PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 20 — SUNDAY 21, APRIL, 2013
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From the Pulpit Responding to God's correction (III)
I
'm glad to welcome again to your favourite column. Today I want to conclude this series. If you missed the previous parts, please ask your vendor to get you copies. Let me reiterate that God's discipline involves on one hand instruction, teaching and training, and on the other hand correction, punishment, and rebuke for those who fail to heed to the first side of discipline. Before I rounded off last week, I was talking about God correcting us through godly authority figures. As I've said, parents, especially Christian parents, are instruments of God's correction in their children's lives, and it is a bad parent who doesn't correct his children, and such children become spoilt. David was guilty of this, especially with regard to his son, Adonijah. The Bible says he never disciplined this young man at any time. "Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, 'What are you doing?' Adonijah was a very handsome man and had been born next after Absalom." (1 Kings 1:6 NLT) No wonder, while he was still alive, he enthroned himself king. Absalom, his elder brother, had also overthrown his father. Prov 13:24 says, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly." (NKJV) Parents are God's servants in the training of their children but they must follow God's instructions in training their children. They themselves must first be submitted to God so that they don't abuse their children. "Teach your children to
choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it." (Prov 22:6 NLT) But there is a warning for parents in Eph 6:4. "And now a word to you fathers. Don't make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord." (NLT) Spiritual leaders also have corrective roles to play in the lives of those under them. The Bible enjoins followers to obey their spiritual leaders "Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." (Heb 13:17 NLT) Those who obey genuine spiritual leaders and respond to their corrections always reap the benefits; those who rebel usually regret in future. In the work place, employers and superiors correct those under their authority which impact positively on their lives especially where such authority figures subscribe to the principles of the Bible. Generally, the Bible enjoins those under authority to obey their masters. "Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ. For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons." (Col 3:22-25 ASV) But the
Bible balances this obligation when it says, "Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven" (Col 4:1 ASV.) Neither are masters supposed to exploit their servants nor servants disobedient to their masters, lazy or dishonest. -Through mature Christians and Christian friends. It is true that walk with God is a personal thing but we have believers around us who can help us in our walk. Mature friends and Christian friends can become a voice of God in your life whenever you are going wrong. But they must tell the truth in love. (Eph 4:15) The goal should be to restore the erring Christian to do the right thing not to humiliate him or destroy him. Gal 6:1 says, "Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself." (NLT) -Through circumstances, situations or events. God sometimes uses circumstances, situations or events to correct us although this measure is not the most common. God may use this means to secure the attention of a Christian when he has failed to respond to other means. A child of God should therefore not wait for circumstances, situations or events to talk to him before he orders his steps aright. After Balaam negotiated with God his way to go to honour Balak's invitation to curse the children of Israel, God had to use his donkey to talk to him. Unfortunately, Balaam did not see that as a miracle because he was blinded by greed. (Num
GREEN PASTURES By Pastor T.O. Banso cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 22:31-34) Also David adopted the wrong method to bring the ark from the house of Abinadab putting it on a new cart like the Philistines did the last time they carried the ark. (1 Sam 6:8, 10-11) It took the unfortunate sudden death of Uzzah to correct David that he had violated the word of God on how the ark should be carried. God corrected David through this negative incident. (2 Sam 6:1-11) During the second attempt to bring the ark from the house of Obededom, the ark was carried the proper way by the Levites. (1 Chron 15:2528) It is not every time that God uses circumstances, situations or events to correct like he did with Balaam and David. Neither is it everybody who experiences the kind of correction that Jonah received through a negative event which led to his spending three days and three nights in the belly of the fish before he repented and finally agreed to obey God to go to preach to the people of Nineveh. (Jonah 1, 2, 3) However, sometimes there may not be anything apparently wrong with circumstances, situations or events yet a child of God is wrong and needs to correct himself; the opposite may also be true. Therefore circumstances, situations or events are not reliable means of receiving
correction from God. A child of God should stay open to other means of correction which has been discussed earlier and respond to God's correction. My prayer is that you will not be obstinate when God corrects you through whatever means he chooses. TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, kindly say this prayer now: "0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God" I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you will be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things becoming all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. May the Lord be with you.
