It appears that one event that draws most friends and relations together in the average Nigerian setting is burial ceremonies. The manner with which people show up and financially support burial ceremonies can be stunning. At such times, people get to see relatives and friends that they haven’t seen in ages. They continuously sing the praises of the loved one that has passed on and recount how good he/ she was. In Acts 9:39 (CEV), the Bible records a similar story: “The men took Peter upstairs into the room. Many widows were there crying. They showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was still alive.”
As I read this passage, I could not help asking myself – Did these widows ever gather at Dorcas’ house to sing praises about the coats and clothes that she made when she was alive? I may not have the answer, but from what I see around me today, I am tempted to think otherwise.
Why would most of us rather give people a befitting burial than show up, and be there for them, when they are going through a bewildering trial? Why do we find it difficult to send a note of thanks to people when they are alive, but spend time to write good things in a condolence register they will never read? Why do we spend more time accusing the brethren instead of encouraging them with the Word? I like the way Apostle Paul began most of his epistles. He always thanked God for His grace in the lives of the brethren and for the progress they were making as believers, even though they still had ‘issues’. I particularly like Philippians 1:3 (CEV) where he wrote – “Every time I think of you, I thank my God.”
When Jesus walked this earth, he constantly encouraged his disciples even though he didn’t refrain from correcting them whenever they erred. When it came to dealing with the dead, he said – let the dead bury their dead (Mat. 8:22). This sheds light on where our emphasis should be – a far cry from what we currently practice.
As believers, we are expected to bear one other’s burden and encourage one another even as we see the day of the Lord approaching. One sure way to do this is by appreciating our fellow believers – their strengths and good works while they are alive, rather than focusing only on correcting their errors. Giving kind words and financial / material support for instance – we cannot underestimate how valuable this would be in propelling them to make progress in the things of God. Don’t expect them to be perfect before you do this. Please appreciate those that have been a blessing to you and our generation in any way.
If anyone of my family or friends do not give me the encouragement I need to achieve my purpose when I am alive, they need not bother to show up at my burial. I feel that if they acted like my burial was more important than my life, I would get up, chase them away and then, go back to sleep! That’s one of the jokes to remember in November!
The action point is: flip through your phone and address book; think back – over the years; who preached the gospel to you when you got saved? Who taught you the Word? Who helped you in school or in business? All the people that God has used to bless you, the least you can do is to appreciate them today – if they are still alive. Write them. Pray for them. Thank them. Send gifts to them. Do so within the next two weeks. What an amazing revival we would see in world if all Christians could do this now and onwards.
Let this revival start with you!
– Tope Aladenusi
Do you know what would excite you or give you a sense of fulfilment when you are old? Have you ever thought about it? I raised this question at a meeting with some leaders in our ministry over the weekend. Interestingly, it has roused some thoughts and even more questions in my mind since then. I cannot help but wonder why it seems that at every stage in life, a different set of things tend to stir our interest and take our time.
Reading/ studying is considered to be one major activity that takes the time of most “serious” students while in school. But today, when I discuss the good old days with former classmates, I have never heard anyone say how they cherished their reading time in school, hardly anyone seems to look back at it with longing. The activity of reading ranked high in terms of the time allotted to it while in school but, not as one of the most fulfilling and exciting activities. But let’s even assume that reading gave you a sense of fulfilment and took most of your time while in school, I bet something else occupies that position today – most probably your job. If your job currently takes most of your time and perhaps gives you fulfilment, do you think you would feel the same way about it in say 20 to 50 years?
I ask these questions because a vital key to real success is having constancy of purpose. When the thing that drives your life and gives you fulfilment changes every 3 to 5 years, it may be an indication that you are not living intentionally and purposefully but merely moving with the tides of life. Your life has a purpose and every stage of your life should prepare you and give you the platform for its expression. When you meet with God at the end of your life on earth, what would give you excitement and fulfilment about the life you lived? Are they the things that take most of your time and creativity today?
I’m not saying we should not read or work. That’s not the point! The bible even says “he who does not work should not eat”. The point is – if the fulfilment of our life’s purpose is what ultimately counts (even in eternity), then our purpose must be expressed at every stage of our lives. If our impact in the lives of others is something we would be excited to discuss with God in heaven, then we have to give it utmost priority today. I think it only makes sense to give daily priority to things that would give true fulfilment later in life and, will matter even after are dead. What do you think?
