Our two-day teaching on “Superlative Glory” was based on “Beyond Superlative Glory” before I received another revelation on the new topic: “NEW LEVEL OF SUPERLATIVE GLORY”. The first topic, if not handled carefully, may culminate in error of interpretation. The second one is more of eschatological than reality and, if not handled carefully, it will lead to fallacies of logic. And the third topic is not narrow but more encompassing and enriching. In other words, the first two topics can be discussed within the framework of the third topic. With this in mind, this piece will employ the “NEW LEVEL OF SUPERLATIVE GLORY” to avoid theological blunders that the two topics may cause. Reasons for this are made manifest in this write-up.

Whenever we attempt to describe the indescribable God, we discover that the words we have in our vocabulary are adequately inadequate (intentional use of words) to convey what we are trying to say. Obviously, the vocabulary of any language, world over, is limited to describe a great God, the uncreated Creator. To say the truth, a creature like man, the highest form of living creature on the earth though, is an infinitesimal speck to describe God or His glory. This is because the finitude cannot describe the infinitude. However, God can inspire His children to have an inkling of His glory through Christ Jesus and by the power of Holy Spirit by allowing His light to shine in their hearts so as to receive the light of the knowledge of His glory – God’s glory: 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ(2Cor.4:6)

The underpinning truth now is that we cannot fully comprehend God; we can only see in a mirror or glass dimly until when we see Him face to face in His glory:

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known (1Cor.13:12)

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2Cor.3:18)

In this piece, three major questions will be answered: what is superlative glory? What is new level of superlative glory? And what is beyond new level of superlative glory?

Explanation of Terms

There are four key words in this topic that need clarification to enhance our understanding of this teaching: new, level, superlative, and glory. Here, new means current or recent. Level means position or stage or phase in this context. When we talk about superlative, this word is the form of an adjective used to compare three or more things. The superlative form of an adjective is used to show something has quality to the greatest degree or it denotes the highest degree of the quality.  While the word glory, which is the major thrust of this piece, cannot be pinned down to a single definition or meaning because of its polymorphic nature. However, the writer spotlights this word under different rubrics to understand the nitty-gritty of the topic at hand.

The Biblical Concept of Glory

The word “glory” as earlier mentioned is not a nebulous word but a polymorphous biblical concept that is very difficult to pin down to a single definition. The use of this word in the Bible shows that “glory” is a wide ranging concept or subject that includes a broad variety of nuances. Thus, any attempt to pin it down to a single meaning will lead to what is called errors of interpretation. No doubt, this word is used by everyone almost every day and assumes to know. Though a lovely and beautiful word, it is very difficult and complex to define and study. Professor Thomas Rohm compares glory to a diamond with its many mesmerizing facets. He said “Studying glory from scripture is somewhat like peering at a diamond in the noonday sun: it is dazzling, and it can be puzzling…” Thus, this writer will work around this word with particular attention to the topic at hand.

Basic Truths about GLORY

Glory as light of God

Glory as God’s manifest presence

Glory is visible

Glory of men or things can be compared (we can talk of superlative here)

Glory of God is matchless, you cannot compare it with/to anything (Superlative does not apply here; the Glory itself is superlative or excellent, or surpassing – 2Pet.1:17)

Every child of God is a glory of God (Isa.43:7)

Everyone is created with at least a glory

Glory differs (1Cor.15:41)

God is the Father of glory (Eph.1:17)

10 God is the giver of glory (2Pet.1:17)

11 Glory of the Lord is everywhere.

What is Superlative Glory?

This is the highest form of glory. Though limited to human beings and things in comparison, comparing God’s superlative glory to and / or with His creation or handy work is an error. Therefore, God’s glory, which is the highest form of glory, is incomparable. Examples of superlative glory that can be compared can be found in the Bible.

The Glory of the Sun is Superlative

The Glory of the Sun can be compared with and / or to that of the Moon and Stars. Even among the stars glory differs from one another. The glory of one star is different from another star – stars are not equal in glory. In other words, in brightness, stars are better than each other. In the galaxy of stars one will be brightest. The brightest one is superlative in glory. In the Book of Genesis, in the fourth day of God’s creation, two great lights, including the stars (the third light), were made by God. Indeed, God declares that one is greater than another in glory: both in function and brightness:

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day (Gen.1:14-19)

The glory of the sun is greater than the glory of the moon, and that of the stars. Of course, it is crystal clear that the glory of the moon is greater than that of the stars. Comparatively, among these three glories, with no need of any prophet, therefore, it is very clear that the glory of the sun is superlative. In 1Cor.15:41, Paul the Apostle also made reference to these three glories (lights): 

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

Joseph’s Glory is Superlative: Glory bows for Glory; Glory serves Glory

We can also observe in Gen.37:5-10 that other lesser glories can bow for greater ones. From this passage, we discover that Joseph’s glory is superlative compared to other glories in the family:

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

Prayer:

Father, give me the glory that other glories will bow for.

