Month: July 2023

Every learning point in my life has taught me sth. I grew up in a household where it was 100% wrong to question an adult. So, I can say a thing or two about the authority of a believer.
In previous, study I prayed like no other to get a good grade, studied hard until it was unending. Infact the reason, I am writing is because well. I have learnt the hard way that blind obedience to authority is no way to live a godly life.
To serve God, you will have to ruffle alot of feathers. I read yesterday in the scriptures in Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” the real question is who the fool between Jesus was and the Pharisees.
Now, the pharisees were in a majority and when Jesus rebuked them in Luke 11:37-54, he also rebuked them for turning his father’s house into a den of thieves. Matt 21:12-13, Mark 8: 33 (But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”).

The reason, why I go through these verses was I seldom used to think if I just agreed enough twill be enough until my master’s program. I endured foolishness until became wise because I did not use my authority as a believer. In my master’s I seldom use to have friend who told me that I won’t get a job, I never countered it; because I believed it is just your own you are saying. I had a lecturer who said I was no good in writing after scoring 7.0 (though in my IELTS to get to the master’s program) a host of these things happened because I did not have my authority as a believer in play (I did not know how to use). I fasted, spoke words of faith and prayed but I had already allowed words that were not of life go ahead of me. Because I could not rebuke every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God in my life; I had allowed it slide thinking it was nothing.

Words are spirit and they are life. whose report would you believe; we believe the report of the lord that says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; while I thought people close to me were just saying words not of life; I discovered it’s not what enters a man that destroys but what comes out of the man. It was then I realized that Jesus was right sometimes you have to tell the devil thou art an offense to me Satan, get thee behind me it’s not pride its rebuking wrong words spoken over one’s life that are not of life and are not true (Philippians 4:8).

Why am I saying this, we leave in an age of deception that you are carefully not to accept condemnation as conviction. These days condemnation is subtle, and conviction pull you to a sorry state not to condemnation. Addedly, I am writing this piece because I watched a video on YouTube where a channel was convicting people of pride and came from the angle of saying they did not want to receive correction when they were wrong.

Not to compare but even the teacher who was apparently correcting my work during my master’s program was corrected he couldn’t handle it, and took action of the student that corrected him, while it is the holy spirit that convicts, and we restore one with fault gently (correction) it is not our place to condemn.

We have the authority of a believer to refute and rebuke wrong words spoken over our life that is the authority of a believer.

I was once accused once of having wisdom but not love; I had nothing (most of these accusations come from church people I might add). So, they quoted 1 Corinthians 13: 2 for me stating “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”
In fact, the people I have had the most brush with a religious/ moralist people not really liberal people. They see one way to solve a problem and think its the only way to follow. I have to say that knowledge builds on wisdom and understanding and most times from suffering. This is why people who suffer are looked down. (Ecclesiastes So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.). To get knowledge one may not have to suffer but to get understanding one has to suffer (Daniel 4: 34) “And at the end of the [a]time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most-High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:” He became a four-footed beast to get understanding and thus knowledge. This is why a 1st class graduate uses his knowledge to work for someone with business sense (understanding).
I’m giving out free knowledge, wisdom from Gods word people may crouch on it and I’d still be called a Fool. So, I know knowledge puffs up, love builds up ( 1 Corinthian 8: 1) we also know that knowledge makes a man brutish. “Jeremiah 51:17-18″. Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.” It’s harder to question, a man that has suffered much this is why with all Jobs friends only one could question and he did so righteously wisely by God. [Job 5:12-14] craftiness is a form of knowledge, and it is built out of wisdom (sometimes positive or negative). James 3: 13-18 [Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.]. Job reinstates it again in Job 16: 11 [ and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.]. as knowledge has 2 sides the knowledge of good and evil. [Genesis 2:9], [ Genesis 3:22
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”]. But understanding humbles man because it comes with suffering. One may steal knowledge but not understanding for understanding is built on principle of God. so, the scripture where God says my people perish for a lack of knowledge [Isaiah 5: 13, Hosea 4: 6] is built on understanding Gods wisdom.
I once had a friend previously who had an uncanny ability to know what would happen to, she became grievous in high school. I understood what made her this way it was the knowledge that she knew what people would do to her. Indeed, it became a burden of wisdom. This is why some people know when they would depart the world and it weighs them down with sorrow as Jesus did before he died. Matthew 26:36-46 [36 Then Jesus *came with them to a place called [a]Gethsemane, and *told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”]. If Jesus who is God made flesh can be grieved and distressed, he was troubled in spirit due to betrayal he knew was coming to him (fore knowledge) [John 13:21], he was angered and distressed -i.e. grieving about the hardness of human heart [Mark 3: 5]. Then, we do have a high priest who empathizes with our weaknesses. And indeed, his love is greater than his wisdom that’s why he forgives the underserved. So yes, Godly love is greater than wisdom. I guess Ecclesiastes 1:18 says it all about wisdom [For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.]. So, I’d say as Job said in Job 13: 1 [ “My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.”] and in understanding there is a proper time and procedure for every matter even if one weighed down by misery.
The greater wisdom is in God and his word, and it is built out love; so brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” meekness is humility this is why true wisdom is humble [ James 3: 13] If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

