“This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; 13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, 15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
(Genesis 9:12-17 NASB)
I’m a bit of a Nature freak and I love to know how everything works and runs. I love the cycles of and Seasons of Nature. So, when I saw an article about rainbows on the internet this morning, I read it. I know that rainbows are created when light shines through water droplets. That’s why I run outside every time it is raining with the Sun out, to see if I can spy one. As I was reading the article, it suddenly struck me that when God put the first rainbow in the sky, it wasn’t raining at all. When we read the story of the Flood and the Promise God made not to flood the earth again, the rain had already stopped.
Now God only puts a Bow in the Sky during our storms, not when the rains have stopped, but while it is still raining. The droplets must be present for the light to shine through and reveal the colors of the rainbow. So, the first appearance of the Rainbow was a bit of a miracle too, it was a dry rainbow because the rain had already ceased.
But now we see rainbows only in the midst of our storms. God doesn’t wait for us to be through our trials and tribulations to remind us of His faithfulness and promises. He reminds us right in the middle of the storms, when the rain is still present.The clouds part and the light of Christ shines through the droplets of tears during the struggles, the losses and brokenness. God is right there during this time with us. He is with us, reminding us of who He is, and just How true He is to His Word and promises to us. Next time you see a rainbow, thank God for showing up to remind us of Himself amid your storms, not just in the aftermath.
Has there ever been a time in your life, when it comes to your studies, that you continued to fail? Never got past the halfway mark to qualify. Missed out on crucial points to get you to the next stage. The feeling of failure and realizing that you just ain’t that good at academia. Often basing our worth on what we feel we should be achieving because of our comparisons to our peers, friends, and associates.
I remember being told at one point in my life, that because I did not go to University and did not obtain a proper Degree, that I was less than another person. I was being compared to somebody else and it felt awful. I was being told indirectly that I had no value and there was nothing I could do about it, quite frankly. Feeling like a nobody, I went through life, trying to achieve success and always giving up halfway and allowing their voice in my head, to keep repeating the negatives into my life.
‘ What your doing is not as important as what I am doing’ ‘ You don’t even have a degree ‘.
I gradually worked out understood why it was happening… I noticed when I doubted myself when attempting to do something. I felt that same feeling of worthlessness when I was struggling to learn a new thing. When it came to studies, I shied away from booking the courses that interested me, because I thought I would fail, yet again.
However, when I became a believer, a major breakthrough happened in my life, something that completely turned my life around, in terms of what I thought about myself. God not only revealed to me what I was gifted at. He brought me back to a time in my life as visions, when I would see myself writing, from as young as 13yrs.
Of course! My first thought was, I write because I enjoy it, I did not see it as something special. Though God had a different idea, he revealed he was going to use me with my writing to encourage others, to give them hope. Scripture tells us God does not call the ‘ Qualified ‘ he calls those who are not and for the first time I felt like a somebody and not a nobody, who had not achieved much. When indeed I had been given a gift that I did not have to study for, bust my guts over revision timetables for. No sleepless nights and early morning rises.
When God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, Moses was living a life of obscurity at that time.. He knew Moses had a heart for people and had credible standing at one point in his life and so God decided to use. Moses of course lamented.
‘ I am a nobody God ‘ …’ I am not qualified God’
But God was using Moses for his credibility, not Moses’s. God was using him as an example to those, who did not believe what God could do.
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”
But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.
Arise, LORD! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people (NIV).
Reflection When do you most need God?
The answer to that question is easy–when I’m in deep trouble. It’s natural to call out to God when I’m in some great or urgent need. A returning veteran from the First World War said it best, “There are no atheists in the trenches. When the artillery shells start exploding to the right and left even unbelievers discover how to pray.”
The context of Psalm 3 is of great significance. David finds himself in the midst of a life threatening tragedy. He is fleeing from his palace in the nation’s capital, because his son is conspiring to murder him and seize the kingdom from his hands. Here is the great delta–the extreme low point in David’s life.
How does David respond? With utter confidence in God! Yes, he calls out to the LORD for deliverance, but he does so with complete assurance that God will answer. There isn’t the slightest hint of doubtful desperation in his voice. Having prayed to the LORD, he boasts in his ability to sleep, because he knows God will answer.
How could David be so confident–so self-assured? Actually, David’s assurance rested entirely on the LORD, not on himself. David had a wealth of experience with God. In his mind, the LORD was tried, tested, and true through the ups and downs of life.
He knew something we need to know. God will come through. He will bring salvation and deliverance!
Response: LORD God, save me from all my troubles. I put my confidence in you. You reach down to me at the low points in my life. You have never abandoned me. I give you thanks in advance. Amen.
Your Turn: Take a moment to reflect on the goodness of the LORD. Has He saved you from deep trouble in the past?
“No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”
Martin Luther King from Amos 5:24
I recently taught on the book of Amos during a study of the Twelve Minor Prophets. As I studied Amos I was able to see how it fits into the unity of these Twelve Books. There is a pattern within the individual books that make the twelve a cohesive unit. As I studied these prophets I found they all pretty much have the same basic ingredients: first there are warnings of impending judgment because of the nation’s sinfulness; second a description of the sin; third a description of the coming judgment; fourth a call for repentance; and fifth a promise of future deliverance. That is the Gospel message that we understand today.
