He is not here; He has risen, as He said [He would do].
Come, see the place where He lay. Matthew 28:6
His resurrection, the empty tomb
gives us hope and joy that nothing ends in death… not our lives, not our dreams.
Death is a place of transformation to something better.
The empty tomb shows us
there’s a power stronger than death. Death has been conquered by something so
powerful, yet so gentle and mild… Love!
Death got served!
God’s perfect love couldn’t be overcome
by death. Love truly is stronger than death.
His death gave me the freedom to live, laugh and love... and I choose to live for Him!!!
I’m thankful for the resurrection power
working in me… it’s given me the audacity to expect the impossible, so see life
where there seems to be death, to live knowing the greatest force in the
universe LOVE is working for me, with me and in me. The same power that raised
Christ from the death lives in me and quickens me to perfection. Glory.
RESURRECTION SUNDAY: God can breathe
new life into your dreams, endeavors, relationships, and needs. Jesus is
alive." – Brian Houston
What happened on Saturday?
Saturday was silent. Saturday was gloomy… Saturday was uncertain. Christ had
died, all seemed lost, so lost, that no one saw sense or could muster up enough
faith to hold on to His words before He left. The assurance that it is finished
were probably overlooked as last words of a hopeless dying man, relieved to be
relieved of his pain and torment on that cross. All His simple but profound
teachings that pointed to Him as the messiah made no sense anymore on that
cross.
What happened when his body
was buried? Suddenly what they believed and were passionate about seemed
surreal. It was real while it lasted, but now was reality. What to do next.
Where to go next… what’s the next curve ball life is throwing. That Saturday
must have been filled with uncertainty, with fear, with anguish, with questions
and wonder. Was he? Wasn’t he? Then how? Why would Judas? How could they have
murdered him? Just like that?
They were scattered and
hiding out in fear, sought out to be arrested. It was truly finished for them,
but not in the sense Jesus meant, but in their botched understanding in that
moment.
The heart beat of a mother
who tried to reconcile her conception of a son who was the son of God and all
the miracles she had seen… to reconcile the reality of the moment to the virgin
birth and those profound words that still sounded so clear like it was said at
that very moment “You
will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He
will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God
will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33And
he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Luke 1:31-33
We all go through the silent
Saturdays. We hear words of assurance, words that stir our faiths, sermons that
swell our faith to mountain moving proportions… we’re all hopeful till we get
to a point where it seems like we’re stuck between a hard rock and the deep
blue sea. Every way feels like no way… because really, you’d feel better if you
could move into the deep blue sea, because somehow that gives a sense of
direction, of movement even when you know you’ll drown in there. Anything feels
better than being still and knowing he is God.
But God said He will, then
why hasn’t He? But God’s here with me He says, so why can’t I hear Him or feel
Him or see that miracle? Everywhere speaks silence, even the word breath silent words out when you
try to read to encourage yourself. Your prayers are mumbles. You are in a
silent drought…
But that’s the wrong time to
give up. That’s the time to be more hopefully, because you see, as with the
disciples, after the silent Saturday where everything they had been taught by
Jesus was shaken, where doubt clawed at their hearts of the authenticity of
Jesus as the savior… after this deep gutted silence that could slice at every
ounce of truth effortlessly, came the thunderous Sunday. The Sunday that changed
the world as we know it. The Sunday that saved us, the Sunday that sealed our
fates as children of God… the Sunday that restored us and proved every word and
every step Jesus took. Resurrection Sunday.
If everything is as silent as
death around you, rejoice, there’s a resurrection for you. Christ died that we
may have life and have it in abundance… life isn’t just the air we breath, life
is the life we live; our relationship, our marriage, our careers, our ministry…
everything! There’s a resurrection and in it, the fulfillment of all the
promises.
Whatever you’re going
through, there’s a word for you it truly
is finished. That situation is finished; it can’t finish you unless you let
the silence of Saturday hang you on a noose of unbelief. There’s a calm just
before the glorious storm. God is working, even when it’s silent. It was silent
on earth, but Christ was down in hades to raise some dust J proclaiming His victory to the kingdom of darkness.
