Supernatural Star Search

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” 2 Chronicles 16:8-10

The LORD Himself is diligently and thoroughly on a ‘star search’ quest. The idea did not originate from us. The idea with much help from Satan was corrupted by us. Ours is corrupted, because the criteria is different; it is self-serving and self-glorifying. It heals, helps and delivers no one (not even ourselves!). Its main form of fuel and energy is good old pride. Yes the Lord is looking for some to bless, favor, exalt and then categorically place on a pedestal that they might lift His name on high, and subsequently draw all men unto Him. ”Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Romans 11:4-6  Even Jesus Christ who was God in flesh made an incredible statement: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” John 6:37-39  Basically, God calls and uses those who will diligently go about His business and He blesses and lifts them up as they do.

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.  Zechariah 13:8-9

How about my ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ some poor soul may cry! When do I get to shine? Well honestly I do not know of a greater beam of light to herald a mortal man than that of the ‘LIGHT of the World’ that is Jesus Christ. Everyone has a free will to pursue or bring about any course of decision or direction for their lives. Be it by manipulation, scheming or plotting. But the Lord would rather we chose His way, which is guaranteed and insured. And should His name be tagged in our projects, then it should be backed by His Spirit and emanate a fragrance that is undeniably Christlike. This cannot be attained without a pure and contrite heart that results from a broken spirit and a surrendered life. I really wish I could tell that poor chagrined soul, that there was a short cut. “Has not my hand-made all these things, (talents, gifts and what-have-you, ‘italics mine’) and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:1-3

When God was sending Samuel to go and anoint a new king for Israel, God let His servant the prophet know that he had already found someone. God did not depend on man’s election and voting system. He certainly did not ask for man’s opinion or approval nor employ the tactics of a public relations officer. He sent His servant on an already completed task. God knew who He wanted and why as was noted in the book of the ‘Acts of the Apostle’. All that Samuel needed to do was perform and demonstrate on earth something that had already taken place in heaven selah!. ”God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ Acts 13:21-23  Did you note the secret behind God’s selection; “… he will do everything I (God) want him to do.”  

Just like David who was in the back woods of the stage, slaying the seemingly meaningless lion and bear with no encouragement or applause, save the watchful eyes of Jehovah Shamma (the ever-present God). These Holy Ghost stars have been trained and prepared in the fire of purification. The have been in the valley of tears and the crucible of affliction, and through it all they have learnt to not only trust in the Lord their God but that He was to be the Master of their lives. Therefore, by the time Goliath made his loud and lofty appearance, David knowing who his God was and what He was capable of doing; ran fearlessly and brazenly to defeat the giant. “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands… and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47 ”For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the people on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.” Deuteronomy 14:1-3

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.” Matthew 12:17-19

May our testimony, reward and honor be that God’s Spirit is upon us and He has chosen us to serve HIM!

The ONE (A reminder!)

“Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water? 
 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?” Job 38:34-36

Who knew lightning bolts had an attendance sheet and had to clock in every now and then as they answer to their Boss the Creator of the Universe. To the rest of us we get struck by the bolts if we are in the way or not careful enough. In a time and era when society boasts of freedom and vast amounts of religions to choose from, we do well to remember the ONE who spoke into the colossal void that once was and formed the earth. ” In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1-3 .   The ONE who took soil in His hand and after a ‘play-dough’ moment, breathed His very soul into that mast and man came to be.

That sounds more plausible to my ‘fearfully and wonderfully’  made ears, than the fact that I was a result of an explosive splatter of atomic molecules strewn across a ‘dinosaur diaspora‘ that eventually morphed together into ‘me’. I beg to differ. I do not know about you, but I see the deliberate act of an intelligent Immortal and a divine Artist every time I look in the mirror, express an emotion or display a talent (or lack thereof). “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-15

In Genesis Chapter 2, we are shown another amazing feat that only ONE that has all knowledge and power can bring to pass. In verse 21, the word of God tells us that in order to get a SUITABLE helpmate for man, he put him to sleep and surgically but gingerly extracted one rib from his chest. And here is the part that separates the many idols from the ONE. I wonder which one (rib) He picked, the true, the false or the ones that just float. How long did it take Him to extract the rib He chose, from its attached vertebrae. In the process did He severe a nerve or two, or burst some arteries. Since man is not one rib short of normal or breathing lopsided, I guess it was all done with deft and knowing hands and absolute precision. He would know what to do he designed and put it all in place. From that one rib, He made woman and brought her to man. “Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:21-23

