Stay where God puts you by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                    

Text: Ruth 2:17-22

Topic: Stay where God puts you

 

This study will be done with the following sub headings:

1. Elimelech and family left their place

2.Ruth stayed put

3. Boaz’s and Naomi’s uniform exclamation/instruction

4. Rewards for Ruth’s obedience

5. Ministerial admonitions from the topic.

Elimelech and family left their place Ruth 1:1-2 

Elimelech, his wife Naomi and two sons Mahlon and Kilion left their divine placement, place of birth and residence because of what the bible terms a severe famine vs.1, although famine is not good at all but he could have consulted before making such a MAJOR move which birthed MAJOR losses viz: his life and those of his two sons vs.3-5.

It is however very catastrophic to attempt to claim to be doing God’s own ministry with our SENSES ALONE , we will doing ourselves and the supposed flock more harm than good, lets learn from Elimelech, Joshua and the people of Israel Josh.9:14. 

Ruth stayed put

Things changed, situations got better, tide improved, God came through for them and the only survivor of the costly mistake in the name of relocation/greener pastures knew instantly that she was wrongly located and needed to relocate just like the prodigal son.vs.6ff, Luke 15:17-19, may we not die in the oblivion of sin and self in Jesus mighty name. Amen

She (Naomi) kissed the two wives of her deceased sons, bade them farewell and prayed for them she however did all that in tear vs.9 and her tears may not be unconnected to her loss and her anticipated loneliness, anyone, anything not led by God and His spirit is not a son/daughter and will be lost eventually and permanently Rom.8:14, John 14:6, John 3:16. 

Ruth must have seen good and Godly traits in her deceased Husband, hence instead of saying thank you Jesus for making me free from that burden with a label of husband she said your people will still be my people. She must also have heard of the non-comparative and all powerful nature of the God of the Jews, little wonder her outburst your God will be my god what a discerning and determined Ruth, she is a worthy example 1 vs,16-17.

Boaz’s and Naomi’s uniform exclamation/instruction

The bible says in 2 Cor.13:1 says that the fact of a case must be established by two or three witnesses. Boaz warned Ruth don’t go to any other fields, stay right behind the young women working in my field Ruth 2:8.

Naomi reiterated same, stay with His young women right through the whole harvest Ruth 2:22 with the way God directed Ruth’s feet to Boaz’s farm while she was confused, hungry and had no other place to go Ruth 2:3 and the uniform advice/instruction of both Boaz and Naomi it may not be out of place to STAY WHERE GOD PUT YOU, to get what He has for you and reach where He planned for us we must stay where He put us.

Rewards for Ruth’s obedience 

1.      She was provided for: food and water 2:9,14,16, Ps.23:1

2.      She was protected 2:9,22,Ps.23:4-5

3.      She found marital miracle and fulfillment 4:13,Ps.23:6

4.      She became progenitor of David, Jesus etc. 4:21-22,Matt.1:5-16,Is.1:19,Ps.23:6 

Ministerial admonitions from the topic

·         Know God and be directed by Him always Rm.8:14

·         Rely on His power alone for ministry don’t become another king Saul enthroned by God consulting witch at Endor 1 Sam.28:3ff

·         Get God’s directive for location, form, mode of ministry and stay there god is not a rubber stamp he may not support what he didn’t start or instruct.

·         Stay within your gifting, one of the major source of confusion and conflict is be like him/her syndrome an escapade both Israel and King Saul didn’t live to tell good about.

 

May God be with us all shalom.