Amos has perhaps received more critical attention than any other minor prophet. Hardly any aspect of the book remains untouched by extensive commentary. My purpose here is to focus in on one aspect of the Book of Amos. I have no intention to even begin to address the fullness of the nine chapters. Various approaches to Amos’ structure have been put forward. The book is often broken into a three-part framework that divides the book into indictments against neighboring nations, then Judah and Israel (chapters 1-2), sermons on ethical sin (chapters 3-6) and visions of the end (chapters 7-9). Our attention will be on the oracle or indictment of Israel for their callousness toward the poor and needy. The prophet will indict Israel, warn of coming judgment and then call for repentance. This I will follow with visions of the end because there is the promise of future deliverance.
Amos first indicts the leaders of Israel for their callousness toward the poor and needy including their exploitation of them for their own personal gain. “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?’”
The Lord God pleads with Israel through His prophet to “Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
We see a patient God but not an ever patient God. We see a God who has desired through the prophets to warn His people and the nations, not only in ancient times but through all history. He warns all peoples that they will pay for their sins and transgressions if they don’t turn to Him. We see a God whose love is shown through His warnings and patience but we also see the judgment from our God based of the transgressions of the people and His need for justice.
The oppression and injustice Amos found in the Northern Kingdom was evidence that righteousness had been thrown to the ground as something worthless by those who were in power. Righteousness no longer had any meaning for the powerful people of Israel as a requirement of the worship of God.
To Amos, “hating evil and loving good” was a simple yet powerful statement of how to establish justice “in the gate.” In a very simple language, the prophet placed principles of true justice before a group of people who could argue about legal technicalities while tolerating bribery, corruption, and greed.
The gate of the city was fortified in order to protect the city from enemies and to serve as the place where the elders of the city would gather as a legal assembly to decide cases needing adjudication. The gate was the place where the local judiciary met to determine right and wrong in legal disputes, and therefore, to decide who was innocent or guilty. The gate of the city in Israel what just the opposite.
The prophet speaks, first of all, about the behavior of their judges: ‘They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals’ (Amos 8:6). Those who were rich behaved as they wanted to, without being questioned; silver passed hands and the corrupt judges convicted those who were innocent, ‘the righteous’. It was totally different for the poor. The judges were willing to sell a poor man into slavery — even though his debt might have been as small as the cost of a cheap pair of sandals — because the creditor paid the judge part of the money he received from the sale.
We can almost hear the sadness in God’s voice as, through Amos, the Lord speaks out about the lack of compassion shown by the rich people of Israel for the plight of their poor fellow countrymen. The rich and clever in Israel treated the poor like dirt and denied them justice because they were not wealthy enough to bribe the judges.
Amos indicts Israel for the oppression of the poor. The time in which Amos lived was a time of peace and prosperity for Israel. At least it was a time of prosperity in that the rich people became richer, but they became more selfish and heartless too. Originally in Israel each tribe had its own land, and each family its portion of that land, but then the rich got into their hands more and more of the land of those who were poorer. They even caused many of the poor to become their slaves. Poor people might owe a debt of no greater value than a pair of shoes, and they had to be sold as slaves to pay it (Amos 8:4-6 and 2 Kings 4: 1). In many different ways the rich ‘trampled the head of the poor into the dust of the earth’. They only cared to get more money for themselves. They oppressed the poor, taking away both their land and their liberty. This was sin, grievous in God’s sight; and the people knew it but did not care. The word of Amos was that they must answer to God for it. The patience of God, however, was about to expire.
In Amos 8:9-12 the Lord lets it been known to Israel “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.”
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land — not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.”
God warns of judgment but He is a God whose love is shown through His warnings and patience. With every warning of coming judgment there is always a call to repentance, whether specifically spoken, or, as here, merely implied. Isaiah prophesied, ‘Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live’ (Isaiah 55:3). Yet these stubborn people continually refused to listen to the voice of the Lord’s prophets because they did not like what they heard. They did not want to be challenged or shaken out of their comfortable lifestyle. God was not quick to anger hoping that Israel would turn away from their sins. He was not quick to anger but He was not ever patient. His judgment was then cast on an unrepentant nation. The judgment of God is based on the transgressions of the people and His need for justice. In fact, the day of judgment did arrive, and Israel was taken away by the Assyrians, never to be heard of again. The judgment of God will come down on all unrepentant people not just Israel.
What does it mean to have justice established in the gate? I don’t think it means to have a society without distinctions, but a society without oppression or exploitation of the less fortunate, the poor and the needy. The eighth century before Christ was a period during which a privileged few in Israel were enjoying unprecedented prosperity while most Israelites were facing dire poverty. Amos forged an explicit and unbreakable link between justice toward the neighbor and righteousness before God. Amos’ ministry provided an eternal witness of God’s opposition to economic, political, and social injustice for all nations.
Amos spoke to an oppressed society and his concern for the poor and the oppressed made him a prophet for all times. Amos is also a prophet for the 21st century, a time when the worldwide gap between the rich and the poor has never been greater.
The words of Amos can be remembered by many of us today as we remember Martin Luther King, Jr., in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. in August 1963. King brought 20th century meaning to the words of Amos: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).
