Friday, June 13, 2014

Non-Negotiable Counsels of God's Kingdom - Part 11

Dearly Beloved,       

We live in days when the pride of life is an instituted norm, when lust has become a better substitute for love, when being humble is equated with stupidity, when Christians rather learn everything from Jesus but lowliness and meekness. Self (me, myself & I) therefore continues to escape many halfhearted ministrations from the pulpit to the pew.

Contrary to sound counsels of the Lord in the book of Psalms and beyond, we have been taught from childhood to defend ourselves, be a go-getter, strive and raise our voices in the streets (Matt. 12:19) and we have thereby preserved the fallen nature. But blessed be God for new avenues to be reconciled unto childlikeness through ministrations of the engrafted word which only the meek (Ps. 25:9/ Jam. 1:21/Job 22:22) can receive.

Heaven is set to reap children of the kingdom who would be higher in soul state/stature than a John the Baptist (Matt. 11:11C), children who would be naïve in malice (1Cor. 14:20) amongst other various works of the flesh (Eph. 4:31/Gal. 5:20-21). A new conversation where believers would prefer one another (1Tim. 5:21) is emerging on earth and many would be adopted (Eph. 1:5) into CHRISTLIKE CHILDLIKENESS, with CHRIST being the MOST LITTLE CHILD (Matt. 18:2/Isa. 11:6D) amongst them

The following transcribed message attempts to pay homage to this truth as we prepare for Believers Convention 2014 and I trust that we would patiently read.

Graceful reading!

Non-Negotiable Counsels of God's Kingdom - Part 11

The nature of the Father is the nature of the Lamb who is the exact image of the Father (Jn. 14:7-9/Heb 1:3). Jesus is a Lamb, but the Father is a greater Lamb because the Father is greater than the Son (Jn. 14:28). GREATNESS IN THEIR REALM IS MEASURED BY HOW LOW ONE CAN GO. The more ‘lambish’ one is, the greater one becomes. The Father is the greatest because He is the meekest and the lowliest. This is the same order that God is unveiling to the body of Christ.

If you desire to be great in God’s sight, just go down. We have been called into the fellowship of Lambs and we cannot afford to be goats.

We are meant to be moving from one realm of fellowship of the Godhead to another, but there are things that our souls have married which has limited us but its high time for us to let them go! There are sins and weights that have beset us for a long time, issues of flesh that have hitherto limited our fellowship, but in this season, there is a need for a definite move and we must believe God to come into such.

God wants us to occupy a particular space in him right now and the demand or conversation for such is that of soberness (1Thes. 5:6/Tit. 2:6/12). We should not just learn or hear revelation but turn every revelation into a walk.

When you follow the Lamb and live with Him, the result is that He makes a lamb out of you. This followership is to beat down every other contrary nature inside.  We cannot walk the path of the Lambs and not become a lamb.  One who sets out on a journey with the Lamb looks foolish to a natural man, but as he keeps on walking and following, he is gradually being conformed into the image of the Lamb.

The Lamb has His way (path), which is very different from the way of the present man and except we find and walk in it, we cannot arrive at the image of the Lamb. Most of the time, our judgment seems right to us until the Lamb brings a higher judgment (Isa.55:9/Prov.16:2).

The end time move is actually a move of salvation (1Pet. 1:9), so God is raising men from every nation who would be saved and delivered from the constitution of man. The present man (old man) has been pronounced obsolete but we still have his ways intact in our souls after the new birth and this is what heaven seeks to erase (Rom. 7:18). Jesus WALKED in the REVELATION that the FATHER gave to Him and BECAME the LAMB and this is how real men are produced. A real man is he who is able to receive the teachings of the Father and turn it to walk. John the Baptist introduced Him as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29). JESUS WALKED AND OBEYED UNTIL HE BECAME THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN. HE WAS NOT JUST A LAMB, BUT WENT AHEAD TO BE SLAIN.

The demand of the Lord in this season is that we must become lambs and be slain because He is taking us to the realm where Lambs abide. This is the realm of great honour, glory and blessing for those who dare to become lambs and take a step further by allowing themselves to be slain. TO BE SLAIN IS TO YIELD TO THE DEMANDS OF THE NAME AND THE LIFE OF THE LAMB WHICH IS MEEKNESS AND LOWLINESS. As we yield to the demands of the Lamb, we lose our reputation and shed off the old life. As the old life is being shed off, a new glorious man emerges that is free from spiritual death.

