Understanding devine appointments as disappointments to carnal reasoning.

By Leo Sekoere

Carnal reasoning is when one is being guided by his own human understanding rather than the truths of God. This type of reasoning is dangerous because when it is in full operation within a person, faith is quenched. When faith is quenched breakthroughs are impossible!

In the book of 2Kings 5:1-14 we learn of an incident where carnal reasoning almost sabotaged Naaman’s healing. Naaman was a commander of a great Aramean army, verse 1 tells us that he was a valuable asset to his master and country BUT Naaman had a huge problem. He had leprosy, which threatened his effectiveness in his “highly regarded” title.

Amidst all this misfortune, God had planned a divine appointment. He wanted to introduce Naaman to the healing power of Jehova Rapha. Bands from Aram had abducted an Israeli girl who served Naaman’s wife, this girl recommended that he go and see “a Prophet in Samaria” whom she believed would recover him of his ailment. I believe Naaman’s faith was stirred up at this news and finally he set out to go meet this “Prophet in Samaria”.

When Naaman got there he was divinely set up to end up at Elisha’s door step. Elisha was a powerful man of God operating in the realm of signs and wonders. What happens next is such an anticlimax, Elisha doesn’t even come out to meet Naaman. He sends a messanger to tell Naaman to just go and dip himself seven times in the river Jordan and Naaman is like “Hol’ up! Wait a minute! You mean I just came all the way to Israeli territory only to be told I have to go dip myself in that low-grade river?” I thought this highly recommended Prophet was going to call on the name of his God and heal me there and then…” (Lol! I just had to put in some colloquialism)

Verse 12 tells us that Naaman went off in a rage. He was disappointed! His carnal reasoning told him there was no way that that would be his breakthrough! His carnal reasoning ruled out every possibility of that water being the source of his breakthrough! In fact verse 13 shows us that if his servants hadn’t persuaded him, he was going to go back home and miss his divine appointment with the healing power of God.

Friends, verse14 tell us that he finally went to the Jordan and dipped himself seven times as instructed by the messengers of the prophet and guess what? IT WORKED Y’ALL!! His flesh became clean like that of a young boy! After his encounter with Jehova Rapha (the God that heals) Naaman developed certainty that “There is no God in all the world except in Israel” (verse 15).Aah man, Naaman! What a revelation! A lot of people are walking around confused as to who is God; they are asking themselves if there is even a God. Naaman was most probably going to spend his life in the same oblivion if he hadn’t ignored the persuasive words of carnal reasoning.

 I believe that God wants to introduce to you a side of Him that you’ve never met before. Are you in need of a serious breakthrough? Are you hoping for a miracle! My friend I believe God has planned a divine appointment for you but your carnal reasoning has to step out of the picture and let faith step in! Remember ISAIAH 55:8-9: God’s ways are higher than ours, so are His thoughts

Lets pray this simple prayer very quickly:

Heavenly Father I realize my mistakes. I’m sorry for all the times I allowed my human logic to tell me that “it can’t be done that way”. I don’t want to miss out on what you have in store for me, help me Holy Spirit to walk by faith not by sight.

AMEN!!

The Craft of Spiritual Gardening

By Leo Sekoere

A while ago I saw a tree at my Mother's preschool. It was the most peculiar tree I have ever seen. Some branches that were grouped together were withered. Right next to those, were branches covered in tiny red flowers even though it wasn't spring yet. A few leaves from that bunch was branches with a healthy-looking shade of green but they were still not impressive because they had no blossoms.

By the way ,I am still perplexed by this tree...

As I looked at it The Holy Spirit said to me " This represents the current state of the body of Christ". Even though we have the same roots and the same source of nutrients , some branches are not benefiting from these.  Don't you just love how poetic The Holy Spirit is?

In the church, there are people that are thriving in spiritual health ( blossoming branches) , people who are just getting by (looking green but not bearing any fruit) and people who are in need of some revival (withered and brittle). This is not the intention of Christ. In fact, Ephesians 5:27 tells us that our Lord is coming for a "radiant Church without blemish", this can only be achieved through the transforming power of God.

