Christ’s Ambassador

The world is diseased and heading towards the position of the deceased. If at Calvary the blood needed to transfuse men back to life was tapped with spears and nails, then the commandments of God and His statutes represent the drugs necessary for us to recuperate back to good health. So we hear God say in Exodus 15:28 that “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”

Why Die Unsaved When There is A Savior?

A man who persists in unbelief is sick and suicidal. He is refusing the free services of the Physician and despising an Amazing Grace. When a believer refuses to read and meditate on the word of God, and lives in disobedience, he is a patient who is not following prescriptions of the physician. He runs the risk of relapsing to critical conditions.

Jesus is the Physician. He said with authority that “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:17

The Epitome of Love

The world is sick and in need of the Physician who expressed the love of God when he said:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16- 19

Living In State of Perpetual Good Health

When you consult Jesus with trust and obedience, there is the assurance that you are already healed by his stripes and you also have the capacity to continue living in this victory, a state of consistent good health. None of the diseases the world is trying to manage – covetousness, envy, restlessness, wrath, idolatry, resentments and many of the inner sins that outward religions cover- shall have any effect on you. Live outside the victory of Jesus and you are diseased inside out. It is just a matter of time before you become deceased.

Questions For Reflection

• Are you saved?
• Are you under the bondage of ‘stubborn’ sins and character flaws that are threatening your salvation?
• What do you need to change in your life to ensure you get loser to Jesus Christ?
• Why don’t you invite Jesus into your life today, even now?

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All Christians accept that the Bible is word of God and that All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Tim 3:16) Similarly, all Christian churches are expected to make use of the Bible in all or part of their activities and they should believe that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation, for prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2Pet 1:20,21) But sadly, this is how far the unity goes among Christians. Denominational barriers have been erected with each group having practices and doctrines unique to them and not found in other groups. Yet, neither Jesus nor any of the Apostles started any denomination or sect. Christ is not divided. How did it start?

Purpose of the Bible

The Bible was written so that men may know the love in the mind of God and build up their faith in Him. From Genesis to Revelation, the theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ, the son of God who was sacrificed at the cross of Calvary for the sins of the World. He rose up on the third day after triumphing over the cause of sin and death and He is coming again to save those who have put their faith in Him. The Apostles operated on this doctrine without division and the whole world knew that they were Disciples of Christ and that God sent Jesus to the world to save sinners. This is in answer to Christ’s prayer as recorded by John; that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (Jn 17:21)

Men opposing the truth

But after the death of the last Apostle, the prophecy of Paul soon began to manifest fully that; There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Godhaving a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truthmen of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. (2Tim 3:1-9)

Because people began to have ulterior motives for going to church, divisions came into the church. They began to build different interpretations to the scripture to back up their ulterior motives. Church constitutions came in and different churches began to build up their own doctrines and teach same to their adherents. The pure worship of God became polluted as men continued teaching doctrines of men. This is in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah which Jesus also quoted in Mark 7:6-8 that; Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men Replacing Bible with Church constitution.

The false teachers have neglected the key of ‘Calvary’ but now search the scriptures with different keys: the keys of denominational practices developed by men. Each group now read the Bible looking for their adopted practices and because the heart of man is wicked and deceptive, they always find their way to deceive more people. In most cases, the church constitution, the articles and memorandum of association get quoted to resolve issues while the Bible is relegated to a mere symbolic status. But as Paul said in 2Tim 3:9, they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men [Jannes and Jambres], their folly will be clear to everyone.

Spiritual unity in denominational diversity

Because of these reasons, the Bible for now is not seen to be unifying Christians. But one thing is certain, the church of Christ is not recognized by any denominational contrivance but is an assemblage of all genuine believers who do the will of God and God can pick them out. Just as Paul also wrote in 2 Tim 2:19; Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. The real body of Christ is Spiritual and each member is known to Christ Himself. They are Bible believeing and Bible practicing disciples. The Bible is still paying a unifying factor among them.

