Templates for Righteousness

Template for Righteousness: Lovers of Pleasure or Lovers of God? (1)
By Dr. Lewis Akpogena

"Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4). Words describe a character which is, alas! but too frequently found in this sinful world; a character too, which most men are apt to regard with a partial and favorable eye, especially when it is met with among the young. If nothing worse is known of a man, than that he is rather too fond of what are commonly called the innocent pleasures and amusements of life, he is considered by the bulk of mankind as a moral, amiable character, and almost good enough to be admitted into heaven; even though it may be evident from his whole conduct, that he is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. It is evident from the context, however, that St. Paul, or rather the Holy Spirit by whom he was inspired, did not view this character with so favorable an eye. On the contrary, he classes those to whom it belongs, with the grossest and most notorious offenders; offenders, whose prevalence gives an aspect of peculiar danger to the age in which they live. This know, says he, that in the last days perilous times shall come; for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy; without natural affection, despisers of them that are good, fierce, incontinent, false accusers, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. From the company in which these lovers of pleasure are here placed, we may easily infer what the apostle thought of them, and what is thought of them by him whose message he brought.

Whether the perilous times, of which he speaks, have arrived, or not, we shall not pretend to determine; but certain it is, that very many are to be found among us, who, if we may judge from conduct, are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. To show, by a few simple marks, who belong to this number, is our present design. I. This number includes all whose fondness for pleasure leads them to violate the commands of God. Nothing is more certain, or more universally known, than that men never willingly offend a person whom they love, for the sake of one whom they do not love. Equally certain is, that when men are constrained to give up one of two things, they always give up that which they love the least. This being the case, it is undeniably evident, that all who provoke, or sin against God, for the sake of any pleasure whatever, do love that pleasure more than God. Now there are various ways in which men may sin against God in the pursuit of pleasure. In the first place, they may, like our first parents, sin by indulging in forbidden pleasures, in those pleasures which are in themselves sinful. Among these, must be reckoned the pleasures, if they may be called such, which result from gluttony, intemperance, and sensuality: for these are all most pointedly forbidden by the word of God. Reveling also, or assemblies for riotous dissipation, are expressly mentioned among the works of the flesh; and even foolish talking and jesting are forbidden by name. These, therefore, and all similar pleasures, which are expressly forbidden by the word of God, are in themselves, on all occasions and in all circumstances, sinful; and those who pursue them are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

In the second place, pleasures and pursuits which are not in themselves sinful, or not expressly forbidden, may become sinful by being pursued in an inordinate, improper manner, and by leading us to neglect duties which are expressly enjoined. This is the case with all the pleasures of this life, even with those that are in themselves most innocent; such as the pleasures resulting from friendship, from literary pursuits, or from the enjoyments of the family circle. All these, though innocent in themselves, may and often do become sinful, in consequence of interfering with our duties to God and man, or of being pursued in an inordinate, unseasonable, or improper manner. For instance, we are expressly commanded to redeem the time, to pray without ceasing, to glorify God in all that we do, to deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Christ. Consequently, the neglect of any of these duties is a sin, a breach of the divine precepts, and therefore, if we indulge even in the most innocent pleasures, in such a manner as to waste our time, to lose opportunities of glorifying God, to foster a spirit of self indulgence, to encroach upon the season which ought to be allotted to prayer, or to unfit us for the performance of that duty, it is certain that we pursue pleasure in a sinful manner; and if we allow ourselves in such indulgences, if this conduct is in any manner habitual, it incontestably proves that we are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
In the same number must be included, II. All who are led by a fondness for pleasure to indulge in amusements which they suspect may be wrong, or which they do not feel certain are right.
When we love any person supremely, we are careful to avoid, not only those things which we know will displease him, but such as we suspect may do it. We always think it best, in such cases, to be on the safe side, and to avoid everything which we do not feel confident will not be displeasing. It is the same, with respect to God. Those who love him supremely will avoid, not only what they know to be sinful, but what they suspect may be sinful; they will abstain not only from evil, but from the very appearance of evil; and if they are not certain that any proposed indulgence is wrong, yet if they do not know it to be right, they will reject it. They will say, there can certainly be no sin in not pursuing this offered pleasure, but there may be something wrong in pursuing it; and thus God may be displeased, and we will therefore keep on the safe side, and not even incur the risk of offending him, for the sake of any earthly gratification whatever. If any are disposed to consider this as unreasonable and unnecessary strictness, we would refer them to the words of St. Paul, in the 14th chapter of the epistle to the Romans. He there solemnly assures us, that Whatsoever is not of faith is sin; that is, as is evident from the context, whatever a man does, which he is not fully persuaded is right, is sinful to him, even if it were not sinful in itself. And again he says, Whosoever thinketh anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean; that is, if a man suspects any indulgence to be wrong, it is wrong to him, for in partaking of it he acts against his conscience, and feels self-condemned.