Father, give me glory that other glories will serve.

What is New Level of Superlative Glory?

 Whatever level of glory you are now, whether the level of the glory of the star, the moon, or the sun, you still need a new level of glory. It is possible to experience a new level of superlative glory if you allow the glory of God to radiate in your life. How can one move to a new level of superlative glory? The Book of Isaiah chapter 60 has an answer to this.

When you are operating on the new level of superlative glory, you will experience the following:

1 The Gentiles will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your new rising 

2 You will have many spiritual children all over the world  

3 The abundance of the sea will be converted to you 

4 The forces of the Gentiles will come to you 

5 People from different nations of the world will come to you with many gifts and praise your God.

6 The gate of your house will continually open day and night with blessings.

7 Gentles and their kings will bring gifts to you

8 Any nation and kingdom that will not serve you will perish; and they will be utterly wasted

9 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto you (Glory bowing for glory or glory serving glory)

10 Those who despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet.

11 God will make you an eternal excellency, and a joy of many generations.

12 You will eat from the abundance of the Gentiles and kings

13 Violence shall no more be heard in your land, wasting nor destruction within your borders. 

14 Your walls shall be salvation and gates praises.

What is “Beyond New Level of Superlative Glory”?

This question is, though, more eschatological than the present reality, you can experience “Beyond New Level of Superlative Glory” when you are a child of God. This is only made available by God for His children to experience eternally. However, the Book of Isaiah gives us an inkling of this:

19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time (Isa 60:19-22)

TO BE CONTINUED…

NOTE: By God’s grace, this will be explained in great details in our next piece on this topic. 

Holiness is one of the essential attributes of divine nature. It is not a new concept or notion dreamed up by anyone or the church. It permeates the whole gamut of the entire Scripture, the ordained Master Plan of God – both Old and New Testaments.

The idea of holiness comes from God. Holiness originates with God. He (God) alone is perfectly holy. The Hebrew word for holiness is qodesh while the Greek equivalent is hagiosune. These two words mean “separation”, or “setting apart”. In general terms, holiness is used to indicate sanctity or absolute separation from all that is impure, sinful, or morally imperfect. The term is used in reference to persons, places, and things. It is God’s nature. The Holy Bible lays emphasis on this attribute of God (Exo.15:11; 1Sam.2:2; Lev.20:26; Ps.71:22; 99:9; Isa.6:3; Habk.1:12; Rev.15:4; etc).

To be holy, as a child of God, is to separate from heathen and worldly attitudes and actions which characterize the heathens and unbelieving Christians as biblically ungodly people, or to exhibit Godly (or Christ-like) attitudes and actions which characterize you as a Christian believer, son or daughter of your Father (Mtt.5:48; Rom.12:1-2; 1Cor.6:14-18;1Pet.1:13-16;2:9-12). Holiness sets one apart from the world and to God. Therefore, holiness is Christ-likeness.

One may ask: Why personal holiness is imperative. The subject of personal holiness is not what we can discuss in one fell swoop. It covers a wide range of subjects in itself. The commitment to truth and holiness is at low ebb; the upsurge of religiosity without morality is a source of concern; and indeed, the spate of reprobacy in the church today is rather appalling and poignant. Today, holiness is becoming rare in the church: the people we imitate or copy have lost it; the church in the United States of America has lost it, and the church in Africa may soon lose it if we fail to preach and teach it. Thus, personal holiness becomes imperative.

Any society that refuses to be guided by proven truths will definitely slide into the complexity of vices, avarice, nudity, bestial behaviour of escalating proportion and severity. And “Perversion is moral blindness”, which takes “shine” out of existence, and sadly enough, the people (spiritual leaders) who should stand for the truth now embrace nudity, gay marriage/homosexuality, heterosexuality, lesbianism, divorce, drugs, alcohol, situational ethics, liberalism, falsehood, exaggeration, extortion, and anything that is not virtuous. The people under them follow their own desires of sinful nature, the works of the flesh (Gal.5:19-21), because there is moral blindness, doctrinal detour, and biblical misconstruction in the church today occasioned by the spiritual leaders. We must understand that the evil that dwells in man’s heart makes him unclean, unholy, and to falls short of holy God’s standard (Mrk.7:21-23; Rom.3:23), and to be in perfect consonance with the world and enemy of God (1Jn2:15-16; James4:4). To be conformed with His standard, therefore, there is a need for man to drop the old nature and put on a new life (11Cor.5:17), for the Spirit of holiness to work in his life so as to be declared as the son of God (Rom.1:4), and to be a partaker of God’s holiness (Heb.12:10). This is because the only visa to heaven is HOLINESS (Heb.12:14).

