Isaac Boluwatise

TO DECREE OR TO PRAY?

August 17th, 2020

Job 22:28
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee:
and the light shall shine upon thy ways. KJV

Job 22:28
What you decide on will be done,
and light will shine on your ways. NIV

We have corrupted the art of prayer. When we should sue on a matter in prayer, we arrogate to ourselves making decree concerning them.

Jesus, as the Son of God, shouldn’t even have prayed at all while he was in the flesh, if it is the we way we arrogate these things to ourselves these days.

Maybe He should have made decrees against Rome, when He was here. That was actually what the people expected of His Messianic responsibility. That was, of course, not the reason He came.

You shall decree things within your sphere, not beyond your sphere. When a government issues a decree, it is with immediate effect. If it issues a decree and it is still not effective afterward, it is making itself a joke.

Sovereign exists, not to sue but to command. However, when you have authority above you and you are not primate over all things, you must learn to separate between what you command and what you sue to higher authority.
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Why do we bastardise the use of words and go all over the palace decreeing everything. It is arrogant when we do not know what is within our sphere. A government doesn’t decree beyond its boundary.

The pulpit cannot decree against governmental stipulations. If the government is wrong, we file the case to God, not to issue parallel decrees and fire people up in arrogance against civil governance.

At the time when the opposition from sinners is rife, the scripture teaches us to run our race with carefulness and not to fight their contradictions (Heb 12)

Why do we teach people to run around ejaculating I decree and declare on same matter for years with no effect, on matters that should be commited to God.

We do not ask questions when Christian leaders make decree (on matters they should pray about) and it is still pending years after.

Being charismatic should not mean being arrogant.

When believers pray, according the Lord, it should be to ask for the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven. He alone is our Sovereign.

The theology of kingdom mentality would be violating divine eschatological arrangement if it is not understood as submission to Him in this age.

We need to check the context of “we shall reign over the earth .. ” before we run with every wind of doctrine.

The early church respected governmental authorities; prayed for the government; and taught the people to submit to rules; not as those in bondage but as those who are free.

Christian leadership is not in any way parralel to civil governance. Christian leadership is not ruling and dominance. It is impunity when we misrepresent our Lord and His teachings.

I have my fears these days when pastors are now being represented or treated as Royals over Church Nations and worshipped beyond due respect. Prominence is not parralel to governance. If it is interpreted that way, it amounts to lawlessness.

Soul winning and discipleship tripled when the church began to be controlled by the state and were largely forced to go underground somewhere in Asia.

Our liberty shouldn’t be abused because we are in a free state. The exploits of the church in terms of the objectives of the great commission is more prominent in states where there are restrictions.

Thank God for free states.

Matthew 10:16
“I am sending you out like SHEEP among wolves. Therefore be as SHREWD as snakes and as INNOCENT as doves.

His SHEEP are SHREWD while maintaining their INNOCENCE.

Methinks civil reactions may in certain ways conflict with the great commission.

We change the world now; not through decrees from the pulpits; or civil actions from or outside the Church; but by serving in obedience to the great commission; to transform societies and not landscapes; by changing lives

The influence of Christ in the days of His flesh was in the lives He changed and in the godly examples and instructions He gave

Bless your church Lord and build it your own way.
THE CHURCH CANNOT BE ON A LOCKDOWN

May 7th, 2020

Image credit: thelily.com

When pastors are far from the reality that members live in, they will pontificate on issues that have little or no effect on themselves.

I drive to church in a car that is air-conditioned and that does some filtering to the air before it gets to me and I consider it as grossly inhuman to have no consideration for the risk that my members will go through to get to church in public facilities with those who care less for their own safety?

This is the extent it gets after testifying to the people of the divine health we have enjoyed for decades while we covertly undergo health check annually. Many of them cannot imagine that the leader that is immuned to ailments does health check.

This is how far it gets when we tell them that the Lord who has been our keeper will keep them also but we move around with the security of an army that can serve at war front.

If we are angry because churches cannot meet, it is not about the church (the people) because they can meet in the homes, it is about ourselves.

There is still balm in Gilead, I cannot deny. Whatever happened however in pre-covid19 situation where not all were healed and we used hospital.

If we are angry because public meetings are under ban, what happens in the nations where public religious gathering, as part of an intentional move against the church, has been banned?

Playing god in human affairs is an insult to our God. ‘I am he‘ is one the end time phenomena that Jesus said we should watch out for.

We haven’t seen trouble and we are crying wolf. What will happen when real conspiracy as Christ said we should expect happens.

Some day, none of the stones of our physical buildings will remain on each other, as they will be of no use while the church continues.

