MAKE ME IN SECRET

Lord I stand before you a man called and yet hiding. Hiding from your light because your light exposes the deep motives of my heart.

I, like many men love darkness. Lord that isn't the christian thing to say but I love darkness.

I love sin and want a life of sin. Should I be wanting this? Definitely not!

I am afraid to open the depth of my heart to you because I fear you are not good or your goodness would not align with the deepest yearnings of my heart.

I have been taught in am schooled in the the things of God but yet my heart is far from converted. I know I should live a life of consecration in order to experience the fullness of your power but the desires to lay it all at the alter eludes me.

We speak of the power of choice. This too is a gift from you. Can I really choose? Do I have the power to do so? How can I access true grace? The grace that empowers at the deepest level. The grace that goes beyond what men are capable of seeing. How do I access the grace that works within the heart of men?

Yes, within the heart of the most sinful of men. I have no basis for pride or boasting. You and I know who I really am. You know the grave that lies deep within my heart. I am a white washed tomb full of dead men's bones. The sin of my heart is so huge that if it gained expression, I would be announced among the vilest of men.

You are the God who dwells in secret. You are the God who operates in the secret places. you place a premium not on that which is done in the open for good or for ill. You are more concerned with all that is done in secret.

Lord you are interested in my secret prayer. You take notice of my secret deeds, the words I mutter in my heart. The thoughts I nurse in my heart. You cannot tolerate the hypocrite who acts out what he is not. You want me to worship you in spirit and in truth. Not my carnal expressions of falsehood.

You desire truth in my inner-man. You desire to produce in me all that is real and genuine. Only this resonates with you. Only this appeals to you.

Make me real lord. Authenticate my walk in secret. Make me in your secret place and make me like you.

Times and Seasons

1 Chronicles 12:32 NIV

from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

Following the Nigerian elections it is obvious to the discerning that something significant has happened in the spirit. A notable shift is before us. The question is what are the implications and what must we do in view of these things?

Daniel 2:21 NIV

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

The Lord is the one who changes the seasons reflected in configurations of leadership structure on the earth. We need at this time men of understanding who can provide relevant direction to God's people.

Daniel 10:12-14, 19-21 NIV

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”   “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”   So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.

Daniel sought to gain understanding and while revelation came he was burdened and finally the angel strengthened him.

It feels like we are at such a time in the global prophetic timelines. Not just for Nigeria, but for the entire world.

We need to seek like Daniel to understand and humble ourselves before the Lord.

The Lord reveals mysteries to his people.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST

It's election time in my country and I am home visiting with my parents. Something quite interesting just happened that made me feel bad and wonder how much times had changed from the times when I was growing up within the same context.

I was opening the gate to pull-out the car when a certain lady and a little girl walked in. They were looking hard up and exhausted from a rather long journey on foot.

I stopped the lady from trying to walk into the compound when she pointed to the water tap outside the compound and said "please I want to fetch some water". I thought for a while and said "please do".

The lady fetched some water and drank then gave the little girl to drink as well. She later fetched some more into a water bottle for the road.

They thanked me and continued their journey.

I felt really bad because I recalled that as a child growing up this was usual. You could walk into almost any house that had a tap for a drink of water or even to fetch in your bucket or water bottle.

I was afraid that I had to boot before doing what I had always known to be the proper thing to do.

It should have been a no-brainer.

Selah

IN THE TIME OF ELECTION

Hello, this is about the best instruction I have found for believers on what to do in an election period sent by Dr. Bankole Olusina aka Pastor Bankie.

Very instructive

In the time of elections

This message is about righteous principles as it relates to democracy for the average citizen. It is particularly important for Nigerians at this time.

The elections are close in Nigeria, and so the campaign is on. How should a Christian react? Below a few points outlined to help.

1. Pray without ceasing (1 Tim 5:17).

Prayer is powerful; the Bible says that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16). People of God can make changes in government and in the society by their prayers. The problem is that the generally do not pay the proper attention to this ministry or they ruin the power in their prayers by grumblings, faithlessness, lack of patience, and other behaviours of children of God that ruin spiritual power.

