by Pedro Anosike | Oct 21, 2010 | Featured
Not very long ago, a situation arose in which a child of God behaved very unseemly. On seeking the Lord about the matter, and with much grief of heart, the words came strongly to me, “Grace and Stature.” This was followed by greater clarification of the word, “GRACE.” Though GRACE in one sense means unmerited favor, which is from God to man, yet it involves a work in man’s soul in its more extreme application.
AMAZING GRACE: ” ‘Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me on.”
This song speaks of grace as a beginning work, a work of continuation and a work to the end. Through grace comes Salvation, but it also takes grace to love, to forgive, to be patient, to be kind and gentle, to endure all things, to be loyal, etc. It is, therefore, the continuing in the grace of God that leads one into that final bliss, which is the heart’s cry of every true believer. There is a standard of inexhaustible fullness set by God for man. For this reason, the true and noble child of God will not rest or be satisfied with his or her own soul attainment until this fullness is achieved, which is divine perfection. The presence and power in the human soul enables man to be delivered from the human nature (earth bound) to the divine (heavenly).
Christ must reign through grace in the hearts of believers until all enemies (all the contrary and unsubdued nature) are put under foot. Believers who resist this operation in their daily lives frustrate God’s plan for their soul’s salvation, and fall terribly short of the glory of God. For this glory, the whole creation is waiting.
It is therefore possible to receive forgiveness of sins initially, and not grow IN GRACE; then the ugly attitude of the human soul will manifest very unseemly.
Through God’s grace, the believer can say the right words and not offend, but rather love, respect and regard one to another, have proper control over the members of the body, thereby bringing the mind in harmony with the Spirit; then there will be no place for the Devil.
STATURE – Webster’s Dictionary: time of life, age or one’s height to stand, growth, maturity, development.
There is natural or physical, political, and Spiritual stature.
Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Ephesians 4:13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST.”
Stature depicts a standing and a height in Christ that would put one in a position, not above his brother, but risen above the flesh or carnal nature; standing firmly in the Divine nature; refusing, through His grace, virtues and excellence to return to the weak and beggarly elements. There is a place of integrity in Christ to be attained, maintained and sustained above the rudiments of this world, where the believer will no longer be a tool or an instrument of the enemy in any way. We have been raised up with HIM FAR ABOVE PRINCIPALITY AND POWER, and made to sit in HEAVENLY PLACES. Believers are His workmanship created unto GOOD WORKS. Although stature means time of life, age and maturity – one can be many years a believer or Christian, and experience very little spiritual growth or maturity. Year after year finds him or her going around the same mountain, having the same weaknesses and behaving the same old way; not experiencing much change in character. On the other hand, some show such growth and maturity in a few months that the difference is apparent. Growth and experience should be most important in one’s spiritual life. Anything that hinders one’s growth and progress should be dealt with before it is too late, when it would become so much a part of that person’s nature that separation becomes absolutely difficult or almost impossible.
Spiritual growth is not flourishing in the gifts, or being an outstanding ministry. Paul said he had to be careful, lest after placing many into the Kingdom, he would himself be a castaway. The gifts and ministries and every blessing of the Spirit is to bring the believer into union and harmony with God. The tendency is to glory in the gift and not the Giver.