Fast forward to the New Testament (not that the old is irrelevant) to encounter the greatest deed of all times. The deed that keeps giving and producing life eternal. In one final attempt to reconcile the beings He created for His pleasure and fellowship, God took on the flesh of man and submitted to an excruciating, humiliating and an unprecedented death at the Cross of Calvary. That there may be hope for you and for me when the final curtain falls on this side of time. The mercy and grace of the ONE true and capable and might I add… only God. “‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Luke 24:6-8 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.” Deuteronomy 6:3-5

Bow with me and worship the ONE. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The ONE Triune GOD. “

Psalm 148

¹ Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights above.
² Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
³ Praise him, sun and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens
    and you waters above the skies.

⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for at his command they were created,
⁶ and he established them for ever and ever—
    he issued a decree that will never pass away.

⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
⁸ lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,
⁹ you mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰ wild animals and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
¹¹ kings of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹² young men and women,
    old men and children… Praise the Lord.

Soul Sale (The Profit Margin)

“If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Luke 4:6-8

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:35-37

I recently watched three separately recorded video clips sent to me by an entertainment industry insider. It showed on separate occasions three mega-superstars each declaring blatantly or subtly that they had ‘sold their souls to the devil’. Many giggled and thought that the absurdity of those declarations must have been pun intended. The severity of the camouflaged laments or cries for help were eventually reduced to bad or poorly selected jokes. What was even more bone chilling was that one of those mega-stars went ahead to say that the result of the ‘soul transaction’ was more money, toys and fame. I knew right away in my gut that he was not doing stand-up comedy.

The Bible (inspired word of God) tells us that Satan is the god of this world. When God the Creator cast Lucifer down from the heavens, he relegated him quite some power and authority. The devil was very much aware of this, so aware that he had the guts and steely nerve to approach Jesus Christ after our Savior’s forty days fast in the wilderness. He made Jesus Christ an offer of what had been given to him. Stating that if Christ (God in flesh) would reverse roles and worship him (the devil) he would be greatly rewarded in this world. “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”  Luke 4:5-7

Jesus never argued the authenticity of the devil’s claim to owning the world. But He referred to the Scriptures for verification of who was in ultimate control and was to be worshiped. Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” Today, are you in agreement with Jesus that He (God) alone should be worshiped?

So many have made that transaction like the aforementioned superstars in the first paragraph. The flesh while very much alive devices a plan to glorify itself and then presents it at God’s altar; demanding howbeit religiously that God bless the Spirit-void itinerary. Of course the Holy Spirit never adorns that which is not born of God. Thus a door is opened for Satan to come in and make his seemingly easy and ever-ready offer.

Does God not use and bless His people, one might ask. Absolutely! In His will, His way and His time. The end result is deliverance, freedom and peace for first the person being used, then an outpouring  to all affected. How can we now tell when it is of the devil or of God; ” … be filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:17-19

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.“
1 John 2:15-17

One Man, One Mission, One Message

 “That the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”Acts 26:22-24 

“That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

John 3:16 must be the most known and quoted verse of the Bible, yet people seem to have lost its meaning. God was still interested in reconciling the world he created back to Himself, so He devised a mind-boggling, sacrificial and unthinkable plan. He sent His only begotten Son to come and pay the price that a sinful humanity owed. Actually, since Jesus was God in flesh; it only means God took it one step further and took on flesh to come Himself. Kind of puts a new spin on the notion that: ‘if you want something done, you do it yourself’.

The understanding of the technicality of the mystery that is the trinity, is not what God has called us to unravel. We are simply to believe like little children, on the finished work of Calvary. That a holy God the Creator, Who also sits as the Judge of the world took of His robe of righteousness, stepped over to the other side where the guilty abode and propitiated the consequences of sin. Then He stepped right back to His throne and judgement seat put on His robe of righteousness once again, and proclaimed “It is finished”. The debt had been paid and the ultimate Judge was satisfied.

