The importance of asking questions in the church – seeking for answers. Part 1.

A question, according to Cambridge Dictionary, is a sentence or phrase used to find out information. When people want to get information on a matter, they ask either broad or specific questions concerning the matter. The questions are normally directed to someone who is believed to have either in part or in whole the answers. Answers to questions can invite more or follow up questions which altogether are supposed to bring clarifications to the issues being considered.

In the church, we must allow those who are eager, to ask questions, plenty of questions. Every question is an opportunity for the church to explain and make our truth claims clearer. Every question asked by inquirers gives us the opportunity to make stronger our invitation to them to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. Every question asked by members of our churches is an opportunity to make their persuasion firmer. Questioners are not to be seen as enemies or troublemakers, neither their questions be seen as worthless. Every question has worth because it is asked by a person who has worth. The worth of a person is derived from the Imago Dei (Image of God) in him or her.  When people ask questions, it shows they are interested. We have to recognize this interest and see how we can cooperate with God to steer the questioners to the answers that meet their real need.

The disciples asked Jesus plenty of questions and He answered all. In fact, every question was an opportunity to teach a specific truth or to expand or emphasize what has been taught before. We owe much of the teachings we have in the Gospels to the questions the disciples asked. Even when Peter asked Jesus in Matt. 19, what someone called “the dumbest question”, “We left everything to follow you. What will we get out of it?" Matt. 19:27 TLB, surprisingly He replied. The question sounded selfish, but Jesus replied him, not glossing over Peter’s personal interest. He painted the picture of what the rewards look like for them who were the first fruits of His ministry and also what it will look like for anyone who will sacrifice in His name. It was indeed an opportunity.  He answered their questions. Even when Philip made a request in John 14, He mildly reprimanded him and yet answered him. We must encourage both inquirers and our members to ask questions.

The benefits of asking questions

1. Questions help us to arrive at the truth. The conviction of people become stronger when their questions are answered and they arrive at what they are convinced to be the truth by themselves. The Bible warns against false teachers and false prophets. (Matt.24:4-5). We are enjoined to “test everything” (1 Thess.5:21). Asking questions is one of the ways to arrive at judgment whether something is true or false.
2. Questions help us to reason. When questions are asked, our reasoning is awakened. People talk about ‘common sense’; oftentimes, questions awaken our common sense. As Ravi Zacharias observes, “God has put enough into the world to make faith in Him a most reasonable thing. But He has left enough out to make it impossible to live by sheer reason or observation alone.” God does not shutdown the faculty of reason when we place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, the more He makes Himself known, the more He helps us see the reasonableness in placing our faith in Him. Questions appeal to our reason and makes us think. We serve God with both our faith and reason.
3. Questions open us up to further enlightenment and help us to improve on what we used to know. They often query what we know before so that we can either develop stronger persuasion, or change our minds over what we used to know. This in turn changes our attitudes and life generally. Many years ago, each time we taught about holiness, we used to focus on lipsticks, eye shadows, shoulder pads, short sleeves, curling of hair, bangles and necklaces, and so on; you know all those things women use to beautify themselves. However, the more I saw failures also among brothers and the struggles in my own heart, the more some pointed questions confronted me. “Does it mean that holiness is a concern for women alone? Why should we always focus on women? Are all the brothers holy and only women have problems? If not, why are brothers not being challenged to holy living during our preaching?” These questions helped me to understand that dressing is only a subset of a bigger whole and holiness is deeper than wearing headscarf twenty four hours of the day. Further studies helped me to have a more balanced view of holiness and encouraged me to pursue personal holiness as a brother.
4. Questions widen our horizons and reveal areas where our attention has not gone before. When we allow and encourage questions, they challenge our narrow-mindedness and call our attention to areas of improvement that hitherto we would not have known any other way. We rot when we close our doors against questions. This is because, we will continue in our old ways even when they are no more working and the world has moved on. The beautiful Gospel of Jesus is timeless but it is preached within time. Paying attention to the questions each generation is asking helps us to make it relevant. When we do our part, the Holy Spirit takes over from there.
5. Questions help to bring out the assumptions of both the questioner and the explainer. Because we are not spirits, it is only through asking questions that motives are revealed, real needs are exposed and knowledge is gained of what exactly we should pay attention to.

People cannot develop strong convictions in what we preach and teach when they have so many unanswered questions they are not given the opportunity to ask. Even God uses questions to speak to us.

Most of us were raised not to ask elders questions, especially difficult questions. It worked for our parents. But not anymore. You cannot raise your children today without paying attention to their questions. If you don’t answer them, their peers and the social media will answer them. There used to be a time when you would bring down your guards without questions immediately someone tells you that he is a believer. But not anymore, you must ask further questions.  There used to be a time when once a pastor says “the bible says…”, everybody leaves to obey what the pastor said. Nobody would ask further questions. But not anymore. Many can read the bible today in different versions. The more people read and study, the more they will seek for clarifications.

We are exposed to many worldviews today, each competing for our attention. The church must open up to the questions people are asking. Our young ones who will replace us must be encouraged to ask their questions now we are alive. Let them know what our answers are to their questions about God and life. The earlier we do this, the better for us. I hope it is not getting late for some of our churches.

Look out for the remaining two parts of this write up. God bless.

Reference

Cambridge University Press. (2019). Cambridge online dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary online. Retrieved at November 13, 2019. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/question.

Zacharias R. 2019. The 3.4.5 Grid. Lecture at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries Academy, RZIM. https://www.rzim.org/page/academy-core-module

“Who then can be saved?” Luke 18 vs 26

This question was asked when Jesus said that it would be difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. One of the rulers He talked with has just walked away sad because He asked him to let go of all his riches, sell them and give to the poor. The man considered his possessions more precious than obeying the instructions of Jesus. He missed a life changing opportunity.