All, therefore, who indulge in pleasures which they suspect may be wrong; all whose consciences condemn them in the silence of the night, after returning from a party of pleasure; all who are obliged to use many endeavors to quiet their consciences, and to persuade themselves that there is nothing wrong in their conduct, certainly pursue pleasure in a sinful manner, and are therefore lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; since they will pursue pleasure, though they do not know but in doing it they are offending him. Happy is he, saith the apostle, who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. But these persons do condemn themselves, in the very things that they allow. And again he says, He that doubteth is damned if he eat; that is, he that doubts whether anything be right, and yet will practice it, is condemned by his own conscience, and will be condemned of God, unless he repents. III. Those are lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God, who find more satisfaction in the pursuit and enjoyment of worldly pleasure, than they do in his service. That the more we love any object, the more satisfaction we find in its enjoyment, all will allow. This being the case, if we can ascertain in what a man finds the greatest pleasure, we can determine at once what he most loves; for no man is a hypocrite in his pleasures. To apply this remark to the case before us: If a man finds more delight in the service and enjoyment of God, than in earthly pleasures; if he forsakes them all to retire into his closet and converse with his Maker and Redeemer; if he finds no book like the Bible, no place like God’s house, no day like the Sabbath, no employment like that of prayer and praise, no society like that of God’s people, then it is evident that he loves all pleasures less than God. On the contrary, if he finds more satisfaction in worldly than in religious pleasures; if he prefers a history, a play, or a novel, to the Bible; if he feels happier in a small select party, in a theatre or ballroom, than he does in his closet, or in the house of God; in a word, if he cannot seriously say to his Maker, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee; then it is as evident as anything can be, that he is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God.

There is no more doubt respecting his true character, than if he were openly immoral and profane, or than there will be at the judgment day. Lastly: All who are deterred from immediately embracing the Saviour, and commencing a religious life, by an unwillingness to renounce the pleasures of the world, are most certainly lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. That men are always ready to renounce any object, for the sake of something which they consider more valuable, all will allow. Consequently, when Christ invites sinners to come through him to God; when God seconds the invitation by saying, Come ye out from among them, and touch not the unclean thing, it is evident that all who refuse or delay to comply, from an unwillingness to renounce their worldly pleasures, are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. There is nothing but this preference of pleasure to God that can possibly prevent them. Christ has opened the way for them to come to God; he offers to lead them to his Father, and to plead in their behalf. But they will not comply, though heaven is the reward of compliance, and eternal wretchedness the consequence of a refusal. How very much then must they love pleasure more than God, since these powerful inducements cannot persuade them to forsake their pleasures and come to him. Having thus endeavored to show to whom the character mentioned in our text belongs, we shall proceed to show, in the next place, that, whatever may be thought of them by the world, or whatever they may think of themselves, they are in reality in a most sinful, guilty, and dangerous condition. That the apostle considered them as sinful, in no common degree, is evident, as has been already observed, from the company in which he has placed them. It is still farther evident from the description which he gives of them in some of the verses succeeding the text. For instance, he there informs us, that such are persons of corrupt minds. That they must be so will be evident on a moment’s reflection; for what can be a more satisfactory proof of a wretchedly corrupt state of mind, in a rational, immortal being, than a preference of unsatisfying, transitory, sinful pleasures; to his Creator; to a Being of infinite loveliness, excellence and perfection, the Author and Giver of every good and perfect gift? Those who are guilty of this are idolators in the worst sense of the term. Idolatry is a breach of the first and great command, Thou shaft have no other gods before me; thou shaft love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. Now these persons have another god before the true God; they have an idol which they love more than they do him; an idol, to which they sacrifice not only their time, their attention, their talents, but even their immortal souls; an idol, too, of the most worthless and contemptible kind. Though they are urged and entreated by the tender mercies of God, not to be conformed to this world, but to present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is their most reasonable service; yet they obstinately and ungratefully refuse to comply, and choose rather to sacrifice themselves on the altar of worldly pleasure, thus robbing God of his due, and ruining the souls he has given them, for the loss of which the whole world can make no compensation. Well, then, may it be said, that they are persons of corrupt minds.

