The Press against Jesus

Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. (Luke 8:19)

Do you realize that the press has not stopped blocking people from getting to and seeing Jesus? And the same happened to Zacchaeus until he decided on being creative.

And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press. (Luke 19: 3)

Incidentally it is worse now than then. Then the press was composed of people also seeking to get near Jesus. Today it operates to block people from the Jesus they have rejected, more like the lawyers of His day.

Do you realize that any time you read or watch about a preacher it will be about one who drives people farthest from Jesus? The press only shows us the conman, the immoral, the imposter, the crude; in short the one least likely to bring a seeker to Jesus.

And the Christian press is not much different. They are selling plots and kerchiefs and trips and holidays; books and CDs. Plus of course promoting their own superstar instead of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They only expose those who can afford whether they have the right message or not instead of looking for those who have the message of the cross.

Why am I using an unreasonable parallel? You may be wondering.

The press has people pressing at whatever it is pressing about. People follow the press without second thought. Very few question the motive, or especially the neutrality of the press. Most will swallow whatever they are fed on without question.

Thus, if a newspaper wrote my story, even my friends will believe it without seeking clarification from me, even on things their better judgment could be clearly be suspecting, sometimes even knowing are false.

An allegation by the media is treated as true.

Will we allow the press to continue blocking people from seeing Jesus?

(I have intentionally decided to make this message as most of the preachers today who will pick whatever they find on a text and use it to say whatever it is they want to say. Sadly, they may not care to align their message with the clear teaching of scripture)

The Ten Slay Queens

An international advertising company advertised for models who would be the face of their agency. In fact, they needed the said models to represent all their clientele. They therefore looked to get the most qualified girls to employ.

And the winners of that pursuit would be given just about anything as well as be able to travel anywhere in the world since that is what it means being the face of the agency.

They needed beautiful girls, well-shaped, intelligent, classy and of course media savvy.

The advertisement took the world by storm.

‘Looking for slay queens’, ran the advertisement before listing all the requirements.

Then the pay (looked more like rewards and holidays) for the ones who clinched the job; travel anywhere in the world using airline of choice, staying in your hotel of choice, among other tantalizing offers.

The job was open to any girl of the slay queen age bracket and the applications were to be done online.

Hundreds of thousands of girls applied, some who did not even know what being a slay queen meant but couldn’t resist all those rewards to the one clinching the job.

Most failed the interview before it started because their writing skills were below par. Many others were visibly overdecorated or overpainted. Those were not even responded to. Of course nobody could respond to all those applications even if they decided to use digital means.

A few thousands passed that first level (online vetting) and were referred to offices nearest them (at the company’s cost) for one on one interview.

Many others lost out because they had pampered their pictures to appear more attractive. Others looked older in person than they had been online. Yet others lost because they were too daring.

After a series of very rigorous interviews on which they gauged their intellect, ability to work under pressure, dietary discipline, exercise regimen and many other stringent criteria, they settled on ten who had passed everything they had examined. They had failed to reduce that number after many attempts.

It appeared that they would have to use their whims to reduce that number, a number they had to reduce due to the monetary and job requirements. Until one old man thought of one last test that could not even be called an interview.

They were taken on a trip (they had been brought to the headquarters) and told to await their last instruction. They were not told where they would be going, what they would require or even what instruction they would be expecting.

Since all through the many interviews and travelling they had been in places with electricity, they were used to carrying phone chargers as that is what they needed to remain online all the time with those smart phones that consume power like water.

That incidentally was the last interview, if it could be called thus.

Half of them decided to take their charged power banks. They had been used to carrying them that they never considered where they were going to decide. It was more like their second nature. The others laughed at them for being overcautious for nothing, loving excess baggage all through their interview process.

The first driver handed them over to another one who either did not know any language they spoke or was deaf as he did not speak at all. But he was okay as he was in the company’s uniform and drove the agency van.

When evening came, instead of taking them to a real hotel, he took them to a cluster of huts.

They were surprised because they belonged to the agency and had prepared everything for the slay queens, except electricity.

After all those hours of traveling and all the fun they had been having, they get to a place with everything except the only thing they needed, power to charge their phones, phones that had been given by the agency.

They got into a panic. The last instruction was due any time and their phone batteries were warning of a shut down. They offered to do anything, give anything to the staff to get a way to charge those phones. But it appeared that the outpost was completely ancient as none of the staff had a phone.

Of course the ones who had carried their power banks took them out and started charging their phones. The ones who had thought of them as extra baggage and even laughed at them for being superstitious or doubtful Thomases started pleading with them to allow them to share those power banks. You see, all those weeks the interviews were going on, when thousands failed, there had never been any power shortage.

We fear it might crash the power bank to charge two phones at once, was the response they got.

Where else can they get power to charge those phones? They asked the staff.

Probably an hour’s drive from here, was the response. They even agreed to take them there using the vehicle they came in. and they had no other choice as their phones were already off.

A few minutes after they left a message came to the phones.

You are hired. Respond immediately.

Of course they responded joyfully and went to celebrate, enjoying the splendid hospitality being offered in that remote outpost.