Evidently, it has become a source of worry that the pulpit in our church has been turned into a rostrum where thieves, rubbers, fornicators, adulterers, idolaters, and politicians exhibit their carnal intentions. It is a podium where falsehood or barefaced lies are cooked and served as delicious food to the innocent and spiritually dead congregation or laity. It is a platform where money invitation has replaced salvation and a call for genuine repentance; where toga of impurity and nudism are in absolute display; and where satanic voices are misconstrued for God’s voice. The end has come, be prepared (2Thess.2:4; Rev.13:14,15; Dan.9:27;11:30,31)

Besides, another source of trepidation is that the church of God which should be an epitome of holiness, purity, righteousness, love, obedience, humility, honesty, and integrity, is now the cesspit of falsehood, exaggeration, fornication, adultery, idolatry, and a sheer functional display of doctrinal deception, moral insensitivity, spiritual ignorance, and philosophical idolatry. The sheep-stealing, power drunkenness, heretical teaching, apostasy, self-centeredness, the deceitfulness of riches, passion for office and titles rather than souls of men and holy service, administrative lawlessness, financial recklessness, leadership abuse, and a stark ethical departure from God’s truth are now the order of the day (2Tim.3:1-5; Mt.24: 4-5,12,15,23). Thus, personal holiness is imperative.      

Now, having understood the state of the modern-day church, leaders, and followers, there is an urgent need for us to work out our own salvation personally with fear and trembling(Phil.2:12). In other words, take your stand, or rather a bold stand to oppose any ungodly act both in the church and in our workplace. You can be an oasis of holiness surrounded by a vast and dense forest of functional display of religious deception, corruption, manipulation, social delinquency, political debacle, comatose economy, leadership mistrust and ignominy, and moral perversion. Your promotion may be delayed, you may not be ordained while others who are less qualified are ordained and promoted. Be not dismayed, one thing is certain, promotion comes from no man but God. He is the only One who can promote and demote (Ps.75:6-7). The title we bear today does not matter to God. If any Archbishop, General Overseer/Superintendent, or Most Senior Apostle does not meet the standard of God in the book of Hebrew12:14, he/she will only be gazing at heaven in hell. That will not be our position in Jesus’ name. God recognizes all of us as brethren (brothers/sisters) not the big title we bear (Matt.23:8-12).

Why personal holiness is highly imperative is that it is the only way we can make heaven in the present high level of moral deception. Besides, God told me in 2007 that: This is the time to separate holy people from the unholy ones in the Redeemed Christian Church of God”. This is not voice. It was written exactly like this by one ageless man. Every letter was purely and legibly written in white in that revelation. This revelation gave me an electric spark that turned on the light bulb of my spiritual understanding about the subject HOLINESS, which its divine import is TOTAL SEPARATION from ungodly acts. The authority that your pastors and church have over you cannot be greater than that of God. God has the final say. The Word of God is the final authority. They may call you different kinds of names, give you catalogue of descriptions or labels such as “too proud”, “too known”, “tool holy”, “he always does things on his own and he does not want to be part of us”, and so on. I know Potiphar’s wife might had given more uncomplimentary descriptions to Joseph than this. And, I know that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego might had, perhaps, been labelled more descriptive than anyone today who tries to be faithful or rather be holy. My candid advice is that, do not disobey authority, and do not disobey your pastors or leaders because disobedience amounts to unholiness. However, always look at the biblicality of what they ask you to do and how Godly this is. It is on this ground you can obey or disobey the authority and/or your pastors. There are biblical examples. Joseph said, “…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen.39:9). The biblical Midwives spared the Hebrew babies contrary to Pharaoh’s orders because they feared God more than a mere mortal (Exo.1:15-18). What about Mordecai (Esther 3) and Esther (Esther 4) who acted against the king’s orders but in the end, Mordecai was honourned (Esther 6). The three Hebrew men ( Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) disobeyed the order of King Nebuchadnezzar by not bowing before the king’s idols, the golden image, he set up, but remained dauntlessly faithful to God despite unpleasant circumstances (Daniel 3:16-18). Daniel was such another man who stood on his ground that he would not serve any other God than the Creator (Daniel 6). Thus, HOLINESS means total separation from ungodly acts. And, since we are living in an ungodly world, we must be prepared to face the attendant consequences of our holy actions (1Pet.3:13-20; 4:12-19). But, in the end, we shall triumph and rejoice, and be honourned. (Amen).

