JEHOVAH EZER

When a Christian in Yoruba land is assisting you in some way or another (or even seeing you off after a visit) and he/she feels they've done enough or can go no further; they often say, "Ebenezer; thus far the LORD has helped me" (in the Yoruba language anyway). Hearing this several times while growing up, I always wondered, "Are you saying He can help you no further?" I mean, if He has helped you up till that point, then He can help you go even further in assisting the person or seeing them off!

As time passed, I came to realise where they got it from, but I was shocked at the stark contrast between the real meaning & the Yoruba version! What they often meant was: this is how far I can go with you. In contrast, see the bible verse here:

1 Samuel 7:12 - Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

Ebenezer literally means "stone of the help". The stone was a memorial of thanksgiving to the LORD for the victory He gave Israel over their Philistine enemies. That same way, God is our Helper. All through the book of Psalms, David kept speaking of God as his helper & Israel's helper, asking Him to help him, thanking Him for His help. In fact, he said, "Your help has made me great" (Psalm 18:35). Through Isaiah, Jeremiah & Ezekiel, God kept speaking of how He had helped/would help His people.

When Jesus came, Himself being Jehovah Ezer (the LORD our help), He began to help people by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, delivering them from the devil who was oppressing them (Acts 10:38). The ultimate help He gave was on the cross, taking our sin & the judgment we couldn't carry (Isaiah 53). He conquered Satan for us (Hebrews 2:14), then He rose from spiritual death & received the highest name/title in all ages (Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9-11). Now, all the help we need is available in His Name (Psalm 121:2). Halleluyah!

Having ascended, He not only gave us His Name for our help; He sent us another Person to take His place, One that can help us exactly as He would help us if He could stay. He sent us His precious Holy Spirit. He called Him "paraclete" (Greek) in John 14:16, meaning Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, Strengthener, Intercessor, Standby and.......you guessed right, HELPER!!!

Glory to God! I've got the Helper in me now! Jehovah Ezer! He is in me! Halleluyah! I will never be helpless again in my life! My help is in the Name! My Helper is inside me!!!

When you need help, invoke the Name! Whisper it, shout it, anyway you want; but by all means, "Jesus!" When you require help, say "Holy Spirit, you're my Helper, I receive Your help right now". Then pray in tongues! Let living streams of help gush out of your belly!

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God; the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God shall HELP her, and that right early (Psalm 46:4&5)

The Holy Ghost is the river (John 7:37&38), tongues is one of the streams (Proverbs 18:2 & Acts 2:4); you are the city of God, you are one of the many tabernacles of the Most High (1Corinthians 3:16) and your spirit is the holy place where He dwells. Do you get the picture?! Are you seeing it?! You will not be moved, you will not fall! You are helped right early (at the break of day)!

Jehovah Ezer is in you now, will you ignore Him and go from pillar to post looking for help? Will you sit on the floor & cry your eyes out because there is "nobody" to help you? Will you mourn because a physical helper has been removed from the scene & you think you are now helpless? If you do, you ignore/forsake your help. It's a choice. That doesn't change the fact that Jehovah Ezer is in you. If you know this, then you can rejoice, you can "lambano" (Greek: receive/take hold of) His help & be made great! What is your choice today?

TRIBUTE TO BAAMI

Baami (my father) was born on a Wednesday, that has nothing to do with this, but just so you know.

My first conscious memories of him include going with him to his office, playing chess together, him playing the keyboard and of course, him with a whip ("wire") in his hand & pain in my buttocks (I must have committed one of a wide range of trespasses, you take a guess).

Now, I really didn't like Baami much in my teenage years (how many guys do?), but I grew to realise how much better off my life is with him as my father. I came to certain understandings of fatherhood & sonship, and he also kind of "chilled out", so we sort of met in the middle. Today, I know without a doubt that I love him and he loves me, and that is a really big deal. It is.

Baami is 65 years old today. I know it may be a few years too early to write a biography, but hey, we can always start rehearsing.

Scripture says a good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children. Now, most people (including me) believe that refers to physical resources, and so it does. Yet, it is clear that a proper inheritance goes way beyond mere physical resources that perish with the use thereof. Baami is a good man in every definition of the term.

The first inheritance he gave us to use & pass to our children is the Word. He taught us every morning until we could also teach from the "Our Daily Bread" devotional. He and the rest of the family were my first audience. He made sure we were fed with the Word at home, took us to church & also gave us freedom to go to places like Happiness Club where we were fed with even more.

