Working Together In Unity

None of us can do individually, what all of us can do collectively.

Paul writes, ‘All of you together are Christ’s body (the church) and each of you is a part of it.’ But His body has been known to misbehave. The brain discounts the heart (Academics discount worshippers); the hands criticize the knees (People of action criticize people of prayer); the eyes refuse to partner with the feet (Visionary thinkers won’t work with steady labourers).

So Paul writes, ‘The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” (1 Corinthians 12:21).

The mega-church needs the smaller church. The liberal needs the conservative. The pastor needs the missionary. Cooperation is more than a good idea; it’s a scriptural command. ‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:3).

When we work together in unity, the Bible says God ‘commands His blessings’ to be upon us (Psalm 133:1-3). We haven’t been called to compare, to compete, to complain, or to criticize one another. No, we have been called to complement one another!

Jesus said: ‘When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there (Matthew 18:19-20).

What an astounding promise. When we come into agreement, Jesus notices. He shows up, He hears and answers our prayers.

“You can do what I cannot do,” says Mother Teresa, “I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.” Together Everyone Achieves More for the Lord.

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God Must Be Loved For Himself

God being who he is must always be sought for Himself, never as a means toward something else.

Whoever seeks other objects and not God is on his own; he may obtain those objects if he is able, but he will never have God. God is never found accidentally. “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Whoever seeks God as a means toward desired ends will not find God. The mighty God, the maker of heaven and earth, will not be one of many treasures, not even the chief of all treasures. He will be all in all or He will be nothing. God will not be used.

His mercy and grace are infinite and His patient understanding is beyond measure, but He will not aid men in their selfish striving after personal gain. He will not help men to attain ends which, when attained, usurp the place He by every right should hold in their interest and affection.

Yet popular Christianity has as one of its most effective talking points the idea that God exists to help people to get ahead in this world. The God of the poor has become the God of an affluent society. Christ no longer refuses to be a judge or a divider between money hungry brothers. He can now be persuaded to assist the brother that has accepted Him to get the better of the brother who has not.

A crass example of the modern effort to use God for selfish purposes is the well-known comedian who, after repeated failures, promised someone he called God that if He would help him to make good in the entertainment world he would repay Him by giving generously to the care of sick children.

Shortly afterward, he hit the big time in the night clubs and on television. He has kept his word and is raising large sums of money to build children’s hospitals. These contributions to charity, he feels, are a small price to pay for a success in one of the sleaziest fields of human endeavour.

One might excuse the act of this entertainer as something to be expected of a ‘twenty-first’ century pagan; but that multitudes of evangelicals should actually believe that God had anything to do with the whole business is not so easily overlooked. This low and false view of Deity is one major reason for the immense popularity God enjoys these days among well-fed elites in the world.

The teaching of the Bible is that God is Himself the end for which man was created. “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” cried the psalmist, “and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee” (Psalm 73:25). The first and greatest commandment is to love God with every power of our entire being. Where love like that exists there can be no place for a second object. If we love God as much as we should, surely we cannot dream of a loved object beyond Him which He might help us to obtain.

Bernard of Clairvaux began his radiant little treatise on the love of God with a question and an answer. The question, Why should we love God? The answer, Because He is God. He developed the idea further, but for the enlightened heart little more need be said. We should love God because He is God. Beyond this the angels cannot think.

Being who He is, God is to be loved for His own sake. He is the reason for our loving Him, just as He is the reason for His loving us and for every other act He has performed, is performing and will perform world without end. God’s primary reason for everything is His own good pleasure. The search for secondary reasons is gratuitous and mostly futile. It affords occupation for theologians and adds pages to books on doctrine, but that it ever turns up any true explanations is doubtful.

But it is the nature of God to share. His mighty acts of creation and redemption were done for His good pleasure, but His pleasure extends to all created things. One has but to look at a healthy child at play or listen to the song of a bird at sundown and he will know that God meant His universe to be a joyful one.