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 19, 2010 | Doctrine, Revival
Now and again, everyone experience being at a loss on how to deal with a pressing need in our spiritual, social, economic and political life or in more than one area at the same time. The pressure can weary our soul. This is not surprising because none of us is all-knowing and all-powerful (Omniscient/omnipotent). At such times, we need two things the most: Revival — to draw life into our soul and wisdom to direct us. Thank God, He has not left us in the world without help. Servants of God from all generation hold the testimony — that God’s Word is the unfailing and powerful source that revives and makes wise anyone that turns to Him. God understands the need we all have for our souls to be revived. God’s word revives us because He wants you to praise Him joyfully and silence His enemy (Psalm 8:2). As God strengthen your soul in revival, He loves to see and hear you exalt and praise Him, “O LORD, our (my) Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1). Psalm 19:7, confirms that God’s word doesn’t only revive our souls but also makes us wise — enlightening our eyes to see and understand what God will have us do in our times of struggle and confusion. Leading us in the path of “good success” and safety. As you read this, it will be wise not to consider it as something happening by chance. Believe that God is engaging you in conversation and meditation in order to revive you and lead you. So, again, lets read Psalm 19:7 NLT and hear the words with the ears of your heart and believe the testimony — right now, God’s word (Spirit and life) is reviving your soul because He owns it and He cares about your well-being (John 6:63, 3 John 1:2). As recorded in Psalm 18:16-19, this is the testimony God is bring to your life as your soul is revived and making its boast in His word. His word is able to revive your soul because it is trustworthy having been tested seven times in the furnace of fire ( not mere fire as we humans know fire but even much more in the spiritual realms). This emphasis is needed because the spiritual realm controls the physical. But, God has got all of His people including you well covered. Praise to our God! Lets boast of the power of His word! God is good, His word is near to all peoples — great and small who’re struggling, confused and broken to revive all and lead in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. May this mediation lead you to God’s word, prayer and His praise. Shalom! Maranatha!
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 16, 2010 | Body of Christ
God instructs us from his word by His spirit so that we may be successful in righteousness.
The righteousness that God values for eternal life is the one He has imputed on all who believe, follow, obey and suffer with Jesus Christ.
The imputed righteousness can not be improved upon. God calls on everyone He has gifted with righteousness to love Christ His only Son whom he scarified to bring the gift of salvation to all He fore-knew and predestined to conform to the image (personage) of Christ Jesus.
This whole journey of salvation starts as a gift and will end only as a gift.
Wise people search out the cost of a gift and value it not only for the cost but for the love it expresses from the giver.
God is seeking for those who will search for the cost of salvation and value it not just for the sake of its sacrificial cost but also for the love He has extend to all whom He has granted this salvation gift.
It is said that wise people treasure gifts.
The word treasure, connotes in many ways an understanding and a preservation of value in addition to its’ futuristic benefit. The wise treasure gifts as they concern themselves with the futuristic benefit without losing sight of the immediate value of its cost and the inherent love it expresses.
The bible loudly tells us that the word of God is able to make us wise (2 Tim 3:15).
All who will be wise must be humble to go to the bible to search out the cost of salvation for themselves, spend day and night searching the scripture and the Teacher whom God has authorized to guide all who are diligent to search will not fail to indeed guide and guard into all truth (Josh 1:8, John 16:13, 10:27 & 3)
Jesus said the expression of valuing his sacrifice (death and resurrection) and His Father’s love is to return love and obedience to Him and to the Father by listening to the Holy Spirit and depending only on His grace (John 14:15, Rom 8:5, Gal 5:25 & 1 Cor 15:10).
The Holy Spirit is the voice of God to his people on earth today like Jesus was the voice to His people when He was physically on the earth two thousand years ago. Now, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts as a law of the spirit of life telling us what not to do but more importantly what to do. He breaths on the word of God empowering life to us unlike the law of sin and death that instructs us but doesn’t empower us so leaves us life-less (Rom 8:1-4).
Now, mercy and truth has merged together in the One who has brought us salvation and redemption even Christ Jesus to whom all praise be for ever in all eternity.
Brother James tells us that he whom the Holy Spirit instructs on what to do, should do it else it becomes sin to the person though a written code may not have been broken ( Jam 4:17)
We are set free from the law of sin and death not to be lawless rather we’re set at liberty to obey joyfully with all perseverance the law of the spirit of life that shines light on the path of all that God has called and elected for his glorious kingdom.
Therefore, all who love the Lord and his commandments constantly cry in the secret and in the open, ” Lord, let your kingdom come and let your will be done on earth (in me) as it is in Heaven.” Amen.
Maranatha
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 16, 2010 | Grace of God
In this era of so much talk about grace, to painstakingly examine the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to avoid falling for cheap grace is commendable. The grace for which Jesus Christ died to bring to mankind, when embraced guides gently to the fulfillment of the law of the spirit of life James 4:17. This grace is powerful, merciful, forgiving, and full of love and truth. It teaches us to DENY and FORSAKE evil ways and HELPS us to WALK in accordance with God’s righteousness that is imputed to us Titus 2:11-12 & Rom 5:17.