Destroying the power of death, so when its silent, know He’s behind the scene,
perfecting it for you, bringing us to the perfect finish through the perfect
sacrifice.
Have you ever been in debt?
I have and it was horrible. I got involved in a somewhat bad deal; well it
wasn’t all bad till there was an outstanding bill I couldn’t meet up with at
the stipulated time. Oh gosh! Life just twists and turns you to a deplorable
state of unrest. Your life isn’t yours anymore, even when you try to relax,
something nudges you… ah ah, not today my
friend, you owe…. You owe. You’re in debt. Even when no one is calling you
to pay up, you still feel haunted.
I live in Nigeria; we don’t
bury ourselves in institutionalized debts in these parts. We don’t have credit
card bills piling up, very few people buy their homes on mortgage. They don’t
see all of us as credit worthy and the banks make getting loans even for legit
businesses a hellish task, talk less of personal loans. Thus we’re not used to
the debt life or living beyond our means on credit. There’s no fear of houses
and cars being repossessed, because we out rightly own what we have. Ain't I glad about this... not having any credit card bills to deal with. A friend who's a business man kept laughing at me, and telling me to man up... that's how business is done, sometimes you owe... sometimes you don't. But how could I? I was not built for being in debt.
I didn’t have any peace, one minute
I’d be laughing at something and even enjoying myself, and then I’d remember my
debt, a little taunting voice in my head would get me weak and sad and withdrawn.
The day I got to sort out
that debt was such a happy day. I could breath!
The debt life isn’t a life to
live. The debt free life is such a blessing. Waking up in the morning knowing
you owe nothing, nobody has anything on you. Your phone rings and you don’t
hope it’s not about the money you owe. You wake up feeling free and go through
life feeling light, nothing is bugging you. Nothing is nudging at you, nothing is breaking
your relaxation… its peace, joy all the way.
God has given us a debt free
life.
If I felt this way about
money, how much worse it is to feel like you owe a huge debt in life, one your
money can’t pay for.
We were in debt, you and me.
Our lives were a mess. An accusing finger pointing at us everyday and we would
accept the accusation, walk in shame, working all day trying to pay up the
debt. But we still weren’t making any progress, all attempts; all our toiling
wasn’t even a drop in the ocean in our debt bank. It was truly a hopeless case
until Jesus came in and paid off our debt. Just like that, on that cross, He
paid the highest price and now we’re free.
He died to set us free.
“He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” (1
Timothy 2:6a NLT)
Stop living like one who
owes. Creeping through life with your head down, living in fear that God is
angry with you and would soon be demanding you pay a price for your sin. Don’t
think the headache is a price you’re paying for lying, or barrenness is a price
for a promiscuous life.You don’t owe
anything. Live life to the fullest in Christ… a rich and satisfying life is what
the death debt payment has given you. Enjoy life to the fullness, peace like a river, and
joy like a fountain. God is not angry with you. He’s accepted the payment
Christ gave for you. Truth is He paid so much more than the price of our sins,
just to make sure there’s no loose end. Thus not only has your debt been paid,
but you’re no longer a slave to sin; not a slave to fear, to lust, to
heartbreak, to sickness… you rule over everything that has kept you captive, you've been set free.
Don’t live life like you’re
in debt. Timid and tattered… the bible says the righteous man is as bold as a
lion. Are you righteous? Of course you are, I can boldly say that… we are
righteous because Jesus died, and we have been accepted in Him, thus we are the
righteousness of God in Christ. Go through life boldly, knowing you are righteous
and you can do ALL things through Christ.
Jesus assumed our guilt and suffered the full penalty of our sins, in our name, in our place. The entire debt against the one who believes in Christ is wiped out. T.L. Osborn
Christ has set us free to live a free life.
So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.
Galatians 5:1 (MSG)
A debt free person would do
things from the standpoint of what Jesus has done, the finished works on the cross.
