GNews

[The Glory Unveiled]

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” [ John 11:25-26 NIV ]

The Lord Jesus made the statement above to Martha and asked her if she believed. Now, this Martha was the niece of Lazarus, who had died four days earlier. The question Jesus asked Martha suggests that it was possible for Martha’s faith to make anything possible for her. Lazarus had to believe to give the power of God an excuse to release a miracle, but he was dead. Martha, however, was alive and could direct her faith to anything she desired, including raising her uncle back to life. Every possibility in God is available for and accessible to the believer, but it is possible that all the possibilities will remain unaccessed due to unbelief. Unbelief chokes faith. Its full form is the absence of love, impatience, lack of understanding, and a bad conscience, which means the opposite is necessary for faith. And so, Jesus tried to give Martha a small lecture to awaken faith in her by understanding. Unbelief has robbed many of us of good things. Meanwhile, unbelief or doubt is not a strange feeling or a weird phenomenon. It can be right there with someone, and they will still think they believe. This is why even though a person thinks they believe, if they do not have understanding in the matter, if they lack love, if they are impatient, or lack a good conscience, their faith is just a mirage. Unfortunately, many believers are stuck in that class of people who think they have faith yet manifest the symptoms of doubt and unbelief. If you have faith, your love for other people and God will announce it. If you have faith, your patience will scream it out loud. And certainly, if you have faith, you will demonstrate understanding. Now, the question that underlies our expectations is, “Do you believe?”

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the privilege to believe. Thank you for understanding, love, patience and a good conscience. I believe in you, Jesus.

Wisdom_Quote: Doubt hides in a lack of understanding, impatience and bad conscience.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [ 1 Corinthians 2:8 NIV ]

There is something that ignorance and knowledge have in common: they both move people to action. One person acts in a certain manner because of ignorance, while another acts based on something they know. Before our anchor scripture, the apostle Paul argues that all his preachings were not with human wisdom and eloquence. He firmly affirms that a mystery that was hidden from ages has, in this time, been revealed to the chosen vessels of God. He explains that this mystery is the wisdom of God. Then he concludes that none of the rulers of this age understood the mystery [of God’s wisdom]. This wisdom compelled the apostle Paul to preach the gospel without the persuasive words of man’s wisdom, while the ignorance of the rulers of this age moved them to crucify Christ, the embodiment of this ancient mystery. If they had known Christ was this mystery hidden from them for many ages, they would not have crucified Him. Knowledge of this mystery moved the apostle to preach Christ by the Spirit’s power, while the ignorance of the princes of this age also moved them to kill Jesus. They did not know that what they had been searching for was within their grasp, and so they killed Him. May we come into the knowledge of this mystery, the wisdom of God. And may we be compelled by this wisdom to act in accordance with it, so that our faith may rest on God’s power. The crucifixion of Jesus was a move made by ignorant men, but to us, it has become the reason for which we have access to the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s being—the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. So that through our lives, this mystery is made known to our world by us.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for revealing the age old mystery of your wisdom through me. Let the world see it, in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: The wisdom of God is the mystery of the age now revealed.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” [ Mark 15:14 NIV ]

Usually, before a person is incarcerated or punished, they must have committed a crime first. It is abnormal, absurd, and unheard of to punish someone without a crime. In the scripture above, Pilate, the governor, asks what crime Jesus had committed to warrant His crucifixion. To find the true crime of Christ that led Him to the cross, we will have to visit the first book of the Bible, Genesis. The true crime that Jesus is accused of is a crime humanity had committed through Adam. The disobedience of Adam was the offense that was supposed to be punished by death, for God did say, “for when you eat from it—disobey—you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). In the command God had given Adam was the punishment for disobedience proclaimed. But since Adam represented the whole human race, his punishment meant that all of humanity had to face that same punishment. But God, being rich in mercy and abounding in compassion, decided to take the place of man in the punishment for the crime of disobedience. So that, rather than the whole human race dying, one man [God] will die in place of the many. Caiaphas, the high priest, said, “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50). And so, by the love of God and His wisdom, he put the crime of the human race on the shoulders of Jesus so that He would also carry our punishment of death. That death, though physical, was more than just the soul leaving the body. It was a total separation from God. And so, Jesus was separated from the Father for our sake so that for His sake we might become the righteousness of God. Now, we are charged guiltless forevermore!

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the great price you paid for my redemption. I appreciate you for your love and grace. I am not condemned, I am redeemed.

