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Don’t fall for the trap: Truth still matters

M.T. Omoniyi
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Don’t fall for the trap: Truth still matters

In my other day job, away from Our God Given Mission, I run a thriving and growing news network called Common Sense. In board meetings, we often beat out chest about not being beholden to one perspective but taking a holistic and panoramic view to current affairs. My role sees me hosting debates, conversations and panels with equally passionate actors from different political isles. In journalism, you’re rewarded for considering a range of political opinions. I routinely have to swim through emotions and rhetorical arguments just to get to the facts. It’s a worthy cause, often tiring, but worthy. Because of the sheer volume of takes and thought pieces online, the truth has become harder than ever to see. However, this doesn’t mean it’s not worth pursuing.

Oxford English Dictionaries designated “post-truth” as its 2016 Word of the Year. It’s actually not a new word, having been coined likely in 1992. But in 2016, it was used 2,000% more than in the previous years. According to Oxford Dictionaries, post-truth relates or denotes circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal beliefs. In other words, feelings and preferences matter more than facts and truth.

One key moment where this term reared its head was when President Donald Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, raised eyebrows by claiming that “truth isn’t truth” during a television interview. He was arguing that Mr Trump should not testify to the Russia probe, as he might be “trapped into perjury” at the time. He seemed to be saying there was no objective truth but that people could all have their own version. On another occasion when confronted with falling crime numbers, he replied that “people feel like it’s rising and that’s what matters.” These interactions encapsulate the sentiments of the term.

‘Post-truth’ is different to postmodernism. Where a postmodern person might say, “There is no objective truth,” a post-truth person might think “there is objective truth, but I don’t care because my personal feelings and preferences matter more.” Anyone who brings facts that challenge those feelings or preferences is labelled as a “hater” or something similarly derogatory.

One mode of post-truth is the “hard mode.” By this I mean there are those whose personal preference to have their social or political agenda is so strong, they’re willing to twist the truth or even spread falsehood to get progress for their agenda. This is much of what we see on social media today. The democratizing effect of social media means anyone can send their thoughts and contribute to debate with just a few taps on a phone. Exposure to such a large range of thoughts and noise contributes to the sense of malaise and apathy that grips this generation

Is It Worth it?

When Jesus said that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” he was perhaps saying one of the most profound things ever uttered in history. That’s not an exaggeration. In fact, there’s so much in just that phrase that one could write an entire book based on it (pun intended)!

Jesus linked truth with freedom. When we know the truth, we’re truly free. This is why the enemy makes it so difficult to find. That’s the first coupling Jesus makes. But just a few verses later, he makes another astonishing coupling. He says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Jesus said in verse 32 that the truth would set us free and in verse 36 he says that the Son sets us free. Coupling them together we see that the Son is the truth.

In the person and work of Christ, we see the truth that we’re made in God’s image meant to commune with God, that we’ve forsaken that purpose, but that in the Son, God has provided a way to restore our purpose. That truth sets us free to be who and what we were meant to be. This truth is worth pursuing and knowing, no matter the costs.

So is the pursuit of truth worth reading that extra article or investigating the biblical consistency of claims online, yes. Jesus clearly thinks it is. Social media may leave you pressed but don’t be crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). There is still value is seeking the truth. There is still value is pursuing clarity in Jesus

I’m Saved… So Why Do I Keep on Falling Into Sin?

Emmanuel Ayoola
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I’m Saved… So Why Do I Keep on Falling Into Sin?

I remember moving into my university accommodation in September 2014. “On fire for Christ”, having been a Christian for 2 years, I had plans to win the University of Birmingham for Christ! I decided to commit my time at university, and my room, into God’s hands. “This room will be a room of righteousness”, I declared. I thought that prayer would keep me for my entire 3 years at university.

It appeared to only keep me a few days.

By the next week, I had already brought home 2 women after nights out, had casual sexual encounters (triggering a relapse into watching pornography) and completely blew it. I’d been overcome by temptations that many people, including Christians, experience daily. This led to an almost existential crisis wrestling with the question “I’m Saved… so why do I keep on falling into sin?”.

Fast forward 6 years later, and thanks be to God, I’m in a completely different place. And I’ve also learned much about the Christian walk through trying to answer that question. As I seek to share my learnings, I hope that you will be given full assurance of God’s love, a joyful understanding of a Christian’s “battle” with sin and the motivation to walk in holiness.

Can I Stop Sinning?

All men and women are born in a state of rebellion to God. For the Bible nerds, this is what is called “Original Sin”. The teaching that because of Adam’s disobedience to God in the garden of Eden, all of us are born corrupt and prone to disobeying God ourselves (Romans 5:12).

Notice that you weren’t taught to lie, kick or bite as a child (Psalm 51:5). We are “fallen” from birth and by nature, deserve God’s judgement for our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3).