The sources of oppression and injustice may look different today, but people’s concern for material prosperity reflects the days in which Amos lived. Amos’ message of God’s opposition to injustice, his criticism of the people’s worship of material things, and his witness of God’s special concern for the poor and oppressed, affirm that the worship of God in any age is worthless if social oppression and injustice are ignored.
How evident is this in 21st century America? How evident should this be to God’s people the Church? Were we brought together within the local Church to uphold a different standard of righteousness than ancient Israel? Does the care of the poor and the oppressed end in a voting booth for Christians? Vote, pay taxes and leave it to the government?
I understand that many evangelicals link the so called Social Gospel with those Churches that emphasize that Gospel apart from the teaching of sound doctrine. The attention to feeding people physically but not spiritually. The need for social justice does not preclude attention to feeding people spiritually. Bringing an individual to Christ fills them with a hope that no government or program can ever give them.
God desires to have a church full of people who don’t care if they live in comfort, but who hate evil, love good, and who devote themselves to establish justice at the gate! People who feel grief and indignation not just when their livelihood is threatened, but also when children die of starvation and anyone dies without salvation. Feeding and taking care of the poor and needy of this nation is no different in God’s eyes then it was in the days before the Assyrians came down on the nation of Israel. He is a God of justice and righteousness. He is a God whose character is unchanging, His will is immutable, His love abounding. His patience indicates His love for us but it is not endless. His justice, therefore, is swift if a nation fails to repent. America should understand that, especially with the direction it is now heading.
Think and pray about 21st century America. Think and pray about the Church’s responsibility in bringing about social justice in America. Think, however of a Christian community that fills the bellies of the hungry and also their spiritual need to be saved. Social justice will never be fulfilled on this earth, only in God’s Kingdom to come and in an eternity with Him made possible through the saving blood of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. That does not mean we have the right to turn away those truly in need.
For those who turned away from their sin God offered those Israelites hope. “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this. “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God.” (Amos 9:9-15)
This is the same hope that we have today. This is a hope that no earthly government can ever provide. This is a hope that all who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior already has. As we as God’s people reach out to the truly needy it is a hope that we need to share with them. We need to teach them to pray “Thy Kingdom Come” because it is on that day that we will all see social justice.
Jesus made many statements recorded in the Gospels that garnered great controversy in His day. He said that He came from heaven (John 3:13), had the authority to forgive sins (Luke 7:48—50), and is the “Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). But perhaps His most surprising assertion was given in response to the Jews in John 8. Amid a heated debate over His identity, Jesus told them, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). This declaration is especially significant given that the phrase I am was used as a title for God (Exodus 3:14).
When analyzing Jesus’ comment, it is important to notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say that “before Abraham existed, I existed.” Or, “Before Abraham was, I was.” Rather, He declared that before Abraham was even born, “I am.” Before Abraham was (past tense), Jesus is (present tense). Jesus was claiming pre-existence.
When Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham, His hearers “picked up stones to stone him” (John 8:59). They knew immediately that Jesus’ statement was tantamount to claiming equality with God, and the penalty for blasphemy under Jewish law was stoning (Leviticus 24:16). Jesus’ opponents were unsuccessful, however. John records that “Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59). Later, in John 13:19, Jesus again applies the divine name I AM to Himself: “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.” The words echo God’s statements in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’” and in Isaiah 41:4, “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.”
One day, “the LORD appeared to Abraham” (Genesis 18:1). Throughout the conversation, the Lord is alternately called a “man” and “the Lord” in (Genesis 2; 13; 16; 17; 22). This is a case of an Old Testament Christophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ). Genesis 18 provides further support for Jesus’ claim that He existed before Abraham. Jesus visited Abraham and Sarah in their tent and ate a meal with them.
Yes, the Bible certainly teaches that Jesus existed before Abraham. Jesus was “with God in the beginning” (John 1:2; John 1:14; Colossians 1:16—17), and that predates Abraham by quite a while. Jesus claimed to be divine on numerous occasions, and one such claim was that He existed prior to Abraham. Not only did Jesus exist prior to Abraham, but Abraham gave Him honor (Genesis 18:2—5).
As Jesus’ resurrection from the dead made clear, Jesus’ divine claims were true! So Jesus’ use of the name “I am” was not blasphemy as the Pharisees had supposed. Such an identification with Yahweh was entirely appropriate given who Jesus is. He is the “Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). He is “God over all” (Romans 9:5) and “the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). He was then and will forever be the great “I AM.”
Reading: Psalm 5 (Verses 8-12) Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies– make your way straight before me. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you (NIV).
Reflection How good is your eyesight? Is it 20/20? How well do you score on an eye exam? I recently had elective lens replacement surgery. I simply got tired of wearing glasses. They were the bane of my childhood. I was an active lad and in those early years I can’t begin to count the number of times I broke or damaged the frames.
Going without glasses was not an option. I was practically blind without them; everything was a blur.
Today’s reading from Psalm 5 begins with David making this request: Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies–make your way straight before me.
Trust me on this point. If you can’t see clearly, you may need someone to lead you. David recognized his need. Because of his enemies, he needed the LORD to lead him. He knew his enemies were waiting to ambush him at any moment. But where were they? Enemies in hiding are not easily spotted. That’s why like David, we need the LORD. He sees everything.