The way that pleases God by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

 

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Topic: The way that pleases God

 

The study will be done with the following sub-heading:

Background

Why did they need to please Him

How to please him

Rewards for pleasing Him

Conclusion

 

Background

 

Apostle Paul as inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote the letter to the Thessalonians brethren/church, Paul was forced out by the vehement opposition and persecution that he encountered in that region Acts 17:1-9, he then wrote them basically to do two things viz: to express his gratitude to them for their faithfulness to God and His course despite of the prevalent situation. (can anyone including God attest to our own faithfulness today? God attested to Abraham’s and Job’s Gen.18:19, Job 1:8, 2:2-35 respectively) Secondly he wrote to encourage everyone in this young church to remain firm/resolute in and for God. May we receive grace to remain in and with God irrespective of circumstances in Jesus mighty name .amen

 

Why did they need to please Him

 

Ø  They were urged  vs. 1

Ø  They were taught by God’s authority Vs.1 & 2

Ø  It is God’s will Vs.3 & 9

 

In the same trace we are urged, it also possible to have been taught earlier which is further reiterated now and Jesus laid a very practical example in the scriptures as detailed in His saying in John 4:34 which says my meat is to do the will (to please, to do the bidding) of He that sent me and to finish it.

How to please him

Ø  Holy living vs. 3-5 Rom.12:1-2

Ø  Don’t harm or cheat anyone at all vs.6

Ø  Loving one another vs.9,1 John 4:8

Ø  Living a quiet life, minding your business and working with your hands. Vs.11, it may be close to impossible to mind your business when you have to do the following:

 

1. Conversion of souls to Christ

2. When you intend to correct in love

3. When you want to help others/less privileged with Godly/pure intentions

4. When invited to intervene in an issue/rift

5. When you have physical or spiritual oversight over a people and you have to carry it out with Jesus model.

Rewards for pleasing Him

 

Ø  God will be pleased

Ø  Believers and unbelievers alike will respect the decency and rewards that pleasing God attracts and displays. Vs.12

Ø   There won’t be need to depend on others as God and good work will also be blessed by God. Vs.12

Ø  We receive what we ask from Him 1 John 3:22

Ø  God’s presence and support always John 8:29

Conclusion

 

If the persecution was not an alibi for the Thessalonians against pleasing God it won’t be for us, in fact we were created to please God Rev.4:11 the earlier we realize and align appropriately the better for us and the earlier we stopped defeating essence.

 

Shalom.

 

 

 

 

Enemies in Canaan by Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                    

Text: Judges 3:1-11

Topic: Enemies in Canaan

                                                                  

This will be done with the following sub headings:

Background

The nations left in Canaan and why

The Israelites failures

God’s reaction to their failure

God’s mercy to the rescue

Conclusion

 

Background

To the mind of a Christian once Canaan is mentioned one of the things that comes to the mind is bliss, comfort and fulfillment which started with a promise from the burning bush as recorded in Exodus 3:8 & 17 during that powerful encounter God emphatically and repeatedly made some statement/comments: 1.rescue thee (the Israelites) from the Egyptian, 2.lead you into a land flowing with milk and honey.3.Where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites NOW LIVE, specific place and also implying that maybe all of them will be wiped out.

 

God’s word are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1:20, all that was promised the children of Israel as regards the milk and honey in Canaan was fulfilled to the glory of God as they began to stay and take possession from Josh. 1 ff, but they weren’t free from having other persons occupying Canaan with them, coupled with that they weren’t just sipping milk and honey they had confrontations, agitations, issues and challenges same suffices for you and I, it doesn’t matter what level the Lord has helped you to, as far we are still in this flesh we will have issues/challenges we are only sure of winning as long as we are properly aligned with God. John 16:33, Rom.8:30, 2 Chr.26:5.

 

The nations left in Canaan and why 

( a ) The nations left in Canaan vs. 3

They are the Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians and Hivites

(b) Why did the nations remain in Canaan vs. 1-2 & 4

 

·         To test and teach  warfare to a generation without such experience vs 1-2

·         To test the obedience to God’s commandment vs.4

 Have you prayed enough to find out why there are Sidonians even in our Canaan today? But let’s know that by and large if we are truly God’s i.e we serve Him exclusively then what He takes us through or allows to happen to us are to teach/train us or test our loyalty to Him or both. 