Whether it is democracy or any other form of government, the fact remains that God still rules in the affairs of men, and He is still that one that ultimately determines who will rule. Our votes are just the method that He uses under the scheme of democracy. Space will not allow me now to give testimonies upon testimonies that illustrate this biblical principle. I remember one brother who came to see me once; he told of how he won an election when he was not at all well-known among the political powers or even properly funded. He followed the instructions given Him in a dream by the Lord. Later when he had become very well-known he sought another elective office, the same Lord told him in another dream that no matter what he does he wouldn’t win. At the end of the day, the votes were counted and he seemed to have won, then for certain reasons the elections were annulled. God just showed him that He was the one in power and not the masses by their votes or the men who seem to be in power.

We must approach prayer knowing that it is God who makes rulers. He appoints kings as it is written,

So then, let all people everywhere know that the Supreme God has power over human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses — even to the least important of men.' Dan 4:17 TEV

So, in the time of elections, we pray for the Lord to choose the leaders that will do His will in the season. Pray that He will thwart the plans of the wicked ones who want to destabilize things for their own benefit. Pray that He will grant peace during the whole process.

It is important that you confess the sins of the land and ask Him for mercy. God will never appoint good leaders for a people that continue to walk in iniquity unless certain righteous ones therein specifically ask Him for mercy. Those that can thus ask for and receive His mercy are called the salt of the land. The salt must do its work of praying.

2. Do not condemn or criticize the government.

Condemning (wishing evil upon people) or criticizing the government are some of those habits of Christians that kill the power of their prayers and erode faith. Refusal to do these things does not mean you agree with or are pleased with everything the government is doing; it just means you are focused on God as the true source of blessing in your life and that you realize that the power still belongs to God even in the minute details. It also means you understand what you have been called to do as a child of God.

We are not called to criticize; we are called to pray.

You may not say evil of the judges, or put a curse on the ruler of your people Ex 22:28 BBE

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. 1 Tim 2:1-4 NASB

Everyone in life has his God-ordained assignment, and that of the Christian is to pray for the government. Criticizing the government is the job of the opposition party and the numerous critics that we have in the society (many of whom are not at all better than the people than are criticizing). If you have a wise counsel for someone in power, do what you can to send them a word if possible, otherwise specifically pray about the thing that you believe is wise to do; you will be amazed at what the Lord will do. Criticizing, raving, ranting, judging and such activities do not change things; they only create an atmosphere of chaos in the realm of the spirit. Let your anger and frustrations motivate you to pray.

3. It is lawful to campaign.

Sometimes because we say that God actually rules in the affairs of men, some think it is therefore wrong to participate in the political processes, but that is an extreme and wrong opinion. The sovereignty of God does not excuse us from working according to what is right within the context of the current form of administration in the society. We must continue to do our physical duties.

Spiritually, it is lawful for those involved in the political process to campaign for any candidate or party of their choice, even if it is the opposition party to the current government. That is different from just criticizing the government. If you are involved, be constructive in your campaign even as you point out where your party or candidate may be better than the opponent, even if they opponent is the current one in power. Christians are to set the example in civility.

3. Plan to vote.

Again, the knowledge of the rulership of God among men in choosing who will rule doesn’t mean we should not vote. I have heard people say things like ‘I vote for God,‘ or for Jesus Christ. These divine persons do not have a ballot box or space on the voting sheet. You can only vote for God in prayer and in your personal life.

Voting is a civic duty, so please do it. Don’t worry about the possibility of rigging; if you do not vote God will find it rather tight to judge the riggers. Your vote is a spiritual indictment for the riggers; it will provoke the judgment of God on those who do so.

4. Vote based on righteous convictions.

As you plan to vote, remember that your vote is a statement concerning your morals, so be careful as you make your statements before God. He is watching you. Your vote is also a statement about what you really desire. Do not vote based on tribal sentiments and such thought processes; vote for the person who you believe is the best of the available candidates and who is closest to what you are praying for God to do in the society.

I remember a room-mate of mine while I was a university student. He came back one day raving about the extreme incompetence of one of the candidates for the just concluded elections into the leadership of the student body in his faculty (he was a law student). He spent quite some time describing how the fellow in question was not fit for the office he vied for and how occupying the office would bring no good to the association. He really tore the fellow to shreds (apparently the fellow won the election, I think as president of the association). Then he concluded the tirade by informing us his roommates that he voted for the fellow.

