THE PASSING STORM AND THE COMING KING

I do not know why many are surprised at the decadent turn the world has taken. The present world has a time span. It must surely give way to Christ’s coming Kingdom (Matt 24:14). The Holy Scriptures aptly described all the events we see today and what Christ’s true disciple should do. (Matt. 24) ISIL, Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, Ebola, occult, homo sexuality, persecutions, hatred for the faith, divorce and many dark inventions of satan are all sufficiently covered in Scriptures. It should not shift our gaze if we are conversant with the Scripture which is the ONLY source of true strength in the earth today and forever. Please read the Bible yourself and not just listening to preaching. READ!! READ!! READ!!

This is not the time to sigh and despair but to find solace and strength in God’s unchangeable word (Acts 20:32). As the negative events get closer to us than ever, we must realize that these vortex of darkness also creates an opportunity for the seeking disciples to experience Christ birthing and development within (Gal. 4:19). Christ is coming in the inward man. If He does not come IN US, He cannot come FOR US. The dark events can be mentally draining, energy sapping and sin birthing if we over dwell on them. It can alter our personality and disfigure us spiritually. They may become caging abode. This time of global darkness (Isa. 60:1-2) also present an opportunity for Christ light to shine brightly. Where do we set our attention, the PHYSICAL events of palpable darkness or the hidden light in the SPIRIT? (Col. 3:1-2)

SOWING AND REAPING – Part 1

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7,8)

The Sowing and Reaping essays that follow are dedicated to the millions of believers in Christ who are seeking to live a righteous life even though the theology of their church, and the footnotes of their edited Bible, assure them that they are saved by "grace" and therefore righteous behavior, while always desirable, is not an absolutely necessary part of their salvation.

When the writer in his preaching and writing emphasizes godly behavior, people sometimes respond by stating that a more balanced presentation of the Good News should be given. This is to say, it is necessary to stress that we are to live righteously, but we must balance this stress by pointing out the grace and mercy of God.

While Gospel preaching and teaching must be balanced if it is to produce good fruit, a problem arises when we attempt to "balance" our emphasis on righteous behavior with the reminder that God's love, mercy, and "grace" are part of the Gospel message.

Gospel Preaching Must Be Balanced

The goal of Gospel preaching is to produce men and women, boys and girls, who place their trust in the Lord Jesus. First they must trust the Lord for their salvation, their preservation in the day of God's wrath. Second they must learn to look to the Lord Jesus for every aspect of their life on the earth. Learning to obey the Lord and to depend completely on Him, which is another way of saying learning to live by faith, is as much a part of the program of salvation as is preservation in the Day of Wrath.

Sound, balanced Gospel teaching and preaching produces disciples, that is, people who lay down their own life, take up their cross, and follow the Lord Jesus wherever He leads them.
Teachers and preachers are to feed God's sheep by taking portions of the Scriptures, explaining them and applying them to the decisions and problems of daily life. Perhaps we do not see enough of this kind of preaching in these days.

But let us think for a moment about balance and the principle of balance in Christian teaching and preaching. If the minister of the Gospel is emphasizing living the victorious Christian life he must balance this emphasis by teaching the believers how to rest in the Lord's strength and wisdom. If the minister is emphasizing resting in the Lord's strength and wisdom, then he must balance this by stressing the importance of doing all in our power to obey the instructions of the Apostles and to keep on pressing forward in the Lord.

If the preacher overemphasizes pressing forward in the Lord, some of the believers will become discouraged because of their slow progress. If resting in the Lord's finished work of redemption is overemphasized, as it is today on such a large scale, then the believers do not grow in the Lord.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

The Scripture teaches that whoever will choose to do so may come to the Lord, and if he does so the Lord will receive him. The statement is made that God is willing that all should come to repentance and be saved.

The Scripture teaches also we do not choose the Lord, He chooses us.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)

Many passages throughout the Scripture exhort people to seek the Lord, promising them that He will be found of them. In addition, there is clear teaching that salvation is of the Lord and He draws to Himself whom He will.

To emphasize one of these two truths at the expense of the other is to give a distorted picture of the Divine salvation. We are free to choose to join ourselves to the Lord. But behind the decisions of people the Spirit of the Lord is operating the will of God.
The Apostles were commanded to go into all the world and make disciples from every nation. The Lord also commanded Peter to feed His sheep.

Numerous Christian churches stress worldwide evangelism almost to the total exclusion of bringing the believers from the "milk" of salvation into the strong meat of the Word.

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (Hebrews 5:14-6:1)

The result of emphasizing evangelism at the expense of feeding the sheep is millions of spiritual babies and very few mature saints.
Another example of imbalance would be to discourse every Sunday on the passages that point out the wrath of God and the torment of the Lake of Fire. A continual harping on the severity of God while never speaking of the numerous assurances of God's love and the unimaginable joy and blessing that will be the portion of those who follow the Lord. All Hell and no Heaven! The severity of God is pointed out but His goodness is not seen. Actually, the reverse is true today. The "positive" passages are stressed while the "negative" passages are ignored so as not to offend the people. This imbalance results from preachers seeking their own glory. The fear of God has been removed from the churches by overemphasizing the love and mercy of God.

