Tag: September Edition

Our ministry supports the authority of the Bible from the very first verse. However, some opponents of biblical (‘young earth’) creation also claim to believe in the authority of Scripture, but claim that Genesis 1–11 is poetry or allegory. Others rebuke us by claiming,

“Genesis is not a scientific textbook”. If I’m in a playful mood, I’ll reply, “Thank goodness, because scientific textbooks become outdated in a few years”. Otherwise I reply that we claim it’s really a book about history—events that really happened in the past.1 To justify this, it’s important to show what type of book Genesis is.2 To do this, we should compare Scripture with Scripture.

Other biblical writers treat Genesis as history Hebrew scholar Dr Steven Boyd has shown that different types of verb (perfect and imperfect) are frequent in Hebrew poetry, but not in historical books.

So from his verb analysis, he found that the probability that Genesis 1:1–

2:3 is narrative (not poetry) is 0.99997. As we have shown in a number of articles, the rest of the Bible treats Genesis as real history.

3 The other writers of the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, treat the people, events, time frames

,4 and even the order of events, as real, not merely literary or theological devices.

5 And the reality of the history is foundational to crucial teachings about faith and morality.

6 Furthermore, it’s clear that the New Testament authors presupposed that their readers, as new converts in the first churches, received detailed instruction in Genesis

.7 What does biblical history look like? Let’s ask opponents the question: just suppose, for the purposes of the argument,

Genesis is history, how would you expect it to look? We can answer from the style of the undisputed historical books such as most of Exodus, Joshua, Judges, etc. Hebrew grammar experts have shown that historical narratives in the Old Testament have a very distinctive verb pattern.

They start with a type of verb called a qatal (perfect) and continue with another type of verb called the waw (vav,)

8 consecutives, or wayyiqtols.

9 This verb type is frequent in the historical books of the Old Testament. Apply this to Genesis 1,

the first verb, ברא bārā’ (create), is qatal, while the subsequent verbs that move the narrative forward are wayyiqtols (ויאמר wāyyō’mer (‘and … said’), ויהי wāyehi (‘and there was’), וירא wāyyāre (‘and … saw’). Thus this has just the pattern one would expect from a historical narrative. Furthermore, Genesis 1–11 moves seamlessly on, with no change in style, to Genesis 12–50.

No one doubts that the latter is intended to be read as history. Therefore any doubts with the former don’t stem from the grammar and style of the text itself.

Rather, they come from considerations outside the text, such as long-age uniformitarian geology and evolutionary biology. What would poetry look like? So what would Genesis look like if it were poetry? Hebrew poetry, such as the Psalms, has a different style.

10 The defining characteristic of Hebrew poetry is not rhyme or metre, but parallelism. That is, the statements in two or more consecutive lines are related in some way. For example, in synonymous parallelism there is one statement, then it is immediately followed by another statement saying the same thing in different words. Psalm 19:1–2 nicely illustrates this: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. In antithetical parallelism, the first statement is followed by a statement of the opposite, as in Proverbs 28:1 and 7: The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father. In synthetic or constructive parallelism, the first statement is extended by the next one, e.g. Psalm 24:3–4: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. However, parallelism is absent from Genesis, except where people are quoted, e.g. Genesis 4:23–24. However, they stand out from the rest of Genesis—if Genesis were truly poetic, it would use parallelisms throughout.

11 In fact, the Bible has a poetic celebration of God’s creative work of Genesis: Psalm 104―so if we want to see what a poetic account of creation looks like, that’s where to look. For example, Psalm 104:7, 11 illustrates parallelism perfectly: At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took flight. They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Also, Hebrew scholar Dr Steven Boyd has shown that different types of verb (perfect and imperfect) are frequent in Hebrew poetry, but not in historical books. So from his verb analysis, he found that the probability that Genesis 1:1–2:3 is narrative (not poetry) is 0.99997.