In the second place, the apostle informs us, that they resist the truth. This they must do, for their deeds are evil. Christ assures us, that everyone who doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. Such persons hate the truth, because the truth condemns and exposes their sinful but beloved pleasures. Its natural tendency is to separate them from their pleasures, and lead them to God; but they resist this tendency; they refuse to give up their sinful pleasures, and labor in various ways to persuade themselves that they are innocent, and that no evil consequences can result from their pursuit. Hence they resist all attempts to turn them from the error of their ways, and all the convictions which at times arise in their minds; the preached word does them no good; they quarrel with those truths which condemn them, as unreasonably strict and severe, and the language of their hearts is, We have loved our idols, and after them we will go. Hence, thirdly, they are represented as despisers of good men. They consider such men whose conduct reproves them, as the enemies of their happiness, and ridicule them as rigid, morose, superstitious or hypocritical persons, who are needlessly strict and scrupulous, and who will neither enjoy the world themselves, nor allow others to do it. Hence, there are perhaps no characters who hate and despise the truly pious, more bitterly, than those who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This is to be expected; for the royal Preacher has long since informed us, that as an unjust man is an abomination to the just, so he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked. The sensual, voluptuous Sadducees, those ancient lovers of pleasure, hated and despised Christ and his disciples, even more, if possible, than did the hypocritical, self-righteous Pharisees.

Lastly, the persons we are describing are represented as being dead in trespasses and sins. She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth; and this is equally true of both sexes. They are dead, as it respects the great end of their existence; dead to everything that is good, dead in the sight of a holy God, loathsome to him as a corpse is to us, and as unfit for the society of the living Jehovah, as the naturally dead are for the society of the living. You need not be told, that, however dear the persons of our children and friends are to us, while living, yet after they are dead, after the animating, life-supporting spirit have departed; we wish to bury them out of our sight. They cannot then enjoy our presence, nor can we take the least pleasure in theirs; on the contrary, they soon become intolerably loathsome and shocking; and were we unable to remove them, they would soon render our habitations insupportable. Thus, though God loves his creatures as such, yet when they become dead in sin, he ceases to love them; they become exceedingly hateful in his sight, even as a corpse is in ours. Nor are they any more capable of enjoying him. To use his own language, his soul loathes them, and their souls abhor him. Never, therefore, while thus dead in sin, can they be admitted into heaven. They are evidently unfit for it; they could not enjoy it; for there, none of their beloved pleasures will be found. Besides, God will no more suffer them to enter heaven, than we would suffer the fittest apartments in our houses to be filled with the putrefying corpses of the dead; for heaven is the habitation of his holiness and glory, and he has solemnly declared, that nothing shall enter it that defileth. They, therefore, who love pleasure more than they love God, will not, cannot be admitted into heaven, unless they repent, and wash away their defilement in the blood of Christ. And if they are not admitted into heaven, there is but one other place to which they can go at death, and that place will be their eternal habitation.
Such is the character, and such will be the inevitable doom of all who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This being the case, it is surely of infinite importance, that we would ascertain whether this is our character. Permit me, then, with the utmost tenderness, and with a most anxious solicitude for your best interests, your true pleasure, to ask all of you, especially the young, Are not some of you lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Do none of you indulge in pleasures which are in themselves sinful, which tend to ruin you for this world as well as for the next, and which are most clearly forbidden in the word of God? If not, and I would hope this is the case, do none of you indulge in the pursuit of what are called innocent pleasures, in such a manner as leads to sin, to sins of omission at least; in such a manner as leads you to waste precious time, to utter innumerable idle words, to neglect watchfulness, self-denial and prayer, and unfit you for the right performance of these duties? Are you not often in places and engaged in scenes, in which you would not wish the Day of Judgment or the hour of death to find you? In a word, do you not pursue pleasure in a way which is inconsistent with doing everything to God’s glory, with making preparation for death, with obeying the commands of Christ, and with securing the salvation of your souls?

Template for Righteousness: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will (2 Tim. 2:22-26). Not done, read next issue. You will be glad you did. You are blessed for life. Have question, you may call: 08033399821 or write: akpogena@yahoo.com. Stay blessed.

.By Dr. Lewis Akpogena

Who made you a minister?

Who made you a minister? 2 cor. 3:5-6

That was the question an Anglican priest asked me. It was during the burial of my elder brother. He had done something wrong and I tried to call him to order. But whether I was wrong or right I faced that question several times as I struggled as an independent minister. Some sat me down to prove to me why going into the minister without being sure that God called me is dangerous. Many who would have been faithful servants of God were discouraged from the Lord’s service because they felt God had not called them. A man who is currently roaming the streets of Port Harcourt as a drunk lost his ministry through this intimidation of the devil.  He was pasturing a congregation of about hundred members, when he suddenly surprised his members one Sunday morning. He called them together to let them know that he was not sure God had called him into the ministry. Even though the members tried to prevail on him, he was adamant. Today he walks around as a drunk. Let me ask a question; if God had not called him into the ministry, does it mean God created him to be a drunk?