– Tope Aladenusi
Jackie and Johnnie work with the largest bank in Africa. They get wind of an imminent downsizing of the bank’s staff strength to cope with the prevailing economic recession.
As they discuss the issue with other colleagues, the possibility of Jackie losing his job dawns on him and he says,“I don’t know how I would be affected by this downsizing. I feel a scared because I haven’t got any savings and my wife and I had triplets last month. I wonder if God will help me!” Johnnie, on the other hand, says with confidence, “my firm belief is that if this bank chooses to retain only 4% of its staff after the downsize, I should be one of the staff retained. However, if for any reason I am asked to leave, I know that God has something great in store for me out there. Who knows? I could end up owning a company bigger than this bank.”
Johnnie’s colleagues give him an incredulous look as he completes his statement, and one of them says to him – “Johnnie, you are such a proud guy!” and there are agreeing nods across the room.
What do you think? Do you feel Johnnie’s statement is an expression of pride? Possibly! But what does pride mean? I have seen many believers misplace the meaning of pride to the extent that it is even the humble that is regarded as proud these days. Let’s look at one striking way the Bible explains pride: “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud …” 1 Timothy 6:3-4 (KJV)
Anyone who does not bring his ideas and reasoning under subjection to God’s word is a proud person. If the Word says you should treat others with love, and you look down on your fellow man and treat them with disdain, you are proud. If your spouse hurts you and you refuse to forgive, you are esteeming your own judgement over God’s, so you must be a proud person. Similarly, if the Word says you are healed, righteous and all-sufficient in Christ, but you proclaim and act contrary to this, you are equally proud.
In the scenario above, Jackie demonstrated pride because he seemed to esteem his ability more than that of God; he did not see God sustaining him outside of his bank job. He may have been aware that God clothes even the lilies of the field that do not toil, but he considered his ‘case’ more complex; he had not brought himself under the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As a believer, if the world thinks you are proud, then it is likely that you are yielding to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ – because the world sees differently. The reverse may be the case. Stop acting timid, lily-livered or stupid under the guise of humility. Herald the word of God with confidence and courage. Be humble in the sight of the Lord (not the sight of the world) and He will exalt you in due time.
– Tope Aladenusi
One reason many people become weak and abandon the pursuit of their dreams is found in the statement of our Lord in Luke 14:28 (MSG) – “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit downand figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it?”
Most of us do not complete what we start or don’t move ahead with the same high tempo with which we launch out because we did not take time to prepare. Many believers are fond of this. They relegate planning and preparation, thinking that to prepare and plan is an indication of lack of faith. Their watchword is “when I get to the bridge, I will learn/ know how to cross it”. But it’s like a soldier saying “when I get to the war front, I will learn what it takes to fight”. It doesn’t make sense.
General MacArthur, who was an American general and United Nations general, once said “the more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.” Many of us don’t want to sweat in peace, and so we ‘bleed’ excessively in the face of challenges to the point where we have no strength to carry on. Every success has a price tag and before you even commence a journey, you should know the price and be prepared to settle it. Faith is not ‘failing to know the price’ but a conviction to pay the known price and cross the bridge when you encounter it. As a matter of fact, you should have crossed the bridge in your mind even before you encounter it.
A pastor learnt that his fellow friend was holding 3 services every Sunday; without figuring out the cost he forced his members to hold 3 services and insisted they must all be present so the pews wouldn’t be empty. The church had to abandon this idea after months of wasting a lot of resources. A brother decided to start a company just because he had a clash with his former boss. Today, he always says that he should have taken some time to prepare.
Stop rushing into things because everyone is doing so. Don’t attempt to force yourself into the limelight. When someone proposes something nice, it is not a sign of weakness to say “let me think about it”. Great men and women value the time of preparation. It is the time they generate momentum for the task ahead. I like the way Abraham Lincoln puts it – “if I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my ax.”
– Tope Aladenusi
Years ago, I had trouble differentiating the times when I was relying solely on my ability to produce results from times when I was trusting God. I knew that trusting God consistently would always translate to inevitable success, but I felt that the line demarcating my trust in God from trust in myself was too thin. So thin that it would go unnoticed whenever I deviated.