Shock, shock! Why would you do such a thing? You just described how unfit the chap is for the office!

His answer was, “because he is my brother.” (‘Brother’ here meant they share the same geographical area of origin.)

What??!!

I was flummoxed, but thinking about it now helps me to understand why God doesn’t often find it fit to appoint for us good leaders. God cannot appoint good leaders for us if we continue to tell Him that we are not concerned about it. That fellow just said to the Lord by his vote that, “I am OK with an incompetent leader as long as he is from my village.” That is the real prayer of people like him; the words they use when they pray are negated by their voting pattern. These are some of the things we do as Christians that kill the power of our prayers. It is called double-mindedness.

For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:7-8 NASB

Remember, the way you vote is making a spiritual statement, therefore consider your ways.

5. What if he loses?

Please note that no matter how prophetic, holy and righteous you are in your choices and votes during the elections; the candidates you voted for may end up losing. God may choose some other persons apart from the ones you want, and you may not know the reasons He did that. Remember that your vote is a statement while the Lord is the chooser of who wins. You just make the right statement and keep moving. No matter the outcome, be thankful in everything.

6. Last point is ‘do not stop praying.’

Prayer is the main weapon we have, and it is potent. Continue to prophesy good upon the land. Speak positive words. Rebuke the spirit of chaos, violence and such negative things. Continually wage war in the realm of the spirit with your words.

It is well with this country, in Jesus’ name.

__._,_.___

Posted by: Bankole Olusina

LIFESTYLE: UNITY

Psalm 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is indeed possible to dwell together and not dwell in unity.

Unity is a spiritual thing and a condition of the heart.

Gen 11. 1,6

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech....And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. ...this people is one.

The idea of unity is spiritual unity.

Like Edwin Louis Cole would say, agreement is the place of power. If two of you shall agree as touching any matter, it is agreed in heaven. Agreement isn't holding hands. Agreement is a spiritual heart-attitude.

It is the disposition of the heart.

There are certain pillars that support unity in the body.

1. Covenant
2. Communion
3. Prayer

Covenant:

We are related to our natural family by natural blood but we are related to the brethren by the shared blood of christ.

2corinthian 5:16-17 when quoted in context relates to how we deal with one another.

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

So we deal with each other from this point of view. The entire 5th chapter of 2corinthians talks about us rightly discerning the body especially with regards to the covenant.

The Communion

Because we understand the covenant, we celebrate it in the breaking of bread. Symbolic of our being part of one and the same body and so, if anyone is pained, we should all be pained.

If anyone falls, all partake of the experience. We can act detached but we are not. We are bound by covenant and when we celebrate the Lords table we acknowledge this everytime.

This brings me to prayer. Prayer, the lord once told me is congenial and families must be built on it.

You are bound to the one you pray with, the one you pray for and the one you pray to.

Prayer binds.

I like the way scripture puts it in 1st John, "Confess your faults one to another, then pray one for another".

You can only pray meaningfully for those you know. When you build friendship and fellowship, intercession becomes a natural consequence.

You cannot force. Like John said, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another but our fellowship is really with the father.

As we all strive to walk with the Lord, our ability to walk together becomes a lot more natural.

As we increase in christian maturity, our chords of love and christian unity is greatly enhanced. When this is absent, it means we are lacking in true christian maturity. God Bless

LIFESTYLE....Ingredients for Integration

I have been prompted to begin a series on the church life with a borrowed tag "Lifestyle".

In this series I would be considering the need to embrace requisite disciplines essential for church integration.

Most contemporary churches are really as they are called "congregations". Little interaction and superficial relationships.

This is born out of previous experiences in the world or possible hurts and offense within the church.

I am encouraged that the aim to integrate the church is first of all the will of God as Jesus Christ prayed "That they may be one even as we are one". The early church practiced these elements.

As the world is increasingly becoming more fragmented and the basic understanding of family and community is being lost, it is up to the church to rediscover and guard the truth I hope to explore in this series I have tagged "The Church Life".....For the sake of perspective, I have used an alternate tag "Lifestyle"

Psalm 133

A Song of degrees of David.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

In the next few days we would reflect on three characteristics of an integrated church using Psalm 133 as our anchor scripture.

