“The Deep Riches of God’s Wisdom”

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36
Beyond human’s exploration is what Paul refers to as God’s inscrutable wisdom and his ways. There is no way man can fathom the greatness of God. Our minds are limited to grasp His greatness, ways and His unsearchable judgements. Even when we can understand what he tells us about himself, but even beyond that, there is much more that we cannot know. There are depths of riches of His wisdom and unsearchable judgments.
With this at back of Paul’s mind, he contrasts it with the impotence of man. He asks three very searching questions:
* His first one is, Who has known the mind of the Lord? What he is asking is Who has ever anticipated what God is going to do? Have you? Have you ever been able to figure out how God is going to handle the situations you get into? We all try, but it never turns out quite the way we think it will.
* The second question: who has been his adviser? or Who has ever suggested something that God has never thought of? Or has He ever been deficient of ideas and he desperately needed help? Never,
* Paul’s last question is, Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? That is, Who  has ever given God something that he didn’t already have? Paul says, Everything we are and have comes from him. He gives to us; we don’t give to him.
Paul concludes,

For from him (God) and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. God is the originator of all things; all things come from him. He is the sustainer of all things; they all depend on him. As C. S. Lewis puts it, To argue with God is to argue with the very power that makes it possible to argue at all! He is the end purpose. All things will find their culmination in God including you and me. He is why all things exist. Therefore, to him be the glory forever! Amen.

“The Deep Riches of God’s Wisdom”

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36
Beyond human’s exploration is what Paul refers to as God’s inscrutable wisdom and his ways. There is no way man can fathom the greatness of God. Our minds are limited to grasp His greatness, ways and His unsearchable judgements. Even when we can understand what he tells us about himself, but even beyond that, there is much more that we cannot know. There are depths of riches of His wisdom and unsearchable judgments.
With this at back of Paul’s mind, he contrasts it with the impotence of man. He asks three very searching questions:
* His first one is, Who has known the mind of the Lord? What he is asking is Who has ever anticipated what God is going to do? Have you? Have you ever been able to figure out how God is going to handle the situations you get into? We all try, but it never turns out quite the way we think it will.
* The second question: who has been his adviser? or Who has ever suggested something that God has never thought of? Or has He ever been deficient of ideas and he desperately needed help? Never,
* Paul’s last question is, Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? That is, Who  has ever given God something that he didn’t already have? Paul says, Everything we are and have comes from him. He gives to us; we don’t give to him.
Paul concludes,

For from him (God) and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. God is the originator of all things; all things come from him. He is the sustainer of all things; they all depend on him. As C. S. Lewis puts it, To argue with God is to argue with the very power that makes it possible to argue at all! He is the end purpose. All things will find their culmination in God including you and me. He is why all things exist. Therefore, to him be the glory forever! Amen.

GOD’S PRECEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

 

“My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-22 AMPC)

 

God’s precepts and principles is a two edged sword, put them into practice, you’ll see it come to pass and if violated, you will receive the repercussions. For every action, there is an equal consequence or reaction to that action. Many lives have   been so messed up that it is easy to think death might be a mercy. I have seen lives so flawed that it is easy to wonder why they were ever born. Many lives have been distressed and troubled that it is easy to describe their lives as hell on earth. The only panacea that can save man’s life from being wasted is the discovery of wisdom embedded in the word of God. It is life to those that find it, for it teaches a person how to live purposefully and successfully.

 

People who think the God’s principles are archaic, onerous and restrictive to been successful and having pleasure are not only fooling themselves, they are digging a grave of discomfort. Nothing works around them both within and without. They would not know how to treat parents, spouses, children, employers and neighbours. They would not know how to make marriage, family, business, church, or society work at all. Profane activities breed nothing but disease, death, dysfunction, poverty, misery, and ignorance. Light and progress are by the Word of God alone, and the people that follow it are blessed indeed (Proverbs 8:12-21; Psalms 33:12; 144:15). Nothing works outside of the divine guidance in the form of commandments!

