Catch up with the news!

By Funmi Komolafe

Brethren, it’s a brand new year! Glory be to God. You made it into 2018,  which today is about  7 days old. The implication of this is that we are also moving closer to the end of 2018. By the grace of God as you saw the end of 2017 you will also see the end of 2018 in the name of Jesus.

I’m sure you must have taken certain resolutions by now.  In other words, you must have decided to do away with some issues just as you have chosen to embrace some.

I have made my decisions and I’m sure you made yours. Now, let’s imagine those issues we wish to embrace are seeds while those we have decided to uproot are weeds.

My question then is which are the seeds you want to sow?  Which ones do you want to uproot?

For instance, I expect any good Christian indeed, any reasonable human being to do away with the spirit of anger.   If you lived in our country Nigeria, you would see how that evil spirit of anger destroyed many homes in 2017.   It got to the point that even wives murdered their husbands. Husbands too murdered wives for issues, which could have been resolved through dialogue.

That is just an example.

Have you decided to refuse to be provoked by anyone or a group of people? Brethren, we’ll return to this later.

Let’s consider the positive issues.Let’s remind one another of an English proverb, which says, “ As you lay your bed, you shall lie on it”.   This is also true of our Christian life.

Have you resolved to move closer to God?   Have you chosen to worship him better?  This is so easy.  You can choose to sing a song a daily basis to worship the King of Kings.   You may also choose to simply say thank you Jesus as many times as possible in a day.

Have you decided to serve the Lord better?  Have you decided to move closer to the Lord?  If you have, then you are laying a foundation for a joyful and peaceful 2018.  In the name of Jesus, 2018 will present to you, that miracle you have been waiting for.

Mother–in-law, are you going to continue to put pressure on your son to secretly take another wife, just because his wife has been waiting on the Lord?  Put yourself in your daughter-in-law’s shoes, would you be pleased with your husband if he goes to take a secret wife, just because you are waiting?  If your answer is no, why then are you asking your son to take a step that you wouldn’t want for  yourself?

Do you know that your bad advice could lead your son into a matrimonial crisis that could ruin your family?  If you don’t believe, let’s take a look at the advise of Sarah to her husband and its consequence.

Genesis 16 vs.2-4 “  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing:  I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai”.

Verse 3 “ And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife”

Note that the pressure to violate marriage vow came from Sarai .  Hagai had been a maid in the house and  Abram never gave it a thought to have a child through her .  I t was an impatient wife, that led Abram to commit sin.    Just as impatient mother in laws are leading their sons to the path of destruction.   Or are you the mother of a wife who is waiting on the Lord and you are telling your daughter to engage in  extra marital affairs to fast- track her child bearing life, or to have a son, since she has been having daughters?

See what happened  to Abram’s family as a result of Sarai ungodly advice.  Genesis 16 vs. 4&5 “ And he went in unto Hagar , and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai  said unto Abram, My wrong  be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy boson: and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD  judge between me and thee”.

It is clear that she practically lost the respect  her maid had for her. Sarai turned round to blame her husband but thank God  she had a God fearing husband  who allowed her to have a way though  the humiliation she suffered was self-inflicted.

Whatever we desire from the Lord, let us resolve to take it to the Lord in prayer.   There is no short cut to a miracle.    Our God is a miracle worker and not a magician. Without embracing the Lord Jesus that desired miracle might forever remain a wish.

As you wait on the Lord for the physical manifestation of your heart’s desire, always bear in mind, the word of the Lord to  Abram in Genesis 18 vs. 14 “ Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Brethren, nothing is too hard for the Lord .  If you  establish a relationship with him, he will  grant all your heart’s desire in a  greater dimension.

Isaiah 12 vs. 1-5 but for this purpose we shall refer to verses 2, 3 &5 “ Behold,  God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song ; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy  shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation”.

Verse 5 “ Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things : this is known in all the earth”.

This new year, the Lord will do excellent things in your life and the whole world will see and rejoice with you in the name of Jesus.

Brethren, have your resolved to do away with envy?   Even in the church  of God you are envious of a fellow worshipper and you are doing everything to bring him or her down.   May I remind you that envy is a sin that can lead you to commit greater sins  .

I’ll share with you a story of a  young graduate boy  who was born into another religion but he embraced Christ.   After he became a Christian, he grew spiritually and became an assistant  Pastor.   Unknown to him, many of those he called friends were actually enemies in disguise.  An opportunity came up which was to take this young graduate to the United States  of America for a Fellowship.

An envious friend , made an evil plan with some people and they invited him to preach somewhere.  Unknown to him, there was no Christian assembly anywhere.  This envious friend agreed to meet him at a point and take him to the church where he was to minister.

He never ministered to anybody.  His envious friend and his gang strangled this young promising Christian to death and his body was dumped behind the National Theatre in Lagos.  Why?   The envious friend wanted to go to America and he saw this young graduate as an obstacle .At that time, this young graduate was the only child of his mother.

What seed are  you sowing?   Remember, your seed determines your harvest.  All you do in the church is to run others down as a way of lifting yourself up?   Is this your attitude in the office?   Brethren, it is in your own interest to repent and change.  Envy, backbiting, mud slinging can never promote you.

If you gain anything from such acts, it certainly will not last and you may be inviting the wrath of God against yourself and your family.

This new year, resolve to change for the better.Embrace the characteristics of our Lord Jesus and all will be well.   Let’s resolve to bring more people to Christ rather than bring Christians down.Songs of victory will be yours in the name of Jesus.

Once again, I wish you a fruitful year, filled with over flowing blessings of the Lord in Jesus name.

Happy  New Year.