The path of life demands that we count all our earthly advantages as dung, just as Apostle Paul did (Phil.3:8). This is not pleasant for the flesh but it is the only way to glory. Apostle Paul weighed the glory of his former achievements (that of a flower) with the glory that excels (2Cor. 3:10), and he had to let go of it and he could do so because God by revelation had turned him into a lamb. It takes a lamb to be able to discern the Lamb properly.

As we count all things but dung, we are changed into lambs, and the crucified life is exalted in us, giving us access into the knowledge of the Lamb. This is when the way of the Lamb will make sense to the soul. As long as dung (our achievements) still makes sense to us, the knowledge of the Lamb will not make sense us. The wisdom of God is a learning of an entirely different way which does not seem right to a man, but end of which is glory and honor. 

Obeying the life of the lamb that comes via revelation of the gospel is the only thing that is right and approved by God (Isa. 28:16), though rejected by men. This is the only lifestyle that can earn the glory and honour of the Father. Learning the Lamb is learning that which is approved of God, learning of Him (Matt.11:29/Eph. 4:20)
The fellowship of the triune God is a fellowship of lambs which they have had for ages and God has been able to contain the foolishness of man for long because of that nature. Our Father Himself is the greatest lamb, and our Lord Jesus Christ whose image we have been predestined to conform to (Rom 8:29) is also a Lamb. The reason why we are not enjoying the fellowship of our Father is because we have not yet come into His full imageOur Father is large-hearted; He does not snap at our short comings. He would rather come down to our level to explain why He is giving us certain instructions when we are weary of His correction and why we need to bear it. It is just like trying to help someone that is fighting you. He can do this because He is saved and he is also a competent savior. As He brings us these lambish commandments, the right response of our hearts should be quick obedience which comes through tenderness.

Many of us do not like the nature of the Lamb and the reason is that we think people will take us for granted. Those that would attain unto the company of the Lamb, who stood with Him on Zion (Rev. 14:1) did every biding of the Lamb without questioning.

OUR JUDGMENT OF SPIRITUAL THINGS IS LOW AND IT IS BECAUSE OUR EARTHLY WAYS ARE STILL IN US. The Godhead had practiced their lifestyle from everlasting to everlasting and it has not failed or reduced them. Now, they are bringing it to us because our paths have been darkened and we have remained natural men for too long. We should hate the carnal life and all it infirmities so that we can willingly receive that which God is bringing to us.

The Lamb of God is harmless and gentle, but we are not; we are harmful and that is why we wrestle with his dealings. As long as we remain men, we will remain harmful. That state of harmlessness is a childlike state and one of the ways that the adversary fights us out of that state is by bringing to our memory, thoughts of past offences.  When we are treated unjustly, we are not to keep memory of it, for love keeps no record of wrongs. That is the way of a child; that is the way of love, and that is the way of victory, but the enemy does not want us to achieve that state and from time to time, he brings back those thoughts so that we can lose our childlikeness.

Our thoughts dictates our walk. Our walk is our thoughts in motion. The thought we fellowship with will eventually govern our walk and that is why we should be vigilant in the realm of thoughts. We should be quick to track down satanic thoughts and trash them immediately they come.

Instead of taking those thoughts, we should rather tell the devil, ‘I have forgiven my brother, I do not know what you are talking about’ and then you move on. Your brethren are also called into one salvation as you were called, so if Satan succeeds in stopping your brethren, you have also been stopped. There should be no more remembrance of sin. The way of life is that we forgive and forget. We are meant to take only God’s thought and that will enable us to walk in the way of the Lord

Through the wisdom of the epistles, we see the Lord urging us to ENDEAVOUR to keep the unity of the Spirit (Eph.4:3). This means, unity of the spirit does not come automatically; we have to consciously work at it. When we have true fellowship of love with one another, we have fellowship with the Godhead (1Jn. 1:3)

We have come to a time of being children in malice, having fervent love for one another. A time where we must prefer one another and love one other fervently, when we should delightfully lay down our life for others. As we come against circumstances and situations, the Lord will tell us how exactly to react and we should react that way.