We are not called sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners.

BUT, here is where the good news of the Gospel comes in! If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we believe the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3), miracles take place (more than I can explain in this article, or a lifetime). A few perks of salvation are:

  • The penalty of our sins is forgiven (Colossians 2:14).
  • We are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
  • We are promised eternal life (Romans 6:23).
  • We are dead to sin (Romans 6:2)

So What Does it Mean to be “Dead to Sin”?

Surely that must mean I am sinless now? Not exactly. Not yet, anyway. But you didn’t really need me to tell you that. Being “dead to sin” does not mean that Christians become sinless. If that was the case, the Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 1:15), the Apostle John (1 John 1:8-9) and James (James 4:8) wouldn’t refer to Christians or themselves as sinners! To be dead to sin means that sin no longer has jurisdiction over us.

For sin will have no dominion over you

Romas 6:14

Glory be to God! So now we who were slaves to sin can instead be slaves of a beautiful, perfect, loving saviour God. Hence Paul’s next instruction,

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Romans 6:12

This is why the New Testament is full of commands to love and forgive and abstain from sin. Because you now have the power to do so. You have the power to say “NO” to sin.

You are not dead in sin, you are alive!

So Why Do I Still Struggle?

Many have been surprised when they find themselves “struggling” with sin. If that weren’t the case, you probably wouldn’t be reading this article. Temper tantrums, lusting over the person you saw at the Christian BBQ and bouts of laziness plague many a believer. In these low moments, we can often question if we’ve even been saved in the first place. Or how God could love such a “wretch”.

Let’s not forget two ultimately glorious truths:

1. God did not die for the best version of you. He died for you, at your lowest moment and loves you in spite of your sin (Romans 5:8).

2. When a believer sins, Jesus stands up on our behalf and says “I know they fell again. But they’re mine. I gave them my righteousness, and I paid the price for their sin” (1 John 2:1-2)

As a believer, we should always have assurance. Not in ourselves, but in the faithfulness of God. We also need to understand our battle. Although we have been freed from a life of sin, we still wrestle against the urges and passions of our sinful nature (Matthew 5:28). Once, sin was what we loved. Now, sin is what we wrestle against.

Romans 7 is a perfect description of this battle. Paul, speaking as someone who “delights in the law” in his inner being (something only a Born Again believer could say), writes:

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Romans 7:22-23

There is a war going on. But not just any war. A war where the outcome has already been secured (Philippians 1:6). The fight against sin is not merely a miserable fight. It is meant to be a Spirit-filled fight for joy. Joy in Christ that surpasses anything that sin could provide (Hebrews 12:1-2). The fact that you’re struggling does not mean you are not a Christian. The reason you “struggle” is because your God-loving spirit is at war with your flesh (Galatians 5:17). The war between the flesh and the Spirit is very complex, which is why we need to constantly study the word of God to better understand our battle. Notice that this is in no way an excuse for lawless living. No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning, and no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him (1 John 3:4). We must be real with our battle against sin, but not give ourselves a false sense of security if we live unrepentant lives.

So, What Do I Have to Do?

The fact of the matter is, as John Piper puts it, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” We should reframe our view of “self-denial” or “killing sin” from a draining and joyless task to a pursuit of greater joy in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:13), God describes Himself as a fountain of living water in comparison to the “broken cisterns” of sin that “can hold no water”. By pursuing delight in Jesus, we will find it incredibly easier to “abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). As we enjoy prayer with the carer for our soul, we push away fear. As we see the beauty of God-given marriage, we overcome temptations to seek a cheap substitute through promiscuity, homosexuality, or porn. Consider the following commands given to us as Christians from the book of Colossians, chapter 3:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. In these, you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator.

Collosians 3:5-10

And instead:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Collosians 3:12-15

Imagine we all lived like this? Imagine the joy and peace we would have. Imagine the joy we would bring to our families, our friends, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This process of continually training ourselves in godly habits is what we call “progressive sanctification” (1 Timothy 4:7-9).

When we lay down at night or go through the day tempted with sinful thoughts, He is calling us to fight by instead meditating on His beautiful commands (Psalm 1:1). Would we need these commands if we were not meant to engage in radical sin-killing, Holy Spirit empowered, joyful warfare? Of course not! But we must remember that as even as God commands us to strive for these things, He gives us the strength to do what He commands (Philippians 2:12-13).

Will I Struggle Forever?

The good news is that this battle will end. And those of us who trust in Christ will be victorious. There is no sin or struggle in God’s new creation. That means no tempting thoughts, no angry urges and no prideful tendencies. We will be “glorified” (Romans 8:30). The Bible tells us that death will pass away, and nothing unclean will enter Heaven (Revelation 21:27).

We, believers, will be given new resurrection bodies that will never perish or be corrupted (1 Corinthians 15:52).