My focus today is not to attempt to answer the question the disciples asked but to address the mindset and assumptions that produce such a question.

Firstly, the question assumes that the rich enjoys special favors from God and a man who has wealth is held at high esteem before Him. Even if the poor does not get an answer from God, when the rich asks, God will quickly answer because he is rich in wealth, they thought. Hence what Jesus said stunned them and they asked, if the rich is not saved, who then can be saved?

Secondly, this question assumes that God looks at the rich the same way man looks at him. It assumes that our values are the same with God’s - He places value on the things we place value upon. Here we value people based on our perception of their wealth size. Special attention is paid on people based on what we perceive them to worth in terms of wealth. Jesus’ assertion was against this assumption; therefore, the question, “who then can be saved”

Thirdly, the question assumes that God knows, recognizes and regards people based on their riches. Here we honor people and respect their views based on our perception of their wealth level. Oftentimes, even when their views have logical flaws, they are managed and their flaws ignored because their wealth is important to us. In some cultures, people are given chieftaincy titles only because they are perceived to have more wealth than others. They are made rulers and given positions of authority. Those that heard Jesus were astonished to see Him ask the rich man to sell everything he had, give them to the poor, and then come and follow Him. The man walked away sad and Jesus did not bother to pursue after and call him back, instead He commented as He watched him walk away “how hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God”. His commentary shocked their assumptions and they asked “who then can be saved?”

Finally, the question assumes that salvation is easier for the rich than for the poor. In fact, the rich enjoys God’s salvation while the poor that suffers has problems with God, they thought. Just for illustration, if you are in a meeting and disaster happens, you notice that attempts will be made first to rescue those in authority and people of wealth before others, displaying the supposition that their salvation is more important than the salvation of every other person involved in the tragedy. That is who we are in this world. That is the life we live based on these assumptions. The audience of Jesus was astounded to hear Him alluding to the possibility of the rich not making the Kingdom of God and they asked “who then can be saved?”

God gives us the power to make wealth and our wealth increases our power to create options. As God increases us and expands our capacity to create options, may we not create options or alternatives to Him or become gods ourselves. Instead may we keep our hearts humble and remain poor in spirit and in awe of Him knowing that no matter how powerful, rich and untouchable we may become before men, with God alone belongs all possibilities including doing to and with us that which no man is able to do. The reply of the Lord Jesus is instructive here, “what is impossible with men is possible with God” Luke 18 vs 27.

What are our assumptions when we choose our preferences? Even in the church, what are the assumptions that drive the things we do? It is clear that behind our questions, attitudes and actions are the assumptions we have made. Wrong assumptions will lead to wrong living. May we ensure that our assumptions do not run against the mind of Christ. This is because His ways are not our ways. God bless you.

(Free Download) - Presentation on The Family as a Mission Field - Intentional Engagement

The family is God's idea and we have to intentionally engage our family members and ensure that we present the Gospel to them in such a way that they consider giving their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Birth is not transferable, hence every family member has to be given the opportunity to decide for Jesus Christ. Assumptions are dangerous. That is why oftentimes, our children as God's ministers leave the umbrella of our homes without knowing what it means to decide for Jesus. May God help us as we labour for Him.

This was presented in a Missions Conference. Download and use.
God bless you.

Download The Family as a Mission Field pdf
Download The Family s a Mission Field pptx

Benny Hinn renounces prosperity theology: “I don’t want to get to heaven and be rebuked.”

Evangelist Benny Hinn during a live broadcast posted to his Facebook page on  Monday admitted that the “prosperity gospel” is an offence to the Holy Spirit and it “hurts the Gospel”. He said, “I’m done with it…and I don’t care what people think about me anymore…the Gospel is not for sale”.

The preacher was at the forefront of the proponents of the theology that says that health, wealth and blessings are the rights of every Christian on this earth and can be claimed and activated through giving. This giving is explained in several dimensions depending on what the preacher wants to emphasize upon. The strange ‘prosperity gospel’ has done a lot of damage to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith of many faithful servants of God. John Piper called it hateful and horrible here and The Gospel Coalition condemns it here. Joyce Meyer sometime ago confessed that she got it all ‘out of balance’.

My prayer is that the Nigerian Church will learn from the emptiness this strange gospel brings at the end of life and start preaching the correct Gospel. I once attended a meeting where a Pastor coerced the church leadership to start giving him tithe of tithe (10% of all the church’s tithes) even though his salaries and all his allowances are paid to him. Sitting around while the argument lasted, all I could hear is something like, “Our prosperity is tied to our giving to the man of God. We may suffer and attract God’s punishment if we do not abide by this ‘scriptural’ injunction.” He got what he wanted but that is because of the prevalence of this strange ‘prosperity gospel’. May God save us by bringing us to repentance before it is too late. God bless.

Leah Sharibu murdered?

Leah Sharibu

Just recently, a disturbing video surfaced that Miss Leah Sharibu has been killed by her captors, Boko Haram, after more than one year in captivity. Even though the authenticity of the video is yet to be confirmed, from trends and the character of this terrorist group, this kind of story often becomes the truth about the situation. This is quite unfortunate for us as a people and as a nation. We seem to have a very insensitive government that is not concerned about whatever happens to its citizens. Leah was supposed to be released with other Dapchi students only that she was a Christian. If this government could not secure the release of Leah Sharibu, for more than a year, in spite of all the global outrage, then one is left with no option than to conclude that it is either it has no diplomatic capacity to attend to the matters of Nigerian citizens or it is just bigoted in its approach since Leah was a Christian. A sensitive government that is concerned about her image and people's perception would have done everything possible to secure the release of the girl so as not to be painted as having sympathy only to Muslims, but for this government, they have other concerns.