The second inheritance is a good name. I tell you, I have never been to a place where someone knew/discovered I'm his son and didn't speak well of him or attend to me well. Even when he made enemies by standing for the truth in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; I was never at a disadvantage for it. I applied wisdom too sha o!

The third inheritance: opportunities. He has given us opportunities in life, within his ability. I tell you, each one of his children (biological & numerous others) have good standing in life because of him. He has always encouraged us to go for the best. And he & Maami have been our cheerleading team all the way.

The fourth inheritance is the blessing. I don't know anyone who blesses better than my parents. Every morning, every birthday, every new phase & everything that looks like an opportunity to bless; they release spiritual blessings through words & the laying on of hands. I learnt from the best!

The fifth is physical wealth. If he leaves for heaven before us, he will leave his earthly wealth to his children's children, because his children will be too busy administering their own wealth to add the burden of his own! But even now that he's with us, I can testify that since my childhood, I've never known him to fail in his responsibilities, and now we can stand without support. So, he has already given us that inheritance.

I could go on & on. Baami, if you ever happen to wonder whether you're still relevant to us, to me; I want you to remember this: you are indispensable & invaluable. Thank God that He has helped you to raise us to be able to stand on our own; but even now, you remain a father. We may not need physical provision anymore, but there's so much more that you're still giving: your exemplary lifestyle (especially in generosity & fearless standing for truth), your strong support in all things, your blessing, your prayer etc. All these things are timeless, seasonless & priceless.

Reverend Professor Ifeolu Kehinde Adewumi, olowo ori Adejoke, baba Dr Tomi Imarah, Engineer Tolu Olukoga, Moneybag Ayo Adewumi ati Dr Jesutola Adewumi; father of many non-biological children spiritual & temporal, astute academic mind & CEO of Greengold Initiative, I greet you.

Most blessed of fathers are you, may you be favored by all, may you bathe your feet in oil. The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days (Deuteronomy 33:24&25).

And lest I forget, happy birthday. I love you Baami. Your favourite son, Ayanfe.

I DON HAMMER!

I rejoice at Your Word like one who finds great spoil - David Jesse, King of Israel

David Jesse lived many centuries ago. He was first known as a shepherd boy, then a musician, then a warrior & finally a king. Through all these phases of his life, a few things remained constant; one of them was his love for Jehovah. So deep was that love that David would spend a lot of time singing & playing his harp. Later, as king of Israel, he spent huge resources raising a battalion of Levites whose sole purpose was to worship & praise Jehovah. One of the things he most loved praising God for was His Word (His law, His commandments, statutes & testimonies).

David had such an amazing love for God's Word that not only would he meditate on it often, but seven times a day, he would praise God for that same Word. His love for the Word is shown in one particular verse, Psalm 119:162, where he says, "I rejoice at Your Word as one that finds great spoil". The Message version reads, "like one who strikes it rich". If there was a Pidgin English Version (PEV) of the Bible, it would read: LIKE PERSON WEY DON HAMMER!

How did you celebrate the last time you made some good money? You've seen people who won the lottery, a scholarship, received a monetary award or closed the business deal of a lifetime. How do they usually rejoice? They jump, shout, laugh & dance; some roll on the floor. They call their friends & family to share the good news. They pop a bottle of wine. Some even organise celebratory parties. They do "thanksgiving" or give testimonies in church. You see the evidence on their BBM & whatsapp DPs, they post on Facebook etc. Do you rejoice like that at the Word of God?

Does the revelation of God's Word get you screaming & shouting? The Word revealed fills your heart with joy. Do you allow that joy to show up on the outside or are you too cool, calm, collected & "Christo-sanctimonious" to rejoice at God's Word?

Indeed, when you find God's Word, you've found great treasure. Two reasons: the Word is treasure & the Word can produce any treasure. Do you know it? Do you act like it? Have you seen the Word produce results in your life before? If you haven't, then you should be highly dissatisfied with your Christian experience because there's so much you're missing! Be dissatisfied enough to do something about it. But even before results come, there's an understanding that the Word is life to anyone that finds it (Proverbs 4:22). That understanding gets you rejoicing.

