When even Fishes went to Church

   The word of God is so sweet and powerful that even nature is attracted by its power. Once upon a time there was a service at a Gennesaret seashore church. Jesus was the preacher.  His pulpit was a hired canoe belonging to a discouraged fisherman who was ready to fold up for bad business.  The man had "toiled all the night," it was reported, without a single fish.  He had the resources – good nets and a boat.  He had the strength and the experience.  He know the right time and place to do that business.  He toiled in the night in the deep sea.  He was not a lazy man who did nothing but wait to blame his failures on fate.  He worked had.  Yet, for all his labours at the right time in the right places with the right tools, he had the wrong results.

            When Jesus asked for his boat, he had no hesitation to loan out for free the unfortunate business boat.  In that boat he had known so much failure that if anyone thought he found a use for it, he was not going to hesitate for the fellow to try out his 'luck,' in case the boat would have other better uses.

           

That was the boat which became Jesus' pulpit during His sermon to the Gennesaret seashore congregation.  That failed boat was going to be very useful in the Master's hand.  In His hand, it became the instrument or avenue for a great miracle.  As Jesus preached, all the fishes which had fled even the high sea while Peter was on duty, began to draw close in their droves to hear the gospel.  They were all around the boat; they were everywhere under the waters, they were listening as Jesus preached.

           

Naturally, fishes – especially fishes of their category – usually stayed in the deep waters.  But today the Master of the whole universe was having church for once in their territory.  He was having church for once on water, not on land, and all the fishes had to troop down to church that day to hear their Creator's voice 'live' – a rare life-time priviledge.  The word of God is a powerful attractive force.

            After the sermon, the Lord was going to show appreciation to the despairing fisherman who had loaned Him his failed boat.  The fishes were to help the Master pay that debt.  So, while the men hurried home after church that day, the fishes remained behind to settle the Master's outstanding bills, sacrificially; with their very lives if need be.

           

Jesus then said to the depressed and nearly bankrupt fisherman: "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."  That was too ambitious and too sweet to be true.  Peter protested: "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing."  In other words, "You are no fisherman.  We know these waters too well to know that this is no place and no time to expect any fish, let alone a draught.  We've already been through all those routes and can tell You that there is no business there."  But he had to check himself and add: "Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net."  And he did.  And to his lifetime surprise, it was as the Master had said. "The inclosed  a great multitude of fishes" so much so that their nets began to break.  The fishes had come to Church that day.

         

  If even fishes would go to church, how much more you? If fishes would travel so far to an unusual shore, from their far away places in the high sea, only to hear the Master preach, what about you?

            The word of God is a powerful force which attracts success and victory.  Success is drawn to follow God's word.  "Goodness and mercy shall follow me" (Psalm 23:6).

            Has your boat failed? Try letting the Master have it, and your empty boat shall come back to you brimming over with more blessings than an eternal night of toil may ever yield.  One cast of the net at the Master's direction will always be more fruitful that a lifetime to toil with the 'right' tools, in the 'right' places at the 'right' time, without the Master's guidance.

            Even fishes will come to church when the master has your boat.  As you do God's work, the fishes will come looking for you.  You may no more have to spend sleepless nights to toil chasing them about in vain.  Thank God, even fishes love to hear the word of God. What about you friend?

God bless you.

Receiving the Lord's Fresh Oil in This Season of Shaking

Transitions are a normal part of living. If we are growing and moving forward, we regularly experience them. Most likely you are right now in a transitional season of life. Look around at our world. The Lord has fresh oil for you during this season of change! 

We are in a time of severe shaking; politically, economically, socially, and personally. Confusion abounds everywhere. Everyone has a plan, and each plan seems to contradict and conflict with the others. Prophecy is becoming our reality "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven." [Hebrews 12:26] There is indeed a whole lot of shaking going on. But it is not all demonic! God is shaking things up to bring his people into a place of alignment with His purpose. Trust Him. The outcome will be glorious even when the transition seems tedious. Be encouraged: The Lord has fresh oil for you during this season of change!

Psalm 92 is for people who are going through a transition. If you notice the Psalm begins before the first verse with these words, "A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day." So, this particular psalm (or song) was written primarily to sing on the Sabbath day. Why the Sabbath day? The Sabbath is a day of rest; a day set apart for worship, but it is also a day of transition. On the Sabbath, you are leaving one period behind and preparing to enter into a new. On the Sabbath, you say goodbye to yesterday and greet tomorrow. It is a day of change, a time of preparation.

The Ninety-Second Psalm is written specifically for the transitional season. This Psalm holds important keys to your success. There are at least six keys to transition I see in this passage but primary among them is the promise found in verse 10, "You have anointed me with fresh oil." Oil in the Bible is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. To anoint means to "pour out" and "to smear into."  Anointing with oil represents the Holy Spirit coming to a person to enable him or her to accomplish what would otherwise be impossible for them.

When David was anointed to be king of Israel the Scripture says, "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord came on David from that day forward." [I Samuel 16:13] It was the Spirit of the Lord that enabled David to kill the lion, the bear and the giant. It was the spirit of the Lord which enabled David to become all God proclaimed him to be. So, it is for us. We cannot do what needs to be done without the Spirit of the Lord being mighty in our lives. We need anointing! We need fresh oil.