Those who have been spiritually enabled to love God for Himself will find a thousand fountains springing up from the rainbow-circled throne and bringing countless treasures which are to be received with reverent thanksgiving as being the overflow of God’s love for His children. Each gift is a bonus of grace which because it was not sought for itself may be enjoyed without injury to the soul. These include the simple blessings of life, such as health, a home, a family, congenial friends, food, shelter, the pure joys of nature or the more artificial pleasures of music and art.

The effort to find these treasures by direct search apart from God has been the major activity of mankind through the centuries; and this has been man’s burden and man’s woe. The effort to gain them as the ulterior motive back of accepting Christ may be something new under the sun; but new or old it is an evil that can only bring judgment at last.

God wills that we should love Him for Himself alone with no hidden reasons, trusting Him to be to us all our natures require. Our Lord said all this much better: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

** Written by Aiden Wilson Tozer (A.W. Tozer) **

*** From the Book - "Man: The Dwelling Place of God" ***

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To The Lost World Minister Christ

To the lost world minister Christ,

Not just by word, but by life,

Imparting Christ by living deeds

To the poor souls living in strife.

To the lost world minister Christ,

By daily walk making Him known;

Imparting Christ by whom you live,

Share with all men what you own.

To the lost world minister Christ,

The precious One you possess,

Imparting Christ to those you love

As all their gain and success.

To the lost world minister Christ,

The very Christ you enjoy,

Imparting Christ to all your friends

As all their boast and their joy.

To the lost world minister Christ,

Who is your life and your all,

Imparting Christ to all you meet,

All fallen ones, great or small.

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We Must Be Examples

Key Verse: “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7)

Now that we have become believers in Christ there are few things that are now required of us, one of those things is to be an example to others; those who believe and to those who do not believe.

We are under a microscope; people are trying to see if we live the life that we proclaim. They are looking to see if we ‘walk the walk’ as well as we ‘talk the talk’. Those in the world are looking at us waiting for us to make a mistake so that they can accuse us of being a hypocrite, but those in the church are looking to us to be an example that they can look up to.

As we begin to mature in Christ those who are babes look to us as an example of how they should live their lives. We must live our lives in holiness and teach those who are young in the faith to do the same. There are several ways in which we must show ourselves as an example to those who believe.

In 1 Timothy 4:12, the Bible teaches us, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” These were the instructions Paul gave to Timothy because he was a young man. Paul instructed Timothy to be an example to those in the church.

We must be as Paul and begin to teach those who are young in the faith how they should live Christ-like. It is during this time we are best able to teach them how to live and to instruct them in the ways of holiness. We must teach them to be an example in word: the things we say will very often show what is in the content of our heart.

We must teach those who are young in Christ that they must allow the Holy Spirit to change their hearts so that their conversation will begin to change. Jesus tells us in Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

Paul then tells Timothy that he must be an example in charity or love. This is important because Jesus said this is the first commandment. In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus tells us, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

We must show them love! We must show that we love the Lord, and we do this by obeying His commandments. We must love our neighbors as we love ourselves; we show this by giving to those who are in need and not being selfish. When God blesses us, we must in turn bless others.

The story of the Good Samaritan is an example of loving thy neighbor (Luke 10:26-37). We must be an example in spirit; this is to say we must be of a humble spirit and to be forgiving. We must also exhibit a spiritual walk with God. Romans 8:14 tells us, “Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children.” We don’t have to walk around speaking in tongues all the time to show them this; we must show them that we have the faith that God is in control and that we are doing things according to His will.

We must also be an example in faith. People are looking for us to show them that we have the faith to believe God for everything that we need. It is by our actions that they will know that we have faith. If we are looking to get a job, then we should go out and put in applications to get a job and not expect God to give us a job while we just sit around and eat Twinkies all day. God is able to do that if He wishes, but we have to do something to show God that we trust Him to provide for us.

We must show them our faith through our works. James tells us “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions” (James 2:18b). How will those around us know that we have faith unless they see us do something? And we must be an example in purity of heart and in living a holy life.