We have preached for ‘here and now’ too much that we cannot stand any threat to the earthly investments.

At the time when the Spirit and the bride should be saying “come Lord Jesus”, we are still busy prophesying ‘the coming wealth’.

This has been done for decades that the church looks forwards to more money than to the coming of Him that is coming for those who love His appearing.

If we cannot meet in the homes without feeling frustrated and support such meeting with the nascent technologies, it is because we have been building vanities that cannot stand in the time of crises.

May be we are the god for the people and apart from us they can do nothing. Why must temple meeting be compulsory when synagogues are possible in neighbourhoods at a time like this.

Thank God for the necessary mega buildings; however, the current situation is a prophecy that glory in them is vain and that one day they shall become unnecessary and unuseful.

The temple and the homes must go hand in hand. The real church however is not the theater but the fellowship in the homes.

We have been so inundated with celebrity ministry that the normal has become the new abnormal of the last days.

God is not angry with the lockdown, his church marching on. The comfort of faith that we have been used to and our ego are the oppressor of our minds.

Let’s go ahead and canvass for the lockdown on markets and for the opening of Church meetings since the church can answer to much more than food.

The churches and the mosques are restricted from public meeting, victim mentality says it is an agenda against the church. May the real agenda never come? What will be the song at such time?

It would have impressed me more if the concern is because of the inability to run public gospel crusades.

True Christianity can cope with simplicity of ministry.

Channels for frequent communication has not been locked down. Media has not been locked down. Homes have not been locked down.

The church is still and will always be marching on, even if things are worse than this.
Don’t Be Unsettled by Conspiracy Theories.

April 9th, 2020

The manifestation of the expected head of one world government is under lockdown actually since the first century. His manifestation will not happen untill the Restrainer has been taken away.

The theory about a particular person being the agent that God is using to delay the one world government is so speculative.

The word of God is that you shouldn’t be unsettled by the conspiracy theories. You should rather focus on being ready for the gathering of God’s people to their Lord who is coming for them.

At a time the theory was “do not collect bank card”.

Along the line, it was “do not join the Facebook as it is being used to gather data for the antichrist..”

Then in a rather quiet manner, it was “this BVN is what the prophecy was about as you would not be able to transact without it in the nearest future”, more so that it compulsory for everyone.

The list and the theories continue.

When universal is (symbolised by 666 in the Bible) arrives, it will not be an advice, not shall it be a suggestion. The government that will give it will be in place and not in theories.

Rather than being unsettled by the theories, expect the Lord’s coming, like a thief in the night.
GOT NO BUSINESS WITH SPECULATIONS. 2Thess 2:1-17

April 9th, 2020

Speculations Abound Out There These Days Powered More by The Ongoing Global Crisis.
This is exactly what happens once there is a major novelty or even crisis. Such speculations and educated and/or uneducated guesses only promote confusion and fear, one of the tools which the devil uses to steal, to kill, and to destroy.

The surprise is how believers also follow the trend instead of choosing to be stabilised by the word/will of God. If we are not to be easily unsettled or alarmed by the prophecies, words, and/or letters alleged to be from God and are not, how much more should we be careful not to be unsettled or alarmed by such speculations and guesses as are currently trending.

Trending currently are facts and speculations concerning the COVID 19; concerning the 5G technology; and concerning the end time politics with President Trump being a key figure.
It becomes necessary to take the attention of God’s people away from the nascent speculations allay their fear and encourage their devotion to the word and the will of God.

What do we need to know and how do we need to live in such times?

WE NEED TO KNOW THAT ….

… The Focus of Believers in The Last Days Should Be the Coming of Our Lord and Our Being Gathered to Him. 2Thess 2:1a.

He is coming back again, whether it looks like that or not, whether we believe it or not. He is coming as He promised, same way as He departed this world. He is coming like as the thief does in the night. He is coming to gather to Himself: His own; Those who love (earnestly looking forward to) His appearing: Those are prepared and ready. This should inform how we live, how we speak, and what we do.

We need to be careful about what we give attention to. We need to be careful not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by non-biblical teachings/speculations. 2Thess 2:1b. COVID 19 is a fact but we do not live by the details around it beyond being careful to curtail it’s spread. The 5G tech revolution is a fact; that technology is useful in the now is a fact; that it’s nature of tech comes with health challenges is a fact. That the stage is fully set for a takeover for a one world government is speculative. That COVID 19 lockdown is to accomplish that is speculative. That the antichrist will appear after Trump administration in a few years is speculative.

… We Need to Be Careful Not to Be Deceived.