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The Bible, a Wonderful story

Beginning at the beginning

Told by the Holy One

Creator of the beginning

And who Himself has no beginning

Sweetest story ever told

Penned by holy men of God

As inspired by the Spirit of God

The Wonderful story

Opening the shroud of the past

That man may catch a glimpse

And know his roots

The mysterious story

Lifting the curtains of heaven

Mere mortals may catch a glimpse

Of the eternal home with God

The wonderful story

Foretelling the opening of the Way

The unfolding of the Truth

The budding of the Life

That those who live may not die

And those who die

May yet live again

Never to see the second death

The Wonderful Story

Showing the Giving of eternal Life

By surrendering a life unto death

Triumph of the Truth

And the showing of the Way

That leads to Heaven

The only begotten son of God

Unashamed to call men joint heirs

The wonderful story

Contained in 66 books

Penned by 40 authors

Scattered over different land and clime

Kings, Priests, Prophets, Shepherds, Farmers

Written for over 1200 years

And yet with one wonderful theme

Beginning from Genesis to Revelation

The theme of the Wonderful Story

My Salvation wrought by Jesus

My heinous sins blotted by his blood

Tapped at the cross of Calvary

The story of Love Eternal

The story of love not conditional

Come, read the story and Live

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About two weeks to the death of my elder sister Adebimpe, she began to warn her children and all around her to stop praying for her. She said their prayers were delaying her from going to the glorious house she had been shown up there, the keys of which she already had. We never stopped praying and crying to the Lord to keep her alive and heal her, but God’ s will was done. She breathed the last on Saturday, 17th April, 2010 leaving behind three daughters and the rest of us including our aged mother.

Now how do you break the news to an 80-year old woman that her first daughter was no more?  Where do you begin? What illustrations would you use? That was the challenge I and my siblings had as we prepared for the burial. We prayed and invited the Holy Spirit to take control. And HE did. Were it not for the interference of God, we would have had to bury two corpses. It was a very sorrowful sight as mama mourned one of her fruits. We did the best God gave us the grace to do to comfort her, citing several portions of scripture, which she also knew. I saw the power of the Gospel message in action as the Holy Spirit ministered to mama that her sufferings were not in vain.

After a long while, she told us a thing none of us ever heard from her before. She said she was just around twelve years when she had a dream that she was very fruitful, like pawpaw (carica papaya), but one of the fruits fell. This 70 year old prophetic statement from God was fulfilled. Unpalatable as it must have been to mama when she had it, it gave us comfort when we heard it and it also helped us in consoling her. God’s purposes are always good and they must be done. Mama is doing fine and waxing stronger in the Spirit with the assurance that her daughter is in the bossom of Jesus.

Adebimpe has gone to be with the Lord to occupy one of those mansions Jesus told us he was going to prepare. We shall see her one day when we shall part no more.

Death where is your sting? Grave where is your victory? 1Cor 15:55

Are you born again? If your own time comes now, where will you spend eternity? These are important questions you should find the right answers to and you should do it now. If you have not met with Jesus, invite him to your life now. He is waiting for you. He is thew life and resurrection. He is the only way to God and eternal peace. Then find a Bible believing church and join the Saints.

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A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. (Mathew 2:18)

Please pray for the body of Christ in Nigeria. Within the spate of two weeks, over 600 Christians including children and pregnant women living in Jos,  Plateau state, North Central Nigeria were hacked to death by the agents of Satan in the Northern Nigeria. The events have been politicized and justice swept under the rug as the moslem dominated Government of Nigeria always do.

With the apparent success in Jos, there have been threats that further attacks shall be carried out in other parts of Nigeria. Just a week ago, majority of the residents of Bassa-Jiwa, a village near the international airport in Abuja where I live, spent the night in the police barracks and in the nearby bush because of fear of moslem attack.

Pray that God will continue to strengthen us to continue to preach his word with power and courage especially in the Northern Nigeria.

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His heart pounded as he hung on the Stake

Blood gushed out of all wounds

Wounds caused by my sinfulness

Wounds inflicted to make me whole

The heartbeat continues to pump it out

Cleansing blood from the heartbeat of love

I am thirsty, He cried

Mother behold your son

Today you’d be with me in Paradise

Father forgive my killers

They act in ignorance

Forgiveness from the heartbeat of Love

The blood continues to gush

As the heart pumps it out

My Lord, why do you forsake me?

It is finished!

And the entire world’s sins

Were blotted out with the heartbeat of love

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I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mathew 26:13

Her name was Rachel Ajike Adeninhun Ogungbe. Her birth was not recorded but according to the stories she told us, she was already affianced when the town of Modakeke was overthrown by the Ifes (SW Nigeria). From history books, that happened in 1901. My father was the last of her five children. No one of us who were her grand children had ever seen her with black hairs. She died in 1980 and her age was estimated at 124years.

Although she became a Christian and was baptized in the early 60s, she never ceased to tell us strange and pathetic stories of her former life as a pagan and she had relics of that to show us. She was called ‘Alaba’ a cultural name for the second child following a set of twin. ‘Idowu’ is the one following the twins.

