A keys story...

I went to the church office earlier on this afternoon, in order to help with a few administrative stuff—it’s something that I do regularly. The front door and windows are secured with shutters and deadlocks. I took my key out and tried to turn it into the locks, as usual, and… nothing happened. I couldn’t get in! We misplaced one of the deadlocks last week and had to replace everything. Unfortunately, I forgot to get the new set of keys.

Just a few days ago, I was telling my daughters that the spiritual world obeys to laws and principles and it will respond to them irrespective of the person who applies them. For instance, if someone has the key to our house, they can enter in, whether they are entitled to do so or not. The lock will not request to see their ID before it opens. The devil and his acolytes are successful because they know and use these laws and keys. GOD will judge them later but, in the meantime, they ‘triumph.’

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mat. 16 :19a).

Today, my little misadventure taught me that it is possible to have the legal right to be in a certain place (physical or spiritual) and yet not be able to get in, for lack of key…

There’s a master key to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (to surrender one’s life to the lordship of Jesus-Christ of Nazareth). But once inside, there are others keys, still, which are mentioned above by Jesus. Peter was already in the Kingdom but, obviously, that wasn’t enough. He was still lacking something. Imagine that you are at Buckingham Palace or in the White House, but all the doors inside are locked and you have no idea where the keys to those doors and rooms are. Well, your experience in and of the palace will be rather limited. Likewise, the experience of many Christians in the Kingdom of GOD is very limited. The abundant life and the fullness, which have been promised to us in Christ seem like a dream, all for lack of keys. This year, in my church, the Lord has promised to open doors for us. He will do it either by leaving a door open, effectively, or by giving us the right key. There is a key that opens the door to prosperity; a key that opens the door to full employment; a key that opens the door to sound health; a key that opens the door to marriage; a key that opens the door to kids that obey their parents and the Lord etc. Understand that; look for those keys; find them and keep them carefully. Because, if you lose them, the enemy might use them to steal, kill and destroy or simply lock the door and prevent you from entering. A word to the wise is enough, they say. 

Happy New Year and a lot of success!  

Good bye 2016 and welcome to 2017!

Thank GOD 2016 is almost over! It’s been a rather interesting year…and not just for me. Indeed, things did not really end as expected for David Cameron, Hillary Clinton, Nicolas Sarkozy, some African Head of States, and maybe even for you as well. However, it’s been exactly how GOD intended it to be, hallowed be His Name!

As far as I am concerned, I have personally experienced three Christian virtues like never before; and I’d like to end 2016 and envision 2017, focusing on those.

GOD’s grace. We tend to speak of grace a bit as we speak of the name of Jesus, in Christian circles. ‘Peace and grace’, ‘…by GOD’s grace,’ etc. But I wonder whether we actually grasp what those words mean. I thought I knew what it was, but I’ve finally discovered and understood GOD’s grace. My family and I went through various ordeals that, if anyone had mentioned any of them to me on January 1st 2016, I’d have struggled to even think of the end of this year. But here we are, still standing… by GOD’s grace. For instance, my youngest daughter had a back problem in April, which almost left her paralysed. In no time, she was bedridden; unable to sit; was fed lying flat on her back; and then, it was the wheelchair, not to mention atrocious pains. She went to school 4 or 5 times last year and it looked like this term was also compromised when GOD did a miracle, 4 days before school starts. On September 2nd, she came to church in a lot of pain and in a wheelchair; and she went home on her two legs, hallelujah! I don’t want to detail what our daily lives were, you can try to imagine it; but what I want to tell you is that grace sustained us every hour and every day and carried us through. GOD’s grace…

Hope. Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). One of the things that distinguish us the most from non Christians is the capacity to continue to hope in a better tomorrow. The capacity to believe that GOD will eventually turn situation around; that He will not fail to deliver on His promises—and the capacity to believe that when NOTHING encourages us to believe it. Indeed, if you live in Europe, it’s not overly difficult to believe that you’ll have a white Christmas, even if the weather forecast says the contrary—you know it’s still possible. But to be convinced that of the same in Copacabana, Brazil, is something else! Against all hope (without reason for hope), Abraham in hope believed (in faith went on hoping) and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him (Rom. 4:18). To hope AGAINST all hope… There’s no better definition for faith—without which, it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6). In fact, if GOD cannot do what is humanly, materially and naturally impossible, then He does not deserve to be GOD.

