The Fourth Man in Your fire.

You had a long day at work. Countless emails to respond to, boss's on your neck for not hitting a deadline. The tube's jammed on the way home. The kids are having a fight when you finally get home. Hubby is crossed, his dinner is going to be late again, and you know he has this important meeting first thing tomorrow morning. You legs feel like lead. Still, you drag yourself to the kitchen, half awake, you mix something for the family and slam it on the dinning table. You haven't said a word because your mouth is too heavy. You are that tired.

You hit the mattress with a vengeance, snoring even before you fall asleep.

You did not turn off the cooker.

It is midnight.
You startle awake. Your throat hurts, your nose tweaks, your eyes water.
You reach for the lamp, blinded by the sudden flood of light.
Wait. Somethings not right.
Your house is in flames. There is a fire.
Quick, you scramble out of bed. Wake the hubby up, grab the kids. Your inner clock is ticking. You know time is not your friend on this one.
You step out of the room, clucting your kids in your hands. But, it is too late.... the fire is all around you.
The kids are beginning to scream.  Your husband cannot move. He is consumed by shock. You can hear your heart pumping. You do not know what to do or who to turn to. Death looms.

Wait. There is a fourth person in the fire. You do a quick head count. You, the kids, your hubby, ( the kids are counted as one). You are not seeing things. A man is walking through the fire. Your fire.
His clothes are sparkling white. His brilliance subdues that of the fiery furnace.  He is smiling.. smiling?

He reaches out to you. You hesitate, wonder who He thinks He is. He may not be getting burnt because.. well because he is probably wearing some fire proof vest or something. But, there is NO WAY you are joining him.

The flames are licking up everything in their path now. The kids are beginning to choke, their clothes snapping in two as the fire slices through. The man is still there. There is a certain calmness about him that amazes you.
You decide to follow him.  Better to try than not to know.

You open your eyes. There is no more fire. No, there is. Only it hasn't harmed you, or your kids or your clothes. You look around the ring of flames. The fourth man is still there, holding you in an embrace that is engulfed with love.

Who are you? You ask.
He doesn't speak. Only shows you his hands.
You gasp, realization hits you.
Two, fleshy holes are carved right in the center of His palms. They are still oozing fresh blood.
You realise He is Jesus.

You realise His words are true.
He will never leave you nor  forsake you.
You sigh with relief.
All you have to do now is wait for the fire to be over.
It is okay really, as long as you are not hurt.

What is Your fire? Financial? Health? Death of a loved one? Sins you cannot let go off?  You are not alone. You are NEVER alone. He is with you in that Fire. And He will bring you through it, unharmed.

Isiah 43- 2: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Daniel 3 - 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.



Deut 31- 8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
 
Husbands may fail, Kids may not even know what you are going through. Pastor;s may be too busy, your parents have their own problems too.
There is one person who will NEVER fail. He will work through the FIRE with you. He will never come late.
His name is Jesus.
 
Ciao,
Bimbylads.
 

Pressing On

Ponder this....Can you travail for nine months to deliver a child, only to willingly lead that child astray? Maybe, but highly unlikely. Tell me, if your child or someone you loved very much asked you to show him the way to a certain place... would you not wholeheartedly do so? Now, if you gladly will, how much more will the God of Heaven and Earth do for you, his child?

For your sake has he said in Psalm 32 v 8: I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shouldest go: I will guide you with mine eye..... There’s a verse in Isaiah 49 15-16 which makes my heart beat with wonder: God says: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

That verse is telling us that, mothers actually MAY forget their children, but HE would NEVER forget us, because we are engraved….. Look at your palm for a second. Can you see those lines there; have you ever left those lines at home? I thought not!! That’s how we are in God’s hands. Like those lines… engraved and embedded in his palms. He takes us everywhere he goes because he cannot cut of his palms- we are a part of God!
So, if we a part of God, and the Creator of the whole universe said all of this concerning you; why are you not asking him for a direction? Why are you not seeking His face to shed His light on your ways so that you can begin to walk according to His plan for your life? Perhaps you have no idea as to how much God loves you. The master plan for your life is in His hands, and he is more than ready to talk you through that plan, step by step, so that you can fulfil your divine destiny.
Of what purpose will it be for one to walk on earth for at least seventy years only to find out that he had been walking in the totally wrong direction? Beloved, let today be a starting point. Unsure of where to begin? Pray earnestly: ask Your Father to reveal your hidden treasures and His divine purpose for your life.
Think about the gifts that God has deposited in your life- those gifts and talents are for the fulfilment of your divine destiny. Do you have a beautiful voice beneath that shy facade? Why don’t you boldly cast off the fear and begin to declare His praise before the congregation.