The power of meekness in life and ministry (I) 1. SUPERNATURAL CONVERSION IN AN UNSPOTTED CHURCH Acts 2:37-42; 3:19,26; Matthew 18:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; John 17:6-8, 14-16; James 1:27; John 8:31,32; Acts 11:23-26; 14:21-23; 1 Timothy 4:15,16; 2 Timothy 3:14; Hebrews 10:25,38,39. In response to the question of convicted sinners, the Apostle emphasized, “Repent”. Repentance implies sorrow for sin as committed against God, with a purpose to forsake it. The sinner sees sin to be evil and hates it. He trembles at the thought of future unending punishment and flees from the wrath to come. True repentance is the work of God in the sinner’s heart, and it leads to definite and lasting conversion (Acts 5:31). Such repentance will enable the sinner to turn and to return to the path of righteousness. The whole heart turns unto God, he forsakes sin and follows Christ wholeheartedly. Turning from all past sins, he receives forgiveness; all the sins are blotted out and washed away and a new life begins in the grace and power of God. These converts gladly and joyfully received the Word; they rejoiced in the privilege of becoming reconciled with God through Jesus Christ. They so yielded themselves
to God with all readiness of mind and submitted to water baptism as commanded by Christ. Immersed in water and raised up, they identified with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. By the public observance of water baptism, they separated themselves from the world that crucified Christ and would henceforth live and keep themselves unspotted from the world. From that time on, each one knew that “the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). 2. SINGLE-MINDED CONGREGATION, AN UNSELFISH CHURCH Acts 2:43-46; 4:29-33; 5:12-16; 8:6; 15:25-29; Romans 15:4-7; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 2:2-8; Acts 11:23; Romans 6:17,18; Ephesians 6:5,6; 1 John 3:11-18. These converts in the sanctified, Spirit-filled church continued stedfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine. The members of the single-minded congregation were saved, separated, stedfast, sanctified, sacrificial, spiritual and successful in soulwinning. They were cheerfully devoted to the study of God’s Word and dedicated to living by the Word. Their love for God and for one another was practical, uplifting and encouraging. They all partook of the Lord’s supper frequently and
FAITH DISCOURSE WITH
Pastor W. F. Kumuyi received great spiritual benefits. The week-day prayer meetings and study of the Word were fully attended. Their commitment to God’s Word, God’s way, God’s will, and God’s worship is an example as well as an encouragement for the Church today. “And many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” The Apostles who had just been baptized with the Holy Ghost were endued with power from on high. They had power to preach, power to heal, power to do exploits and perform miracles, signs and wonders, power to subdue circumstances, to do the will of God, power to live victoriously and overcome the world. “And all that believed were together, and had all things common,” ministering “to all men, as every man had need.” Faith in Christ enabled these believers and
they loved one another as Christ loved them. There was no discrimination, discord, debate or disagreement among them. Their love had a purposeful, positive and profitable demonstration. The grace of God and the power of the Spirit are still the same and God’s believing people can also demonstrate the same fellowship, love, unity and power today. 3. SOUL-WINNING COMMITMENT IN AN UNSTOPPABLE CHURCH Acts 2:47,41; 4:4,31-33; 5:14,1720,27-29; 6:4,7; 8:3-5,14,25; 9:2931; 10:24,27,33-44; 11:19-24; 14:13, 21-23; 17:1-4,11,12; 18:4,8-11; 19:18-20. “And the Lord added to the church DAILY such as should be saved.” Daily evangelism and sacrificial soulwinning characterized the early church. Addition to the church, church growth and church
multiplication naturally became the result of thousands of believers sharing their testimonies, demonstrating the love of Christ, preaching the gospel and leading souls to their Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. “And the Lord added to the church.” The addition was not through infant baptism; it was through the repentance and conversion of sinners to Christ. The growth of the church was not the result of granting religious titles or position to unconverted people in the society; the Lord added saved souls to His Church. Only the Lord can effectively add to His Church. Not all the additions done by men are part of His church. Men may add Simon whose heart is not right or righteous (Acts 8:21), Ananias and Sapphira who lie to the Holy Ghost (Acts 5:3), a damsel who follows the servants of God to prayer (Acts 16:16,17) or the sons of Sceva who go about trying to cast out devils (Acts 19:13-15) but all those additions will be separated from the true Church on the final day. “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom ALL things that offend, and THEM which do iniquity” Matthew 13:40,41.