SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY

We are living in a generation of believers who are full of bible knowledge, a zeal and a passion to serve God and even go to seek the lost but with the greater majority, they lack spiritual authority. Yes the sick are healed and people get saved, because God still gives His gifts, but He does not back up many who proclaim his word. One reason is that God has not been able to break their strong will and thus are less usable in the hands of God. One way God makes His people usable is through submission to IMPERFECT AUTHOURITY.

Jesus who says to us FOLLOW ME, submitted to Joseph and Mary always. Luke 2:51. We know that Jesus was perfect and never sinned even once, but He submitted to his parents who were imperfect in so many ways and He never despised them though He was being better than them in a million was. In the same way, if God is to commit authority to any of us, we must first learn to submit to authority. Paul says that WE (including Paul) see through the glass dimly, 1Cor 13:12. These means that even the greatest servants of God have areas where they do not see clearly and maybe wrong in some areas, but God still demands submission.

Before God gave Moses authority to lead the children of Israel out Egypt, he had to break him first. Before running away from Egypt, He was taught in all the wisdom of Egypt and was mighty in speech and deeds. It was before running away from Egypt that God had revealed to him that He was to deliver the children of Israel out of bondage. Acts 7:25. But this did not make him ready to fulfill Gods purpose. God had to break him first and strip him of all his pride and self-confidence by causing him to run away from the palace into the wilderness and there He married and lived with His father-in-law and his work was to tend his father-in-law’s sheep forty years. This was enough to break him.

Have you heard or do you know any man who married and lives with his wife’s parents and is also employed by them???

It like a young person who after much time seeking Gods will discovers it and maybe have gone to a bible school and have the studied bible but still is not ready for God has not broken him. he has to submit to authority if He has to have wisdom and if God has to commit spiritual authority to Him.

When the work of breaking was done, Moses who was mighty in speech and deeds and was learnt in all the wisdom of Egypt and was very confident and even killed an Egyptian, Ex 2:11-12, became a stammerer and was helpless to do anything without Gods help. In fact, reading Exod 39-40 we see the phrase ‘’as the Lord commanded Moses’’ occurring 16 times. He could not do anything in His own initiative, he had learnt to wait on God. God has to break us in our strongest areas before He can fully use us.

Joshua was the man who took after Moses and He himself submitted to Moses. He was referred to as Moses servant, Ex 24:13, Num 11:28. Whenever Moses went to hear God, Joshua woul wait patiently. Ex 33:11. Before Moses death, He laid his hands on Joshua and He became the next leader. Num 27:18, Deut 31:14, 34:9

Dathan, Korah, and Abiram rebelled against authority and the earth swallowed them up.

These were among the chosen leaders. Num 16

It’s like young people who rebel against the authority of the church and being wise in their own eyes starts correcting everything and everyone except themselves. Jam 3:13 says ...the meekness of wisdom.. and 1Cor 3:18 says that stop deceiving ourselves; if we think we are wise, we must become fools submitting to authority and accepting to be taught that we may be truly wise.

There are many other examples teaching the same principle. Joseph, Elisha and the Apostles. Let us learn submission to authority.

You are blessed to be a blessing

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BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE

 

We are living in a generation of believers where everyone wants to become a teacher giving guidance to those who are ignorant but unfortunately much of the teaching accomplishes nothing simply because those who teach are not living examples of what they teach. There is a saying that states that ‘’your actions are speaking so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying’’. The bible in Rom 2:18-24, talks about those who read the bible and discover Gods will but unfortunately they go on to teach others without first of all practicing what they themselves have learnt. ‘’YOU WHO TEACH OTHERS, DO YOU NOT TEACH YOURSELF… THE GENTILES BLASPHEME THE NAME OF GOD BECAUSE OF YOU’’. Before we teach others, we ought to be living examples of what we teach, we should only teach what we have already practiced.

One reason why the apostles had so much authority with God is that they themselves were examples of what they taught. Phil 3:17 says…join in following my example and observe those who live after the pattern we have set for you. 1Cor 4:6, 11:1 states, be imitators of me as I imitate Christ. 2Thes 3:7-You ought to follow our example… 2Thes 3:9 …we gave you an example to follow. Paul could boldly tell the Philippian church, PRACTICE WHAT YOU HAVE…SEEN ME DO. Phil 4:9

We know that Jesus is the light of the world and we are also the light of the world. Mat 5:16. John 9:5.

Jn 1:4 says, HIS LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. In the same it is the way that we live that is the light of the world and we are warned, TAKE HEED THAT THE LIGHT IN YOU DOES NOT BECOME DARKNESS. Lk 11:35.