The Israelites failures vs. 6-7 

The children of Israel misbehaved in the passage by doing the following:

·         Serving strange Gods  vs. 6

·         Forgot about their God vs. 7

This may serve as a warning to those already enjoying God in a way that makes them feel they are beginning to arrive like the children of Israel in Canaan or have arrived already and are forgetting God, please repent of this sin before it attracts God’s punishment.

God’s reaction to their failure vs.8

God was bitter with the children of Israel, He turned them to slaves of King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram-naharaim for eight years. Roman 1:28 paraphrased says that they did not permit God in their though/heart/deed then He gave them over to reprobate mind to do what is not right and in this case He gave them over to servitude for eight years.

What servitude are you or am I going through that is as a result of our disobedience/sin, come to Jesus today his arms are always wide opened.Rev.3:20

 

God’s mercy to the rescue vs.9-11

Before God’s mercy spoke for them, they cried to Him and our merciful saviour responded by doing the following:

·         Raised a rescuer Othniel vs.9

·         Released His spirit on Him vs.9

·         God gave Him victory against King Cushan Rishataim.

Conclusion

There were other nationals in Canaan but they sincerely had little or no impact until the children of Israel became unequally yoked with them by marrying their women and gave them their daughters’ hands in marriage and from that point they began to fall further till they fell flat into slavery. We can as well say that the children of Israel were the enemies of themselves, so they were the real enemies in Canaan, may we receive grace not to be enemies of ourselves this New Year and beyond in Jesus mighty name

 

Amen.

 

 

 

What can separate us from the love of Christ By Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                 

Text: Romans 8:35-39

Topic: What can separate us from the love of Christ

This study will be done with the following sub headings:

Background

His provisions from the text

Aftermath/benefits from correct yielding to His provisions

Things that attempt separate us from Christ

Conclusion

Background 

Scholars believe that the book of Romans was written around AD 57 in Corinth, It also believed that the church may have been founded by Jewish believers converted in Acts2 and has amongst others the purpose of the book as: ( a ) Apostle Paul’s introduction of himself to the Church (b) systematic explanation of the gospel to them ( c ) practical explanation of the ideal relationship between the Jews and Gentiles even in the church. Sincerely Apostle Paul is someone worth meeting physically if his epistles written well over two thousand years still exudes such wisdom, mystery and impact what a man, every generation also need the gospel properly laid bare even as we move towards the last days of the earth, most things we do both at the level of the laity and clergy needs the gospel may God help us Amen. Relationship is seed whose harvest is always looming hence the need to be learn and relearn the does and don’ts of relationship even from a biblical perspective.

Chapter eight (8) which is our focus starts out declaring that there is now no condemnation for those who belong to Christ. Considering the fact that some may see that declaration as a blank cheque to misbehave, it was clarified in the latter verses that we are not controlled by our sinful nature but by God’s spirit vs.7-9, as sinful nature leads to death as Adam Vs.13, Gen 3.

The chapter further explains what the Spirit does for us amongst others as:

Spirit makes us His children vs.14

Spirit drives fear away vs. 15

Spirit affirms our sonship vs.16

Spirit helps us to pray vs. 26-27

His provisions from the text 

God is for us                                vs.31

God gave us His son                   vs.32

He reconciled us to Himself       vs.33

Christ died for us                        vs.34

Aftermath/benefits from correct yielding to His provisions 

A host of God’s provisions has conditions attached to it, if you are willing and obedient Is.1:19, if you faithfully obey god blessings will follow Deut. 11:27, this isn’t an exception, it is our continuous alignment and yielding to God that continually unclench His provisions

No one can be against us                                      

He will give us all according to His will

No one can condemn us

No one can separate us

Christ is pleading for us

Things that attempt separate us from Christ vs 35, John 16:33 

Trouble

Calamity

Persecution

Hunger

Destitution

Danger

Death

Conclusion 

It is our receiving the Holy Spirit and our consistent dependence on him exclusively that guarantees our together with Christ not minding the fiery darts that the devil is throwing at us (hence the Godly emphasis on the Spirit in the preceding verses).