My greatest enemies are not parading around out in the open. They are lurking within. Pride and selfish ambition come dressed up in various disguises. It’s easy to justify that lingering eye or that wayward glance. Somehow we have 20/20 vision for that sort of thing.
The truth is I too need the LORD to lead me because of the enemies of my soul. How about you? Now here is the outcome we want: But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Response: LORD God, lead me. I can’t see the dangers ahead. Often I am unaware of the enemies that are trying to undermine my life and my love for you. Go before me. Show me the way, Lord Jesus, because you are the way.Amen.
Your Turn: How is your spiritual vision? Can you see the enemies that derail your progress?
Soldier of Christ, if thou enlisteth, thou wilt have to do hard battle. There is no bed of down for thee; there it no riding to heaven in a chariot; the rough way must be trodden; mountains must be climbed, rivers must be forded, dragons must be fought, giants must be slain, difficulties must be overcome, and great trials must be borne. It is not a smooth road to heaven. Charles Spurgeon
Matthew 10:16-25 English Standard Version (ESV)
Persecution Will Come
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant<sup data-fn="#fen-ESV-23442a" data-link='[a]'>[a] above his master.25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign<sup data-fn="#fen-ESV-23443b" data-link='[b]'>[b] those of his household.
As a whole, our nation does not know what privation is. We do not know what sacrifice is. We do not know what suffering is. Suppose persecution were to come to the church in America, as it has come in other countries.
The immunity to persecution that Christians in our country have experienced in the past two or three centuries is unusual. Christ strongly warned Christians that to follow Him would not be popular, and that in most circumstances it would mean cross-bearing and persecution.
The Bible says that all who “desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus said that as the time of His return draws nigh, “They will lay their hands on you and persecute you” (Luke 21:12). We have no scriptural foundation for believing that we can forever escape being persecuted for Christ’s sake. The normal condition for Christians is that we should suffer persecution. Are you willing to face persecution and death for Christ’s sake? – Prepare For Persecution: A Message From Billy Graham
The Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP) has released a statement raising concerns regarding ongoing violence in several states in Central Nigeria and calling on the government to ensure enjoyment of the right freedom of religion or belief for “all of Nigeria’s religious communities”.
There has been an escalation in attacks in recent years by an increasingly well-armed militia “comprising of members of the Fulani ethnic group on farming communities in Bauchi, Benue, southern Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states.” While recognising the existence of “many peaceable Fulani herders and communities” and of “the long history of disputes between nomadic herders and farmers across the Sahel”, the ‘Abuja Statement on the Crises in Central Nigeria’ declares that the manner of attacks witnessed in Nigeria are not replicated in other countries facing similar climatological and environmental challenges, and are occurring “with such frequency, organisation and asymmetry that references to ‘farmer-herder clashes’ no longer suffice.”
The Abuja Statement highlights disturbing allegations that while members of the militia “are neither traced nor prosecuted, members of victim communities who articulate their concerns experience an array of repercussions that include threats, arbitrary arrests and judicial harassment.” It goes on to relate the plight of nine elders of the Adara tribe from Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) in southern Kaduna state who have been detained since February and are facing “dubious charges of incitement and culpable homicide,” and calls on the government to ensure an end to this “judicial harassment and arbitrary detention,” while also regretting the emergence of “periodic retributive violence, as communities conclude they cannot depend on government for protection or justice.”
In addition, the Statement calls on the government to facilitate the release of schoolgirl Leah Sharibu and humanitarian worker Alice Ngaddah, who have been held by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) since February and March 2018 respectively, and of 112 Chibok Girls held by the Shekau faction of Boko Haram since April 2014.
The Ongoing Violence on our Brother and Sisters
February 26, 2019 – Some 32 Nigerian Christians were killed in the Maro district of the Kaduna State. The attackers burned down an evangelical church and shot people fleeing. This violence was also suspected to be the work of Fulani militants.
March 4, 2019 – Muslims slaughtered 23 Christian villagers. “It was bad,” said a local in reference to the incident. “Some were killed by gunshots and some by machete hacks!… The displaced persons are scattered all over…”
March 7, 2019 – Muslim terrorists launched another raid in the same area during which three people were killed. Commenting on that attack, a local pastor said, “Even today, they attacked. One of my members came to report that his father was killed, and another member said his son-in-law was also killed.”
March 11, 2019 – Muslim tribesmen slaughtered more than 70 Christians and injured 28 in another region in Kaduna State. According to eyewitnesses, the terrorists were “torching houses, shooting and hacking down anything that moved.” About 100 houses were destroyed in the attack. Another report noted that “[t]he victims included women and children. According to survivors, their assailants divided into three groups; one group was shooting, another set fire to homes as people ran away, and the third waited in the bush to intercept fleeing villagers.”
March 16, 2019 – Muslim herdsmen killed another 10 Christians in southern Kaduna state, “bringing the lives lost in the past five weeks to 140 with 160 houses destroyed,” according to the report. “We were all asleep in our various homes when at about 4 a.m., we heard gunshots everywhere in my village,” said a local Christian. “Everyone ran out of their homes to escape from the Fulani herdsmen. Three hours after the herdsmen left, those of us who survived the attack returned to the village to find that [30 of] our houses were destroyed and 10 of our villagers killed.”