Lastly, the sovereignty and the perfection of GOD’s ways. I love the song that says, “You are a good good Father, that’s who You are; You are perfect in all your ways…” When my daughter fell ill, we fasted; prayed; praised; laid hands on her; anointed her; engaged in spiritual warfare; prophesied and took the Holy Communion at home daily and yet, months went by without ‘anything’ happening. If GOD had healed her then, we would have been very grateful, but then the whole matter would have passed as a one of those things that just happen. However, when He healed her in the way that He did, way after we had started those things, it triggered a personal and a collective revival in church. We had all heard about miraculous healings, but only a handful of people had previously witnessed someone getting up from a wheelchair. Suddenly, GOD was very real.

Perhaps, you are a bit low at the moment, because your greatest wish for the year has not (yet) been fulfilled. Trust me, it really is not a big deal. GOD knows what He is doing. His plans and ways are perfect in every respect. As long as the Lord has not said ‘No’ to you, your responsibility is to keep on believing in 2017 and beyond, if necessary, relying on GOD’s grace, because it won’t always be easy. Grace is what enabled Paul to endure the the torment inflicted by the demon that harassed him (2Cor. 12:7-9). That’s how powerful and effective GOD’s grace is.

GOD is GOOD. End this year and start the new one with this thought: GOD is GOOD. And, throughout 2017, do not lose sight of the sovereignty and perfection of GOD’s ways, along with the power of hope and grace. The best of GOD is yet to come…

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2017! 

GOD is on the throne: ALL IS WELL!

I’d like to encourage someone with a thought that has been recurring in my mind over the last three or four weeks: “God is still on the throne!”

Irrespective of what you may be going through, know that the heavenly throne is not empty. GOD is sitting on it and He reigns. He reigns on your issues—in other words, He has the last say. 

He reigns on your circumstances—the Bible says that He is the Master of times and circumstances. If you have given your life to Him, nobody can take it away from His hands (Jn. 10:28-29).

Satan does not command to the circumstances of your life: GOD does. You may not understand jack to what is happening to you; things might be extremely difficult for you right now; but GOD is with you in the waters and in the fire. He is still on the throne of your life and the throne of the whole universe; He is good and He loves you and therefore, ALL will be well!

GOD is on the throne, and so are you… in a way. Indeed, the Bible tells us that we are seated in Christ in heavenly places, in order to show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in the coming ages. But GOD deployed the immeasurable greatness of His power to seat Christ Jesus at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come (Eph. 2:6-7 & 1:19-21). Therefore, we throne in Christ, at the right hand of GOD in heavenly places and we also throne above everything that can be named as power or authority. Alleluia! That’s why I am telling you to fear NOTHING. Do not despair; let your soul not be sad and troubled: GOD reigns and so do you…in Christ. Your present challenge shall also pass as all the others, because no night is eternal.

Paul adds that GOD has put all things under Jesus’ feet (Eph. 1:23). But if we are in Christ and our life is hidden in Him (Col 3:3), then it means that GOD, in His infinite mercy, has also put ALL things under our feet. Alleluia! This is why Jesus says in Luke 10:19 that He has given us authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt us. He adds in vs. 20, Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven”, which implies that there is no dispute about the fact that the spirits are subject to us. It’s a fact. They know it; Jesus knows it; the only one who doesn’t seem to realise it is you.

Take courage, my brother and my sister. If your life is truly hidden in Christ; if you have not left that cocoon through disobedience or sin; then understand that GOD reigns; that you also reign in Christ alongside Him; and rule over adversity. If you have exposed yourself and your life is no longer hidden in Christ, repent; go back to your hiding place in HIM far above everything and rule!