Let’s wait on Him to receive and yield to His Lordship that is the only saving grace.

Compliments of the season to you in Jesus mighty name, Jesus is the reason for the season don’t forget that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The emptiness of this life by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                 

Text: Ecclesiastes 1

Topic: The emptiness of this life

The message will be discussed with the following headings:

Background

What emptiness does not regard

What causes emptiness

Solution to emptiness

Background

Scholars agree on the date of writing of the referenced book to be around 935BC but there is no consensus on the writer even with clear and pointing scriptures like Eccss. 1:1 and 12 which says that these are the words of the teacher king David’s son who ruled from Jerusalem

If one gives a cursory and spiritual look at the book of Ecclesiastes one may want to agree with those who doubt King Solomon’s human authorship of the book of Ecclesiastes for the following reasons among others which may not be mentioned:

Ø  The contrast in relation to wisdom its use among others Compared to what God used him to say, do and imply in Proverbs. For an illustration, Ecss.1:18 says grief increases with wisdom, while on the other hand the scripture in 1 Cor.1:24 states that whether to the Jews and Greeks Christ is the wisdom and power of God if his assertion is totally true it means the more of Christ you have the more grieved one also becomes this makes his stance not totally true but a show of his experience at that time.

Ø  He spoke about looking under the sun when issues became knotty or when he raised a seemingly difficult situation, this was mentioned around nine times showing a confusion whereas the scriptures states in Psalm 121:1 ff. clearly tells that our help comes from and is in the name of the Lord only. Even the scriptures talks against trusting in man psalm 146:3.By our actions are we not looking for solutions even in the wrong places today?

Ø  In the book of Ecclesiastes hope was totally thrown out, in fact this was taken to the extreme in Eccss. 4:3 which says that the only persons with hope are babies who weren’t born into this world of woes whereas the scriptures says in 1 Cor. 15:19 says that if our hope is in this world alone we are to be pitied, which means we have hope in this world and in the world to come as believers in Christ in fact scriptures like Prov.4:18 which says our path shines brighter and brighter till the perfect day. Child of God do not lose hope, irrespective of the turnout of event the scriptures even says there is hope for a tree if it be cut down Job 14:7ff

To the class that agreed to king Solomon’s authorship, there seems to be a kind of Spiritual Emptiness inside King Solomon at the time of this writing that was finding expression in His thinking and writing which also culminates into a verse like Eccss. 1:14, hence God led us to study the emptiness of this life, may God help us to be free from all forms of emptiness that could be ravaging us in Jesus mighty name amen.

What emptiness does not regard

The following are just few things among many things that emptiness does not regard:

Ø   Wealth. Eccss. 2:10 says anything his eyes/heart wanted he gave it ,it takes a wealthy man to be able to say and do that still he was empty/saw emptiness

Ø  Qualifications: Queen of Sheba in her speech said that she didn’t hear half of her wisdom and prosperity, this amongst others are in the class of present day qualifications that a lot of people go to any extent, or adopt crooked means to get today or get and still totally display folly. This must be said clearly and correctly as good as academic qualifications are physical/material things can’t prevent or solve spiritual issues.

Ø  Status Vs. 1 & 12, the exalted position of the king didn’t prevent emptiness, Just like royalty didn’t stop Pharaoh and Herod from perishing.Ex.14-15, Acts 12:23ff.

Ø  Study Vs. 13

Ø  Wisdom Vs 16 & 18

What causes emptiness

Sin Gen3:7 ff. It was not the eating of the forbidden fruit that made them naked but it removed Gods glory, exposed/underscored their nakedness, removed grace covering their life, their frailty, inadequacy, deficiency became properly blown when the God factor left their lives as a result of disobedience, this and many more is what sin does to anyone, sin creates emptiness and exposes same may we receive grace to live above sin in Jesus mighty name amen.