 Brittle tree branches break off when they are subjected to harsh conditions, they even break under their own weight. Productive trees are a result of sufficient watering and regular maintenance. http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/dry-brittle-tree-branches.htm

"So, Leo what are you on about? Should we go submerge ourselves in muddy water?" No, friends! I know a much better way.

Sufficient Watering

*Jeremiah Chapter 17:7-8 says "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." -NIV

Regular Maintenance

*John 15:1 Jesus says "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" - NIV.  Friends what better care can we ask for, than to be maintained by the all-knowing hands of The Father?

In both these verses, we can deduce that Jesus is the Only way! Furthermore in John 15: 5-6, Jesus tells us that if we remain in him and keep him in us we will bear much fruit..." apart from me you can do nothing" He says. He also tells us that branches that are not connected to Him are only good for making fire! 

 As individuals, we cannot be content in our spiritual state if there are branches in the Body of Christ that blemish the whole Tree. Christ has given us tools that edify His body. Let us use them and master the craft of Spiritual Gardening. 

While waiting for the Bridegroom...

By Leo Sekoere

Jesus is an awesome storyteller! I enjoy reading his parables. One of my favourite parables is found in Matthew chapter 25 and is titled “The parable of the Ten Virgins”. Kindly grab your bible, let us explore it together.

Here we read about ten virgins who waited a very long time for The Bridegroom to take them to the wedding banquet. They were uncertain of the time of His arrival let alone the date but it was something they looked forward to. They all did what they thought was best to prepare for his coming, nevertheless when the Bridegroom came only five virgins were taken to the banquet. I would give myself to bitter heart piercing squeals for all eternity if this happened to me. I mean, they had lived their whole lives preparing for that moment and before they knew it, it was unceremoniously over! What made the chosen five virgins eligible to go to the banquet? I tell you the truth IT WAS WISDOM! The only notable distinction between the two groups of virgins was WISDOM.

I’m kinda avoiding the drudgery of citation but If you look up the definition of wisdom, the following will come up:

*Knowledge of what is true or right and just judgement as to action

*Insight

*Discernment: Acuteness of judgement and understanding.

The chosen virgins must’ve had Knowlegde of what is true/right and just judgement as to action because in verse 9 they were able to advice the foolish virgins about their situation.

They also displayed insight and Discernment. In verse 13, Jesus tells us that no one knows the day or the hour. Even though the virgins had the qualities mentioned above they couldn’t have possibly known the time of the Bridegrooms arrival. BUT watch what happens in verse 9-10. They are able to know that if they leave their post they might miss what they are waiting for. It is because of insight that they were able to discern the season. Wisdom within them understood that the Bridegroom was near.

Friends, that is truly how the Kingdom of God is. We are all “virgins” keeping ourselves clean and preserving ourselves in preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ BUT there’s something that needs to serve as a distinguishing factor. We need to be wise while waiting for our Bridegroom. The 10 virgins all had access to oil but wisdom helped the chosen five to know how to make the oil work for them. We have been given the word of God but without wisdom we cannot claim any of God’s promises. Wisdom is the most prized possession one can have.

1 Kings 3:9-10 tells us that God was very pleased when King Solomon asked for wisdom instead of wealth and earthly blessings. The same King Solomon ended up writing Proverbs that help us understand the worth of wisdom.I encourage you at your own time to read the book of Proverbs. You will see that the kind of wisdom I’m referring to is not “worldly” wisdom but the wisdom of God otherwise known as The Holy Spirit. (see Proverbs 3:19 also read the whole of Proverbs 8 with emphasis of verses 22-31 after reading this go to Genesis 1:2 )

I could go on and on quoting scriptures to support the theory above but in 1Corinthians 2:6-16 it’s all summed up quite beautifully. It doesn’t get more comprehensible than that really! Check it out:

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”^[a]—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^{[b] 14} The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”^[c]

But we have the mind of Christ.(NIV)

SO God was saving this wisdom so that those who seek for it will find it and reap the benefits of possessing it.  Verse 7 says that it is all for OUR GLORY-hmm that’s why King Solomon was so famous! This kind of wisdom is not understood by the carnal mind, it’s a spiritual thing (verse 8-14). When one attains this Wisdom of God The Holy Spirit gets into our minds and gives us knowledge and understanding that helps us to make judgments about all things! Wow saints, verse 16 says we then operate with the mind of God. Our Minds become one with God! Lord Jesus we thank you so much! What an honour.

