THE BIBLE HAS ONE FOCUS - JESUS!

 Now, when I talk about the lenses through which one reads the Bible, I am talking about the covenants through which one reads the Bible. I am not talking about the historical context, the cultural context, or whatever contextual frameworks theologians have coined to help us stay faithful to the scriptures. (I am not in any way condemning those contextual frameworks.) I am clarifying that one can know all these contexts and still miss out on the primary person all scriptures direct us to—JESUS! We can be like the Pharisees and the Sadducees; we can know, memorise, and even ideally give the background of all scriptures and still miss out on the underlying person scriptures want us to see as we read and study the Word of God today—JESUS.

Suppose your entire yearly Bible reading aims to know and understand the various stories of each patriarch, do a background study of why something happened to them in the Bible, or find the root meaning of a Hebrew or Greek word without an eye to see JESUS. In that case, you have only gone through a history or literature class. You only know the letter, yet you need the spirit behind the Word to help you grow spiritually. Your Bible reading and studies can make you see sixteen ways to fight spiritual battles. Your Bible reading and studies can show seven steps to financial freedom. Your Bible reading and studies can show you food recipes. Your Bible reading and studies can give you twenty investment pointers. Your Bible reading can teach you the ten steps to be ahead in life. However, the entire goal of scripture to the Christian is to have an encounter with one person—JESUS. Suppose your whole yearly Bible reading and studies lacked an encounter with Jesus. In that case, you are no different from the ordinary book lover who spends hours at a library or bookstore satisfying their curiosity for knowledge with all kinds of books.

My previous writing had nothing to do with understanding your Bible reading or taking note of a word or words in Bible reading or studies. Although it is a very significant activity in Bible reading and studies, if the main thing, finding or noticing JESUS, is out of the way, it will be done in futility.

Someone once asked how the stories of Elijah, Jeremiah, and Isaiah mattered to his life today, and quickly, a Christian took offence at that question. Yet, if carefully considered, that question could have been the basis for that Christian to preach Christ. If they admired Elijah's ability to command fire, run faster than a presidential chariot, etc, all in an era where their righteousness before God was based on the blood of animals, how much more today? How much more in an era where the Christian's righteousness is a gift of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? How much more in an era where the Christian's sin has been completely wiped and erased with the precious blood of Jesus, the son of God? The blood continually speaks forgiveness, favour, peace, love, etc., over the lives of those who believe in Jesus. This is the reason why their stories are robust and relevant today. If they did that under the covenant of the blood of animals, then Jesus is right: GREATER WORKS IS DEFINITELY WHAT IS AHEAD OF US.

For Christians today, our Bible reading and studies should open our eyes to the numerous possibilities we have under the covenant of the blood of the son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. If those who walked with God under the covenants of the blood of animals could have done whatever we have read while waiting for the promised Savior, JESUS CHRIST, then GREATER WORKS are the possibilities we have in us and before us. The Bible cannot be a boring history book to Christians reading it if they read it through the perfect lens of Jesus Christ. The Bible is meant to be lived by Christians, not to be memorised as if one were preparing for a spiritual examination in heaven.    

The Pharisees and Sadducees knew the scriptures but failed to see JESUS. They knew the laws of Moses but could not see the aim of all those laws—JESUS! The sad reality was their satisfaction in thinking they had learned because they could break down the scriptures for all to understand. It made them feel exceptional and respectable in the sight of all, bringing them all the satisfaction they needed. Yet, they failed to notice one truth and one truth alone: ALL SCRIPTURES POINT AT ONE PERSON—JESUS! If your Bible reading and studies haven't given you a reason to consistently be thankful to Jesus for all He has done for us today, then you are no different from the everyday book lover.

Luke 24:27 (AMP)

Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the [writings of the] prophets, He explained and interpreted for them the things referring to Himself [found] in all the Scriptures.