Solution to emptiness 

1 Peter 1:18-19 gives us clear solution to inherited emptiness and all other forms of emptiness as the spotless, sinless blood of Jesus, one of the several things that the precious blood of Jesus came to do is to free and cleanse us from all forms of emptiness, have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? He awaits you today.

Shalom.

Insignificant Ministry by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                    

Text: Numbers 16:1-10

Topic: Insignificant Ministry

 

This will be discussed with the following sub-headings:

Background

The Rebellion

Insignificant ministry! Wrong mindset

Characteristics of people suffering from the mentioned wrong mindset

Aftermath of rebellion

Conclusion.

 

Background

The fourth book of the bible named Numbers is basically/largely historical, one thing is however succinct via the record is the intension to show how Israel responded to God’s kindness as a struggling and imperfect people. How are responding today?...Chapter fifteen (15) starts out with God’s laws as regarding the administration of burnt offering, voluntary offering, annual festival offering amongst other offerings that was expected from the children of Israel then, the chapter then continued by stating penalty for breaking Sabbath laws and also dictating to Moses the then leader to add tassels to his garment to show that he must/cannot make laws by himself except as the Lord says since it is the Lord that brought them out of Egypt. May God help us to first offer ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice (which is pivot in His requirements from us now) and by extension release part of the good things He blesses us with in Jesus mighty name. Amen. Rom 12:1, James 1:17, Luke 6:38. 

 

The Rebellion

A Levite with the name Korah along with Dotham and Abiram rebelled against Moses and by extension God’s leadership.Vs.1.They did not do this alone, they incited others to do same it is however worrisome and questionable that those influenced are :

1.      Leaders 2.Two hundred and fifty (250). The questions keep popping:

 

Shouldn’t they know better?

Were they expecting a rebellion the records showed they dived in easily/cheapish

How did they emerge as leaders?

How good was their leadership?

 

Their emphasis in Verse 3 reveals envy, Jealousy are we better today?

 

Insignificant ministry! Wrong mindset

Moses’s first comment was a statement of total trust in God and his choice saying God will affirm His chosen vessel tomorrow as it is His prerogative to do so, DO WE STILL ALLOW GOD CHOOSE AND AFFIRM HIS CHOICE AMONGST HIS PEOPLE?

 

Moses then mentioned it while questioning who looks like the main culprit in Vs. 9, IS YOUR MINSTRY INSIGNIFICANT THAT YOU HAD TO ASK FOR MORE by implication Moses was saying:

 

1. Do you know you are also a leader of some sort?

2. Do you know the worth of your office too?

3. Are you grateful to God for His grace on you at all?

4. Do you want to have it all before God and in God?

May God us help in represent Him in well wherever He has placed us in Jesus mighty name.

 

Characteristics of people suffering from the mentioned wrong mindset

 

Ø  They are obviously not busy for and in God

Ø  Envious Of God’s grace and positioning of others Vs. 10

Ø  Rebellious vs.1

Ø  Stirs others to follow suit in their rebellion

 

Aftermath of rebellion

Death (spiritually and physically) or exiting a stage in a punitive manner Vs.31

Used as bad examples for other Vs. 40

They are dangers to their friends, associates and all their environment Vs.34-35

 

Conclusion.

 

In Gods ministry there are no insignificant ministry, some may be wrongly assumed so maybe for visibility, publicity or remuneration amongst others but it is not so, don’t forget even if Paul plants and Apollos waters the Lord alone gives increase 1 Cor. 3:6,SO LIKE Wale Adenuga will say we are all pencils in the hands of the creator. Just like it is in human body as explained by Apostle Paul in 1 Cor.12:22 the parts that seems weakest and least important are actually most necessary same suffices for ministry we are all significant change that mindset today.

 

Shalom.