“HOLLAND BAMBOO”

God was intentional when he planted these Bamboo trees. Like these Bamboo trees: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:7)12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you(Hosea 10:12)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John3:16-17).

So as the festive season approaches, let us pause to reflect on his birth, the sacrifice he made so that you and I could be free. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Are you a 3, a 5, or a 10?

The size of your worship; how much or how little time you spend reflects your relationship with God. It is not always about your money! It is a proportion of how much time you are willing to spend in prayer, fasting and in reading his word.

CHECK YOUR SIZE!

Ask God to reveal secret sins hidden in your heart. Get baptize in the name of Jesus Christ and ask him to fill you with his Spirit (Acts 2:38)

Watch your thought life, what you listen to, your speech, your motive, and your attitude. Pray over your anger, guilt, greed, fear and jealousy, we all have them. You must ask God to wash and rid you of them.

O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee?  I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

But, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalms 139, 141)

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, one all, to stand. Stand with truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the sword, which is the word of God; prayer, supplication, watching. (Eph. 6)

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Growing in the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5)

The serpent lied to the woman. She was deceived, ate the fruit and gave to Adam because it looked good and the serpent convinced her that it would make them wise.

God asked Adam where he was to see if he had repented. But instead, he deflected, blamed Eve and God for his disobedience.

God is a Spirit and Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God that reconciled the world back unto himself. Jesus shed his blood, the curse of sin was broken and the penalty for sin was fully paid. Jesus came to seek and to save them that was lost!

The fall of Adam in the Garden created separation from God. But God never gave up on man. He always had a plan to bring back man in communion and fellowship with him. So, in the fullness of time, he manifested himself among men to redeem us from the curse of sin. (John 1:14)

Human beings now have a choice about their eternal destiny. You do not have to die in sin anymore and go to hell. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16). Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:37-38)

The light of our world is dim, everything is obscured and there are no absolutes. The devil, as a roaring lion, is walking and seeking whom he may devour!

But put on the whole armour of God for you wrestle against the devil, against principalities and powers, against rulers of the darkness and spiritual wickedness. You will get the victory with Truth, Righteousness; The Gospel, Faith, Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Praying always in the Spirit and watching with perseverance and supplication! (Ephesians. 6)

A woman went out to draw water and met a Jewish man. He asked her for a drink of water, and she told him, she didn’t know he would talk to her much less to drink from her. Jesus told her if she knew who he was, he would give her living water and she would never thirst  again!

Jesus told her; But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman then left her water pot, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (John 4).

The God of the universe will come back to take his people to be with him. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)

The Church which is the body of Christ will be raptured. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1Thessalonians 4:16-17)

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

2021: Everything You Think You Know Is About To Change

TO EVERY TRIBE AND NATION, I GIVE YOU JESUS.

This is not a Jeopardy question, But God does have a sense of humor! Fish, storm, and island are some of God’s modes of Transportations.” The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

JONAH AND THE WHALE

God told Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh and cry against the city because of their wickedness, but Jonah had other ideas. Let me just say: . He will put you in unpleasant situations, to grow you to mature you and to change you! Jonah :1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 3: 3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. 10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

PAUL AND THE STORM, EUROCLYDON

Acts 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. Acts 28 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us everyone, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

Paul was on a mission journey, yet he was in a storm. You would have thought that since he was in the will of God, why was he going through this terrible storm. They found themselves on an island with barbarous people who were exceedingly brutal, yet God stepped in, and turned them around and the began to show kindness to a bunch of strangers. Could it be that God had prepared their hearts to receive his words? Or, maybe they showed tremendous kindness because of the presence of the man of God. Never underestimate your storm, it could be your mode of transport to the next level of ministry. Bad things do happen to good people doing the will of God!

JOHN ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS

Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

He wrote the Book of Revelation when he was banished to an island called Patmos for his testimony of Jesus. Patmos was a small rocky island in the Aegean Sea, south-west of Ephesus. The island was unable to produce anything: infertile and barren. Nothing grows there! How interesting that God would use such a desolate place to bring to John the Revelation of Jesus Christ!

It is amazing that during desolation and isolation, we did not read of John complaining to God. Because he had the right attitude towards his circumstances, God gave him 22 chapters of one of the greatest books of the entire Bible. A road map to the End of time of our world. What a tremendous loss and a tragedy we would have had if John had said “No God !“ “Not Me " I cannot do it! "I’m not qualify !” We probably would have had 65 books ending at Jude 1. But because of John's stance, he had one of the greatest revelation of all times helping you and me more than 2000 years later.