Story Teller

She was a quintessential story teller, singer and dancer. We loved to gather around her anytime she was less busy and she would tell us stories and teach us Yoruba cultural songs and dances. Her favorite was how our great ancestor, a man called Eewumi migrated from Tapa land in the North Central Nigeria, the present Niger State to the old Oyo empire in the west. Then she would follow up with eulogies of the great men and women in our ancestral line. She was the reason behind my great love for Yoruba culture. Occasionally my father would join us and beat drums to accompany the folklores she sang. Other stories she told us were also full of traditional knowledge.  Through her I knew many of the myths behind the various norms held sacrosanct among the Yorubas. She told us of her single handed struggles to train all her five children after my grandfather died prematurely.

Mama also had stories of many inter-tribal wars and she told us how she watched as able men were conscripted to go fight the world war. The funniest part of these war stories was her demonstration of the military parade, and she would take time to don her special war costume when she got to this part of the story. Mama was a good actress.

Mediator

As my father ruled his large polygamous family authoritatively, Mama was the mediator we all had in the house then. If anyone offended my father, or if any of us children offended his/her mother, we would run to mama and she would promptly stand in the gap. Mama was the only one who could confront my father in his anger and get him to listen to her. She would do anything to calm down an angry person including; singing, dancing and even crying if she thought that would give her attention.

Comedian

Any time she noticed that there was tension in the house, maybe a quarrel between my father and any of his wives, mama would go and dress like a clown. She had her various costumes which she gathered over the years and she would just diffuse the tension with her outlandish dressing and funny dance steps.

Farmer

Mama loved farming. She maintained a garden at the back of the house which she always insisted on keeping by herself in spite of her frailty and waning health. Working on that farm was her own way of exercising her body and it really served her well. Anytime she harvested her crops and that may include yams, cocoyam or beans, she would cook and share the food to everyone in the family house, old or young. That was also her own way of getting in touch with everyone.

Caterer

Mama did not like the modern day methods of cooking using seasonings and other processed foods. She preferred using local ingredients which made her foods uniquely tantalizing to all of us especially her grand children. There was a particular fast food she liked to prepare from melon seeds which we called ‘robo’. She would grind dried melon and mix it to a rich paste with water, grinded pepper, tomatoes and onions. By kneading this mixture vigorously, she would squeeze out melon oil which was used to eat yam. Then she would make this paste into small balls and fry them in oil. The hard balls that come out are called ‘robo’.  We ate the ‘robos’ with corn palp or just as as snacks.

Nurse/Midwife

Except for the few ones that were born when she became very old and weak, the rest of us who were her grand children were born and nursed on her knees. Mama had a good knowledge of herbs. She was a daughter of herbalist, wife of herbalist and also mother to herbalist – my father.

For boys like me who must sustain injury on the football fields or from bicycle accidents, mama was the family doctor. Whether it was an open wound, a sprain, dislocation or cracked bone, mama’s hot water spied with herbs was the first aid and it was very effective.

Questions for reflection

Read Psalm 45:17: “I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.”

Proverbs 10:7: “The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”

1.  What are you doing to stay sweet and fresh in the memories of those who shall survive you?

2.  What do you think may be written as epitaph on your grave?

3.  How may you ensure that people will bless you as they remember you when you are dead?

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Three months prior to my wedding date, I lost my job. One after the other, all the investments I have made hoping to use the profits to organize the wedding ceremony failed. The company where my wife worked was also caught up by the Federal Government’s Privatisation of Public Enterprises policy and staffs were not paid for upwards of six months. So many times, the thought of taking an exit route out of town crossed my mind for I dreaded having to invite all people and then disgrace them for what they might conceive as poor planning. However, the wedding still took place as scheduled on October 13, 2001.

It was held in the North Central city of Makurdi, the capital of Benue State where my in laws lived. I had to travel down from Kano in the North West. My mother and siblings together with a few friends joined up, having travelled from different corners of the country to Makurdi. It was a variegated mix of language and cultural display on the engagement day as I and my team from the Yoruba tribe of South Western Nigeria formally asked for the hand of a bride of Igala by tribe who lived in Makurdi town the home of the Tiv people. There was free display of cultural values like foods, dresses, songs and dance. We all drank from each others’ wealth of culture with tolerance and love.

Church solemnization of marriage was at the Qua Iboe Church in Makurdi but the marriage reception was held at Benue Hotels PLC where the Police band displayed their talents on all genre of music ranging from the evergreens of the 60s to the Afro, Reggae and blues.