The ingredients are:

1. Unity
2. Spiritual Authority
3. The Blessing

The reflection will focus on the importance of true christian unity as necessary for the power and anointing of God to fall on everyone in the local assembly which will then lead to the ultimate experience of something tangible which Israel understood called "The Blessing".

I look forward to the next few days of study.

I WILL ARISE!(Son, Servant and Friend)

I looked around me and thought I needed more.

Tired of all that was ordinary, in vanity I  wanted more.

Although I had all I really needed, I thought I was in poverty and imagined a world outside of this loving pen.

A deadly combination of ignorance and arrogance were my new best friends.

I should have pursued wisdom and humility for a well tended foundation, but I thought I knew better and so off I went in my quest for more.

Working and wasting my life with nothing but an empty shell as my reward. I beheld life's chilling reality. A living hell I found and wondered how I got here?

Awoken every morning to the sounds of goats and swines all about me. No one bothered to help me even if they could. The pigs were now my only companions; Their food and daily portions now a delight.

"What debasement" I thought to myself every morning. My condition the consequence of warped imagination and a poorly considered way.

I wished for more and got much more than I bargained for.

Then I came to my senses. " My daddy is rich and rewards even the least of his slaves"

I a son, as prodigal as I may be, can definitely hope for much more within his household.

I know my daddy's heart. He is tender and kind. He is fair, just and tender to all.

I have more to hope for and much more to gain if only I can once again abide under my daddy's roof.

To my daddy I must go and with him all is well.

I will now arise and go up to my father and I will say to him, "I am not worthy to be called your son, though that is all I truly want to be.

If only you will make me a servant, that would be better than this hell but if it pleases you, make me your son, servant and friend.

I arise!.

WHY ARE YOU ANGRY?

Gen 4.6 "The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen?"

We do not examine our hearts well enough. Have you really asked yourself this question? Well, I have.

When I first did, I was amazed at the answer I received. I was not willing to face-up to the reality of my source of anger or depression(fallen countenance).

I give you an examples.

My wife and I got to start a huge project or so I would like to believe (though it was really her project and not mine). We went everywhere talking about it and gradually everyone knew it was really her project and not mine.

Gradually she started getting more attention than I did because of the nobility of the project. Then whenever she narrated how it all started, she would say "I" rather than "we" not meaning to separate us but give the sequence of the narrative just like it occurred. You see, the truth was, she was the primary driver of the project and not me. I kind of felt left out and hoping she would just mention my role at least. You see it is difficult for people to truly admit especially to themselves the source of their anger.

I started wishing she would mention me more as she made progress in the project and she didn't then I started getting upset every time she told the story. And then it became annoying and my countenance would fall.

Now the question came to me.

Daniel, why are you angry?

You want to know the honest to God truth? I was jealous of my wife.

I wanted to be seen as the power behind the success but I wasn't. If only she had done that maybe that would massage my ego and compensate for my jealousy.

A lot of men are angry at home and at work because they are jealous and insecure in themselves or in their relationships.

Sometimes you look at another lady(for the ladies), and you are angry because people admire her because of her beauty and you despise her for that reason.

That happens because some are accepted because of certain gifts or traits that you think you lack. So you feel small or insecure in relation to them.

This was Cain's case. He felt that God accepted Abel over him and that annoyed him.

In the story of my wife and I. Our friends and mentors celebrated her project above mine because it touched a more fundamental need than mine and that annoyed me.

You see this happens all the time. Sometimes someone says something and we feel small or insulted.

Insecurity is at the heart of our getting angry. You think someone is trying to take advantage of you or belittling you.

Most of us are not secure in our relationships with God, ourselves, our spouses, our employers and our other relationships. So whenever we think what we have is threatened, we fight and it results in anger or our countenance falling.

James 4.1-4 describes it best.

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

In conclusion, why really are we angry?

We are angry because we are Jealous(which can be a good or a bad thing) and we are selfish and self seeking.
Godliness and contentment are some of my recommended biblical solutions to becoming truly secure and free of offense or anger.

We need to always know the true state of our hearts and be willing to be honest with ourselves.

Blessings.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

This question reveals the individual's power of choice.

One of the greatest lies of the devil and deception many of us have come to believe is that when confronted by life's pressures, we simply do not have a choice.