When we respond the way lambs do, we die to self (1Cor. 15:31). God kills the life of self in us through dealings, leadings, through circumstances and situations that He brings our way. As we obey, we come into soberness, and remain in the light. The instruction may look foolish to man, but that is the right way to live. As we do these instructions, entrance into the fellowship of the Lamb is ministered to us.

The fellowship of lambs is a place of blessing and people that fellowship with the Godhead are people who have continued to obey instructions until they finally emerged as lambs, having inherited the conversation of the Lamb. God makes us lambs by speaking the incorruptible word of life to us. It is that word that has ability to reconfigure our nature so that we can stand on Zion with the Lamb of God and this is the actual redemption meant for the soul (Eph. 1:7/14).

Bless You!

Rev. (Mrs.) Helen Oyegoke
Fellowshipping With the Nature of the Lamb (Part b)

1st May, 2014.

Non-Negotiable Counsels of God's Kingdom - Part 10

Dearly Beloved,

Once upon a time, I unconsciously related with inspired ministrations like a buffet, but now, I do so with fear and trembling, knowing that this is the only way I can unlock my destiny which has been hidden with Christ Jesus in God (Col. 3:3)
But now I realize that I don’t have the timing of eternity on my side and must fight the good fight of faith while the sun still rise and set. I find myself tarrying with that blessed blank question “WHAT MANNER OF MEN OUT WE TO BE IN ALL IN ALL HOLY CONVERSATION AND GODLINESS, LOOKING FOR AND HASTING UNTO THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD…” 2Pet. 3:11-12 

Receiving His instructions (commandments) is the only access to partaking of His life (Prov. 4:13/6:23/10:17 & Jn. 12:50). His life remains an unearthly conversation (Phil. 3:20) which we only have a shallow knowledge of, but thanks be unto God who has been multiplying grace and peace unto us by speaking plainly of his exalted son Jesus.

Phil. 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven (i.e. by sighting their lives, one can clearly see heaven and understand God’s will); from whence also we look for the Savior…

Graceful reading!

Non-Negotiable Counsels of God's Kingdom - Part 10
The Lord is at hand and the gospel that would redeem the souls of men is coming the way of nations. God is serious about sealing people with his name (nature) as we can also see the devil desperate about sealing people with his name (nature). There is an increase of the revelation of Christ (Gal. 1:16/Rom. 16:25) that is bringing about the sealing of men and women with His name. Who and what you end up being sealed with all depends on whose side you yield to.

God has not appointed us unto wrath but unto salvation (1 Thes. 5:9). The reason we got born again is so that we can be fully saved (1Pet. 1:5&9). We were appointed unto salvation; that is the ultimate of God’s plan for man. Some are children of wrath by nature (Eph. 2:3), but we are not children of wrath. Rather, we are vessels of mercy prepared unto glory (Romans 9:23).
Salvation starts as an EVENT (new birth), should continue in us as a PROCESS (1Pet. 1:23) and culminate in PERFECTION (Heb. 6:1b/Matt. 5:48) so that we obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ

1Thes. 5:2 … “ for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

The Lord is preparing us so that day will not come upon us as a thief, because those upon whom that day will come upon as a thief are believers who are in darkness. So much light is coming to us now and God is encouraging and enjoining us to walk in the light. If you are walking in the light, you will know about that day. The Lord is really at hand now.

This is how we show that we are of the day; by putting on the breastplate of faith and love which is the secret of being sober (1Thes. 5:6b). A sober person is someone who always walks in love and that is how to wait for the coming of the Lord. When you are not walking in the light (in the revelation of the name of the Lord), then you are asleep.

The End Time Move is about Salvation. It is about changing man (the soul) inside out. It is about redeeming you from the earth/humanity (Rev. 14:4) and adopting you into godhood (the Godhead). That is the salvation God has ordained for man which would guarantee that you be redeemed from man, kindred, tongues and tribes, and that redemption is in the Lord Jesus.

Rev. 14:4 …These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Jesus is revealing the way He lives to us, which is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from our own lifestyle; He is completely different from the present man. We lives as a divine man and the only thing that can win us from the ways of man is the light of the Lord. If we know the extent to which we need salvation, we will weep.