The Wheat and Weed must of necessity grow together but Wheat will remain Wheat and Weed cannot become Wheat. Those that hear the voice of the spirit in the pages of scriptures and obey the Lord’s voice and those who do not hear, cannot agree as they do not see and get the same instruction though they GROW together. The reapers (God’s Angels) must be left to take care of that complex matter at the appropriate time ordained by God.
If hearing God’s voice consistently fails to activate grace to obey and do his command John 10:4 & 27, we better question ourselves in the light of the parable of the WHEAT and WEED in Matt13:24-30. The scripture tells us that; it’s God that helps us to will and to DO his good pleasure Phil 2:13 & Rom 10:17. It is imperative that we spend time studying the bible which holds the scriptures (God’s infallible words Ps 12:6) and particularly the book of Romans.
It is important to note that men like Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Paul, Peter, the early church (ecclesia) and all who have ever walked with God had personal encounter with him. They heard his voice, learnt his voice and obeyed the command of his voice John 10:27. Those who are just following the voice of man and the letter of the law alone never get the unction to DO his will. They end up with the stranger and are deceived John 10:5 and 2Cor 3:6.
Paul, clarifies this by saying, it’s ONLY those that are lead by the Spirit of God that are the sons of God Rom 8:14. Hearing God activates grace in our lives that enables us to obey him. This is not to say that we obey him once we hear his voice but an emphasis that his voice carries more than sufficient grace to lead us to obey him if we truly are his and love him. The following scriptures confirm what the word or voice of God does to those who hear it.
I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me Ps 119:93.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you John 15:3.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful… Heb 4:12.
Our response to the effect of God’s word should be to love Him. And the admonition from Jesus is, “if ye love me, keep my commandments” John14:15.
The book of Romans is one of those books in the bible that most powerfully challenges us to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit that lives in us (his temple); that Christ’s life might flow out of us enabling us to please God, praise and worship him acceptably. The result is that we become a blessing to all peoples while reconciling the lost to God through the gospel alone and for the course of Christ and their well being.
This season like all other times calls for us to set aside our many fine books that talk about God and study the bible thoroughly with open and sincere heart because in it is life John 5:39. Joshua 1:8 and 2 Tim 2:15, shows that the reason for studying is for us to first learn and obey God within the context of what we read. Then as He presents opportunity for us, we share accurately his very words and not our fine ideas 2 Tim 2:15.
Given the multiplicity of teachers and their books these days, the danger of listening to them more than personally studying the bible and hearing God is so high. Our personal study of scriptures should far outweigh the time we spend listening to others and reading good books about God Deut 17:19.
Please note that my emphasis is on more of personal study and not that we should stop reading carefully selected books and listening to the ministry of teaching that God himself has set in the body of Christ along with other ministries to bring the unity of the faith among the saints of God till we all come to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
I am not against books.
It has helped some to become millionaires and their claims, is that they have invested it into spreading the gospel. Let’s praise God anyhow. But no book(s) are needed to support the bible rather, all the books that has been written and yet to be written, need the bible to support them. On this premise, it will be unwise to say we need those books to aid us to understand the bible. This belief certainly has and will open more doors for heresy (teachings originating from the human mind and anti Christ spirits) that is already ravaging the community of faith.
We are saved by God’s power (grace) and walk godly only by his power (grace). But, as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name John 1:12. So when we accept Jesus Christ, what comes into us is Power (grace).
And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace John 1:16. So, grace can be received in varying measure Eph 4:13.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing John 15:5. Let’s note “apart from me” that is the power or grace 1Cor 1:24.
To disdain grace is to disregard Christ. Misusing grace for a cloak to defend our weaknesses or sin is to say Christ does encourage us to disobey the father. It’s pretty serious I will say.
God is not ashamed about our weaknesses but challenges us to depend on his grace that we may through it be made strong. He is not frightened off by our sin(s) but abounds more of his grace to us that we may overcome them to the praise of his holy name Heb12:1, 1 John 1:9 & Rev2:5.