Choice is the greatest gift that God has given to man. We always have a choice and because we fail to grasp this we often succumb to life's pressure.

You see that when asked this question, Eve did not answer the question. She blamed the serpent. Like many people we say it was the devil.

Today's reflection deals with what we do when we are tempted. The question really is, are we compelled to do wrong or do we choose to do so?

James 1.13

"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me" For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desires and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

Jesus Christ said, "it isn't what goes into a man that defiles him but what comes out of the man....for out of the heart come all kinds of evil desires"

Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it comes the issues of life.

The ancient Jews talked about two wills; the inner will and the outer will.

The inner will was the true desire of people and what they really want to do. This is quite difficult to judge since the heart is difficult to understand even for the individual in question.

The outer will on the other hand is the actions that can be seen and through which the inner will may be understood.

So we can get a sense of the scripture which refers to God working in us to will and do.

This speaks of inner and outer wills. God works in what we must will and do.

The idea of the gospel is to ensure that our will is subject to God's will so that we only do what he will have us do.

We always have a choice.

It never begins with our actions. It begins with our hearts.

If you recall in the book of Genesis, the scripture says, "when the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food(desire) and pleasing to the eyes(desire), and also desirable for gaining wisdom(desire), SHE TOOK(Action).

Never blame the devil for wrong doing when you stand before God.
The Lord always will have us acknowledge our wrong and repent because if you really think about it, that's exactly what we wanted to do.

Our hearts need to be truly converted. Our will conformed to His will and our way aligned to His way.

Nothing can stand in the way of our will. If we will it, we will do it so let our will be his then our deeds will be His deeds.

WHO TOLD YOU?

This is another revealing question. Who told you? What is the source of your information?

You see, we are constantly processing information and it's important especially in the times that we live in to have precise, accurate, relavant and up to date information.

We typically make decisions and take action based on the quality of information that we receive.

Ed Louis Cole said " Unbelief is the basis of sin, Deception is the character of sin and Pride is the strength of sin"

Actions are always based on belief and God help us if we have believed a lie. Worse still if we are too proud to acknowledge, challenge and review the assumptions we have previously had about God and life.

The book of Romans says "let every man be a lier and God be true"

Blessed is the man that walketh not after the counsel of the ungodly. There is indeed ungodly counsel. Imagine the wisdom and counsel of Ahithophel?

Ungodly counsel has certain characteristics evident in the conversation between Satan and Eve.

1. He questioned the validity of His Word(Did God really say)

Contrary information questions the authorship and credibility of God's word. Did God really say? The aim is to raise doubt, cause fear and betray trust. It questions the accuracy and true source of the instruction you presume to be basing your life and way on. If you recall, Jesus Christ dealt with this by constantly saying "it is written"....Psalm 119.9 says thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you. You sin when you believe a lie. Righteousness is a product of faith which only comes by hearing. The quality of information determines the quality of life. Jesus Christ said, the words I speak is a spiritual substance that imparts life. When our life is governed by 'thus sayeth" our life's outcome is a lot more certain.

2. Challenges the authority of His word. (you will not surely die)

Here satan questioned the power behind the word. He challenged the certainty of God's pronouncements. Here he deceives people into believing there are no rewards for obedience and no consequences for disobedience. The Lord said, heaven and earth will pass away but not the least stroke of my word would go unfulfilled.

3. Questioned the sincerity of God's intentions. (He knows that if you eat....you will become like him)

What he was saying is God is being dishonest. He doesn't wish you well. All these instructions are not for your good. You know, God's plan for us are plans of good and not of evil to give us a future and a hope. His will for us is good, acceptable and perfect. We need to know that God is good and all he does for us is good. So Jesus Christ said which of you though evil will give our children a serpent or a stone. Then how much more will God give us good gifts. We need to learn to trust God's intentions.

Finally,

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Only a surrendered heart can have the mind of Christ.

Surrender your will to His and totally trust God even when it is difficult to understand. Like I once heard a Christian say, I still would have believed even if I was told that "Jonah swallowed the whale".

Be like Abraham:

Trust the Lord, trust His Word and trust His Way.

WHERE ARE YOU?

Adam, where are you?