In my first few years as a minister, a man who claimed to be a great servant of God sat me down to explain to me how people go into the ministry. He said some enter by ASSUMPTION, some by IMAGINATION, some by IMITATION, etc. there were many things he mentioned that day but all the grammars ended with –tion or –ism. How I admired him. I was later to discover that my “expositor” was living with another man’s wife and was using occult power. He tried to harm me spiritually one night but woke up a mad man. What do I mean? Satan was speaking through him, to confuse me and make me abandon my calling. I know some people who fell for the devil and walked out on their ministry.

I wish to say that it is necessary to be sure that what you are doing is God’s will. But you don’t need the devil, or public opinion to prove that. The bible can help you. That is what we are about to do. Not every servant of God in the bible had a dramatic calling like Moses and Paul. Not all births of servants of God were announced like that of Samson and John the Baptist. Peter’s birth was not announced by angels but his shadow expelled demons. Apollos did not see a blinding light from heaven, but he majored among the greats in his time. See the league he belonged; Peter, Paul and Apollos ( 1 cor. 3:21). Nehemiah never spoke with angels, but his ministry was not less important to that of Ezekiel. 

God rejects nobody

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord

to serve him,

to love the name of the Lord,

and to worship him,

all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it

and who hold fast to my covenant — 

these I will bring to my holy mountain

and give them joy in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations." Isa 56:6-7 NIV

This is a trustworthy saying: "If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position."  So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.  He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.  He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.  For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?      1 Tim 3:1-5 NLT

The above scriptures should convince you that God rejects nobody. The God of the bible will not meet a man striving with all his energy to please him and throw him out just because he was not specifically called to the ministry. Three things are obvious from these scriptures.

1.      Total strangers can give themselves to God’s service and he will welcome their service and reward them just like every other person. Foreigners or strangers to the commonwealth of Israel can still serve Jesus. In the contest of the above scripture, God was talking to gentiles, the people Jews call unclean; if the so-called unclean person will only separate himself from his unclean ways, God will accept his service. If that is the case with the unclean, how much more privileged are you, who have been made the righteousness of God through the blood of God’s only Son? (2 cor. 5:17, 21).  When men say you are not qualified tell them that God has qualified you.

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.  He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Col 2:18-19 NIV

2.      There is nothing wrong with you just desiring to do the work of the ministry. That means that you don’t necessarily need to wait for God to call you.  The New Living Translation used two words to express this; aspire and desire. That means that you can take the initiative in giving yourself to God’s service as a minister. So next time the devil begins to ask you through your mind or the voice of another man, “Are you sure God called you for this ministry?” remind him that you don’t need to be called especially before you can serve God. In fact he may taunt you that it was not God who called you but your pastor just appointed you. You need to read this-

 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless — not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Titus 1:5-9 NIV

       The above scripture states that your senior pastor, just like Titus can prayerfully appoint you as a minister.      Thank God for those who had a dramatic invitation to the ministry, but that does not mean that yours is any less important to God.

3.      Ministry requires proper preparation and adjustment of perspective if you must succeed in it. If your ministry is not doing well, it is not because God did not call you. The man of God T.L Osborn said that he never heard any dream, vision or voice from heaven. He only read it said in the bible, “Go in to the world and preach…” and he went in obedience. Few ministers in the past five centuries can boast of the many signs that followed his ministry. I will leave the outlined qualifications in the above stated scriptures for your careful assessment. If you find that some of those points are not true in your life, then perhaps that could be the reason your ministry is not making head way.

To round up this chapter, I wish to state that everybody face challenges in life and endeavor; believers and unbelievers alike. But it is devil’s habit to point to your ministry as the reason you are not moving on in life. Take time to look at people around you, are they not facing challenges. In another way devil will accuse God in your heart for neglecting you. Before you agree with him, take time and consider your life. Is it true that God has abandoned you in the past?

Who made you a minister?

Who made you a minister? 2 cor. 3:5-6

That was the question an Anglican priest asked me. It was during the burial of my elder brother. He had done something wrong and I tried to call him to order. But whether I was wrong or right I faced that question several times as I struggled as an independent minister. Some sat me down to prove to me why going into the minister without being sure that God called me is dangerous. Many who would have been faithful servants of God were discouraged from the Lord’s service because they felt God had not called them. A man who is currently roaming the streets of Port Harcourt as a drunk lost his ministry through this intimidation of the devil.  He was pasturing a congregation of about hundred members, when he suddenly surprised his members one Sunday morning. He called them together to let them know that he was not sure God had called him into the ministry. Even though the members tried to prevail on him, he was adamant. Today he walks around as a drunk. Let me ask a question; if God had not called him into the ministry, does it mean God created him to be a drunk?