To end with Pauline advice in Philippians 2:12: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”  Brethren, let no one deceive you, the race to heaven is PERSONAL. If you think that the holiness of your parents or pastors can save you, you are deceiving yourself. Hence, HOLINESS becomes imperatively personal. …‘Be ye holy; for I am holy’(1Pet.1:16).   

       By:

Dele.A Ilesanmi-Bamigbade, Ph.D

The celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ should not be trifling but should rather be carefully and soberly reflected upon. Christ’s death is for the whole world, for the redemption of humanity. To give the truth a clapping hand, His death is not the end of His ministry but the beginning of His redemptive assignment/ministry on earth.

It should be noted that the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ encapsulate the transitory journey of man in this wicked and transient world. His resurrection, ascension and the second coming (the prophesied return) of Jesus Christ denotes the beginning of unstoppable joy and hope of genuine Christians. This is a pointer to an eschatological epitome of a genuine Christian.

Retrospectively, what boosted the morale of Christian believers during the imperious Roman rule was the hope of the coming of the Lord as typified and encapsulated  in Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” The early church faced much persecution. The Christians were placed under severe, deadly penalties for not declaring that Caesar was god. The early Christians believed and knew that there is only one God and one Lord – Jesus Christ. In all good conscience, they could not call Caesar “Lord” because their Lord, Jesus Christ, is coming (maranatha).

The question now is: how are we preparing to meet this great Lord? For us to know, the Second Coming of the Lord is another biblical eschatological subject in Christian theology. His return is biblically sure: it will be physical and visible to all, the same way He ascended to heaven upon a cloud (Acts1:9-11;Rev.1:7); He is coming to come and take the saints, the real Christians (John 14:3; 1Thess.4:15-17); and His coming will be unannounced – i.e, no foreknowledge of His coming (Mtt.24:40-44). Hence, we should be readily prepared at all time to meet Him (Mtt.25:10; Rev.19:7-9). He is coming to judge everybody(2Cor.5:10). He is also coming to judge the sinners specifically (2Thess.1:7-10; Jude 1:14-15; Rev.19:19-21).

What is more, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is the hope of Christian believers. It is not a creative imagination or philosophical idealism of a religious set to deceive the world, but it is an apocalyptic event of biblical account that transcends any philosophical and scientific enquiry. It does not fall within the purview of futurology but rather a Christian futurism/eschatology. It is not a ruse. It is biblical apocalypse that will certainly happen.

But the big questions are: how prepared are we for the glorious appearance of this great God, our Saviour Jesus Christ, considering the hedonistic and materialistic world we live in? How can we make it to heaven when our pastors’ sermons are full of falsehood and doctrinal errors? How can a new convert in our church make it to heaven when his money is much more important to his pastor than his salvation? Is the present “church” even prepares to meet the Lord, considering her frivolous and pretentious programmes? Or, when her trademarks are lies and strife? Or, where falsehood gains a major foothold than truth? Are we now ready and prepared to say, with audacity, O Lord come – Maranatha?

You can send your comments to:

info@deleilesanmi.com  or, pstdeleilesanmi3@gmail.com

www.deleilesanmi.com

Time is a priceless treasure or an inestimable jewel given by God to humanity. Time is so vital that no one who is heavenly conscious could afford to waste it.  Time makes up one’s destiny. It is the only thing that makes every human equal. Our lives are governed by time. God made it so (Eccl. 3:1-8). Our lives are a string of experiences held together by the thread of time. We don’t control time, we are controlled by it. There is time for everything, “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Eccl. 3:1).

The “African Time” phenomenon which has permeated all strata of African society is ungodly. Thus, it must not be encouraged in the church of God. Anyone who does not understand God will not understand time and purpose (1 Chro. 12:32; cf. Rom. 9:9; Gen. 18:10; 2Kings4:16; Num.9:2; Exo.13:10; Eccl. 3:1-8). In Britain, there is no acceptable excuse for lateness to work or event but not in Africa (though ungodly). In Africa, the common excuses are children, jobs, long-distance and traffic. The painful thing is that when some of our people were looking for children, Jobs, wives, husbands, etc, they were the first to come to church and the last to leave. But now they have received what they were looking for; it is time for them to give excuses. Is it the fault of God to give you that child, job, wife or husband? Are you like Adam who gave an excuse for disobedience? Please, avoid God’s curse (Gen. 3:11-19). If it is traffic or distance, attend the nearest church to your residence/home/house or you leave for appointments or church services in good time.