This is God as always looking for man. This goes to show how often God wants to be in constant fellowship with us. The truth really is God is who He is and remains where He is. He never moves and never changes. We are the ones in constant flux. The real issue for me isn't primarily the question that God is asking but our response to these questions. Imagine the man Adam, he still didn't answer the question. Like most of us we are unwilling to face-up to and answer the real questions about us. Where are you? Right now, what is your current state?

Adam said I heard your voice in the garden, I was afraid and I hid myself. We are the ones hiding ourselves from God. Jesus Christ said I am The Light of the world. The world hates me because they love darkness. Has it ever dawned on you how much we love darkness. Now this might not be our first inclination from the surface but deep down and in our hearts we truly love darkness.

The cover of darkness with regards to our thoughts, our desires and our struggles. Fear thrives in darkness. Guilt thrives in darkness. Shame thrives and darkness. Sin thrives in secrecy and darkness.

The more in the dark and in hiding we are the farther away from God we are. Adam had sinned, so there was guilt, guilt brought shame and shame caused him to hide. At the root of our hiding first from God and the brethren is sin. Sin thrives in secrecy.

We must bring our darkness to His light. We are encouraged to expose every work of darkness. when we think of this we are quick to think of others. The truth is that it is a lot better when we think in terms of ourselves, Our own darkness, our own hiding. Daniel, where are you? is the real question. What am I hiding behind? Work? Talk? Church? You see many times we actually hide behind legitimate things.

This happens when we turn good things into god thing. Trying to satisfy legitimate desire in illegitimate ways. Adam never answered the question. I must always be willing to answer this question. I must be willing to own up at every time and repent when necessary.

David was quick to own up. Jabez acknowledged his situation and God changed his testimony. Jacob told the Lord " I am a fraudster" I dupe people and God changed his name the moment he owned up.

Are you willing to own up? I am. I must. I will. My life and future with the Lord the father of light depends on this very question.

Adam where are you?

Questions God Asks

I first encountered this topic on everyday with Jesus by Selwyn Lewis . I recently thought I should revisit it for myself and reinforced by a conversation on one of my various fora.

In the next few days I will be reflecting on these questions.

Questions God asked ADAM(1-2), EVE(3) and the questions God asked CAIN(4-5).

1. Where are you?
2. Who told you?

3. What is this you have done?
4. Why are you angry?
5. Where is your brother?

WHERE ARE YOU?

Here we would reflect on the question God asked Adam when he went into hiding  "Adam where are you". If you recall Adam's response was "I heard your voice and I hid myself because I was naked"

Adam was hiding from God. So for our reflection we would consider the various ways we could be hiding from God and possible expectation from God under these cir instance.

WHO TOLD YOU?

we would look at our sources of information. What do we believe and where did we get our information from? This would be a very important reflection to ensure that our philosophy is based on what God has said. Ed Cole said " Unbelief is the basis of sin. Deception is the character of sin and Pride is the strength of sin"

We really need to consider our source and the authority behind our belief.

WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE?

We would consider here the importance of godly action and to draw this study to a close. Ultimately , we need to be very purposeful about our actions and carefully consider the implication of our actions.

WHY ARE YOU ANGRY?

It is an important consideration. Allows for deep introspection. You would be amazed what you will find when you really try to answer this question. I have jealousy sometimes or a feeling of rejection. But this reflection is very important.

WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?

Life is about God and people period! The term "your brothers keeper" is central to our Christian conviction. Jesus Christ spoke about "your neighbour".....so we examine the importance of looking out for others.

Where is your brother?

I hope we have a great study in the next few days.

Have a beautiful day.

Day Break

Psalm 110:3 ASV

Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth.

The day of of God's power is the day of His revelation. When men find themselves in the words of prophesy. It is a time when people give themselves willingly to His service. The day of God's power is preceded by strong words perceived and clearly understood in the spirits of men.

The day of God's power is similar to the situation when Samuel emerged as Judge in Isreal. The day of his power must always be preceded by a strong word of prophecy and revelation.

Jesus Christ said "here I am , it is written about me in the volumes of the books. I have come to do thy will oh God for thy Law is within my heart"

Paul understood his place in prophecy. The sons of Issachar were men who understood times and seasons and what Israel was suppose to be doing.

The day of.God's power is a time of strong inner conviction stirred up by the Lord's revelation.