12 Structural similarities of Genesis and other passages One of the passages most similar to Genesis 1 in structure is Numbers 7. Both are structured accounts, both containing the Hebrew word for day יוֹם (yôm) with a numeric—indeed both are numbered sequences of days. In Numbers 7, there are 12 consecutive numbered days, where a representative of each of the 12 tribes of Israel brought an offering for the altar: The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon, son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah. … On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his offering. … On the third day, Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering. … On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering. …. The day-numeric parallel is even stronger as Numbers 7 not only numbers each day, but also opens and closes with ‘in the day that’ referring collectively to the entire sequence, which no one doubts are ordinary-length days. This refutes the false claim that “in the day that” (בְּי֗וֹם bəyôm)

13 in Genesis 2:4, summarizing Creation Week, shows that the Genesis 1 days are not normal-length, as this is a Hebrew idiom for ‘when’ (as many English translations render it).

14 Further, no one claims that Numbers 7 is merely a poetic framework for teaching something theological and that it is not history. There simply is no grammatical basis for denying the same for the Genesis 1 days. Both are straightforward history. Numbered days = ordinary length days It is as though it said: 24 hours measure the space of a day, or that, in reality a day is the time that the heavens starting from one point take to return there.—Basil, 4th century, on Creation Day 1 Note that the numeric for Days 2–6 in the Creation Week account in Genesis is in the Hebrew form of an ordinal number,

15 as it is with all of the numbered days in the Numbers passage—i.e. the days are numbered second (שֵׁנִֽי shenî), third (שְׁלִישִֽׁי shlishî), fourth (רְבִיעִֽי rveî‘yî), fifth (חֲמִישִֽׁי chamîshî) and the sixth (הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי hashshîshî). But there’s a key difference with Day 1 of Creation Week. That’s because Genesis 1:5 does not say “first day” (which would be יוֹם רִאשׁ֖וֹן yôm ri’shôn)—i.e. day with an ordinal number—but instead “one day”, (יוֹם אֶחָֽד yôm echad)—i.e. day with a cardinal number.

16 This is the first moment in recorded history that anyone has spoken the word ‘day’ with a numeric—and so the cardinal number is apt. A day can be only a “first” if there are other days; but at the beginning of Creation Week, there was only that one day. Also, God himself in Genesis 1:5 is defining what a day is: a darkness (night) and light (daytime) cycle, “there was evening and there was morning, one day”. One rotation of the earth equals one day. The whole creation was completed in the time it took for the earth to rotate just six times. Six ordinary-length earth-rotation days.

17 The great theologian Basil (AD 329–379) pointed this out long ago in a homily on Creation Week: “Why does Scripture say ‘one day’ not ‘the first day’? Before speaking to us of the second, the third, and the fourth days, would it not have been more natural to call that one the first which began the series? If it therefore says ‘one day’, it is from a wish to determine the measure of day and night, and to combine the time that they contain. Now 24 hours fill up the space of one day—we mean of a day and of a night; and if, at the time of the solstices, they have not both an equal length, the time marked by Scripture does not the less circumscribe their duration. It is as though it said: 24 hours measure the space of a day, or that, in reality a day is the time that the heavens starting from one point take to return there.”

18 Conclusion Genesis really is history. This is what the other Bible writers understood. And rightly so, as shown by the great similarity in style and verb patterns to other undoubted historical books of the Bible. Further, it looks nothing like the poetic books like Psalms.19 (Adapted from the author’s new book The Genesis Account: a theological, historical and scientific commentary on Genesis 1–11, see below).

3 Lessons on Change From Nehemiah

If your church is not changing, it’s not growing. I heard someone once say, “Don’t be afraid of change. You might lose something good, but you’ll gain something better.” However, bringing change in a church is often difficult. One of the greatest leaders of all time, Nehemiah, effected change in the setting that surrounded the building of the wall around Jerusalem. He modeled for leaders three essentials necessary to bring change. In Nehemiah 5, after Nehemiah faced opposition from without (criticism from his adversaries) and opposition from within (discouraged people), he faced a new crisis. Wealthy Jews were exploiting the poor by charging excessive interest rates. As a result, the poor faced hunger, crippling debt, and even slavery because some had to sell their children into slavery to pay off the debts. In the midst of that crisis Nehemiah engaged three essentials that resulted in the guilty party changing. The rich repented of their abuse and paid back the money they had taken from the poor.