March 14, 2019 – Boko Haram jihadis attacked another predominantly Christian village. Although most people managed to flee into the bush, the jihadis killed one person, kidnapped two sisters, and burned down a church and six homes. A church leader said the local pastor had called him soon after the raid: “I could hear desperation in his voice, just coming out of the bush. His voice sounded completely demoralized as he was saying only God… We don’t know what else to do! There’s no security presence here.” The church leader further “regrets that these attacks are rarely reported on by the local media anymore. As a result, their people continue to suffer in silence, with minimal help from others.”
March 23, 2019 – Right after “beating, raping and killing a 19-year-old Christian woman,” Muslims attacked two predominantly Christian villages, and burned down 28 Christian homes and two churches. Joy Danlami and her younger sister and brother, 16 and 14 respectively, were ambushed while walking home from a Christian community feast; the two younger siblings survived with machete and gunshot wounds. According to their father, “The armed herdsmen chased them with dangerous weapons. Joy’s nose and face was battered, and then she was sexually assaulted by the herdsmen before being killed. She was shot.”
After finding the slaughtered body of a kidnapped Catholic priest who had been abducted two weeks earlier, two other church leaders were also kidnapped on March 25. One of the men, the Rev. Emmanuel Haruna of the Evangelical Church Winning All, was seized at gunpoint outside his church. Earlier, in 2016 he had spoken out against Muslim tribesmen raids on Christian communities: “Fulani herdsmen take their cattle to farms of our church members and destroy their crops, and security agents have not been able to take measures to stop them.” The report adds that “It is estimated by the United Nations Centre for Peace and Disarmament that of the 500 million illegal weapons that flooded into West Africa after the Libyan crisis in 2011, 350 million (70%) ended up in Nigeria, supplying the predominantly Muslim herders with added teeth in their campaign against Christian farmers.”
March 10, 2019, Sunday – “Boko Haram Suicide bombers tried to enter a Catholic Church service,” says a report:
“The two bombers, who were women, tried to enter the church through a clinic before being stopped, and then detonating the bombs a short distance outside the church. Despite the two bombs going off, only one person other than the bombers was reportedly injured….. It is very likely that the two bombers were captives of Boko Haram who were forced to commit this attack. Boko Haram is known for kidnapping women and children and forcing them to act as suicide bombers for their attacks. In 2017, between January and August, UNICEF reported on at least 83 children having been used by the group as suicide bombers.”
April 14, 2019 – Fulani militants invaded the village of Kochum-Numa in north-central Nigeria, killing 17 people during a late-night naming ceremony (christening) for a child.
April 29, 2019 – Boko Haram fighters invaded the Christian community of Kuda in northeastern Nigeria. The terrorists went door to door, killing as many as 25 believers.
May 18, 2019 – Rev. Zakariah Ido and 16 members of the Evangelical Church Winning All, including the pastor’s daughter, two elders and the son of an Assemblies of God minister, were kidnapped after midnight in the early hours of Sunday. A witness said the kidnappers were 20 to 30 armed Fulani extremists, a violent, mostly Islamic group that has carried out many attacks on Christians in Nigeria. The same night gunmen killed a Christian and kidnapped two others at a Baptist church, sources said.
May 26, 2019 – Gunmen suspected to be local Fulani Muslims killed several Christians as they made their way home from church services in Jos, Nigeria on Sunday (May 26) following the murder of another area Christian last week, sources said.
Area Christian Peter Sarki informed Morning Star News by text message that local Muslims east of Jos, Plateau state, killed seven Christians on Sunday after unidentified Muslims killed Moses Victor, a member of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), in the Rikkos area of Jos on May 20.
Police put the number of people killed in the areas on Sunday (May 26) at five and said 12 houses were burned. Sarki said more than 12 houses were burned, and that 12 additional Christians were wounded in the attacks. He said the violence took place in the areas in the Jos areas of Rikkos, Angwan Rukuba, Tina Junction, Cele Bridge, Dutse Uku, and Yan Trailer.
Sarki identified two of the Christians killed as they made their way home from ECWA church services on Sunday morning as Enoch Monday and Istifanus Ismailaj. Michael Anthony Pam of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Nasarawa Gwong, and four others yet to be identified were also killed, he said.
It convicts our spirit when we know that we’re wrong, and leads to our wanting to confess our sin so that we can be forgiven. Once we repent, the guilt should be lifted. We should feel joy and relief because of the promise that has been made to us and the sacrifice that was made for us, but the enemy will have you caught up in an everlasting guilt trip. It is one of the devil’s most powerful weapons against us and will leave you feeling defeated, unworthy, and low on faith. This sort of condemnation will keep you from spiritual happiness and freedom. It opens the door to depression, fear, and other negative spirits that will only hinder you, your spiritual growth, and your success — exactly where the devil wants you.
I only share with you all the things that I have experienced for myself. Just recently, the enemy had me caught up in a guilt trip. I was unwilling to forgive myself when my God had already done so. Constantly consumed with my mistakes and my sin, I had no time or energy to focus on serving God or the things that fill my spirit with positivity. Feeling so distant from God, I didn’t even feel worthy enough to read the Word, talk about the Word, or share the Word — and I’m sure the enemy loved every moment. But I thank God for keeping me and allowing me to realize that this feeling was nothing more than a lie from the one whose purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. It may sound extreme to some, but it’s real. Be mindful that there is a fight going on for your life and your salvation. God is fighting for you and when the devil sees that he is losing, he will throw everything and anything in your way to distract you.