In the book of Luke, chapter 24, verses 13 to 27, the writer introduces us to the story of some disciples of Jesus who were on their way to a village called Emmaus. According to the story, these two disciples were heading to Emmaus chatting when Jesus drew near to them. Per the account, their perceptive capabilities were held to prevent them from noticing him as Jesus. Like a stranger, Jesus asked them why they were walking with a sad countenance. Then Cleopas, one of them, went on and on to talk about the death of Jesus and then went ahead to add about the resurrection, which the ladies had come to report to all the disciples. Jesus interjects, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27 KJV)"

The only solution the Bible offers from the Old Testament to the New Testament for Christians is one man, JESUS CHRIST. He is the only solution to all problems that will never need a review to be changed or replaced. Every other solution introduced in the Old Testament, be it a Prophet, Judge or King, either died or was replaced. This man, Jesus Christ, has been the permanent solution unveiled to us today. If your Bible reading and studies have never led you to Him, then I cannot describe what you have been doing as fruitful Bible reading or studies. Any solution that can be reviewed for change isn't a solution but a gamble. JESUS IS A PERMANENT SOLUTION, not a gamble. Until our bible reading and studies consistently bring us to this awareness, the testimonies of the men of old will always seem impossible to us. Yet, Jesus said, "GREATER WORKS THAN HIS WILL WE DO." If we read the Bible, we will know that we haven't even started the works of Jesus and can barely think of the GREATER WORKS. (to be continued)

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.     

HOW WE READ THE BIBLE MATTERS!

One man believes the Christian faith is a contractual book that outlines the dos and don'ts for the Christian's prosperity if he adheres to them and for his detriment if he fails to follow them to the minute detail. 

Another believes the Christian faith today is a journey that begins from a victorious foundation of what Christ has already done on the cross with His blood for all in Christ; thus, whatever the Christian is doing is birthed from a place of "It is finished."

Even for those who believe in Christ's finished works, some hope for victory in their daily lives through Christ, and others are always assured of victory in Christ because they know Christ has won all battles, so they must only enforce that victory in everything. 

Let's carefully note that with scriptures, each person in the two categories described above can quickly and perfectly defend their stand, and they will make perfect sense in the ears of listeners. But for a listener or reader to judge whatever they are saying within scriptures without ignorantly accepting a "sincere error" which will lead to a life of "useless" bondage in Christ, one must listen or read with the lens of a Perfect Understanding of the Savior and King, Jesus Christ. Through this lens, Christians can listen, read, and journey with God without losing their liberty in Christ.

Understanding the lenses through which people read the Bible will let you know why some people think one should concentrate on the books of the Old Testament and the four gospels and ignore the epistles. You will also understand why some feel the Christian doesn't need to read the entire Bible but concentrate only on the book of Acts and the rest of the epistles and ignore the Old Testament and the Gospels. Some have even gone to the extent of teaching that the teachings of Jesus were of the Old Testament and had nothing to do with Christians today. How they all got to these conclusions, I can't tell. I know that the Bible is the Word of God written in its entirety for Christians yesterday, today and forever more.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (TPT)

God has transmitted his very substance into every scripture, for it is God-breathed. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God's servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfil any assignment God gives you.

In Matthew chapter 22, we are introduced to a day when the Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to find a way to have Jesus entangle himself with His words. Before Jesus' encounter with the Sadducees, He had already shamed the Pharisees, who were trying to trick Him with a question on taxes, with the famous statement: "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." And now it was the turn of the Sadducees, a group of religious leaders who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead (no life after death), to set their best trick question to get Jesus to speak against the traditions and beliefs of the Jews.

Their question: "Teacher, Moses said, ''If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name (Deut 25:5-10).'' Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest married and died without children, so his brother married the widow. But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. Last of all, the woman also died. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her." (Matthew 22:23-28)

Right after the Sadducees' representative asked the question, his colleagues looked on proudly because they knew this man, Jesus, could not give them a befitting answer.

Again, their ignorance of the Person who had taken an earthly body to walk with His creation made them think this question was worth years of research. Unknown to them, the Wisdom behind all creation stood in their midst and had the perfect answer for them.

Matthew 22:29 (TPT)

Jesus answered them, "You are deluded, because your hearts are not filled with the revelation of the Scriptures or the power of God.

The above translation perfectly situates what Jesus meant in the KJV: Your head can memorise scriptures, yet your heart may lack the Spirit-filled insight of those scriptures. Meanwhile, Christians need Spirit-filled insight into scriptures, not just memorised scriptures, to walk in liberty and victory in Christ.