Moses reminds us of the import of following God’s command, ” …… For it is not an empty and worthless trifle for you; it is your [very] life. By it you shall live long in the land which you are going over the Jordan to possess. (Deuteronomy 32:46-47 AMPC). Joshua was told, he could achieve success and prosperity by remembering, meditating upon, and obeying God’s law (Joshua 1:8). Jesus came bringing even greater light and He promised life and life more abundant for keeping His sayings (John 10:10).

 

To live your life without God’s words is insanity. They are life and health for body and soul. Neglect His words to your own peril and pain. Read and remember it for your great pleasure and profit.

SUSTAINING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

 

“And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil” (Deut. 11:13-14 NKJV). 

 

As I set to write this, I am still overwhelmed with what God did in our Thanksgiving Service – June Edition. The Lord moved mightily right from the beginning of the service, there was no room for sermon, no format, the testimonies were unprecedented and everyone was bathed in the power of God. No doubt God is opening heaven to bring to us floods of His goodness and mercy. He is bringing increase to His people in every dimension of life. 

 

However, to sustain this experience, there are clear directives that we must adhere strictly to. The above passage stipulate conditions for the blessing and outpouring of the Spirit – that people must walk in obedience to the instructions God had given them. The instructions were clear. They centered on a familiar but sometimes still uncomfortable word: obedience. To obey God’s Word, we must make it the first priority and final authority in our lives. Obedience is going where the Lord says to go and doing what He says to do. Isaiah 1:19 says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land”(NKJV). 

 

The Word of God emphasis over and over that there are blessings that come with obedience, but there are also penalties for disobedience. Although many people want the blessings, they do not want to obey. If we are to be full of God’s presence and experiencing His blessing, we must cultivate an attitude of obedience and a yielded heart toward God and His Word.

 

Andrew Murray in his book, “The Blessing of Obedience” says, “Without obedience there cannot be the spiritual power to enter into the knowledge of God’s Word and will. Without obedience there cannot be the confidence, boldness, and liberty that knows that prayer is heard. Obedience is fellowship with God in His will. Without it there is no capacity for seeing, claiming, and holding the blessing He has for us.” 

 

If we will choose to follow the instructions in God’s Word regarding our time, attitudes, giving, priorities, and willingness to yield to His influence, we will create an atmosphere around us in which God can move, bless and be glorified in our lives. 

The Place Prayer and Action

“But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat (Nehemiah 4:9).

 

The enemy got upset about the determination and the seeming success of Nehemiah and marshals it’s forces, intensifying the attack, and begins to plan direct violence. Nehemiah reacted by relying on prayer lazed with action. He prayed, he took action by posting guards to square up with the threats of the enemies. He knows that, for prayer to be effective, it requires action.

 

When you begin to move with God to change things in your life for the better, you will find that you are met first with derision, and if you keep persisting, someone is going to get very upset with you and attack you in a vicious, perhaps physical, way. This combination of the resources of the spiritual force of heaven with those of the material world is a marvelous picture of how believers ought to face threats and challenges recognising that we need action on both levels.

 

Have you ever faced something like that? Were you ever unjustifiably threatened at workplace?  Nehemiah’s approach is a lesson to us. He did not lazily spiritualise it and waited folding arms expecting God to show up. Rather,

  • He evaluated the situation, assessed what is needed, where it is needed and how.

If we are going to succeed and improve our own lives, we must be able to honestly and objectively. When we do, we must ‘post a guard’ at that point.

  • Reviewed the spiritual resources available to them.

They had a power at work in their lives that their enemies knew nothing about. The great and awesome God who was with them would stand with them in their peril. When they remembered this, they became reassured and renewed in courage. The enemy saw that they could achieve nothing with their attacks.