I want to walk all day-everyday with God’s Wisdom leading me! Why wouldn’t I choose it? I would gladly give up anything that holds me back from attaining this wisdom. I have a strong feeling, as I’m writing, that someone is tired of making wrong uninformed decisions. You’re tired of walking in your own light because it is dim. My friend, your wisdom can only take you as far as all humans have gone but the Wisdom of God can take you into the Kingdom of God. If you’re feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit, make this short prayer with me:

Holy God! Your ways are higher, your thoughts are higher. I cannot do anything without your Wisdom for I fall short. Father, I am ready to make an exchange! Your Wisdom-for my wisdom. I surrender every avenue of my thinking, my speech and my actions. Forgive my sins and wash me with your blood-Let me be like you Daddy. Give me the wisdom that you destined for my glory Lord Jesus. Holy Spirit I avail myself to you. Your word in Proverbs 2:4-5 says if I earnestly seek after insight I will understand the fear of the Lord and get knowledge from him. Help me Holy Spirit! Make my heart thirst after you. Replace every other carnal desire I had, with the desire to know you more! In Jesus Name-AMEN!

I’m so proud of you for taking that decision Child of God. I’m sure in my spirit that more of you will be WISE while waiting for the Bridegroom!

The burden of knowing your future.

By Leo Sekoere
My life turned upside down when God showed me my future. When I complained to Him about it, He told me to read the story of Joseph.

 I couldn't believe it at first but this story is strikingly similar to my life story. I have reason to believe that I'm not the only dreamer who can relate to it.

Joseph was different, that coupled with the details surrounding his birth supported the favour that was upon him. His dad loved him more than all his brothers (Genesis 37:2). His brothers hated him because he wasn't a conformer, instead of getting into trouble with them he was the one reporting bad behavior (Genesis 37:2). Child of God favour will make people hate you and your dream will make them hate you even more.

Its so common for Children of God not to know what they are worth, its always people around us who can see the treasures that lie within us. In verse 8- 10 of Genesis chapter 37 we read that Joseph told his brothers his dream (for crying out loud it was just a dream- why did they react to it?) but they are the ones who interpreted it. They looked at Joseph and they actually saw it possible that this could come true. I think that's what made them hate him. They saw the qualities of a ruler in him. If I were to dream that I was an Olympic gold medalist the dream wouldn't upset anyone who is jealous of me because they know im not athletic.

I hope you get what im trying to say. If you don't know your worth, people who hate you will discover it and use that for their gain ( verse 26) Big dreams will land you in your training ground. Ever heard of the saying " God gives his biggest battles to his toughest soldiers"? I like what that all means. When God gives you a task, he will fortify you so you can fit right in to your destiny.

Joseph had to first go learn more about loyalty in Potiphar's house, that was his biggest test. We need to always ask God to reveal to us the reasons why we go through stuff. Think about it, if you were Joseph you were going to spend your whole life depressed and confessing that God doesn't love you, right? You were going to lament the fact that he allowed your wicked brothers to sell you, right? To make matters worse, after that he was lead into the dungeon. Sometimes God separates his "Visionaries" from the world.

He will allow you to be in a dark place but Isaiah 50:10 says "Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God." It is in the dungeon where we need to trust the Lord. We need to allow God to be our Light in times of darkness and stagnancy. When Josephs brothers were out there experiencing the freedoms of life, he was experiencing the opposite. He was being told when to eat, he was under the control of his jailors they decided his every move for him.

 Isaiah 50:11 says the one who makes his own fire when the Lord has decided darkness for him will lie in torment. Sometimes God leads us into dungeons in order for us to develop our Gift. In order for us to learn His Voice and in order for us to learn to trust him.