Maybe it's an attitude problem, a perspective problem. Maybe you just don't see God's Word as something to rejoice about. Beloved, repent. God's Word is worth shouting over, it's worth running, dancing, screaming & celebrating over! Depending on the level at which the revelation of God's Word hits you, you can even prepare a feast just to celebrate the Word you've received! It is that serious!

Beloved, I pray for you today: as you continue in God's Word, the Holy Spirit will show you greater & greater things that will cause your heart to rejoice & cause your life to be ever-transformed in Jesus' name. Shalom!

MY BLOODLINE

In some, no strength

In others, no health

In many, no wealth

Weaknesses through blood are spread

The blood-curse rages

Storms blow through ages

Confused men seek sages

Yet the plague ravages

The Truth, His blood He shed

On a cross the Saviour bled

Rivulets running red

Demons at His face fled

Since then a new family

God now Fathering

Not a cursed family tree

Rather, a blessed pedigree

A superior race, a higher life

Not blood-mediated, at least not human

A new family, a new bloodline

Not of flesh & blood; so purely divine

In my bloodline, there's strength

In my lineage, there's health

My pedigree is rich in wealth

His blood flows, the blessing spreads

Won't you switch bloodlines?

Won't you join mine?

Won't you come into the light?

Won't you partake of this life?

PLEASED 👍

So, I am pleased with myself right now!

Not because of what I'm doing -- well, sometimes I think they are cool -- but because God is pleased with me. Christ's sacrifice ensures this and if it's enough for God, then it's enough for me (Romans 5:1-2; 1 John 5:13; Romans 8:1,31-34)! My actions however, are also pleasing to God, done in faith. I believe God loves my actions too (when they are done in the spirit) but they never affect what He thinks about me (Galatians 1 & 2). I couldn't please God before, but now, having His faith, I am pleasing to Him (Romans 8:8-9; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:6)!

So, no matter what, I am pleased with anyone God is pleased with, starting from myself, and I am pleased with them every time God is (which is everytime) because I am a son of God, with God's own nature.

The world doesn't know God's children because the world doesn't know Him; I love God's children because I love Him (1 John 3:1; then 1 John 5:1), and I am God's child!!! I LOVE HIM (because He first loved me (1 John 4:19)), therefore I love me (5:1)!

But my actions too:

They should please God, because I have His nature. I have been created in Christ Jesus, not just for fun, but unto good works, planned for me to do sinnnce (Ephesians 2:10)!!! I have been called out of darkness into His marvellous light, not for nothing, but to show forth the praises of the One who did this (1 Peter 2:9).

So from now on, I am not to live for myself, but for the One in whom I have been made alive. He took my death, that I may live for Him (Romans 14:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:15)!

And the consciousness of Him, of His sacrifice, is important: I am in Him, I am a partaker of His body and blood and, as He says, I do it all "in remembrance of Me" (1 Corinthians 11:23-32). Looking unto Jesus makes it possible for me to run the race aright, for I see all that He did and I can keep running with patience. I will never suffer as He did anyway, and even if so: there's a greater joy before me (Hebrews 12:1-5; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:18; 1 Peter 5:9; Revelation 2:10).

Ultimately, I am conscious of Him and of His body -- the church -- of His leading and of His will, that my actions may be a sweet smelling sacrifice unto Him (1 Peter 2:5), this is the only right -- and sensible -- thing to do anyway, considering what He has done: Romans 12:1.

Citizen Me

Hebrews 12:22-29

... 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

This is not supposed to be scary in any way, the point is this: I am now in a new kingdom, and I have a new identity and citizenship. I do not operate as I did before I was saved and so, I should not work for this world but for the next, which is my true world. Why? Well, my works will be tested; they'll pass through fire and some things will be burned up: those considered unprofitable, but those of eternal value will remain! See 1 Corinthians 3; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Galatians 6:7-10; 1 Timothy 4:6-10; 2 Peter 3:10-13 for more details.

So, why do things that do not matter eternally, when I am now able to do things of eternal importance?

why would I do things of importance in a world to which I do not belong, when I can "invest", (lay up treasures) in heaven, of which I am a citizen (Philippians 3:20-21)?

The way forward?

I'll renew my mind by the word (Romans 12:2). I'll let the mind which was in Christ Jesus be in me (Philippians 2:1-18). This is what I need to do so I can express the new man which I now am in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24).