Now as a Christian who has biblical and eternal hope in Christ Jesus, we know that if it is true that Leah has been killed, it only closes a chapter in her life and opens a new one for her which is better. We believe that exit from this earth life means being in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Up till two nights ago, my family was still praying for Leah's release. We tried to motivate people to pray for Leah both in churches and small groups. Many Christians around the world prayed. However, as people of faith who recognize both the active presence of sin and evil in this world and God's sovereignty, we believe that He has allowed this to happen for a purpose, even though we may not know the purpose for now as humans.

Learning points from this include the fact that persecution of Christians is still real in this world and we have to prepare ourselves, our children and other Christians around us to remain faithful to the Lord no matter what happens. This world is not our home. Many are martyred every now and then even though the main stream media does not report them. Secondly,we must continue to pray for the persecuted Christians around the world for God's sustenance. May those who are being tried be enabled to finish strong. Finally, the faith exhibited by Leah is a challenge to all of us who are still living in this world. Don't give up or give in because of any pressure or troubles of life. Don't compromise your faith because of any earthly gain, comfort or affliction. When we stand before God, there is no reason that will suffice for any compromise when people like Leah will be standing around God's throne. They will forever be reminders that victory over temptations is possible in this life.

Prayers

Please pray for her family for strength and grace to bear this whole situation. May their faith not break. May He that comforts attend to them with 

Pray for Grace and the other captives who are still in the hands of Boko Haram. May God make a way to cause their release.

Pray for the mighty hand of God to bring convictions upon the hearts of the members of this terrorist group and their sympathizers that they may repent and have a change of heart, embrace the salvation that God offers to them.

Pray for the Nigerian government that they will take the right decisions, do the right thing and stop this menace.

A New Sheet - Poem by an Elementary School Teacher, Kathleen Wheeler

"He came to my desk with a quivering lip,

The lesson was done.

'Have you a new sheet for me, dear teacher?

I've spoiled this one.'

I took his sheet, all soiled and blotted,

And gave him a new one all unspotted,

And to his tired heart I cried.

'Do better now, my child.'

I went to the throne with a troubled heart,

The day was done.

'Have you a new day for me, dear Master?

I've spoiled this one.'

He took my day, all soiled and blotted,

And gave me a new one all unspotted.

And to my tired heart He cried,

'Do better now, my child.'"

I've heard this poem quoted several times by Ravi Zacharias. 

I imagine that the child in ithis poem is myself. My life has been blessed through it What an amazing God we serve who forgives my sins and is ready to give me another chance when I blow it. My promise Lord is that I will do better as your child. I know you will help me.

Titled Attitude Check here: http://maria-e-rice.blogspot.com/2011/06/do-better-now-my-child.html?m=1

Truth Matters – What if you are singled out from the crowd?

Let us take a journey together to Ephesus in Acts 19. There is a riot going on and people are shouting on the top of their voices and the whole city is in commotion. Demetrius is the leader of the demonstration. It has spread to the Theatre and the city officials have been alerted. Alexander is pushed to the front to address the crowd but they will not allow him since he is a Jew. Suddenly in unison the crowd is shouting “great is the Artemis of the Ephesians” and this they have shouted for two hours.

The reason for this trip is that we want to know the truth about this whole turmoil. We learnt that there was a separate meeting of the artisans called by Demetrius before our arrival at the Theatre. However, many people in this Theatre were not in the meeting but they have all joined the march and everybody is shouting “great is the Artemis of the Ephesians”. Different persons are singled out for interview on what is actually going on but they all give different views. Their stories are not correlating, hence as the city official comes out to address the crowd, he sees the gathering as awkward and emphasizes that there is no basis for the riot and asks everybody to go home. The crowd dismisses and yet, most of the individuals singled out cannot yet give cogent reasons why they participated and took the risk to support the demonstration.

There are two moral lessons I want us to learn from this trip to Ephesus:

1.  It is important that we know the truth concerning any person or crowd we are following or  group we want to belong to. It is true that in the argument going on, we may align to one man or another, we have to ask ourselves, “What is the truth about this issue?” “What are the pieces that make the whole in this matter?” “Do I have the big picture?” “Why do I support this man or that man?” Why do I defend what I defend?” In our quest to know the truth, we must answer these two questions of what and why. The what answers the question of definition and context in order to be able to pass the test of correspondence and coherence. What is explained has to be logically consistent and empirically adequate. The why answers the question of meaning and application. Is it experientially relevant? These questions we must answer alone. Many persons in the crowd in Ephesus did not ask these questions, hence clueless of what and why they were in the Theatre.
2. It is important that we take full responsibility for our choices and decisions and be able to defend them anytime and anywhere we are called upon to explain why we take the stand we take. We may be in a crowd like the one in the Theatre in Ephesus and we are shouting with the crowd, we may be in a meeting and taking a stand in alignment with an opinion, but when we are singled out for questioning without the crowd, will we be able to answer the two questions of what and why? What is the truth about the issue at stake and why am I taking the stand I take? Make sure it is clear in your mind otherwise do not join the "crowd" at all. We are fully responsible for our action and inaction.

