GOD HAS SOMETHING TO SAY (THROUGH AND TO YOU)

GOD HAS SOMETHING TO SAY

 (THROUGH AND TO YOU)

 BIBLE PASSAGE: Isaiah 61 vs 1-3

The LORD God’s spirit is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release for captives, and liberation for prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD ’s favor and a day of vindication for our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for Zion’s mourners, to give them a crown in place of ashes, oil of joy in place of mourning, a mantle of praise in place of discouragement. They will be called Oaks of Righteousness, planted by the LORD to glorify himself

When we hear "God spoke through xyz to me", what comes to mind is the prophetic.  It is not unusual to go to a church or a Christian gathering and hear someone give a prophetic word or word of knowledge.  I'm sure everyone reading this have gotten such before.  Sometimes a direct "God asked me to tell you" and other times someone speaking to you and saying certain things related to what you are going through even when you've not told them the situation of things or don't know them at all.     

                                                                             

When we get such words,  it lifts our spirits.  Even if it looks like there is no solution to what is at hand,  there is a certain kind of peace knowing that God is aware and He cares enough to send someone to you (with or without the person's knowledge). 

Now here is the thing,  God doesn't want this to be limited to the four walls of the church.  He wants to speak to the poor,  the broken hearted  those in captivity, through us.

"But I don't have the gift of prophecy" 

"How does God speak through me? "

You've been called as a prophet or not,  God wants to speak through you. 

Everyone of us Christians have been called to reveal Christ to the world,  to mirror God's image to all men.  This is Prophetic! 

Growing up,  I remember collecting tracts from Christians on the road,  sometimes I join my church to share tracts to others too (up till now).  I've heard a lot of testimonies of how people collected this little pamphlets and it changed their lives. 

Here is the thing,  it doesn't end at sharing pamphlets or tracts.  God wants us to be living tracts to everyone we come across.

He wants to speak to others through our actions and reactions,  behavior,  way of life,  our relationships,  our lives,  everything about us!

Prophetic words

There is hardly a time I talk or pray with people that I don't end up giving a word.  I don't plan it,   some times I don't even know I'm giving a word until they mention.  This has been happening for a very long time but I didn't notice. 

Sometimes I'd just sit and see a picture or a word just drops in my heart.  Before,  I used to resist sharing.  I'd shrug it off and say it's just my mind cooking up stories or when I decide to share,  I'd go "something in my mind said". What is in my mind?  

Why wasn't I so bold to say "the Holy Spirit said"? 

It is very simple,  I wasn't sure.  I didn't know.  And that was because I didn't have a strong relationship with the person speaking (The Holy Spirit).  I had not trained myself to hear and listen always. 

I know some of us might have experienced this also. 

Whenever a word is dropped in your heart and there is a urge to share with others,  maybe while just gisting,  praying or even minding your business,  even if it doesn't make sense to you,  please share it.  It will make sense to the person that word is for. 

We need to learn to be spiritually alert always.  Open up our ears/prophetic antenna to God at all times.  Stay in close fellowship with God and don't hesitate to speak when the Holy Spirit prompts (even if it sounds silly or stupid to you).

God wants to say a lot of things through you but first God wants to speak to you. You can't give what you have not received.  You can't deliver a message you didn't get or hear,  it is not possible. 

God wants to use us for others,  He wants to use us to touch lives and draw men to Him.  He wants to use you for His Glory and demonstrate His power through you but first God wants to have a deep relationship and intimate walk with YOU.

How do I hear God? 

How do I know it is God speaking? 

Do you have a very close friend?  Now,  imagine I wake you up from sleep and play a voice note recorded by that friend of yours,  do I have to tell you it is your friend?  No! 

You know it is their voice.  You recognize it immediately. 

This comes from spending a lot of time with the person.  I can recognize all of my professor's voice without seeing their faces. 

Now let's look at it another way.  Did you have a close friend in primary school that you lost touch with?  Do you know it is very possible to hear the person's voice and not recognize it? 

This is because you stopped spending time with them. 

All of these boils down to having an intimate relationship with God. 

Cultivate a habit of spending ample time with God daily,  in studying the word,  praying in tongues and in listening (total silence in your mind,  no activity whatsoever). With time you will see that you know when God is talking. 

You start knowing His will and get more familiar with His voice. 