In the words of Jonathan Edwards, an American preacher born in 1703:

“Even the very best of men, are, on earth, imperfect. But it is not so in heaven. There shall be no pollution or deformity or offensive defect of any kind, seen in any person or thing; but every one shall be perfectly pure, and perfectly lovely in heaven.”

Jonathan Edwards

So to the person “struggling” with sin, hold on. Don’t give up the fight. Fight the good fight of faith with joy (1 Timothy 6:12). Is it easy? Nope. Is it worth it? Heavens yes!

True Biblical Friendship

On Mission
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True Biblical Friendship

Joke: If anyone needs an ark, I happen to Noah guy.

Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man that has friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” There is a key to having loyal friends or making friends in the first place. You have to show yourself friendly.

Discussion

Is the narrative about male and female friendships true? Men make friends easily but it’s shallow? Women struggle to make friends but when they do its deeper?

With social media, friends are more common but more shallow?

The First Problem in the World Was Not Sin but Solitude

At each step of the way when God created the world, he pronounced that everything was “good.” But then once he created Adam, a statement startles us: something is not good. “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). This was before the fall — before sin had entered the world. Adam was not yet complete; he needed community. 

What does this show us? Although our deepest problems are sin and idolatry, our first problem was social isolation. Therefore, even today, in a world filled with society, Proverbs warns that the one who “isolates himself. . . breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1).

Friendship Is a Whole-Bible Theme

The Bible tells the story of the creation, fracturing, and ultimate restoration of true friendship—friendship with God and also with each other. In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed the fullness of friendship. But their sin led them into hiding (Gen. 3:8), and we’ve been hiding behind our own fig-leaf masks ever since.

Yet God is restoring true friendship. He restores friendship with himself, as he did with Enoch and Noah, who “walked with God”—a Hebrew expression of friendship (Gen. 5:24; Gen. 6:9). Abraham was called “a friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Moses spoke with God “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex. 33:11). He drew near to all who called upon him with true faith.

Picking your Friends

First Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

We must choose carefully who are friends since “bad company ruins good morals” (1st Cor 15:33) and “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prov 13:20). That’s because we tend to become like whoever we are around. 

If those are people who live in sin, then that’s what we’ll tend to do. It’s not guilt by association but sin by participation because James warned us that “that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). 

Solomon wrote about many friends verses a best friend in Proverbs 18:24 by writing, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”  

That one is worth more than many for that brother or sister in Christ knows not “to slander one another” or gossip (James 4:11) but rather, build up one another. There is no room for talking about your friends sins since “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends” (Prov 17:9).

How does “bad company” ruin the morals of others?

A Godly Friendship

There is nothing better than having a best friend, next to having a saving relationship with Christ of course, but we need friends and they need us. We’re made for relationship and when your best friend is a Christian, it can hardly get much better. Your friends will go out of their way for you (1st Sam 18:1-5). A friend loves you regardless (Prov 17:17) and loves you enough to tell you the truth, even if it hurts (Prov 27:6) and try to give you good advice because they’ll be honest with you (Prov 27:9). That’s why we must see the value in our godly friends and why, no matter what, we must never forsake them (Prov 27:10).

Refection

  • Why do we need friends?
  • What about having friends who are not Christian (2nd Cor 6:14-18; James 4:4)?
  • What’s the hardest thing you ever had say to a friend?
  • What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to hear from a friend?

Here are 4 characteristics of true friendship:

Unconditional love – A true friend loves at all times. Regardless of what you do, what happens, or where life takes you, a true friend loves at all times. On your worst day—when you aren’t even fun to be around—a true friend still takes you to lunch. (And likely pays.)

Unwavering support – True friends are in it for the long haul. Even when you’ve fallen—or agree with you completely—a true friend is in your corner. When you call—even when you’re in trouble—they come. True friendships may only be for a season. I have many of those. But if we run into each other again we pick up where we left off. Trust is already established. The relationship is just as strong. True friendships are consistent.

Willingness to challenge – Love and support is not ignoring the words you need to here. A true friendship makes you better. The Bible says “iron sharpens iron.” True friends will correct you if needed. Proverbs 27:5 says, “Better an open rebuke than hidden love.” Friends won’t let you injure yourself or others if they can intervene. They won’t remain silent with what you need to hear—and it will be shared in the deepest of love.

Full of grace – True friendship weather the sometime difficulties of relationships, forgiving when needed, and loving each other even when it hurts. A true friendship isn’t one-sided. Both friends are willing to lay down their life for the other. Grace is freely and generously given.