Why "fresh oil?" It isn't because there is anything wrong with yesterday's oil (or anointing.) It was perfect for that season. But today we are in a new season, and every new appointment requires a fresh "ointment" from God. Far too often the church tries to deal with today's challenges by using yesterday's oil. But new challenges demand fresh empowerment. We read in Acts 13:9, "Then, Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit..." Paul faced a situation unlike any he had ever faced before, and as the Sorcerer withstood him, the text indicates that Paul received a fresh filling of the Spirit and a great miracle occurred.

Today you and I are facing greater challenges than ever before, but we need not be intimidated! We can expect to be "anointed with fresh oil." God has anointing reserved for the days we are living in. He knows what challenges lie ahead of you, and He is prepared to pour on you exactly what you need for this day. Do not be discouraged, and don't give into dismay. Those who walk with God will walk in His supernatural enablement. Nothing you will face in this season of shaking and uncertainty is unknown to God. He is ready for it! He has a plan, and His plan includes pouring on you fresh oil for the new appointments you face! Make seeking Him your priority during this season of transition and receive the fresh oil you need for the season.

Transitions are a regular part of our life, and I believe this word will help you navigate the changes. Take time to study Psalm 92 for yourself, and if you like, we have an audio version entitled, Navigating Transitions, available at www.KeithNix.net. I know you will be stirred and blessed as you dive deeper into this revelation!  

God bless you.

Why Revival Tarries...?

 Is anything greater than praying? Is prayer not the master key that opens all doors? the omnipotence that moves all mountains? Why do we not have revivals in our churches? Is it not because we do not pray? Why is our land oppressed? Why do the wicked rule us? Is it not because we do not pray?

      The answer would seem to be evident, that prayer is the only missing ingredient from our individual and collective lives,
 one factor responsible for our many woes. But a reading of 2 Chronicles 7:14 seems to reveal otherwise; it seems to indicate that sometimes we have put too much emphasis on prayer to the neglect of other factors on which successful prayer itself depends.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

     

Before prayers, a man has to ensure that he is a person of God; that he belongs to God; that he knows, and God knows, that he is God’s. Next, he has to be one called by the name of God. A name is what people call you. This then refers to two aspects of a person’s character: (1) Does God claim him as His? (2) Do people also know him as God’s? Do they know him enough as God’s to so address him? The two parts, then, refer essentially to the character of the one who can pray to bring results down not only for himself but also for his community.

      As creatures of God, everyone, just and unjust, is entittled some general blessings such as rainfall and sunshine from the Father in heaven (Matthew 5:45). But when it comes to praying for the land, not everyone is qualified.

      Anybody may ask some blessing for himself as an individual, and receive it from God. But when it comes to standing in the gap for a land, one needs more than the general rights which entitle everyone to God’s general blessings. One needs both to be God’s person, as well as be called by God’s name.

      In Matthew 16:13-17, Jesus did something that seemed to stress the importance of the kind of name one earns in society. During His baptism in River Jordan, Jesus heard the voice of God saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). In other words, God was testifying to everyone that Jesus was His. That is, that Jesus qualified as one of those He would imply by the term "my people." So, He belonged to God, and God belonged to Him. Yet that witness alone was not sufficient for Him. Jesus also wanted to confirm the second aspect of 2 Chronicles 7:14 - the name by which men called Him. In Matthew 16:13-17, therefore, Jesus asked His disciples two questions.

 

 Firstly, He asked, "Who do men say that I am ?" In other words, "By what name do they call me in this community?" They replied, "Some say You are Elias, others say You are Jeremiah. Some see You as John the Baptist." In other words, "Some call You Elijah, some call You Jeremiah, others see You as one of the prophets. They all see You in a proper light and they class You only among the best." Then He went further to ask the disciples what they thought He was. Peter called Him by His true name: the Christ, the Son of the living God.

      God had initially said in Jordan: "You are mine." But that was not enough for Jesus. He also wanted to ensure the `Part B’ of the pre-conditions stated in 2 Chronicles 7:14. He asked if He was called by God’s name, or if He was known by a bad name whereas He thought He was a good man.

      We can go further to infer from 2 Chronicles 7:14 that the people who are called by God’s name still have to do something more before they can start to pray revival down upon their land. They will have to humble themselves to pray. They cannot pray in pride. A proud people do not qualify to pray the kind of prayer that can bring healing down upon their land. That further stresses the fact of character for the one who may pray the kind of prayer that can bring down results to his land.

The kind of life you live is very important to the kind of prayers you can pray...

      Why does the Bible say in James 5:16 that the "prayer of a righteous man" - righteous man specified - "availeth much"? It is not just prayer that avails much. The quality of life of the one who prays is also a factor in how potent or otherwise the prayer can be. David states in Psalm 66:18: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me." What was he saying? He meant clearly that if he should go to pray, with sin in his heart, no matter how fervent his prayer would be, the Lord would not hear him. In other words, it is possible to pray, while having sin in the heart. He states that the prayer of such a person will not be answered. The person may have a consistent and rigorous prayer life of about three hours every day, yet he would not have results commensurate with his input. He might say the right words, yet not be answered. Another who has no sin in his heart might say the same words, and get results. It means, then, that it is not just the words God answers in prayer. It means that the life of the one who speaks the words is also very important.