Here’s the bottom line: if God can forgive you, then you can forgive yourself. Your past is your past so let it stay there. Be obedient, listen to God, and try not to make the same mistakes; but don’t beat yourself up for being human!
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
I was praying for afriend who is struggling with despondency, having heard the cry of her heart as she uttered, “What’s the point?” Life can be hard like that and most of us have experienced that feeling in our lives, some of us more than others. So, what isthe point? Scholars and Philosophers have been debating this question since time began. I believe my friend was struggling especially with herself and allthe obstacles, short-comings and failures she is facing right now. It can be overwhelming. When I used to run cross-country (and I onlydid it for one semester) I fell before the finish line. Everything in my bodytold me to just stay down, just sit there. My muscles were throbbing, fatigued and weak from over-use. But there it was, just beyond my sight, the finishline. I can’t remember if others helped me there, but they must have because I just couldn’t stand up. Not even sure I crossed that line or was helped off to the side. But I did get up, and I did move on.The race was over, and I was glad. I was glad that I didn’t just sit there, much as I wanted to, I got up. I kept going. Paul in The Book of Hebrews describes our life this way in Chapter 12:
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”¦”
That Great cloud of witnesses is described in the Chapter prior, Chapter 11. It is often called the Hall of Faith. So many have gone before us in this Journey with God and it’s not a sparkling, clean, perfect group of people, either. We had some seriously messed up fore-runners in the faith. At least two were liars, two were scheming manipulators. One was a strong leader who committed adultery and who neglected to discipline his kids. Another asked for wisdom, but used it for so many wrong purposes, including indulging himself beyond all others described in the Bible. I mean, they were all kinds of messed up, even as we are. And I believe that is exactly why God allowed their stories to be so raw in the Bible. We needed to see that God loves harlots and prostitutes right into His kingdom. He restores the adulterer who truly repents. God keeps His promises despite our many failings. The Apostle Paul shares about this in 2 Timothy 2:
It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live withHim;12 If weendure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He alsowill deny us;If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
Timothy 2
God’s faithfulness is not basedon our performance, whether good or bad. His faithfulness is based on His own character. He is a promise keeper. So, if you are feeling like my dear friend, who is discouraged and thinking, “What’s the point?”, rest in His faithfulness to His own promises, built on His own character. We are all kinds of messed up in this world, but God is all kinds of Wonderful. There is no sin He cannot forgive, no kind of failure that He cannot redeem. Listen to what He says in the Book of Isaiah 50:2,
“Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver?
Isaiah 50:2
Our entire being cries out to God, “Of course not!” We know God has a strong arm and infinite power to deliver, we are just so weary ourselves, we feel so weak. But The Apostle Paul turns those inadequate feelings on their head.
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,so that no man may boast before God.
(1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NASB)
So, let’s take our all kinds of messed up and lay it before God. Let’s rejoice as He makes it all kinds of wonderful to the praise of His glory and grace.
Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, LORD, detest. But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple (NIV).
Psalm 5 (Verses 1-7) – For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.
Reflection
Are you a morning person? Are you most productive in the morning hours, or do revive after the sunsets? Our bodies move according to their own internal rhythm. Some people love to rise with the chirp of the first songbird, while others are true night owls. Often my wife catches her second wind in the evening as I’m fading into sweet oblivion.
It would seem that David was a morning person. Here in Psalm 5, we read these words from David: In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
David was one of those early birds that began calling out to God at the break of day. He knew God was listening. He made sure that the LORD heard his voice.
Is the LORD hearing your voice in the morning? Are you calling out to Him? Of course, your heavenly Father is pleased to hear your voice at any time, day or night. Is He familiar with your call?
But there’s more to this than just calling out to God and laying out your requests. David waits expectantly. He expects God to respond. He is listening, watching and waiting for the LORD’s reply. Have you built some wait time into your prayer time?
All too often our conversations with God are one sided. They are one sided because we blurt out our requests and rush off into our day. We don’t wait expectantly for the LORD’s reply. We don’t allow Him time to respond.
Response: Heavenly Father, I call out to you. I lay out my requests. Teach me to wait expectantly for you. Open my ears to hear your voice. I want to be tuned into you throughout my day. Amen.
Your Turn: Have you set aside a regular prayer time? What time works best for you?
I think we all long to really be seen. The deepest parts of us that we are too scared to show anyone because we know those parts don’t deserve to be loved.
Sure, we have plenty of parts of us that we know aren’t awesome, but we wear like badges anyway, because the world tells us to prize tolerance and acceptance, so if I’m strong enough, people just have to deal with it.
But I’m talking about the things we’ve done, thought, or said that makes us want to sink into the ground when we remember that they happened. Even if we’re in the privacy of our own bedroom, where nobody is looking.
Wouldn’t it be nice? To have someone see all of that–and not run away or divert their eyes in disgust?
We’ve all hoped for this– in a relationship, within our family, maybe even in our closest friendships. Hoping that they will still love us, even when our worst self surfaces. And if we do manage to work up the courage to show them the depths in us that are too awful to show anyone else, they back away in horror.
