DON’T BE UPSET

The sun was high, the road dusty and busy, this was typical of Besara Road at a time like this in Galilee. On a normal day, he would have sent a servant but this was no normal day for him and his household. He could remember 12 years ago when his daughter was born, oh what joy! But now death threatens. Jairus knew Jesus of Nazareth could help, but how do you nail down this miracle worker. Thankfully someone told him He just came to town. Hurriedly, he matched on to where he believed his 12 year old daughter’s salvation lay.

Jesus said, ‘Let us go’…His joy knew no bounds. Salvation comes with me. No one knows the pain of waiting for the conception of this girl – this dream. Then, the devil seeks to take her away. He mused ‘By God, Jerusalem will not mourn for me’. Just then he discovers the journey drags on; Christ was crowded, and the crowd would not allow God to move at Jairus’ speed. Can someone tell this people I have an emergency case?

Then suddenly He stopped, and looking around He said who touched me. My, my, this Jesus! Seriously, it would have been hilarious, but that laughter had no place in Jarius’ soul – ‘my girl is dying’, ‘my vision, my hope is losing life’. This must be a desperate miracle seeker – then a woman like a flash came into the scene, completely healed after 12 years of infirmity. Sincerely ‘is my daughter not 12 years old’. A flow of blood as long as his daughter had lived!

And just when they could break loose from that moment, he saw the man. Even before he spoke, he knew what had happened, ‘your little girl is dead’. It just got worse. ‘I believed she would live but now she is dead – she was losing life but now she is dead. Hopes vanished, dreams gone, thoughts disappeared. It was first the beginning of the end, but now it had all ended’.

Have you ever ran to Jesus with a situation, and instead of it getting better, it grew worse? The health situation deteriorated, the account went from red to fade; from little contract to no contract. It seems God is just interested in doing things for every other person but you; somehow He seems to have forgotten that you are there. You have done all you know to do, yet nothing is transforming for the better. Yet, the last time you were in church; the preacher kept jumping up and down passionately claiming that God is not partial, ‘What He does for one He does for all’ he roared.

Allow me to add to the preacher’s note by reminding you of The Message rendering of Jesus response to the sad, disgruntled, frustrated and tired Jairus, ‘Jesus overheard and said, "Don't be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right." (Luke 8:50). It is still the same admonition He has for us, ‘don’t be upset…’ Don’t be jealous of the good of another, you need not worry nor fret. Let the faith that brought you to Him, keep you with Him. Though the moon may have faded away, and the night becomes darker, yet He who is the light will lighten your path. He is the light; He needs no source of light.

Only believe, don’t be upset with another’s miracle, God is on the march, He is doubtless coming to you. Yes, He might seem delayed in coming, but there will yet be a miracle. Your Vision will yet live; your baby project shall not die. Because He lives, you also shall live. Remember Jairus laughed at last. Hold on, don’t be upset; Trust Him, Cling to Him, Stay with Him, He will yet perform that which you seek.

Fisayo Adeniyi

Pursuing Purpose...

Twitter: @fisayospeaks

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Take Off The GRAVE CLOTHES

We live in a world that wickedly sticks to her guns. We constantly limit people and label them by their past.  We call a man a name that depicts who he was and not who he is, or who he can become. The world is a cruel judge that rarely revisits a case. But if there is anything that we need to change, it is our attitude towards others. It is the very way we see them.

I saw in the surreal, Lazarus hobbling out of the grave, after three days journey into the land- many thought- of no return. It was a miracle!  By Christ, the supernatural had taken place! He who was three days dead came back to life! But instead of Lazarus walking out with a swagger, he was hopping, struggling. Something was wrong; grave clothes were holding the living bound. Jesus cried out “Loose him, and let him go…” (John 11:44)

I also feel like a man standing at the opening of a tomb where many destinies are just being raised to life. I feel like shouting “loose them, and let them go”. Loose God’s people from the dead labels and names you put on them. Yes, they were dead, but they didn’t remain dead. They have been resurrected by the life of God!

We all don’t have to fit your bill of a good man. The whole world can’t be like you. And guess what? The whole world shouldn’t! Even in the world of ice creams, there are many flavors! Allow men to be all that they can be in God, without being subjected to your perspective of a “normal” person.