Do not be put off by your past. That’s why it’s called a PAST because it has PASSED. Don't look back. No one has ever made progress by looking backwards.
Don’t think about what could have been. Press on towards your High calling. Hold that gaze unto Jesus and let him do the leading.

Ephesians 1 v17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

Offer the Right Sacrifice

Heather frowned as she stuck her hands deep inside her hand bag, and rummaged for a few spare change to throw into the offering basket. She slid her weary eyes over to the usher; who held out the basket with an impatient curve on her lips. Why she always looks at me that way, wondered Heather. Does she think I don’t have the money to offer?

Her frown deepened. More searching. The Usher tapped her foot. A few other members grunted. Finally, Heather smiled, as her hand brushed against a bunch of cold metal coins. Money, finally. She gripped the coins and peeped at it. In the palm of her hand was two pounds, twenty pence, exactly. A quick mental calculation later, Heather wrapped the twenty pence coin around her finger and thrust it deep into the offering basket, with a satisfied smug on her face. There, she said, relaxing to enjoy the rendition by the choir, I have paid my offering and that usher cannot say I didn’t.

Offer the right sacrifice.

If you are going to bother at all with giving an offering unto God, consider the following:

1) God does not need your money. He only advises you to give an offering to him so He can bless you. God is a giving God, and He set the perfect example by giving us His only begotten Son, Jesus as an offering of Sacrifice for our sakes.

2) You are giving to God and not MAN: Regardless of what the world tells you, fight to come out of the school of thought of those that think their offerings are going straight into the Pastor’s pocket. And so, give to God an offering to God that He alone is worthy of. Don’t grudgingly give an offering because you don’t want the Pastor to profit from it.

3) Give God the Best: It is what He deserves. The Book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament. Significant? You bet. After Malachi, God does not speak again for about 400 years until the new Testatment. In his message to Malachi, God expresses his disgust at the kind of offerings He was being given by the children of Israel. Malachi 1v 13:
And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
Should I accept it from your hand?
Says the Lord.
But Cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow, But Sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.

4) If your offering is stolen, sick or lame, it is an invitation to be cursed: don’t scowl at me!
I didn’t say it! Look at Malachi 1 v 14 again. Don’t be like Heather who gave a lame offering to God. Give an offering from a glad heart and that which is befitting for a King. For our God is a King.
5) Sacrifice is Not Just about Money: I am often amused at people who seem to believe that the sacrifice to God is only of financial value. Far from it. The Bible makes us understand that the following are also sacrifices to God which must be offered in a way that is pleasing an acceptable to Him:
· Your Body: Dress modestly at all times. Flee fornication and adultery.
· Your Praises: Let the Praises of God continually be in your mouth. It is a worthy sacrifice.
· A broken spirit and a contrite heart: Like David. Be quick to repent, and let your communication lines with God stay open by always confessing and forsaking your sins.
· Your gifts and talents: What has God deposited in your life for His glory? Use it for Him while you can. He’ll ask you when this journey is over why you didn’t.
· Your time in Church and in Prayer: Take an example from Jesus. He was always in the temple, and in the Place of prayer. Be a praying person. It is the only way in which we can speak to God.

Sacrificing to God is an opportunity. It is a chance to let God know that you care, and will do anything it takes to please him. And hidden in that sacrifice is a huge door for great blessings. The moment you set your heart to please God that way, God will begin to move in your life in ways you have never expected. And so, the next time you are tempted to: dress immodestly, grumble at the blessings God has given you...

The next time you harden your heart or ignore the chance to share your talent, or get to church deliberately and fashionably late...

Stop and Think. Offer the Right Sacrifice.

Be Still

The First time I heard God speak, I froze.

