A seed sown without the proper nutrients will die, a seed that grows before its time will grow, but may not grow properly, even yet a seed that stays in the soil long after it was supposed to grow will die... There is a time and a place for everything, God sees, He knows.
This is something I told myself last year. And to be honest since then, time and time again I have had the image of a seed being planted in my head. So i went to read up the process through which a seed is planted and the conditions needed for a seed to grow. Now the timing of the seed is very important, growth before its time could lead to a sick plant, staying in the ground for too long would lead to death, also imprtant to note are the nutrients necessary for the growth of a seed; water, air and warmth. In actuality it is the presence or lack of these nutrients that could lead to the seed growing before its time or dying after its time. The right balance however will bring forth a healthy plant.
Out of botany and into healthy christian living. Now when a seed is planted, it lies dormant (literally dying). In the same way when we give our lives to Christ, when we repent, we are like seeds being planted. The way we live our lives as christians is very dependent on what happens after we are planted. Now while we are still seed we should literally die to all that was in us, all that made us before we were saved, all that is off the world. Paul put it quite simply in his letter to the Ephesians (Eph 4:22-24), it says;
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Put of the old that is the first step, putting on the new is the step that follows immediately after. Why immediately after? Because the time spent having nothing to replace the old nature will yield into a state even more worse than your initial state (Matthew 12:45). Now the time spent putting off the old and putting on the new, will determine the length of time spent as a seed. Now it is not just enough to talk about putting off the old and putting on the new. What is the old nature? The old nature is anything that has to do with the world, your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Also we have anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language (Col 3:5-8). Quite a list if you read through but then it is everything that has to do with our old nature. This is where the period of dormancy is for us christians, this period of putting off the old and putting on the new because some of us spend our whole lives dormant, spend our whole lives struggling to put off, and so never mature, we never grow into the people God meant for us to be.
With a seed there are three essential ingredients needed to grow, air, water and warmth. Like the seed, for healthy christian living, three essential ingredients are needed, water which is the word of God, air which is fellowship with God and man and warmth which is love. So many times we have had new christians cast out and abandoned, left to sort themselves out, so many times we have left fellowship with brethren as not important, we have left fellowship with God through our praise and worship, so many times we have left the study of the word of God. The result? We find ourselves drifting, wondering why we are not growing, we find ourselves staying dormant for far longer than we are supposed to be, leading to a time lapse between the putting off and the putting on. Leading to exposure to things we would normally be shielded from.
Water to wash us clean, daily. A constant renewal of our mind to mend and correct us when we stray.
Air to breathe and to give life, constant fellowship with God and our brethren, gives us the energy we need to go on.
Warmth for the times when we lie cold. The times we feel lonely and it seems like we cannot go on anymore.
Too much water we drown the seed, too much of the word for one that does not understand can only leave one more confused. Too much air has never been a bad thing, but just air simply will not do during cold times, having just air will not help wash us, correct us and keep us clean. Love without the word and without fellowship can easily be confused especially during the seed stage. Without the guidance gotten from fellowship and from the word, the search for warmth can easily lead one astray.
So many times seeds have been planted and forgotten and I remember the parable of the sower, there Jesus focused on the types of soil, but then in this time and age, we do have the time to properly prepare the soil before we plant the seed, to ensure that not one goes to waste. One lost seed is as important to God as the whole harvest. There is plenty joy in heaven when one soul is turned to God.
Jesus said whosoever receives one of these little ones receives me (Mark 9:36), And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea (Mark 9:42)
Now back to the topic, where are you at the moment? Are you dormant at the moment, or freshly planted? If you have been dormant, for how long? As I mentioned earlier, a seed can only be dormant for so long, after a while, the seed dies, and I mean dies. I leave you to ponder the implications of that.
One last passage as food for thought;
Jude 1:5
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
God has not changed, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The 8th Wonder of the world
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2(KJV)
There were initially seven wonders of the world, a category coined by the Greeks, even before Christ was born. The word initially was not wonder but thaumata meaning something to be seen. This list has changed so many times that there is no need to mention it here. I however am interested in the 8th wonder of the world, a category that can be given to anything comparable to the seven wonders. I am talking about the true Christian, the true follower of Christ, I want to believe I am talking to you.