There are assemblies today that present an hour of worship and fifteen minutes of diluted teaching. The result of such imbalance is worldly believers—believers who stumble and fall in their time of testing.

Another imbalance, common in our day, is to speak continually of the financial blessings and material provisions God wishes to shower on Christians while never mentioning the admonition to endure hardness as good soldiers of the Lord.



To be continued.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE HIGHLY WELCOME.

Copyright © 2014 Trumpet Ministries Inc

SPECIAL WRITE UP: The kingdom icon, Mama Ruth Elton

When we visited Mama Ruth Elton on the 6^th of November, 2013, our interest was on the works of Pa S. G Elton (Her father) and the need for it to be immortalized. But, we were really blessed by this woman of God and learned of the remarkable contribution she has made to the gospel in Nigeria. We were enamored by her selflessness and her candid views about the church in Nigeria.

We conducted an interview with her with team members having opportunity to ask one question or the other and also a special write up celebrating her life.

The team comprised of: Pastor Wole Olakunle, Pastor and Mrs Demola Akinyemi, Pastor Douglas Arukwe, Pastor Isaac Arikawe, Solomon Balogun, Olawale Perfect, Mr Akinbiyi and Yemi Obideyi who did the write up. 

Be blessed as you read about this remarkable vessel of Christ.

  

Meeting Mama Ruth Elton

What a priviledge meeting with mama Ruth Elton Novemember last year. Our trip to Ilesha was eventful. We all had a wonderful time with this wonderful woman of God. She answered all our questions and gave us interesting information about her Father who we wanted to know so much about. The meeting was one of my notable high-point of 2013. I look forward to another meeting with her hopefully this 2014.

We salute this gift of God to Nigeria.

Here are picture scenes from the trip.

Celebrating a kingdom icon, Mama Ruth Elton at 80.

Celebrating Mama Ruth Elton, daughter of Pa S. G Elton who was a missionary to the middle belt, North Central region of Nigeria . The mission work was firmly rooted in Ebira, Okene and spread to other areas and tribes notably Egbira Koto, Gwari, Bassa Kwomu, Ganagana.

Her Father S.G Elton left his native country England to come to Nigeria as a missionary in 1937. He received a divine call to Ilesha. He was at the centre of all the major revivals then, playing a major role in most of them. The notable one was the Joseph Ayodele Babalola's (founder of Christ Apostolic Church C.A.C) revival in Ilesha. He became the father of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement that emerged in the nation’s campuses in the 70’s. In the 80’s his teaching emphasis centred on prophetic truth about The gospel of the kingdom and the emergence of the end time overcomer’s company. Pastor E.A Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God said, “Nobody can truly write the history of either Pentecostalism or holistic gospel in Nigeria and leave Pastor S.G Elton out of it”

Her ministry is the Coming Kingdom Outreach based in Ilesha where she lives.

Upgrade 10!! A time of divine ascension!!

This is a precarious time in history, God is releasing understanding to enable His people come to the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13) and Babylon blown away. This Christian Leadership Upgrade is about His church coming to the fullness of Sonship. It is about your designated role in God's prophetic calendar.

God is speaking to the lowly and the meek at heart, so do make out time to be at the meeting.

Upgrade 9 was great and I have no doubt that Upgrade 10 will be greater. 

The Lord's Servant - Part 1

I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. (Isaiah 42:8)

We have many idols in America: money, sexual lust, violence, power, entertainment, drunkenness. Much of God's dealings with us has to do with the removal of the power our idols have over us.
Christ is under God. We are under Christ. The remainder of the creation is to be under us, for it is appointed to the royal priesthood to govern and judge mankind and the angels. Christ continually is removing the gods that are between Himself and us and forcing them under our feet. How we howl in pain and unbelief because of this process! But if we cooperate with God's Spirit there finally is peace and rulership. Christ will have nothing between Himself and us.

What is faith? - Part 6

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:8)

If we would live by faith we must have a clear goal. The goal of the saint is eternal life in the Presence of God. It is the possessing of Christ—to be found in Him.

To attain the righteousness that is of God by faith we always must be pressing "toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ." The moment we draw back from the single-minded, intense pursuit of Christ, God has no pleasure in us.
We have not reached our goal until it is no longer we who are living but Christ who is living in us.

Gifts and Ministries - PART 3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. (Romans 12:3)

The Lord is not requiring that we attempt to go forth and "do big things for God." He asks only that we judge ourselves soberly according to the measure of faith God has given us.
It is difficult, but necessary, to find that perfect balance where we neither are "stepping out in faith" (presumption) or involving ourselves so heavily in the world spirit that we are neglecting to hold ourselves before the Lord as a priest.