He engaged these three parts of himself to bring that change.

(1) (2 heart: he engaged his passion. In verse 6 he writes, When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. In other words, this issue gripped his heart. It stirred his passion and emotions that motivated him to action.

(2) His head: he carefully thought. Rather than reacting to the situation and letting his emotion override good judgment, verse 7 says, I pondered them in my mind…In other words, he paused long enough to get a clear picture of things before he acted. James reminds of this. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20) His hands: he did something.

Finally, he took action by taking these four steps.

(1) Define reality by clearly defining the change you want to bring (the rich were exploiting the poor and that needed to stop).

(2) Bring the right people to the table (vss 7-12). He had to engage the right people to solve the problem. So, he confronted the guilty party and informed the rest of the people what he had discovered.

(3) Secure commitment (v 12). He held the guilty accountable by asking them to take an oath that they would give back what they had taken.

(4) Set a good example (vss 14-16). Nehemiah didn’t simply expect others to change. He, too, took responsibility by setting a good example. He sacrificed by refusing the king’s food allotment usually given to governors like himself. He committed to never exploiting the people as former leaders had. He committed to being a different kind of leader.

Nehemiah wisely managed change by using his heart, his head, and his hands to effect that change.

What has helped you create change in your church or ministry?

2 Ways to Conquer the Stresses and Anxieties of Life

It very clearly remember a time in my life when I had no cares in the world. When my biggest concern was whether or not I would have enough time to squeeze in my favorite show between homework and dinner. At what point did I leave the careless lifestyle of my childhood and trade it in for the worries and stresses of adulthood? I will be the first to admit adulting is not as fun as I thought it would be. And that’s because the overwhelming feeling of always being stressed and my brain never shutting off took over. This didn’t just happen overnight. It seemed to be a gradual progression that I slowly began to accept as my new reality. The stress began with large things like finances. But before I knew it, every tiny detail in my life was bombarding my peace. It seems as if the worries of my day all come flooding in just as my head touches the pillow. The timing is impeccable. Then the rest of my night is spent in turmoil. I find myself feeling so helpless in these hours and wishing I could just get my brain to stop running in circles. In these hours, I cry out to God asking for me to trust him with all things in my life. For me to not feel the need to control things. Especially when over half of those things don’t matter in the end. In my moments of desperation and brokenness I continue to seek Jesus knowing he is the only one who can truly bring peace to my soul. Here are two ways the Lord is teaching me to deal with the stresses my life brings, big or small. 1. Pray About It Now, I know as Christians this seems to be the cliché answer. But seriously. Pray about it. Just a few nights ago, I read an email just before bed. Probably my first mistake. The email was related to a possible mistake I had made at work. Immediately my mind went crazy. I was laying in bed trying to figure out if I actually made the mistake or if maybe something was interpreted incorrectly. I am well aware that I could have made a mistake. But I thought I had double checked the information I sent out. Instantly, my brain started searching for whether or not I made the mistake. If I had my laptop with me, I could have answered the question. But I had left my computer at work. So I laid awake all night, trying to remember what I did, and, if I did make the mistake, how to fix it. One, even if I did make the mistake it wasn’t the end of the world and I’m plenty used to fessing up to my mistakes because they happen. Two, this is ridiculous. Why am I wide awake at two in the morning trying to figure something out that can be answered as soon as I get to work and open my computer? I’m literally stressing out about something that really makes no difference regardless of what the answer is. I kept telling myself, “Just let it go. You will deal with it tomorrow. This is not life or death.” But the self-talk made no improvements to my situation. So instead of self-talk, I’ve learned that talking to God is better. Throughout my few years of dealing with a heightened sense of stress, God has shown me the difference between talking about the situation with him and just talking to him. Instead of praying for God to resolve the situation or guide me to the best strategy to resolve it—praying about it—I learned to pray differently

The Key to Satan’s Winning Strategy By In case you haven’t read about it, Satan doesn’t exist.

Recent polling by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research has found that while seven in 10 U.S. adults believe in angels, when it comes to fallen ones—like the devil—it drops to 56%.

A recent Gallup report found similar results with only 58% believing, down from 71% just two decades ago.