And it hurts. I don’t mean like a ‘she called me mean’, kind of hurt. I’m talking, an ‘I am a mangled, broken, rejected heap that is undeserving of love’ kind of hurt.
So why this desire then? Why do we have this secret drive to have our worst selves known?
Because we were created to be fully accepted.
And we are. We just don’t all know it yet.
He is there, even when we blatantly turn and walk away from him. When we think awful thoughts we would never admit to thinking to another soul. When we do things we hope will never be brought out of the shadows. We look over our shoulders, and knowing that anyone else who may have seen these parts of us will have scattered”¦
He is there behind us. Looking your worst self directly in the eye, without so much as a blink, and beckoning you with open arms for an embrace.
We won’t find this in a human. Because the truth is, every one of us is awful. In more ways than one. Every one of us has a part of us that is not deserving of love. And it is simply not human to love something that doesn’t deserve love. It is supernatural.
There is something so healing about Jesus seeing our worst self and not budging. Even when he sees something that would make everyone else run for the hills, he is there. Faithfully, consistently, unaffected by your filth, he remains in love with you.
Remember that, the next time you’re looking in the mirror, wishing you could sink into a hole in the ground because of what you see. Remember that Jesus sees it too. And he still adores you.
I caught a tear from my eye this morning as it began to meander down my cheek. Soon I began to wonder about the purpose of tears. Why do we have them? What purpose do they serve? My search took me to the phrase I heard a friend utter the other week. “This life is but a Valley of Tears,” she said, “It says so in the Bible.” I was intrigued by this phrase and went to look for it in the Scriptures. I found in in the Psalms.
Happy are the people whose strength is in You,whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a source of Springwater; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings. They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion.
(Psalm 84:5-7 HCSB)
Baca means weeping. A Vale of Weeping,, a Valley of tears. I looked up the composition of Teardrops, and what I found was amazing. Here is the quote below:
How the Composition of a Teardrop Changes
Tears that protect your eyes every day are slightly different from those that flush away irritants or those you cry in response to emotion. Here are the three main types of tears:
Basal Tears: These are typical tears that keep the eye hydrated, clean, and nourished.
Reflex Tears: Reflex tears are produced in response to irritation from chemicals, bright light, or foreign matter.
Weeping Tears: Crying as an emotional response or from pain is termed “weeping”. These tears contain the protein-based hormones prolactin, which acts as a natural painkiller. (by Anne Helmenstine (updated on September 6, 2018), online magazine:Science Notes)
I just find it amazing that Our God would fashion three different kinds of tears, for three different purposes. His intimate, Sovereign Care over us is such a blessing, so detailed, so well-planned out . He even knew that we would sin before he created us. The plan to redeem us was in place before the foundation of the world.
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. 4 For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.
(Ephesians 1:3-6)
Ahhh, the miracle of tears and redemption. Every tiny detail of God’s plan was in place and our creator/Savior knew us before it all (Psalm 139) Rest in His Sovereign care and provision this day.
Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.
Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.
Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety (NIV).
Psalm 4 (NIV) For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
Reflection
Where are you looking?
Think about it for a moment, where you look is where you go. If you are walking, you are looking where you are going. If you are driving, you are looking where you are going, and if you don’t fix your eyes on where you are going, your journey will surely come to an abrupt end–an accident. As you move through your day–as you move through life–where you look is where you go.
If you look to the internet for porn, you are sure to find it, and be trapped by it. If you look to television for entertainment, you are sure to find it. It too in subtle ways can ensnare and deaden the spirit. If you look to others, they will often disappoint you. As David points out in this Psalm, all too often we love delusions and seek false gods. We are looking in the wrong places and consequently we steer our life into the ditch.
In Psalm 4, David’s approach is totally different. He is looking to the LORD. He is calling out to God. He fears the LORD (trembles and does not sin). In silence he searches his heart and encourages us to do the same. Have you offered a sacrifice of righteousness recently? Right living has a cost. But it also pays enormous dividends.
As we trust in the LORD and look to Him, as a loving Father, He turns His face to us. The light of His face shines on us. Wow! That fills my heart with joy.
Response: Heavenly Father, today let the light of your face shine on me. Guide me in the way of truth. I want to look to you, and walk in the way you have prepared for me. Amen.
Your Turn: Has the light of God’s face shone on you recently? What was that like?
LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. Arise, LORD! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
Psalm 3 (NIV)A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
Reflection
When do you most need God?
The answer to that question is easy – when I’m in deep trouble. It’s natural to call out to God when I’m in some great or urgent need. A returning veteran from the First World War said it best, “There are no atheists in the trenches. When the artillery shells start exploding to the right and left even unbelievers discover how to pray.”
The context of Psalm 3 is of great significance. David finds himself in the midst of a life threatening tragedy. He is fleeing from his palace in the nation’s capital, because his son is conspiring to murder him and seize the kingdom from his hands. Here is the great delta–the extreme low point in David’s life.
How does David respond? With utter confidence in God! Yes, he calls out to the LORD for deliverance, but he does so with complete assurance that God will answer. There isn’t the slightest hint of doubtful desperation in his voice. Having prayed to the LORD, he boasts in his ability to sleep, because he knows God will answer.