In my first few years as a minister, a man who claimed to be a great servant of God sat me down to explain to me how people go into the ministry. He said some enter by ASSUMPTION, some by IMAGINATION, some by IMITATION, etc. there were many things he mentioned that day but all the grammars ended with –tion or –ism. How I admired him. I was later to discover that my “expositor” was living with another man’s wife and was using occult power. He tried to harm me spiritually one night but woke up a mad man. What do I mean? Satan was speaking through him, to confuse me and make me abandon my calling. I know some people who fell for the devil and walked out on their ministry.

I wish to say that it is necessary to be sure that what you are doing is God’s will. But you don’t need the devil, or public opinion to prove that. The bible can help you. That is what we are about to do. Not every servant of God in the bible had a dramatic calling like Moses and Paul. Not all births of servants of God were announced like that of Samson and John the Baptist. Peter’s birth was not announced by angels but his shadow expelled demons. Apollos did not see a blinding light from heaven, but he majored among the greats in his time. See the league he belonged; Peter, Paul and Apollos ( 1 cor. 3:21). Nehemiah never spoke with angels, but his ministry was not less important to that of Ezekiel. 

God rejects nobody

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord

to serve him,

to love the name of the Lord,

and to worship him,

all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it

and who hold fast to my covenant — 

these I will bring to my holy mountain

and give them joy in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations." Isa 56:6-7 NIV

This is a trustworthy saying: "If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position."  So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.  He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.  He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.  For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?      1 Tim 3:1-5 NLT

The above scriptures should convince you that God rejects nobody. The God of the bible will not meet a man striving with all his energy to please him and throw him out just because he was not specifically called to the ministry. Three things are obvious from these scriptures.

1.      Total strangers can give themselves to God’s service and he will welcome their service and reward them just like every other person. Foreigners or strangers to the commonwealth of Israel can still serve Jesus. In the contest of the above scripture, God was talking to gentiles, the people Jews call unclean; if the so-called unclean person will only separate himself from his unclean ways, God will accept his service. If that is the case with the unclean, how much more privileged are you, who have been made the righteousness of God through the blood of God’s only Son? (2 cor. 5:17, 21).  When men say you are not qualified tell them that God has qualified you.

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.  He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Col 2:18-19 NIV

2.      There is nothing wrong with you just desiring to do the work of the ministry. That means that you don’t necessarily need to wait for God to call you.  The New Living Translation used two words to express this; aspire and desire. That means that you can take the initiative in giving yourself to God’s service as a minister. So next time the devil begins to ask you through your mind or the voice of another man, “Are you sure God called you for this ministry?” remind him that you don’t need to be called especially before you can serve God. In fact he may taunt you that it was not God who called you but your pastor just appointed you. You need to read this-

 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless — not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Titus 1:5-9 NIV

       The above scripture states that your senior pastor, just like Titus can prayerfully appoint you as a minister.      Thank God for those who had a dramatic invitation to the ministry, but that does not mean that yours is any less important to God.

3.      Ministry requires proper preparation and adjustment of perspective if you must succeed in it. If your ministry is not doing well, it is not because God did not call you. The man of God T.L Osborn said that he never heard any dream, vision or voice from heaven. He only read it said in the bible, “Go in to the world and preach…” and he went in obedience. Few ministers in the past five centuries can boast of the many signs that followed his ministry. I will leave the outlined qualifications in the above stated scriptures for your careful assessment. If you find that some of those points are not true in your life, then perhaps that could be the reason your ministry is not making head way.

To round up this chapter, I wish to state that everybody face challenges in life and endeavor; believers and unbelievers alike. But it is devil’s habit to point to your ministry as the reason you are not moving on in life. Take time to look at people around you, are they not facing challenges. In another way devil will accuse God in your heart for neglecting you. Before you agree with him, take time and consider your life. Is it true that God has abandoned you in the past?

Who made you a minister?

Who made you a minister? 2 cor. 3:5-6

That was the question an Anglican priest asked me. It was during the burial of my elder brother. He had done something wrong and I tried to call him to order. But whether I was wrong or right I faced that question several times as I struggled as an independent minister. Some sat me down to prove to me why going into the minister without being sure that God called me is dangerous. Many who would have been faithful servants of God were discouraged from the Lord’s service because they felt God had not called them. A man who is currently roaming the streets of Port Harcourt as a drunk lost his ministry through this intimidation of the devil.  He was pasturing a congregation of about hundred members, when he suddenly surprised his members one Sunday morning. He called them together to let them know that he was not sure God had called him into the ministry. Even though the members tried to prevail on him, he was adamant. Today he walks around as a drunk. Let me ask a question; if God had not called him into the ministry, does it mean God created him to be a drunk?