To be sure, belief in almost every other “spiritual” category is down as well: belief in God has dropped from 90% in 2001 to 74% in 2023; heaven from 83% to 69%; angels from 79% to 57%; and hell from 71% to 59%.

But dropping to 58% belief, it’s the devil that’s faring the worst. And he’s quite happy about it. In The “Screwtape Letters,”

C.S. Lewis’ masterful fictional account of a senior devil, Screwtape, mentoring a younger devil,

Wormwood, he notes the following in the preface:

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils.

One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.

They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.

Later in the work, Screwtape writes the following to Wormwood: I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence.

That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, it to conceal ourselves….

When the humans disbelieve in our existence we lose all the pleasing results of direct terrorism….

On the other hand, when they believe in us, we cannot make them materialists and sceptics.

Then Lewis, writing in his normally prescient way, adds these words from Screwtape’s pen: If once we can produce our perfect work—the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely calls “Forces” while denying the existence of “spirits”—then the end of the war is in sight. And that is precisely what the diminishing belief in Satan, and the increasing belief in all things paranormal, is achieving.

Write up by James Emery White

A Leader’s Top Weapon Against Complacency, Stagnation, Plateau, and Settling for Average

On the night of June 13th, a fisherman was fishing in the Mekong River in Cambodia. The Mekong River flows from the Tibetan Plateau and winds a great distance through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and all the way to Cambodia. The river is currently facing many challenges due to overfishing, pollution, and dams but on this night it was about to yield a historic catch. Upon returning to the Koh Preah island, the fisherman called the conservation group Cambodian Fisheries Administration to inform them he had caught a “very big” stingray.

Immediately, Dr. Zeb Hogan, a biologist who leads Wonders of the Mekong, visited the site. To his surprise, Dr. Hogan then discovered the stingray measured 3.98m long and 2.2m wide, and weighing a stunning 661lbs. The stingray was the largest freshwater fish ever caught in recorded human history.

He said in this article, “In 20 years of researching giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, this is the largest freshwater fish that we’ve encountered or that’s been documented anywhere worldwide.” It was what Dr. Hogan said next which caught my attention as a leader. He said, “The stingray find is evidence that the natural world can still yield new and extraordinary discoveries, and that many of the largest aquatic creatures remain woefully understudied.”

A Top Weapon For leaders who curious and have a personal-growth mindset, there are still countless things understudied and left to be discovered. Lessons can still there to be learned each and every day. New experiences are still left to be had.

The fictional character Forrest Gump once said, “Been there, done that.” While this is a memorable quote, this attitude can result in complacency, stagnation, plateau, and settling for average. Curiosity is the antidote to complacency and the catalyst for personal growth, self-improvement, and discovery. I feed my curiosity by reading books. It is my favorite way to grow and get better as a leader. I have come to realize through books that the more I know, the more I know how much I don’t know and how much there is still left to learn. Learning creates a positive feedback loop. The more you learn, the more you want to learn more. Curiosity multiplies itself and the result is personal growth and discovery.

A Personal Challenge Jim John once said, “Every life form seems to strive to its maximum except human beings. How tall will a tree grow? As tall as it possibly can. Human beings, on the other hand, have been given the dignity of choice. You can choose to be all or you can choose to be less. Why not stretch up to the full measure of the challenge and see what all you can do

5 PILLARS THE DEVIL WANTS OUT OF EVERY LOCAL CHURCH

There are only two churches the scripture recognizes: The local church-Matt.18;20, and the Universal church- Matt.16;18, every other church is for administrative convenience of man. The local church is the plan of God to win the world unto Himself and Jesus will surely come back to rapture glorious, healthy local churches, within and without. Eph.5;26,27. The local congregation is the ECClesia of God in each community. The local church is the called out from Sin, Satan and darkness in the community to the Life, Light, Righteousness of Christ in each locality, and their gathering is unto Christ, not unto man. However, the devil doesn’t like any local church. He hates every gathering of the saints with passion and will do everything in his arsenal to corrupt her from within. Job 1;5 do confirm that Satan and his cohorts do come to gathering of children of God. As a master thief ,John 10;10a, Satan is adept in stealing things and is therefore working assiduously to remove these fundamentals from every careless local church. Mind you, these pillars are what uphold and should undergird any biblical local church anywhere in the world, but the devil is hell bent in stylishly removing them, though many church leaders are unaware of this evil, sinister and malicious plan of Satan. Your church name, location, policy, size, structure or wealth doesn’t matter to him, he just want to remove or corrupt these 5 fundamentals, so that he can destroy the church ultimately.