God’s sovereignty is more than complex for human mind. It’s only our regenerated spirit that can handle it. Paul explaining this complex issue of God’s sovereignty simply went back to Exodus 33:19 as quoted in Rom 9:15. He further nailed it home in Rom 9:16.
So God’s sovereignty does not concern us Rom 9:20. It is for his exclusive use and not ours. We can refer to it but cannot attempt to use it for ourselves in any way. Our call is to depend on God’s grace which he has given and willing to give more if we are willing to receive it.
I am always challenged in new ways to learn that; to whom more grace is given, more obedience is required; more of loving God and every others human being but especially fellow believers. Simply put consistent increase and steadfastness in the fruit of the spirit is to be seen not preached 1Cor 2:4.
The bitter-sweet about grace is that it only increases as the need arises.
Needs like, when we choose to fulfill God’s purpose through our calling, increase in sin around us or attacking us, persecution, suffering, depression, distress, sickness, lack, loneliness, demonic attacks, bereavement, failure, disappointment, false accusations, imprisonment, childlessness, reproach etc., Remaining faithful, Persevering and trusting the Lord in the face of all that, yields multiplication of God’s grace and increase the fruit of the spirit in our lives 2 Cor12:10, James1:3 & John 15:5.
Peter’s conclusion is that we will never fall if we depend and use the grace of God in us (2 Pet 1:10). And if we fall even seven times (completely), we will rise up 1 John 2:1 & Prov 24:16. This is sign of a WHEAT. It’s the Lord’s own plant. It cannot continue in sin because its nature hates sin though sin may sometimes enjoy short lived win(s) Rom 7:21-25. Anyone who is not distressed when they have sinned and therefore runs to God is not a participant of God’s grace at all. God’s grace is so sweet and inviting that anyone who ever gets a taste of it, will rather give up their life than lose it. It’s like the precious pearl that a man finds and gives up all he has in exchange for it Heb 4:16, Ps 34:8 & Ps 63:3.
Paul’s Apostolic warning is reverberating for the twenty first century followers of Christ; see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God;…. Heb 12:15.
The question is why is it reverberating?
The following will surely include in the answer.
(a) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come 2 Tim 3:1. Perilous means dangerously difficult times.
(b) Many have failed to obtain the grace of God therefore root of bitterness has sprang up and many are defiled. Prayer and fasting cannot stop it. Offends come because of lack of grace and the scriptures says clearly offends will surely come. The point is this; we ALL need increase of God’s grace to escape the coming onslaught. Praise God….. Praise God! His grace is more than sufficient to those that find it. For those who find it, there remains a rest for them in God’s kingdom Heb 4:1 and 9.
Before anyone gets too righteous, let each man examine his heart and call upon God to examine us if bitterness is anywhere near our heart before it takes its ugly root 1Cor 10:12 & Ps 139:23-24. Judgment starts in God’s temple (our hearts). If you judge yourself, you will not be judged 1Cor 11:31. He that judges himself repents often before the Lord and enjoys clear conscience which God values much.
The grace of God works through the fear of the Lord which produce wisdom. No wonder our Lord Jesus Christ is full of grace and wisdom. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise Ps 51:17. For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite Isa 57:15.
Paul the Apostle in Heb 6:9 gave a profane exhortation as a master builder to cushion a real danger that result from despising the grace of God. We must latch onto that word of encouragement without losing site of Heb 6:4-8 that necessitated Heb 6:9. In fact, verses 4-8 should make us persevere on the grace of God with all of our heart individually and collectively as saints of the most High God. Galatians 5:4 further amplifies Heb 6:6.The fact that someone who has once enjoyed God’s grace can fall away from grace is all the more reason to take it seriously, treasure it and use it for our own good and the good of others.
Our privilege in God is incomprehensible. This unfathomable love makes us want to shout the Lord’s praise hysterically and become even more undignified than this as a song writer puts it.
May the Lord deliver us from self approval, secret love from our friends and cause a revival of his fear in our hearts. And may grace be multiplied to the body of Christ at this time that the royal priesthood may be obedient to the Faith and bring praise, honour and glory to the lord’s name in all the earth 1 Peter 2:9. Amen.