 

How do you respond to your life issues? When your spirit is down and there wars within, what spiritual resources are available to be victorious? Do you see yourself as not being alone? Are you always conscious of the  presence of the risen Jesus? He is awesome. He is strong. He is powerful. Reckon upon Him, and you will be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

 

BLESS AND CURSE NOT

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Romans 12:14)

This cannot be the natural reaction of an average man.

It is indeed humanly impossible to bless those who are persecuting one or wishing one evil. Man naturally, will go around badmouthing people who are not nice to him. He will want to run them down, speak harshly about them and possibly persecute back. But this is what the Word tells us we don’t need to do and we should not do. Paul here, describes the kind of love we should show to people particularly those who are unfriendly, mean, maltreat or oppress us. Paul gives some very practical help on this.
In verse 17 Paul says, Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Later, in verse 19 he adds, Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, It is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. Revenge is one of the most natural of human responses to hurt, injury or bad attitudes. We always feel that, if we treat others according to the way they have treated us, we are only giving them justice. We can justify this so easily. “I’m only teaching them a lesson. I’m only showing them how I feel.” But have forgotten the many times you have injured others without getting caught yourself. But God hasn’t forgotten. This always puts us in the place of those Pharisees who, when the woman was taken in adultery, were ready to cast stones and stone her to death. Jesus came by and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone, (John 8:7). None could for obvious reasons.
Paul’s admonition is, Don’t try to avenge yourself. First, because God knows it and he is already doing something about it. Leave room for God’s wrath. Second, God alone claims the right to vengeance because he alone can work it without injury to all concerned. He will do it in a way that will be redemptive. We don’t give God a chance when we take the matter into our own hands. May the Lord teach you this hard lesson of blessing and loving those who have done us wrong.

 

SET FREE TO DO BATTLE

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11).    

 

Life is basically a struggle. It is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan and that people themselves are the battlefield. The battle is manifested in the inner tensions and fears of individual lives, in the physiological and mental illnesses, in family fights and church struggles. It is even seen in nature, where all of life competes in a ruthless, deadly struggle to survive. The whole race has fallen under the control of satanic forces, which Paul calls, “the world rulers of this present darkness” (Eph. 6:12)

 

But the good news is that some have been set free through the coming of that “stronger one,” Jesus Himself, who came, as John tells us, “to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8b). Through the amazing mystery of the cross and the resurrection, Jesus has broken the power and bondage of Satan over human lives. Those who individually receive and acknowledge this are set free to live in the freedom and liberty of the children of God.

 

They are however set free to engage in the fight, to overcome in their own lives, and to become the channels by which others are set free. How do you do this? Paul’s answer is in one phrase: “Put on the whole armor of God.” Full provision has been made that you might win in this battle. This is the amazing thing we must learn. God has made full provision for us to fight these forces that hold the world in their grip. May the Lord tear away the delusive veils by which we have allowed ourselves to be rendered powerless in this great battle. 

 

‘Ranti Orioke

GOD’S SET OF PEOPLE

 

“Remember me, O Lord, with the favour You have toward Your people. Oh visit me with Your salvation.” (Psalms 106:4 NKJV)

 

The Bible says here that there is a set of people that God bears an unusual   favour, loves them with an everlasting love; which he has shown in the choice of them; shown in the gift of Jesus to them; in their regeneration, and eternal salvation. There is no doubt that nothing can be more desirable than an interest in this favour, in which is life, spiritual and eternal; is the strength, protection and security of believers, the source of their comfort, and the foundation of their joy. The beneficiary of the above is a special and peculiar people that God has chosen and brought them into covenant (1Pe 2:9). These are the people that are redeemed by the Son of God himself, who are called by grace, and brought to glory. They are peculiar and are God’s set of people.