1. The Bible- or the corrupt version of it. He loves to replace the Bible with other books like 6&7 Books of Moses, lost book of eden and human philosophies. Whole, undiluted, balance and practical truth of the Bible he doesn’t want in any church altar. He has therefore corrupted many pulpits. Churches that only do meetings where they pray,sing, dance, entertain and prophesy without teaching the whole bible are falling into Satanic trap,big time.That’s why biblical ignorance is very high in most churches and deceptive doctrines are very rife.

2. Lordship of Christ. Satan doesn’t want the rule and reign of Christ in His church, rather he wants to be worshipped. That’s why many preachers no longer preach Jesus, careful to mention the name of Jesus because of political correctness. Modern preachers hate the lifestyle, teachings and practices of Jesus recorded in the gospels for us, and they prefer to do things their own way, because Jesus ways are too tough for them.

3. Holy Spirit – The devil wants the Holy Spirit to be grieved, lied to, through sins, disobedience and literal quenching of the Spirit of God and therefore withdraw from the church so that there will be no transformations, miracles, power demonstrations. He replaces the Holy Spirit with his demons, witches and witchcraft manipulations inside the church. The Holy Spirit is a great hindrance to the workings of the devils in any church, that’s why lots of ministers and Christians today are no longer baptized in the Holy Spirit and we carry on like that.

4. Genuine Prayers – While the scripture says my house shall be called the house of prayers, yet the devil wants prayers to be no existing in any church. He wants prayers to become a form, ritual, officious, formal, lifeless and powerless. He will use wrong teachings, emphasis and practices to produce unanswered prayers, so that people can be tired and quit praying. Today, there is no more holy fire on the prayer altars of many churches, because the devil has stolen it away. He knew that when the church truly prayers, God will work mightily in their midst.

5. Godly, Competent Pastor – The devil wants to corrupt every pastor. He wants every pastor to be sinful, bad example, ignorant, untrained, incompetent and a fake. In other instances, he wants the deacons and elders to usurp the position of the pastor so that the church will not be properly led. Once a godly and competent pastor is removed from a church, the devil will have free access to work and destroy that fellowship of the saints. Fundamentals are what you cannot do without, and once the devil succeed in removing these 5 pillars from any local assembly of Believer’s in anyway, he has prevailed over that church. Lots of church leaders may deny and fight this, yet it is the eternal plan and strategy of the devil for each local church. Check your church! Which pillar have the devil removed, or trying to remove? Lord, arise for your true servants and Church, give no place for the devil and fulfill your promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against your Church, In Jesus Mighty Name

12 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MINISTRY NOW

Ministry is quite different from church. Ministry is personal to you. It’s your calling, vision, assignment and divine mandate. Ministry is what you are gifted for by God. It is God alone that “puts” you or “puts” ministry in you. (1Timothy 1;12) If God did not put you in ministry, no man can. To improve the effectiveness and spiritual impact of your ministry, it’s very important to go back to the One who came to fulfill the ministry given to Him by His Father. Here are some simple ways from the ministry of Jesus to improve your ministry today:

1. Love is the surest foundation for ministry. Do ministry out of heart of love, not hatred, bitterness or indignation. Love for God, leadership, nation and people must be the deep underlying factor for your ministry. Genuine,agape love must be your propeller for ministry.

2. Be obedient to God. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39), but this cry marked His entire life. Your ministry can be stronger today if you can say with integrity, “Your will be done – whatever that is.” Let obedience to God saturate your life and work.

3. Function only in the area He has gifted you. The gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives are the surest marks of God equipment for ministry. Find out clearly God’s gift in your life and operate sincerely and honestly there as He opens the doors.