Think of a vehicle, anyone at all, four wheels, two wheels, anyone you would love to have, be it flashy, fast or luxurious. I have always had a soft spot for Range Rovers, whatever year they were made, but the newer the better. Now no matter what car you have chosen, the one thing required for the car to perform its functions is energy; from the energy provided by the battery to the energy provided by fuel. Without energy, no vehicle performs its primary function, that of transportation.
I mention cars today because it can in a way be compared to christian living. In our lives, we get lovely engines, nice finishing, beautiful interiors, we look like we walk the walk, and we look like we can talk the talk. Worship, prayer, bible study you just name it, we have it all, but we have run dry. There is no fuel, no Spirit in us to give us life, to make us the one thing we are meant to be; a light to the world, drawing all men to God.
- Known fishermen, coarse language, poor education, changed and having no other name than the name of Jesus. Their testimony? What they were and what they now are.
- A tax collector, known as cheats, and thieves, changed and having no other name than the name of Jesus. His testimony? What he was and was no more.
- A pharisee, known persecutor of the church, changed and having no other name than the name of Jesus. His testimony? What he was and was no more.
Just some examples but then no matter what you were, what matters now is what you are, not just what you profess to be. It doesn't matter what position you hold in society, God chose you for a reason. It doesn't matter if you are a Bentley, Lexus, Mercedes or a rickshaw. What matters is your ability to carry people from where they are to where they should be. You can have all the works, the beauty and all, but without the Spirit of God in you, you simply cannot bear fruit.
Different people, different lifestyles, one testimony. Go into the world and preach the gospel to all nations. Preach Jesus, him crucified, the reason you are... Your life your testimony. His death, the reason. Make yourself something to be seen, something to be seen that all men can give glory to God, something to be seen to draw all men closer to God. Make yourself an 8th wonder of the world.
People can and most often do, spend their entire lives without having seen one wonder, however people will come in contact with you daily. What matters more? The one never seen or the one seen daily?
There were initially seven wonders of the world, a category coined by the Greeks, even before Christ was born. The word initially was not wonder but thaumata meaning something to be seen. This list has changed so many times that there is no need to mention it here. I however am interested in the 8th wonder of the world, a category that can be given to anything comparable to the seven wonders. I am talking about the true Christian, the true follower of Christ, I want to believe I am talking to you.
Think of a vehicle, anyone at all, four wheels, two wheels, anyone you would love to have, be it flashy, fast or luxurious. I have always had a soft spot for Range Rovers, whatever year they were made, but the newer the better. Now no matter what car you have chosen, the one thing required for the car to perform its functions is energy; from the energy provided by the battery to the energy provided by fuel. Without energy, no vehicle performs its primary function, that of transportation.
I mention cars today because it can in a way be compared to christian living. In our lives, we get lovely engines, nice finishing, beautiful interiors, we look like we walk the walk, and we look like we can talk the talk. Worship, prayer, bible study you just name it, we have it all, but we have run dry. There is no fuel, no Spirit in us to give us life, to make us the one thing we are meant to be; a light to the world, drawing all men to God.
- Known fishermen, coarse language, poor education, changed and having no other name than the name of Jesus. Their testimony? What they were and what they now are.
- A tax collector, known as cheats, and thieves, changed and having no other name than the name of Jesus. His testimony? What he was and was no more.
- A pharisee, known persecutor of the church, changed and having no other name than the name of Jesus. His testimony? What he was and was no more.
Just some examples but then no matter what you were, what matters now is what you are, not just what you profess to be. It doesn't matter what position you hold in society, God chose you for a reason. It doesn't matter if you are a Bentley, Lexus, Mercedes or a rickshaw. What matters is your ability to carry people from where they are to where they should be. You can have all the works, the beauty and all, but without the Spirit of God in you, you simply cannot bear fruit.
Different people, different lifestyles, one testimony. Go into the world and preach the gospel to all nations. Preach Jesus, him crucified, the reason you are... Your life your testimony. His death, the reason. Make yourself something to be seen, something to be seen that all men can give glory to God, something to be seen to draw all men closer to God. Make yourself an 8th wonder of the world.