Today, unbeknownst to humanity, creation yearns for the inhabitation of its Creator. The vacuüm created by our separation from the only One who satisfies is gaping and ravenous. Man is in an endless and hopeless scamper for an answer. The solution remains the same; it is found in one Man who trod this terrestrial strip over 2,000 years ago (Jesus Christ, the Son of God), with a mission to save us from our sins and a message of reconciliation.

Would you let someone know the ‘good news’ that is the Gospel today?

“Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.” Acts 13:25-27  “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:12-14

Against You??? (Hardly)

“Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”
Genesis 42:35-37

Have you ever looked at your circumstance and situation and thought every thing is surely working against me or at least going against what I planned and expected. You are probably right it is. However, if you are the redeemed of the Lord and you love, trust and obey him, then He is more than able and sure willing to flip things around and bring a smile to your face. The book of Romans says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:27-29.

God is obligated to make sure things are tidied up for your good, simply because He has called you for his purposes. You were made to be a light to this generation and subsequently or simultaneously bring glory to His ever worthy name! Will the enemy cause havoc, heart ache and chaos? But of course, that is his job. But your job is to focus on the Faithful and True One and praise him as you go along.

Jacob (Israel) will eventually see that the temporary loss of his son was to fulfill thousands of years of prophecy. God had allowed Joseph to be a victim of his brothers envy and jealousy to make a way for the immigration of the Israelites to Egypt. This paved the way eventually for the ‘GREAT I AM’ to be introduced first to the Israelites through Moses and Aaron, their surrounding neighbours and enemies alike, and then the rest of the world. Then from the ‘plagues’ through to the Passover and the Exodus, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was God indeed!

So, I ask you; do you still feel disadvantaged? Hold on in faith and expectation and watch the Almighty God flip things in your favour.

Not Fooled and Not Bowed

“Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
1 Kings 19:17-19

By the anointing and enablement of the Most High God (God of Israel), Elijah had just accomplished a great feat for the kingdom of God. Four hundred and fifty prophets of baal had been put to an open shame. When it came time for the idol that the false prophets worshipped to come through for them, he was a no-show. Maybe he was tending to his needs in the lavatory. Makes me want to shout alleluia for serving a God Who neither slumbers nor sleeps and Who is always present. No sooner had the prophet of God Elijah dismissed his victory party, than Jezebel the queen threatened his very life. Elijah became distraught, fearful and ran for his life.

When Elijah got to the wilderness, he cried out to the Lord that he had enough and wanted to die. The man of God was tired discouraged and felt alone. With all those myriads of churning emotions, the prophet subsequently fell asleep. An angel of God woke him up twice, fed and strengthened him for the journey ahead. As God assured him that He still had faithful people who had not bowed to falsehood and idols, and who knew about Jezebel, her evil tactics and threats.

Thank God, we know how the story ends and what becomes of Jezebel and her household. Child of God are you weary, tired and feeling all alone in the ‘righteousness movement’? Know for sure that the Lord our God, He is God and there is none besides Him. And with Him are thousands of other faithful saints and warriors, who have not bowed. You can only be VICTORIOUS!!!

NEW YEAR, NEW ERA, NEW METHODS…

WELCOME TO THE SECOND YEAR AND PHASE OF ‘OFGODTHEGOSPELANNDGRACE’. THANK YOU FOR THE PAST YEAR AND THANK GOD FOR ALL HE DID. THOUGH THE JOURNEY CONTINUES AND THE INTENT REMAINS CHRIST EXALTING, THE METHOD AND MISSION IS SLIGHTLY ALTERED. ALL IN ALL THE AFTER TASTE LEFT IN OUR SPIRITUAL PALETTE WILL BE OF GOD THE GOSPEL AND DEFINITELY OF GRACE.

BE BLESSED AS WE JOURNEY TOGETHER MY FELLOW SOJOURNER.

CHIDIWE

The Memorable Memorial (A Piece of Flash back…)

This section was culled from the original published May 9, 2011.

Glory to the most High God, for His faithfulness to His humble servant now in glory. “For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.”  1 Samuel 2:30 (NASB).  We saw that portrayed in its entirety today.  What God sees in secret, he rewards openly. Not what is displayed openly is necessarily the real deal, but what is in the hidden man.  Not that we needed any further proof for the kind of person our Founding Pastor was. So we came in droves, the young and not so young, the rich, the poor, the exiled(they came because he had nothing to do with their exile, there was quite a number of them) the simple and the coiffed. They traveled as far as from Africa (shows you how color blind he was) to bid this beloved man adieu at least for now; till we meet again.