4.Get over yourself. Jesus was the Son of God, yet He pointed away from Himself to the Father. His desire was to please the Father always (John 8:29), following His commands even to His death (John 10: 17-18). Decide today that you are not the most important person in your ministry, and your work will be stronger. Overcome selfishness and self-centeredness, then your ministry will blossom.

5. Teach with clarity and relevance. Those around Him said nobody ever taught with authority like Jesus did (Mark 1:27). He taught, though, with simple images relevant to His hearers like a farmer sowing seed and houses with foundations. If you want to improve your ministry today, remember your responsibility is to communicate the gospel, not impress with your knowledge or ability. It is the gospel of Jesus’ death,resurrection and soon coming that will transform people, not your own gospel of this world

6. Take the gospel to non-believers. Jesus came for the sick, not for the well (Matt. 9:12). Take time today to tell somebody about the story of Jesus. You’ll likely find your ministry to be much more exciting because you did what Jesus did. Conversion of souls from death to life, darkness to light, bondage to freedom, power of Satan to power of God, lies to truthful living is the prove of transformational ministry. 7. Develop gospel sensitivity to others. Maybe you remember the story of the bleeding woman who touched Jesus’ garment in Mark 5. A large crowd pressed around Jesus, but still He felt the distinct touch of a desperate woman. If you want to strengthen your ministry, ask God to help you today not to walk past hurting people. Your ministry will only improve when it’s bringing healing to hurting people around you.

8. Take somebody with you when you do ministry. Jesus called His disciples to walk with Him, watch Him, and listen to Him. Inviting others to do ministry with us is both protective (it provides accountability) and productive (it provides training). The days of Lone Ranger ministry are gone forever. Stop doing ministry alone, lest it dies with you.

9. Invest in 2-3 others. Jesus had 12 disciples, of course, but He focused on Peter, James, and John. You can strengthen your ministry by deciding to pour your life into 2-3 others today. Provide coaching, mentoring and,impartation to close associates.

10. Release others, and then hold them accountable. Jesus modeled faithfulness for His followers, gave them instructions, sent them as His representatives, and corrected them when necessary (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20). Today, let your ministry members do their work, and then help them through supportive accountability. Allowing others to use their gifts and manifest their own God given ministries leads to mighty multiplications.

11. Pray for your co-laborers. Jesus prayed all night before calling His disciples (Luke 6:12-13). He interceded for them and for those who would believe through their work (John 17). Spend significant time today praying for your co-laborers, and you might find their ministry boosts yours. Lifting up your members,associates and workers through regular intercessions helps them to be what God wants them to be, and to be fruitful for Him.

12. Get alone with God when you need it. Even when the crowds wanted to hear Him and the sick wanted His healing, Jesus prioritized time with the Father (Luke 5:15-16). Push away from the crowds long enough to be renewed today, and then get back to the task. Your ministry will be stronger. Don’t let ministry activities block you from seeking and having times of private fellowship with your God. Spending much time in His presence brings lots of spiritual, physical and all round improvement to your ministry. Without Him, you cannot.

Good Day

YOUR HELPER ALSO NEEDS YOUR HELP –

Stop Being Selfish When You Find A Helper in any situation. You must know, you can always help back in another way – stop being abusive to your helpers esp those that are God sent Whoever is your helper in your life, in your project, in your studies, in your sickness, in your family, in your church etc to meet your needs or fulfill your destiny,

You must realise he/she has a problem too. You will always meet someone to help you but be heartful and analytical enough to find ways to help back.

Don’t always think because someone has helped you then he/she is strong in all areas of life. You must always know that the help you are getting is actually introducing you to his/her problem you may need to help out.

Don’t just say “thank you” and you walk away. MOSES COULD HAVE BEEN LEFT ALONE IN THE BUSH SAVE FOR JETHROW’s WISDOM; Exodus2:16-22. The daughters of Jethrow a Midian priest looked after their father’s cows and sheep. At the time of giving animals water it was a battle because water h scarce and fights could break out.

The weak ones would drink their flock last. The strong Moses running away from Egypt saw how the girls were being beaten away from the well and moved in.