He would pay attention to details, to the fine print of who He is as written in
the word. He would know his stuff, who he is, what he is, the value of the
price paid for him. He thinks long term, he don’t just fall into sin with
instant gratification, he thinks about the prize set before him and even if he
does fall, he gets right back up as the righteous and forgiven man that he is.
He isn’tafraid to ask his Father… yes
He paid our debt already, but it doesn’t stop him from asking for more, rather it
gives him a right to more, more than enough, thus he's bold enough to ask Him
for more, to meet his needs. A debt free man refuses to be intimidated by life,
he saves the word in his heart and is equipped to encourage himself when he
comes across trouble. He has the Holy Spirit as his wise counsel and delights in fellowshipping
with him. He isn’t afraid to say No when necessary, knowing that yielding to
popular demand doesn’t define him, but his identity in Christ sets him apart.
He knows the value of money, the power in giving; offerings, tithing, sowing
and charity, that’s the value of cash and not in hoarding and just for personal
gains.
Why would He give His life for us, just like that? Because He loves us. The cross equals love.
Good Friday is celebrated as
the day Christ died. It’s a reminder that you are debt free, and we have a
fully paid life. Don’t let the devil keep knocking on your mind and threatening
you with a life bill that’s already been taken care of, with a huge tip. His
death has set you free indeed. Live in this freedom and don’t let life
intimidate you, because you owe it nothing, and God is not angry with you
anymore.
So if the Son sets you free, you are
truly free. John 8:36
One of my favorite hillsong song is ‘man of sorrow’ A part of it goes like this …
Now my debt is paid, It is paid in
full. By the precious blood, That my Jesus spilled
Now the curse of sin Has no hold on me Whom the Son sets free, Oh is free
indeed
Sometimes it feels like
everything is coming against me… even as I smile and go through life like I
don’t see the issues, they’re rushing towards me but I refuse to get depressed
about them. I ask myself, is it worth
killing yourself over? If you don’t see it as worth your life then why
bother? It’ll surely pass, the issue will be sorted and life will move on.
This evening was one of those
oh what a life lamentation time, but I’ve
been comforted by this truth whispered in my heart, that for every pain and
every challenge, there are hundreds of
gains and goodness. For every tear, there’s a lot more joy. There’s a lot more
good happening than the bad we project.
Have you noticed how our
minds tend to project the bad happening more than all the good happening?
You think you see trouble?
Well, reasons for your peace are more than those troubles that have come
against you. So choose peace. Choose rest. Choose life. You’ll be surprise at
how well things come into perspective when you rest. I’m not referring to the
drug induced kind of rest that blanks reality out, I’m talking of the kind of
rest God offers… the one where He tells us to come to Him and He will give us
rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
When you’re in the God kind
of rest, you’re in a glory induced haze and your eyes are opened to see that
you are a giant in the eyes of the troubles coming your way and not the other
way round. You see that there’s more sweet in the pudding than sour and you’re
able to conquer/endure easily.
I love this story of Elisha
and his servant….
When the servant of the man of God got up early the next
morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere.
“Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.
“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on
our side than on theirs!” 17Then Elisha prayed, “O lord, open his eyes
and let him see!” The lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up,
he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of
fire.
2 kings 6:15-17
That story isn’t just for
then. It’s for now. There’s more working for you and in your favor than against
you. Even when life seems to be falling apart, there are more things that have
fallen in place for you than fallen apart. It’s all a matter of your mindset,
what you choose to amplify, what you choose to fix your gaze on.
Trust that you’re going to be
alright and whatever situation, no matter how massive it looks is just like a grasshopper
that will be stumped on. In the words of Elisha “ don’t be afraid, for there are more on our side than on theirs”
There’s more working for you
than against you. Rest in the arms of your Fathers love.
Incense is in Lagos this
weekend guys and I would love you to be a part of it. The Blueprint church has
so graciously offered to host us, and I’m so so excited.
It's a love revolution! More than a worship
experience. It's an encounter that lifts to new dimensions and breaks barriers.
