THE SHEPHERD’S FLOCK

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on August 14, 2017 / GUEST WRITER COLUMN

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”(ESV)

“The LORD is my shepherd;I have all that I need.”(NLT)

“The LORD is my shepherd;there is nothing I lack.”(HCSB)

“The LORD is my shepherd. I am never in need.”(GWT)- Psalm 23:1

Praise God! Halleluyah! What a confession! What a powerful way to start your week.I ain’t going to teach this subject today.

Let me hand you over to my brother,my name sake,my vice president(then in CASOR UI),my best man,@ Ayeni Temitope,as he teaches on the SHEPHERD’S FLOCK.Read and be blessed.

THY KINGDOM COME!

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on August 13, 2017 / Christian Race

A message delivered by Dr Ajimuda T. at the Reunion of CASOR ACE…

Let’s open our Bible to Matthew 6:10a: “Thy kingdom come…”KJV.

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray and today we are studying one of the lines in that prayer:”Thy kingdom come”.

“Thy” is an anachrostic word.The contemporary word is “Your”.

” Kingdom” in Biblical term is the realm in which God’s will is fulfilled,a realm in which God rules.

I have some questions bothering my mind…

What is the Kingdom of God? Where is the Kingdom of God located? Who are those in the Kingdom of God?

Jesus taught about the kingdom of God,John the Baptist warned that it was at hand,Paul described it, but none of these people defined it! Why?

They never bothered to define it because Israelites knew about it and they were already expecting the Kingdom of God.

If you have ordered for a consignment and it is being shipped down to you,I think that is not the right time to be searching for the definition of the ‘good’ you ordered.

The pertinent questions to be asking are: ‘Where is this ‘good’ now?’, ‘When will it arrive?’.

Do you know these were the questions the Pharisees asked Jesus about Kingdom of God?

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come…”-Luke 17:20a

If you think the Pharisees were carnal to ask that question,read the question the disciple asked Jesus just before he ascended to Heaven:

“Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”-Act 1:6.

Let’s see what the Israelites knew about the Kingdom of God that made Christ and John not to define it.

“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever …”-Dan 2:44

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”-Dan 7:13-14

When Daniel saw these visions,Israelites were in captivity at Babylon.Also when Jesus was born they were under the Roman empire,hence they were expecting the Messiah that would come and liberate them and establish the promised kingdom.Do you understand? There was already an expectation,so there was no need for definition of Kingdom of God.Ok?

But will the kingdom of God be packaged based on their expectation ? No! That was where the Pharisees and the disciples got it wrong.

For now,the kingdom is figurative ,later when Christ comes,it shall be literal !

Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs.You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”-Luke 17:20b-21.

Whaoooo!I love that!!The kingdom of God is here!!! I am excited about that…Only that the kingdom(‘consignment’) is packaged differently from there expectation.How?

a)It is purely spiritual now not physical:”For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”-Romans 14:17

b)It is internal and personal-“For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Which spiritual kingdom did Jesus Christ,the Messiah,institute?

It is called the REDEMPTIVE KINGDOM/KINGDOM OF LIGHT:

“…and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the KINGDOM OF LIGHT . For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have REDEMPTION, the forgiveness of sins.”-Col 1:12-14

This kingdom of God is instituted in our hearts @ the point of salvation: Eternity is set in the heart of man.

When you are in this Kingdom, Christ rules in your heart through the Holy Spirit!

When this Kingdom comes submission replaces selfishness.” It is no longer I but Christ that lives in me and the life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and die for me. Halleluyah somebody!”

When this Kingdom of God comes His agenda replaces your agenda. His purpose replaces your purpose.His plan replaces your plan. His will replaces your will because His kingdom has come and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven!

Though the kingdom is still figurative in structure now,soon it shall be literal:
When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will rule as king forever and ever.”-Rev 11:15

Till this is fulfilled,let it be our prayer that: ” THY KINGDOM COME OH LORD.

Stay blessed and rapturable.

GRACE AND TRUTH MUST KISS EACH OTHER!

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on August 13, 2017 / Christian Race

Grace says: “Your sins are forgiven.”-Luke 7:48
Truth says: “You’re well now. Stop sinning so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”-John 5:14

The truth sets the standard while the grace provides all we need to meet up the standard!

The grace without truth = License to sin!
The truth without the grace=Self righteousness and legalism!

The Gospel of Christ is full of both grace and truth: And the Word became flesh… FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.-John 1:14

Any message that refuses to balance the two is not the full gospel.Huh?

‘ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED’ VS WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS:WHO BLINKS FIRST?

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on August 11, 2017 / Christian Race

I have read the submissions of many ‘teachers’ in both camps.Many youths are getting excited about the teachings on the internet ,esp from the ‘Once Saved Always Saved'(OSAS) camp.These two camps have sizable followers that vilify one another.In fact these days,attention has been shifted from getting more souls into the Kingdom to attacking men of God in the name of correcting them…and Satan loves this because for as long as we keep fighting each other,we make his job easier.Hummmmmm.

DON’T ASSUME YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK OF LIFE! VERIFY AND CONFIRM!!!