The man used his temper and muscles to beat up other men for the daughters of Jethrow to drink their flock first. They were so thankful and left Moses behind as they went home. At home they told their father why they were back home early that day.

The Hebrew man helped them fight against the other boys, he beat them up for them to drink their animals first, Exodus2:18 …..”how is it that you have come back so soon today?” WISDOM OF JETHROW SAVED MOSES, after hearing the good help from Moses to his daughters, Jethrow sent for Moses to brought to his home, Exodus 2:20″ And where is he?” Why is it that you have left the man?” Call him, that he may eat bread.” And for sure the man who had so much strength to fight had nowhere to sleep, had no wife, had no family, no food etc.

He was a fugitive running away from eminent trouble in Egypt. He joined this family ofJethrow and was given: – accommodation – food – a job to look after the flock of Jethrow – even married Ziphora the daughter of Jethrow

SOME PEOPLE GAVE MONEY AND OTHER RESOURCES TO JESUS TO SUPPORT HIS MINISTRY.

After being prayed for healed and demons cast out of them, many people offered Jesus accommodation, transport money, food, money for other things etc.

This was a way of helping back for the help Jesus gave them to support His ministry, Luke 8:1-3 Brethren the people who come to help you meet your needs and fulfill your destiny will also need help in another area of their lives, be as wise as Jethrow to invite them And open up with them you will be of great help to them and save lives and make more people prosper than you thought.

Those who come to pray for you, heal you, share the Word of God with you give them something to support the ministry.

Good Day

I trust that all is well with you. One of the best-loved and yet challenging chapters of the Bible is Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13, NIV)

Did you notice the final verse? “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV)

Love, of course, is defined by the verses you just read. The book of Hebrews says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

Faith is a powerful mixture of trust and confidence. We know even though we don’t see it or can prove it. Hope is the glue that binds faith and love together. Faith and hope without love are nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

Hope and love without faith is powerless. Faith and love without hope is rudderless and without purpose. Bring all three together and something wonderful happens.

There is a synergistic multiplication when faith, hope, and love are combined. Synergistic in that the reality of the whole is greater, more powerful, than the sum of the parts. Peace and joy are discovered.

Purpose and direction are uncovered in sometimes surprising ways. While the struggle may continue, we find rest. It is difficult for me to express this truth in practical terms. But know this dear friend. If you seem directionless, powerless, or ineffective, ask yourself which of faith, hope, and love is missing or weak in your walk with Jesus. Without each of them, we become less than what God has made us to be. Which of faith, hope, and love is your greatest strength?  Which is your greatest weakness?

Good Day

THE UNTOLD TRUE STORY OF DORCAS BABALOLA, WIFE OF APOSTLE JOSEPH AYO BABALOLA

Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola was called into the ministry in 1928 at the age of 24 when he encountered the voice of God at Ikeji Arakeji while working for a road construction company as the driver of the steam roller.

Babalola started his ministry that same year and God began to work with him confirming His Word with outstanding miracles, notable signs and wonders. By the year 1930, his fame began to spread abroad most especially due to his amazing exploits at the Great Revival that happened at Ilesa which changed the spiritual climate of the western region.

It is not an overstatement to say that the impact of the great revival was felt virtually all over the country.

Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola became a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian church and became the leader of the pentecostal movement in Nigeria. His name was virtually on every lip both of friends and foes, admirers and critics. Babalola however remained single and many of his family members, followers and colleagues were becoming curious as to why he was not considering marriage being a church leader. It then came to pass that after persistent pressure from his father, Pa David Rotimi Talabi, Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola got married to Dorcas on April 25, 1935. About 6000 people attended the wedding and he received a total gift of 3 pounds, 10 shillings and 6 pence. The wedding took place at the first Aladura assembly at Efon Alaaye and was conducted by Pastor David Odubanjo, Pastor J.S.B Odusona and Pastor Medaiyese.

Apostle Babalola met his wife a virgin and had to give her 2 pounds and 10 shillings for the virginity, a custom of the Yoruba people at that time. During their lifetime, Babalola used to call his wife ” Mama Abiye” and Dorcas would also call him “Baba Abiye”. They settled down in Efon Alaaye. Much has been said about Dorcas Babalola. Dorcas was born on March 10, 1912 to the family of Fowowe at Ilesa.