Worship... A phenomenon that's best lived than described.
We can only get to the Spirit and truth kind of worship when we understand just
how loved we are by God... In that understanding we respond to Him and love on
Him even when the rents long overdue or we've built our own estates. Our
worship wouldn't be based on what's happening around us but on what's happening
within us.
Incense is about stirring the truth of that love in our hearts and bringing us
to the place of unadulterated worship.
Excited about Incense Lagos this Sunday. 4.30pm at golden tulip hotel Festac! (Beside
Shoprite)
We have a team of anointed ministers who’ll be helping us release our worship. Trust
me... You don't want to miss it. I'm so thankful God chooses to use me for this when He could have anyone.
The romance stories I find
myself drawn to, are those where two different social classes seem to merge in
love. How social barrier isn’t a determinant of how hard love hits and when it
does, they fight through everything to the happily ever after.
The wealthy handsome guy, and
the lower class beautiful lady… What perfect fairytales are made of… Sigh!
A few examples of stories
that make me swoon….
Sound of music… gosh! I only
began to really understand and see the story line as an adult and I was blown
away. The captain and the nanny… how absurd, so beautiful, so heart melting,
what perfect daydreams are made of.
Pretty woman floored me. The
wealthy business mogul, who was young, suave, handsome… the toast of society,
an eligible bachelor falls deeply in love with a pretty prostitute… no college
education, no class, no money, the bottom of the social class.
Annie… Daddy Roberts, the
unmarried billionaire, falls in love with his beautiful secretary Miss Grace.
Voice in the wind… Marcus,
the wealthy Roman elite falls in love with his family’s plain looking Jewish
slave.
Cinderella… The handsome
prince, falls in love with the poor, maltreated orphan girl, and puts the
kingdom at a standstill as he went in search for his one true love.
Ruth and Boaz… ahhhh Boaz! Wealthy,
kind and probably handsome Boaz and poor poor beautiful Ruth, scraping for food,
gleaning on his field. What a story, what
a love. Excuse me as I swoon for a minute thinking about them.
Esther and the King... The plain
Jewish girl who caught the attention of the great king.
I was thinking about it
recently and I realized… wait, that’s really my story. I’m drawn to these love
stories of love beyond the social classes because I see me in them.
Well, that’s the salvation
story isn’t it?
I am the low life, the lower
class, and the out dog. For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God, the one with no glory (fame,
grandeur, dignity, riches etc) and He is the eligible, wealthy, handsome elite
who falls in love with me. He is the King of kings…. He is the Lord of lords.
He is the Messiah… He is the Holy one and He’s so in love with me. He fell so
hard, He did all He could to get me, even if it meant giving up the treasure of
His kingdom to win my heart and bring me to the same status as Him…, which it
came down to… He gave Jesus for me.
Such a ploy to woo me, make
me acceptable and qualify me to sit on the throne of His kingdom, equal to Him
(for ye are gods) and now He calls me His bride, His princess, against the
better judgment of anyone who would have anything to say about it.
Why would you stoop so low for this one? When You
could have anyone You want? But He
did it still… the power of His love. So powerful that He died for us, He made
the perfect sacrifice for us, to prove just how true, how real, how unshakeable,
how priceless this love is.
The perfect love story…
Called out of darkness (the lower class/low life) into His marvelous light (the
high life/top of the social class chain/the privileged class).
In pretty woman and all those
stories, the wardrobe of the ladies had to change to reflect their new status.
The shopping on rodeo drive, the
beautiful jewelry… so exciting. So does God want me to reflect His glory, that
the world will know He’s taking care of His pretty little bride, thus now I
have ALL, for He has blessed me with all spiritual blessings in the heavens
(His kingdom) and He has given me authority over all the powers of the enemy (I
wear His signet ring the blood of Jesus/His name) and I carry His love child in
the womb of my Spirit (the Holy Spirit) and I’m birthing great fruits for the glory
of my love!
Isn’t it awesome? Stuff that
goes deeper than the fairytales.
