put your head inside the "tame" lion's mouth or insert your finger into the snake's mouth!
You could decide to forgive the devil by dining with him ; but always dine with the devil with a very long spoon and with both your eyes open !

Hezekiah ,the God -fearing King of Israel ,had a forgiving and forgetting heart .
He had visions of "World Peace " and good intentions of forgiving and forgetting his former sworn enemies. ( Isaiah 39: 1-8 )
King Hezekiah was very magnanimous and eager to take the hand of friendship extended to him by Me-rodach-baladan , son of the King of Babylon .
He gladly welcomed emissaries from Babylon and gave them a grand tour of his palace and of all his dominion. He showed them all his treasures!
Hezekiah displayed the spirit of true forgiveness towards his old enemy, whom he thought was genuinely repentant and was offering the "olive branch" of reconciliation.
However,immediately after Hezekiah's gesture, the reprimand from God concerning his actions came through Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 39:3-8.
This prophecy about the repercussion of Hezekiah's foolishness, surely, came to pass; according to God's warning.
(2 Kings 24:10-16 )
The lesson here is that if you have forgiven someone , you would be naive to assume that that person has forgiven and forgotten the enmity between you ,even as you have forgiven them.
Forgiveness is holy and desirable ; foolishness and madness are not.
" Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine,lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you". Matthew 7:6.

There is therefore a difference between Forgiveness and Restoration .
Reconciliation is that bridge linking FORGIVENESS to RESTORATION of friendship.
Both you, the victim and the offender have to BUILD bridges to enable you reach the desired goal of restored peace, love and harmony in that relationship.
If you are building bridges through forgiveness and forgetting offences and the other persons are pulling down the bridges , the reconciliation process would collapse .
Until you get to that point of restoration and MUTUAL willingness to live in peace with your enemy ; the counsel from the Word of God is:
"The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep walking and suffer for it". Proverbs 27:12.
Continue to love and forgive your enemies. Follow peace with all men ; but get His Wisdom; be wise , be vigilant always.
Thou through thy commandments have made me wiser than my enemies : for they are ever with me. Psalm 119: 98

" My Word like as a fire..."

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord . Do I not fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord. Jeremiah 23:24.

Jeremiah 23:1-8.
1. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
2. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
5. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8. But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”

"How canst thou say, I am not polluted,I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley,know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways ". Jeremiah 2:23.

Jeremiah 23 : 11 - 40.
11 " For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
12. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
13. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
17. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19. Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings ".

"Hear , O Zion ! "

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17.

Jeremiah 22:1-9. - To all "Kings and Priests" .

1. Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
2. And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:
3. Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.
4. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.
5. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.
6. For thus saith the LORD unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.
7. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.
8. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.”

Crufts Dog Show 2010.

Last week, dog-lovers from all over the world were treated to exciting displays and entertainment from man's best friends , dogs.
It was four days of fun at the world- famous annual International "Crufts" Dog show.
This is the Pet show which I look forward to every year because I am a dog lover and , annually, "Crufts" is guaranteed first class entertainment !


The Cruft Dog show has been held since 1891, when the founder Charles Cruft started it in London .
This year's show took place in the NEC Exhibition Centre in Birmingham ,from 11th to 14th March 2010 . It ended on Sunday night, the 14th, with the "Best of Show" ceremony and the selection of the overall winning "Top Dog" from over 22,000 dogs which participated in the various dog groups of the competition.
The trophy being competed for was the Crufts Best in Show Trophy.
This is the most prestigious title and trophy in the dog world!

 

Once again , as in previous years , we were treated to outstanding displays of intelligence and skills by these wonderful animals!
The dogs were superb in every way!
The winner this year was a beautiful, confident and delightful dog called Yogi, a Hungarian Vizsla breed. He had won the Crufts "Gun Dog Group" award two days earlier and 16 awards in previous competitions over the years!
Winning the " Crufts Best in Show " trophy was the only award which had eluded this amazing dog .
After achieving his dream title on Sunday, seven year old Yogi,could retire now in great style; with fame and glory !
Congratulations Yogi! Good boy! Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!

Winner of CRUFTS 2010 - YOGI


Best in Show winner - Yogi - winner

As usual , CRUFTS was a very entertaining display of beautiful dogs and the various skill they had learned . All sorts of major dog breeds were represented.

Diverse breeds of Dogs

 

Dogs' qualities like their agility , composure , balance , looks , grooming , temperament and obedience were taken into consideration before choosing the overall winner.
Toy Dog Group

The most entertaining displays of the week-long show were the Agility Competitions between dogs from over twenty Dog Clubs in the U.K. and the Dancing dogs !
Crufts 2010 was indeed a fun-filled family outing for the thousands of people who thronged the venue at Birmingham .