Don't allow your mode of transport to derail you from your walk with God. Don’t be discouraged, God is with you, and he is trying to make you in his own image. You will be victorious; you will overcome, and God will reveal himself in a greater way. Luke 14: 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior.

Affliction exists in our world because of sin. No one wants to be sick or Ill. However, we suffer heartaches, injuries, disappointments, lack, rejections, and sickness. It hurts and causes pain and suffering through physical infirmity. It disrupts family, creates discomfort and it’s a constant inconvenience to everyone involve and It takes a toll on others who must care and support the sick person.

Since it is a part of life, you need to develop a strategy to stay SANE while you are going through this season of affliction.

1. Always consult your physician and follow up with their recommendations.

2. Ask the church to pray and you can pray as well for your healing.

3. Depending on the nature of the pain, you must try to ignore it. I know you are in pain but do not focus on it. Ask the Lord for more grace when it becomes unbearable.

4. Continue to do your regular routine again depending on how severe your illness is.

5. Use that time to pray and read if it’s not too much stress on you physically.

6... If you are confined to bed, then talk to God on a regular. Have conversations with him. Ask him to help you in your time of need.

7. Do not give into self-pity and play the blame game.

8. You can get angry and frustrated but be careful throwing your anger at God. He will ignore you. You cannot fight God and win. Be patient, he is trying to teach you something.

9. Try to live your life to the best of your ability and watch God transformed you through this season of illness.

10. You will thank him later for it!

I believe no one would volunteer to be afflicted. God volunteers us! He just let us have it. No question asked! How we respond to it, it is very telling and will revealed If we have the right motive for serving God. I mean just maybe; it could be a test of your faith in God. Some people endure it, while others have shipwreck and quit the church. Personally, thou it is painful, hard and long suffering, but I would rather have God be with me in my affliction than to go solo.

Yet, from God’s point of view:-

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. (Psalms 34:15,19,22.).

Then we see some others:-

1. CONSEQUENCE OF SIN. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8).

2. GOD JUDGEMENT FOR SIN - And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. (2 Samuels 12:15)

3. TO PROMOTE GOD’S DIVINE PURPOSE -So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. (Job 2:7). So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. (Job 42:12).

4. IT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD – When you are hurting, anguish floods your soul, and you grit your teeth. Pain gnaws at your last nerve and you are about to lose it, but you forbear and cry out to God instead. Sometimes relief comes right away and sometimes not. What do you do then ? I personally cry out to God until grace kicks in. Paul says it this way. Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:11-12)

5. IT MATURES THE FAITH OF THE BELIEVER AND HELP TO DEVELOP THEIR WALK WITH GOD.

It’ causes us to prioritize our life, changes our outlook, affects our attitude, shut out the noise and distraction, help us to treat other people better and humbles us as human being. It levels the plane field. Sickness does not discriminate, and No one is exempt from affliction! David said, It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. (Psalms 119:71). For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.(Roman’s 8:18) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;(2 Corinthians 4:16-17)

You every wonder why there is always someone in your life that is like a thorn in your flesh, a devil if you will. When you enter into relationship with Jesus Christ, you will come under severe attacks of the enemy. Don’t be surprised if he uses a spouse, children, friends, coworkers, the authorities, the government or any agent he can find to derail you from your destiny in Christ.

Why is that?

You will recall when Jesus choose 12 disciples and one of them was a devil. Why would Jesus choose someone knowing that his motive was evil and he was an agent of the devil. He knew what was in man, yet he was intentional when he included Judas in the group.

I believe he needed Judas to help him to crucify his flesh so that he could accomplish the work of Calvary. The struggle in the garden of Gethsemane was real. Jesus set aside his divinity to show us as a man, how you too will struggle when you are trying to crucify your flesh. The flesh had to die and only the enemy in the relationship could bring about the growth and maturity that are necessary to overcome the flesh. He being Jesus was not exempt from the attack of the devil.

You need to know that the greatest enemy in your life is not the devil, it your flesh! The only weapon he has to use against you is your flesh. He doesn’t force you; he creates doubt about what God says about you and speak to your flesh. If Jesus is Lord of your life you must yield to the power and influence of the Holy Ghost to overcome the weakness of the flesh.

Jesus was put to death in the flesh! You too must died to the flesh so that you cease to be under the influence of sin, but as an instrument of righteousness, you are alive through the power of the Holy Ghost.

24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24). It’s your job to to kill the fallen nature of sin in your life. You live in a fleshy body which crave comfort and pleasure that produces the work of the flesh. Your sinful passions and wayward desires of the flesh must be crucified daily by praying and reading his word with the help of the Holy Ghost.

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).