      In Matthew 6:7, Jesus further reveals that it is not our words that attract God’s attention. We are not heard for our "much speaking." "Much speaking" is the pattern of prayer for the heathens; but the fact that they speak more words (which also implies that they spend a longer time in prayer) does not mean that their prayers are effective. Why? They are heathens. They have iniquity in them. They pray more, but they lack the other very important factor of "righteousness" which makes prayer to avail much.

   Prays so much but is not righteous. Luke 18:9-14 indicates that also. Two men went into the temple each to hold a prayer meeting. The first was not a righteous man, but he had been doing many righteous works, such as giving alms, fasting, paying tithes, and generally living a moral life that was better than many other men lived. He presented those works of his as his certificate, as the reason why God had to answer him. The other man had no such credentials as fasting or good works to cite. He acknowledged his sins before God. We are informed in the end that the proud man, who did not humble himself to pray, went home with his problems, whereas the shorter prayer of the other man, even without the decorations of regular fasting, giving of alms, a moral life, etc, had a greater result.

   





The kind of life you live is very important to the kind of prayers you can pray, whether effective or not. It is not so much your words God answers in prayer, but your life also. Prayer is important. Let us emphasize it as much as we can. But the reason why we do not yet have a revival in our nation, in our churches, in our individual lives, might not be so much the absence of prayer as it is the absence of holy living. For prayers, we pray a lot. Prayer vigils, prayer conferences, fasting retreats, etc. Hardly any day passes without a person praying at least one minute for the land or his church. Multiply over 2 million Christians in the nation by that amount of prayer... or let us even take a very conservative figure of 1,000. Multiply 1,000 Christians praying at least 1 minute a day for the land, that makes over 16 hours of prayer. That is longer than the prayer meetings that we usually hold. I wonder how many single prayer meetings, prayer vigils, or prayer conferences have had a prayer meeting so long. Now let us do the same computation for any church. Multiply at least 50 Christians in the church by 2 minutes of prayer daily, that comes to 100 minutes, which is 1 hour, 40 minutes of prayer for the church daily, which is a lot of prayer time. So, it is obvious that a lot of prayer is being prayed. Why then is there no result? The answer is what we are here discussing - a discrepancy between the volume of words we speak in prayer, and the quality of the lives of the people who pray the prayers.

      We need to pray, but saying prayers is not all upon which the welfare of our nation or church depends. It also depends on the intensities of our holy lives. Amen.

God bless you.

Are you missing the Power of the Holy Spirit?

   I knew a pastor who instructed his worship leader to remove songs that mentioned the Holy Spirit, and another who removed songs about the blood of Christ.

How sad—in their zeal to avoid charismatic excesses and offensive truths, these pastors actually quenched and grieved the Spirit.

The greatest need in the church today is to confess our sins, obey the Word and to be filled with the Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit is like dynamite that ignites a hunger for God so intense that every aspect of life is changed—we become bold, not passive; stable, not fanatical; and committed, not wavering.

We need sound doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit. It's possible to be "Bible taught," but not "Spirit led"—straight as a gun barrel theologically, but just as empty. Theological teachings are essential to Christian living, but how often are theology students encouraged to fast and pray as well as study?

We can sometimes be more concerned about a Master's Degree than a degree from the Master. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures and empowered Jesus and the apostles. We are desperately remiss if we fail to recognize His vital role in the pulpit as well as the pew.

Its time to arise from dead works. Lunch into prayer now and ask God to fill you anew with the Holy Ghost and with power, but remember if you're yet to be born-again; do that now, because there is no repentance in the grave.

Stray Blessed.

Are You Ready for the Storm?

A storm is coming. The torrential rains shall fall. The waters shall rise. The floods shall sweep away all wood, hay and stubble. The violent winds will blow away all that was built irresponsibly.

Are you building your house on the rock or on the sand?

"Whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded a rock. And every one who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them will be likened to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it fell. And its fall was great " (Matt. 7:24-27).

"What sayings of Mine" is Jesus specifically referring to in these passages? Reading in context, Jesus began a lengthy teaching from Matthew 5-7 and the central theme of it seems to be the character of the heart of man—from the Beatitudes, to loving our enemies, to having the right motives in giving, praying and fasting. Then He goes on to teach them about the Father's care for them and not worrying but seeking first the kingdom of God. Finally, Jesus comes to the end of that teaching and speaks about hypocrisy and righteous judgment and reverting back to heart matters followed by a warning of false prophets and those who call Him Lord but don't do His will. This entire teaching is traditionally known as the Sermon on the Mount, and it ends with the parable of the wise and foolish builders.

This was one of Jesus' first and most foundational teachings. It set the tone for His public ministry. As ministers that is important for us to know. We must emphasize what Jesus emphasized. These sayings prepared the people and His disciples for what was to come. Herein we find the standard of Jesus' life and ministry for all He did and taught. The heart must be right or nothing else will be right. If the heart is not right people won't do what He says. We must build our lives on Jesus' words, especially these first words of the first lengthy sermon He preached.