Dancing Dogs




Agility Displays


Like in previous years ,all the dogs were well trained and beautifully groomed .
I have always wondered how the dogs could remain calm and well behaved; without quarrelling , barking excessively and biting each other in fierce dog-fights!
I guess the dogs knew they were on show in a very important competition ; being watched by thousands of people!
Some of the dogs even knew when they won or lost in their events.
The winning dogs became very excited and happy ; changing their strides to respond to the prolonged applause from the crowd ; while some of the losers were visibly upset.
Lots of cuddles, kisses and sweets from their owners , soon comforted the dogs!

The other group which drew a lot of applause was the "FRIENDS FOR LIFE" group.
This comprised of mainly Guide Dogs for the Blind or Disabled persons and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.
Also included in this group were several dogs who had achieved outstanding feats in protecting and caring for their owners .
This year, in this group were the two stars of CRUFTS 2010; Treo , the Army hero dog and his handler ; Sergeant Dave Heyhoe.
Treo and Sgt. Dave Heyhoe

 

Treo , " Officer and Gentle Dog"

The celebrity dog and his handler received a standing ovation when they came on stage, on the final day of the Crufts 2010.
Treo is a black Labrador from the 104 Military Working Dogs, in Leicestershire , U.K.
A few weeks earlier , Treo had been awarded the Dickin Medal , the animal equivalent of the elite Victoria Cross,the highest military award, for his gallantry in battle and his meritorious service to Queen and country!
Treo, the remarkable dog, was able to successfully, detect and sniff out the "daisy chain bombs" planted in several road sides by the Taliban, in the Helmand province ; thereby saving hundreds of lives of the soldiers he was working with in Afghanistan.
The Dickin Medal was presented to Treo by Princess Alexander .

TREO the Hero receiving his medal from Princess Alexandra .


Treo ,the War Hero , on duty at the Battle front in Helmand province, Afghanistan.



Another Crufts Show has come and gone.
May this delightful show return , next year and many more years ; to enrich us with the usual fantastic displays which prove that the Creator has given all His creatures , in-built talents and abilities.
If animals ,dogs, can be trained to perform like these; then all living creatures are teachable and potentially useful!
Given the proper training and opportunities ; marginalised human beings , in every society, could perform a thousand times greater feats than they are achieving now.
All God's creatures are bright and beautiful in deed !

Pray for Chile.

"And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed , The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.... " Exodus 34:6.

Please pray for the nations of Chile , Japan , island state of Hawaii and the Pacific islands and coastal areas of Australia . Pray for mercy and for deliverance for these areas from the fury of the Destroyer.

Father in the name of Jesus Christ , we declare your names and we lift up the Standard of the Holy Spirit against the fury of the enemy in these lands!
We stand in the gap and we take authority against the counsel of the enemy to steal, to kill and to destroy; we command " Peace , be still !" to every weapon of destruction!
We speak peace , comfort , deliverance and healing to the peoples of these nations in the name of Jesus Christ . Amen
Thank you Lord , for you have answered . Amen

Please , also, give to the relief agencies who are working round the clock to bring relief and comfort to millions of people in these lands.
To this end, once again, the British Red Cross has set up an appeal for donations.
Please log into the British Red Cross website or that of the Red cross in your country and donate generously. God bless you richly .Amen.

Offences : Stepping on Sore Toes.

Offences are acts done intentionally or unintentionally to cause hurt , annoyance , provocation ; to disrupt peaceful co-existence or to break the law .
In all human relationships and societies offences are bound to happen.
Some offences are so grievous that some victims of such offences have likened the extent of the pain and hurt they suffered to that which a person would feel if someone stamped with his foot , hard , on the corns and bunions of their toes! Or the pain felt if someone slammed a hammer on a finger with a throbbing whit low!
Many people do not forget the humiliation they suffered when they were "down" and then someone, instead of helping to pull them up; kicked them hard, over and over again !