 

But what does it mean to be the peculiar of God? The English word “peculiar” comes from the Latin word, “peculiaris,” which is derived from “peculium,” meaning ‘one’s own property’. In this context, the peculiar people are “God’s own property”, acquired, owned and preserved – people belonging to God and God alone. You are not your own any more. You were bought with a price. (1Co 6:20) to glorify  God not just with our hearts, but also with our bodies. Who are the peculiars of God? Obedient children, not after the lust of the flesh, called to be holy, conducting themselves in the fear of God (1Pe 1:14-17).

 

This is the set of people that God remembers. When God remembers us, He simply pays special attention to one and visits with salvation: salvation of our souls, salvation from the Red Sea of live, salvation from grievous affliction. When He remembers us, He delivers us from great distress. It may be temporary distress, or mental distress, or spiritual distress. He rescues us. He answers our prayers. He lifts us up from our circumstance. He brings us to the limelight when he remembers us.

“GOD THE HELPER”

God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble. (Psalms 46:1 AMP)
This psalm encourages us to hope and trust in God; in his power and providence, and his gracious presence with His own in the worst of times. David in Psalm 54:4a declares “Behold God is mine helper…..”, his only help when he was confronted with the arrays of Saul’s hit men and the betrayal of the Ziphites in divulging to Saul where he was hiding. He had known disappointments both from within and without and came to realization  that only God is the dependable Helper. There are three attributes of God’s  help:
It is sufficient and enough because it is divine. “The Lord is my helper.” When we are in need of friends to come to our aid, but often they cannot help us because their resources are inadequate. The Lord’s resources are never inadequate. His name is El-Shaddai (Genesis 17:1), which means that He is “the Enough God”.
The help of God because of His immotability, is always there to be accessed, so easily obtainable. The help can never be too early to become unnecessary or too late to be of no relevance again. Mary and Martha said, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32) But was He late?, not at all; He is always here – Psalm 46:1.
The help of God is bespoke, proper and fitting to individual’s need and it is personally dispensed to each according to each needs.
Are we in danger from visible or invisible enemies? God is our refuge, to whom we may flee, and in whom we may be safe. We have work to do, a warfare to accomplish, and sufferings to endure?. God is our strength to bear us up under our burdens, and to fit us for all our services and sufferings. Are we oppressed with troubles and distresses? He is a help in trouble: yea a present and adequate help. He had manifested himself to be so in the course of His providence in time past, and He has engaged to be so in time to come, and will not fail to fulfil His engagement.

 

Integrity: The Soul of Godly Character.

“The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains” (Micah 7:2 NIV)
Micah started with a grave statement; “Woe is me” (Michal 7:1a). Why, because of the disappearance of people of godly character and integrity. “I look at how people are living, and what I see across the nation is that godly character is being swept away. I look for models of upright living, but I’m not seeing them.” This is a fearful picture of a deprived, corrupted and demoralised state of society – a loss of men of character and integrity and the rise of individuals and groups of people with their own agendas and self-interest that has replaced the common good. Micah lamented, “As I look at what is happening among God’s people, it breaks my heart!”
Is this not the picture we see everywhere today, even in the church? The need for men of character and integrity today is perhaps as great as it has ever been. To justify our depravity, many view integrity as an out-dated idea whereas according to the order of heaven it remains the only prerequisite to credibility. Integrity involves an inner sense of wholeness which results from being consistently honest and morally upright and it is crucial in all aspects of life: professional, personal, social and spiritual. 
There is no other way to it, integrity is the basic element of Christian character. It is the first characteristic of those welcomed into God’s presence (Ps.15:2). It is the first characteristic that distinguishes godly leadership: “So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands” (Ps.78:72). Integrity is not determined by circumstances, based on credentials and is not to be confused with reputation. A person with the integrity of heart is a morally and spiritually healthy individual.
We have drifted from God, let us turn back to God and ask He builds us over again. The Scripture says “Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls” (I Peter 2:25). Turning back to God is more than words and plans -it’s action! It’s repentance without excuses or hesitations! (See: Acts 26:20; Matthew 3:8; Titus 2:14;3:8). It is in our turning that God will turn back