Storms Test the Strength of the Foundation

Jesus was the Master Builder. When it comes to building people, He is our primary example and pattern. The apostle Paul refers to God's people as God's field and God's building (1 Cor. 3:9), and he calls all ministers his fellow laborers who plant and water the field, and who are to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

The image of the people as a building under construction is very interesting because it highlights the responsibility of ministers to be faithful in how they build. Ministers are like building contractors who are only permitted to build on the prescribed foundation (see 1 Cor. 3:12-15). There are both wise builders and foolish builders (Matt. 7:24-27). To build on the foundation a building of durable material (gold, silver and precious stones) means not only to teach sound doctrine but even more importantly, to be a godly example and live a sanctified life of fidelity to the truth, thus helping to mature the saints. Ministers and especially pastors/shepherds, because they live with the people, teach more by their life example perhaps than anything else.

On the other hand, to build with perishable material (wood, hay, and stubble) is to provide inadequate or unsound teaching or to compromise the truth by living a lifestyle that contradicts or falls short of modeling it. It is the quality of every builder's work and not the quantity, as seems to be much of the focus today, that shall be tested by fire, for which every builder shall give account to the Lord.

In Jesus' parable (Matt. 7:24-27) He uses a storm, signifying the pressures, hardships and trials of life, as well as the persecutions we will suffer for the gospel, as a measuring gauge for how solid our foundation is. And what is our foundation based upon? Jesus taught us that it is based upon doing His sayings. Obedience is the issue. ""Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). Obedience, not lip service, is what God requires.

Have you ever thought about what gives us the strength and fuel to obey God? Why are some people obedient and some are not? Why are some doers of the Word and some are not? Why do some people stay faithful to God and remain true while others do not? Why do some start this Christian race but never finish? What is it that causes us to endure to the end (Matt. 24:13)?

It is the fear of the Lord. Obedience to the Lord is not only proof of your love for Him (John 14:21), but also of your fear of Him. There's been an emphasis on love, although we've fallen short of the full counsel of God in that area, too, but there has not been nearly as much of an emphasis on the fear of the Lord. It takes both of them to produce a strong constitution in your Christian life. Notice in the following two different translations how the love of obedience in Jesus was rooted in the fear of the Lord. They are identical. Or a better way to say it would be that the manifestation of the fear of the Lord is obedience to His Word and His sayings/commandments.

"His delight is in the fear of the Lord" (Isa. 11:3a, NKJV).

"He will delight in obeying the Lord" (Isa. 11:3a, NLT).

I love this verse of Scripture. It feeds and fuels the fear of the Lord in me and the delight to obey Him. This is our sure foundation. Since our obedience is the manifestation of the fear of the Lord in our lives, and since that is the difference between building your house on the rock or on the sand, we then could say that the fear of the Lord is what builds a strong foundation for our houses, which represent our lives. The fear of the Lord produces durable materials in our lives that will strengthen us to stand even in the midst of the storms. Can you see that?

A house is built by wisdom, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning or the foundation of wisdom/knowledge. Once again, a house represents our lives, homes, families.

"Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation]" (Prov. 24:3, AMP).

"Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord" (Prov. 1:7a, CEB).

"Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge" (Prov. 1:7a, NLT).

If we build our lives and homes on the true wisdom and knowledge of God that comes from the foundation of the fear of the Lord, we need not fear the storm, because we will stand.

Paul's Great Desire

One of the apostle Paul's greatest burdens was this very thing: that the people He ministered to would stand firm in their faith and remain obedient to God even in the midst of the troubles and persecutions of his day. Other New Testament writers shared the same burden.

Paul's great desire was that the people he taught would not falter under pressure, lest his work be useless or his labor be in vain. Notice his great concern for the Thessalonian saints (1 Thess. 3:1-9). He had warned them of the troubles that would soon come. In his farewell speech to the Ephesian elders, he warned them of the same troubles (Acts 20:25-31). To the Galatians and the Hebrews he did the same, warning them not to turn back to the Law. He was preparing them for the storm and the persecution they would receive from preaching the cross and paying the price to follow Jesus. Warnings are such a large part of the Scriptural admonition that Paul and the other New Testament writers gave to the churches. Today there is a glaring absence of these warnings in our preaching.

Here are just some I found in the New Testament: Matthew 7:15, 10:17, 24:4-5, 24:11-13, 24:24; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 12:1, 15; Acts 20:29-31; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10:12, 11:3; Galatians 6:7; Ephesians 5:6, Philippians 3:2, 18; Colossians 1:28, 2:8; 1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 2:1-3, 4:1; 2 Peter 1:10, 3:17.

Fellow minister and preacher, how well are you preparing yourself and your people for the storm? Are you teaching them the whole counsel of God or catering to itching ears? Are you including the warnings in your preaching? Are you preaching on only the goodness and mercy of God, or do you also preach on His severity, wrath and judgments? Are you only preaching on the love of God, or do you place emphasis on His holiness too? Do you ever preach on sin and repentance? Are your concepts of the love of God and the grace of God accurate and in accordance with Scripture?

If not, then you may be guilty of the blood of men: "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not keep from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. .... Therefore watch, remembering that for three years night and day I did not cease to warn everyone with tears" (Acts 20:26-27, 31).

Make sure you are preparing yourselves and those whom God has entrusted to you for the storm. Oh, how much stronger our churches would be if we included these things in our preaching and teaching and living them out before the people!

God bless you.