In my first few years as a minister, a man who claimed to be a great servant of God sat me down to explain to me how people go into the ministry. He said some enter by ASSUMPTION, some by IMAGINATION, some by IMITATION, etc. there were many things he mentioned that day but all the grammars ended with –tion or –ism. How I admired him. I was later to discover that my “expositor” was living with another man’s wife and was using occult power. He tried to harm me spiritually one night but woke up a mad man. What do I mean? Satan was speaking through him, to confuse me and make me abandon my calling. I know some people who fell for the devil and walked out on their ministry.

I wish to say that it is necessary to be sure that what you are doing is God’s will. But you don’t need the devil, or public opinion to prove that. The bible can help you. That is what we are about to do. Not every servant of God in the bible had a dramatic calling like Moses and Paul. Not all births of servants of God were announced like that of Samson and John the Baptist. Peter’s birth was not announced by angels but his shadow expelled demons. Apollos did not see a blinding light from heaven, but he majored among the greats in his time. See the league he belonged; Peter, Paul and Apollos ( 1 cor. 3:21). Nehemiah never spoke with angels, but his ministry was not less important to that of Ezekiel. 

God rejects nobody

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord

to serve him,

to love the name of the Lord,

and to worship him,

all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it

and who hold fast to my covenant — 

these I will bring to my holy mountain

and give them joy in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations." Isa 56:6-7 NIV

This is a trustworthy saying: "If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position."  So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.  He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.  He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.  For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?      1 Tim 3:1-5 NLT

The above scriptures should convince you that God rejects nobody. The God of the bible will not meet a man striving with all his energy to please him and throw him out just because he was not specifically called to the ministry. Three things are obvious from these scriptures.

1.      Total strangers can give themselves to God’s service and he will welcome their service and reward them just like every other person. Foreigners or strangers to the commonwealth of Israel can still serve Jesus. In the contest of the above scripture, God was talking to gentiles, the people Jews call unclean; if the so-called unclean person will only separate himself from his unclean ways, God will accept his service. If that is the case with the unclean, how much more privileged are you, who have been made the righteousness of God through the blood of God’s only Son? (2 cor. 5:17, 21).  When men say you are not qualified tell them that God has qualified you.

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.  He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Col 2:18-19 NIV

2.      There is nothing wrong with you just desiring to do the work of the ministry. That means that you don’t necessarily need to wait for God to call you.  The New Living Translation used two words to express this; aspire and desire. That means that you can take the initiative in giving yourself to God’s service as a minister. So next time the devil begins to ask you through your mind or the voice of another man, “Are you sure God called you for this ministry?” remind him that you don’t need to be called especially before you can serve God. In fact he may taunt you that it was not God who called you but your pastor just appointed you. You need to read this-

 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless — not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Titus 1:5-9 NIV

       The above scripture states that your senior pastor, just like Titus can prayerfully appoint you as a minister.      Thank God for those who had a dramatic invitation to the ministry, but that does not mean that yours is any less important to God.

3.      Ministry requires proper preparation and adjustment of perspective if you must succeed in it. If your ministry is not doing well, it is not because God did not call you. The man of God T.L Osborn said that he never heard any dream, vision or voice from heaven. He only read it said in the bible, “Go in to the world and preach…” and he went in obedience. Few ministers in the past five centuries can boast of the many signs that followed his ministry. I will leave the outlined qualifications in the above stated scriptures for your careful assessment. If you find that some of those points are not true in your life, then perhaps that could be the reason your ministry is not making head way.

To round up this chapter, I wish to state that everybody face challenges in life and endeavor; believers and unbelievers alike. But it is devil’s habit to point to your ministry as the reason you are not moving on in life. Take time to look at people around you, are they not facing challenges. In another way devil will accuse God in your heart for neglecting you. Before you agree with him, take time and consider your life. Is it true that God has abandoned you in the past?

So much noise about nothing.

                                              

One cannot ignore the noise going round in the country without being accused of indifference; Terrorism,  Gay marriage and Islamic Banking. Let me state that none of these issues is peculiar to Nigeria or our generation.

Terrorism is everywhere in the world today in their different dimensions. Most countries in the middle East today have adjusted to it as way of life- Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Afghanistan, but to mention a few. We are only beginning to feel what those we neglected to reach with the gospel have been living with for decades. Each time missionaries come to our gatherings to ask for mission support, our leaders announce that it is time for widow’s mite. Some even divert funds meant for these missionaries for their insatiable materialistic desires. When we are told to pray for missionaries martyred by the governments of these countries living the best way devil would want them to, we rush over it to continue with our kill and bury prayers. It was when Afghanistan was liberated from Taliban control we heard that two lady missionaries- Heather and Mercie- had been held in a dungeon waiting for death.