I have seen men align themselves with doctrines and ideas they have not thought through and are not convinced about. Some take a different stand when they are singled out by the corner. It happens in the political arena, in our churches and ministries, in council and board meetings etc. People push agendas and issues and coerce others to support them only because they want to satisfy their personal interests or their paymasters, oftentimes even against their own conscience. Like Demetrius in the Theatre in Ephesus, such people are conscious of what they are doing and are intentional. To be able to deceive others, they live in hypocrisy and cannot allow those listening to them to know their true intentions.

Others are ignorant men and women who may have good intentions, foolishly following the men behind the issues. “If Demetrius is supporting this, then I must be there” “If this ‘highly-placed’ person is on this side of the issue, he must be right and I want to be on his side”. They often shut all the doors to reason and just rush into the “Theatre”, as it were, strongly expressing their support with shouts.

We must endeavor to exercise ourselves to always have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men (Acts 24:16), no matter what we may suffer because of it. I am persuaded, and this guides my life, that one day, from the crowd of this world, each of us will be singled out by God for accountability for our choices, action and inaction. The crowd and the so-called paymasters will not be there but we will stand before Him who is Truth embodied and personified, and the secrets of our hearts will no longer be secret for His light will expose them all. Then, it will dawn on us that truth matters after all.

God bless.

My response to “I lost faith in my faith” by Jared Bilski.

I sincerely empathize with Jared, the author of the Washington Post article, who says “I’m not passing my parents’ religion on to my kids, but I am teaching their values.” He is expressing some of the disappointments he has experienced with the church and his father especially, who he said lived a lie. He lists some of the reasons why he lost faith in his faith to include too many unanswered questions, too many problematic absolutes, too much fearmongering, too much hypocrisy and the priest sex-abuse scandal, “a scandal the scope of which we’re still learning about” he adds.

My aim is not to castigate the author or join issues with him. However, knowing fully well that there are many people who may be on the fence who have not “lost faith in their faith” yet but may already be in troubled waters because of their peculiar experiences, I intend to respond to the issues Jared raised.

First, let us deal with his reasons for losing faith in his faith and see how inadequate they are.

“Too many unanswered questions” – life and earthly existence pose many difficult questions and you cannot disappear from the earth because of them. Does losing faith in your faith answer the unanswered questions? By the way, having many unanswered questions does not mean that there are no meaningful answers out there.

“Problematic absolutes” –this is an ambiguous phrase as it is subjective. We need some specificity in order to deal with this very well. However, even the materialistic worldview forms its own absolutes and exclusivity. When you give a ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answer to anything, you tend to exclude something. What if I consider your ‘yes’ or ‘no’ problematic? The author tends to desire his children to have some moral values, but the question is how can you have moral value without a moral law? And how can you have moral law without a Moral Law Giver? Without moral absolutes of some sort, how can you or your children differentiate between right and wrong?

“Too much fearmongering” – faith by its nature tends to confront fear and it’s difficult to understand how ‘fearmongering’ will make you lose faith in your faith if what you actually had was faith. Anyway, that is Jared’s experience.

“Way too much hypocrisy” – the author said that “for a religion that placed such a premium on loving thy neighbor, it sure had a lot of restrictions on whom you were allowed to love.” I agree that we often have this challenge even in the church, which is really quite unfortunate. We have to repent in every area we are found wanting because discrimination is not part of Christianity. Having said that, the mistake we often make, and is evident in this case, is not being able to separate the teachings of Christ from the failings of humans that profess Christianity. For example, when a Christian or a religious leader for that matter, place restrictions on whom you are to love, it does not mean that Christianity, or the teachings of Christ has placed such restrictions. In the Christian worldview, we believe in the total depravity of the human heart until it is surrendered to Christ. We equally believe in the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification in the heart of the believer as he progresses until its consummation. Anytime a man steps outside Christ, there is no measure of wickedness he cannot perpetrate despite his profession. But in Christ also, there is the wonderful experience of forgiveness and restoration when we come to God like the ‘prodigal son’. If the author’s accusation against Christianity comes from his father’s experience who died a gay, even though he lived in denial throughout his life, then that is understandable even though unfortunate because Christianity teaches love for a sinner but disapproval for his sins. If we preach that people should repent, then there must be something to repent from.

These are not enough to lose faith in your faith if what you had originally was faith at all. The Christian worldview is the only worldview that answers the four basic questions of life, where do I come from? What is the meaning of life? How do I choose between right and wrong? And where do I go when I die? I refer the author to RZIM where there are a lot of resources that will help him answer some of his unanswered and difficult questions.

As I conclude this response, I submit that Jared sounds like someone who does not adequately understand Christianity even though he was raised in the Catholic church. Like so many, he seems to believe that being baptized with water makes you a Christian. But that is not what the Bible teaches. God sent Jesus Christ, not so that we can keep some sets of laws or rituals, but for us to be able to enter into a living relationship with Him whereby we can personally call Him ‘father’.

When Jared said “we want our kids to have a solid understanding of all religions. Just as importantly, we want them to have respect for what others believe. After all, the Golden Rule is something that should be instilled in all children, regardless of their religion or lack thereof”. Where does this value come from? It is like wanting to eat your cake and still have it at the same time. The moral values he intends for his children, and all children as a matter of fact, comes out of the moral framework of the Christian worldview which he claims to have lost faith in.

I consider his closing line as what most journalists do just for popularity sake when he said “in the end, actions will always speak louder than words, even the words of the Bible”. Yes, actions speak louder than words but it becomes a contradiction of all he has argued for value, when he says that the actions that are propelled by biblical values are separate and stronger than the biblical values themselves. Reaction cannot be separated from the action that caused it.