The Sadducees' inability to comprehend the statement, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," was proof of their ignorance of God's identity and the magnitude of His power.

How can a God who introduced Himself as "One who can be whatever He wants to be" not have the power to give life, take life and create a place beyond the sphere of men for His creation?

Didn't they read Hannah's confessions during the dedication of Prophet Samuel? How Hannah confessed that God gives life and God also kills. Didn't they read it?

Instead, they chose portions of the Bible and wholeheartedly walked in error for decades. Their failure to notice "I am" in the scriptures began their living in bondage to a lie that also had "scriptural references."

Fellow brothers and sisters in the faith, how you read the Bible matters! Reading and studying the Bible with the perfect lens can give you freedom in Christ, yet refusal to do so will keep you in bondage forever. The failure of many to use the perfect lens in Bible reading has been the basis for them questioning the promised freedom in Christ and waiting for the opportune time to walk out of the faith if God doesn't meet their deadline. (to be continued)

Remember, the blessings of God are in a location called Christ. Therefore, remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.

WHY ARE YOU SILENT?

 

A well-renowned minister of God was asked or led to pray for a woman who once served a wealthy royal family in one of those monarchical states. According to the story, he got into this dilapidated house only to find this woman who had been serving one of the women from this royal family lying in bed, very sick. But what surprised him was that, while looking around, he noticed a document framed and hanging on the wall at one side of the room. Looking at the woman’s state and the house where she lived, he couldn’t understand why the document was framed and hanging on the wall. From his little interaction with the woman, he noticed she was illiterate—she couldn’t read—although she could speak properly. He asked the woman if he could look at the framed document at home. She smiled and nodded in approval, then told him that it was a gift she received from the royal family member she served for half a century before she died.

Although the man of God couldn’t believe what he saw and heard simultaneously, he had to do what he was asked to and take the framed document home. Getting home, he took the framed document to some authorities to verify the authenticity of what he thought was worth more than he had in mind. The authorities confirmed the authenticity of the document, to his amazement. This woman, who was living a wretched life, had inherited wealth enough to transform her and her entire generation, and yet she had kept it as a framed picture that gave her goosebumps memory of her wonderful boss. Although the man of God helped her get her inheritance and prayed for her healing, the story got me thinking of the years she had lived from the day she got hold of that letter or document from whoever she got it from.

Let’s dramatise the first day she got the document from a family member, friend, or solicitor. The person hands over the letter or document in a sealed envelope and tells her that the woman she had faithfully served for half of her life had requested that she be given this as an appreciation. Although mourning the death of a wonderful woman who would call on her each time she was alone in her quarters to chat with her, make her laugh, cry with her, etc., she could also remember the numerous help and gifts she had received from her. She remembers the shoes, dresses, jewellery and monetary parcels she got as a surprise gift or an appreciation for an act she was already being paid to do. “What can this woman want to add after all these wonderful years of service? If all she wants to say is a “thank you” in a letter, why don’t I frame it knowing I cannot read it?” she may have said while holding the letter. While quickly going to get a frame to immortalise this beautiful letter she had received from the best boss, she may have met friends or loved ones who could have read the letter to her. Still, she didn’t think they were worthy enough to look, touch or even read a royal letter from an outstanding royal member.

Many would have thought her mad to be smiling while walking briskly to go and buy this frame when her boss was buried not long ago, but she knew she wasn’t obligated by any law to make people understand this joy she was feeling after weeks of mourning this precious soul. She eventually got the best frame in town, got home and carefully placed the letter. Contemplating whether to put the frame in her hall or bedroom, she finally decided on her bedroom so her visitors wouldn’t use those evil prying eyes to look at it and eventually destroy it in the name of “it was a mistake.” She sang one of the songs she had been singing with her each time she tried to make her relax with a body massage and headed to her room. She stops at the entrance and scans the room, thinking of the best spot. She couldn’t see it if she placed it at the head of the bed. If she places it close to the window, she must always turn to admire it, and if anything happens, it can easily be destroyed. Then she got the best spot—the wall at the edge of her bed. At least, each morning and evening, she could wake up seeing it, climb out of bed seeing it, walk to the bathroom and back seeing it, and eventually come back to bed seeing it. She smiled as she hung it and stood a few metres away to admire it.