Despite all my fears, the wedding was a successful one by all standards. However, as we danced on the reception ground, news broke on TV that Kano was engulfed in another religious riot and the Islamic fundamentals were burning churches and Christian residences again.

 This meant two things to me immediately. One, we must not go back to Kano soon as we planned before. The honeymoon had to be done somewhere else. Two, we might not even have a place to go back to in Kano after the honey moon, except if we were fortunate to still have our rented apartment unscathed either by the raging inferno or by the looting urchins.

Well as I would not have such things ruin such an important day, I buried the thoughts and lived for the moment. I was helped by Paul’s admonition to the Philippians; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil 4:6) I prayed in my heart all through the event. We had the first dinner at the Nigerian Air Force Officers’ mess at Makurdi, sponsored by my elder brother. My wife and I left the guests and family there and looked for a nest. It was such a wonderful period full of joy and expectations. It is true that; “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Prov 12:25) Maybe you are wondering if I later told my wife we might not be having a house to go back to in Kano? If you were in my shoes, would you choose your wedding night to break such news?

We went back to Kano after three weeks when we heaqr that the riot had been curtailed by the combined efforts of the Police and the Army. Our house and property were still intact. We learnt that the miscreants actually got to our neighbourhood, but God stirred the minds of the muslims who lived around us to scare them away. God actually made the ‘enemies’ of the Christian faith who lived around us to be at peace with us.

The lesson here is that you either trust God or you worry. You cannot do the two together. “What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?” (Eccl 2:22) Worry kills but faith in God conquers.

Do you have some problems that are causing you some disquiet? Have you told it to Jesus? Have you sought the face of the Lord for understanding and patience? Speak to Jesus now, there is no friend like Him.

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It was Johann Pestalozzi who wrote that; “The best way for a child to learn about God is to know a real Christian. The best way for them to discover the power of prayer is to live with parents who pray.” I can attest to the veracity of this statement by the way children minister to us parents when we at times become too distracted with life’s worries to know what we must immediately do.

A few days ago, I was in the house with my two children, my son Tayo, 7 and a girl of 13, Joy, who lives with us. They were playing a game of ludo and I was worrying about my job that was being axed as Zain Nigeria outsourced its technical operations. My mind was polluted with the thoughts of how to get another job, how to pay the bills and so on. My wife was away to work on night shift. She works at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja as Flight Announcer and for five years now, just like me, she has been a casual staff. Between the two of us we take home peanuts.

My phone rang. It was Yemisi my kid sister asking me for directions. She was on the road travelling to Abuja from Ibadan. The call came in at 7:30 p.m. in the night and yet she still had over 400Km of bandit infested road to cover. She still had two stops to make that night to get to the Airport village where we lived and it was also raining. My worries escalated. My children noticed this and tried talking me out of it but to no avail. They did not quite understand the complexity of my thoughts.

After a while, they ended the ludo game and began to play church. The boy was the instrumentalist, playing imaginary keyboards on a table and at the same time beating drums with his mouth. The girl was the vocalist and her special number was “What a friend we have in Jesus” a Christian hymn originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855. Joy had it written down in her singing practice exercise book and that afforded me the privilege of hearing all the stanzas. The words that the Lord used to call me back to back to my senses were; “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” I felt ashamed of myself. I stole a glance at them to know if they deliberately played church because of my sorrowful state, but they hardly noticed I was around again. They were in their own world singing with gusto. Oh how pure their joy was.

I heeded the counsel. Without standing up lest I distract them, I simply closed my eyes where I was and talked to God. I thanked Him for making me a Christian when he saved me from my sins. I thanked Him for sending the needed Spiritual nourishment through the children at that hour. I appreciated Him for the grace He gave us to raise the children as Christians. Then I thanked Him for my sister’s journey and just asked Him to bring her to the house safely. Peace returned to my heart and I became strong again. “Daddy, will you play ludo?” asked my son. That was when I realized they had stopped playing church and were already arguing over some nonsense. “Yes sure, let’s all play together.” The three of us played and we were still on it when my phone rang again around 11pm. Yemisi was at the door. God had born her in His wings and brought her safely to the house in Bassa. How she scaled the hurdles on the road were just stories soon forgotten.

This is one of the blessings of being a Christian. “All your children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children.” (Isaiah 54:13) Have you given your life to Christ? It’d be sad to die unsaved when there is a Savior. Time is running out, do something about it today. Just confess your sins to Jesus where you are and tell Him to save you. HE is waiting.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

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