RAISING DISCIPLES FOR WORLD OUTREACH

 The Purpose of Pain 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT "Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God, to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time He said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Pain, from a personal perspective, is something that alters or moderates our lives. Sometimes it leads to utter destruction; in other cases, it leads to redirection. Pain is not pleasurable. Our lives are conditioned to be at ease and to enjoy the beauty of life. However, when pain sets in, some of it is natural and arises from...

  VICTORY AT LAST James 1:12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Temptation becomes inevitable, especially in a world where: "Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed." (Isaiah 59:14). "Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked." (Isaiah 59:15). Temptations are everywhere. They are as potent from one location to another. But the aim is the same: to make us deny the love of God. We are to endure every form of temptation, even sickness that threatens our lives. The Bible says temptation is a tool to try our faith. We endure temptation, however, because of our love for God. Ultimately, those who are able to endure temptation have one motive: the love of God. When confronted with the seemingly unavoidable temptation from Potiphar's wife, Jos...

  "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." - Romans 2:29 Since my previous write-up on the above subject, I have received several mixed feedbacks, especially from Christians. Some were ecstatic, praising God for doing such a wondrous thing. However, others opined that such an acclaimed conversion is nothing but a business tactic. They argued that his affiliation with the Celestial Church indicates that he is merely religious and pretentious about his faith in Christ. This group believes that the Celestial Church is not a place to find a true Christian. (Please, wait before you start casting aspersions on anyone.) Meanwhile, as fate would have it, I have been drawn to several of Wasiu Ayinde's songs on TikTok. I am still wondering why I consistently stumble upon his songs even though I do not follow his handle. I can only hope I will not be tempted to start...

 BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US. 1 Thessalonians 5:25 Brethren, pray for us. Matthew 8:14-17 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose and ministered unto them. When evening came, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses." The sickness of Peter's wife's mother was likely new to Jesus, but Peter was already aware of it. It is reasonable to conclude that the mother-in-law had been living elsewhere, perhaps with her husband. However, due to her illness, she was brought to Peter's house for prayers, knowing that Peter was a disciple of Jesus and could pray for her. It was hoped that she would receive an instant miracle. Unfortunately, th...

"Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." — Colossians 1:12-13 Yesterday, I stumbled upon a TikTok video about the conversion of Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde to Christianity. The creator of the video, who is also an Alhaji, was pleading with fellow Muslims to appeal to Wasiu (a popular Fuji musician in Nigeria) to return to the Islamic fold. He urged his audience not to allow this to happen, just as it occurred with Alhaji Ayuba (another popular Fuji musician who is now a Christian). However, since I have not accessed a verified source regarding his conversion, I had my reservations. Even now, I have not found a reliable source to confirm this information. Today, while riding a bus whose driver played one of Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde's albums, I heard one of the tracks in which he sang: "AANU MO RI GBA, ADE ORI O...

 THE MISCONCEPTIONS  John 20:1-10 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not un...

The Passion for Mission. "Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you." And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them, I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished." (Acts 22:1-5) Who says we have no job?   Who says we are lazy?   Who says we are not learned and well-equipped educationally?   Who says we are not well-fed?   Is there anyone who would accuse us of being without fo...

 THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IN THE HOLY PLACE "From the time that the regular sacrifice [that is, the daily burnt offering] is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up [ruining the temple for worship of the true God], there will be 1,290 days." — Daniel 12:11 AMP "But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it." — Jeremiah 32:34 Sometime in 2023, I wrote a blog on this topic from a completely different yet complementary perspective. At that time, it focused on the reckless drive of the church to maintain its financial status and fame, often by employing ungodly means of making money. This time, I want to address the abomination concerning the tenets of the Scriptures. Are you aware that here in Nigeria and in other countries, some famous and popular pastors are editing the Bible? I suspect that soon we will have a new Canonized and Contemporary Apostolic (Non-Pauline) version of the Bible. This proposed Bible w...

 WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR? Some months ago, during the presidential elections in Nigeria, there was a clamour among the Christian community for a Christian to rule Nigeria again, especially in light of the Muslim-Muslim tickets projected by the ruling party. A message from a Christian cleric went viral online, sharing his experience with both Muslim and Christian brethren. He was sent on a mission to another state in Nigeria for a pastoral assignment. One night, while still on his way, he joyfully approached a Christian church with a mission house. He introduced himself to the pastor in charge and expressed his desire to spend the night there. However, he overheard a heated argument between the pastor and his wife, who contended that she could not accept any stranger into the pastorium. Meanwhile, the cleric softly requested to spend the night in the church auditorium, but he was denied. His next point of call was a mosque, where he was gladly accepted and offered dinner. He slept joyfu...

  Crucify Him Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22-23) The definition and explanation of crucifixion is as follows: "Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution in which a person is nailed or tied to a large wooden cross and left to hang until death. This form of punishment was used by various civilizations, most notably the Romans, and was intended to be a public display of punishment and humiliation. In a historical context, crucifixion was often reserved for the most serious crimes, including rebellion and treason. The process was not only excruciatingly painful but also designed to serve as a deterrent to others." Crucifixion was not just a death; it was a slow form of death in which the victim endured excruciating pain that could last for hours or even days. Most importantly, th...

 LEAVE MR. LOT ALONE  Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran. Genesis 11:31-32 Apparently, Terah; Abram's father must have had some inner conviction and personal drive to leave the Ur of Chaldeans. He thought of the Canaan as the best destination. And obviously, he told his brethren he was going to Canaan. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it to his desired place. You know the situation when your expectations lie below your situation. The reality contradicts the dreams. Circumstances must have led him to settle for Haran. Sincerely, most people die in Haran on their way to Canaan. Ask most Israelites who left Egypt. If we could ask Moses, we would realise that the road to Canaan would consume most of the way...

The Challenge of Faith in a Cold World  "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16 AMP How can I sustain this faith in these challenging times? Those who bribe their way are getting promoted. I have been abandoned and ostracized because I insist on doing things faithfully and legally. My peers are already in university, not because they are better than I am, but because they have greased the hands of the officials who graciously facilitated their easy access to higher education. My faith is already waxing cold because I am seen as a strange and insensitive person. Even the Church of God, which should be the arbiter and defender of faith, is marginalizing those labeled as "HOLIER THAN THOU." Even the congregation I pastored was unwilling to fellowship with me because I was perceived as insisting too much on the Bible. Today, ...

 One Church. One House. One Family. "This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) Recently, my wife and I were discussing with a fellow brother who was expressing his displeasure at the state of the church today. He was just a brother and perceived "benchwarmer," but he carried much knowledge about the current state of the church and what he termed the end of the church era. He opined that the time is near when each house and family would run a church of their own, resembling the koinonia (house churches) of the early church. Well, we will see if his suggestion comes to pass. Sincerely, there are many things going wrong in today's churches, and there seems to be nobody strong enough to address these cankerworms. Most of these problems emanate from the large and multinational churches and famous pastors. For instance, churches are fiercely competing to expand thei...

The Necessity of Language Acquisition As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" The tribune replied, "Do you know Greek? Aren’t you the Egyptian who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" Paul responded, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people." And when the tribune had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying... (Acts 21:37-40). Aside from the 'immeasurable' grace that Apostle Paul carried, one of the things that made him excel more than any other apostle or disciple was his ability to switch between languages. Paul was fluent in the common languages of his time. He was not just an apostle to the Gentiles; he was a speaker of Gree...

T he Defender of Faith "Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." - Hebrews 12:14 I remember the time I lost while defending God. I wish I could recall those moments and lay myself at the feet of the Master, quietly and intently waiting for every instruction. I wish I had patiently waited on God and never spoken any word or acted in any way without His counsel. But I failed. My mouth was ahead of my heart. I hardly listened but was very swift to speak. Oh, I remember the years when I would castigate anyone who took recommended medication or went to the hospital, deeming them as lacking faith. I made those who were sick understand that every illness is an affliction from the devil. I shed tears when I reviewed my stance on women wearing trousers or jewelry as being daughters of Jezebel. A brother who wore jeans was not serious about his Christian life. Nothing should stop you—not even your esteemed work—from attending every churc...

Built to Last In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!”   “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.  [11] “Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  [12] In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”  [13] But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.  [14] And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”  [15] “Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.  [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:10-16) The wisdom of God was shown when He sent Ananias to minister to Saul after the latter had an encounter with Jesus o...