If God said "don't", Please Don't!

If God said "don't", Please Don't!

"Don’t be wise in your own eyes, fear God and depart from evil” Prov. 3:7

  

In the year 2009, I found myself in one of the hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana where I pursued my nursing practical studies. Right in the children’s ward of the hospital, I happened to communicate with a mother who brought her two (2) years old child into the ward for admission. The child was diagnosed of severe 2^nd degree burns and simple fracture by the Doctor on consultation. According to the mother, she had wanted to prepared tea for the little child, before taking her to the “Day Care” school on that Wednesday morning. “It was after putting the water on the fire when I realized that there was no sugar for the tea. I therefore went to the street to see if I can find some in store nearby for the breakfast” she narrated sadly. On her way back from the store she saw from a long distance that her child was walking towards the standing coal pot that contained hot water. She said she yelled at her first sight from that distance; “don’t go near”, “don’t”… Please don’t! This little child could not comply and walked speedily to the hot fire. He could not comply probably because he didn’t hear from that long distance, or he heard the voice but could not comprehend the meaning. By the time this mother would run to save the poor child, he tossed the pot on the fire and fell onto the ground together with the cooking pot and the coal pot. An accident occurred and in the course of this accident, five (5) things happened:

1. The hot cooking pot fell and landed on the chest of the naked boy.
2. The hot water poured over the child’s trunk and scalded him completely.
3. The hot coal pot fell on the child’s feet and roasted his legs.
4. The fire in the coal pot poured over the child’s arm and burns occurred.
5. As the child fell, he sustained a fracture on his left arm.

The mother was very sorry and concluded in tears; “I wish he had heard my voice”

Beloved, just like this mother, when a true child of God is about to do something that God does not approve, God whispers into his ears, “don’t do it... Please don’t”! If this Christian is conscientious, he /she will listen and refrain. Nevertheless Satan made it in some individuals that that they don’t hear this voice at all. Some hear the voice but do not understand it, others understand but do not comply, the result of which is an accident. God’s commandment is divided into two (2) broad classes; “thou shall and thou shall not” or “dos and don’ts”. Unfortunately Satan, the serpent of the old who tries to ‘undo’ what do ‘did’ is also in the act of altering God’s dos for don’ts and vice versa. This is an adulteration and as higher ground pilgrim, pray you don’t accept it. Don’t remove and don’t add, simply pray and listen, listen and understand, understand and comply.

20 "DO NOT'S" OF GOD THROUGH  KING SOLOMON

1. Do not follow sinners doing what they love doing (Prov. 1v15).

2. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord (Prov. 3v7)

3. Do not take good things from those to whom they belong (Prov. 3v27)

4. Do not envy those who do wicked things (Prov. 3v31)

5. Do not turn to the left or to the right, avoid evil (Prov. 4v27)

6. Do not lust immorally after the opposite sex (Prov. 6v25)

7. Do not try to pay evil for evil deeds (Prov. 20v22)

8. Do not be lazy in any of your work (Prov. 20v13)

9. Do not oppress the poor people (Prov. 22v22)

10. Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers set (Prov. 23v28)

11. Do not mix with wine drinkers and gluttons (Prov. 23v20)

12. Do not seek the downfall of another person (Prov. 24v15)

13. Do not rejoice when an enemy falls (Prov. 24v17)

14. Do not go to court hastily against your neighbor (Prov. 25v8)

15. Do not boast about tomorrow, (Prov. 27v1)

16. Do not add to God’s word, (Prov. 30v6)

17. Do not set your eyes on wine when it’s red in the glass (Prov. 23v31)

18. Do not be a false witness against your neighbor (Prov. 24v28)

19. Do not be quick with your mouth (Eccl 5v2)

20. Do not be quickly provoked (Eccl. 7v9)

Today if you hear His voice, DO NOT harden your heart. Hardening your heart attracts a reward of indiscipline. The reward is dangerous, its accident! “….To him who knows to do good and does not, to him it is sin”…..James 4:17. Obey the voice of God, making your steps smooth and head towards eternal life.

HELPFUL QUOTES:

• Don’t waste today regretting yesterday instead of making a memory for tomorrow. – Laura Palmer
• It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but don’t think we can dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. – Josiah Stamp
  
  
• Don’t work using excuses. Excuses are the tools that a person with no purpose or vision uses to build greater and taller monuments of emptiness. – John Mason
• Don’t pray for the rain if you are going to complain about the mud. – John Mason
  
  
• Don’t allow troubles to appear before you pray. Don’t let your victory engine beep “battery low” before you insert the charger. – Israel More
  
  
• Be grateful for what you have and don’t be regretful for what you don’t have. - John Mason
  
  
• You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try. –John Mason
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• The way of man minus God’s approval is as deadly as a rope bridge over a big gutter. ­–Israel More