Offending God and fellow men is not a new phenomenon; for offences are as old as when the first man , Adam , walked on the earth.
This write-up is about offences committed against us and how we should react to them.
As it was in the beginning (Genesis 6:5,6 ) so it is now and even worse, in these last days.(2 Timothy 3:1-17)
What does the Word of God say should be our reactions to these offences?
How do Christians survive in the midst of diverse offences in these perilous times?
How do we navigate the murky waters towards out goal; without sinking and without missing the mark?
"Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offences cometh!" Matthew 18:7.
The Lord is saying offenders and their offences ; at certain times in our lives , will come our way and he decrees "WOE" unto them.
In this world , there are men, women and even children whom the enemy would use to offend and to grieve the Believer ; even to the extent of derailing one from the Faith.
May we never have a portion in the woe which our God has reserved for them! . Amen.
These offences and offenders could come from the "world" and from even the most unexpected sources like from our families , close friends and even from within the Church.
"The heart is deceitful, above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it ? Jeremiah 17:9

God is not going to hold us accountable for the sins of these offenders. Or for the way they have chosen to live their lives.
But he will hold us accountable to Him for our reactions to these offences.
Moses , a man after God's heart , who spoke with God face to face; was harassed and grieved by his people , the Israelites.
He reacted violently in anger and frustration ; to the extent of offending God.Numbers 20:1-13.
This resulted to Moses missing his blessing and losing the glory of leading Israel into the Promised land. Deuteronomy 32:48-52.
Another man of God , Joshua , got the glory of Moses' forty years of hard labour!
May God deliver us from the workers of iniquity who would make us offend God and thereby derail our destinies. Amen
Even when persons have committed deliberate offences against Christians, they expect to be tolerated and forgiven by Christians .
Given half the chance , if people knew you were a professing Christian , some people would step on and grind hard on your sore toes, deliberately , just to see and hear your reaction!
We see and hear of people saying and doing things against Christians and Ministers of the Gospel; which they would not dare say or do to unbelievers.
Church leaders and committed Christians ; are seen by the world as " soft touch or easy meat"; for bullying , cheating and as easy targets for abuse and for physical and verbal attacks.
If you knew that if you slapped some one's face or defrauded them of large sums of money; that man or woman would pull a gun and shoot you first before asking you "why?"; you would think twice before going near them with your offences!
Many would take advantage of the meek and gentle Christian; believing that ALL Christians would surely turn the other cheek and say "Father, forgive them...!"
But not all Christians can be slapped around by just anybody . There are Christians who would give as much as they have received!
If you , a Christian, got angry and protested, your offenders would wonder why you were displaying anger!
"Oh! Come and see this so-called Christian! So ? You are angry and you wanna fight; yet you call yourself a " born-again " Christian? Yet you people go about preaching. Come and see hypocrisy from church people!".
Those who have offended you and expected no reaction from you , would then remember to quote Bible passages. They would remind you to display "the meekness of a lamb being led to the slaughter" . LIKE Jesus Christ did !
Trouble-makers would love to shout about "forgiveness" and "turning the other cheek"!
One never ceases to be amazed that persons who conveniently forgot and disregarded what the Bible says about offending others ; would suddenly remember what that same Holy Bible says about "forgiveness , love and peace "!!
Where did such accusers HIDE their Bibles before committing offences against others?

Some times we feel "hard done by" and very bitter about the way people have treated us ; repaying our love and kindness with treachery and hatred.
No one can predict where , how and when these offences which try the soul could spring up and that confirms the word in 1 Peter 5: 8:"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
In our search for our daily bread , we could encounter challenges by falling prey to con men and women ; all kinds of dupes and fraudsters; offering us " fantastic business opportunities!"
Liars and fraudsters abound everywhere , even in the church.
The same evils and bad attitudes found outside the Church , are also rampant in the Church. No difference.
In some churches, because of what goes on there, people wonder whether they are in an office hall , in a clubhouse, in the market place or inside a church !
"For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written". Romans 2:24,
The reward for your kindness, generosity and hospitality to your family and friends could be quarrelling, insults , false accusations and hatred from them !
Some people have vowed never to allow any guests into their homes because of offences committed by previous guests.
Offences have caused serious rifts between friends .
There are women who have vowed never to get involved with any female friends or join any Women Groups;in or outside the Church , ever again!
Many people have adopted a "no mercy , no lending of money to anyone" policy.

Some Christians have been deceived, used and dumped by politicians ,who they had trusted, campaigned with and voted for; as people who would go into government offices to "make the difference".
Before winning elections, these "Christian candidates" made lengthy, sweet promises: to turn the country and their communities into "El-Dorado"; to "eradicate poverty and mosquitoes; to give free this , free that to "my people"!
Before being elected ,they had sounded so convincing as God- fearing "Christian" men and women of integrity; "Liberators of the suffering and down-trodden masses ".
Only for them to get into top government positions and thereafter, commit even worse atrocities than their predecessors whom they had criticised and condemned !
The only poverty and mosquitoes they have eradicated, so far, are the ones in their own lives and in their immediate and extended families!

