Sep 30, 2022 |
The Value of Your Birthright.
“And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birth right do to me?”
Gen. 25:32. (KJV).
You are a child of God.
You gained the birthright to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus gave His life to give you that right.
Don’t underestimate being His Kingdom Ambassador.
How important is this right to you?
Will you sell it for the pleasures of this world?
Will you sell it for the opinion or favor of your friend?
By eating the lentils:
Esau should have known he would survive.
He knew what he was doing.
Don’t compromise for a few minutes of pleasure.
Be careful of losing your birthright for invaluable earthly goods.
You know the difference between good and evil.
Adam and Eve gave you that knowledge.
Do not do something you will regret later.
Flee every form of Temptation.
Pray More in the Holy Spirit.
As My Wife Olutoyin says:
“Dont sell when you are low.”
“We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 (TPT)
Application to the Christian life:
Remain faithful to God.
Serve Him.
Follow Jesus with a complete heart.
Resist evil.
Sep 28, 2022 |
Gaining Your Brother?
“Moreover if your brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”
Matt. 18:15 (KJV).
What do you do when your friend does something nasty to you?
Do you tell your other friends what a nasty person he is?
What happens when you tell your other friends about the injustice from your friend?
Firstly, your friends will choose between you and your unjust friend. There will be tension amongst everyone. Secondly, your unjust friend will be upset when he hears what you told the others and defend himself.
The result is that the whole group disintegrates.
When you have a dispute with someone,
discuss it with that person.
Nobody else must know about your problem.
The problem remains with you and your friend.
Why did you tell the others in the first place?
Did you feel humiliated?
Do you want to take revenge?
What do you gain from that?
Jesus taught us to call the person directly.
Explain how you feel.
Go over the issue peacefully.
Husband, tell your wife directly when she offends you.
Same with the wife.
Don’t report yourself to a third party first.
Gain friendship and build trust with each other.
Be a peacemaker.
“If your fellow believer sins against you, you must go to that one privately and attempt to resolve the matter. If he responds, your relationship is restored.”
Matthew 18:15 (TPT)
Application to the Christian life:
Do things the way Jesus would.
Sep 26, 2022 |
Encourage Your Friends.
“Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.” Isaiah 35: 3. (KJV).
You are a child of God.
You trust God, and you follow His guidance.
Do you sometimes feel discouraged?
Do you sometimes feel you want to give up?
However, by His Grace, you encourage yourself.
Remember your friends experience the same.
They need encouragement and comfort.
Remember that you sometimes get encouragement by encouraging someone else.
Be strong for your friends.
“Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning “Hebrews 10:24-25 (TPT)
Be active as a servant of God.
Help your friends when they are weak and feeble.
By doing so, you will strengthen yourself.
Jesus told Peter to encourage others after his restoration.
“But I have prayed for you, Peter, that you would stay faithful to me no matter what comes. Remember this: after you have turned back to me and have been restored, make it your life mission to strengthen the faith of your brothers.” Luke 22:32 TPT
Application to the Christian life:
Trust in God.
Remain strong, even when you experience dark times. Strengthen your friends.
Be as Jesus.
Sep 23, 2022 |
God’s Will Be Done!
“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but thou wilt.” Matt. 26:39. (KJV).
Can you imagine how Jesus was when He prayed that prayer?
Have you been in that situation?
When you know what to do…
However, you don’t feel like it.
Jesus yielded to what He Knew to be God’s will.
What do you do when you go through dark times?
What do you do when you are troubled?
Hold on to what God has said.
Sometimes when using your GPS.
(an accurate worldwide navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites.)
You get in between skyscrapers, mountains, or deep down valleys where there are no signals.
Momentarily you appeared lost.
However, you know your destination before time.
What keeps you going is that you know where you are headed.
You don’t give up and turn back.
When challenges come.
Don’t give up.
Hold to the Word God had earlier spoken to you.
My Olutoyin will say, “dont sell when you are down.”
Don’t join your friends at the club to get some help from a bottle?
The bottle will just worsen things.
Ask God to help.
What if it seems God does not hear your cry?
Do you realize God’s will may be a bit different from yours?
Maybe God has a good reason for not letting it happen the way you wish?
Can you abide by God’s will?
Jesus did.
Look at His end.
It is Glorious.
You, too, will end well when you keep to His will.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will strengthen you through.
Application to the Christian life:
Trust God.
He knows best.
Allow Him to guide you.
Sep 21, 2022 |
Have Jesus With You.
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20.(KJV).
Jesus assures you that He is with you.
Especially when two or three people gather together in His name.
He is with you anywhere you are.
What does that mean?
Daily learn to recognize the presence of God is with you.
When you are sharing the Gospel with one or two more.
He is there with you.
As you gather together in fellowship with others.
Be conscious that your gathering is not in vain.
When you discuss the word of God with your friends, Jesus is with you.
God takes notes of such gatherings.
It also counts in your favor.
“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.”
Malachi 3:16(KJV)
You get rewarded for God-centered conversations.
Honor God in your discussions with people.
The more opportunities you make to discuss the word of God, the more you will be in the companion of Jesus.
Do you want to experience the presence of Jesus?
Application to the Christian life:
Make as many opportunities as possible to gather in the name of Jesus.
Experience His presence.
Serve Jesus with a pure heart.
Sep 19, 2022 |
Steps To Recovery, Restoration, And Come-Back.
Lessons from David 1 Samuel 30: 1-26
- In your down moments, encourage yourself as David did in his distress 30:6
- Seek God’s guidance and direction through prayers. Avoid doing the obvious or leaning on your own understanding
30:7 - Take action by faith even when there are no guarantees. There is a time to pray and a time to act. 30:9
- Persist in pursuing your goals, even in the face of obstacles and discouragements. Remain focused on victory. 30: 10
- Remain kind, good, and faithful even in the valley and on your way to restoration. Often, they are the lubricant for your motor wheels. 30:11-13
- Be humble and seek help on your way to recovery. Don’t look down on anyone or small opportunities as God can use anyone and anything. 30:15
- Be magnanimous in victory when you recover. Give glory to God and share your successes with others, whether they helped you along the way or not. 30: 21-25.
Joseph Asebiode.
***This piece was shared by Brother Joseph Asbiode at the Leadership Summit on Getting Up From Set Backs -Unachieved Goals -The Way Out, held on Saturday, September 17th, 2022.