God wants to speak through you,  but first God wants to speak to you.  Don't get too busy or forget to listen

God bless you! 

Oluremi Akinfaderin

SALT AND LIGHT OF THE EARTH by Amaka (15/07/2018)

So, WHAT IS SALT? 

Salt is used metaphorically to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification. Salt it's of great importance and you cannot do without it. Jesus used "Salt and light" to signify the relevance or role of his followers on earth.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Matt. 5:13-16

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

You can be a good salt👍 or you can be a bad salt👎. You have the responsibility of either making yourself the bad or good salt. Bad salt is salt that is being contaminated with other minerals, causing a weakness in flavor or a bland unpleasant taste. "Other minerals" can be seen as distractions of the world. Let's mention them: Lust, drunkenness, etc. When you become contaminated, you become of no use.

I learned that in the time of Jesus, Salt was gotten from the DEAD SEA also known as SALT SEA. So when salt was drawn out and it got mixed up with the sand, it was almost impossible to separate them so it has to be thrown away. That was what Jesus was referring to in verse 13.

Let's look at some characteristics of a good salt.

Characteristics of a good salt with significance to the scripture.

1) A good salt is white and odourless:
This means you need to be clean and holy. Be pure and without blemish. Ecc 9:8. Heb. 12:14. Rev. 3:4. Some of us our salt is corrupted and there are things we need to set aside to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.

2) Good salt is required in small quantity: 
You should not despise your smallness. God does not require big things to achieve results. For instance, when cooking a big pot of soup, do you need 6 spoons of salt to add taste to the soup? No🙅‍♀. We just need a little and the soup gets its taste. Prov 30: 24-28 talks about four things; the ants, the conies, locusts, and the spider. They are small but are exceedingly wise in going about their activities. God doesn't need much to prove a point. God, through Moses, used only a rod to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Samson used the jawbone of an ass to defeat the philistines. David used just a stone to defeat goliath. To God, little is much. You are much. YOU ARE ENOUGH🤸‍♂

3) You must be mixable and be able to scatter: 
Jesus mixed and related with everyone. Even the sinners. If you have the nature of God inside you, you have to mix with people. Let everyone taste this salt of yours. You can't isolate yourself and say you're salt. No! Relate with people, let them be curious about your God through your actions and character. Also, good salt can be scattered. It's is not a lump or cluster. You can go to any length to make impact. Daniel went to Babylon and was able to make impact. As the salt of the earth you need to make impact wherever you find yourself. Make impact with the ministry God has given you. Don't be an unprofitable servant. Reach out to people. Acts 8:5-6. May your impact cause joy to a city. Be sprinkle-able😁

4) Good salt is refined:
It is not found in the state that you see it. So children of God, you need to be refined. Everyone making impact today went through the process of refinement. Spend time studying the word. Spend time with the Holy spirit and ask him for growth and guidance in all you do.

5) A good salt is seasoning:
It gives value to taste. Once you put it in it goes to work. i.e brings out flavor. There should be something about you that brings a little more meaning into people’s lives.  Mark 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Don't lose your taste. Don't deviate from the gospel. Don't let your salt be contaminated by things of the world. Be in the world but not of the world. The salt in this verse also refers to the goodwill that "seasons" positive relationships between people.

We now know our purpose as SALT. Let's briefly move to light shall we?

WHAT IS LIGHT? 

It is a natural agent that stimulates SIGHT and makes things VISIBLE. What does Jesus mean by light? "Jesus also calls Himself "the light of the world." John calls Him "the life that is the light of men," "the light that shines in the darkness" (John 1:4-5). The light in us is His light, the indwelling Christ, the Holy Spirit within us"

In addition to being the salt of the earth, Jesus called us the light of the world. Jesus is the light of the world and he wants us to be that light also. You know what this light means? That you show people the way to Jesus. Matthew 5:15-16 tells us that we should not hide our light. Let people see the light that is in us. Let people want to have this light also and this will bring glory to our father.

We will stop here for today. I hope you know your purpose in the world as children of light. I pray that God will give us the grace to keep our salt uncontaminated and our light burning and I pray that the holy spirit will guide you and I in our journey to know God better. Amen🙏

Add taste to the life of others through your life. Remember, you cannot achieve it on your own. Keep thirsty to know Him more. God bless you and Jesus lovessss you😊💕💕