Have a great faith-filled week in Him.

To your victory!

Lessons from the multiplication of the bread

I hope that you know the story of the multiplication of the five loaves of bread and two fishes well, because, in order not to be too long, I will not paste the passages of Matthew 14:13b-21 and John 6:5-11 here. It is full of lessons.

1. There is a time to laugh and a time to mourn indeed, but there is no time to stop ministering to people. The Bible tells us to preach the word and be ready in season and out of season (2Tim 4:2). My pain and personal circumstances are not a good enough reason, before GOD, to close myself to the suffering of those around me. Jesus had just heard the news that His cousin, a great man of GOD (Mat 11:11), Prophet John the Baptist, had been beheaded. This death probably reminded Him of the way that He was going to leave this world Himself. He was sad and wanted to be alone. He withdrew to a desolate place, but a crowd of 5000 men, without counting the women and the children—i.e. probably 12 to 15 thousands people in total—followed Him there. When He saw them coming, He understood that GOD was saying to Him: “Son, life goes on. I need you and these people need you now. Go back to work!” 

2. If GOD puts me in front of a situation, which is humanly impossible, then the le miracle is near. “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little” (Jn 6:7). Considering the late hour, even if they had bought all the bread available in all the bakeries around, it wouldn’t have been enough, still, to feed such a crowd. It was a dead-end situation. But when Jesus asked: “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” (Jn 6:5), Philippe should have answered like Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. When GOD asked him whether those bones could live again, Ezekiel didn’t start a geopolitical and socio-economical analysis of the situation. He simply answered: O Lord GOD, you know (Ez 37:3). Here as well Jesus already knew what He was going to do (Jn 6:6).

3. If I am facing an impossible situation, then I’m probably the solution and instrument of the miracle. It is Ezekiel who prophesied to bring the dry bones back to life and GOD did not create food out of nothing to feed the crowd; He used resources, which were already available. “You give them something to eat” (Mat 14:16). We always have ALL we need and we always have it in full (Col 2:10). It’s just a question of mindset, heart and perspective. 

A set of mind: “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” We tend to run away from difficulties way too much. This is why the disciples wanted to send the crowd away. It’s a looser mentality.

A disposition of heart: Those who are moved with compassion; who genuinely want to help and solve problems around them will often experiment this kind of miracles. When He saw the crowd, Jesus did not think: “I hope they’ve brought a packed lunch!” And, as it was getting late, He didn’t think: “I still have 500 people to heal. I won’t finish today. I’ve done my share for the day. They should leave and come back tomorrow. Besides, we don’t have food for them!” No. He didn’t concern Himself with the time or the resources; He only devoted Himself to alleviating their misery and doing them good. 

A question of perspective: We tend to belittle what GOD gives us – it’s ingratitude. “We have only five loaves here and two fish… but what are they for so many” (Mat 14:17, Jn 6:9). The disciples believed that five loaves and two fishes were insignificant in front of the magnitude of the needs. But Jesus saw differently. “My Father is the One who has sent these people to me, knowingly. Right now, if these loaves and fish are all I have at my disposal to take care of them, then it means that they are more than enough for everyone. I don’t need to complain or ask questions. I don’t even need to wait until I see the multiplication to act. I will just thank Him and start distributing it right away as if the supply is unlimited.” We have EVERYTHING in Him in full. This ‘everything’ may sometime seem insignificant, but it is EVERYTHING all the same. Elisha asked the poor widow, who was drowning in debt, what she had at home and she said: “nothing except a jar of oil” (2Ki 4:2). In front of her mountain of debts, her small jar of oil seemed as insignificant as the five loaves and two fishes in front of a crowd of more than ten thousands people. That’s why she answered “Nothing.” But when Elisha saw the very same jar, he did not see “Nothing”; he saw an oil business. He saw a financial breakthrough and financial freedom. 