Why Christians should fight to #EndSars

Toye Akinoso
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Why Christians should fight to #EndSars
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The year 2020 marks one of the most historical periods in all of human history. This year, the rallying cry to the fight against injustice and police brutality galvanised an entire generation across the globe. The most recent being the #EndSARS movement. SARS (Special Anti Robbery Squad) is a police unit in Nigeria which was set up in 1992 and since their inception, the unit has been riddled with cases of theft, abuse, rape, extortion and extrajudicial killings. Amnesty International published a report detailing at least 82 cases of “torture, ill-treatment and extra-judicial execution” by the SARS unit between January 2017 and May 2020. Since this report, protest across the nation of Nigeria have begun as well as protests in Nigerian Communities round the world. SARS has since been disbanded and SWAT ( Special Weapons and Tactics) has been announced to “fill in the gap”. Although this seems like progress, many people in Nigeria fear that this is history repeating itself and thus, protesters have once taken to the streets to #EndSWAT.

To find out more about #ENDSARS, watch the video below:

Jesus sets our standard

Standing up against injustice isn’t a ‘political’, ‘liberal’ or ‘progressive’ thing, it’s a Christ-like thing. I have seen far too many evangelicals aim to divorce Jesus’s ministry from its cultural context. Jesus didn’t just share the Gospel in a vacuum but instead, He purposefully addresses the very specific cultural issues. Take the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), the healing of the leper (Matthew 8), Jesus’ ministry to the Gentiles and Jesus meeting the woman at the well (John 4). All of these stories (and I can spend the rest of the article listing more) aren’t just nice religious platitudes but instead, Jesus was intentionally addressing socioeconomic, political and racial and gender issues at the time and frequently came to the aid of those who were oppressed and abused. Jesus provides us with a blueprint to follow. As Stephen Mattson brilliant puts it:

Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Samaritan lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Children’s lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Gentile lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Jewish lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Women’s lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Lepers’ lives matter.”

Times like these are not when Christians should be quiet. We should not cower in fear but instead, our voices should be the loudest. Our hearts should break for the people in Nigeria at the sight of these atrocities and we ought to stand behind any movements such as #EndSARS and #EndSWAT which aim to fight the injustices which we see around the world. Moments such as these are when we should “speak up, judge righteously; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:9). We are called to be the voice for the voiceless and when we see evil, we expose evil (Ephesians 5:11). Jesus didn’t just preach a generic message of salvation and go home, He went above and beyond to meet the needs of the alienated and downtrodden. Furthermore, we serve a God who hates injustice,  “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord (Prov 17:15).To turn your back to the #EndSars movement is to turn your back to God’s calling and right now, Nigeria is crying out for justice louder than ever. We cannot and must not remain silent. We cannot look away. Therefore, we should stand united with the people of Nigeria against any form of police brutality and condemn these actions carried out by SARS.

The war beneath the war

As Christians, we believe that there is a war beneath the war for justice. We believe that the only solution which can bring about everlasting change is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, as mentioned in my previous article regarding social injustice, “when faced with injustice, the Christian response is not merely to bend our knee in protest but to also do so in prayer.  The battle against the injustices of the world is not fought solely by creating and signing petitions here on Earth but also making prayers of petition to Heaven“. As Christians, we care about all suffering, especially eternal ones. So in moments such as these, we must go into the world and seek to be light but we must not forget the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In these instances, we advocate for police reform and we also advocate for the Gospel message as we believe this is what will bring the change we want to see in the world.

So dear Christian, stand up and fight to #EndSARS. Peacefully protest, sign petitions, give to the causes fighting against police brutality and most importantly, pray. Pray that God, the lover of justice, in His sovereign power would move to relive the aches and pains of injustice in this world that have corrupted our systems. But above all pray that God, through this, meets people at their truest need- eternal relief, not just from the results of sin, but from sin itself through believing in the soul-saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why Should I Care About Theology?

Toye Akinoso
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Why Should I Care About Theology?
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One of the most daunting themes I’ve observed in my few short years as a Christian is how little most believers are impassioned to know the deep truths of God. Typically I often hear people share the sentiments of ‘theology just really isn’t for me’, ‘ I just want to love Jesus’ or ‘ isn’t theology just for pastors and preachers?’. This is a sentiment I’ve shared in the past and one which often comes from a good place, however, it is one which robs us from the joys of worshipping, beholding and magnifying God for who He is.

Everyone is a Theologian

We make theological statements every single day. We can’t avoid it. To say that theology doesn’t matter is to make a theological statement. Whether you have a BSc in systematic theology or whether you’ve never seen the inside of a Bible, you have theological views. It is inescapable. The word theology is made up of the words Theos (God) and logos (word), therefore theology simply means meaning “words about God”, “God-talk.” or “the study of God”. We all have views and opinions about who we believe God to be. To say that God is Love is to take a theological position and in a similar vein, to say that God doesn’t exist asserts a theological view. We all talk and think about God. What separates the believer from the atheist is how accurately our various theologies line up with God’s revelation of Himself as revealed in Scripture.