I remember chatting with a lady in my university days; she would tell me how she always prayed and expected her prospective husband to propose to her before she was 25 years old. But from our conversations, it was obvious that the reason she was confident that this expectation would be fulfilled was not necessarily because she trusted God implicitly, but that she was beautiful, God-fearing and, a virgin – and of course, those were the qualities most good guys wanted (her opinion). Then I thought to myself, God gave her all those good qualities, after all “What do you have that God hasn’t given you?” So if she expected her “God-given credentials” to get her a man, did that amount to self-trust?
I hadn’t come up with an answer yet when I heard a fellow believer say – “To excel in your academics, read your books as though you don’t have a God and have never prayed, and then, pray to God as though you have never read”. Wow! I thought it made absolute sense at the time and, I immediately began an attempt to excel by this principle. But as the days went by and I grew as a Christian, I started asking myself – could you ask a fish to swim as though it were out of water? If in God I live, and move and have my being, how can I read as though I don’t have a God? From that day on, I started practicing “Spirit-directed reading” i.e. getting direction from the Holy Spirit regarding the major topics from which the examination questions would be culled, and then actually studying on that basis. I got fantastic results this way, but I knew deep down that there was more to trusting God than I had discovered.
A friend of mine shared this powerful statement regarding trusting God after reading last week’s devotional, and I think he was spot on. He said “It is not that God starts where our strengths end, it is that we start with and follow Him all through our life’s journey or end up failing woefully on our own”. It’s either ALL of Him or NONE of Him. I love this! At any time, our efficiency without God’s sufficiency is a deficiency. We have to walk with him all the way. You don’t need to veer off the road to remember that Jesus can take the wheel; let him take the wheel as you start your engine. You don’t need to be diagnosed with an incurable disease before you remember the healing power of God; learn to live in good health by His power everyday. You don’t need an embarrassing quit notice from your landlord before you remember that God has the whole world in his hands; start seeing yourself as a provider of shelter for the needy.
In a nutshell, the habit of running to God only when there is “fire on the mountain” is not biblical trust. Trusting God goes beyond and should precede our obvious daily needs. You can make living in perpetual trust in God a lifestyle by understanding and appreciating the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Before you knew what sin and success was, Christ paid the price for your redemption. Before you understood how to interpret the clock, He secured the best future for you by his blood. Likewise, before you see any need, your heart should be firm in God. Seek Him for who He is; of course He is also a rewarder of them that seek him. Embrace the redemptive work of Jesus – it is a total package. Rest assured that your challenges are infinitesimal when compared to His infinite love. God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? (Romans8:32 CEV).Let this mind-set rule your heart always.
Tope Aladenusi
One of the challenges we face as Christians in this information age is that we have numerous information clamoring for our attention. Most of the information we are bombarded with is meant to waste our time and derail us from our purpose. Have you ever counted the number of emails, blackberry messages, Facebook updates, tweets, SMS, etc. that you receive on a daily basis that are not compatible with God’s message and direction for your life? If you did that, you may agree with me that in this age, for you to be effective as a believer, you have to be very selective.
First, you must decide to live by the rule of the new creature. Galatians 6:15-16 reads “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them …”
There is a principle that should govern our lives as believers, and this principle is 100% compatible with our new life in Christ. When we follow this rule, we experience the peace of God every day. In this rule – real success is a default setting; good health is natural; prosperity is your birth right; fulfillment is common place. Unfortunately, many believers are trying to live by worldly principles.
That is why some factory workers would rather work extra hours to get more money than pray for more hours. Many will prefer to pick a “get rich quick” secular book than spend time with the Bible. Some would do anything to have a 15 minute meeting with the top guys in their career line, and would never spend 15 minutes to speak in tongues and get an idea from God that will make those top guys come and knock at their doors in 6 months’ time. It’s quite unfortunate that the most powerful beings on earth (believers) are today using weaker, underhanded and corrupt means to get results, and are dwelling on worldly materials in a bid to be successful.
Imagine if you were in a university and you were told that there are 1000 courses. If you pass the first course, you automatically pass the remaining 999. However, you can try to work through the last 999 in order to be successful, but it is very doubtful you would make it. Which option would you go for? It’s clear right? Then why do we not follow the Word that says we should seek first God’s kingdom, and every “999 thing” in the world shall be added unto us. Isn’t that the height of foolishness? I know I have been foolish in the past, but every day I make a renewed commitment to succeed in God. Friends, we cannot afford to continue to live like the world.