I had been hearing people say ...'God said this...', but I had never experienced it.

I remember feeling sad and wondering what sin I had commited that made God silent to me.

Then one day, I 'googled' it. I typed, " how to hear God's voice'. A number of suggestions were thrown around for me to digest, but I wasnt satisfied.

And then, my mother in law sent me some books to read. Unbelievably, one of the books was titled, " How to hear God's voice."

With the excitement of a little child, I began to practise my Quiet time.

I would pray, sing and read HIS WORD, and then sit still.

really still.

I did it for the first day, I am not sure anything happened.

Then by the third or so day, I heard HIS VOICE.

The I AM.

He spoke to me. Said He loved Me.

I was soo ecstatic. I laughed with joy so deep in my heart.

And guess what? so did HE.

God laughed with me.

He let me know that He had always been speaking.

It wasnt because of my sins.

Only I had never had the time to sit and listen.

Afterall, He is our father.

Every father wants a relationship with his children.

Especially Jesus.

And so, I want to encourage you to try it too.

God speaks.

From Genesis to Revelation, God has been speaking.

And from today, promise you will start to listen to the Awesome God.

Jesus Reigns.

Be Still and Know that I am God. ( Psalm 46)

xxx

bimbylads, a growing worshipper

Hidden Treasure

Before Mary had Jesus, she must have been subject to a certain amount of agony. Imagine how she felt when she found herself pregnant, while still unmarried. If, in this day and age, there is stigma associated with such, I cannot begin to fathom how bad things were back then.

I am sure that Mary often questioned herself if she really heard from God, and what would become of her and her pregnancy. Joseph, Mary’s husband to be, was mystified! He hadn’t touched her yet, but she was pregnant...Talk about strange!

After the Lord has explained to Joseph the reason why Mary was found suddenly pregnant, one would assume that Mary and Joseph would have rested in peace. Far from it! Heavily pregnant with Jesus, Mary was made to travel many miles away to Bethlehem to have her baby. The idea of travelling with a massive tummy in an aeroplane is traumatizing enough, let alone on a donkey’s back. I bet they even had to stop on the way many times while the donkey regained its strength and sanity!

So, they arrive in Bethlehem and suddenly, Mary is in labour. There is no electricity or warm water (I’m sure that if Mary was a Nigerian woman like me, she would have protested- after all, she was carrying the KING of KINGS hello?!!).

Anyway, with no midwife, comfy hospital bed, or even a hot towel to dry her sweating brows, Mary and her husband endure the anguish to give birth to Jesus.... then they try to rest and make sense of all that’s happening to them... BUT! The Lord came to Joseph in a dream to warn them that Herod was on the move, seeking to destroy baby Jesus. Once again, Joseph is on the move. Mary, his wife has barely healed of the birthing experience and now they were on the move again. (Poor donkey just regained his senses too!)

Then fast forward two thousand years later! And here we are... enjoying the plentiful privileges love and amazing grace of Jesus. Mary endured for the few weeks to try to understand what kind of baby she would be having, and then she suffered the distress of his growing up... I am sure many of her friends gossiped about her and her ‘weird son’. Then her beloved child was killed in the most painful way that defies human understanding.... Mary carried a treasure that was hidden until she gave birth. The treasure, Jesus was hidden until he came out at the wedding of Cana! Suddenly, questions began to fly: “What manner of man is this?” they wondered. “Oh wow! Even the Winds and the seas obey him” they exclaimed. Jesus was truly an amazement. He still is! Hallelujah.

His death gave birth to the most precious of all gifts: eternal life. Because he died, we all have access to God. We have an eternal life. We can actually look forward to something else apart from this world. Now, stop to think for a minute...What’s your hidden treasure? What has God deposited in that beautiful spirit of yours to glorify his kingdom?

Are you walking in accordance to his plan for your life? What have you done for this Jesus in return? Have you shared his word with another? Or do you just let it slide... why don’t you be like Mary and Joseph today? Thankfully we don’t use donkeys anymore! They did everything humanly possible to protect their hidden treasure. They endured questions, assumptions and probable abuse, but they did not mind. Why, because they knew that their coal was being polished to become a beautiful diamond someday. If you don’t know your treasure, why don’t you go digging? Buried somewhere inside of every one of God’s children is a gold mine of gifts and talents, waiting to be discovered.