In my free time, I’d like to engage and ask people who their favorite bible character is? Most African women would say Deborah, some frequently said Esther. When I asked African men I’d hear Joseph mostly, some few cases Daniel, Moses and other Abraham because of his blessing and some SOLOMON.

I had a few non-African friends say Esther. People often say why do you ask this question, and I say nothing just out of curiosity. But for me, it was intriguing as Deborah was a judge and a warrior to save her people. As every Old Testament character is a shadow type of Jesus; it was more like people who relied on their strength or God’s to win battles. Addedly, she was judge (a righteous one). It’s funny that most African women would not rely on beauty to save them. Also, we war in prayer, so it’s no surprise actually this was most people choice.

There is a song I hear when I was working for a company in Lagos. It echoed from a person with a deformity but had a unique ability to play the trumpet and flute.
He used the trumpet to play a Christian song “what a friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and grief to bear…precious savior still our refuge take it to the lord in prayer”, have we a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows bear…all because we do not carry everything to the lord in prayer.
As we see the life of Rehoboam and Jeroboam today. God had previously told Solomon he would tear down his kingdom after his passing. In this chapter, we see the fulfillment of this and view this story from when Israel consisted of 12 tribes and Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel to make him king of Israel. However, when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this Nebat heard of this, he returned to Israel. Rehoboam on the other hand, had to consult “the elderly” on removing the burdens placed on the poor. Rehoboam did not hearken to his young friends. This caused the Israelites to disperse under his leadership except Judah.
“What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance with the son of Jesse – to your tent o Israel. Look to your own house. So, Rehoboam reigned over the city of Judah. Rehoboam sent Adoram who was his taskmaster over to forced labor and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. Hence, Rehoboam turned to mount his chariot to flee Jerusalem.

LESSONS
When a leader in a household, nation subjects its citizen to forced labor and calamity strikes guess who flees first? such was the case with Rehoboam.
Jesus says in Matthew 23:4-5
New King James Version
4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

Rehoboams decision split Israel and Judah into two nations *as God told Solomon that upon his death his empire would split*. Due to this, Rehoboam assembled horses from Judah & the tribe of Benjamin to fight against the house of Israel, so he’d restore his father’s kingdom. But the lord sent prophets to Rehoboam that he should not go up to fight against his people.

However, Jeroboam now the king of Israel feared that Rehoboam would draw the people back to God.
A seemingly harsh decision would lead people astray to serve other gods for help. Due to the heavy yoke Rehoboam wanted to place on all of Yisrael, leading people to search for solution from any other means (in search for a new ruler or king).
when sufferings of people increase, when heavy burdens are bound on others that we ourselves cannot carry. we create a leadership that splits and irrevocably causes idolatry. (Whether burdens, yokes, laws as with Moses and the calf) once humans can’t keep it, carry it causes a divide. This is why Jesus as a leader carried a heavier cross than the church and says take of my yoke upon you and learn for me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Mattthew 11:29). Jesus went through anguish, sweating blood and died for our soul. we couldn’t fulfil the law as when heavy yokes are placed on man; the scriptures say the law caused man to sin more Romans 5:20. However, Jesus teaches us to learn from him through humility so we can rest on him. Jesus took on our yokes (laws, burden we couldn’t fulfil) so we can find rest in him.

Take out.
In any given nation where subjugation leads to slavery. As with Solomon who says there is a time when someone lords over another to their own hurt Ecclesiastes 8:9. And Jesus says those who must lead must serve Mark 10:43. we create a division as rehoboam did Israel and Judah.