No matter how good worldly principles may appear, they are not designed for our new makeup. An eagle does not go for swimming lessons. No matter how fast a train has been designed to operate, once it leaves the railway, it is finished. Beloved, stay on track! Career, social media, friends and gossips should not come before our relationship with God. Learn to stay with the Word. You will be shocked at what God will do in your life, if you can truly follow Him. When next you listen to that news or get that message on the internet, phone, any media, ask yourself: “is this principle compatible with my new nature?” If the answer is “no” for the opinion being passed across, please reach for the “ignore” or “delete” button. Have a goal to spend quality time in personal bible study and prayers every day. Make it your goal to walk with God wholeheartedly this year, and see yourself step into real success.
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).
– Tope Aladenusi
Monday morning this week, after praying to my heavenly father, I decided to play some gospel music. As the sound filtered across the house, my eldest daughter ran into my room and said – “Daddy, I want to dance”. Dance??? I asked. It’s Monday morning and you should be getting ready to go to summer school. The look on her face made me evaluate my statement: who says one cannot dance on a Monday morning? What’s wrong with that? Furthermore, I couldn’t help but wonder why “dancing” would pop up in a child’s mind on a Monday morning.
Then I remembered Matthew 18:3 – “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” As believers, we heard the gospel and decided to put our trust in Jesus Christ, just like a child would throw herself into the arms of her parents with the certainty that she would not fall down. But as we gradually mature in our faith, many of us seem to trust more in our abilities than in God. We are carrying load that should have been left at the feet of Jesus, and so it is difficult to dance, much less on a Monday morning.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:25 (CEV) – “I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear.” However, many of us still worry about these things. Our lists are even more detailed and they include marriage, house, job, and other things money can buy. But Jesus said don’t worry about them because before we ever had any need, our heavenly father anticipated that need and He has made a provision. We’ll see the manifestation as we trust Him and seek His will. God has prepared a table before us, even in the presence of our enemies. He’s leading us beside the still waters, no matter the circumstance we may be going through.
My daughter doesn’t worry about her needs because she’s got a great dad. Have you got a great God? Would you be willing to dance in the face of your challenges with full assurance that God has got everything sorted out?
– Tope Aladenusi
| One of the greatest discoveries I have made as a Christian is that God has spiritually blessed every believer equally – and this has led to a turnaround in my life. The reason we seem to be miles apart in the blessings that are evident in our lives is simply that our understanding and appropriation of God’s blessings are also miles apart. Therefore, what we experience in our lives is not a result of God opening the doors or not, it is a question of whether we have stepped through the doors. Simply put, the ball is in our court.
Many times our walk with God is similar to walking through automatic doors – common in most airports. They do not open when you stand far away, but when you approach them and get very close; their sensors recognize your image and the doors open wide for you to step in. Many believers would rather stay at home or far away, pray for days for the automatic doors to open, and get discouraged after some time. But these doors wait for you to step close and you will see ‘openings’.
Ephesians 1:3 says – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. By nature, we are all alike, but our individual lifestyles set us miles apart. Call it grace or anointing or power, so long as it is a spiritual blessing, all believers possess it in equal measure. But we do not believe it or act on it in the same measure. The secret of men that walk in God’s blessing and abundance is locked in this phrase: whatsoever he tells you to do, do it. The truth is that we do not always obey God.
Recently God gave me directions about the next steps He wants us to take in our ministry and immediately, I became scared. I figured that the vision would require mega bucks and many devoted people, and started to wonder how it would come to pass. I even complained that He should allow me finish the other tasks he had given in the past before introducing new ones. But He said, “just step into it and you will see me at work. The tasks are not mutually exclusive, neither are the resources that are required for their accomplishment.”
Recall that Jesus fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. One would expect that after much prayer, the 5 loaves would fill 500 baskets for the people to start eating. But it didn’t happen that way. After Jesus’ prayer, there was no visible change. It was when they started sharing (breaking) the bread that the multiplication took place. Similarly, the red sea did not part when the children of Israel were in Egypt; it parted when they got to the bank of the sea. One reason many of us have not experienced the abundance of God in our lives is that we have not walked close to the door He has showed us. This may be because it appears closed now. Know that they have sensors and will recognize us when we get close – these doors are programmed to give way for us.