Having seen the necessity for us to be living examples, there are some areas where the bibles insists that we should be examples. Some of the areas mentioned below are stated in the following verses; 1Tim 4;12 and Titus 2:7-8

SPEECH- if we cannot control our tongues, our Christianity is worthless. Jam 1:26. Our speech should be used to encourage and build others up not destroy reputation of others. Eph 4:29

CONDUCT- we should live in a way that cannot be condemned or criticized. Eph 1:4, 2Pet 3:14

LOVE- we are to love even our enemies and bless those who curse us and do good to those who hate us and pray for those take advantage of us and those who persecute us that we may be children of God. Mat 5:44-45

FAITH- we should be strong in faith glorifying God by believing that He is able to fulfill what He has promised and that He is faithful to do it. Rom 4:20-21, Heb 10:23

PURITY- in the way we relate especially to the opposite sex, we need to be examples in purity. There should not be even a hint of sexual immorality. 1Tim 5:2, Eph 5:3(NIV)

GOOD DEEDS- we need to be full of good deeds, 1Pet 2:12, Tit 3:8

PURITY IN DOCRINE-the truth to be taught is that which leads to godliness not facts which may be true. For example, 1+1+1=3 is true but such does not lead anyone to godliness. Tit 1:1

SERIOUSNESS- everyone should see that we mean what we say. There is a comedian who said that the difference between them and preachers is that the comedians act what is fiction as if it was true and that many preachers teach what is true as if it was fiction.

SINCERITY- everyone should be able to say-‘’this person is genuine’’

TRUTH THAT CANNOT BE CRITICIZED because we are examples of what we teach by our lives.

Let us be examples to our generation of what true Christianity entails and God will make us a blessing to many more people

You are blessed to be a blessing

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PURPOSE OF GODS GOODNESS AND MIRACLES IN OUR LIVES

 

There are many situations that we face as we live in this world. Many problems and temptations but God delivers us. The interesting thing is that even when we are out of Gods will, God still performs miracles for us. Jesus said in Mat 5:45 that God causes sun to shine to good and evil and also causes rain to fall to good and evil people. Even today, God blesses materially both the just and wicked in businesses, education, agriculture and in so many areas. Thus we are most likely to get deceived if we think that God blesses us materially when we are pleasing to Him because in all areas, God gives material prosperity both to the righteous and the wicked. If we are blessed materially, it simply means that God is good and nothing more than that. 

The reason God does us good is to lead us to repentance. Rom 2:4. Thus whenever we receive of Gods goodness in our lives, it is a call for us to turn away from everything else and turn to God. We need to repent of everything that is unchristlike in our lives and not take the goodness of our Lord for granted.

…if the mighty works had been done…could have repented long ago. Mat 11:20-21. Here we get the whole purpose of all the miracles that Jesus performed in His lifetime. It was to call people to repentance. He who did miracles then has not changed, even today He does miracles but still with the same purpose, He wants us to repent. Thus let us reorient our thinking- God does not perform miracles in our lives or bless us materially because He is pleased with us but mainly because He wants us to repent and become more Christlike.

Everyday in forty years, God perfomed miracles for the children of Israel. He led them by a pillar of cloud and a fire-Exod 13:21-22. Bitter water was made sweet and drinkable- Exod 15:22-25. Manna and quails from heaven for food-Exod 16:4, 13-18. Water came from a rock- Ex17:2-6, Num 20:2-13. Israelites defeated the Amalekites- Ex 17:9-3. Ground opened and swallowed Korah- Num 16:19-35. The bronze snake healed people. Num 21:4-9.

Looking at all the miracles that God performed the children of Israel, it is very easy to assume that God was really pleased with them. But coming to the new testament, we read that GOD WAS NOT PLEASED WITH MOST OF THEM. 1Cor 10:5, in fact as far as we know only Joshua and Caleb out of the 600, 000 people pleased God. Num 32:11, 26:51. These people for whom God performed miracles for forty years provoked and grieved God. Heb 3:8-10,16-17.

We see therefore that it is possible to be thoroughly displeasing to God and yet God provides our needs, heals us when we are sick, fight our enemies and do for us many things. In fact, we can disobey God and pray for someone and God performs a miracle for the person for we just like Moses disobeyed God when He was told to speak to the rock and smote it; Num 20:2-13. Thus, if we see God performs miracles, healing us, fighting our battles, answering the prayer that we pray for others; it is not necessary that He is pleased with us- it just means that God is good, and He loves us and He loves the people for whom we pray for. And nothing more than that.

Remember always that Gods goodness and miracles He performs in our lives is a call for repentance

You are blessed to be a blessing

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SECRET OF FRUITFULNESS 2

 

We had seen in an earlier study that God desires all His children be fruitful and not be barren. We’ll continue looking on the same; how can we continue bearing fruits in every season in our lives until the end.