The Need for Repentance

   Bill and Jan Stanton lived in a long, rambling nine-room ranch house on a three-acre beautifully wooded tract of land. The swimming pool in the backyard, the two expensive cars in the garage, and the neatly landscaped yard all added up to the obvious—total success.

They started out their marriage on a shoestring. Bill had a bread route and worked long hours to make a meager living.

One of Bill’s customers was a fruit farmer. This man offered Bill the chance to find customers for his produce. Bill took up the challenge and managed to find a market for the whole summer’s production.

An idea began to take shape in Bill’s mind. Why not do the same thing for other farmers? Twelve years later, he had developed his idea into a vast wholesale produce business including a whole network of processing plants and warehouses.

The Stantons had not neglected their commitment to the Lord. Both were happily active in the church. Bill even served as a leader on a statewide level for their denomination.

Bill and Jan did a lot of entertaining in their beautiful home. Frequently they spent pleasant evenings around the pool or the fireplace with their guests. Many of their friends would turn to them for advice and counsel.

Bill’s business demanded much of his time. But Jan didn’t mind; she was busy with her family, her home, and her church work.

Skiing was one of their favorite pastimes. The family had many happy outings at a variety of ski resorts.

On one of these outings when Jan and the children went skiing, Jan had an accident and ended up with a badly broken leg. When Bill returned from a business trip two days later, he was shocked to learn that his wife was in the hospital.

Jan spent many weeks in the hospital with her leg in a cast. Bill dropped in to see her each day and in the evening. Both understood that his business demanded that he be away part of each week. The days in the hospital were long and lonesome. Jan began feeling blue. The doctor explained that this was normal for a healthy, busy woman.

Finally the cast was removed, only to find that the leg had not healed properly. Jan began having long periods of depression.

On occasion, after Jan came home, Bill would take the children to the ski slopes. Jan stayed behind, nursing her leg, and her depression. It was late spring before her leg was completely healed. But the sieges of depression hung on. Summer faded into fall, and still Jan would spend long days feeling sad, breaking into tears for no apparent reason. By now, the doctor informed her that her accident could not be considered as the reason for her misery.

When Bill heard this, he became impatient with Jan. ”Snap out of it. You have every reason to be content,” he told her one day.

The beautiful home and lovely wooded yard was no help. Jan lost interest in her church work. Long silences developed between her and Bill. He would find reasons for staying at the office or for being out of town.

There were tender moments when the Stantons could talk about their situation. They were embarrassed. For years they had prided themselves that they had such a happy marriage. Now their marriage was a sad one.

It seemed that there was no way out. Finally, they swallowed their pride and ended up in my office. They spent the first session telling me how happy they had been together.

We spent several more sessions talking about their problem. Our conversation centered around their happiness together. We were getting nowhere.

I asked Jan to come in without her husband. Both of them resisted this idea. They would work this out together, they said. There was nothing to hide.

We were at a standstill. I had nothing more to offer, and could see no reason for us to continue.

Several weeks later, Jan called. She was ready to see me without her husband. Once more she reviewed the happiness they had enjoyed.

As we closed the session, I asked Jan to look at a warning and a promise in the Bible: ”If we say we have fellowship with Him (God), and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not know the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7).

We turned to John 3:19. Here, I pointed out, Jesus says that men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.

Jan had to admit her life was dark. She was gloomy. Something was wrong. We must look at the dark side.

She was crushed. There was no dark side, she insisted.

We prayed together. My prayer was that she would do as the Psalmist said: ”Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23, 24).

As the two of them continued with the counseling process, the true picture became clear. Jan was an affectionate person and liked to show it. Bill was more distant. He preferred to sit across the room from her. As the business grew, he became increasingly preoccupied. Sometimes she found herself wondering if he loved her or his fruit. Her complaint festered and grew when she was in the hospital. There she really played second fiddle to the business. She was shocked at her attitude and tried desperately to cover it up rather than admit it.

Bill was also shocked. He thought of himself as a devoted, loving husband who provided the best for his family. But it was true; he was giving them everything but himself.

Bill was not glad to know about his wife’s true feelings. He resented her attitude. They quarreled about it. It seemed that the weeks of counseling only made matters worse. But quarreling did not brush away the truth. He was giving his business more and more of his time and energy, and giving his family less and less.

Proverbs 28:13 is true. “He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.”

It’s always hard to admit the dark side of truth. But light drives away the darkness if you walk in it.

It was true. They did resent each other. He felt she did not appreciate his efforts. She felt neglected. Each felt the other was wrong. When the light dawned, and each of them was able to acknowledge their own sins repentantly, they were on the way to restored fellowship.

Repentance always leads to forgiveness and renewal of fellowship. It’s always been that way.

The names and certain details in this true case history have been changed to protect each person’s identity and privacy.

Stray Blessed.

Message from NCEF to all Nigerian Christians

   It is now clear that if Christians do not organize to actively participate in Governance, the instrument of the State shall be used to progressively decimate the Church until Christianity is eventually “eradicated in all its forms and ramifications” in Nigeria. To avoid this calamity from coming to pass, the NCEF advises all Christians as follows:

1.       Every Nigerian Christian, from 18 years old, should register to vote and obtain the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).

2.       Identify with any political party of your choice.

3.       If persuaded that you are called of God to contest, present yourself as candidate for any elective position of your choice.