I don’t know why I am writing this, but I know you know what I will discuss. For some people, you have either been told this story or a story similar to this or even read the actual account from the source, so for some reason, this feels like a worn-out fable. You could be thinking; I should find another story next time and stop “biting” the works of others because you are sick of this or that, but the truth is that you are feeling or thinking these thoughts because you know one way or another, as a Christian you are the perfect replica of that “naive” woman. I know you know what Jesus did for you while he walked this earth, suffered the unfair justice system, hung on that cross naked, his burial, descent into hell, resurrection and ascension to heaven. You know because you have heard it preached, taught and dramatised wherever you go. It is nothing new to you. You can even preach and teach those stories without needing the Bible because you have memorised it since childhood. But my question is one: HOW HAS IT HELPED YOU? Knowledge can eventually be poisonous to its hearer when it cannot be applied to their benefit.

Jesus gave us a document to make us aware of all He has done for us. What are we doing with the document and that knowledge? The man of God saw the document in the woman’s room, sent it to the authorities to verify and then went through the necessary steps to get the woman her inheritance. What are you doing to lay hold of your inheritance and enjoy every single minute bit of it? Can you imagine the number of days, weeks or months that this woman stood anywhere in her house reminiscing about the help she could have had if her boss had been alive each time she was going through some form of hardship? Yet, hanging at the end of the bed each day and night was the answer to all her past, present, and future problems. All this happened to her because she didn’t care to find out the letter’s content and what she could do to receive whatever the letter stated was her portion. Why are you immortalising the great gift of an immortal when He left eternity into time to make time worth our while before we meet Him in eternity? Why?! Why are you admiring the Word of God and not reading and studying it for yourself? Why are you not applying every nugget Wisdom is making available to you each time you spend time reading and studying His Word with prayers and fastings? Why?!

If Jesus did and went through all that only for photo-op so we could hang that photo in our hearts, how “foolish” and meaningless was that shame and eventual victory for the son of God? If all we needed was a good picture of Jesus, He could have taken the best picture in the best places in heaven and “holyghosttooth” it to our hearts without leaving His glorious throne into time to go through all He went through with His creation.

How are you silent with all this power and victory at our beck and call?

How are you going to war against generational issues, and you are thinking you will lose when Jesus had won that battle centuries ago and has been waiting for you to enforce the victory in the family?

How do you not see that you are genuinely in eternal warfare yet facing opponents stripped of all their armour? I mean, you are on a battlefield with all types of the latest armour with an infinite number of nuclear weapons to face a loud enemy whose only weapon is the ugly paint that makes them look horrible and nothing else. Do you understand “nothing else”? The enemy doesn’t even have a “pocket knife” on this battlefield to brag about. Here you stand on this battlefield, and when the enemy opens its dirty, stinking mouth to shout, you are running helter-skelter seeking protection. Ah! Ah! Who bewitched you? 

How is a lion running because a cat meow?

Can’t you see that all the warfare you have been born in the body of Christ to face in that family, community, country or continent has been rigged in your favour before you were born or thought of by your parents? Who told you that God can make you win some battles and make you lose some battles? Which demonic voice made that sink into your heart? Why did you also allow that lie to sink into your heart? You are greater than the Israelites who lived under the covenant of the blood of bulls and goats. Of course, losing and winning some battles during their covenant was okay because they had to renew their covenant each year with the blood of a new set of animals. Failure to renew the covenant could mean anything good or bad to them; that can’t be our portion or identity. The day we lose a battle on the grounds of what Christ has already done for us with His precious Holy blood, we have every right to call our faith a scam. The blood of Jesus is the only blood that washed all our sins and doesn’t need to be renewed every year, decade, or century. The potency of the blood of Jesus when it was first shed has and will never reduce today or tomorrow, no matter what we do or say.

Why are you silent?

Why have you allowed the enemy to turn the battlefield into a playground?

