Faith is visible

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”” Luke 5:17

Faith is one of the most important evidence in the life of a Christian, the only evidence stronger than faith is Love. When faith is in place, result is inevitable.  Faith is needed to please God. God is not a respecter of persons, but He respects a Man of faith. Now faith is not something mysterious, it can be understood. Faith is visible. James said in James 1:18 that, “I will show you my faith by my work” Our text today was about four men, who broke the top of a roof in order to put their sick friend in front of Jesus despite the tight space in a crowded house. Jesus saw what they did and the bible recorded that Jesus saw their faith.

Beloved, your faith is clearly seen by your action. If you say you believe, we cannot be sure until you act out your belief. The four friends believed that Jesus was anointed to help their friend. They did not stay at home and begin to say “we believe”. They took him to where Jesus was. When they got there, it became impossible for them to bring him before Jesus. The house was crowded. But because they believed, they sought for a way. The only way available was to break the top of the roof. They did this and got their friend to Jesus. Jesus saw it and called it faith.

If you believe God, you will obey Him. If you believe in miracle, you will declare it. Faith is not complete without action. Devil also believed but he never acted on that belief. If you believe God has spoken to you then take steps. There will never be a perfect condition to act. Abraham was told to go to where God would show him, he left in obedience to God. A lot of people, when God has spoken to them, they confer with fresh and blood and miss the best of God (Galatians 1:16).

If you believe God for a child, go buy the cloth of the sex of the child you believe God for and continue to declare I am blessed with children in Jesus name. If you believe God has healed you then rise up and walk, leave the bed of sickness alone. If you are believing God for a job, start applying and declare that God is making room for you. If you are believing God for a business, go and start with what you have. If you truly love and believe God, serve Him. Let there be evidence of your belief in the church you attend. And if you truly believe that God is your source, be a tither, pay your tithe and support the church you belong to with the materials God has blessed you with.

Beloved, faith is what makes things happen. If you truly have a faith, your action will show it.

Have a blessed week.

  

Humble yourself before God

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?” 1 Samuel 15:17

Why would God choose a man and reject another? Humility!

I don’t know how desperate you are for God but if you want the fullness of God in your life, you must be humble and stay humble before Him. James 4:6 says, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." This scriptural verse is repeated in 1Peter 5:5 and Proverbs 3:34. What does it mean to be humble? It means to simply stay little in one’s eyes before God. No matter what you become stay little in your eyes before God. No man can receive anything except given by God. Recognize God as your source and the reason behind the good things in your life. If you do, you will continually increase. Note that humility does not mean to allow yourself to be trodden by people. It is to stay in the will of God come what may. Saul lost it because he considered the voice of people and his situation higher than God. He decided to do things in his own way.

The reason why God made Saul the first king of Israel was because he was humble. God specializes in exalting those who humble themselves before Him. Philippians 2: 7-9 says,

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”

God is looking for people who will be His servants. People who will stay in obedience to Him no matter what the people and the world are saying. Will you be one of such people?

When God was looking for Saul’s replacement, Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse. The great Samuel was almost carried away by the look of Eliab. His physical appearance was convincing that the great Seer, Samuel, thought he must be anointed as king. But God rejected him, he was proud at heart. Unfortunately, you cannot easily notice pride in the life of a man. A man can be poor and still be proud while a man can be rich and be very humble before God. It is a matter of the heart not a matter of the look. However, humility is what positions a man to receive God’s grace. A relatively unknown David was found to be qualified, he got the anointing in the midst of his proud brethren.

Beloved, I have been asked to tell you that if you want the fullness of God’s grace in your life, stay humble.

You are blessed.

How to enjoy God’s honor

“Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1 Samuel 2:30

“And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:19

There are two kinds of people on earth. One kind of people are those who are enjoying God’s mercy, the other kind of people are enjoying God’s honor. Everyone who is enjoying God’s honor automatically enjoys God’s mercy. People who enjoy God’s honor are greater than people who enjoy His mercy. You cannot be honored by God and not enjoy His mercy, but you can enjoy God’s mercy without being honored by Him. To enjoy God’s mercy has nothing to do with what you did or did not do, it is God’s absolute prerogative. He said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. A lot of people take God’s mercy for granted, they miss God’s honor because they are enjoying His mercy. This is because to enjoy God’s honor, there is a prerequisite.

The prerequisite is that you must honor God if you want Him to honor you. The story of God’s relationship with Eli’s family sheds light on what it means to honor God. To honor God means to obey Him. It means to honor His word. If you are consistently living in disobedience, you are at the risk of getting to the realm where the season of mercy expires. To obey is better than sacrifice. Some people deliberately walk in disobedience and they think they can bribe God. It is time you make up your mind to live according to God’s word so that He can honor you. God has exalted His word more than His name. Honor God’s word so that He can honor you.

Honor God by giving to God your first fruit. Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase” God expects you to honor Him with your possessions and also with the first fruits of your increase. This means to honor God you must give to Him, and also give to Him first. If you catch this revelation, you will always experience honor from God. A lot of people attend church without a financial commitment to the church. Such people risk being dishonored by God.

Honor God by hating what God hates and loving what God loves. Hebrews 1: 9 says, “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore, God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” A lot of people will go to hell from the church because they consciously and consistently live in sin. They take God for granted since they do not receive God’s judgement because of His mercy. Ecclestiastes 8:11 says, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Beloved, God hates sin but loves righteousness. He honors also those who do so.

Honor God by honoring His servants. John 13:20 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receives whomsoever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me.” If you want God to honor you, cultivate the habits of honoring His servants. Don’t take your Pastor for granted even if He is simple. He is the channel through whom God will honor you, if you honor him.

I ask God to honor you in Jesus name.