The packed auditoriums spoke volumes about how much this man was loved. People stood in line, prepared and geared for however long it would take to get in, honor the servant of God and pay their final respect to a righteous man indeed.  This man who ran his race by the grace of God and had everyone from his family, friends and the rest of us agree in unison, that he was a just man!

 

 

 

One Year ago…

David Wilkerson during a Conference in Chile, 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One year, one memorable death, 180 posts and almost 26000 visitors!!!

‘OFGODTHEGOSPELANDGRACE‘ will be one year this week. It has been a year of obedience, revelation, deliverance  and of course God‘s unfaltering faithfulness. I have always been a writer amongst other things. You can definitely call me ‘Jane of ten (10) trades and master of five (5) . I remember that for a couple of months prior to the creation of this site, the Lord had been speaking to me about starting a blog. It was not for lack of what to write or how to construct the necessary sentences, but I was in need of a motivational jolt. That unfortunately came in form of a temporary and tragic occurrence. My dear pastor was killed in a tragic car accident and suddenly a surge of emotions triggered years of church and ministry. And with it came everything in between, imaginable and unimaginable.

This week will also mark a year that my Pastor went to be with Jesus. I was compelled to write two tributes to this Spiritual Fatherly figure, because of  how God had used him to frame my spiritual walk. He was not responsible for all of it, but a huge part of his gifts, insight and style will always be a part of me. For example; he was a very kind and understanding man but he firmly believed that sin needed to be dealt with and not brushed aside. He believed that man should put his complete trust in God and not flesh. In fact, I remember seeing him recoil or flinch ever so subtly when something was not a result of the Holy Ghost. I loved that attribute so much, I asked for it from the same God who gave it to Him. God warned that it would cost me; and it did cost me, but in the end I got it – Thank You Jesus!

When my Pastor died, I balked at the fact that there were so very few of him left and that the church age was going haywire. But God reminded me that David Wilkerson was a part of His work, just as I am a part of His work. He had not stopped working so I was to commence with what had been handed to me. I know of no better way for those that claim to love Pastor David Wilkerson to honor his memory than by upholding that which he upheld. He exalted Jesus above all and upheld the need for living righteously and seeking God’s will. Today I am blessed to know truth, and to stand for it! I am more assured and secure in who I am in Christ Jesus. I have been divinely kept and protected and the best is yet to come…

In the coming year, may ‘OFGODTHEGOSPELANDGRACE’ live up to its name and creed. Which is the LORD He is GOD indeed!!!

God bless you for visiting and reading.

The subsequent blogs are the archives of this beautiful past year.

The Real Picture of Humble (And The Typo in Pride)

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:6-8

When I was a tad bit younger than I am right now , being ‘humble‘ was in the eyes and perception of the beholder and perceiver. It had absolutely nothing to do with the only ONE who would have the accurate definition. As the scripture verse above detects, the heart which is seen by God alone determines a person’s state of humility or the lack thereof.

So human beings chose to attribute humility to the person that least intimidated them. Or better still if you purposely chose tattered apparel over good existing ones and walked around with a mope, then you were humble. If you chose a state of misery with disregard to God’s offer of  ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory’ and perpetually embraced a disposition of failure then you were humble.

“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate…” Joel 2:12-14

Based on the above scenario; picture what could be attributed to someone who was the opposite of that description. The blessings and the favor of God on their life would be a constant  force of contention with those who had not learnt who they were in Christ Jesus. Their obedience to “… take no thought of what…” becomes disdained by others. Their desire to be all that the Lord has ordained for their life is described as pride…

“So that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Luke 2:34-36

Let us find out once and for all from God’s own words how to detect and promote humility while dealing a death-blow to pride in all its forms, camouflage and deceits.

“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him…”  2 Chronicles 16:8-10

“Has not my hand-made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
Isaiah 66:1-3

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:5-7

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord…” 1 Peter 3:14-16

“Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:8-10

Now is that not a great promise to hope for…