What I see conspicuously missing from Jared’s discourse is that he is not able to take responsibility for the condition of his own heart. He seems to blame his father for hypocrisy, blame the priests and some Christians for their hypocrisy, but has not seen the hypocrisy of his own heart. Like the prodigal son, (Luke 15), we ought to come to Jesus with all humility and seek for the transformation of our own hearts. This is because, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Matt.5:2. Only with such poverty of spirit can our restless hearts will find rest in Him.

Setting Life Priorities

Introduction

Priority means that something is or regarded/treated to be more important than others. In the midst of a lot, or options, some facts, conditions, choices etc are treated as superior, given more privilege or precedence than others. Priority by its nature is relatively given preference and is singled out in the midst of alternatives and options. Life priority therefore means that the most imperative things are treated or should be regarded as more important than others in life. The main thing is to make the main thing the main thing and to keep the main thing the main thing.

Value

Priority is dependent on value. Value has to do with the worth, usefulness, merit, profit or significance of something. When something or choice takes priority, it means that it is valued more than others. This value can be economic, moral, aesthetics, socio-cultural or belief. Value can be intrinsic or extrinsic. This takes us to the next issue.

Sources of value

What determines the value we place on things, people, a choice of action or behavior? There are several sources of value for many people which include: culture and society, the television, social media, friends and family, literature and religion. The interesting thing is that your source defines your values and your values define your priorities.

Defining life priorities

In defining life priorities, we note that God is the Reason for man’s existence. “He is your life…” Deut.30:19-20; the words that God speaks are not idle words, “…they are your life.” Deut.32:46-47. What God wants to do in your life and with your life is more important than what you want to do with your life.

How do we set life priorities?

1. Define the source of your value. Understand the commandments of God. The Bible is your authority for faith and practice. Tradition and reason are not on the same pedestal with the Bible as a source of value. Their arguments fall flat and must be jettisoned at any point where they contradict the Bible.
2. Differentiate between worldly values and biblical values. (1 Jn.2:15-16). Worldly values are driven by pleasure and fame, self and possession, pride, prestige and power. Biblical values are driven by the word of God.
3. Understand your life purpose which is to worship and honour God. Understand the purpose for every step in your life journey. They are all interrelated to your overall life purpose. For example, your education, your relationships, your calling etc.
4. Make choices and take actions that are in consonance with your defined purpose.
5. Watch what you do with and where you commit your resources because they show your priorities – time, money and commitment. Adjust where necessary. Always ask yourself, what takes most of my time? Who takes most of my time? What do I do with my money? Where is my commitment? What type of responsibilities are on my shoulders? Normally, you commit your resources to your priorities. Do this daily, weekly, monthly etc.
6. Focus and eschew distractions. Persevere. Learn and know how to say “NO”.
7. Make a list of what is important – most important things, more important things, and less important things. Ask yourself, how long will this important thing last in my life? What will last for eternity is the most important. What will yield permanent result is more important than what will yield transient, temporal, short-lived result. What will remain with me for 3-5 years is less important than what will remain with me for 50-60years. Worldly values for example are temporal and short-lived – pleasure (1 Jn.2:17), possession (1Tim.6:7), power and prestige and pride (Mark 10:31).

Why is it important to set life priorities?

1. There are competitions going on for your attention and loyalty. So many distractions.
2. Our choices have consequences. Some temporal while others are eternal.
3. High productivity is accomplished only when priorities are set.
4. My priorities will shape my lifestyle whether I like it or not.
5. Over time and at the end, somethings will lose the value they have now while the value of others will appreciate. Somethings that do not matter today may matter tomorrow, hence it is important that my life is focused on the things whose value will last.
6. Life is so short. One life journey – do duplicate.

Examples of men who prioritized

• Moses Heb.11:24-25
• Joseph Gen.39:7-9
• Daniel Dan.1:8
• Paul Phil.3:7-10
• Jesus John 4:34; 9:4-5.

Conclusion

You need to pay attention to your personal relationship with God, your health, your family, your education and profession, your service and vocation etc. Your life priority is about you and where your life is headed both for here and for eternity.

Prayer: “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things, preserve my life according to your word.  Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.” Psalm 119:36-38 NIV.

Leah Sharibu - Please pray for her

It was exactly one year 16th February 2019 when Leah was kidnapped with other girls from Dapchi. Others were later released while she was kept in captivity because she refused to denounce Christianity.



In the midst of all the political activities going on today, those in leadership may actually forget that she is still with the Boko Haram. But for the parents and loved ones, the pain is real. For the body of Christ, her persecution sets us on alert. Her mother recently congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari for his victory at the polls but requested him to release her daughter.

Please continue to pray for her. Pray that the President of the country and those in leadership positions in the country may keep their words. May God move them and create a window for her release. May God touch her abductors to release her unconditionally without harm. Pray for grace for the parents. Pray that her faith may not fail.

First Fruit Offering: What is the Christian Perspective?

Recently, a lady who works in their church office, told me how her senior pastor is insisting on seizing their January salary in a bid to force them to give their “firstfruits offering”. He said that he wants to help them to obey God. Even though the lady has told him that she does not want to participate in the practice because she does not believe that her January salary is her firstfruits, he insists that everyone of them must be involved.