In love relationships and marriages ; there are offences galore!
People fall in love and get married , hoping and believing for a peaceful home.
But soon after,offences, bitterness and unforgiveness set in.
Are you deeply wounded because the "love of your life" has come out in his true colours; after using your marriage certificate to get what he wanted ; that is a foreign passport and work permit papers? Worse still,he has gone into hiding because you have discovered the truth that he had a wife or wives with six children in his country before marrying you and he had been sending money to them , regularly; for the past 3 years, while married to you !
Or maybe your "honey and sweetheart" has duped you of your life savings; has sold your house and valuables or has attempted to sell them?
A man of God in London, warned wives, recently , that they should stop writing prayer requests for him to pray that God should make their husbands leave their marriages and never look back ! Or requesting that God should stop their husbands who had left , from ever thinking of returning to the marriage!
The Pastor said they should stop it because God cannot answer such prayers!
One of such women said despite the fact that he earns a very good salary, her husband had abandoned the care of their four children and payment of all the household bills to her on her meagre salary.
Her complaints and pleas and counsel from their pastor to her husband about his attitude , have fallen on deaf ears.
Her husband told her she should stop complaining and be grateful to God that she even had a husband who is her "crown and her covering" . He told her " as a woman , without a husband you have no crown,no covering , no respect and you are nothing!"
She looked at her self, from head to toe and she couldn't see any "crown or covering" ,whatsoever; from him to her!
She believes God will answer her request and she has vowed to keep praying until he leaves; because as a Christian , she didn't want to report him to the Child Support Agency and Social Services or invite the police to walk him and his wonderful "crown and covering" of sorrow and shame, out of the house!

Whilst doing the work of an evangelist in the U.K., I have encountered people who "don't do God" who tell me that they have decided to keep the Church at arm's length because they are perplexed and offended by what the Church stands for.
They say they cannot see the usefulness and relevance of the Church or any of the other religions and their places of worship in human lives!
Many Christians have been asked similar questions.
One said he has been told by a number of people that if they had their way, they would lock up every church , mosque and Sikh ,Hindu and Buddhist temple in the U.K. and throw their keys away!
I have been asked why is it that those countries which profess to be very religious and very holy and prayerful; ( some of these countries even have "religious police"!); are the countries with the highest level of injustice , corruption, massive human sufferings , oppressions against women and children ,lawlessness, wickedness, crime and poverty; in the whole world?
Also ,people are offended and ask why there is excruciating poverty and challenges in the lives of the majority of church members when compared to the lives of affluence and opulence enjoyed by many church leaders and their cronies ?
Why , they ask should thousands of people allow a few men and women to fed fat on them; all in the name of religion?
Some see the Church as a huge financial drain and burden and a waste of time and space. With no commensurate benefits in people's lives.
Millions of devoted Christians return home after attending churches to homes without any food , money or the basic comforts of life!
In some countries in the world , the only time and place where people see and enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply and running tap water are when they are in churches which have electricity and tap water from generating plants.
My answer to all these questions is that where ever there is massive Gospel revival , the Devil unleashes his hordes of demons from Hell against the people there ; to quench the fire of the Gospel, to cause serious problems in the lives of Believers living there; to weaken their faith and to weaken and destroy those nations.
Nevertheless , Satan has failed and he remains a defeated foe of the Church. Despite all these challenges from the Enemy of the Gospel, by the grace of God ;the Church is marching on!
Come rain , sunshine , tsunami, snow , tornado or earthquake; Christians will keep on attending Church, they will keep on supporting and giving to the work of the Gospel and believing God for a better today and a glorious future which our God has promised us! If this is not the evidence of FAITH ,prevailing faith of the Believers ; then what is it?
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by their testimony; and they love not their lives unto the death". Revelation 12:11

Wherever or however offences come , they are temptations which would try the patience of any "Job". But, whatever the degree of offences , God's commandment is that we must forgive even as we have been forgiven by Him. Matthew 6:12,14,15.
Forgiving offences against us should NOT be dependent on the repentance of the offender. Forgiveness must depend on our relationship with God as his children.
It is for OUR OWN GOOD that we forgive those who have deceitfully used us.
Forgiveness ,without the help of Holy Spirit ,is a hard thing to do .
It is a Divine attribute and it is a higher calling from our God.
For us , there is power, blessings and glory in forgiveness.
May we receive grace to forgive , today and always.Amen.
I was teaching " Forgiveness" in Sunday School some years ago. The text was taken from Matthew 18:21-35.
After the teaching, one of the listeners asked me why God has not forgiven Satan, patted him on his back, embraced him and restored Satan to his former position in Heaven?
I have answered that question in my next blog which is Forgiveness: The Path of Wisdom.
Remain blessed!