At times, there may be an unpredicted circumstance that may keep one late to work, meeting, or church service. This, one would understand, is not quite frequent but unusual. However, it behoves one to call one’s leader or subordinate, as the case may be, to keep him/her informed about joining the meeting or service late. Again, this should not be frequent.

Similarly, the convener of a meeting should not waste people’s time. When a meeting is slated to hold for one hour, it would be amounted to a lack of integrity on the part of the convener if he/she extends the meeting beyond the stipulated time, except the group jointly agreed. Again, this should not be frequent. In church service, at times, Holy Spirit may move beyond our expectation to the extent that time may not be as important as the wonders of God. Nevertheless, Even though God controls and changes times and seasons (Dan.2:21), there is a need for the leaders to let members understand this. Yet again, leaders should not hide under this to waste people’s time.

As Christians, we must understand that time is life when we treasure it; it is a seed when we sow it at the right time; and it is money when we spend it judiciously. Time is a tool not as a crutch when we use it purposively.  Lateness is an enemy of progress. Those who come late to church service/meeting are enemies of God. For you to make it to heaven, you must be time conscious; those who want to excel in life will live and work in minutes. Punctuality is divine while perennial lateness is demonic. Those who come late to church programmes are weak in spiritual understanding – they attend services or programmes simply as a show or for the fear of their pastors, not God. By all standards, lateness is a manifestation of indiscipline and sheer disobedience to God.

God sets the time for everything under the heaven (Eccl.3:1-8). In John 9:4, Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”. In John 7:33 “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me”. This same Jesus answered and said in John 11:9 “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world”. Therefore, the preacher said in Eccl 9:10, that “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest”. All of these Biblical statements point to one thing – time. We can see how important time is to the meaningful existence of man. Don’t joke with your time and the people’s time.

In summary, keeping to time is a good measure of how responsible a person is. In fact, if you keep to time, you will be respected and seen as responsible. If you don’t, people may see you as irresponsible and God sees you as a disobedient child. There is hardly any excuse for arriving late for appointments, functions or church services. Keep to time today. Read and memorise this poem, which encapsulates the entire piece of today:

 Work while you work

And play while you play

To be useful and happy

This is the way… (cf., John 7:33; 9:4; 11:9; 12:35; Gal. 6:10)

Power is the ability to act or produce an effect; possession of authority over others. Indeed, these two aspects of power are often related in the Scripture. This is because God has revealed His power in the act of creation, He has authority to assign dominion to whoever He wills (Jer. 10:12; 27:5). God revealed His power by miraculously delivering Israel from Egyptian slavery (Exo.4:21; 9:16; 15:6; 32:11) and in the conquest of Canaan (Ps. 111:6). God is a God of love and power – He gladly and graciously manifests both. Every born-again Christian is expected to demonstrate God’s love and power through the enablying of the Holy Sprit.

Thus, to lack either power or love is to have an incomplete seal of the Holy Spirit upon your ministry as a Christian leader. Preaching without power is no preaching; teaching without power engenders blunders; prayer without power is a waste; and evangelism without power is a fruitless effort.

As Christian leaders, ministers, and workers, and /or as Christians, we need power and the power is truly available to us today. When we say we need power, we are not talking about human or physical power, such as the power or strength needed to lift up hefty objects, weights, hammer nails, or to push a truck or heavy vacuum cleaner. We are not talking about electrical power or any other power in the natural realm. The power we are talking about here cannot be explained by natural laws. It is divine. It is supernatural. It is above or beyond natural or human power.  This kind of power occurs totally outside the laws of nature. The power that is available here cannot be explained by logical minds.it is the power to do great exploits such as healing, setting captives free, winning lost souls for Christ, etc. The power is available to those Christians who are genuinely born-again; who totally consecrate themselves; and have faith in God. However, the following can prevent you from accessing this power: unforgiving spirit, anger, impurity, unholy behaviour, immorality, unrighteousness, lies, pride, idolatry, lack of faith, rebellion, envy, unbelief; ignorance .etc.

       Brethren, it does not matter if you are a member, pew-filler, chorister, an usher, a Sunday school Teacher, or a Pastor – the power of God is there for you to use and God wants you to learn how to use it.  The power is available to us, the power is here with us, and the power is a seed in us. But you must allow the seed to grow for exploits through the fertilization of Holy Spirit, and be ASKING for it (Lk. 11:13; James. 4:2; John. 14:14; 16:23-24; Matt. 7:7) 

You can send your comments to:

info@deleilesanmi.com or, pstdeleilesanmi3@gmail.com www.deleilesanmi.com

A soul–winner is a witness to the light, an evangelist, a proclaimer or a herald of the gospel of Jesus Christ to sinners wherever they may be found, so that they may believe the testimony and be saved (John 1:7-8). 