I have made out time to see the senior pastor on behalf of the lady. I hinged my argument on three reasons: the first is that God created man and gave him freewill. He does not violate our freedom to choose whether to obey Him or not. Let us assume that your firstfruits offering is your January salary, God will not twist our hands to obey Him. He persuades, makes promises, warns, and paints the pictures of the consequences of disobedience and the rewards of obedience. It is our responsibility to make a choice to either obey Him or not. Moses told the people of Israel, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deut. 30:19-20 NIV. He is not a tyrant. He loves us and calls us to a loving relationship that is real and practical. His Judgment is only fair when man has exercised his freewill. It is unbiblical to violate the freewill of an adult because you want him to obey God. Secondly, if you love a people and want them to obey God in such a way that they receive God’s blessings, you must make effort, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to bring them to the point where they apply their faith to the Word of God you teach them. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God…” Heb.11:6.  Paul also places the responsibility on the person with knowledge to ensure that he does not destroy others who are weak with his knowledge. Again, let us assume that your January salary is your firstfruits and God has revealed it to you as what Christians should practice, you have the responsibility to bring the ignorant person to the point where he gives it in faith. “…everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Rom 14:23. NIV. If this lady does not want to participate in this practice, do not take it by force. Lastly, I told him that "The worker deserves his wages." 1 Tim 5:18. NIV. If the lady has worked for the month of January, she deserves her wages. She ought to be paid, then she will decide on how to worship God with her salary. You cannot violate a part of the Scriptures because you want to practice another part of the Scriptures.

After a long time of argument, he said that he is taking his stand as a father who wants his children to do the right thing. To this I told him that his analysis of a father and his children is faulty in this matter. At last he promised to think about the points I raised and later will decide whether to give the lady her salary or not. I challenged him that he was sounding like an autocratic leader who wants to impose his views on those he is leading and that is ungodly and unchristian.

I have given the matter a serious thought since after my meeting with him. What is firstfruits by the way? Is it a must practice for a Christian? How should a New Covenant person interpret the Old Testament practice of firstfruits?

First, there are different feasts God commanded the people of Israel to keep:  Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and the Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. (Read Lev. 23). Firstfruits particularly was a constant reminder that God delivered them from slavery in Egypt and gave them a land that flows with milk and honey, which was never their own from the beginning. Hence, in the land of Canaan, they ought to honor God and make Him their numero uno. It was to be a sheaf of grain, which is like a bunch of grain out of the first set of their harvest or crops. Nothing connects it with January salary.

Secondly, I believe that the significance of all these Old Testament feasts have been accomplished in Christ who has become our Passover Lamb, Atonement Sacrifice, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor.15:20), the One who is coming again to take us as His firstfruits, and also the One that will oversee the final harvest, which is final judgment. Our resurrection is sure because of His resurrection. Halleluyah!

Thirdly, it is based on this Old Testament practice that Prov 3:9-10 emphasized “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” NIV. It does not have anything to do with your January salary.

Finally, in all the seven times firstfruits is mentioned in the New Testament, it is used symbolically to buttress a point. For example, in 1 Cor.16:15, the household of Stephanas is called the firstfruits of Achaia. This means that they were the first converts in Achaia before many others became believers. Firstfruits is never emphasized as a giving method or practice in the New Testament.

The New Testament believer is to give willingly, cheerfully and liberally, (2 Cor.9) “for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor.9:7). We are to honor God with the best of the things He has blessed us with and make Him our number one. That is the principle we can draw from the Old Testament firstfruits practice. If God tells you to give up your January salary or you feel persuaded to give up the salary of the first month of your job, please do not impose your personal experience on the Scriptures or on other of God’s children. Your individual experience is not worth to be used to establish doctrine. Let us not place strange burdens upon God’s children which He has not placed on them.

The obstructions of great wealth

"I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 19:23-24 NIV

Money is a good resource that God entrusts to us to enable us accomplish His purposes on earth. He gives us money to help us transact kingdom businesses to His glory. But money is not the only resource that amounts to wealth. Looking at the context of the passage in Mat.19, wealth encompasses properties, possessions and every other thing that we may own which makes us or others around us to consider us as rich.

A successful young man came to Jesus inquiring on what he would do to get eternal life. The discussion went on and on until he was told to go and sell his earthly possessions so as to have treasure in heaven. He became sad and abandoned his desire for eternal life and walked away because of his much wealth. The Lord did not bother to pursue after him because of his much wealth, but “As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom? Matt 19:23-24 (THE MESSAGE).

Yes, we do not have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to sincerely seek and solely trust in the Lord until we watch our own hearts each time we seem to possess something better than the next person. If the Lord Jesus said it is tough, it means it is really tough. In my book, Following Hard after God, I said that “money, positions of power, lifting and blessings of God increase our capacity to create options in life. Unfortunately, the very same things God has given to us to use to glorify Him turns around to hinder us from seeking Him. Once there is a challenge, we turn and look around for substitutes; we just pick one and move on as if we do not need God.” The capacity to create solutions and options offered by wealth gives us some level of freedom and liberty, which is the reason why no rich person wants to be poor and every poor man wants to be rich. These solutions can translate into comfort and security of all sorts both real and imaginary. The danger is that wealth that is not surrendered to God can deceive our hearts into thinking that “it” is what works and not God. It is possible to explore the alternatives wealth creates without any recourse to God. This is the idolatry which God hates.

This is why we are warned not to be accumulators and hoarders. (Luke 12:16-21). We are commanded to be givers, using our riches to do good works. (1 Tim.6:17-19). Giving is the only antidote that will make our wealth not to obstruct us from entering the Kingdom of God. Giving accomplishes two things, it meets a need and saves our hearts from hanging on what we have.

Do not allow your heart to be deceived. Be wise. If the Lord says it is difficult, make no mistake, it means it is difficult. May our good God bless you with wealth. May you not allow it to be an obstacle to your entering the Kingdom of God.

God bless.

Pregnancy through IVF for the Single/Unmarried Ladies: Why it crosses all Moral and Ethical Boundaries.