Then the others came. They were distraught. And they did not know why the others were celebrating.

What did they find when they powered their phones?

There had been a message, alright. But they were unable to respond, however hard they tried. They had been disconnected from the server when they refused to respond to the message on time.

A helicopter came to pick the victors even as the others could not believe their bad fortune.

They were driven back by the same driver only that this time he was talking, explaining that he had been instructed not to talk for fear he may have leaked the last test.

Do you realize that this is exactly how the kingdom of God works, even life itself?

The determining factor in success is not passing one or other test as many other people have the same skills and qualifications that singling out the best may be akin to picking out a particular zebra from the herd on your visit to the park.

When things are equal, all may seem to be fine. But wait until that power bank is required and the difference will stand out like a sore thumb.

Do you remember believers at home or in school and the way their faith thrived? Or believers under a good local church?

Fasting and prayer was no issue. Giving did not need much prompting. Fellowship was real. You couldn’t tell who had greater faith as things flowed flawlessly because of all the support structures in existence.

But take them out of that zone to a place they were supposed to stand alone, where nobody knew or cared whether they were believers or not. A place nobody cared to know whether you attended fellowship or prayer, a place your faith was your private affair. In fact it may be a place that would encourage rebellion and sin.

That is where you will discover the ones who had something extra from the expected. It is when the support structures are removed that you realize the ones who had been raised to live a complete Christian life by standing alone.

I can say this from experience. When I worked in places far from anywhere, I saw people who had been pastors before being posted there living as if they left God when the transfer removed them from their congregation. I have seen church elders becoming whoremongers and dear sisters becoming harlots and concubines when the support structures are removed.

Sometimes it is not even the support structures. Ministers have been swallowed in evil when their account balances swelled with the growth of the ministries and churches they led. Someone who was generous becomes completely self-absorbed. Someone who was serious with the things of God becomes a people pleaser because of the comfort they offer him. Someone who was radical against sin becomes a poor but powerful motivator trying to explain away sin instead of confronting it.

What is that extra thing that will keep us powered whatever comes our way? What is the power bank that we will turn to when there is no mains power?

In a recent post, I noted something God told me recently. That the only Bible the devil fears is the one in the believer’s heart. That is the one that cannot be played around with as it has become part of the believer.

A consistent intake of God’s word is the fuel that can take you beyond the support structures. Only God’s word hidden in the heart is able to make someone endure persecution victoriously. Remember Stephen?

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:11)

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Treasuring God and His word in our hearts is the determining extra we need to live above the rest.

Incidentally, that is not something we do in competition. It is something we consistently do until it becomes second nature. We will do it ‘without thinking’, almost instinctively. Yet it is because of our constancy in doing it that will make our life of faith and obedience that effortless.

The Straight and Narrow

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7: 13, 14)

The beauty of the Bible is in the way God gives life to a verse you have read and heard since childhood. And this happened on this verse.

Have you ever considered that most preachers do not know the definition of these two verses?

Do you realize that many sermons you have heard on it are pointing elsewhere?

The fact that the wide (broad) road has the masses has never been disputed. But do you realize that it does not say that a few follow the narrow path?

You do not follow the narrow path. You find it. It means you must be looking to be able to follow it.

You realize that it says that few find it and not follow it.

If you are following others in your pursuit of God, you may just be following a narrow version of the broad way.

Following a papa or mum of ministry does not equate following God unless that papa has the key to heaven like this foolish prophet said recently.

You must find the way to be able to walk in it. And Jesus is the way, the only way and He has no brokers.

Do you realize that this famous statement is wrong?

We can not all be wrong. The majority is on the broad way according to Jesus’ statement. The narrow is consisted of the finders, a consistent finding.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? (Luke 9: 23 – 25)

This adds weight to the verses as there is no corporate cross to be carried. Each must find his own cross to carry it.

Do you know the Way? Have you chosen Him? Are you following Him?

Faithfulness

I was listening to Genesis 24 when I was woken up with the great realization about honor.

I don’t know whether you realize the extent of this man’s trustworthiness.

Here is a slave completely entrusted with everything his master possessed. Then he is given an assignment to a far country; with all the freedom and anything he wanted for that assignment.

Do you realize that he was for all pretexts free had he chosen it?

Imagine it like this.

You are a slave, incidentally a slave is property with no rights except what the owner offers. And of course there is no clause in slavery offering any light at the end of the slavery tunnel. You are a slave, period. You will even go back to being a slave after that errand.

Now your owner gives you an assignment. He gives you his private jet and opens an account for you that can access all his accounts wherever and whenever you may want. In fact he is the one who gives you authority to do so and does not even oversee what you are doing.

How faithfully will you run that errand?

You see, you can take that money as your price of freedom and simply disappear, especially as then there simply was no way of being caught had he chosen to disappear.

But do you know what amazed me even more? It was his introduction.

I am Abraham’s slave. This even with all the honor and responsibility and visible class he possessed. And not once does he stray from his assignment. He even refuses to eat before he has made known his errand. You even remember how focused his prayer was, only about that errand.