In his words, Mabie, H.C. maintains that soul-winning is not a perfunctory undertaking. And the soul-winner is not a recruiting sergeant or a zealous gaining adherent to a sect. rather, a soul-winner is the one who seeks to add “to the Lord” (Acts 2:47). A soul-winner is the one who calls people to respond to the message of grace and commit oneself to God in Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus forms the kernel of the divine art of soul-winning activity, because the Holy Bible, which a soul-winner uses as a tool, is Christo-centric  (John5:39; Heb. 1:1-2).

Therefore, to be an effective soul winner, you must critically study the biblical exegesis of the statement made by our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of Acts of Apostles  Chapter one verse eight (Acts 1:8).  

But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto me the uttermost part of the earth.

The above passage clearly explains how Jesus expects us to carry out evangelism (Soul-winning activity). The following facts about soul-winning or evangelism can be inferred from the passage:

(1)  Jesus Christ expects us to carry out evangelism (the art of soul-winning) not in flesh, but in the power of the Holy Ghost. Hence, he specifically instructed the disciples to wait and receive power first before going out to be his witnesses.

(2) Jesus Christ expects us to be His witnesses. We need to first experience that new birth ourselves. If we have not experienced that new birth and we go out to witness, then we are false witnesses. For example, in a court of law, a witness is one who has experienced what he speaks about. Thus, anyone who has not experienced what he/she speaks about can be considered to be a false witness.

(3) In winning souls for Christ, we need to begin from our neighborhood. As at the time Jesus was speaking to these disciples, they were in Jerusalem. Jesus told them to begin winning souls to the kingdom right from their neighborhood (Jerusalem). Thus, our witnessing should begin from our home, our place of work, our friends, our close and distant relatives, and the entire town or city where we reside. Then, from Jerusalem, He commanded them to go to Judea, the province where Jerusalem was situated.

It is like telling somebody living in Ekiti State to begin to witness from Ado-Ekiti, then in all parts of Ekiti State, and then the entire world. Although reaching out to the world should be our focus, we must begin first from our neighborhood, charity begins at home.

LET’S GO A FISHING programme in the Redeemed Christian Church of God is designed to win souls for Christ. Every Mission has one designed programme or the other to win souls. Let us maximally utilize this period for better performance in the art of soul-winning. Ask for divine touch, power, and ask for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Pray earnestly for this because he that wins souls is wise (Prov. 11:30). Remember that the one who has chosen you, and ordained you, who also commanded you to go and win souls for Him, will ask for your fruits, the souls you have won (John 15:16). Can we now go and compel (urge)anyone we find in the street and all the nooks and crannies of our community to come so that the house of the Lord may be filled (Luke 14:23). 

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BEYOND TRANSACTIONAL PRAYER: DEEP REFLECTIONS ON THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE NEED FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT IN CHRISTIAN NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS – By Pst Dele A Ilesanmi-Bamigbade, PhD

The current move in our religious life seems to be incongruous to, a sharp detour from, the divine instructions. Our current tilting towards or rather tripping into the transactional theology has downplayed the relational theology. This, in no small measure, has devastating effects on the spiritual life of the church.

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The current move in our religious life seems to be incongruous to, a sharp detour from, the divine instructions. Our current tilting towards or rather tripping into the transactional theology has downplayed the relational theology. This, in no small measure, has devastating effects on the spiritual life of the church

At the beginning of every year, people tend to make some resolutions that they hope to spark positive change. Churches organize prayer programmes that will usher in a better life for members and the nations of the world. Nations, communities, groups, associations, families, and individuals are not left out in their move to make some resolutions at the outset of every year. It will interest you to know that 90% of these resolutions are transactional in nature while 10% are relational. It will also interest you to know that some of the church programmes we organize towards the end and at the beginning of every year are transactional in nature.

Today, we live in a highly consumer-driven and on-demand culture society. Hence, our prayer time is spent focusing more on what we want, or what we think we need, or what we want to get from God than simply resting in God’s presence. We spent hours praying to God without knowing Him, without a personal relationship with Him – it is highly paradoxical. The Gospel goes beyond transactional. It is dangerous to reduce the presence of God to mere transactions. The present rising cliché of “name it and claim it” theology has had devastating effects on spiritual depth and understanding. When we pray, we expect an immediate answer. When we do something good, we expect God to compensate us immediately. This new theology is antithetical to biblical instructions.