The Lord needs to really show us who He is so we see the dire need for salvation. WE NEED SALVATION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE! We need to be saved from the ways of man. We have been men all along, even though we have been speaking in tongues. We have been living like men and reacting like men with our conversation. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVES IS THAT LIFESTYLE AND THAT CONVERSATION THAT IS IN THE LORD JESUS.
WE MUST COME WITH A LOT OF REPENTANCE SO THAT WE CAN BE SAVED, BECAUSE WHAT HAS BEEN TATTOOED IN US ARE THE WAYS OF MAN, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY CALL FOR GOD’S  WRATH. After we got born again, we still carried earthly ways for years until the Lord unveils His ways to us. The Lord is bringing us to a place where we will look like fools (stupid people) just like Jesus once looked before men while on earth. People will take us for granted and despise us (1Cor. 1:28b). Anything short of the way the Lord lives falls short of salvation, is death and would ultimately incur wrath.
I recall when Jesus was in the garden was about to be arrested. Peter reacted the way natural man would by pulling out his sword and cutting one of the ears of the servant of the high priest. That is a natural man and such a man cannot stand where God is standing. Such a man cannot live with God. The philosophy of every man is to defend yourself like Peter did. Matt. 26:51–52

But the Lord is not like that. The Bible says, ‘The Lord is my Light and my Salvation’. In the midst of that opposition, war and threat to kill Him, Jesus was still able to pick the ear of one of His attackers and glue it back in place (Luke 22:51). JESUS REMEMBERED TO DO GOOD IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE. He was so calm in the midst of opposition; He picked the ear, glued it and told Peter, ‘That is not how to live. Those who kill by the sword will die by the sword.’ (Matt. 26:52)
The nature of the Lamb is Love; Love suffers long and is kind. Many of us cannot remember to be kind in the midst of trouble, when people are looking for our head. As long as we are like this (merciless), we cannot be admitted into the realm of God. The realm of God is a realm where, in the face of opposition, you can still be kind and good. This is not just a revelation; it is a commandment: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). We are commanded to come unto the place where God is.

YOU CANNOT LIVE WITH HIM EXCEPT YOU ARE LIVING IN THE LIGHT HE IS LIVING IN – 1Jn. 1:7
The Lord is calling us to something very high. I see God bringing us to a realm. He is not just giving us revelation; HE IS ACTUALLY COMMANDING US TO COME TO A REALM. The Lord is bringing us into a realm of love where there will be strong brotherly love. The Lord wants to make us children. He is calling us to the realm of children where we will be like children in malice. It is a beautiful realm. He wants us to relate with one another as though we never wronged each other. No matter what your brother or sister might have done to you, the offence must not be carried overnight because this realm of God does not permit that.
You can be angry but do not let the sun goes down on your anger (Eph. 4:26). That is how to be sober and that is how to live as children of the day. One thing about the knowledge of God is that it comes on the increase when you give a commensurate walk to previous ones brought to you. When light comes, you must take a step in the direction of that light.

PAUL WAS PRAYING FOR THE COLOSSIAN CHRISTIANS THAT THEY MAY BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL IN ALL WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING SO THAT THEY MAY WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD (COL. 1:9–11). SO THE REASON FOR THE INFILLING OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS TO PRODUCE A WORTHY WALK THAT PLEASES HIM. YOU CANNOT FULLY PLEASE THE LORD EXCEPT LIGHT COMES. AS YOU PLEASE HIM, YOU INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. WHEN YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT YOUR WAY, MORE LIGHT WOULD BE GIVEN

Christianity is like a dunghill where people dump various rubbish and yet you keep quiet (because of that inward tranquility). It was said concerning Jesus ‘His voice would not be heard on the street.’ Matt. 12:19
Henceforth, what we are going to be seeing in our midst is the manifestation of the love of God at its peak. IT IS A COMMANDMENT WHICH IS FOR OUR SALVATION AND GLORY. THE LORD IS NOT GOING TO TOLERATE SOME THINGS AGAIN. HE IS GOING TO REFUSE THEM VEHEMENTLY. You can never see children quarrel; it is the adults that teach children such malice. Children forget offences easily unlike adults and only learn how to keep malice from adults.

 Bless You!

Rev. (Mrs.) Helen Oyegoke