Theology is Transformative

I’ve often seen many people dismiss theology as this abstract discipline which has no effect on the day to day life of a believer. But on the contrary, biblical theology is the heartbeat of the Christian. True theology is not a theoretical exercise but a transformational practice. Knowing God and being known by God changes you. If your theology leaves you unchanged and apathetic towards God, then it is not biblical theology.

Your theological framework affects your worldview which in turn dictates how you live your life. If your theology leads you to the conclusion that God doesn’t exist and thus there is no life after death, then how you spend your 80 or so years on earth drastically changes. Alternatively, if you believe in God’s existence and life after death, how you spend your short time on earth becomes all the more important. In the same way, what you believe about God, His nature, His character and how He has revealed Himself in scripture, drastically affects not only how you live your life, but also how you worship, how you interact with God and interact with His people. None of which can be done rightly in the absence of correct theology. Let’s take the example of the sons of Aaron in Leviticus 10. The two sons tried to raise an offering to God which seemingly is a good thing and something they ought to be rewarded for right? The story plays a different tune. Although their motives may have been pure, because of their lack of knowledge of who God is, they gave an offering before God which was described as ‘foreign fire’ and consequently they were consumed by God’s fire.

This same issue is still present in many churches today. Due to apathy towards biblical studies and theology, many people, although their hearts are sincere, sincerely worship God in a way which is antithetical to the teachings of scripture. In some instances, some people end up worshipping a completely different god as opposed to the true God revealed in the scriptures. What you believe about God matters! What you think and believe about His nature and His desires for you affects every part of your life. We need theology to know God rightly and to also live rightly.

Loving theology is loving Jesus

As Kevin DeYoung brilliantly puts it, “those who say that ‘I don’t care about theology, I just love Jesus, don’t have either”. Loving Jesus and loving theology aren’t mutually exclusive options for a believer, the two are inextricably linked. Let’s imagine for a moment that I told you that I love mother, that she is my entire world and she’s all I care about. Imagine you were to ask what colour her hair was and I was unable to give a correct answer, you would very much question whether my affections for her were true! In a similar fashion, if you claim to love Jesus, you would not only want to make Him known but you would aspire to know Him. Not in a generic and vague sense, but to know Him intimately.

If you love Jesus, you will be able to explain why you love Him and what it is about Him that you love. Who is He? What did He accomplish? What does His resurrection mean? Why did He die? Who is His father? All of these are theological matters! Loving Christ and caring about theology are two sides of the same coin.

Theology should always end in worship

Theology may start in your head but it should end in your heart. True theology ends with you, savouring, cherishing and magnifying Christ. This is what we examine all throughout the Psalms, David when reflecting on what he learnt about God from the Prophets and the Torah, would fall on his knees and cry out in worship! Biblical theology ought to stir within us the same response. The more we immerse ourselves in biblical doctrines such as the imputation of Christ’s righteousness on us, the only true and right response is to fall on our feet and cry out ‘ABBA!’. As Matt Capps brilliant puts it :

Theology engages our emotions and shapes our living. It is not an exercise in head-scratching puzzles, but a discipline that should lead to heart-stirring emotions, which in turn leads to worshipful obedience in every area of life. It is by knowing God that we come to love Him, and by loving Him that we come to know Him.

Matt Capps

So should you care about theology? Absolutely. Not to become lofty in our intellect and wiser than the next man, but to instead grow in our understanding of God so that we can, powered by the Holy Spirit, reflect and conform to His image and His will. The pursuit of theology for the Christian is not an intellectual pursuit, it is pursuit to know Christ so that we can make Him known.

God’s Power In The Everyday

Joe Reeser
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God’s Power In The Everyday
Prefer to listen? Listen here!

Your normal life is the most important thing about your leadership. If the people around you buy into something you can only produce once a year when the stars and planets are in perfect alignment, you won’t be followed for long. But when people buy into your normal, leading becomes like breathing—natural and life-giving. This means that creating your normal as a leader is the most valuable activity you can do. It’s your most rewarding investment. How do you normally handle finances? What about conflict? Do you take initiative? What about responsibility—do you own your mistakes? Time management? Self-awareness? You get the picture.

Perfection isn’t possible and will never be your normal.

So how do you deal with your imperfections? Do you cover them up through rabble-rousing (like a demagogue or emotional racketeer)? Or, instead, do you humbly and wisely admit your imperfections and surround yourself with other leaders whose strengths help cover your weaknesses?

The metaphor of an athlete is often used to discuss leadership performance. Although inspiring, one major difference makes this metaphor unhelpful: Athletes train every day to reach peak performance for a specified time and event. And life doesn’t work that way. Most of us are not judged by how we perform during a dozen specified events throughout the year. Our normal defines our performance.

Which means that our best days and our worst days are not what we need to be most concerned about. It’s our normal days that matter.

What does your normal look like?