--Israelmore Eli Ayivor

Exceeding The Pharisees

EXCEEDING THE PHARISEES

 Ancient Pharisees were known to be members of the Jewish sect devoted to carrying out every rite and ceremonies of the law with great strictness, neglecting other important things. They preach, yet they don’t do accordingly. Sadducees on the other hand were the tribe made of a priestly group claiming to be descendants of Zadok, the high priest under King Solomon in the ancient days. They accepted only the written law and rejected the oral interpretations developed by the Pharisees. This means physically, both the Pharisees and the Sadducees were at conflict with each other on the acceptance of what to do and what not to do, yet Christ warned us equally against them! He said “…whatever they say do, this observe and do; but do not do according to their works; for they say do and do not” Mat 23v3. Jesus also stressed that except your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, you will by no means mount higher. Why? Its because they poses some trait that do not match with the kingdom’s requirements;

• They were hypocrites; they did their works to be seen by men (Mat 23v5)
• They preached virtue, yet they do the vice (Mat 23v3)
• They loved better seats and positions in the church (Luke 11v43)
• They tried to find fault with Jesus in every way (Luke 16v14)
• They demanded greetings, honour and gifts from men (Mat 23v7)
• They closed the gate of higher ground against themselves and others (Mat 23v13)
• They make long pretense prayers (Mat 23v14)
• They omit the greater, higher and weightier matter of the law; judgment, mercy and faith (Mat 23v23)
• They made the outside of their cups clean but the inside dirty (Mat 23v24)
• They are like white tombs; appearing beautiful outwardly, but inwardly, they are full of uncleanliness of dead bones (Mat 23v 25).
• They did not believe in resurrection (Acts 23v6)
• They loved to pray and be seen praying (Mat 6v5)

Beware and do better than they did because what the Lord said is in place. Except your devotion surpases that of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, you will not partake in the kingdom of God. What then should be your resolution? To do more than them, isn’t it? Yes it is!

• They were fruitless, be fruitful!
• They loved pride, be humble!
• They were greedy, be generous!
• They loved carnality, be spiritual!
• They are “ramps”, watch out for them!
• They have poor ending, finish well!

From spiritual death to life, from spiritual life to a richer spiritual life, from discouragement to hopefulness, from insecurity to safety, from worry to comfort, from fearfulness to fearlessness and from all sorts of worldliness to Godliness, make up the steps quickly and step out of low levels. Head towards the upward way and meet the heroes high up there.

-Israelmore Ayivor

Trust and Obey

TRUST AND OBEY

 "Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path." Prov. 3v5-6. 

To trust means, "To have a firm belief with reliability in the ability or strength of something or someone" It also symbolizes a state of acceptance of a word about something or someone and terming it "the truth" without seeking a proof.

To obey, on the other hand is "to do what is ordered", "to behave in accordance with..." something, someone or something that someone said”. An obedient person is therefore, the one who is willing to do what he/she was told to do. It is likely that one can trust without obeying, likewise he can also obey without trusting. A person who trusts at a time and obeys at the same time is in state of willingly doing what he / she was told to do, and does it because he/ she relies rigidly on the one who gave the order.

 TRUST FOR JEHOVAH; Trust they say is like a seamstress that repairs tattered relationships. Failure to employ it is the clear evidence of failure of unity. Identifying the ability of God and comparing it with your inability, should give you an idea that, you must rely with a firm belief on God when carried by the willingness to step up higher. The greatest thing on the earth is to identify the purpose of your call to climb in to better dwellings and responding to it promptly; ....the call to care for other creations of Jehovah, the call to Holy living, the call to eternal life, the call to obey, amidst the call to trust. Solomon, the son of David, (King of Israel) the wisest person ever on this soil identified trust as dependency on God since our understanding and self inefficiency leads us nowhere. He cautioned you that you should "trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge him and He shall direct your path." Proverbs 3v5-6. Your path in this case is your "going out” and your "coming in", your daily activities, your plans ahead, your wishes, et al. All these can be directed by you. It’s true and there is no doubt about that, but to a wrong destination will it be directed if you mistrust Jehovah. It's the acknowledgement you offer to God that will make the Lord to plan for you your work. Fortunately, God will not only make this plan available, but He will also direct you as to how to go by it. "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear God and depart from evil" Prov.3v7.

OBEDIENCE TO GOD; Obedience is like an ink in the pen of a true child of God. A true child of God is like a pen in the hands of his creator. Disobedience on the other hand is like an eraser in the hands of a sinner. Pitifully, the devil instructs him and he uses it to wipe his own life.

By obedience, we allow ourselves to be used by the Lord in the way He wanted us to be used. He becomes the compass on our ways, directing us to where and how we should go. To obey God, abide by His laws, statutes, principles and commandments, pleasing Him in every single way He deserves. Obedience carries with itself a huge parcel of higher restoration; once you obey and abide in the Lord with trust, “you will ask whatever you desire and it shall be done for you" John 15v7. In a very simple explanation, obedience unto God also means rebelliousness against Satan. When Satan says 'go' then you 'come'. If he says 'do', please 'don't' or he says 'don’t', then 'do'. If he should say ‘look up’, don’t hesitate to ‘watch down’. This exactly was what Christ demonstrated when He was carried into the wilderness to be tempted by the evil one (Mat. 4). Being arrogant, stubborn, disrespectful to Satan symbolizes your obedience unto God and offers you the transport with travelling mercies to higher spiritual levels.

