Of God and Mankind

1 Timothy 2:8    “ I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, without anger  or quarreling  or resentment or doubt [in their minds], lifting up holy hands.”   Dear people of God, prayer is a necessity for anyone who would successfully navigate the challenges of this life.   You cannot measure a person’s success in life just by material things because there are very many wealthy people whose lives are in severe crisis, e.g. marital squabbles, health challenges, insomnia, unruly kids, fear of death (Thanatophobia), fear of failure (Atychiphobia), fear of air travel (Aerophobia), etc.   With prayer to God in faith and trust, every human being would surely obtain that peace of mind that surpasses all understanding as God’s Word says in Philippians 4:6-7.   However, today’s main Holy Bible text shows there are hindrances to prayer that everyone should first deal with before going to God in prayer.   These are listed as anger, quarreli...

1 John 5:19 (AMPC) “We know [positively] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] is under the power of the evil one.”   Dear people of God, there is no easy way of dealing with tragedy – loss of a loved one, loss of a job, terminal illness, an accident, severe injury caused by a violent spouse, marital separation, etc.   Such incidents are always accompanied by pain and emotional trauma at times depending on the level of understanding of the person(s) affected.   So how does one deal with such issues?   First of all, let me make it clear that God is NOT the cause of tragedy. The story of Job  in Job  Chapter 1 of the Holy Bible is instructive here.   Yes, God PERMITTED the tragedy but Job CAUSED it. How, you ask? Look at Job’s  statement in Job 3:25, “For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me.”   You can see from Job’s  statement that he was living in fear and fear opens the do...

Romans 11:29 (AMPC) “ For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]”   Dear friend, as is usual with most of us, we would have reflected over 2024 and made some resolutions, goals and commitments for 2025.   My simple advice to everyone reading this message today is that you include the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah and Master of the Universe in whatever plans you have for 2025.   You must include Jesus Christ because He is the ONLY person Who would never mislead you because of His unfailing love for you as your Creator and God.   You must therefore follow Him wholeheartedly by diligent study, meditation, obedience and action on His Word in the Holy Bible. When you do this, you can be sure that your every prayer would be answered because He has said for you to ask God the Father anything in His (Jesu...

Hebrews 12:14 (AMPC)  “ Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration  and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.”   Dear people of God, I read sometime in December 2019 ago of a police inspector in Nigeria who shot and killed his colleague, a corporal, and the same shot injured another colleague, a deputy Superintendent of police after which the police inspector took his own life.   What could have led to such violence?   I also read of another unfortunate story of a lady killed December 25, 2019, Christmas Day, by her husband who had beaten her to a coma and then ran away after discovering what he had done. The police have since found and arrested him.   Reports have it that the man was fond of beating his late wife at the slightest provocation, which has eventually led to her death in this latest incident.   Again, what could have caused this incessant violence?   Medical experts claim that humans have 2 s...

2 Timothy 2:3-7 (AMPC)    “ Take [with me] your share of the hardships  and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.   4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy  and please the one who enlisted him.   5 And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).   6 [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labo u rs to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.   7 Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight  and understanding in everything.”   Dear people of God, following the Lord Jesus Christ as a disciple is not as easy and straightforward as many Christians of today believe and understand.   We saw in the first part of the post on this topic...

Revelation 5:15-19 (AMPC)  “ I (Jesus Christ) know your [record of] works  and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!   16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!   17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered  and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize  and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [Hos. 12:8.]   18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined  and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.   19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict  and convince  and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic  and in earnest  and burning with ze...

Acts 9:17-2 2  (AMPC) “So Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.   18 And instantly something like scales fell from [Saul's] eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized,   19 And after he took some food, he was strengthened. For several days [afterward] he remained with the disciples at Damascus.   20 And immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, He is the Son of God!   21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is not this the very man who harassed  and overthrew  and destroyed in Jerusalem those who called upon this Name? And he has come here for the express purpose of arresting them  and bringing them in chains before the chief priests.   22 But Saul increased all the mo...