So, if you have lost track of where you are and what you should be doing for Jesus in return, search deep within you. Look hard and you will find it.

Ask your Father to show you it. It’s there, trust me.

bimbyladsxxx

a growing worshipper

Grace

I dont know what to do.

Living right is so hard, Lord.

How can I........

forgive

let go

give

love

obey

pray for

not judge

not condemn

not over react

not get angry

not lust

not covet

not lie

not cheat

embrace

rejoice with

be kind........

How can I NOT SIN Lord??!

Why is it so hard?

Hebrews 4:16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Romans 5:15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

I am running into you, Jesus. I need grace... I need help... I need to be broken.

Bimbylads...

A Growing Worshipper

Long Overdue letter

Dear Father,

Last night, I was forced to go through all the letters you'd sent to me over the past years. A long time ago, I had selected my favourite ones into a special box in my heart. I read with fondness, the ones you wrote in the rays of the Sun a just a few weeks ago. It brought tears to my eyes, that someone as awesome as you, my father, would use such a glorious and warm way to tell me that you love me. The one you whispered in the cool wind of last year made me sit to think and ponder your awesome greatness, but the best of all, was the one you spoke in the waves of the sea...
The endless stretch of the ocean is immeasurable. I couldn't even fully grasp why You would love me so much .I guess that just as I can never tell where the sea ends, I just may never know.But one thing bothered me. I know you try to tell me that you love me with the wonderful works of your creative hands... But I wondered why I never heard your voice. Then it struck me like a train hitting a deadly frozen, icy rock:
You have never stopped speaking, I just never heard you. How frustrated you must have been when you tried to wake me up to speak to you at five am yesterday morning? Or how disappointed you were when I rushed out of the house today, after reciting through Psalm 91, like I do one of my house chores. I always felt the gentle nudging of your Holy Spirit, but I am always so tired and busy, that I keep postponing the time I should spend with you. Yet, I realise that I have just about enough time to watch television or to surf the internet.My children, the four you lovingly gave me, have to go to school.
My husband works nights and I work days. My bills are overdue, I am even being threatened with court action if I don't pay up. Life's worries; so many of them have I used to side track you.But you didn't give up on me did you? You sent me dreams. Some were so disturbing that I would wake up drenched in my sweat. Scared I was under attack by my enemies, I was forced to run into you. A few prayer points later, and I felt better. Your protective hand was upon me and I was safe in your Name. But, with sadness so deeply entrenched in my soul, I realised that this is what I do all the time. I run to you only for protection. I don't care to know your likes or dislikes. I am not even sure of what your favourite colour is.
I am sure I cannot tell how you like your breakfast or what ticks you off? How can I claim to be your child when I don't even know you?But You know Me. You know and care about every single thing that happens to me. You numbered the hair on my head, and specially selected what should adorn my body.
You know my name... You picked my life.. .You selected my destiny and bestowed countless gifts upon me. You speak all the time, but I dont listen. Yet,You still want to know me so much that you speak to me even while I am asleep...even when you know I may never reply you. Oh! I dare to call you Father.So last night, I made a promise. I would speak to you like I should. In the intimacy that you so long for. I would try to return the gentle hugs you send into my spirit when I am down. I will sing for joy and dance to you every day. I will tell you more about my life... not only the parts I dont like much. I will write in my prayer request, that you draw me close, and for once, ignore the requests of wealth, comfort and peace that I repititiously bother you with. I would tell more people about You, give them a chance to know your special love and grace...With a heavy heart, I went back to my special box and read the letters you had written to me. And I want to say thank you.
Thank you for breathing life into me.
Thank you for loving me, despite my faults.
Thank you for sending your only Son, Jesus to die for me.
Thank you Jesus for not making excuses when Father asked you to come.
Thank you Father that You are You.
And for not saying happy fathers day to you last week, I am deeply sorry.
Happy fathers day Daddy, and I Love You.

From one of your many special children on earth.


p.s: I wrote this article a week after fathers day..the facts are fictitious ( I dont have 4 kids yet and I am rich in Jesus name!)