Let me ask you this: What do you have in your hand? What do you have at home? What do you see in your resources? If you spend your time waiting for GOD to give you more before you can start something; if you believe that you don’t have enough for yourself to begin to share; and if you don't learn to appreciate what you have, give thanks, praise GOD and trust that, the good Father that He is has already given you EVERYTHING you need at this time, you will never see this kind of multiplication in your life. If what you want to do is from GOD, then you already have ALL you need. When GOD calls or sends, He equips and supply every emotional, spiritual and material need. 

Have a joy-filled week in Christ Jesus!

The eyes and ears of faith

[…] Faith has eyes and ears. Faith hears and sees beyond what others perceive. Faith knows how to look beyond the visible and the obvious (i.e. the trials), to see the invisible and unapparent (i.e. the hand, the presence or the help of GOD). This is the reason why the Scriptures exhort us to have ears to hear and eyes to see; meaning, ears that can hear the Voice beyond the voice and eyes that can see the Supreme Being beyond appearances. 

Joshua and Caleb had that look. They saw the sons of Anak in the Promise Land; but contrary to the ten other spies, they also saw Someone, who was greater than those ‘giants.’ They saw the One who had brought them out of Egypt; helped them cross the Red Sea; given them manna and quails and quenched their thirst with water from the rock. They chose to trust and bet on this Faithful and Mighty GOD who knew in advance about the Anakites when He promised them Canaan. This GOD could definitely not and would surely not abandon them now!

Prophet Elisha also had that look. One morning, his servant got up and realised that a great armada, sent by the king of Syria to seize his master, surrounded the city. He began to panic, but Elisha told him not to be afraid, because there were more people with them than against them. Then, Elisha prayed, asking GOD to open his servant’s eyes that he may see. The LORD granted his request and Guehazi saw horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2Ki. 6:12-17). Was Guehazi physically blind? No. Therefore, GOD did not open his physical eyes, but his eyes of faith.

Joseph equally had eyes to see. When Mrs Potiphar came to seduce him, he saw past all the fringe benefits, which could be his as the lover of the lady of the house. He saw something else. He saw the destiny, which was going to be his once the LORD had fulfilled what He had promised to him in his dreams. If he had yielded to her,

• At worst, Potiphar would have discovered what was going on with consequences that are easy to imagine.
• And at best, Potiphar would have never found out and Joseph would have remained the overseer of his house. A cherished steward, undoubtedly, but a slave nonetheless.  

Beyond the test, represented by Mrs Potiphar, was glory or disgrace; the condition of a slave or the position of Prime Minister of the then mightiest kingdom. It is because of the eyes of faith that Joseph was able to trust GOD and pass the temptation test with flying colours.

On the other hand, Esau is the example of those who have eyes and see not. Faced with the pangs of hunger (the test), he only saw his brother’s soup, but Jacob saw the birthright. And he was ready to trade what he had for that pearl of great price and endure hunger a little longer… 

Brother, sister, reader, what did you see yesterday? What do you see today? What can't you see anymore? I pray that your eyes and ears will not be mere decoration, but that you will have eyes to see and ears to hear. Have a wonderblessed© week!

Excerpt from my book, Catalysts of Favour, Becoming a Man or a Woman after GOD’s Heart – Chapter I, Faith. Available on Amazon in print and eBook. 

In need of fathers…

Yesterday was Fathers’ Day and, unfortunately, my schedule did not allow me to post what I wanted. So, a day after, I’d like to wish a happy belated Fathers’ Day to every biological, adoptive and spiritual father and father to be out there. As a gift to you, and to all, here is a summary of the great message, which we heard in church.