Many people regarded Dorcas as being mean and aggressive but we have to look at the circumstances of her frustrations. In the first few years of their marriage, sometimes Dorcas would cook from morning till evening for visitors. Later, some people came to give her a helping hand and some would bring food to their home because the house was always filled with people.

The no-privacy life eventually wore Dorcas out. Dorcas was extremely stressed primarily because of the Apostle’s busy schedule; otherwise she was humorous. Their sitting room was always besieged and turned to a classroom; there were 47 children the Apostle was either sponsoring or tutoring, and who were always coming in and out of the house. Apostle Babalola hardly slept on his ‘Vono’ bed. He vacated it to sleep on a camp bed and sometimes on the floor.

All these compounded Dorcas’ frustrations. What also added to her frustration was that many times her husband would go on lengthy mission and would not return home for over a week. Dorcas was not able to go with him for two main reasons:

(1) She could not have withstood the harsh condition of missionary work ; Babalola did not get a car until 1953. He was either trekking several miles or riding on a Raleigh bicycle or using a public transportation (usually a lorry) that was always overloaded with other missionaries, all men. When Apostle Babalola traveled alone to rejoin other missionaries, he did so, most of the times, after midnight and before dawn. (2) People were always in the house even when Babalola was away. At some Point, Dorcas would try to prevent Babalola from stepping out of the house because she felt he needed some rest. Also, she sometimes took her frustration out on the sponsored children when her husband was away on missions; the children might be subjected to compulsory fasting. It was extremely difficult for both couple balancing family life with the work of God because of the conditions of missions field then.

Evidently Apostle Babalola gave priority to the call of God and building the church. There was no time for vacationing; the church even planned to organize a trip to Israel for him but it never materialized. Fortunately, people are reaping of his labour till today. In spite of the slight hiccup in their marriage, there was no case of domestic violence between them. They were both responsible in the discharge of their home duties. Babalola always told people he loved his wife; he always respected her and never maligned her. After Apostle Babalola slept in the Lord in 1959, Dorcas stayed at Efon Alaaye till 1962 when she finally relocated to Ilesa with her daughters. At Ilesa, Dorcas traded in raw food products, especially beans.

She remained a member of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC). She was appointed as the patroness of CAC, Okesa, Ilesa. Dorcas died at Ilesa on December 28, 1993 and was laid to rest on January 15, 1994 behind CAC, Okesa. Eminent clergymen graced the burial ceremony;

Pastor Olu Alokan led the wake keeping ceremony, Pastor D.O Babajide led the prayers while Pastor E.H.L Olusheye who worked closely with the family preached at the burial service. Pastor Olusheye praised Dorcas for her motherly care, strength and courage. Most people out of ignorance or misinformation have labeled this woman a witch and a thorn in Babalola’s flesh; hence the necessity of this research so as for people to be able to understand what she went through as the young wife of a man who was a public property.

I trust that all is well with you. One of the best-loved and yet challenging chapters of the Bible is Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13, NIV) Did you notice the final verse? “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV) Love, of course, is defined by the verses you just read. The book of Hebrews says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

Faith is a powerful mixture of trust and confidence. We know even though we don’t see it or can prove it. Hope is the glue that binds faith and love together. Faith and hope without love are nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Hope and love without faith is powerless. Faith and love without hope is rudderless and without purpose. Bring all three together and something wonderful happens.

There is a synergistic multiplication when faith, hope, and love are combined. Synergistic in that the reality of the whole is greater, more powerful, than the sum of the parts. Peace and joy are discovered. Purpose and direction are uncovered in sometimes surprising ways. While the struggle may continue, we find rest. It is difficult for me to express this truth in practical terms. But know this dear friend.

If you seem directionless, powerless, or ineffective, ask yourself which of faith, hope, and love is missing or weak in your walk with Jesus. Without each of them, we become less than what God has made us to be.

Which of faith, hope, and love is your greatest strength? Which is your greatest weakness?

Copyright September 2023