They will see what we do when we are not at church. Are we just a Sunday morning saint or is that how we live our lives daily? Those who are young in the faith are looking to us to be an example. They are like our children who do what we do so therefore we must take on Christ so that they will know how to live a life in holiness.

Let’s be an example of righteousness and holiness for all to see so that God will be glorified through us! May the God of peace, and the peace and love of Christ be with you always! Amen.

*** Written by Edwin D. Kerns ***

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Turning The Other Cheek

Text: Matthew 5:38-39, 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:20-32; Philippians 4:8

Key Verse: “…And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

If for every time someone offends us we retaliate, the world would be in utter chaos by now. Forgiveness, as difficult as it is to yield to, is a significant virtue that must never leave our hearts.

Humans have a tendency to do evil and hence, we err. We step on others’ toes, speak ill of our neighbors, betray our friends, disappoint our siblings, dishonor our parents, embarrass our families, and the list goes on. But as Christians, our disposition ought to be different.

Psalms 130:3 says, “If thou, Lord shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” For a fact, the answer is none. “For all have sinned and come short the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

However, the Bible records something wonderful for everyone to rejoice in. Next to John 3:16; and John 1:12, among other verses, Romans 5:6-8 remains one of my favorites that give me so much joy whenever I meditate on it:

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

“But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

If God Almighty, the Righteous King of glory could look pass our debasement, filth and faults, and chose to forgive us all our sins by sending His only begotten Son to redeem us through His blood (Ephesians 1:7), why can’t we do same to others? It’s difficult, right? This is the very reason we must forgive because the world’s peaceful coexistence depends on it.

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Matthew 5:38). Ye must also understand that an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind, and a tooth for a tooth leaves everyone with toothache and deprives of the full satisfaction of eating meat.

Hence, our Lord Jesus Christ, himself being an embodiment of love and forgiveness, commands us to forgive. He says in Matthew 5:39 that, “But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

How easy has it been in turning the other cheek? Turning the other cheek implies bearing and overlooking whatever wrong others might have done to us. It implies forgetting faults and giving others the benefit of a new start, a new relationship opportunity.

Moreover, turning the other cheek, I don’t believe, means you mustn’t get angry when someone hurts you (unless you have the grace not to). Let’s be honest with ourselves, who wouldn’t be angry? I get angry and feel bad when someone hurts and insults me but I am careful not to sin and allow the ill feelings linger in my heart.

Ever since I came to know the Lord my heart has been weak in harboring grudges. In fact, it detests them that is why I always do my best by God’s grace not to offend anyone (follow peace with all men – Hebrews 12:14; Romans 12:18) and wouldn’t do or say anything to make others be inclined to act badly towards me.

We all should know the place of forgiveness in our Christian life and how it affects our prayers. “Therefore if thou bring thy gift (prayers, petition, sacrifice or praise, tithes, offerings, etc) to the altar, and rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Whenever our thoughts, feelings and interactions aren’t right toward others, we are hindered from boldly approaching the throne of grace to obtain mercy and finding grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

God is as much concerned about our relationship with one another as He is our relationship with Him. This is why we see in Matthew 6:14-15 that, “if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

The bottom line is this: forgive and keep on forgiving. Forgive today, forgive tomorrow, forgive always, even more than seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22).

Finally brethren, if anyone at all has wronged you so badly that it hurts to your marrow, go and tell him or her his or her faults between you and him or her alone: “if he or she shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother or sister or friend…” (Matthew 18:15-17).

Everyone deserves forgiveness, even you and even me. Turn the other cheek today; let love thrive, let peace reign. And in all, ‘my beloved brethren, do not err.’

*** Written by Michael Olajubu aka Jacobs Adewale (Admin) ***

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A Testimony Of God’s Love And Faithfulness

Text: John 3:16; John 15:9-13; 2 Timothy 2:13

August 1^st, 2008 is a day I will forever remember in my lifetime. It was a day my dad and I narrowly escaped death; that was before my dad eventually was caught up into the clouds in May, 2015. Not that we were truly worthy to be alive that day but ‘God commandeth His love towards us…’ and showed us His grace, mercy and faithfulness.