Wisdom_Quote: His crime was our crime hanged on Him.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

The Glory Unveiled]

If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” [ Exodus 33:13 NIV ]

This prayer was the request of Moses when he discovered that God was pleased with him. Of all the things Moses could have asked for, he asked to know God and to continue to find favour with God. The verse of scripture reveals that, favour with God comes at a cost. Even though it would look like the person being favoured contributes nothing to receiving it; yes it is possible to stumble into favour with God, but to remain favoured, one must know God’s ways. Knowing the ways of God leads to a consistent experience of favour. While stumbling into God’s favour is possible, maintaining it necessitates understanding and following His ways consistently. While a one-time favour might occur by chance, sustaining a favour-filled relationship with God demands intentional efforts to align with His desires. It is easier for a person who knows the Lord to receive favour than one who does not know the Lord. Just as it is easier to support or help someone you are pleased with than the person you’re not pleased with. God favours those who learn His ways and endeavour to live a life pleasing to Him. The price of favour is a life pleasing to the one you seek favour from. All the men in the Old Testament who obtained favour from God or men did so by doing something their master liked. This is why Moses asked God to teach him His ways so that he may know God better and serve Him better. This is why there is no favour that is unmerited. Even the ones we call unmerited favour, we merit them through the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ. We can live in a favour-contained relationship with God where God favours us at all times and in all situations. So, even though favour is suggestive of something given or done for free, it comes at a cost. Pay the price and enjoy the package of divine favour.

Prayer_Bead: Almighty God, thank you for showing me your ways through your son Jesus Christ. Help me to live a life pleasing to you always. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Continous favour is engineered by knowledge.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” [ John 11:26 NIV ]

God told Adam and Eve that they should not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when they do, they will surely die (Genesis 2:17). Later, they ate from that tree, but they lived for many years afterward; they didn’t die as we know it. So, did God’s word fail? No, it didn’t. Adam and Eve died immediately they disobeyed God—the death was a separation from God. They were alienated from God’s life. And they were supposed to physically die immediately because just as a fish cannot live outside water, the soul of man cannot live outside God. But the reason they lived on for many years afterward was that they had harnessed a substantial amount of God’s life into their soul which kept them going until it ran out. And when the energy of that life force depleted, their bodies had to break down, resulting in physical death. Eating the fruit in disobedience resulted in a separation from the life of God. But in the new covenant, believing in Jesus means eating in faith, the fruit of the life of God, which is Christ. Jesus said whoever lives by believing in Him will never die. This means, in essence, whoever believes in Jesus will never be separated from the life of God, which is the real death. They will remain connected to the life of God. The question is, do you believe it? Do you believe that believing in Jesus gets you perpetually connected to the life of God? If you do, death cannot cut in on you; your life becomes linked to the life of God. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn among many brethren. You can become one of His brethren if you’re not. Believe the gospel, believe the truth about Jesus, and accept His Lordship today.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Saviour. I believe you are the Son of God, the life of God given to men. I welcome You into my heart. May I live forever in your presence. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: Separation from the life of God is death.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [ Ephesians 4:1 NIV ]

A prisoner is someone who has forfeited their rights and freedom to certain vital necessities of life. For instance, a prisoner experiences limited and restricted movement, unable to go wherever they please but rather directed where they are led. Similarly, a believer in Christ surrenders their rights and freedom to serve the purpose and desire of their master, Jesus. This is non-negotiable for those who are indeed prisoners for the Lord. The calling we have received designates us as the Lord’s prisoners. Hence, the scripture refers to being “prisoner for the Lord” rather than “prisoner of the Lord”. A prisoner for the Lord willingly submits to the Lord’s will; they choose to make themselves prisoners, rather than being coerced. However, a prisoner of someone is typically forced into imprisonment for a reason. Prisoners for the Lord prioritize the service of the Lord over worldly pursuits. As the apostle Paul stated, he considers all things as worthless compared to the worth of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). This reflects the attitude of the Lord’s prisoners. One’s calling is their lifelong responsibility and assignment. Just as a prisoner has duties to fulfill under the watchful eyes of security, believers are expected to live in accordance with their calling. Your calling and consecration entail a specific kind of life—each calling comes with its own set of demands tailored for its full expression. Therefore, allow your life to mirror the calling you have received.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, I commit my life into your hands. I submit to your will and purpose. Let your name be glorified through my entire existence. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: The prisoner for the Lord has no life of their own.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.