From: Bayo Afolaranmi Dear Beloved, "MY DADDY WILL NOT LEAVE ME!"
"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged"(Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV). "…because God has said, `Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5, NIV). My two-year-old daughter said a statement that was a challenge to me the other day. We were having our breakfast that Sunday morning in preparation for the worship service. When my wife discovered that our daughter was slow in eating her food, she said jokingly that we will leave her at home if she does not eat fast. She just said confidently and emphatically, "My daddy will not leave me!" We laughed over the matter, but her confidence in me was a thought-provoking issue for me throughout the day. Do I have such a confidence in my heavenly Father? Can I say with assurance that He will not leave me even when it seems that everyone and everything is against me? The psalmist in Psalm 77 faced difficult situation that made him think that God had forsaken him. He asked six questions to ascertain the presence of God with him (verses 7-9). He concluded in his thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples"(Psalm 77:10-14, NIV). The psalmist knew that the Lord is there for him all the time and that he just has to remember the goodness of God and trust in Him. No wonder he said somewhere else, "For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance" (Psalm 94:14, NIV). The Lord will not leave you even when all others forsake you and you are passing through the most turbulent time. Yes I will say confidently, "My heavenly Daddy will not leave me!" In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). NB As we celebrate the Fathers' Day, I dedicate this message to all good, loving, caring and exemplary fathers throughout the world. ======================================= From: Bayo Afolaranmi Dearly Beloved, THE WIDOW’S MITES “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, ‘Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had’” (Luke 21:1-4 NKJV). Jesus Christ was sitting in a place in the temple in Jerusalem where He could see people placing their offerings into the temple treasury. Apart from the rich people that offered substantial amounts of money or gifts, a widow came and offered two mites (a mite was the smallest copper or bronze coin among the Jews). Ordinarily, her offering was insignificant, but, Jesus saw its significance, and He pointed it out to His disciples. According to Him, the poor widow gave more than the others because while the others gave out of their abundance, she gave out of her poverty all that she had. People (including me!) have been misapplying the action of this widow for many years. In fact, it has become part of our vocabulary. It is common to hear, “to contribute one’s widow’s mite.” The general meaning of that clause is that one is contributing at least a small amount to a cause. However, from the widow’s example in the Bible, a widow’s mite should be a contribution (especially small) that comes out a generous heart of somebody who has little or nothing to give. There are some implications from the event of the widow’s mites. One should know that: One, God takes note of all men and all things. All our actions are before His eyes. What we do in public and what we do in private are equally known unto him. Two, God’s standard of laudable generosity to His cause is not what we give out of our abundance, but what we give out of our deficiency - what costs us some real sacrifice, that is, sacrificial giving. The Macedonian churches demonstrated such a kind of giving (see 2 Corinthians 8:1-7). However, this does not mean that God does not accept the offerings of those that have in abundance. Three, God does not despise the humblest offering, if made in sincerity. He loves a cheerful giver (see 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Four, giving should not be something done out of coercion or subtleness of the so-called recipient. It should be done willingly and wholeheartedly. What is your attitude towards giving your substance to the cause of the gospel? Can your giving be considered as really a widow’s mite? Or are you giving reluctantly, out of coercion, or by the subtleness of your spiritual leaders? How can you really give your widow’s mite to God in a way that He will appreciate it and reward you for it? In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). ========================================= From: Bayo Afolaranmi Dear Beloved, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! "I hear many whispering, 'Terror on every side! Report him! Let's report him!' All my friends are waiting for me to slip… But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior…" (Jeremiah 20:10-11a NIV). Although Jeremiah was called by God, yet his own relatives, friends and other prophets did not like him. In fact, no-one wanted to listen to his message. They hated him because of their disobedience and idolatry (Jeremiah 11:18-23; 20:1f; 26:7f; 33:1; 37: 16-21). That was why he was initially reluctant to be a prophet to his own people. However, God told him not to be afraid of the people and disrespect Him, the Sender. He accepted the call and spoke the words of God without fear or favour even at the point of death (Jeremiah 7:1f; 20:3f; 26:1f; 29:1f). The Lord was faithful to His promises. He made him victorious over all these oppositions, though he was alone (Jeremiah 1: 19; 26:24; 33:1-3; 36:26). Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his own brothers. He was sent to prison because of his faithfulness. He was forgotten in the prison by those who should rescue him. However, God did not forget him. He did not leave him alone in the land of Egypt (see Genesis 37-50). It was as if Jesus Christ was alone on the cross and in the grave, but "What David said are really the words of Jesus, 'I always see the Lord near me, and I will not be afraid with him at my right side. Because of this, my heart will be glad, my words will be joyful, and I will live in hope. The Lord won't leave me in the grave. I am his holy one, and he won't let my body decay. He has shown me the path to life, and he makes me glad by being near me'" (Act 2:25-28 CEV). Are you also alone? Is everyone against you? Do not be afraid. You are not alone if you are with God. One with God is a majority. Be faithful. Remember, "The [Lord] who calls you is faithful and He will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NIV). "…He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV). In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