Recently, a pastor wrote on his wall, “I am very very proud of our dear sister …. She has shown African women that religion and society should never dictate how and when you should become a mother.” He continued by asking, “Will religion understand for a moment that everyone deserves someone to call them MAMA?... Why are we not making babies at the same rate that we are having sex ⚹? Isn't it because we are afraid of the religious and societal stigma that comes from having a child outside marriage?” His write up was a response to the safe delivery of a baby by a single/unmarried celebrity lady who got pregnant through In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). He made it clear that he was not endorsing sexual immorality but concluded that the lady “is an intelligent Christian lady who did not allow religion … to dictate her life and destiny”.

My intention is not to get enmeshed in the name calling and emotional comments that characterized most of the comments that followed his post. And that is why I have chosen not to mention his name here. This post is meant to engender discussions on the matter, in our own context as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to help those who may be in crisis of faith to make godly decisions that will please God.

Is it true that the sole reason why single ladies are not making babies is just because of the fear of religious and societal stigmas that come from having a child outside marriage? For a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, are there biblical and moral reasons?

In some cultures, if a widow does not have a male child and is old, and has the where withal, she may decide to ‘marry’ any girl, especially those with premarital pregnancy, so as to have a male child in the family. After the delivery of the first child, the ‘wife’ will either be assigned to any man of the choice of the ‘husband-woman’ or the girl will be allowed to just flirt around and continue to make babies for the family line. The church has never supported this lifestyle for obvious reasons:

• The biblical view of marriage is between a man and a woman and not between a woman and a woman. It negates everything the bible teaches about marriage. Gen 2:21-25.
• The sin of fornication and adultery involved in the whole scheme of satisfying the family desire to leave behind a family line is condemned by God and will be punished except there is repentance. Heb.13:4.
• The girl that is used to produce babies for the family line has become a tool just because of the mistake of getting pregnant when not married. Instead of supporting her to get through her mistake and continue her dream, she is punished by being given out in marriage. The selfishness of the family towards achieving their own happiness does not put into consideration the happiness of the poor girl.
• Culturally, the children are not viewed as bastards because they assume the family of the “woman-husband”. Even though, in most cases, the children will come from different men. This is not healthy for a stable society.

The difference is not much between the above cultural example and the issue of our discourse, that is, a single/unmarried woman making babies with the sperm of another man with whom she has no marital commitment. The same cultural and secular worldviews guide both of them – the pursuit of personal happiness as the ultimate goal of life on earth. A committed follower of Jesus Christ is not supposed to bow to the pressures of these cultural and secular worldviews which tend to argue that there are no absolutes in life; nothing is good or bad; it depends on how you are seeing it; it is ok as long as you are happy. Ironically, in denying the absolute, they make the same relativism absolute.

Why should we see things differently? Why should this act not receive our approval?

1, A Slippery Slope

The secular worldview has no moral boundaries. In his fine discourse in response to the US Supreme Court judgment on same-sex marriage, How wide the divide: Sexuality at the forefront, culture at the crossroads, Ravi Zacharias said that the secular thinker and the Christian come from two different definitions of what it means to be human. For the Christian, life is in the soul. The body is a temporal home. In fact, “you do not ‘have’ a soul; you are a soul, and ‘have’ a body” quoting George MacDonald. For the secular person, “NOW is all we have and NOW is the moment to enjoy whatever one pleases. A soul-less existence makes the body the sole means of fulfillment”. When there is no transcendent point of reference, you can afford to live for here and now as long as you have that sense of happiness and fulfillment. The body becomes a means we use to achieve that fulfillment.

The spiritual person seeks to know what the intention of God is. Somethings are right while others are wrong. What is God’s intention for my body? Is it just to pursue my personal happiness at all cost or to be kept holy for God? How I use my body to satisfy my happiness matters. The Christian view is that “your body is the temple of God.” 1 Cor.3:16-17. Putting your happiness above a call to holiness is not a good thing. If a single/unmarried lady is approved to get pregnant through IVF just because of sympathy and her need to have a child outside wedlock, what of a single/unmarried man who decides not to get married but chooses to procure an egg from a woman of his choice, get someone to carry the pregnancy for him, just to have a child? Where do we apply the break? A slippery slope and confusion, isn’t it? What is legal may not always be lawful.

2. God’s Family Framework

Sex and child-bearing are never discussed favorably in the Bible outside the context of marriage and a family created by the union of a man and his wife. There are instructions given by God on the roles of each parent in the family, especially in the life of the child. (Ps.112:1-2; Eph.6:1-4).

“Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” Prov 1:8-9. NIV.

God’s command to humanity to “be fruitful and replenish the earth” is in the context of a man and a woman brought together in relationship and not in one person’s decision. (Gen.1:27,28; 2:23-24). God has designed the family to be a husband, wife and children. That is His plan.

For the Christian, the same way sexuality is sacred, child-bearing demands exclusivity, whether it is through sex or enabled by science, it should be pursued only in the context of marriage between a man and a woman. Financial capability, ability to train a child in school and ability to give care are inadequate considerations. When a single/unmarried woman opts to get pregnant, what she is starting is a family outside of God’s designed framework.

Note that this is different from a married couple making efforts to use scientific means to help them get pregnant. Ethical procedures still have to be followed and the couple has to be careful not to commit murder in the process since we believe that life begins at conception. Any willful destruction or discarding of a fertilized fetus is murder. But I am not going to dig into the arguments since other people have done a great apologetic work in this regard. The point is that a married couple brings the baby into a God-designed family framework while the opposite is the case for the unmarried.