  In Genesis 40-41 Joseph thought that him helping the cupbearer and the baker will get him a one-way-ticket out of the dungeon but it was not yet time. Sometimes God sends us people who will make us hope in them. We might even start thinking that these people are there to propel us into the arms of destiny. Most of the time its just God giving us a practice run. No matter what happens in your dungeon just know that your redeemer lives and he will lift you up in the right time.

 Like Joseph, rise to the occasion. Did you notice how he always assumed the leadership role in every situation he landed in? Even in prison he was a leader. So stop complaining and try to be a blessing in anything you're involved in. Your time is coming!! Be patient and wait on the Lord to renew your strength...

In Jeremiah 29:7 The Lord instructs his chosen to be a blessing in the city to which they are carried into exile and in turn they will be blessed. That's what you need to do as you carry the burden of knowing your future.

A question of Identity

By Leo Sekoere
One of the greatest weapons in the devil’s arsenal is inferiority complex. He works so hard to make us doubt who God says we are. Every time God gives us a special identity in line with our purpose the devil whips out self-doubt and if we allow him to minister those lies into our heads we will miss out on God’s gifts.

I know you know what I’m talking about! Have you ever refused to do something merely because you believed you were not good enough to carry out the task? Have you ever gotten upset at the thought that someone thinks you are awesome but you can’t see that in yourself? My friend I have some bad news…that’s the devil. He tried it with Moses (Exodus 4:10-13), he tried it with Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:7) and he even tried it with Jesus. Every time God affirms our purpose, the devil counter-effect’s with a spirit of inferiority.

Let’s look at Luke 3:21-22….Here, God affirms Jesus as His Son whom He loves and is pleased with. What happens next is totally unexpected. The story continues at Luke 4. We read that the same Spirit that descended upon Him like a dove led Him into the desert where He was tempted by the devil. I know right? How Can God tell Jesus that He is His son and then just lead Him to be tempted? Furthermore, when the devil is busy tempting Him, we don’t read anything about God intervening. Why did God allow all this? I will tell you why. This is exactly the same reason why God allowed the devil to test Job (Job 1:8).

When the devil tested Jesus, please notice how he always started with “if you are the Son of God…” (Luke 4:3-11). This was not because the devil doubted that Jesus is the Son of God, the devil knew who Jesus was long before He was born of the Virgin Mary. Satan was rather testing if Jesus knew who he was- a true question of Identity.

 In this passage we read about how he tries to make Jesus perform all these crazy stunts to prove what He already knew JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD! Thank God our perfect saviour knows His facts well. Duh? God had already prepared Jesus by telling him who He was “You are my son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased (Luke 3:22). All he had to do was show the devil his confidence in His father’s words.

What do you do when the devil tells you that you are not good enough? What do you do when doubts about who you are in Christ surface? What do you do when your identity is questioned? Let me tell you what you should do..You must know your Father’s word, what Daddy God says about you and believe it. Not only believe it but live it! James4:7 says if we “submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee” from us. In Luke 4:13 we hear that the devil “left him”, until an opportune time. When we beat the devil he will go back to his drawing board to come up with a different strategy but if we keep believing Gods word this is a fixed match and we will always come out VICTORIOUS!

Remember God will never put more on you than you can bear. When you are tempted he will provide a way out for you (1 Corinthians 10:13).Trust God when He tells you that YOU CAN DO IT!

Food for thought

By Leo Sekoere 1Kings 19:4-5 Lol! God knows when its just the spirit of hunger talking. He will always give u what He knows u need & not what u think u want. You see ,God knows our future !Sometimes the things we think we want will have a bad effect on our future, especially when the timing is not perfect. That's why he gives us what's best for us instead. Elijah thought that the best thing for him to do was to die but God knew that it wasn't time yet! So he gave him food instead. Verse 8 of the same chapter tells us that the food Elijah ate strengthened him for the journey ahead. What a Considerate God we serve! He will give you strength as you wait on him (Isaiah 40:31). Hunger will indeed make you say things you don't mean. Just like when you're desperate for something you think is what u need, you will say and do things that will shock you. Allow God to give you " Food" instead of " Death" today. Wonderful things only happen on God's timing.