By normal, I don’t mean unintentional. Normal is not the right word for that—sloppy, lazy, and haphazard are better words for unintentional. I mean the state you operate at when huge opportunities and massive setbacks are not fueling your actions.

Most of us rise to the occasion when faced with giant open doors or huge challenges… it’s the average day we struggle with. And it’s the average day we have the most of, which means we better be intentional about seizing it.

What you build as a leader is based on your normal moments, your average state of being.

You will manifest—in the lives of others, in the culture of your community, and in the systems and procedures that form around them—that which is typical for you.

If you tried to enforce your best day as the standard for everyone else’s normal day, people will see straight through it as the hypocrisy it is. Or, if you impose someone else’s best or normal day onto your community (which happens more than leaders are willing to admit when they use another leader’s ideas like a coat of paint over rotting plasterboard), the scent of inauthenticity can be picked up from miles away.

Quite simply, your best days and someone else’s strategies will never create lasting change. Your normal is the primary template in what you will build. The good news is this simplifies your life and leadership. Your primary task no longer feels like spending all your time, energy, and efforts seeking some magical leadership formula like hunting for the Holy Grail

Here’s the formula you need: Always start with you.

  • How are your normal study habits?
  • How is your normal prayer time?
  • How are your normal relationships?
  • How is your normal financial life?
  • How is your heart’s normal state? Humble or proud? Self-ambitious or God-submitted? Size-focused or fruit-focused? Integrous or cutting corners to get ahead? Image-first or substance-first?

Before we launched Ramp Church Manchester, one of my closest advisors and a seasoned church leader told me that if he could do his leadership journey again he would focus more on his heart and less on what he was building. He was trying to drive home the reality that you can’t build a healthy community or organisation from an unhealthy heart.

King Solomon expressed the same sentiment from his own leadership journey:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV; emphasis mine).

The Apostle Paul also practised this principle:

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us… What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practise these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 3:17; 4:9 ESV).

Even modern life coaches shout about it:

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently” (Anthony Robbins).

Have you ever tried to build something that you, yourself, didn’t even live? How did it work out?

My wife and co-pastor, Stacie, recently gave a powerful message on something we talk a lot about at Ramp Church: lifestyle leadership. It’s a great place to start in your journey of reshaping your normal to look, sound, and, most importantly, be a life others want to follow.

Stacie’s message, “5 Marks of a Life That Can Be Followed”, is available on all platforms: YouTube, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else.

Are You Frustrated?

Matidaishe Mupfacha
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Are You Frustrated?
Prefer to Listen? Listen here!

Maybe you’re single, increasingly lonely, and nothing would make you happier than receiving that message from a special someone. Maybe you’re engaged and that wedding date just keeps being moved further and further down the year. Maybe you’re in a job you absolutely loathe and the job hunt is proving fruitless. Maybe you’re stuck in student halls, growing more irritable by the day because this is not what you envisioned for your first year of university. Maybe you’re sick of this pandemic. Maybe you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.

In all of these maybe’s, there is one common feeling- frustration. It’s not necessarily a bad emotion, but if left unchecked, it’s confusing, consuming, and constricting. It is an emotion that breeds a multitude of negative thoughts and feelings. Some of the worst being doubt and discontentment.

Did God Really Say?

Doubt is defined as a hesitation to believe. It is a deadly deterrent to our awareness of God- and one of the strongest weapons in Satan’s arsenal. He uses it unsparingly and seeks every opportunity to plant it- take a look at what happened in Eden (Gen 3). When planted, you start asking yourself, “Did God really say, “I am with thee”? Did He really mean it when He said, “I can do far more abundantly than what you can ask or think?” Was He just phased out when He said, “Cast all your cares onto me for I care for you?” 

Doubt weakens us to extend our hand to our only lifeline. It creates iron-clad walls for us to not see Jesus and brings about some unknown bout of amnesia to the promises of God. It endorses the fear of the unknown when we could trust in the Creator of all knowledge. Doubt says, “God is not here”.

However, God is never absent, in fact, HE is the “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  He is so near to the point where David, in an attempt to capture the depths of this closeness, says, “Even if I make my bed in hell, You are there” (Psalm 139:8). His existence itself is all-encompassing and self-sufficient. Apostle Paul asserts that all things, including us: come from, belong to, were made by, and exist through God alone (1 Corinthians 8:6). Some of us, like Thomas, want to see or feel physical results before we are willing to accept that His presence is more valuable than the answers we want to our questions.

You May Try To Run

Frustration breeds discontentment. We may run from God and seek other means to make us feel better or to forget about it. Weed, masturbation, pornography, alcohol, sleep, or a shameless binge of Friends on Netflix whilst scoffing down a tub or two of Ben and Jerry’s never hits the spot. We may even resort to live in Fantasy Land, where we relive past glories and loves.