How could David be so confident – so self-assured? Actually, David’s assurance rested entirely on the LORD, not on himself. David had a wealth of experience with God. In his mind, the LORD was tried, tested, and true through the ups and downs of life.
He knew something we need to know. God will come through. He will bring salvation and deliverance!
Response: LORD God, save me from all my troubles. I put my confidence in you. You reach down to me at the low points in my life. You have never abandoned me. I give you thanks in advance. Amen.
Your Turn: Take a moment to reflect on the goodness of the LORD. Has He saved you from deep trouble in the past?
Why do we like Rock Stars? And why do so many want to be one, but never get there?
Rock stars become stars- because they hit the nail on the head (somewhere) they are hitting on what people are feeling, experiencing, wanting & desiring!
Yesterday I asked the Holy Spirit to lead and guide me”¦Yes I was seriously talking to HIM (Holy Spirit, come, please lead and guide me!”
Now that prayer is not in our bibles but, I did it anyway. I know He is a PERSON not a thing! I then prayed for my someone, and prayed what I felt LED to pray, vs what my brain wanted to pray (which is always safe, and not risky!!)
That person was moved to tears- and God touched him, because of that prayer. It was God! (His WILL being manifested through my prayer time).The Lord literally showed me how that person was feeling, and I said it out loud.
That, to me, is praying like a Rock Star!Not for money, not for fame, but many people just do what they know people need from them (and become famous, as a result). Jesus was one of them. In Fact, He showed us the way!
“Father, give us more of this we pray! We hunger and thirst after you, Father God. We hunger and thirst, after you! I ask you to touch every person out there today- who is led to pray a certain way, but their mind is questioning things. Set them free Father, from the chains that bind and Free their Mind! Help them to be Brave Father, and pray the way your Spirit leads them to pray. In Jesus’ mighty name!” Amen
It’s such a powerful thing. The word is used to indicate how valuable something is, usually the value of an expensive car or your dream house. But also, commonly, it is used to describe a person’s life. We are constantly yearning and seeking to be worth something to someone else. In society, we are constantly told to live your life, your way – your worth being meaningful only to yourself. But you are worth more than anything to a guy called Jesus…
One inspirational woman who I have had the honour of seeing her legacy left behind, has been Lilias Falconer. The Falconer home has a special place in my heart and my family’s hearts, and I’m sure I’ve touched on this subject before in a previous blog. I got the amazing opportunity to visit this amazing orphanage a few years ago in Zambia. But this woman clearly showed why Jesus is worth it all! Lilias was born in 1915 in my home town, Manchester, and at the age of 15 she was telling her family that the call on her life was to go to Africa and to look after babies and children. For her to fulfil this mission, she applied for medical training to train as a nurse. All these applications were refused. In 1939, at the start of World War II, she was accepted into nursing training with the Salvation Army, and after a course in tropical medicine she travelled to Africa to a leper hospital in Zambia. There she saw the plight of little babies left to die when their mothers passed during childbirth. From this, she agreed to look after one baby but soon five babies were brought to her and one her own, she went further into the bus, establishing her Children’s home and Orphanage in the small village of Kabulamema. She died in 1998, and her grave is situated behind the house, in a beautiful lone building, signifying a constant connection to her work. This is a woman who gave up her whole life for Jesus.
The “Waste” of Expensive Perfume
The work of missionaries and people who give up their ordinary lives for extraordinary lives reminds me of a story from the Bible that shows us why Jesus is worth it all…
Clutching the jar tightly in her hands, the woman stood in the doorway and looked into the room. Her heart beat intensely. Her eyes darted back and forth. Her anxiety was at its peak. The room was packed with me, most of them who knew her for the job she did. A prostitute. She consider running away. At that moment, she saw Him. Everything else vanished, the world stopped. Nothing mattered anymore. Running into the room, she fell to the ground, tears forming in her eyes. Breaking her jar open, she poured the expensive perfume in it all over the man’s feet. She loved Him. She was a sinner. But this man, this Jesus, had shown her forgiveness. Everyone else stared at this random woman, shocked by her actions.
“Why have you wasted all that? You could have sold it it and given it to the poor,” the disciples shouted. Then Jesus spoke above the fuss, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done something beautiful for me. You won’t always have me, but you’ll always have the poor. This woman is preparing me for my burial. Listen to me, when the gospel is preached, the memory of her will also be told.” (Matthew 26.6-13).
The Reaction
Imagine if you were one of the disciples. Would you have been angry at the woman? She would have wasted perfume that had cost millions of pounds. But then again, much like the woman in the story, how do we respond to the story of Lilias Falconer? Too often we would respond as the disciples did. When we hear about people giving up their lives in rich, western countries to honour and serve God, we question their choices. Too often we see it as a waste of potential. We may never say it in words but in reality, we are asking the same question the disciples asked, “Why this waste?”
As Christians, we are taught to present our lives as living sacrifices, demonstrating God’s perfect will. Many people, and many Christians, would say if you presented your life in such a way, that you would be vulnerable to the devil and forces of evil. But Paul in Philippians 4.19, clearly states:
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
So, in answer to How Much Does Your Life Cost? I think it costs an infinite amount. We have worth because one man spent His worth for our all and so it is never a waste to give Jesus anything. And looking at it this way; it is our only reasonable response.