4.       Announce in all Churches that all Christians must register to vote.

5.       Register yourself and your children for National Identity Card.

6.       Support CAN. Every Nigerian Christian is a member of CAN and is a stakeholder in the Association. Uphold your Association and defend it so that it can be strong to defend you.

7.       Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) was established by CAN leaders in 2001 to encourage Christian participation in Governance. (You can register on www.csmnigeria.org) CSMN is an arm of the Church; even NCEF operates under CSMN.

8.       During elections, please ensure that you understand the issues before you "vote your conscience”. Do not succumb to any financial inducement or propaganda. Ensure a proper understanding of the issues before you cast your vote for any candidate.

God bless Nigeria.

National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF)

22 November, 2017.

God bless you

FOR THE CHURCH IN YORUBALAND

The word of the Lord came to me expressly on the 16th July 2000 saying:

"Except the church in Yoruba land returns back to its first love of Missions and Evangelism, the fate of Liberia and Sierra Leone will befall Yoruba land, beginning from Abeokuta".

As I pondered and prayed over this word, a number of facts became evident:-

1. Just as the Gospel came to the West Coast of Africa through Liberia and

Sierra Leone, the gospel (protestant) came to Nigeria through Yoruba land

(Badagry/Abeokuta) by the ministry of  Ajayi Crowther and Co.B. oth Liberia and Sierra Leone, which hitherto had a history of

2. Political stability, have been engulfed in highly satanic civil wars.

Despite and in spite of their Christian heritage and foundations, highly

cultic practices, gross wickedness and inhumanity prevailed during these

wars.  There was a revival of ancient idolatry as well as fetish practices

in both countries because of these wars. At the same time strong

Islamic influence infiltrated these countries through links by principal

warriors in both countries to Libya. Today, Islam has definite influence

and hold in these pioneer Christian countries, which were founded by

Christianized ex-slaves. This could have been inconceivable two decades

ago.

There is a palpable and present hell - induced plan and programme to stir

up civil war in Yoruba land, and this is not the first time the Lord is

blowing the trumpet. In THE PREACHER No 180, August 1995, is an article

titled "The Siege on the West" in which the author wrote of "a satanic

orchestration ... a sinister plot to deliberately provoke that section of

the country... incite it into some violent reaction". His was a call for

"a man among them" (i.e. among ethnic Yoruba) to stand in the gap before

the Lord (Ezekiel 22:52). This call remains more necessary and more

urgent than ever even now.

Then in the prophetic publication THE ALARM Vol. 2, No. 2 April to June

1999, is an article titled "Beware Yoruba Nation". It states inter alia.

'The spirit expressly calls for the church in Yoruba land to take a

lamentation against the spirit of violence emanating from ancestral

worship in the land. If the satanic plan materializes, the church in

Yoruba land will suffer. The (Yoruba) nation will have as national

religion, voodoos in place of Christianity and the church in the land

will suffer terrible persecution. The church should raise and take a

lamentation against the spirit and save the nation and the entire nation

of Yoruba from calamity.'

An historical and spiritual perspective to this issue was discussed in the article "Eliakim and the Yemoja Spirit" (Lampstand Letters No 12 July 1999). Likewise, a biblical and documentary analysis was highlighted in the  article "Egbesu, Oro and Ancestral Thrones" (Lampstand Letters No. 16, November 1999).

History is replete with lands and nations, which pioneered evangelism and

first encountered the gospel becoming completely over run by Islam or traditional religion. The Niger Delta of Nigeria through which the first (catholic) percentage population in Africa was completely over run by civil strife and is yet to recover, while the church looked on helpless. The case of Liberia and Sierra Leone, the first port of Christianity in West Africa has been referred to earlier. The civil strife and military rule in Cote D'Ivoire, where the world's largest catholic Basilica was built, is

because a Muslim is being actively supported by Libya and Burkina Faso to

be the next president of this predominately Catholic Nation. Has Christ not stated that "the first shall be the last...?"

Let no one think that Abeokuta and Yoruba land cannot be overran by Ifa, Ogun, Oro or Islamic spirits. Let no one think these persistent prophecies cannot come to pass. All our cacophony of Christian radio and TV programmes cannot stop this satanic onslaught. Our prosperity talks, our TV. faith messages, our miracle break-through sermons are no solution.

Where is Radio ELWA, Monrovia Liberia today? What has happened to the famous Fourah Bay College in Freetown?

The weapons that are effective against the gates of hell are strategic intercessions/spiritual warfare and evangelism/missions. Jer. 1:10 gives us the commission to first "root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down" every antichrist spirit in strategic intercessions and spiritual warfare. Then it also given us the added responsibility "to build and to plant" the word of God in the lives of men in nations and kingdoms, through evangelism to individuals and missions to tribes.

Our main calling as Christians is to actively and continually take the gospel of the kingdom to all and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:5, Luke 24:47, Matt. 24:14) - see the article "The Gospel of the Kingdom", Lampstand Letters No 18 January 2000.The West (Yoruba land) definitely needs missions and re-evangelization.

The twin forces of Islam and traditional occultism hold sway over large

Yoruba populations.  Nominal and orthodox Christianity is rife among a

large proportion of those who call themselves Christians. The foundation

of Christian influence through the secondary schools and tertiary institutions has been eroded through the political influence of Muslims.