The day of the Lord will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed. The antichrist might wield much power on earth when the time comes, he will yet not be absolute for he is doomed to destruction. His operation will be to oppose and to exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped. He will set himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. This particularly refers to the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem, the worship in which will indicate the re-enactment of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy.

While the world is preparing the ground for the appearing of the antichrist by technological advancement, watch out because the church is also preparing that ground through excessive lust for power; over-assertion of self in the sense of ‘I am he’; pointing people to personal calling than to Christ; empire building tendencies than pointing people to the kingdom that cannot be shaken; etc.

… The Appearing of The Antichrist Is Being Restrained.

Some specific events will precede his manifestation, and till then he’ll continue to be restrained. WHAT is holding him back so that he may be revealed at the proper time was known in the first century, according to 2Thess 2:6, whereas it is being highly speculated today.

That President Trump is the force that is preventing the one world government and the so-called illuminati conspiracy is a superfluous speculation. Lots of such speculations have been there in the past and they fell like a pack of cards. Subtly touted in the past were some notable world leaders.

The identity of the one holding back the manifestation of the antichrist has in biblical discussions ranged from the Roman Government, to Archangel Michael (because of his protection of the Jewish nation, and to the person of the Holy Spirit who continue to work in and through the church until the times of the gentiles are completed. The Holy Spirit fits more as a non-material person (what and He)

The secret power of lawlessness was already at work as far back as Paul’s time, predating those being touted today. Paul even wrote that, “… THE ONE WHO now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, ….”

… The Lord Is in The Charge of The Process and The Time, And That Human Conspiracy Cannot Usurp His Power nor His Schedule (Ps 2:1-8).

The manner of the coming of the lawless one is not limited to the current trend.
It will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie. He will use all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.

His Subjects Shall Be Those Who Are Perishing. Those who have refused to love the truth and so be saved. Those who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. Those who by their preference for lie will be aided by the sending of a powerful delusion by God so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned

This should command calm and peace in the heart of believers.

WE THEREFORE SHOULD …

… Always Give Thanks To God: for we are loved by the Him; for He had chosen us as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth; for He has called us to this through the gospel, that we might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

… Always Stand Firm.

… Always Hold Fast to The Teachings Passed to Us, according to God’s word.

………………………………

We Therefore Give Thanks to Our Lord Jesus Christ And to God Our Father, for loving us and for giving us eternal encouragement and good hope by your grace. We pray that You will encourage our hearts and that You will strengthen us in every good deed, in Jesus name. Amen.
The Doors of the Church Can Never Be Shut

April 9th, 2020

The door of the church can never be shut. The church is not the building, it is the people.

They met where they had access to in the first century without erecting any building.

The gap between the practice (tradition) of the church and the teaching if the church (scriptures) must be bridged.

While we thank God for the building, we must also recognise that as the day approaches the church (the people) should be helped to separate the essentials from the non-essentials.

If the buildings are shut down even with the backing of the law, the church will only get more powerful.

The virility and the visibility of the church is not in the buildings, it is in its spiritual impact. It is not in the transformation of landscape, it is in the transformation of lives.

Reading Richard Wurmbrand books (https://amzn.to/2V0qUM9) in the 80’s made me to know that there is a reality beyond the comfort we fight for; and that without formal buildings the church can thrive. The exploits that happened even behind the iron curtain made me to know that the gates of hell can never prevail against the church.

If all you have been exposed to is the stained glass windows and the luxury of meeting place; if that is what we think makes for worship; if we consider that comfort is what Christianity is all about, we are very well deceived. Tradition is rather controlling.

Read about the church in China and you will be truly educated. More people have come to the Lord after the public meeting came under the control of the state and the real church went underground.

The luxury and the gratifying teachings we have established as standards were not in consideration even in the early church. Comfort has made sermon subjects that should be unpopular with the church rather popular.

If we think straight, we have lots if questions to ask. It is excesses or tradition that normalised the thinking that it is a ministry when it hasn’t built a structure and a church when a structure has been erected.

True standard is seemingly veiled.

Paul trained some people in the school (Hall) of Tyrannus and they turned the subcontinent upside down. Most of the churches were in the homes and within the community. The church was more organic and less institutionalised.

It needs not be in Jerusalem nor in a special building. God is Spirit and His worship happens in spirit and in truth.

Let’s get real. The doors of the church can never be shut.

#selah

TO DECREE OR TO PRAY?

THE CHURCH CANNOT BE ON A LOCKDOWN

Don’t Be Unsettled by Conspiracy Theories.

GOT NO BUSINESS WITH SPECULATIONS. 2Thess 2:1-17

The Doors of the Church Can Never Be Shut