People can and most often do, spend their entire lives without having seen one wonder, however people will come in contact with you daily. What matters more? The one never seen or the one seen daily?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A call to self examination
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
It is that day again, the first day of the year. A time for some to put of the old and put on the new, a time to let things go, forgive and forget and in most cases move on. For me it is a time for self examination, a time for me to check myself properly and thoroughly. The scripture judge not comes ever so readily to mind, because it is a scripture that formed the basis of much of my life in 2009. In the past year one has made a lot of mistakes, and by mistakes I don't mean judgment mistakes in the areas of investment or jobs, I am talking about mistakes that could cost us our rightful place in the life beyond here.
Questions come flooding into my mind at this point, the reason I attend the church I do, talk and act the way I do, the reason my life is the way it is. Not just the me the world sees, but the me I see each time I look in a mirror. Do I glorify God with the life I live or is just for self? I have been back at home for little over a month now and there are a lot of times I feel like I should have spoken out but didn't. Something I know probably occurs in the daily lives of Christians all over the world. Not just at home now, but at different times over the last year... Kept silent because in my mind I keep telling myself judge not. Where does one draw the line? Between judging and what one believes and what one knows is right? The passage says do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, to the way the world sees things but be transformed by renewing your mind. A constant activity I must admit.
There are a lot of examples where this is very important but rather than dwell on them all, I will talk about the recent activity of Mr Mutallab in his attempt to bomb a plane (an activity which I don't encourage by the way), now we have Nigerian's all over the world rising up to condemn the act, even our dear militants down in the Niger Delta. Now I have no problem with Nigerians standing up to condemn the act, but then if we were standing up just to condemn the act as it was, then I have no problem with it, but then I don't see anyone thanking God that the bomb did not actually go off, but rather people are focusing on the issue of the difficulty in getting visas to travel.
Paul says to Timothy in 2 Tim 3:16 and I quote "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
All scripture Paul says can be used for any one of them... Teachings, warnings, correcting and a guide on how to live for God all found in the scriptures, wrapped up in the bible as we know it today.
and verse 17 tells us why this is so again I quote "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.".
It is a new year, and it is a year I start by beginning to wonder what is important to me? What matters most to me? For me it is right standing, righteousness and holiness. What matters to you?
Happy New Year!!!
It is that day again, the first day of the year. A time for some to put of the old and put on the new, a time to let things go, forgive and forget and in most cases move on. For me it is a time for self examination, a time for me to check myself properly and thoroughly. The scripture judge not comes ever so readily to mind, because it is a scripture that formed the basis of much of my life in 2009. In the past year one has made a lot of mistakes, and by mistakes I don't mean judgment mistakes in the areas of investment or jobs, I am talking about mistakes that could cost us our rightful place in the life beyond here.
Questions come flooding into my mind at this point, the reason I attend the church I do, talk and act the way I do, the reason my life is the way it is. Not just the me the world sees, but the me I see each time I look in a mirror. Do I glorify God with the life I live or is just for self? I have been back at home for little over a month now and there are a lot of times I feel like I should have spoken out but didn't. Something I know probably occurs in the daily lives of Christians all over the world. Not just at home now, but at different times over the last year... Kept silent because in my mind I keep telling myself judge not. Where does one draw the line? Between judging and what one believes and what one knows is right? The passage says do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, to the way the world sees things but be transformed by renewing your mind. A constant activity I must admit.
There are a lot of examples where this is very important but rather than dwell on them all, I will talk about the recent activity of Mr Mutallab in his attempt to bomb a plane (an activity which I don't encourage by the way), now we have Nigerian's all over the world rising up to condemn the act, even our dear militants down in the Niger Delta. Now I have no problem with Nigerians standing up to condemn the act, but then if we were standing up just to condemn the act as it was, then I have no problem with it, but then I don't see anyone thanking God that the bomb did not actually go off, but rather people are focusing on the issue of the difficulty in getting visas to travel.
Paul says to Timothy in 2 Tim 3:16 and I quote "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
All scripture Paul says can be used for any one of them... Teachings, warnings, correcting and a guide on how to live for God all found in the scriptures, wrapped up in the bible as we know it today.
and verse 17 tells us why this is so again I quote "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.".
It is a new year, and it is a year I start by beginning to wonder what is important to me? What matters most to me? For me it is right standing, righteousness and holiness. What matters to you?
Happy New Year!!!