Then I thought. How many ministers are ashamed of being called God’s slaves? How many pastors think that the title pastor is too junior for them? How many create positions to fuel their need for importance?

How many ministers can be trusted with God’s resources? How many leave no doubt that they are nothing but slaves when ministering or running God’s errands?

Isn’t the reality so different from this? A pastor wants a bigger title and treats God’s resources as his own, even requiring proof of loyalty before allowing you to come near it. Congregants may be starving or being kicked of houses for lack of money rent as ministers and churches hoard God’s resources.

How many pastors have overthrown God from church and proudly become CEOs of the new structure though continuing to use God’s name and resources to do so?

It is also important to note that he was from the heathen nations around even through his prayer, meaning he had no heritage of faith or faithfulness to draw from.

Will we learn from this slave?

Will we treat God like this slave treated Abraham?

Let me not even talk about our secular engagements.

Security

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119: 11)

Do you realize that the only Bible the devil fears is the one in a believer’s heart?

He does not care how many versions you have, how many study and reference materials you have, how much cross reference you can do for any single verse. He does not even care how seamlessly you can connect the Greek and Hebrew to contemporary issues. All this, though useful, is stubble to the enemy of our souls.

It is like nutrition. What is absorbed into our body is what becomes useful, or harmful, to our bodies.

That is why you will find someone who barely has food to eat yet their body is healthy and even has some fat reserves when there is somebody who is always eating the best foods yet not only does he never add any weight, he always looks sickly and weak.

That is exactly how God’s word works in our spirits. It is what gets absorbed into our spirits that becomes useful because that is what makes the spiritual blocks of our spiritual building.

Those proclamations and possessing and grabbing statements you pick from sermons have nil power to resist the evil one.

You see, the devil also knows the Bible, a little too well. He can therefore twist it at will for his purpose, which means for the purposes of getting us outside God’s will.

If he could quote the Bible to the author of the same (Jesus), do you think he would be scared of doing the same to you? And if Jesus used the same Bible to answer back, do you think there is a wiser response to the devil’s misquoting of the Bible?

And it goes beyond quoting the scriptures. They must be given authority to completely run our lives through valuing it to the extent of deciding to live according to its precepts.

You see, the only Bible the devil has no chance of corrupting is the one that has become part of the believer.

Let me give a Biblical illustration.

Remember David running away from Saul who was trying his best to kill him? Then God hands Saul to him on a golden platter, totally harmless.

Circumstantially, that is the miracle of a lifetime. Then there are witnesses who are reminding him of previous prophecies about God handing his enemies to him, more likely quoting scripture or a word from a real prophet. And finally they were willing to fulfill the word themselves, meaning he will not even be the one to kill his enemy. And I am sure his whole system was crying that he get rid of that bothersome enemy.

But his spirit was alive to a consistent intake of God’s word. His spirit was alive to a life lived according to God’s word.

At that time, God’s word came alive amidst all the conflicting and logical emotions.

Who has any right to touch the Lord’s anointed?

You see, God is the One who has released the word just as He is the One who had anointed Saul as king. He therefore is the one who can issue accurate instructions about dealing with His anointed.

And that is the level the devil has no chance of penetrating or even approaching.

I think you also remember Job not only dealing with hardship but also having to deal with friends who were quoting scripture to explain their theology. And He was able to overcome because he had God’s word in His heart. No wonder God could boast about him to the devil!

How do I have God’s word in my heart? What is the difference between having God’s word in my head and in my heart?

I will give another verse.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

It is talking about God’s word finding its residence in our hearts; meaning occupying a pivotal position in my life. It means giving God’s word the preeminence we give to God. Look at this other verse.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2)

The word must be given authority to run our lives; with our willing and joyful anticipatory permission.

It is not a compulsory type of absorption. We do not take that word in to fill a log or fulfill a duty. We take it in as a joy, a greatly desirable pursuit, a pursuit we can forego necessary food to pursue like the psalmist.

There are essential steps to store God’s word in our hearts.

First listen to it in its undiluted format. We must avoid the sweet easy digest readings. We must avoid listening to only what we enjoy hearing. Avoid those motivational high energy sermons that leave you charged but without an action plan that will give glory to God. An audio Bible is one very useful tool, and you can even download it free on the internet.

Second, we must read the Bible completely and consistently. We must develop a habit of daily reading enough chapters. And we must make sure we are always reading the whole Bible. Let us avoid choosing favorite chapters and books in our reading. One very useful habit is setting apart time early in the morning before doing anything else as that is when your mind and systems are at their sharpest. Reading through the Bible yearly is one very profitable decision to make. And that is why I am always giving out reading plans.

Most important is that you must take seriously everything the Bible says. You see God did not write it for discussion or as a suggestion. He issued it to be obeyed. That is why we have the Ten Commandments and the Great Commission, nothing near discussion points or suggestions. In Matthew 7, He compares the listening experts and the doing servants using different illustrations. One is the consequence of those actions and the other has the outcome of the same.

God’s word sinks into our hearts the more we obey whatever we read as opposed to reasoning and discussing, unless it is discussing the most effective way of obedience.