I was trying to gain admission into a University in my state of origin. I had done the Post University Matriculation Examination and got a good grade that surpassed even the cutoff marks. Later did I discover that I couldn’t gain the admission because my choice of course was one of such that hadn’t been accredited by the National University Regulatory body. Hence, no student could be admitted to the University for that course.

My dad and I had traveled to meet a sister-in-law of his nephew, who was one of the University’s Heads of Departments at that time if she could assist in any way. Our effort was futile and I believed and still believe today that the disappointment was to fulfill God’s purpose and plan for my life.

On our way back home, a truck at a distance away was slowly coming towards our direction but at the left lane of the road. We were at the right and on seeing a terrible pothole at our lane, my dad sped up so as to take the left lane before the truck was close and avert the pothole. We had almost gotten to the spot of the pothole while on the left lane, only for the truck driver to also open the throttle and aimed for a collision.

My dad was caught unawares but managed to swerve back to the right lane. And because we were at top speed, my dad couldn’t balance the car and had to make several swerves to the right and to the left and to the right and so on till the car somersaulted into a roadside ditch.

Truth be told, I was dumbfounded and good as gone in my mind. I had felt that was the end but somehow, I was breathing and because we had out seat-belts on, we didn’t sustain any major injuries. My dad regained composure and asked if I was okay. I simply nodded in the affirmative and on realizing that something terrible had just happened the tears couldn’t be caged. They came freely. And the rest was history.

This indeed is a testimony of God’s love and faithfulness towards me and dad. Those who lose their lives on daily basis on the road sometimes don’t necessarily go through similar ordeal and they are no more. But here I am sharing this testimony, having no doubt whatsoever that God loves me. And He loves you too!

Our death has been paid for at the Cross by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And no sudden death can ever overcome a true child of God. I can tell you that this incident strongly reaffirms my faith in believing that death by accident (in whatever shape or form) has no power over me.

Undoubtedly, everyone has a testimony to share about God’s love and faithfulness in their lives and family. Only an ingrate would say God hasn’t been good and faithful to him or her. For by what power and might do we breathe and sustain our heartbeats if not for God’s? By what intelligence do we go out and come in daily without being hurt and harmed if not for God’s?

A retired pastor when asked to talk about the greatest lesson he had learnt during his over fifty years of preaching and ministry. He said, “I have thought about it… and boiled it down to the one thing that has made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials.

“The one thing I can rely on when tears, heartbreak, pain, fear and sorrow paralyze me… the one thing that always comforts me: Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.”

It’s no doubt that Jesus loves you and me. He loves us enough to lay down His life for you and me at Calvary. For “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”. And “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 15:13; 3:16).

We are alive today only because of His grace. “It is of the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed, because his compassion fail not. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23). Great is thy faithfulness O God!

I have experienced His faithfulness and still do. I am a living testimony; O, yes I am. Have you also experienced God’s faithfulness, love and kindness in your life? Has He been good to you, to your friends and your family? Then don’t keep it to yourself. Tell of His goodness and bless His holy name.

“Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens” to praise and worship His Majesty. “O, give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good and His mercies endureth forever… To Him alone who doeth great wonders: for His mercy endureth forever…” (Lamentations 3:41; Psalms 136:1-26).

Blessed be the name of the Lord! Amen.

*** Written by Jacobs Adewale (Admin) ***

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Love Works When Nothing Else Will

Key Verse: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” Ephesians 2:25

After many years of marriage, Sam decided to divorce his wife. The reasons he gave his counselor were: ‘She’s not attractive, she’s not interesting, she’s overweight, and she’s a poor housekeeper.’