Why do you look gloomy and depressed when you have all it takes to take back the grounds lost in the family to the enemy?

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.

THE WORD OF GOD IS OUR TRUTH.

It isn’t a sign of humility for Christians to talk down on themselves in the name of “sounding humble.” Humility in the kingdom of light has everything to do with talking and walking in the consciousness of one’s identity in Christ. Rejecting false humility is not only encouraged, but it is also a crucial step in embracing your true identity in Christ.

It is a sign of pride for Christians to think less of themselves in the name of being “humble” in the sense of men. It is the direct opposite in the kingdom of light. In the kingdom of light, it is prideful to think you are cursed. It is prideful to think you are oppressed. It is prideful to think you are unrighteous. It is prideful to think you are undeserving of the Grace of God. It is prideful to think it is okay for you to suffer at the hands of the devil for things you have done in the past. It is prideful to think you are not loved by God. It is prideful to think you are not God’s perfect creation. It is prideful to think you have to do all there is to make God love you. It is prideful to think you cannot be used by God. You are proud!

Nothing is “humble” about that in the kingdom of light. You are outrightly rejecting everything our Heavenly Father has said concerning you in Christ. To say that is to call God a liar and to claim you are the God of your life.

Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, knowing who you are in Christ is significant in this faith journey. If a man or woman proudly possessed by demons can boast of their useless abilities with the help of a demonic spirit, how much more you that have been bought with the blood of Jesus and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light? How much more you who have been placed in a seat far, far above all spiritual powers, dominions and principalities? How much more you who carry God? How much more you who have the Spirit of God? How much more you, who the Son of God died for? How much more you who carry the life of God? How much more you who are surrounded by a company of angels and spirits of just men? How much more?

We live in a world where each member of a particular kingdom is backed by absolute trust in their identity and authority in the kingdom in which they find themselves. The one who persists in finding knowledge—be it light or darkness—will always succeed over the other. The One in the kingdom of light will always be victorious based on the amount of light they have encountered in their interaction with Wisdom through prayer and the study of the Word. The One in the kingdom of darkness will also succeed based on their interaction with demons who will indoctrinate them with lies that would make them believe they are super powerful. The man or woman who is always conscious of their identity in their respective kingdoms will make exploits wherever they find themselves. I mean, wherever they find themselves, it will be based on the knowledge they have gotten from the depths of their interactions with their master. But be rest assured that the first-time Christian who basically understands that they have been bought and transferred because of the sacrifice of the Son of God, who shed His blood for that trade, is far more dangerous than the man in the kingdom of darkness. No demon, and not even Satan, can stand the presence of a man with such understanding and consciousness of it. This man knows the value of the blood of the Son of God, which is enough threat to the kingdom of darkness. This sounds weird and strange to you because you have refused to spend time with Wisdom studying His Word through prayer and fasting.

Why are you, therefore, rejecting the Word of God? Why are you finding it challenging to spend time with the person who is the key to your life? Why are you so comfortable in your ignorance? Why have you allowed the enemy to mock your victory when you should be mocking his defeat? Why isn’t the enemy packing their bags from your vicinity but building a luxurious apartment and welcoming more agents of darkness because of your silence? Why are you rejecting the truth of your victory in Christ? Why are you rejecting that you are righteous because you have Christ in you? Why?!

You don’t know? Are you claiming that you don’t know?

Why don’t you know Christ is your gift of righteousness, not you? Why don’t you know that you have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus? Why don’t you know that you have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to light? Why don’t you know you are comfortably seated in the kingdom of light? Why don’t you know that it is your decision to stay the way you are because you have chosen not to make use of your victory in Christ? Why don’t you know that you are the solution wherever you find yourself because Christ is in you and Christ in God? Why don’t you know? It is simply because you have rejected God’s Word and held high the frivolous wisdom of mortal men. You have finally made the “good words of men” become your reality while the Word of God sounds archaic or foolish in your hearing.

What has drawn you so far from the Word of God?

Why have you fallen for the deceit of the serpent?

Who has bewitched you?

Your faith in Christ is as valid as the truth you have encountered in your walk with Him, the true Wisdom—Christ!

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.