In God’s creation, the passage of time is marked by days, months, seasons, and years. We experience each interval, whether it is twenty-four hours of a day, thirty days of a month, or several months of a season, or twelve months of a year without interruption. Yet, when the year begins to wind down, we often feel surprised and wonder where the days went. We lead busy lives, and it can be easy to simply let the year come to an end without much thought or feeling, especially, we the Christians we organize a series of programmes such as the moment of miracles, eleventh-hour miracles, last minutes miracles, etc without given thought to how these miracles will be handled. No adequate time is given to members to set aside special time for personal prayer and quiet time with the Lord that will help us conclude the year in a meaningful way and prepare ourselves for the New Year. No wonder New Year Resolutions are made out of emotion without depth of thought.

It is very important we take enough time to reflect on the year we’ve just passed through whether it is worthwhile or not to make the necessary adjustments or improve on the current conditions of our lives.  If we take time to consider the many ways the Lord had cared for us, physically, materially, and spiritually, in the last oneyear, a sense of thankfulness will arise in our hearts. This will, again, engender miracle or blessings in the New Year. We’ll realize that in both our difficult circumstances and joyous occasions, the Lord has been constantly caring for us. It is because of His mercy that we have not been consumed (Lamentation 3:22-23).

Prayer can be transactional, relational and transformational. Transactional prayer or religion centres on contract or economic deal-making. For example, when a pastor says to his congregational members, if you can give so and so amount of money, you will see the hand of God or God will do want you are asking Him to do (even though you are a sinner). You must give to get or you must give to receive (Luke 6:38). It is what I call the Principle of Transactional theology. If this kind of theology is not carefully handled, it will be devastating to the spiritual health of man. There is nothing wrong with transactional prayer but the Gospel of Christ, our prayer, and dealing with God must not be reduced to a transaction. The danger here is that the unsaved or unbeliever will say: “so if I can give to the work of God (even though the source of the money is not clean), I will be saved and/or blessed”. This is purely transactional. This will be discussed extensively in our next article by God’s grace. Given this analogy, we have reduced God to an ATM machine: when we need Him, we go to Him for transactions. For example, during the eve of every New Year, people come to church to seek His hands (and not His face). This is not good for our spiritual life.

The current move of God is that He’s transitioning us from knowing His works to knowing His ways. Therefore, let us move from transactional prayer to relational one. And when we do make this transition, everythingchanges—our prayers, our worship, and our lives. We will no longer treat God like an ATM machine, or even see ourselves by what we do for God, but by what He’s doing in and through us as we walk with Him. Thus, God wants relationship more than transacting business with Him. Relational prayer is very important at this end-time period. Our relationship with God must be cordial first. When we seek His face, His hands will be released to us. God wants Relational Prayer first. The Transactional Prayer is embedded in Relational Prayer that will give birth to Transformation. Thus, both Transactional and Transformational Theologies are subsets of Relational Theology. Hence, God said in 2Chronicles 7:14-15 that:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place.

There are three realms associated with this kind of theologies: transactional, transformational, and relational. These realms are the earthly realm, supernatural realm, and heavenly realm. All these realms will be explained in great detail in my next article. But to get to the relational level, we need to get to the heavenly realm. Hear what Mel Wild says here:

In the lowest, earthly realm, we might see the works of God. In the second realm, or supernatural realm, we do the works of God: the focus on miracles, healing, and trying to figure out how to do the “stuff.” But in the highest, heavenly realm, the focus is on knowing His ways. Living from heaven to earth always starts and ends with God. It’s never based on needs, learning how to get prayers answered, or even about ministry. Every problem we face here on earth is seen as an opportunity to deepen the relationship in heaven. Prayer becomes communing with and learning the Father’s heart, and the fruit of this relational exchange is that we’re a little more like Christ in our experience.

This is how God fathers us in all things. This is how our souls are trained to walk in rest. And from this place of rest, God determines what we need, what we’re to learn, what we’re to do, and He makes provision for all of it. It must be emphasized here that this is the very opposite of doing things from a transactional understanding of God, even our trying to enter into the rest in God with this paradigm. We’ll still be praying prayers that have already been answered and trying to attain things we’ve already been given as a free gift. Whatever we need is found in the relationship, God will provide everything. This sounds strange and scary to people who have a transactional view of God! It did to the children in the wilderness, too. The truth is, it locates our heart. We also cannot live this way if we’re living from the first two realms. Because it’s more than just saying we believe it, and you can’t hype your faith up enough to make it work. Only by total surrender, learning to live in the heavenly realm (rather poorly at first!), can our hearts be transformed so that as we learn God’s ways, we’re also learning to trust Him in all things.