So the counselor gave him this suggestion: ‘Starting today, I want you to go home and treat your wife like a goddess. Start doing everything in your power to please her. Listen intently when she talks about her problems. Help around the house and take her out to dinner at the weekend. I want you to literally pretend that she is a goddess. Then after two months of this wonderful new behavior, pack your bags and leave. That should get her attention!

Sam agreed it was a great idea and decided to implement it. He took his wife away on romantic weekends and read poetry to her every night. After two months the counselor called and asked, ‘Sam, did you file for divorce? Are you looking forward to being a bachelor again?’

Sam replied, ‘Are you kidding? I am married to a goddess. I have never been happier in my life. I’d never leave my wife in a million years. In fact, I’m discovering new, wonderful things about her every single day. Divorce? Not an option!’

The Bible says, ‘…A man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). And when Sam changed his strategy and started sowing seeds of love, he reaped a marriage he never dreamed possible. This isn’t peculiar to only men and husbands. Wives too should embrace a loving strategy to win their husbands' hearts and save their marriages.

Nothing truly is beyond the power of love. Love conquers all and when nothing else works, love will. Do you think this same strategy Sam employed in his home could possibly work for you? Why not give it a try and see what happens? Besides, you have got nothing to lose and chances are you and your spouse will love the results.

Let love reign in your heart and home. Show it daily in deeds and truth, and not just in words (1 John 3:18). Couples must learn to forgive and understand each other. And when God remains at the center of the home, no arrow of divorce from the Devil can prevail.

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Good Deeds

Text: Job 31:24-32

Key Verse: “The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller” (Job 31:32)

In all ages, men and women had obtained God’s favour through their good deeds unto others. Abraham and Sarah got the son of promise by entertaining holy angels. Rahab and her household were saved by Israel’s army because she protected the spies sent to Jericho, and many other instances in the Bible.

Job was a righteous man who went through trying times. This was because God allowed Satan to afflict him to try his faith. God’s testimony concerning Job was that “there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8).

In his trials, Job’s commitment was confronted by his wife. His friends, who came to comfort him also passed as miserable counselors. He remained faithful to God and maintained his integrity.

Job remained conscious of the truth that God will judge every sin, and so he was always ready to be examined. In the passage above, Job drew attention to some issues of personal attitude to wealth and his fellow men. He addressed them by five “ifs” as part of the 21 “ifs” in the whole chapter.

Friend, as you look at yourself today and consider your life, how do you stand before these ‘ifs’ of Job? Job spoke of his integrity and righteousness, opened himself to God’s examination and acknowledged that punishment from the Judge awaited him if he had done wrong.

God takes pleasure in righteousness and punishes evil. If we judge ourselves, God will not judge us (1 Corinthians 11:31). How is your relationship with God? What is your attitude to wealth - silver, gold, houses, etc.? What is your attitude to your fellowmen, especially those that have offended you?

Job was adjudged righteous because he loved God, feared Him, walked uprightly and avoided evil. If you will please God, you should follow the steps of Job.

Thought For You: One good turn deserves many others.

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Don't Tell Them Jesus Loves Them

Oh suffering soul, crying out for love

In a world that seldom cares;

See the hungry heart longing to be filled

Much more than our prayers,

And a young girl sells herself on Seventh Avenue

And you hear her crying out for help,

"My God, what will we do?"

Don't tell them Jesus loves them

Till you're ready to love them too,

Till your heart breaks from the sorrow

And the pain they're going through

With a life full of compassion

May we do what we must do,

Don't tell them Jesus loves them

Till you're ready to love them too

Oh, the desperate man

Are we reaching for the souls

That are sinking down in sin?

Oh, cry for the child

We've lost our passion for the lost

And there are billions left to win

And another forty thousand children starve to death today,

Would we risk all we have to see which of them say:

Why have we waited so long to show them Jesus lives

To share salvation's song?

Why have our hearts become so proud that we fail to see

To love them is to love God?

And a young girl sells herself on Seventh Avenue

Hear her crying out for help,

"What will we do?"

*** Song Lyrics by Steve Camp ***

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