And how do I do this? I simply keep my mind on Christ; I keep beholding Him, His image, which is mine too (Ephesians 4:24)! I look into the perfect law of liberty continually and thereby begin to do what is written in it (James 1:25). As I come into knowledge of all that is in us who are in Christ, my participation in my faith becomes effectual (Philemon 1:6) and I am assured that as I keep looking at this image of God, His spirit will transform me into that very image.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

This image is beautiful, and as I keep seeing it, knowing that it is my true image: I still am, and always will be, pleased with myself!

BELIEVE ON

So I was discussing with a brother on Sunday & we got talking about what it means to "believe on" the name of Jesus. Really, it seems it's only the King James Version of the Bible that uses the preposition "on" in verses like Acts 16:33 & 1 John 5:13; so it can be said to be archaic English.

Still, those words communicate something that we rarely pay close attention to. The Amplified version consistently describes faith as the "leaning of the entire human personality on God". Believing on Jesus, then, means I rest my faith entirely on Him as the only way to the Father, my only hope of salvation, the only Saviour.

Increasingly, some Christians want to capitulate, avoid conflict, sound less bigoted & more progressive by saying that there are many ways to God or that a good Moslem or a "good" person may enter heaven or be recognised by God. My question to them is: do you even believe the Bible to be true?

Jesus claimed to be THE WAY in John 14:6 and went so far as to say that no man can approach the Father except by Him. Either He lied or such people are deluded. Let God be true & every man a liar. If we even begin to think otherwise, then there's no point sharing the gospel, no point begging men to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). They can just believe anything they want as long as they are "good". No! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus only!

There's another category of Christians who believe that the ticket to heaven is a combination of Jesus & good works. The Bible does say that those of us who believe should be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8&14), but nowhere did the Holy Spirit indicate them as a condition for eternal salvation or damnation. In fact, Jesus said clearly that the one who believes on Him does not come into condemnation & the reason the unbeliever is condemned is because he has not believed (not his works) (John 3:18).

This is the gospel to preach to the unbeliever, not good works! Some of them have good works, God sees them as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), but then we preach repentance from sin rather than Jesus the life-giver, the sanctifier; we can't reach them. They see no need for Jesus. On the other hand, for those that are deep in the actions of sin, they feel too dirty to come to Jesus. What satanic deceit! Oh, but when we tell them the good news: Jesus the life-giver, Jesus the arms-wide-open Saviour, they see Him, they come!

Someone may ask: what about the sinning saint? Indeed, walking in sin has many dangers listed all through the new testament, but the only sin that puts men in hell today is NOT BELIEVING on Jesus (John 3:18, John 16:9, Hebrews 3:12). Can a Christian stop believing in Jesus? Evidently so. That's why 1 John 5:13, Hebrews 3:12&13 and a host of other letters were written to Christians in different places at different times. That is why I have written this to you: "that you may continue to believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13 AMP). In other words, you believe on His name alone, BELIEVE ON (keep believing)!

On Christ the solid rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

ALL other ground is sinking sand!

SEXUAL PURITY CONFESSIONS

SEXUAL PURITY CONFESSIONS

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful to me. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. My body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for my body. God both raised up the Lord and will also raise me up by His power.

My body is a member of Christ. Shall I then prostitute the body of Christ? Certainly not! I become one flesh with anyone and everyone I play the harlot with, therefore, I do not give of myself indiscriminately. I am joined with the Lord and I am one spirit with Him. Therefore, I flee sexual immorality because sexual immorality is a sin against my own body. I most certainly know that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in me, whom I have from God. I AM NOT MY OWN! I WAS BOUGHT AT A PRICE, THEREFORE I GLORIFY GOD IN MY BODY AND IN MY SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S.

True worship is absolute consecration. All of me is all God's.

I am unmarried, therefore I care for the things of God - how I may please my Lord. I am an unmarried (wo)man, therefore I care about the things of the Lord, that I may be holy both in body and in spirit. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. God is holy, therefore, I am holy. My spirit is holy, my body is holy and my mind is renewed to these realities. I am free to serve the Lord without distraction. I am happy as I am. Therefore, I do not run with uncertainty. I do not fight as one who beats the air. I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. I run the good race in such a way that I shall obtain an imperishable crown.

I do not provoke the Lord to jealousy by playing the harlot with men and idols. I cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. I cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. All things are lawful for me but not all things edify. By one Spirit, I have been baptised into one body - the body of Christ. I discern the Lord's body so I consider not my own body. I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

So help me God, by grace. Amen.

Seun Osoniyi