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on July 31, 2017 / Christian Race

As I began my personal Bible study this morning,my attention was drawn to this scripture:”Those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were thrown into the fiery lake.”-Rev 20:15

I asked myself these two sincere questions:

1)Is my name in the Book of life,as in : Temitope Boluwarin Ajimuda?

Is your name there too? That is the most important question in life.See,it is not: Are you born again? Are you a worker in God’s vineyard? Are you Spirit filled?Are you a minister? Do you speak in tongue? Or Can you cast out demons? The most crucial and fundamental question we all need to answer now is:Is my name in the book of Life?

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS INTO HELL FIRE!

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on July 30, 2017 / Christian Race

Before you hiss at the topic or decide not to even read this post,I want you to ponder on the two points highlighted below:

“THE MILDER YOU MAKE YOUR LABEL,THE MORE DANGEROUS YOU MAKE YOUR POISON!”

“THE MILDER THE PREACHER MAKES HIS SERMON TOPIC,THE MORE DANGEROUS HE/SHE MAKES SIN SWEET BUT DEADLY!”

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT(PATIENCE,KINDNESS AND GOODNESS)-PART 4

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on July 29, 2017 / Christian Race

Imagine yourself in a position of power and you have the authority to inflict punishment on your subordinates instantly…Now,someone has overstepped his/her boundary,what is the next thing you will do? Instant rage? Or Patience ?

BEAUTIFUL!

by Dr Ajimuda Temitope on July 17, 2017 / Christian Race

“He has made everything beautiful in His own time”. Eccl. 3v11.

One can be in the most beautiful place but such person’s life may not be beautiful. If you doubt me

then let us check on someone who actually was always seen somewhere called Beautiful gate but whose life was not beautiful.

Act 3:2: “And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,…

Hummmm, do you know it doesn’t matter how big the church you attend is,how beautifully decorated it might look or how large the congregation might be,if you do not have the Beautifier in your life you will just be there accepting whatever comes your way including things that are meant for ‘dogs'(crumps).

Hey! Are you in the church because they provide job opportunities and welfare packages huh? Are you there to strategically position yourself to see many men/women for possible marriage? That lame man had similar purpose in mind:

vs 2b &3...’to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms‘. He might have thought in his heart :”if I sit at the market place I may not get as much sympathy and help as I will get while sitting at the temple.People at the temple will feel compelled to help me than the people at the market place.” In fact he might have even gotten information from his carriers that the temple is the best place to ask for alms.But all the small small help(alms) he was getting couldn’t help him until he met the greatest Helper and Beautifier.

It is not a bad thing to be helped by the church but I am so sorry to say that you have not gotten the right help .You have not really discovered what you need. Yes you have food on your table now, you are already in courtship in short about to wed , oh now you have baby but have you met the greatest Helper?: “I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6.You might remain outside the beautiful gate without knowing Christ!

To the church(those inside the temple already),do you care about the salvation of those at the gate? As long as they show up in all church programs we assume they are saved. That wasn’t what Jesus taught us. Or have you forgotten? Let me remind you, Luke 5v3-11. It is the story of how Simeon Peter toiled all night and Jesus came to his aid, he launched his net into the deep and his net broke, he even called on his neighbours to help him out. But before then, Peter already recognized who Jesus was in v5 he acknowledged him as Master. After the miracle of catching so many fishes Jesus did not ‘catch’ only Simeon,he ‘caught’ his partners too-James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simeon.Then something happened that struck me in v 11:’So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him’.

… they forsook all and followed him? Hahahaha… Can you just imagine that? What they toiled all night to get and couldn’t get now they got it but they had to leave all behind to follow him.That is exactly what happens when you have Christ nothing of this world matters to you because you have the Helper. Remember in v3 it was Simeon Peter’s boat Jesus sat in but not only Peter followed him that day.It means your miracle and healing gifts are not there just for fun but rather to bring people into the kingdom of God. Remember it is that same Peter that now healed the lame man at the Beautiful gate. “Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God”

We have so many of these lame men at the gate of our churches today.They don’t know the depth of Christ at all.They do not know that if the gate of the temple can be that beautiful how then will the inner part of the temple look like ? They are already complacent with the little they get from the gate- healing,promotion etc while there is more to get in the inner part(sanctification,glorification,discipleship etc).

They won’t know if we do not Preach the truth.Preach the truth,give out the meat to the people under you to make them grow! Enough of milk! Enough of talking about the ‘gift’ without letting them know the ‘Giver’! Enough of dishing out the silver,dollars,nairas etc without showing them Christ.

Who goes to the market and first ask for bonus or extra before asking for the good itself? You usually buy your goods first then ask for possible bonus.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and it’s righteousness and every other things will be added unto you.”-Matt 6:33

If you are yet to know Christ personally ,kindly say this prayer :

“Lord Jesus, now I know you as the only helper and Beautifier.I am so sorry for running after earthly things instead of knowing you first. Forgive me and take me as your child. I surrender all to you.Be my personal Lord and Savior in Jesus’ name”.Amen.

This piece was written and sent to Rhemablog by Evelyn Ajimuda,a Foreign Language student of Obafemi Awolowo University.She loves writing, travelling, counselling, reading,cooking and meeting new people.Her passion is to help people know the person of Christ and to make an indelible impact wherever she finds herself.