THOSE WHO DO NOT TRUST AND OBEY; “However, if you do not obey the voice of the lord, but rebel against the commandments of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you...." 1st Sam 12v15. Disobedience towards the voice of God brings about the wrath of God.  ".....then the hand of God will be against you...”  But do you know that "it is very fearful to fall into the hands of the living God"? Heb 10:31. It takes the mistrust of God for man to plan his life without acknowledging Him. The way of man, minus God’s approval is equal to destruction and danger. It is as deadly as walking over a rope bridge over a big gutter. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but it's end is the way of death" Prov. 16v25. For this reason, it will be very noble, very just, very pure, and very praiseworthy if you put God first in everything you do, so as to avoid falling into the wrath of the living God.

THOSE WHO TRUST AND OBEY; "Those who trust in the Lord are like mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever" Psalm 125v1. God protects them under His shadow and hides them under His canopy. "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time and forever" Psalm 125v2. Above all, they are endowed with spiritual growth and are separated from the world permanently. They pose characters that are very pleasant to comment on and are fond of higher living. Therefore, put your trust in the Lord and obey His laws and be the pen that He will use to write on this earth, then He will make you to be a partaker of mysteries that eyes have not yet seen, nor ears heard. Also do not forget to "obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch over your souls as those who must give account....."Heb 13v17. Try by every possible means "to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work" Titus 3v1. Obedience to rulers cut across all angles; religious, political, and even rulers in your academic and occupational endeavours. Obedience to pastors, elders, parents, chiefs, teachers, prefects, relatives, friends, strangers and any other person you may come into contact with is synonymous to 'obedience to God' since it’s the Lord who commanded you to do so. Be prepared for the master’s use. May the Lord grant us the reminder to trust and the willingness obey Him everywhere we find ourselves.

-Israelmore Ayivor

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The Power Of Medition

THE POWER OF MEDITATION

Meditation is a communication achieved by concentrating on an idea deeply and purposefully. It also has to do with putting one’s mine on something, focusing that thing closer to the surface for clearer view and manipulation. A more theological school of thought will see meditation as a period of ‘musing’ over the word and work of God, a time when the brain becomes a talkative whiles the mouth becomes dump. Meditation is mind centred and involves the mental employment of thinking and continuous thinking. Meditation just like prayer, reading of the Bible, listening to exhortations, and other devotional exercises is a means of enriching one’s spiritual account. It helps you to;

• Give glory to the lord after musing over His great work and wonders.
• Identify your status and level in Christianity and upgrade yourself.
• Whisper your needs to your maker, identifying His capabilities.
• Ask for forgiveness after identifying a flaw in your previous life.
• Set a goal for the day and inquire God’s direction.
• Choose between good and evil after comparing them in your thoughts.

What then should we meditate on upon? Apostle Paul trapped some important point of  meditation in his epistle to the Philippians church (Phil. 4:8). These include;

1.    Whatsoever things are true; let your mind hover around matters of truthfulness. Truthful matters are trustworthy. God is truth, and so you must pursue. Jesus the way, the TRUTH and the life also asked from you to let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’, no. Let it be so in your thoughts.

2.    Whatsoever things are noble; let your brain circulate over things of good and worthy reputation. Concentrate on these areas and avoid shameful and disgraceful thoughts that would do you nothing apart from bringing shame into your life.

3.    Whatsoever things are just; meditate on just things and brew your life in righteousness, truthfulness and nobility. People will be willing to have a taste of this sweet life you brew and testify of it to bring glory to your creator. Avoid evil thoughts, rather meditate justly.

4.    Whatsoever things are pure; there is a clear-cut difference between impurity and purity. Purity represents the piousness of the spirit and the sincerity of the Soul. Impurity on the other way denotes profanity and carnality, alongside vanity. Be mindful to perm your life in sanctity, perfection and purity.

5.    Whatsoever things are lovely; God is love, you must pose the traits of love. Love is the greatest commandment from God; among faith, love and hope, love is the greatest of all (1^st Cor.13v13). Have your mental plan towards this fruit of the spirit, acquiring love and fulfilling the whole law.

6.    Whatsoever things are of good report; every striding foot must leave a footstep. Will your footsteps be a good model for someone to walk in? You get answers to this by calculating your life schedules silently in you meditation.

7.    If there is any virtue or anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things; virtues are polite means of doing what one is expected of. The lord abhors rudeness and vice, arrogance and disobedience and for you to overcome these things, you need to apply courtesy through meditation.

Bible and for that matter, God is against those wake up early in the morning and devise evil plans on their beds for the day and work them out when the sun rise. Be mindful and overcome evil with sincere meditation.

-Israelmore Ayivor

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