All these means of escapism are short-lived. The pleasures they offer have a 100% dissatisfaction guarantee. They strip us of our joys and leave us naked and ashamed. It’s His grace that the emptiness we oft feel points to our need for Him and prayer is the instant vehicle that will transport all our sighs and groans right to His ears. Prayer is the applicator in which He rubs in a soothing balm on our frazzled, inflamed hearts.

The return of the prodigal son (Luke 15:17-24) is an embodiment of how we look when we come to Him in prayer. It is His grace that He waits on us, to come crawling to Him, when all has failed, to confess our brokenness, casting all our cares and anxieties on Him. It is His grace that He sees us from a mile off, runs towards us, receives us, forgives us with the readiness of a loving father, embraces us with such warmth it breaks down the walls of shame, and clothes us with robes of His love and favour. As Isaiah puts it, “His understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28). 

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

You caused me to experience
many troubles and misfortunes,
but you will revive me again.
You will bring me up again,
even from the depths of the earth.

Psalm 71:20

Again I say, Rejoice

In the midst of our being frustrated on being held up at Stagnancy Station, God is still good to us. Rather than lay up in our one-man pity parties and bop to DJ WoEISMe’s latest set, we must recognise that our hearts are a gardening site – with God doing the work, anticipating the unveiling of His masterpiece that is producing all sorts of healthy fruit- namely patience, love, joy, faithfulness…etc (Galatians 5:22). These seasons that we experience are not for nothing. Once we submit to God’s purpose, only then will we realise the benefits of the work He’s doing and echo the same sentiments as David, “Who am I that you’re mindful of me!?” (Psalm 8:4).

 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:11-13

Paul’s words here are not in vain. This was a man with every opportunity to scream and revel in frustration. However, he regarded all the trials he faced with pure joy because he knew the prize that awaited him in eternity was much greater than any shipwreck, beating, snake bite or imprisonment he could face on this earth. He had a great awareness of the transcendental nature of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and what it meant for Him as a believer. He knew that in this life happiness was not promised. He knew the earthly life of a Christian was one of serious difficulty, one not left unmarked by frustrating seasons. But above that he chose to dwell on and set his thoughts on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy— God’s promises (Phillipians 4:8). 

Be Still and Wait

With God, all things are possible to those who believe. God is the one who gives us the saving faith that we possess and HE is the one that is able to supply the faith that helps us hold on. We can freely cry out, ” Lord I believe but help my unbelief!” like the helpless, doubtful father in Mark 9. Pray for strength to wait on Him- as the Scriptures say, “He acts on behalf of those who wait on Him” (Isaiah 64:4). However, He acts according to His will, not ours. Therefore, we must be still and know that He is God who is all-wise and all-knowing, receiving all that He brings with thanksgiving and trust.

Preach the Gospel

Above all, preach the Gospel to your heart. The Gospel opens our minds to eternity, forgetting the fleeting interests of this vaporous life. The High King of heaven, who did not spare His Son, but sacrificed Him on the Cross for the sins of prodigals like us, in order for us to spend eternity with Him should speak volumes of His dedication to us. If He managed to do this, how will He not sustain us? How will He not keep His promises? How will He not give us all things when He has given us Himself? (Romans 8:32).

A Radical Call To Consecration

On Mission
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A Radical Call To Consecration

Joke: Whats do most religions have do during a recession?– They have to make sacrifices 

In the Bible the word consecration means “the separation of oneself from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship with a perfect God.” Consecration also carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity.

The word consecration isn’t a commonly used word, but even so, we might have an existing concept about what it means. In religion, the word consecration has been used in relation to the official ordaining of a person to be a preacher, a priest, or a missionary. This use implies consecration is for a special category of people

But the consecration revealed in the New Testament is for every believer in Christ. It’s not something only for knowledgeable Christians or spiritually mature ones. In fact, as we’ll see, we cannot subjectively know the life of Christ in us or reach spiritual maturity without consecrating ourselves to the Lord. This is because consecration is the basis for every spiritual experience.

Reflection

  • Have we heard the word consecration before?
  • How were we introduced to the word? Do we think Christians think about the word enough?

There are two places we can see a clear call to consecration and what it may entail!

OLD TESTAMENT

In the Old Testament, a sacrifice was something set apart for God by being put on the altar. When people offered that thing to God, it no longer belonged to the one offering it. It belonged to God, for His use and His satisfaction.

The importance of being consecrated or pure in our relationship with God is emphasized in an incident in the book of Joshua. After forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel were about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. They were then given a command and a promise: 
“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua 3:5).

Upon consecrating themselves, the children of Israel were assured of God’s promises. The Lord promised that He would do amazing things among them

Just as He opened the Red Sea to deliver them from their Egyptian bondage, He would open the Jordan River and take them into the Promised Land. In fact, this was just the beginning of the miracles God would perform for them in the conquest of the Promised Land. It’s no wonder the psalmist declares, “Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples” (Psalm 77:13-14)

Reflection

  • What is the connection between those in the old testament consecrating themselves and God doing amazing things with them?
  • What is the link between sacrifice and Gods move?