We have amazing statements here…. THEY NEVER STOP PRODUCING FRUIT, and…HE BEARS FRUIT EVERY SEASON AND WHATEVER HE DOES PROSPERS. Jer 17:8, Psalm 1:3

In the above two statements in hidden the secret of always bearing fruits. Let us consider carefully the context of these two statements that we may grasp the secrets and if we seek to wholeheartedly to follow them, the results will be that we will always be fruitful all that days of our lives. If that’s your desire in this life, let us go on and look at the context of these words.

BLESSED are those who trust in the Lord, and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. He shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and spreads its roots by the river. He will not be bothered by heat or long months of drought. Their leaves are ever green and they never cease yielding fruits. Jer 17:7-8

Trust means absolute confidence in the reliability of something, 

Hope means expectation and desire of a particular thing to happen.

Putting these together we see that those who have absolute confidence in the Lord that He is reliable and that He will fulfill what He has promised and that their expectation is from God alone-only such as these will always be fruitful all their lives.

Blessed is the man who does not WALK in the counsel of the wicked…i.e. follow the advice of evil people

He does not stand in the path of sinners- standing may means undecided on whether to follow sinners or not, but those who already who already have made up their minds to walk the way of righteousness and holiness…

He does not sit with mockers- (those who treat others with contempt, making fun of others and despising their weaknesses)- He does not enjoy the company of such

Instead this person delights in the word of God; He does meditate on it day and night. This is the person who is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit every season, he leaves does not with and whatever He does prospers. Ps 1:1-3

Is the word of God your highest source of Joy or do you enjoy comedies or memes more than Gods word??? 

Another illustration on the same principle is Ezekiel 47:1-9, where Ezekiel had an experience where he passed through waters unto the ankles, then to the knees, then to the loins and then waters to swim. That last part states that…. WHEREVER THE WATER SHALL GO, EVERYTHING THERE WILL LIVE.

This can symbolize the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the more filled we are, the more fruitful we will be and be a blessing to everyone wherever we go.

Thus in conclusion, if we want to be more fruitful continue and be a blessing wherever we go, we need three things consistently.

We must absolute confidence in God

We must delight ourselves in the word of God; i.e, Gods word must be our highest source of joy

We must seek always seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit

Now that you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Jn 17:13

You are blessed to be a blessing

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SECRET OF BEING FRUITFUL

 

Jesus speaking to His disciples, and we are His disciples, said that we did not choose him but He chose us and ordained us. He explains that the purpose of this choosing and ordination is that we should go and bear fruits, and these fruits should not be temporal, that is for a short season, but they are to last. Jn 15:16

He explains in verses Joh 15:1-5 that He is the vine and we are the branches. We can say He is the mango tree and we are the branches, or you can use any fruit tree in your area that you know of. For the branch to bear the fruits, it must abide in the tree. As long as it remains in the tree, it can bear fruit but the moment it is cut off from the tree, it withers away and dries up. Even if it had borne fruit for thirty years, the moment it is cut off from the tree, it is useless and only fit to be thrown in the fire as firewood. 

It is the same principal in our lives; as long as we abide in Christ, we will bear fruit. We can be Christians for 50 years bearing fruits but the moment we stop abiding in Christ, we become useless to God, even if we have been fruitful for 50 years. We see therefore, that it is foolish to sit back and relax and reflecting on all that God has accomplished through you, but we need to take more earnest heed that we remain abound in Christ that there will be no moment in our lives where we will be useless to God. Our whole lives must be that of perpetual dependence upon God. Our expectation must only be from Him.

It is the branch that bears fruit that is pruned that it may bear much fruit. Pruning is painful, therefore it means that if you are fruitful, God will also allow us also to go through painful experiences in our lives which will cause us to be more fruitful IF WE RESPOND WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.

The branch that does not bear fruit must be cut off; there is therefore no allowance of fruitlessness anytime in our lives.

Peter in 2 Pet 1:5-9, tells us that if we want to be fruitful all the days of our lives, never being barren; we must be diligent, passionate and zealous to add these qualities to our faith. MORAL EXCELLENCE-excellence of character/integrity/virtue, KNOWLEDGE-of God and His word, SELF CONTROL, PATIENCE/ENDURANCE, GODLINESS (fear of God), BROTHERLY AFFECETION, LOVE. This will cause our knowledge of God to increase.

We see that Faith is the foundation but these other qualities are the superstructure; faith alone is not enough and these qualities without faith will crumble and fall. Verse 2-3 says that God has given us EVERYTHING WE NEED TO LIVE AND EVERYTHING WE NEED TO LIVE GODLY LIVES, but it is through knowing God. Pauls great passion and desire was that he might know Christ and the power of His resurrection, no wonder he was fruitful in all His life. Phil 3:10

Jesus in John 17:3 defined eternal life as knowing God and Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, we see that if we are to be fruitful, we must have a personal knowledge of God. And to know God we must wholeheartedly and passionately seek to add the qualities mentioned above to our faith.

You are blessed

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