I am tired of hearing the voice of religion saying, “That is not what we built this church on”, “He doesn’t dress well”, “She doesn’t look like a Christian”, “She has aborted many times”, “Look at the friends he has”, “That church… they are just too loud”, “Is she really going to church with all that make-up?”, “How can you even dare take the communion with all the paintings on your mouth”, “Christians don’t work in that company”. Some people have made themselves the supreme court of heaven. Grace means nothing to them; it must always be the law and works. They want us to fit into their religious clothes. They want us all to conform to their mental image of righteousness.  

But today, I seek to say to you, that these are grave clothes, and we who are free will no longer be bound. We who are living shall not be bound with the clothes of the dead. We are free, we are alive, we are children, and we are heirs of God. We are justified and made righteous by God and nothing should shackle our spirit, “with a view to demonstrating, at the present time, His righteousness, that He may be shown to be righteous Himself, and the giver of righteousness to those who believe in Jesus.” Romans 3:12 (1912 Weymouth New Testament).

The backdrop I saw at Sycamore Church, Ibadan resonates in my mind and it was simply, ‘Welcome Home’. I don’t know if there is anyone who puts on airs or appearances when at home. But I know when I get home, I relax, I am me… At home you can just be you. YOU! Free from all grave clothes…Today I want to encourage you to live a life free from all grave clothes, because your spirit has found its way home. 

Fisayo Adeniyi

Pursuing Purpose...

Twitter: @fisayospeaks

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Remembering Madam Lot

One of the shortest verses of the scripture is, “Remember Lot’s wife” Luke 17:32. I have been thinking about Lot’s wife, performing the biblical injunction of remembering her. But what is there to remember concerning a woman we have little information about. The Bible did not even dignify us with her name (Genesis 19), though she is called ‘Ado’ or IIdith or “Edith in Jewish tradition.

 So we do not know her name, but we are to remember her. Imagine having to give the eulogy at her burial, what would you say? Or sorry, she was never buried. But if she ever had a burial and I was chosen to give a eulogy, this would have been my eulogy:

“Madam Lot was a significant woman, who taught more in her death than in her life; the lessons are few yet very significant:

1  -   Madam Lot in death teaches that those who seek to move forward in life must focus on the future; they must forget yesterday’s losses and triumphs. The positives and negatives of yesterday has become chronicles, they are no longer necessary, except you want to be a yesterday’s man, or you want to be spoken of in past tenses. For they that look back wanting yesterday get frozen on the sand of time, never able to forge ahead in life. One of the greatest achievers the world has ever known said, ‘Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before’ (Philippians 3:13)

2  -   She also taught us the dangers of living in yesterday’s hurt and bitterness. She had walked away from her past, but her past still held her. Do you still look at your past decisions and life with anger, bitterness and pain? Do the errors of yesteryears still rob you of today’s joy? Then you also must remember Madam Lot…Do not allow the sorrow of your loss rob you of the greatness that is in your tomorrow. The fortune the Lot family left behind hurt Madam Lot; she wasn’t focusing on the great wealth and possibilities that were in her tomorrow. Leave the past where it should be… in the past. The only business you have in the past is to use it to evaluate and project into your tomorrow.

3 -   She taught us to focus on and be thankful for the now. No time is ever more important in your life than NOW. Now is…tomorrow is a gift you wait to receive, Yesterday a gift you have dutifully spent. She didn’t focus on the now…If she had, she would have counted and celebrate the gift of life, the opportunity she had of escaping destruction with her family, the grace of God that kept them. You also will need to learn to appreciate the Lord God for His present blessings. Our God is a God of Today, God’s promise and blessings are abundant today but we may not have them, if we are lost in what might have been, “God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David's psalm, centuries later than the original invitation: Today, please listen, don't turn a deaf ear . . .” Hebrew 4:7(The Message). Will you also listen? Will you be thankful for today’s gift? Thank God; though you may not be where you want to be, still you are not where the devil wants you to be! Alleluyia!

Thank you all for your time”

Fisayo Adeniyi

Twitter: @fisayospeaks

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