As I write this, I am taking these steps and trying to catch up with my heavenly father. I know it is challenging, but it is one of the blessedness and pleasantness of Christianity. Will you also join me in doing the same? What has God told you about your ministry, career, family or future? Step into it. Make a move today.
Tope Aladenusi |
To be a super successful believer in life, you must learn how to handle two things: God’s word and the devil’s lies. We have heard a lot about handling God’s word especially in the area of obedience however, many believers cower with their tails between their legs whenever they are confronted with the devil’s lies. We cannot thrive in the things of God and live purposefully if we don’t put the devil in his place.
We have to get it right. John 8:44 makes us understand that the devil is the father of lies and there is no truth in him. Words usually originate from two original sources – God or the devil. Therefore, when confronted with any message, you would do good to always ask the question – whose words are these? If the devil sends lies to you via any agent or medium, then you must rejoice because the opposite of what he says is in your life or is coming to your life … just because he can never say the truth.
If he says – you are good for nothing; then it means you are good for something – something really great! If he says you won’t make it in life because of your background, rejoice because it means you have a unique combination of experiences and exposure that God will use to make you excel and live purposefully. If he says money is all you need in life to excel; then you should know that you don’t need to be a slave of money and God is all you need. If he says it is not possible to be successful in business in your country without being corrupt, then rejoice and remain upright because God is about to show the world a successful business man or woman that excelled without using underhanded means.
Are you downhearted because of what the devil has said about your health, ministry, marriage, career or life in general? Get fired up today because they are all lies. Believe God’s report about who you are. Constantly edify yourself with God’s Word and remain focused.
Tope Aladenusi
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I have a Christian friend who happens to be a jail bird and was virtually whisked out of his country in order to escape the death sentence passed on him about some years ago when he became a Christian. This young man lost his education, his business and was disowned by his family. In all, he’s defied the persecutions and setbacks he’s faced and today, he’s a missionary who has trained other missionaries and he’s a senior staff at a reputable trading firm in another country. He has no University diploma, yet speaks five international languages, English inclusive.
I was quite stunned at his achievements despite all the odds. In my excitement I decided to ask him how he’s made it thus far, so I did. The answer he gave me was the more startling. He told me of a semi-literate Filipino missionary who came to his country. This missionary had a very poor command of English language. He had very meager earnings. In all, there was nothing physically or materially spectacular about him. My friend who hails from a relatively successful family hated the missionary for his lowly status. He did his best to resist the missionary’s advances to no avail. The more he tried to defy the missionary the more he saw the missionary’s overwhelming display of love and contentment. The missionary’s disposition made him to ponder over his life. He was overwhelmed by the fact that a man who lived in a very hostile community and had little or no material resources could display a high sense of contentment and confidence in what he believed. The love and life of Jesus in the missionary overwhelmed my friend. He became a Christian and the rest is history.
As my friend narrated his encounter with the missionary I understood better what it means to be a Christian. The entire ethos of Christianity is encapsulated in one phrase “Godliness with contentment is great gain (1Tim.6:6)”. The Apostles of Jesus made so much impact, because they understood this principle by spending so much time with Jesus. In their poor educational status and lack of professional certificates, they communicated about the Excellency of God to the awe of the aristocrats of their time (Acts.4:13). The book of Acts of the Apostles gives so many remarkable testimonies of how mighty works were done by ordinary and hitherto disenfranchised people. I’m mostly struck by this verse “In such ways it became evident that the Word of the Master was now sovereign and prevailed in Ephesus” (Acts 19:20 MSG).
Our Christianity is only effective to the extent we know Christ. The semi-literate Filipino and the poorly educated Apostles took advantage of their knowledge of Christ and they recorded remarkable results.
My admonition today is that we stay our life wholly and absolutely with Christ. Learn Christ. If we spend our time daily to give ourselves wholly unto him we’ll be remarkable in all we do. Our approach to the issues of life will be awesome and we’ll be fruitful in all areas of our life.
“Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.” (Gal.2:20-21 MSG).
“Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.” (1Tim.4:15-16 MSG)
Emeka Ofia |