The world is upside down because of fathers are missing – they may be physically present, but absent in practice. There are many men, but few fathers, because being a father is more than putting food on the table and paying bills and school fees. The pastor used an acronym to tell us what a FATHER is:

• F for Faith. A father must have a saving and a living faith. His children must see the evidence of salvation at work in his life on a daily basis.
• A for Adversity. A father must demonstrate how to handle crisis and he must do so according to the Scriptures, because children are always looking up to see what the father is going to do.
• T for Teacher. The fact that you have a PhD doesn’t mean that you’ve been taught. How many instructions do you receive a week and from whom? It is through teaching that impartation comes.
• H for Helper. Many men do not know how to help because they have never seen or were never taught to help.
• E for Encouragement. You cannot encourage if you’ve never been encouraged.
• R for Reputation. A father must modelled integrity and good character. If he tells his child to say that he is not around when he is, he is imparting lies and deception in the life of that child.

We also took example from the lives of four fantastic fathers.

1. Noah walked with GOD and showed his children how to be righteous and blameless in the midst of a wicked and corrupt generation (Gen 6:9).
2. Joshua is more known for his famous stance, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” (Jos. 24:15) than his many accomplishments. What about children who have never seen their father choose for the LORD?
3. Job prayed for his children and made arrangements for them (consecrated them) regularly (Job 1.5). Who makes arrangements for you and who are you purifying?
4. Lastly, Abraham instructed his children and household to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that GOD would fulfil His promises to him (Gen 18:19). In other words, there are certain prophecies, which will never come to pass and certain blessings, which will never reach our children if the father does not play his part. Besides, if you don’t keep the way of the LORD yourself, how can you teach your children to keep it?

There are certain things that money cannot buy or fix: misalignment, an absent father. But GOD has made provision for those at the Cross and in His House. We need fathers; fathers in the likeness of those fantastic four; fathers who exemplify the acronym above. In spite of her good will, a woman cannot really fill the gap of a missing father; she is not designed for that. This is why you need to find a spiritual father if your natural father is absent. And this is my pastor’s advice for the ladies who are not yet married. For the sake of your future children, make sure that your fiancé is a Christian and has a mentor or spiritual father whom he is accountable and submitted to. Check his background. What kind of natural/spiritual father does he have (or has he had)? This is very important. GOD bless you and have a wonderful week.

Peace!

Son or daughter of…: A wise advice…

I don’t know how I didn’t see this earlier. I’ve just realised that it’s not by chance that Solomon asked for wisdom. Indeed, in 1Chr. 22:11-12, David speaks to his son, Solomon, the future king, and says to him: “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God.” Other versions have: “Only, may the Lord give you wisdom (or insight) and understanding... » Wow!

In this exchange, Solomon understood what the most important thing in the success of a monarch was. He knew that his father was a man after God’s heart and he understood that if such a man could be concerned about God granting his son insight, wisdom and understanding, then those were more valuable than anything else.

This shows the impact that a spiritual father or mother, after God’s heart, can have in someone’s life. With the exception of Melchizedek, there is no other person without genealogy in the Bible. We all come from somewhere and should all come from somewhere. Who can speak into your life like David spoke to Solomon? Does that person truly fear God? Solomon was a docile, willing and obedient son. When God appeared to him, he simply asked what his father had suggested, nothing else. Can you do the same?

For the record, Solomon did not build the temple just anywhere. He did not try to re-invent the wheel. He built it on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father (2Chr. 3:1). The same Mount Moriah where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. Also remember that when Isaac settled in Gerar, he dug his wells of water where his father, Abraham, had previously dug and gave them the same names that Abraham had given them (Gen 26:15-18). These things represent the basis for generational covenants and blessings. Let’s not be Melchizedeks. Let us be sons and daughters of somebody. It can be a biological father or mother, a pastor, an elder (minister) in the church, but it has to be someone who is after God’s heart.

The end of the first half of the year is almost there. It’s time to evaluate where you are in terms of your goals and resolutions for this year. Have a great week and a great month of June.

GOD bless!

PS: “Are you ready for this embarrassment? The path to greatness…” is now available on Amazon UK, both in print and eBook. Get your copy here. It is also available in other Amazon stores (US, France etc.).