All posts tagged: Bible

Glimpses into Enoch’s Walk with God

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Enoch walked with God; and he was not: for God took him. Genesis 5:24 I have always wondered what a walk with God entails, at least Enoch’s walk. What did it look like and what made it that attractive to God. Well, the scripture gives us glimpses into Enoch’s walk. Let me share a few: Enoch walked by faith – Hebrews 11:5 Enoch walked in the light – 1 John 1:5-7 Enoch walked in agreement with God – Amos 3:3 Enoch walked consistently with The Lord – Genesis 5:22 Enough walked sincerely with The Lord – Genesis 17:1 Enoch walked in obedience to God – Deuteronomy 13:4 Enoch walked in union with God – Colossians 2:6 Enoch walked in fellowship with God – 1 John 1:3 God designed us to walk with him. It is his purpose and plan for us. Oneness and, completely union with him in his life, death and resurrection is our destiny. Enoch’s life is just an example of this great plan. One day, just like Enoch, we will experience what this phrase means …

Without good direction, people lose their way

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Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. Here are a few nuggets from Proverbs 11 to help guard us in the right direction: Lead a life of honesty God hates cheating in the marketplace; he loves it when business is aboveboard. Practice humility The stuck-up fall flat on their faces, but down-to-earth people stand firm. Use integrity as a guardrail The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin. Place more value on faith, hope and a principled life than on riches A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst. Leave a good name and a good reputation everywhere you go Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life. Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust. Seek to leave a lasting legacy When the wicked die, that’s it—the story’s over, end of hope. A …

When the most powerful is your father

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I have always been intrigued by this photo of the late president John F. Kennedy. Here in this photo we see the most powerful man of the free world in the Oval Office playing with children. I am sorry if it is too obvious where I want to go with this, but last time I checked we have a powerful Father who longs to spend time with us. One who wants to put aside the urgent business of running the world and just hang with me. Just a moment where he is not necessarily concerned if I read my Bible or been to Church, paid my tithe or kept my vow to pray at least two or three times a day. The only thing on his mind is spending time with me, crowning me with his love, affection and giving me his undivided attention. Yes! He is powerful, my savior, my Lord, my judge – but he is also my friend and I am His child! This does not take away my respect for Him, …

Planning is not of the devil:

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Have you ever heard that planning is of the devil? Back in the day I use to run with a few guys who were convinced that planning is of the devil. I often wondered what bible they were reading. Take a look at what the bible actually says about planning: The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. Proverbs 6:6-8 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to meet another king in war, will not sit …

Paradoxically Scriptural

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Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. Luke 18:25 What? That is a paradox! G. K. Chesterton defines a paradox as a truth standing on it’s head calling for our attention. In other words, it is a statement that seems contradictory, unbelievable, or absurd but that may be true in fact. Throughout the Bible we come across passage after passage “standing on it’s head calling for our attention.” We often wrestle with these verses – even dismiss them because they are sometimes too paradoxical. But could it be that these passages are calling for our intention for a reason? Are they calling us to actually, critically think about what we are reading and adjust our worldview – or at least submit that worldview to the worldview of scripture, Christ and the Kingdom of God? Here are a few statements to consider: to receive one must give… Come to think about, we all like …

Divine Appointments

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El Roi – The God of Seeing I have studied Genesis chapter 16 many times but didn’t realize there was a deeper truth hiding in this verse 13. The angel of the Lord comes to Hagar and begins to speak some very comforting words to her. We understand that Hagar is in this place because she we kicked out of Sarah’s and Abraham’s home after bearing a child for the couple. After the angel appeared to her and began to talk with her; she mentions something very profound – but you will miss it if you don’t pause for a second or two to dig a little deeper.  She said,  “you are the God who sees.” Hagar is impressed by the perceptiveness of God as revealed through his angel-messenger. This is seen in the name she gives to the Lord; she calls him ’El Ro’i – meaning – God of seeing. For she is saying – here I have seen him who looks after me. Divine Appointments A similar thing happens again in the New Testament where Jesus comforts a non-Hebrew woman …

The Modern Mood of Syncretism and Pluralism

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There was a social worker in Nigeria who not long ago was visiting a young man in one of the back streets of Lagos. On the bedside of this student he found the following books: the Bible; the Book of Common Prayer, I’m glad to see; the Koran; three copies of Watchtower, the magazine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses; a biography of Karl Marx; a book of yoga exercises; and a popular paperback that he particularly needed entitled How to Stop Worrying. That is typical of the modern mood, a mood of syncretism and of pluralism. The correct name for this aspect of postmodernism is pluralism. Pluralism does not just affirm the obvious fact that there is a plurality of cultures and ideologies and religions in the world. It goes beyond that. It says that all these claims should be respected equally, and we must therefore affirm the independent validity of every religion and every ideology. We must therefore give up the naïve and arrogant notion that we should try to convert anybody, let alone try to convert everybody. To those …

Momentum

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Momentum is “force or speed of movement, the impetus gained by a moving object.” It is often described by taking into account the force that can stop it. On the other hand it is very difficult to explain the exact formula that brings momentum in a person’s life. But when a person gets momentum, nothing in the world can stop them. Now, this does not mean there will be no opposition, nor does it mean one will not come under attack from various forces. But when your career, business, ministry, church gets momentum – wherever and however it might have started – nothing will be able to stop you. Unless you stop yourself! The bible say, “from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it (NIV). Let’s un-pack that verse: 1. From the days of John until now – a non-stop momentum 2. The kingdom has been forcefully advancing – kingdom momentum 3. Forceful (violent) men lay hold of – a go getter momentum Nothing throughout the centuries have been …

Discover the Seven-fold activity of God in Psalm 23

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God is perfect and everything he does is perfect. Take a fresh look a this timeless psalm again today… It’s the seven-fold perfection of God in our imperfect lives. he satisfies our hunger… There is a promised reward for all those who hunger after God and His righteousness – They shall be filled. he leads us by the still waters; There is a promised reward for those who would allow God to take them to still waters – They shall find rest he restores us when we have fallen away There is a promised reward for those who repent and turn from their wicked ways – They shall be restored. he guides us in the way of righteousness There is a promised reward for those who would look to God and His word for what they want to do – They shall find guidance. he abides `with us’ even through death There is a promised reward for who do not fear when life is hard, dangerous and even tragic – They will never be alone in …