The Old-testament gives us a partial understanding of consecration. When we take a look at the new testament, we get an even clearer picture.

NEW TESTAMENT

Consecration is our giving ourselves to the Lord to become “a living sacrifice,” as Paul says in Romans 12:1: “I exhort you therefore, brothers, through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).

The Bible tells believers to be a holy people, separate from the world: “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Today, when we consecrate ourselves to the Lord, we become a living sacrifice. We give up our own claims on ourselves and put ourselves completely in His hands. Previously, our life was for our use and our satisfaction; now it is for His.

When we present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice, we’re simply saying, “Lord Jesus, I am for You. I’m no longer for myself, the world, or anything else. I am for Your use and Your satisfaction.”

Reflection

  • How important is it for us to present ourselves to the Lord? 
  • Does it matter whether we do or don’t?
  • What holds us back from doing this? What does a consecrated life look like in Modern Britain? 
  • What are the benefits of consecration?

If we’re saved, we’ve taken the initial step of our spiritual journey. Thank the Lord for that! But we’ve only just begun. The next step for us is to consecrate ourselves to the Lord. When we do, we’ll be kept in God’s way, grow in His life, allow God to work in us, and enjoy the riches of His full salvation.

Conclusion

Whether we’re newly saved or we’ve been saved for a while, every one of us can give ourselves to the Lord. Even if we never heard of consecration, we can still present ourselves to the Lord right now. He is happy and willing to receive our consecration at any time!

Jesus Leaves The 99 to Find The One – Toye Akinoso

Toye Akinoso
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Jesus Leaves The 99 to Find The One – Toye Akinoso

One of the most remarkable things about the God we see in the scriptures is that He actively pursues the lost. There is no sin too great, no mountain too high, no distance we could run, that would discourage God from loving and pursuing us.

Listen to our Editorial Lead Toye Akinoso share the message of Luke 15, showing us God’s heart to find that which is lost.

Boris and Trump Need Our Prayers

Shumi Mararike
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Boris and Trump Need Our Prayers
Prefer to listen? Listen hear!

BREAKING NEWS: The President and First Lady of the United States have tested positive for COVID-19.

The response on social media has been fascinating, to say the least. The irony of it all does amuse me. I’ve found myself chuckling at memes and tweets over the past few days. But my laughter ceases when viewing posts where people are expressing their pleasure and celebration toward the news. This is wrong. Irrespective of your political synergies, as Christians, we must pray for our world leaders.

Why Should We Pray for Our World Leaders?

We may have many legitimate reasons to dislike our world leaders. They may fail to carry out their God-given authority to protect their people, praise what is good and punish that which is evil (Romans 13:3-4, 1 Peter 2:13-14). Their policies may be to your detriment. Their actions (or lack of) may be the cause of great pain and difficulty in your life.

If this is the case, why should we pray for our leaders? Firstly, God commands it. This alone is reason enough to warrant our intercession for them.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions,

1 Timothy 2:1-2a

God Has Ordained Their Authority Over You

God works through means. What I mean by this is that God accomplishes His purposes through people, things, natural events and so forth. Voting is one example of this.

As citizens of a country where democracy is upheld, you can go to your local ballot box and cast your vote for your preferred candidate/party. It is through this activity that God brings whom He has ordained to hold office. In other words, they are placed there by God through the choices we make on election day. Yes, that includes Trump and Boris.

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Romans 13:1-2

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1 Peter 2:13-15

By Me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
by Me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.

Proverbs 8:15-16

Praying For Them is For Our Benefit

Praying for our world leaders is also for our benefit. A nation is largely shaped by the effectiveness of leadership. Strong leadership provides stability. When focused on administering justice and meeting the needs of their people, society as a whole strengthens. This ultimately pleases God as it is for our benefit and for His glory. Therefore, we must do all we can to help our leaders fulfil these duties with prayer being one of many ways we can do so.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,

1 Timothy 2:1-3

Some Prayer Points

It is imperative that we pray for our world leaders. Leading a nation is a mighty task at hand. How much more in a global pandemic? Let’s get on our knees and make intercession for them, so that they may:

  • Have wisdom and understanding – 1 Kings 4:34, 1 Kings 10:23, James 1:5
  • Be humble – causing them to lead cooperatively and collaboratively with authorities, MPs, senators, governors, Congress etc – Ecclesiastes 4:13
  • Health – that they may be physically well, also enabling them to lead effectively – 3 John 1:2
  • That they may fulfil their God-given duty over us – Romans 12:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-14
  • Be saved – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

In the mighty and precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

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