Still on the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we ask questions: why Christmas? Or, why did God send Jesus to the earth? Many answers that are transactional in nature are given. Some say: to save us from the hands of the devil; to take away our sins; to redeem mankind; to remove our shame; to heal all of our diseases; to conquer death so that we could go to heaven; etc.  All these answers are true. But sincerely, this is barely scratching the surface of the Gospel.  All these are the TRANSACTIONAL elements of the Gospel message.  But, according to Kevan Grinwis, to say that Jesus came to redeem us implies that He came to purchase us back FROM something which further implies that He is ultimately restoring us TO something. He is restoring humanity to holiness, honor health, life, and many more. But, Bible says, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Let us hear this again from the Book of John 10:7-10:

^“7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

We can see that the Gospel is beyond TRANSACTIONAL. Jesus is the Eternal Life, through Him salvation came to man without transacting any business with anyone. Jesus said in John 10:17 that “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father”.

Kevan Grinwis elucidates further thus:

The Gospel is a story of broken relationship.  It is a story of furious longing and violent love in which our Father stopped at nothing to purchase back His sons who had foolishly sold themselves into bondage and chosen a life of sin and shame.  It is a story of restoration to the relationship for which we were eternally created.

Think about it, when we read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, we would miss out horribly if we stopped at the fact that the father gave his lost son a new ring, a new robe, and new sandals for his feet.  There’s so much more to the story.  There’s the fact that he was waiting and watching.  There’s the running.  The embrace.  The father profusely kissing his son who, very likely smelled like pig dung.  Then, there’s the party.  I can imagine the prodigal son sitting at the table, next to his father.  I can’t imagine that he was all that focused on the ring, the robe, and the sandals at that moment.  But, I imagine that he just sat in wonder and amazement at this father that still was willing to call him son and still wanted to be in relationship with him after where he’d been and all that he’d done.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrews used a word commonly translated in English “to know”.  It is the ancient word “Yada” and it means to know intimately.  It’s not an academic knowledge or a cerebral attainment to a truth.  It’s not the ability to rightly disseminate fact from fiction or the strict adherence to right doctrine.  In fact, it’s the word that Moses chose when he first wrote down the historical account of Adam and Eve.  In the NASB translation of Genesis 4.1, we read that Adam “had relations” with his wife Eve, and she conceived.  The KJV says, “Adam knew his wife…”.  While, the NIV says, “Adam made love to his wife…”.  The word here in the Hebrew text is the word “Yada“.  It is the word that is used to describe Moses relationship with God when the Scriptures say that Moses knew God, face-to-face, as a man knows his friend.  It is the word that Solomon chose to use in Proverbs 3 when he instructed us to acknowlege God in all of our ways.

This, my friends, is the concept that Jesus had in mind in John 17.3 when He said…

“‘This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’.” – John 17.3 NASB

Today, I encourage you to see Jesus as the door that He described Himself to be, to see that the Gospel is a story of restored relationship first.  There are transactional elements, yes.  But, when we make them paramount, we miss the main point.  We begin to believe that Jesus came to give us something, which essentially is true – but the “something” is Himself.  Let us rather seek His face rather than His hands.  For, it is in the light of His face that we behold the glory of the Gospel, and thereby reflect the reckless, extravagant love of the Father which transforms us, and re-images us to our eternal purpose in Christ – sons, stewards, and ambassadors

WHAT SHOULD WE DO NOW?

The answer is very simple. We need to offer a fresh consecration to the Lord. Before anything else, we need to understand that sins can negatively affect our relationship or walk with our Maker in the New Year if we don’t confess them before crossing over so that they will not be carryover sins. In 1 John 1:9-10, the Bible says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” After confessing our sins, the intimate fellowship with the Lord should begin immediately without wasting time. This time of intimacy with God is also when we can offer a new consecration to Him. With a new year before us, we can give every aspect of ourselves and our lives to Him. By consecrating ourselves to the Lord, we can be kept walking in the Lord’s way, grow in His life, allow God to work in us, and be brought into the enjoyment of the riches of God’s salvation. We can consecrate ourselves to the Lord by praying something simple like this:

Lord Jesus, thank you for all you have done for me over the past years. Thank you for your faithfulness, mercy, and love. Lord, I love you. I offer myself to you again. I give the New Year to you. I want to grow in you each day. Keep me in your way. Lord, I allow you to work in me throughout this year and beyond in Jesus’ name.

It is very inimical to Christianity when we reduce the Gospel to a mere transaction, we sell it tragically short of its majesty, beauty, and incomprehensible glory (apology to Kevan Grinwis). It is therefore imperative to make a paradigm shift from transactional Gospel to Relational Gospel.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

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