Flickering Lights
The reason why people leave the church, the reason why people refuse to come to church and be saved is not because they don't believe in God. It is because you don't.
What would you do if the guy giving the sermon in church on Sunday, preached with a bottle of whiskey by his side? What if he did it every single Sunday? How long would you remain in that church? Just a rhetorical question but a question to reinforce a point.
The question is this, how do you preach the good news to someone who does the exact same things you do? You are in the club, bumping and grinding every Friday, he is too, the very same set of songs are on your ipods, in fact he copied the songs from you. You take a shot every now and then and no, he actually doesn't. Why? Because he believes too much alcohol would cause him health problems in the future. And yeah, last week you both were wishing you had someone to share your bed with you.
A new year, a fresh start, yet in most parts all I can see are flickering candles, lights that should be burning brightly and yet are flickering due to conflicts and strife from within. Conflicts due to increasing indecision on where to stand for beliefs or even how to, strife due to a decision to stand for truth and truth alone and still decisions are being made to burn as a part time light for God, here today, gone tomorrow only when convenient.
For all who claim to be Christians, we were given one assignment, to go into the world and preach the gospel, the gospel that Christ died for us, to save us and to change us, to become more like Him and less like us. The gospel of who we were and who we now are. Yet, more and more people are leaving the church, more and more people want to have nothing to do with what we stand for.
Let your light so shine, that men may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. In an age where people look more to self, in an age where love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself and love God regardless of whatever situation you find yourself, we find people using God, leaving Him when they have achieved what they want, we have people where the only prayers they make in a week is the Amen demanded of them by the priests and pastors every Sunday or whenever they do go to church. But then I forget, the very regular Jesus we all scream when things happen to go wrong. Yet we claim, we dare to lay claim to the name of God and put ourselves under the name of Christianity.
It is a new year, a fresh start and a new beginning, and for some reason, all that is on my mind is a question asked by Moses to the people of God at a time when they had missed out entirely on where they should have been, it is a new year and all I can ask right now is this... Who is on the Lord's side? Not to slay people but to shine out and draw all men to God, to represent not as flickering candles but as lights shining brightly as a representation of who you are, a light, not hid under a bushel but a light shining brightly everywhere you go...
Shalom...
What would you do if the guy giving the sermon in church on Sunday, preached with a bottle of whiskey by his side? What if he did it every single Sunday? How long would you remain in that church? Just a rhetorical question but a question to reinforce a point.
The question is this, how do you preach the good news to someone who does the exact same things you do? You are in the club, bumping and grinding every Friday, he is too, the very same set of songs are on your ipods, in fact he copied the songs from you. You take a shot every now and then and no, he actually doesn't. Why? Because he believes too much alcohol would cause him health problems in the future. And yeah, last week you both were wishing you had someone to share your bed with you.
A new year, a fresh start, yet in most parts all I can see are flickering candles, lights that should be burning brightly and yet are flickering due to conflicts and strife from within. Conflicts due to increasing indecision on where to stand for beliefs or even how to, strife due to a decision to stand for truth and truth alone and still decisions are being made to burn as a part time light for God, here today, gone tomorrow only when convenient.
For all who claim to be Christians, we were given one assignment, to go into the world and preach the gospel, the gospel that Christ died for us, to save us and to change us, to become more like Him and less like us. The gospel of who we were and who we now are. Yet, more and more people are leaving the church, more and more people want to have nothing to do with what we stand for.
Let your light so shine, that men may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. In an age where people look more to self, in an age where love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself and love God regardless of whatever situation you find yourself, we find people using God, leaving Him when they have achieved what they want, we have people where the only prayers they make in a week is the Amen demanded of them by the priests and pastors every Sunday or whenever they do go to church. But then I forget, the very regular Jesus we all scream when things happen to go wrong. Yet we claim, we dare to lay claim to the name of God and put ourselves under the name of Christianity.
It is a new year, a fresh start and a new beginning, and for some reason, all that is on my mind is a question asked by Moses to the people of God at a time when they had missed out entirely on where they should have been, it is a new year and all I can ask right now is this... Who is on the Lord's side? Not to slay people but to shine out and draw all men to God, to represent not as flickering candles but as lights shining brightly as a representation of who you are, a light, not hid under a bushel but a light shining brightly everywhere you go...
Shalom...
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