Christian Youth activities in tertiary institutions are characterized by lack of depth, factionalism, immaturity and frivolities. Even among the vibrant evangelical Christian circle, empire building, and crowd-pleasing activities have all but replaced a holistic, un-reached people targeting priority. Efforts and activities are concentrated in large towns and cities, to the neglect of the un-reached, mainly rural dwelling people, where witchcraft and allied forms of wickedness is still very strongly prevalent.

Yoruba land is  in dire need of strategic intercessions, spiritual warfare, missions and evangelism targeted not just at our over-saturated towns and village, but majorly the untouched rural strongholds. Otherwise, even the cities will be overrun by satanic powers. 

May the Lord stir up the church to its responsibilities. May be fate of Liberia and Sierra Leone not be our portion in Jesus name. Amen.

By the Lampstand,

Ibadan, July 2000.

God bless you.

SUNSHINE OVER THE NIGERIAN CHURCH

Christian Leaders unanimously declare support for CAN Trust Fund … urge immediate announcement in all Churches and contribution by all Christians

Nigerian Christian leaders held a crucial meeting on (Tuesday 7th November, 2017) at the Sherpherdhill Baptist Church, Lagos, to deliberate on crucial issues affecting the Nigerian Church and the Nation. In attendance was the President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Olasupo Samson Ayokunle, the immediate past President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Prof. Joseph Otubu, Rev. Dr. Musa Asake, Prelate Samuel Kanu Uche (the Prelate of Methodist Church), Pastor E. A. Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, Rev. Dr. Caleb Ahima, Pastor Paul Enenche, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, Pastor Emmanuel Nuhu Kure, Bishop Wale Oke, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, Baba Aladura Elder (Dr.) Bob-Manuel, Dr. Napo Emuchay, Apostle Alex Bamgbola, heads of CAN, heads of denominations and ministries, as well as States and Local Government Chairmen of CAN, and heads of Christian Fellowships. Christian Groups like Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) and Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship were also present and spoke at the Conference.

The meeting, which started with opening prayer by Rev. Father Matthew Ogunyase, condemned in strong words the Islamization Agenda being pursued by the Federal Government of Nigeria, using State resources. The President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, delivered a strong paper stating facts and figures in support of the unequivocal stand of the Church that there is an Islamization Agenda going on in Nigeria.

The paper of the President of CAN condemned the unbridled and lawless attacks of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen on Christians and Christian communities, the violation of the Constitution of Nigeria with regards to membership in OIC, Islam in Africa Organization, Saudi Arabia led Islamic Coalition against Terror, the violation of the Federal Character Principle in Federal appointments by the current Administration in favor of Muslims from the North, the lawless and unconstitutional use of State resources to sponsor Jaiz Bank (Islamic Bank) and the use of State resources to float Sukkuk Bond. The floating of Sukkuk Bond in Nigeria is illegal and unconstitutional to the extent that State resources were deployed to establish it.

 

The President of CAN also refuted claims by Christians in the Buhari Administration that there is no Islamic Agenda warning that Christians should be careful not to jeopardize their faith in exchange for temporary appointment in Government. He insisted that the instrument of the State is being used to sponsor an Islamization Agenda without due consideration and regards to the rights of other citizens in Nigeria who are not Muslims. He made copious reference to the Abuja Declarations 1989 of the Islam in Africa Organization (IAO) and the OIC strategy meeting in London in 1983 where decisions were taken to destroy Christianity in Nigeria and convert the nation into an Islamic State.

The meeting called on the National Assembly to publish the list of all international organizations that Nigeria belongs to and insisted that Nigeria must withdraw from every international organization that is based on religion in compliance with Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Christian leaders also expressed grave misgivings over the current discrimination in the North, particularly in the so called “Sharia states” where Churches are not given Certificate of Occupancy to access land to construct places of worship for Christians. The Church leaders wondered why such discrimination should exist in the country if truly all the citizens are one. They urged an immediate reversal of this obnoxious discrimination based on religious intolerance.

CHURCH LEADERS DECLARE TOTAL SUPPORT FOR CAN TRUST FUND

Speaking one after the other, the Christian leaders called for Unity of all the Christians and the need for every Christian to support Christian Association of Nigeria. To strengthen CAN and make it more effective, all the Christian leaders supported the CAN Trust Fund and urged all Christians to contribute monthly to support it. Pastor Adeboye in particular, decried the lack of funds in CAN and the fire brigade approach of soliciting funds whenever the Church has critical needs. He advised that if all the Christians would contribute N500 per month, or at the very least N100 monthly, to the CAN Trust Fund, there would be a steady flow of funding that would be used to serve the interest of the Church. Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop Mike Okonkwo and all the other Church leaders present spoke one after the other in support of the CAN Trust Fund and urged all the Christians to pool resources together to make CAN stronger.

The Trustees of the CAN Trust Fund also spoke during the meeting and assured the Church leaders of accountability and transparency of the funds. The Trustees gave assurance that the funds shall well managed and used in the interest of the Church.

A ten point Communiqué was issued by the Church leaders after the Conference.