Even in the bible, religious extremism and terrorism is mentioned. That was what killed Jesus Christ and James the brother of John. Some forty men bound themselves under an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed Paul (Acts 23:12-13).

There is this one we have ignored because we don’t see the blood of those that they kill- journalism terrorism. Newspapers publish fear instilling reports which are not verified. Where one person was killed, they say hundred had died. Where there is no trouble any where they manufacture them just to sell their papers. Ray Ekpu the chief editor of Newswatch magazine once said on an interview, that bad news sell more than good news. You can understand why newspapers propagate more bad news than good news. United Nations Organization (UNO) and Western world powers keep circulating fearful reports about African countries and their economies so that their citizens will see no reason to put confidence in their leaders. They even told us that Nigeria will not stay for another fifteen years, and some powerful Nigerians are putting in every effort to prove them right. They tell us we are so corrupt there is no hope for us.

But are they better? How did we learn fraud? Right before we knew our left from our right, white men gave our fathers bottles of dry gin in exchange for their brothers and children who they used in their plantations as slaves. Only last year an American was jailed for helping the late Nigerian dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, defraud Nigeria. How? They gave people free eye-glasses and took away millions of Dollars. Some come here to give us ministry cover and promise to take us to see their wonderful country. We pay seven thousand Naira registration fees to them, multiply that by one thousand and see how much you have. Because we believe that everything from them is better, we can’t see that a ministry cover from an organization in Britain or USA is of no use to somebody in Africa.  Now the prime minister of Britain, David Cameron is threatening us, lower vassals that unless we become as vile as he is and accept same sex marriage as he has done, he will stop sending us what he calls aides. How does he get the money he sends as aides? Stolen money! The money our politicians paid into their banks that had yielded so much interest for the government.  Another way is that they know where to buy crude oil and other natural resources at the official rate but will rather encourage our people to steal it and sell to them at cheaper rate. To facilitate this, they give us guns and encourage us to fight for resource control. So the cycle continues. These are all terrorism in their different forms. Thanks to the God of justice, we hear that what a man sows he shall reap. International Monetary Fund (IMF) will have to take their services home now. France, Britain, Greece, Sweden and many more European countries need them badly. We all should remember how they forced these loans down our throat through our ignorant but corrupt leaders. We only knew what we had eaten when our stomach began to turn.

Same sex marriage or sexual relations was here in the days of Abraham and continued to the time of Paul, not only in Britain but all over the world. For crying out loud, it is here in Nigeria. It is reported that most show persons involved in it. There is no government policy backing armed robbery, prostitution, adultery, political thuggery, public fund embezzlement, use of magic and occultism. Yet, all these are going on today unrestricted. Same sex marriage is not the only sin which the bible condemns which is going on around the world. Nigeria has not legalized abortion, who can deny the fact it is going on unrestricted.

Why are we now disturbed about this? That is because many pastors have never mentioned this as sin. Some are too busy raising fund for glass houses and air-conditioned auditoria so that they have no time to deal with issues that concerns personal lives of their members. We are becoming more and more further from reality in our teachings and activities. Some criminals have hijacked our political class and they keep warning us to keep out of politics. Some Christian leaders even boast that they don’t involve in politics. Those who go close, go to look for contracts. Even pulpit people are so hungry for power that they abandon their pulpits to contest for political office. Something Jesus Christ was offered and he turned it down, his servants want to accept.

 If our pulpits become fiery voice of God again and preachers follow the examples of John Wesley and John Wycliffe, we will rule Nigeria from our churches. As long as Nigeria is concerned today, political and economic power are with the church of Jesus Christ. Not because of political office holders but our numbers are more and we have spiritual upper hand. No other religious organization can boast of the spiritual control we command in Nigeria. That is why they have to resort to violence and legislation. As in United States of America ,so Nigeria is. Legislation doesn’t govern USA, churches do.

Islamic banking- Here again our sins stare us in the face. I just can’t understand what our leaders are talking about. If we lived as the bible commands us, nobody will have need for Islamic banking. Our Christian leaders tell us to give for God’s work as they build universities, but after the tuition in these schools are so high that those who built them can’t afford them. Even pastors in these organizations have to send their children elsewhere; I begin to wonder which god owns the school. Our G.Os fly private jets and go about with bullet proofed cars escorted by fierce looking policemen while most of us are begging the state Governments for eighteen thousand Naira minimum wage per month, and they say nothing.