3. The Selfishness and Violation of the Right of the Unborn

Man, by nature is selfish and self-centered hence, it is always what I want that matters. But when Jesus Christ becomes the Lord of my life, the question changes from what I want to what God wants. Our pursuit of happiness then must have boundaries and limits both in the object of our happiness and the way we pursue it. Now, in the case under review, it is selfishness for a single/unmarried person to seek pregnancy just for her happiness without thinking of the impact on the child; she decides to raise a family without thinking of God’s design for the family.

Does the right of the woman to pursue her own happiness in deliberately bringing a child into the world not violate the right of the baby to have a healthy and a balanced home?

4. Lack of Marital Commitment

Life is not just about our personal happiness. Some things may make us happy yet are against God’s purpose. The Bible teaches us to apply restraint and guard our desires when they run foul against the will of God. For the follower of Jesus Christ, marriage is a sacred commitment between a man and a woman. When you go out of the way to procure the sperm of a man with whom you do not have any commitment to raise the family with him, just because you want to have a child and be happy, it runs against the purpose of God for the family.

When an unmarried lady goes to procure the sperm of a man so as to make babies and raise a family of her own without the man, what she is saying is that the man is not necessary to the family she wants to raise, even though his seed is necessary for her to have a baby. Same goes for a man who does not want to get married, but procures the egg of a woman just because he wants to raise a family of his own. Her egg is considered necessary to be used to satisfy his desire for a child while her commitment is not needed for him to raise his family. Life should be more decent than these games.

5. Life Realities

In life, the estates we find ourselves can be because of our choices, the choices of others or the inexplicable circumstances of life brought about by sin. Some of them we can change by deliberately making different choices and taking thoughtful actions, some we can improve, some we cannot change but just to accept. Christianity does not present anything or any estate in this present life as the permanent and ultimate hope of the believer in Christ. Yes we impact our environment, but nothing earthly can be adequate to satisfy the eternity that God planted deep in the human heart.

The truth is that everybody in this life will not get married. Everybody in this life will not bear children. Everybody in this life will not be rich, or poor etc. This is the reality of life. The difference between someone with a secular mindset and a committed follower of Jesus Christ is that while the former pursues whatever he thinks will give him personal happiness in any way possible without restraints, the latter seeks to know what the will of God is as concerns his estate in life. He pursues his personal happiness within the boundaries of God’s laws.

As a Christian, it is possible to have contentment in our estate and circumstance. 1 Tim.6:6.

6. Other Challenges

Apart from these moral problems, there are other problems.

The crisis of identity: The child will grow up wondering who his/her father and paternal relatives are since there is no official father. The extended family has a way of stabilizing the child emotionally, helping to form the child’s character. A child may understand when the circumstance around his birth was accidental like a pre or extra marital pregnancy because of rape or outside-wedlock sexual relations, but how can he cope with the mother’s deliberate choice to have him/her without a father? It is a conflict imposed on him to battle by his mother even before he is born.

The Holy Spirit put Jesus in the womb of Mary before her marriage to Joseph was consummated (Matt.1:18), but are we going to use that to justify unmarried ladies that want to become mothers to go and get pregnant through IVF since they did not commit fornication? To draw such a parallel is a theological error and shows gross ignorance of the power of God in the incarnation of Christ. Mary was betrothed to Joseph before she was made pregnant. To whom is the single/unmarried lady betrothed? It was not about Mary’s happiness, “nor the will of man,” it was about the purpose of God, even against her personal earthly pleasures.

What should constitute our Response as Followers of Jesus Christ?

• We must make this matter part of our teaching illustrations. Begin to apply the Scriptures and give careful Christian perspectives to this area. Widen the discussion and begin to address these ethical issues biblically in order to help sincere Christians make godly decisions.
• Create a lovely family atmosphere in the church that is inclusive no matter a person’s social status. Most cultures alienate the single and despise the childless couple as if they are a problem to the community. The church should live above these cultural dictates of our society and stick to God’s Word; be a good dispenser of God’s grace and mercy. If the church is not made to be the family it is, people will look for ‘family’ elsewhere. There is nothing wrong with being single and unmarried as long as you are not ‘burning’. (1 Cor.7:8-9). A person who is single has more time to spend serving the Lord. (1 Cor.7:34). Let’s celebrate every member of the body of Christ.
• Change this earthly-perpetuity-based preaching that is peddled at the expense of eternal hope in Christ. “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” 1 Cor 15:19 NIV. No matter your estate in life, you can serve God well and enjoy a love relationship with Him because He loves you and redeemed you.
• If you strongly consider to be a single parent, pray and follow the adoption route and help a child find love and meaning in life. Try foster parenting or mentoring. These options are considered part of social work in contributing to making our world a better place in giving meaning to lives that ordinarily will not get it. That is better instead of engaging in this confusion.

As I conclude this discourse, let me address an important issue, and that is concerning the innocent baby that is brought into the world. Our approach should be that of forgiveness, grace and love. Throughout the scriptures, we see God celebrate life. Does the unacceptable behavior of a parent condemn the new born baby? The answer is NO. John Piper gave a good answer to that question when he argued that God can still make a child great even though the child may have originated in a sinful act. There is no difference between a human life born in marriage and a human life born outside wedlock. Sin or some sexual misbehavior can bring about pregnancy, but that does not mean that the pregnancy itself is a sin. The sin needs to be confessed and repented from while the pregnancy is a condition resulting from that sin which we need to handle with grace, love and care because as Christians, we believe that God can wash us beautifully clean and give us the chance to live for Him again. Nevertheless, Piper warned that “The remedy for that sin and the hope for a life of freedom and joy and peace and usefulness for mother and child and family and everybody affected should not be sought in the minimization of sin, but in the maximization of God’s grace.”

God bless.

Chris Ekwedam
Christian Author & Apologist.