Bosun

CAN TRUST FUND

GTBank

02 20 39 08 38

CAN TRUST FUND

Zenith Bank

10 13 99 45 95

CAN TRUST FUND

UBA

10 20 00 57 52

www.canng.org

trustfund@canng.org

God bless you.

The State of the Church

   For the Nigerian Church this message is very timely and approriate. Considering the situation we are facing,  what God requires of the Nigerian Chuch to avert disaster is REPENTANCE AND UNITY of the Church. Urgency and sincerity are two words  rolling around in my spirit as I write this. With yet another historic event—the senseless killing of now 59 people in Las Vegas—we are being warned as a nation.

At the end of last year, I wrote that 2017 was going to be a bad year for the world. I had a sense of darkness in my spirit. I was troubled and disturbed about the state of the church and the nation. 2018 will be worse. 2019 even worse. 2020 is very bad. I can't see past that right now. Time is running out.

The call of the hour is for repentance. Sincere repentance. Not lip service. Not self-justification. Not procrastination. But a whole-hearted, renouncing of your evil ways, and a permanent forsaking of sin and self.

And no, I am not a doomsday preacher. I am a prophet-hearted servant of the Lord and a preacher of righteousness. I am a voice crying in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord! Make His paths straight!" I sincerely believe the real church will shine in this day. I sincerely believe this is our finest hour. I sincerely believe we will have revival and awakening in our nation. How could I believe any differently and be a preacher? I have hope. But I also believe the present state of things in general in both the Church and the nation is very corrupt.

This Las Vegas tragedy comes on the heels of one of the worst storms in American history. It comes on the heels of record temperatures and raging fires in the West. It comes during a time in history where our national sovereignty is being threatened, where every kind of authority is dishonored and disrespected (especially the highest office in the land), where multitudes of university students mock God and celebrate filth and perversion, where hate and rebellion are everywhere in our society. Never has there been a time like this in the history of America and the nations.

Meanwhile in houses of worship there is no real worship. People stand in congregations, move their lips and sing their praises, but their hearts are far from God.

"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain do they worship Me ..." (Matt. 15:8-9).

Actors and pretenders they are, with no sincerity. This lack of sincerity marks the church culture today.

Much of what we do is just for show. There is always an insincere agenda behind it. Bottoms in the seats, bucks in the offering and buildings that must be paid. Another program, another project, another event, but there is no sincerity in many people. It is the spot and the blemish in our feasts and festivals.

How many more tragedies and casualties must take place before our attention is arrested and our insincerity brought to light? How many of those who were killed in Las Vegas were right with God? How many were ready to meet their Maker? How many were even conscious of Him? My guess is not very many. It is heartbreaking. The way to death and destruction is always far wider than the way to life that is always narrow.

Study the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28. It is obvious to even the casual observer that our nation, and many of our churches, are under the curse of disobedience. Yes, I am aware that God has a remnant, but I am not talking about the remnant. I am speaking of the masses of lost people and the multitudes of insincere professing Christians who praise God with their mouths but keep their hearts far from Him. Insincere.

The dictionary defines "insincerity" as not expressing genuine feelings; false, fake, hollow, artificial, feigned, pretended, put-on, inauthentic. Are you getting the picture? This is such an accurate description of our culture. The church is full of false converts and pretenders. They live double lives. Hypocrisy is their most glaring feature. They are living only for themselves. They do what they want and when they want. There is no fear of God in their hearts.

The judgments of God are real. Heaven and hell are real. Most people live without that sense of reality. Their eyes are dim, and they cannot see. Their ears are dull, and they cannot hear. Their hearts are layered with their own lusts and vain imaginations. Their minds are full of contradictory thoughts and destructive reasonings. Their mouths are full of excuses and self-justification. They are nowhere near ready for the judgment. They are not prepared to die and face God. They are nowhere near ready for the coming of the Lord. What will happen to them if they don't change? They will die and go to hell. Does that concern you at all?

I've given my life to the Lord and to His work, but I constantly search my heart nearly every day. I don't want to be insincere. I hate that in myself. I don't want to be wrong anywhere in my life. I want to dwell in the holy fear of the Lord. I want to love and revere Him always. Because I understand the nature of deception, I guard my heart with all diligence. I ask myself over and over again, "Am I sincere? Are my motives pure? Will they stand God's own inspection?" (See my book, Purity of Heart.)

The opposite of "insincere" is genuine, honest, open, real, truthful, upright and trustworthy. These should be qualities found in every believer, but pride blinds us. And that is the root where the axe needs to be laid. Pride. Self-admiration, self-glorification, egotism and self-love are some of its definitions. It is the opposite of humility. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6b). That is our greatest need right now in the church and the nation. Humility and repentance.

"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14).

If ... if ... if. Just one condition, and the church would be revived and our nation would be awakened, our sins forgiven and our land healed. What a marvelous promise? What a glorious remedy to all the death and darkness in our nation. What a grand solution to all the complacency and apathy in the church. And there is only one condition: If.

We need an overwhelming response to the if. Let it start with you and me.

Bert Farias' tetralogy of books speaks to these vital themes and the turning of the church and America back to God. If this article and others on this blog of this nature stir your love for truth and righteousness we highly recommend these books: The Real Salvation, The Real Gospel, The Real Jesus, The Real Spirit Of Revival.

Pasted from Charisma Magazine

God bless you.