Let us get this clear; we don’t need a government banking system to keep our members and win converts. Just do what the bible says, He that has two coats share with your brother, extend help to people, not survival allowance. There is so much suffering in the land that if we reach out to people with the wealth God has put in our care, Islamic banking will be no threat at all. Some of us pay our security men ten thousand Naira monthly, while the same men are sent to buy foods for pet dogs to the tune of hundred thousand a month. Why won’t such a man go for any another religion where he is valued more than a dog?

God did not make Ishmael richer than Isaac; all religious groups in Nigeria put together are not richer than Christians. We all saw the show of shame in the banking sector, those who claimed to be Christians ran the house of fraud in the name of banks. One of our sisters, who was a bank executive, claimed she gave her house-help loan to the tone of thirty six million Naira, but we know the truth. Most of the bank executives were and are still prominent members of our churches who pay in large sums of their stolen money into our cathedrals. If they valued their religion in any way, we will see this wealth in the life of the ordinary man on the street, and then who will have time for non-interest banking. When governments of some States in Nigeria returned schools to Mission organizations, what was the result? Tuition rose astronomically so that almost all the students in these schools were thrown out. If we showed value for those students they won’t face the temptation for going for non-interest banking system of another religion. Does the bible encourage the Christian to lend to his brother on interest? Why are we now threatening to have our own banking system only in response to Islamic banking? So now it was not adopted we go back to comatose, never taking the initiative.

Finally I dare to say, let the Christian leaders return to teach the truth of the bible and it won’t be long before all this noise will disappear. Let us go back to messages that deal with everyday living of our members and also practice same, and the walls of every other system will tumble like Jericho’s wall. No questioning the fact that Christians are in charge in the world because our message is reasonable and practicable and holds true hope for now and the life after. Jesus Christ did a thorough job, it is only for us to follow his footsteps and the victory is already ours.

Stop This Sacrilege!

Stop this sacrilege

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

                                                                                                      Ex 20:7-8     

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17

It is alarming how our generation has so degenerated in her lack of fear of God. For those who plead the ground of season of grace, the bible states that Jesus Christ brought grace and truth. He did not bring grace only.

What am I talking about? I watched in shock as a senior pastor in                Port Harcourt hosted some popular comedians in his church. These humor-mongers used his pulpit and the altar. They cracked jokes with the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and every other thing the Church holds sacred. To make matters worse this was repeatedly shown on popular TV stations in Port Harcourt. To add to the mockery \they showed my fellow pastor laughing deliriously as they made mockery of everything he stands for- that is if he stands for anything.

One would wonder how I knew all these. My children were watching this program and were also borrowing jokes from it. I had to sit them down to try to explain to them why what they were seeing was bad and dangerous and when I came to the point of, “Even if I or another pastor does this, it must not be accepted as a standard. It is wrong.” It was at this point that my children told me that what I was seeing was actually taking place in a church. I turned to the screen, and saw that they were right. I tried to stomach this as I have tried to avoid unnecessary conflicts as I did my job as a minister of the gospel. But now things are getting out of hand.

Gordon, a popular comedian in Port Harcourt rolled out an audio release of his comedy, and I was shocked as I heard this blaring out of the loudspeakers of a   music shop. Every holy word and title of Jehovah, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit was used to crack jokes. As one would expect people were implicated in this sin as they listened and laughed. I saw a poster of a church program. You can guess what I saw. A comedian was posted alongside the speakers. Some of these comedians are notorious characters and drunkards whom these churches are only giving landing pads for the excesses of their reprobate minds.

I stand to say that this is ungodliness. Let everyone who cares hear me; this is sacrilege, it is an insult in the face of God. Whoever does this is drawing the anger of God to himself. We must not add to our many sins this evil also. Is it not enough the many gambling and manipulations with which we tend to make our churches grow? Are we not contented with our romance with murderers, prostitutes and fraudsters in the name of ministering grace? Is our display of shame in the name of fashion not enough? Why stir this hornet in the face of an ignorant and unsuspecting people?

This must STOP! God’s word does not change. Whoever does this is not innocent before God. Those who encourage this, also share in the sin.

I advise the comedians and those who do this to look for something else to entertain themselves. The pastors who are desperate for a large church should try voodoo. To be frank the consequence of involvement in voodoo is far less than the result of the retaliation of an angry God.

In my capacity as a minister of the gospel, a father of children in this generation and the President of Prayer Network for Universal Revival {PNUR}, I wash my hands off this evil. When I heard it I did not rejoice in it, it was not funny to me. Hence I or my family or members of my ministry who obey my teachings will not share the consequence of this abomination. I also ask everyone who does not share in this evil to openly make a public denunciation of this evil.

From the office of the President

                           Prayer Network for Universal Revival (PNUR)

                            9b Iriebe Street, D/line, Port Harcourt.

                             Nigeria. 08035724526

                              pnurnigeria@gmail.com  www.pnurnigeria.org